Short answer: the Harman Kardon Citation 200. It ranks #13 of 77 large speakers by sound quality at $130; the Sony SRS-XB43 ranks #42 and costs $150, so there is little reason to consider the other one.
What the Harman Kardon Citation 200 offers: Deeper bass than any Onyx. Watch for: 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
What the Sony SRS-XB43 offers: Full, warm sound with deep, rich bass. Twin passive radiators deliver Extra Bass impact. IPX7 waterproof and rugged. Up to 24 hour battery (14 hours with lights on). Party lights for visual appeal. Watch for: Not as loud as others in the category. Speaker will not remain at max volume and will turn itself down automatically.
Buy the Harman Kardon Citation 200. It ranks higher for sound quality than the Sony SRS-XB43 and costs less, which settles it without a real tradeoff to make.
There is a real battery-life gap here: the Sony SRS-XB43 is rated for 24 hours, the Harman Kardon Citation 200 only 8 hours.
If water resistance matters to you, the Sony SRS-XB43 at IP67 (brief submersion) holds up far better than the Harman Kardon Citation 200 at IPX4 (splashing).
Specifications Side By Side
| Harman Kardon Citation 200 | Sony SRS-XB43 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $130 Discontinued | $150 |
| Ranked | #13 of 77 in Large Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers | #42 of 77 in Large 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 | 6.5 lbs / 2.95 kg |
| Wifi | Yes | - |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC | SBC, AAC, LDAC |
| App | Yes (Harman Kardon app) | Yes (Sony Music Center App) |
| EQ | No | Yes (3 band) |
| TWS | No | Yes |
| Party Mode | No | Yes (Party Connect up to 100 speakers) |
| Power Bank | No | Yes (USB-A, 5V/1A) |
| USB Playback | No | - |
| Built in Microphone | Yes | Yes |
| Power Input | USB-C | USB-C |
| Bluetooth Version | 4.2 | 5.0 |
| Dimensions | 7" x 8.6" x 6.8" (178 x 219 x 172 mm) | 12.8" x 4.8" x 4.6" (325 x 123 x 117 mm) |
| Drivers | 5" woofer, 1" tweeter | 63mm woofer + 12.5mm tweeter + passive radiators |
| Frequency Response | 40Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) | - |
| Output Power | 50W | 32W RMS |
| Discontinued | Yes | - |
| Digital Aux Input | No | No |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | - | 53Hz |
| Bluetooth Latency | - | 85ms |
| Max Volume | - | 99dB |
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Prices on this page were last checked August 27, 2026 at 10:09 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 →
| 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 |
| Output Power | 50W |
| Party Mode | No |
| Power Bank | No |
| Power Input | USB-C |
| Stereo | Partially (1 woofer) |
| TWS | No |
| USB Playback | No |
| Weight | 6.3 lbs / 2.85 kg |
| Wifi | 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
- Reddit Search for Harman Kardon Citation 200 Review
- 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 2
- Harman Kardon Citation 200 vs Soundcore Select Pro
- Harman Kardon Citation 200 vs Soundcore Boom 2
- Harman Kardon Citation 200 vs B&O Beoplay A2 active
- Harman Kardon Citation 200 vs Bose SoundLink Max
- Harman Kardon Citation 200 vs JBL Xtreme 3
- See all 39 comparisons
Sony SRS-XB43: $150 eBay
Pros: Full, warm sound with deep, rich bass. Twin passive radiators deliver Extra Bass impact. IPX7 waterproof and rugged. Up to 24 hour battery (14 hours with lights on). Party lights for visual appeal.
Cons: Not as loud as others in the category. Speaker will not remain at max volume and will turn itself down automatically.
Setup: Try out +3 +6 +3 as an EQ to get it as flat as possible as mentioned in the Alan Ross video
Full Sony SRS-XB43 review and specifications →
| App | Yes (Sony Music Center App) |
|---|---|
| Aux Input | Yes |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 53Hz |
| Battery Life | 24 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC, AAC, LDAC |
| Bluetooth Latency | 85ms |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.0 |
| Built in Microphone | Yes |
| Digital Aux Input | No |
| Dimensions | 12.8" x 4.8" x 4.6" (325 x 123 x 117 mm) |
| Drivers | 63mm woofer + 12.5mm tweeter + passive radiators |
| EQ | Yes (3 band) |
| IP Rating | IP67 |
| Max Volume | 99dB |
| Omnidirectional | No |
| Output Power | 32W RMS |
| Party Mode | Yes (Party Connect up to 100 speakers) |
| Power Bank | Yes (USB-A, 5V/1A) |
| Power Input | USB-C |
| Stereo | Yes |
| TWS | Yes |
| Weight | 6.5 lbs / 2.95 kg |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Alan Ross Reviews: JBL Xtreme 3 vs Sony XB43 - boombox champ? More from alanrossreviews →
- Alan Ross Reviews: JBL Charge 5 vs Motion Boom vs Sony XB43 - a step to far? 🤪
- Alan Ross Reviews: Sony xb33 vs xb43 vs Soundcore Motion Plus speakers test
- DLX Willington: Who Sounds The Best Of Sony XG300, XB43 & JBL XTREME3 With Sound Sample BLIND CHALLENGE Reveal. More from DLXWillington →
- Reddit Search for Sony SRS-XB43 Review
- Head-to-Head Comparisons