Short answer: the Zealot S97, if you are buying new. The Harman Kardon Citation 200 ranks higher than it (#13 vs #62 of 105 large speakers, 4.5/5 vs 3.4/5) but is discontinued, so only consider it used; the Zealot S97 is still sold new at $78.62.
The Harman Kardon Citation 200 is the better-sounding choice. Deeper bass than any Onyx. The catch: 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 Zealot S97 is the longer-running, tougher choice. For a compact 7.3 lbs (3.3 kg) boombox, the S97 delivers unusually deep, clean-enough bass with a more sensible default balance than many inexpensive Zealot models. It is rated for 12 hours of battery against 8 for the Harman Kardon Citation 200. It is rated IPX6 against IPX4 for the Harman Kardon Citation 200. It keeps a wired aux input, which the Harman Kardon Citation 200 lacks. Watch for: It is not especially loud for its size, battery life is only a claimed 12 hours, and the bass preset can swamp the rest of the music.
Buy the Zealot S97, since the Harman Kardon Citation 200 is discontinued and only worth hunting down used.
Still deciding? The full Portable Bluetooth rankings cover every ranked option.
Specifications Side By Side
| Harman Kardon Citation 200 | Zealot S97 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $130 Discontinued | $78.62 |
| Ranked | #13 of 105 in Large Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers | #62 of 105 in Large Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers |
| Aux Input | No | Yes |
| Battery Life | 8 hours (Manufacturer specified) | 12 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| IP Rating | IPX4 | IPX6 |
| Stereo | Partially (1 woofer) | Yes |
| Omnidirectional | No | No |
| Weight | 6.3 lbs (2.85 kg) | 7.3 lbs (3.3 kg) |
| Wi-Fi | Yes | - |
| Bluetooth | Yes | Yes |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC | SBC |
| App | Yes (Harman Kardon app) | No |
| EQ | No | 3 EQ presets |
| TWS | No | No |
| Party Mode | No | Yes (PartyAdd up to 100 speakers) |
| Power Bank | No | Yes (USB-A + USB-C) |
| USB Playback | No | - |
| Built-in Microphone | Yes | Yes |
| Voice Assistants | Google Assistant | - |
| Power Input | USB-C | USB-C |
| Bluetooth Version | 4.2 | 5.2 |
| Dimensions | 7” x 8.6” x 6.8” (178 x 219 x 172 mm) | 12.6” x 7.3” x 5.9” (321 x 185 x 151 mm) |
| Drivers | 5” woofer, 1” tweeter | 2x 76mm (3”) woofers + 2x 38mm tweeters + 2x passive radiators |
| Frequency Response | 40Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) | - |
| Amplifier Power | 50W | 80W |
| Digital Aux Input | No | No |
| MicroSD Playback | - | Yes |
Related Speaker Comparisons
More top alternatives to Harman Kardon Citation 200:
- 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 12, 2026 at 4:13 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 →
| Released | Sep 2020 (6 years ago) |
|---|---|
| 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
- KULAS TECH SHOW: Harman Kardon Citation 200 vs JBL Xtreme3 Sound & Bass test More from KULASTECHSHOW20 →
- KULAS TECH SHOW: Harman Kardon Citation 200 vs Onyx Studio 7 Bass comparison
- Ezekielo: Citation 200 vs Beolit 20 with Sound Comparison!
- Ezekielo: Citation 200 vs Onyx Studio 6 vs Bose Portable Speaker Sound 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
- 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 69 comparisons
Zealot S97: $78.62 Amazon $78.62 eBay
Pros: For a compact 3.3kg boombox, the S97 delivers unusually deep, clean-enough bass with a more sensible default balance than many inexpensive Zealot models. It also brings IPX6 protection, aux and microSD playback, power-bank outputs, three EQ presets and PartyAdd linking.
Cons: It is not especially loud for its size, battery life is only a claimed 12 hours, and the bass preset can swamp the rest of the music. There is no app or fine-grained EQ, so the Vocal preset is the only practical way to improve the balance. It is still heavy for a speaker with this output ceiling.
Full Zealot S97 review and specifications →
| Released | Apr 2024 (2 years ago) |
|---|---|
| Amplifier Power | 80W |
| App | No |
| Aux Input | Yes |
| Battery Life | 12 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth | Yes |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.2 |
| Built-in Microphone | Yes |
| Digital Aux Input | No |
| Dimensions | 12.6” x 7.3” x 5.9” (321 x 185 x 151 mm) |
| Drivers | 2x 76mm (3”) woofers + 2x 38mm tweeters + 2x passive radiators |
| EQ | 3 EQ presets |
| IP Rating | IPX6 |
| MicroSD Playback | Yes |
| Omnidirectional | No |
| Party Mode | Yes (PartyAdd up to 100 speakers) |
| Power Bank | Yes (USB-A + USB-C) |
| Power Input | USB-C |
| Stereo | Yes |
| TWS | No |
| Weight | 7.3 lbs (3.3 kg) |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons