Short answer: the Harman Kardon Go + Play 3 for the higher ranking, the Harman Kardon Go + Play 2 for the lower price. The Harman Kardon Go + Play 3 ranks #3 of 70 boombox speakers at $385. The Harman Kardon Go + Play 2 ranks #18 at $350, $35 cheaper.
On the Harman Kardon Go + Play 2 side: Warm sound with boosted bass. The tradeoff: Not as loud as others.
The case for the Harman Kardon Go + Play 3: Deepest bass out of any speaker in this size. The tradeoff: Just a little over half as loud as the higher rated boomboxes.
One note: the Harman Kardon Go + Play 2 is discontinued, but it still ranks #18 of 70 boombox speakers, ahead of most of what is still sold new, so it is worth considering used.
Buy the Harman Kardon Go + Play 2 if the price matters more than the ranking. Buy the Harman Kardon Go + Play 3 if the ranking matters more than the price.
Specifications Side By Side
| Harman Kardon Go + Play 2 | Harman Kardon Go + Play 3 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $350 Discontinued | $385 |
| Ranked | #18 of 70 in Boombox Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers | #3 of 70 in Boombox Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers |
| Aux Latency | 0ms | 112ms |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 40Hz | 35Hz |
| Battery Life | 8 hours (Manufacturer specified) | 8 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| IP Rating | None | None |
| Bluetooth Latency | 33ms | 120ms |
| Max Volume | 99dB | 103dB |
| Party Mode | Yes (up to 2 speakers) | No |
| Power Input | AC Power brick | AC Power brick |
| Stereo | Yes | Yes |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC | SBC, AAC |
| App | No | Yes (Harman Kardon One app) |
| EQ | No | Yes (App EQ) |
| TWS | No | Yes |
| Power Bank | No | Yes |
| USB Playback | No | No |
| Built in Microphone | Yes | Yes |
| Output Power | 100W AC / 30W battery | 160W RMS |
| Dimensions | 20" x 9" x 9.5" | 17.28" x 9.45" x 7.56" (439 x 240 x 192 mm) |
| Drivers | 2x 90mm (3.5") woofers (front and rear firing) + 2x 20mm tweeters | 1x 130mm (5") subwoofer + 2x 70mm midrange drivers + 2x 20mm tweeters |
| Weight | 5.3 lbs / 2.4 kg | 10.4 lbs / 4.7 kg |
| Discontinued | Yes | - |
| Bluetooth Version | - | 5.2 |
| Aux Input | - | Yes |
The Two Speakers In Full
Harman Kardon Go + Play 2: $350 Discontinued
Pros: Warm sound with boosted bass.
Cons: Not as loud as others. No water rating. Discontinued.
| App | No |
|---|---|
| Aux Latency | 0ms |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 40Hz |
| Battery Life | 8 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC |
| Bluetooth Latency | 33ms |
| Built in Microphone | Yes |
| Dimensions | 20" x 9" x 9.5" |
| Discontinued | Yes |
| Drivers | 2x 90mm (3.5") woofers (front and rear firing) + 2x 20mm tweeters |
| EQ | No |
| IP Rating | None |
| Max Volume | 99dB |
| Output Power | 100W AC / 30W battery |
| Party Mode | Yes (up to 2 speakers) |
| Power Bank | No |
| Power Input | AC Power brick |
| Stereo | Yes |
| TWS | No |
| USB Playback | No |
| Weight | 5.3 lbs / 2.4 kg |
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Alan Ross Reviews: Harman Kardon Go+ Play 3 vs Go Play 2, the holy grail has arrived? ✔
- Alan Ross Reviews: JBL Boombox 2 bass monster or the mature Harman Kardon Go+ Play 2 mini for bass?? 💥
- Alan Ross Reviews: Tribit Stormbox Blast or Harman Kardon Go+ Play 2 Mini by an old bloke!
- Alan Ross Reviews: Harman Kardon Go+ Play 2 mini or Onyx Studio 6 - best speaker for bass?
- Alan Ross Reviews: Soundcore Motion Boom Plus vs Harman Kardon Go+ Play 2 mini - party vs HiFi
- Alan Ross Reviews: Bag of Riddim vs Harman Kardon Go+ Play 2 - boom boom in da room! 🥳
- Alan Ross Reviews: HK Go+ Play vs Soundcore Motion Boom - biggest bass battle ever!!!!!!!!!!!!
- Buy Used
- Links
Harman Kardon Go + Play 3: $385 Amazon Ebay Refurbished
Pros: Warm sound with boosted bass. Deepest bass out of any speaker in this size. Sound is more natural than the Go + Play2.
Cons: Just a little over half as loud as the higher rated boomboxes. Only 8 hours of battery at medium volume. No water rating.
Setup: Use the hidden EQ modes to adjust the bass up when outside and down when inside. To adjust bass, quickly press the bluetooth and volume down buttons together, the number of light flashes tell you what mode you’re in. To adjust treble, quickly press the volume up and phone buttons at the same time, the number of yellow flashes on the light tell you what mode you are in.
| App | Yes (Harman Kardon One app) |
|---|---|
| Aux Input | Yes |
| Aux Latency | 112ms |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 35Hz |
| Battery Life | 8 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC, AAC |
| Bluetooth Latency | 120ms |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.2 |
| Built in Microphone | Yes |
| Dimensions | 17.28" x 9.45" x 7.56" (439 x 240 x 192 mm) |
| Drivers | 1x 130mm (5") subwoofer + 2x 70mm midrange drivers + 2x 20mm tweeters |
| EQ | Yes (App EQ) |
| IP Rating | None |
| Max Volume | 103dB |
| Output Power | 160W RMS |
| Party Mode | No |
| Power Bank | Yes |
| Power Input | AC Power brick |
| Stereo | Yes |
| TWS | Yes |
| USB Playback | No |
| Weight | 10.4 lbs / 4.7 kg |
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Alan Ross Reviews: Harman Kardon Go+ Play 3 vs Go Play 2, the holy grail has arrived? ✔
- Alan Ross Reviews: Harman Kardon Go + Play 3 hidden eq modes - world has gone crazy! 🤣
- Alan Ross Reviews: Minirig 2.1 or the Brane X or the Harman Kardon Go Play 3?
- Alan Ross Reviews: JBL Distortion Fest vs my favorite speaker today! I wasn’t expecting this!
- Mateusz Cholewa: BOGASING S8 Pro Max „HiFi” 🎶🧐🆚 Harman Kardon Go Play 3 „HiFi”🔊
- Oluv Patreon: Harman Kardon go+play 3 - best sounding?
- Oluv Patreon: Harman Kardon go+play 3 vs Tribit Stormbox Blast - outdoor soundtest
- Oluv Patreon: Harman Kardon go+play 3 vs JBL Xtreme 4 - first impressions
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
- Links
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Product prices and availability were last checked August 9, 2026 at 6:57 AM UTC 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.