Short answer: the Go + Play 3 for the warmer, deeper sound, the Encore Essential 2 for everything else. They rank #3 and #5 of 75 boombox speakers, close enough that this comes down to what you value, but the Go + Play 3 costs $130.88 more.
The Go + Play 3’s draw is bass depth and tone. Our notes call it warm with boosted bass, describing it as having the deepest bass of any speaker in its size class and a more natural sound than the previous Go + Play 2. The tradeoff is real: it’s just a little over half as loud as the higher rated boomboxes in its class, which matters if you’re using it outdoors or at a gathering rather than a quiet room.
The Encore Essential 2 answers with output and design updates. Our notes point to its move from cone to dome tweeters giving it better off-axis performance than the original Encore, along with slightly deeper bass and a bit less roll-off in the highs than that earlier model. Its one sonic knock is missing a little upper bass compared to the Go + Play 3’s tuning.
Everything practical favors the Encore Essential 2: it runs 15 hours of battery against 8 for the Go + Play 3, carries an IPX4 splash rating where the Go + Play 3 has none, adds Auracast party mode and USB playback, and includes a guitar input and karaoke microphone input that the Go + Play 3 lacks entirely.
Buy the Harman Kardon Go + Play 3 if warm, deep, natural-sounding bass matters more to you than raw volume, and you’re willing to pay more and skip water resistance for it.
Buy the JBL Partybox Encore Essential 2 if you want longer battery life, splash protection, karaoke and guitar inputs, and a lower price, and can live with slightly less bottom-end weight.
There is a real gap in water resistance: the JBL Partybox Encore Essential 2 at IPX4 (splashing) against the Harman Kardon Go + Play 3, which has no water resistance.
Looking for alternatives? See the complete Portable Bluetooth rankings.
Specifications Side By Side
| Harman Kardon Go + Play 3 | JBL Partybox Encore Essential 2 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $385 | $254.12 |
| Ranked | #3 of 75 in Boombox Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers | #5 of 75 in Boombox Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers |
| App | Yes (Harman Kardon One app) | Yes (JBL PartyBox app) |
| Aux Latency | 112ms | - |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 35Hz | - |
| Battery Life | 8 hours (Manufacturer specified) | 15 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Built-in Microphone | Yes | No |
| EQ | Yes (App EQ) | Yes (7 band App EQ) |
| IP Rating | None | IPX4 |
| Bluetooth Latency | 120ms | - |
| Maximum SPL | 103dB (measured by Alan Ross Reviews) | 110dB (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) | 13.7 lbs (6.2 kg) |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC, AAC | SBC |
| Power Bank | Yes | Yes (USB-C) |
| Party Mode | No | Yes (Auracast) |
| USB Playback | No | Yes |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.2 | 5.4 |
| Amplifier Power | 160W RMS | 100W RMS |
| Dimensions | 17.3" x 9.4" x 7.6" (439 x 240 x 192 mm) | 12.6" x 13.5" x 10.3" (319.5 x 342 x 260.4 mm) |
| Aux Input | Yes | Yes |
| Drivers | 1x 130mm (5") subwoofer + 2x 70mm midrange drivers + 2x 20mm tweeters | 1x 135mm (5.25") woofer + 2x 20mm (0.75") dome tweeters |
| Digital Aux Input | No | No |
| Guitar Input | - | Yes |
| Microphone Input | - | Yes (Karaoke mode with echo effect) |
| Wireless Microphones | - | No |
| Lights | - | Yes |
Related Speaker Comparisons
More worthwhile head-to-heads for Harman Kardon Go + Play 3:
- Earfun Uboom X vs Harman Kardon Go + Play 3
- Harman Kardon Go + Play 3 vs Tribit Stormbox Blast
- Harman Kardon Go + Play 3 vs JBL Partybox Encore 2
- Harman Kardon Go + Play 3 vs JBL Partybox Encore
- Harman Kardon Go + Play 3 vs JBL Partybox Encore Essential
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 →
- 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”🔊 More from Mateusz Cholewa →
- Oluv Patreon: Harman Kardon go+play 3 - best sounding? More from Oluv’Sone →
- 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
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JBL Partybox Encore Essential 2: $254.12 Amazon B&H Photo Video eBay
Pros: A compact 6.2kg party speaker with 100W output, 110dB maximum level, a 15-hour claimed battery, app-based 7-band EQ, dynamic lighting, USB playback, guitar and mic inputs, and Auracast linking. Independent testing finds a balanced midrange, genuinely punchy low bass and enough output for a backyard gathering; its dome tweeters also improve the earlier Encore’s high-frequency behavior.
Cons: It is front-facing, so the sound changes noticeably to the sides and behind it, and bass compression reduces kick-drum impact at maximum volume. Bluetooth latency can cause lip-sync issues, its IPX4 rating only covers splashes, and it omits the wireless microphones bundled with the non-Essential Encore 2.
Full JBL Partybox Encore Essential 2 review and specifications →
| Amplifier Power | 100W RMS |
|---|---|
| App | Yes (JBL PartyBox app) |
| Aux Input | Yes |
| Battery Life | 15 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.4 |
| Built-in Microphone | No |
| Digital Aux Input | No |
| Dimensions | 12.6" x 13.5" x 10.3" (319.5 x 342 x 260.4 mm) |
| Drivers | 1x 135mm (5.25") woofer + 2x 20mm (0.75") dome tweeters |
| EQ | Yes (7 band App EQ) |
| Guitar Input | Yes |
| IP Rating | IPX4 |
| Lights | Yes |
| Maximum SPL | 110dB (measured by Alan Ross Reviews) |
| Microphone Input | Yes (Karaoke mode with echo effect) |
| Omnidirectional | No |
| Party Mode | Yes (Auracast) |
| Power Bank | Yes (USB-C) |
| Power Input | AC Power cord |
| Stereo | Yes |
| TWS | Yes |
| USB Playback | Yes |
| Weight | 13.7 lbs (6.2 kg) |
| Wireless Microphones | No |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
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