Different classes, so treat this as a step-up-or-not question rather than a head-to-head. The Harman Kardon Citation 200 ranks #13 of 78 large speakers by sound quality at $130; the Sonos Play ranks #50 of 142 medium speakers by sound quality at $299.
The case for the Harman Kardon Citation 200: Deeper bass than any Onyx. The tradeoff: 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.
The case for the Sonos Play: Genuinely wide, clean stereo dispersion off-axis thanks to the two angled tweeters, holding up from the side far better than most portables. The tradeoff: Bass distorts noticeably on bass-heavy tracks at default settings, and the distortion persists even after enabling Trueplay tuning and manually pulling bass back in the app.
Buy the Harman Kardon Citation 200 ($130) for a large speaker; the Sonos Play ($299) suits a medium speaker instead.
Battery life favors the Sonos Play: rated for 24 hours against 8 hours for the Harman Kardon Citation 200.
If water resistance matters to you, the Sonos Play at IP67 (brief submersion) holds up far better than the Harman Kardon Citation 200 at IPX4 (splashing).
Still deciding? The full Portable Bluetooth rankings cover every ranked option.
Specifications Side By Side
| Harman Kardon Citation 200 | Sonos Play | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $130 Discontinued | $299.00 |
| Ranked | #13 of 78 in Large Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers | #50 of 142 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers |
| Aux Input | No | Yes |
| Battery Life | 8 hours (Manufacturer specified) | 24 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| IP Rating | IPX4 | IP67 |
| Stereo | Partially (1 woofer) | Yes |
| Omnidirectional | No | No |
| Weight | 6.3 lbs (2.85 kg) | 2.9 lbs (1.3 kg) |
| Wi-Fi | 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 | No |
| USB Playback | No | - |
| Built-in Microphone | Yes | Yes |
| Voice Assistants | Google Assistant | Amazon Alexa (Sonos Voice Control also built in) |
| 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) | 7.6" x 4.4" x 3" (192.3 x 112.5 x 76.7 mm) |
| Drivers | 5" woofer, 1" tweeter | mid-woofer, 2x angled tweeters |
| Frequency Response | 40Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) | - |
| Amplifier Power | 50W | - |
| Discontinued | Yes | - |
| Digital Aux Input | No | No |
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Prices on this page were last checked September 22, 2026 at 5:11 AM 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 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) |
| Discontinued | Yes |
| 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
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- Head-to-Head Comparisons
- Harman Kardon Citation 200 vs B&O Beosound A5
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- Harman Kardon Citation 200 vs Marshall Stockwell 2
- Harman Kardon Citation 200 vs Soundcore Select Pro
- Harman Kardon Citation 200 vs Soundcore Boom 2
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Sonos Play: $299.00 Amazon eBay
Pros: Genuinely wide, clean stereo dispersion off-axis thanks to the two angled tweeters, holding up from the side far better than most portables. Loudness processing keeps it sounding full-bodied at low volume. 24-hour user-replaceable battery with an included wireless charging base, IP67 waterproof and dustproof, and full Sonos WiFi multi-room with AirPlay 2 on top of Bluetooth 5.3.
Cons: Bass distorts noticeably on bass-heavy tracks at default settings, and the distortion persists even after enabling Trueplay tuning and manually pulling bass back in the app. Sounds boxy and short on clarity next to cheaper competitors.
Full Sonos Play review and specifications →
| App | Yes |
|---|---|
| Aux Input | Yes |
| Battery Life | 24 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.3 |
| Built-in Microphone | Yes |
| Digital Aux Input | No |
| Dimensions | 7.6" x 4.4" x 3" (192.3 x 112.5 x 76.7 mm) |
| Drivers | mid-woofer, 2x angled tweeters |
| EQ | No |
| IP Rating | IP67 |
| Omnidirectional | No |
| Party Mode | No |
| Power Bank | No |
| Power Input | USB-C |
| Stereo | Yes |
| TWS | Yes |
| Voice Assistants | Amazon Alexa (Sonos Voice Control also built in) |
| Weight | 2.9 lbs (1.3 kg) |
| Wi-Fi | Yes |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons