Short answer: the Harman Kardon Citation 200 on bass and rank, the Bose SoundLink Max on durability. The Citation 200 is #13 of 93 and goes deeper than any Onyx, but it is overly boomy by default. The SoundLink Max is IP67 rated, dustproof and waterproof to 1m, yet its response has a big peak in the upper bass, a dipped midrange and lots of peaks and dips above the midrange.
Buy the Bose SoundLink Max if you want one new; the Harman Kardon Citation 200 is discontinued, so only look for it used.
There is a real battery-life gap here: the Bose SoundLink Max is rated for 20 hours, the Harman Kardon Citation 200 only 8 hours.
If water resistance matters to you, the Bose SoundLink Max at IP67 (brief submersion) holds up far better than the Harman Kardon Citation 200 at IPX4 (splashing).
Want more options? Browse the full Portable Bluetooth rankings.
Specifications Side By Side
| Harman Kardon Citation 200 | Bose SoundLink Max | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $130 Discontinued | $279.00 |
| Ranked | #13 of 93 in Large Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers | #17 of 93 in Large Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers |
| Aux Input | No | Yes |
| Battery Life | 8 hours (Manufacturer specified) | 20 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| IP Rating | IPX4 | IP67 |
| Stereo | Partially (1 woofer) | Partially (1 tweeter) |
| Omnidirectional | No | No |
| Weight | 6.3 lbs (2.85 kg) | 4.9 lbs (2.2 kg) |
| Wi-Fi | Yes | - |
| Bluetooth | Yes | Yes |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC | SBC |
| App | Yes (Harman Kardon app) | Yes |
| EQ | No | No |
| TWS | No | Yes |
| Party Mode | No | No |
| Power Bank | No | Yes (USB-C) |
| USB Playback | No | - |
| Built-in Microphone | Yes | No |
| Voice Assistants | Google Assistant | - |
| Power Input | USB-C | USB-C |
| Bluetooth Version | 4.2 | 5.3 |
| Dimensions | 7” x 8.6” x 6.8” (178 x 219 x 172 mm) | 10.4” x 4.7” x 4.1” (264.7 x 120.1 x 104.9 mm) |
| Drivers | 5” woofer, 1” tweeter | 2x 2.5” (63.5mm) midrange drivers + 1x 0.79” (20mm) tweeter |
| Frequency Response | 40Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) | - |
| Amplifier Power | 50W | - |
| Digital Aux Input | No | No |
| Aux Latency | - | 33ms |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | - | 48Hz |
| Bluetooth Latency | - | 116ms |
| Strap | - | No |
Related Speaker Comparisons
How Harman Kardon Citation 200 compares with other leading options:
- JBL Xtreme 5 vs Harman Kardon Citation 200
- Tribit Stormbox Lava vs Harman Kardon Citation 200
- Brane X vs Harman Kardon Citation 200
- Soundcore Boom 2 vs Harman Kardon Citation 200
- Marshall Stockwell II vs Harman Kardon Citation 200
Prices on this page were last checked October 2, 2026 at 10:18 PM UTC. Product prices and availability are accurate as of that date/time and are subject to change; the price and availability shown on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.
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The Two Speakers In Full
Harman Kardon Citation 200: $130 Discontinued eBay
Pros: Deeper bass than any Onyx.
Cons: Overly boomy by default, you can short press the Bluetooth and volume down buttons simultaneously to decrease the bass, and the Bluetooth and volume up buttons simultaneously to increase it. Discontinued.
Full Harman Kardon Citation 200 review and specifications →
| Amplifier Power | 50W |
|---|---|
| App | Yes (Harman Kardon app) |
| Aux Input | No |
| Battery Life | 8 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth | Yes |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC |
| Bluetooth Version | 4.2 |
| Built-in Microphone | Yes |
| Digital Aux Input | No |
| Dimensions | 7” x 8.6” x 6.8” (178 x 219 x 172 mm) |
| Drivers | 5” woofer, 1” tweeter |
| EQ | No |
| Frequency Response | 40Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| IP Rating | IPX4 |
| Omnidirectional | No |
| Party Mode | No |
| Power Bank | No |
| Power Input | USB-C |
| Stereo | Partially (1 woofer) |
| TWS | No |
| USB Playback | No |
| Voice Assistants | Google Assistant |
| Weight | 6.3 lbs (2.85 kg) |
| Wi-Fi | Yes |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Ezekielo: Citation 200 vs Beolit 20 with Sound Comparison!
- KULAS TECH SHOW: Harman Kardon Citation 200 vs JBL Xtreme3 Sound & Bass test More from KULASTECHSHOW20 →
- Ezekielo: Citation 200 vs Onyx Studio 6 vs Bose Portable Speaker Sound Comparison
- KULAS TECH SHOW: Harman Kardon Citation 200 vs Onyx Studio 7 Bass comparison
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
- Harman Kardon Citation 200 vs B&O Beosound A5
- Harman Kardon Citation 200 vs Soundcore Motion Boom
- Harman Kardon Citation 200 vs Marshall Stockwell II
- Harman Kardon Citation 200 vs Soundcore Select Pro
- Harman Kardon Citation 200 vs Soundcore Boom 2
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- Harman Kardon Citation 200 vs JBL Xtreme 3
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- See all 66 comparisons
Bose SoundLink Max: $279.00 Amazon eBay
Pros: IP67 rated: dustproof and waterproof to 1m. Up to 20 hour battery; real-world testing found 43+ hours. Deep, rich bass with neutral tuning, app EQ. USB-C doubles as device charger. Sturdy carry handle. The aux input has lower latency (about 33ms) than most Bluetooth connections. Measured bass extension of 48Hz (-10dB).
Cons: Big peak in the upper bass, dipped midrange and lots of peaks and dips above the midrange. Bass not as deep as a Boom 2. Gets distorted above 80%. Self drains the battery about 20% a week.
Full Bose SoundLink Max review and specifications →
| App | Yes |
|---|---|
| Aux Input | Yes |
| Aux Latency | 33ms |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 48Hz |
| Battery Life | 20 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth | Yes |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC |
| Bluetooth Latency | 116ms |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.3 |
| Built-in Microphone | No |
| Digital Aux Input | No |
| Dimensions | 10.4” x 4.7” x 4.1” (264.7 x 120.1 x 104.9 mm) |
| Drivers | 2x 2.5” (63.5mm) midrange drivers + 1x 0.79” (20mm) tweeter |
| EQ | No |
| IP Rating | IP67 |
| Omnidirectional | No |
| Party Mode | No |
| Power Bank | Yes (USB-C) |
| Power Input | USB-C |
| Stereo | Partially (1 tweeter) |
| Strap | No |
| TWS | Yes |
| Weight | 4.9 lbs (2.2 kg) |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Joy & Oluv’Sone: Bose SoundLink Max & SoundCore Boom 2 - indoor soundtest More from Oluv’Sone →
- Joy & Oluv’Sone: Bose SoundLink Max & SoundCore Boom 2 - outdoor soundtest
- Alan Ross Reviews: Bose Max, the worlds most overpriced speaker? its a shocker! More from alanrossreviews →
- Oluv Patreon: Marshall Middleton II - first impressions
- Jay’s Straight Up Reviews & More: Bose SoundLink Max vs. Ultimate Ears EpicBoom 🤑Big Bucks No Whammies? 💣 Let’s Find Out 😧 More from JaysStraightUpReviews →
- Jay’s Straight Up Reviews & More: Bose SoundLink Max vs Tribit XSound Mega 😲 Can the Budget Priced Speaker Hang With the Big $ One?
- Scott’s Reviews: Bose SoundLink Max First Impressions, Unboxing, and Sound Test. More from ScottsReviews →
- Mateusz Cholewa: BOGASING S8 Pro Max 100W vs BOSE Soundlink MAX More from Mateusz Cholewa →
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
- Bose SoundLink Max vs B&O Beoplay A2 active
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- Bose SoundLink Max vs Soundcore Motion X600
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- Bose SoundLink Max vs Soundcore Motion Boom
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- See all 85 comparisons