Short answer: the Go + Play 3 for sound quality, unless you specifically need volume or water resistance. It ranks #3 of 75 boombox speakers against the Boombox 4’s #19, and it costs $164.95 less.
The two speakers trade off sound character for raw output. The Go + Play 3’s pros describe a “warm sound with boosted bass” that’s the “deepest bass out of any speaker in this size” and more natural than its predecessor. Its own cons are honest that it’s “just a little over half as loud as the higher rated boomboxes,” a direct reference to speakers like the Boombox 4. The Boombox 4, in turn, is praised for “pretty insane output capability for the size,” but its cons call it “pretty overpriced for the category” and even note it sounds worse out of the box than the older Boombox 3 until you dial in Oluv’s EQ settings.
Water resistance and battery life clearly favor the Boombox 4. It carries an IP68 rating for extended submersion, while the Go + Play 3 has no water resistance rating at all. Battery life is also lopsided: 28 hours for the Boombox 4 against just 8 hours for the Go + Play 3.
What the Go + Play 3 has that the Boombox 4 lacks: an aux input, a built-in microphone, and hidden EQ button combinations for adjusting bass and treble on the fly, detailed in its own setup notes. Both speakers include a power bank function and support stereo/TWS pairing.
What the Boombox 4 has that the Go + Play 3 lacks: Auracast party mode, a removable battery, and a USB-C digital audio input, on top of the higher IP68 rating and much longer battery life.
Buy the Harman Kardon Go + Play 3 if sound quality and battery efficiency at that price point matter most. It ranks well ahead of the Boombox 4 and costs less.
Buy the JBL Boombox 4 if you need serious outdoor durability, much longer battery life, or output loud enough to fill a large space, and are willing to pay more and EQ it yourself for better sound.
Want more options? Browse the full Portable Bluetooth rankings.
Specifications Side By Side
| Harman Kardon Go + Play 3 | JBL Boombox 4 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $385 | $549.95 |
| Ranked | #3 of 75 in Boombox Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers | #19 of 75 in Boombox Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers |
| App | Yes (Harman Kardon One app) | Yes |
| Aux Latency | 112ms | - |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 35Hz | 41Hz |
| Battery Life | 8 hours (Manufacturer specified) | 28 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Built-in Microphone | Yes | No |
| EQ | Yes (App EQ) | Yes (7 band) |
| IP Rating | None | IP68 |
| Bluetooth Latency | 120ms | AAC 144ms, SBC 48ms |
| Maximum SPL | 103dB (measured by Alan Ross Reviews) | 115dB (measured by Alan Ross Reviews) |
| Power Input | AC Power brick | AC Power cord |
| Stereo | Yes | Yes |
| Omnidirectional | No | No |
| TWS | Yes | Yes |
| Weight | 10.4 lbs (4.7 kg) | 13.2 lbs (5.98 kg) |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC, AAC | SBC, LC3, AAC |
| Power Bank | Yes | Yes (USB-C, up to 30W) |
| Party Mode | No | Yes (Auracast) |
| USB Playback | No | No |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.2 | 5.4 |
| Amplifier Power | 160W RMS | 210W AC / 200W battery |
| Dimensions | 17.3" x 9.4" x 7.6" (439 x 240 x 192 mm) | 20.1" x 10.2" x 8.3" (510 x 260 x 210 mm) |
| Aux Input | Yes | No |
| Drivers | 1x 130mm (5") subwoofer + 2x 70mm midrange drivers + 2x 20mm tweeters | 2x 123mm woofers + 2x 20mm tweeters with passive radiators |
| Digital Aux Input | No | Yes (USB-C) |
| Removable Battery | - | Yes |
| FM Tuner | - | No |
| Microphone Input | - | No |
| MicroSD Playback | - | No |
Related Speaker Comparisons
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- Earfun Uboom X vs Harman Kardon Go + Play 3
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- Harman Kardon Go + Play 3 vs JBL Partybox Encore Essential 2
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Prices on this page were last checked September 23, 2026 at 11:24 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 Go + Play 3: $385 Amazon eBay
Pros: Warm sound with boosted bass. Deepest bass out of any speaker in this size. Sound is more natural than the Go + Play2. Measured bass extension of 35Hz (-10dB).
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.
Full Harman Kardon Go + Play 3 review and specifications →
| Amplifier Power | 160W RMS |
|---|---|
| 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 |
| Digital Aux Input | No |
| Dimensions | 17.3" x 9.4" x 7.6" (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 |
| Maximum SPL | 103dB (measured by Alan Ross Reviews) |
| Omnidirectional | No |
| 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) |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Alan Ross Reviews: Harman Kardon Go+ Play 3 vs Go Play 2, the holy grail has arrived? ✔ More from alanrossreviews →
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- Mateusz Cholewa: BOGASING S8 Pro Max „HiFi” 🎶🧐🆚 Harman Kardon Go Play 3 „HiFi”🔊 More from Mateusz Cholewa →
- Oluv Patreon: Harman Kardon go+play 3 - best sounding? More from Oluv’Sone →
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JBL Boombox 4: $549.95 Amazon B&H Photo Video eBay
Pros: Pretty insane output capability for the size. Measured bass extension of 41Hz (-10dB).
Cons: Pretty overpriced for the category. Better than the Boombox 3 mostly because there are more 7 EQ bands instead of just 3 and it can be better tuned. Try Oluv’s EQ for it. Out of the box sounds worse than the Boombox 3. No Aux input.
Full JBL Boombox 4 review and specifications →
| Amplifier Power | 210W AC / 200W battery |
|---|---|
| App | Yes |
| Aux Input | No |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 41Hz |
| Battery Life | 28 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC, LC3, AAC |
| Bluetooth Latency | AAC 144ms, SBC 48ms |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.4 |
| Built-in Microphone | No |
| Digital Aux Input | Yes (USB-C) |
| Dimensions | 20.1" x 10.2" x 8.3" (510 x 260 x 210 mm) |
| Drivers | 2x 123mm woofers + 2x 20mm tweeters with passive radiators |
| EQ | Yes (7 band) |
| FM Tuner | No |
| IP Rating | IP68 |
| Maximum SPL | 115dB (measured by Alan Ross Reviews) |
| MicroSD Playback | No |
| Microphone Input | No |
| Omnidirectional | No |
| Party Mode | Yes (Auracast) |
| Power Bank | Yes (USB-C, up to 30W) |
| Power Input | AC Power cord |
| Removable Battery | Yes |
| Stereo | Yes |
| TWS | Yes |
| USB Playback | No |
| Weight | 13.2 lbs (5.98 kg) |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- JOY‘s 🎧3D🔈Audio-Show: JBL Boombox 4 vs Boombox 3 - old one sounding better? 🤔 More from Oluv’Sone →
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- JOY‘s 🎧3D🔈Audio-Show: JBL Boombox 4 vs Partybox Encore 2 - outdoor loudness & basstest
- JOY‘s 🎧3D🔈Audio-Show: JBL Boombox 4 - finally a real BOOMbox from JBL 👏
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