Short answer: the Harman Kardon Go + Play 3 if sound quality matters most, the Soundcore Motion Boom+ if price matters most. The Harman Kardon Go + Play 3 ranks #3 of 73 boombox speakers at $385. The Soundcore Motion Boom+ ranks #47 at $140, $245 cheaper.
What the Harman Kardon Go + Play 3 offers: Warm sound with boosted bass. Deepest bass out of any speaker in this size. Sound is more natural than the Go + Play2. Watch for: Just a little over half as loud as the higher rated boomboxes. Only 8 hours of battery at medium volume. No water rating.
What the Soundcore Motion Boom+ offers: 80W stereo from dual 30W woofers + dual 10W tweeters with titanium drivers for treble clarity. 13,400mAh battery for 20 hours (12-15 at high volume). IP67 waterproof, floats, rugged build inspires confidence. Bluetooth 5.3 multipoint pairing, Soundcore app EQ, PartyCast 2.0 mode. USB-C input, USB-A output for powerbank. Watch for: Default presets are all warm sounding with rolled off treble. Will need a custom EQ to get closer to neutral. A shrill sounding 6khz peak comes out when volume is above about 60%. Not much deeper bass than a Motion Boom and a lot less deep bass than other speakers in the class.
Buy the Harman Kardon Go + Play 3 if sound quality matters more than the price. Buy the Soundcore Motion Boom+ if the price matters more than sound quality.
If battery life is a priority, the Soundcore Motion Boom+ is rated for 20 hours versus 8 hours for the Harman Kardon Go + Play 3.
If water resistance matters to you, the Soundcore Motion Boom+ at IP67 (brief submersion) holds up far better than the Harman Kardon Go + Play 3 at no water resistance.
Specifications Side By Side
| Harman Kardon Go + Play 3 | Soundcore Motion Boom+ | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $385 | $140 after $40 coupon, Discontinued |
| Ranked | #3 of 73 in Boombox Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers | #47 of 73 in Boombox Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers |
| App | Yes (Harman Kardon One app) | Yes (Soundcore app) |
| Aux Latency | 112ms | 17ms |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 35Hz | 52Hz |
| Battery Life | 8 hours (Manufacturer specified) | 20 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Built in Microphone | Yes | No |
| EQ | Yes (App EQ) | Yes (App EQ) |
| IP Rating | None | IP67 |
| Bluetooth Latency | 120ms | 33ms |
| Max Volume | 103dB | 108dB |
| Power Input | AC Power brick | USB-C |
| Stereo | Yes | Yes |
| Omnidirectional | No | No |
| TWS | Yes | Yes |
| Weight | 10.4 lbs / 4.7 kg | 5.3 lbs / 2.4 kg |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC, AAC | SBC |
| Power Bank | Yes | Yes (USB-A, 5V/2.1A) |
| Party Mode | No | Yes (PartyCast up to 100 speakers) |
| USB Playback | No | No |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.2 | 5.3 |
| Output Power | 160W RMS | 80W |
| Dimensions | 17.3" x 9.4" x 7.6" (439 x 240 x 192 mm) | 15.1" x 5.1" x 7.7" (384 x 130 x 196 mm) |
| Aux Input | Yes | Yes |
| Drivers | 1x 130mm (5") subwoofer + 2x 70mm midrange drivers + 2x 20mm tweeters | 30W: Dual drivers |
| Digital Aux Input | No | No |
| Discontinued | - | Yes |
Related Speaker Comparisons
Other pairings from the same speaker class worth checking:
- JBL Partybox Encore 2 vs W-King D20
- Harman Kardon Onyx Studio 6 vs JBL Boombox
- JBL Partybox Encore 2 vs Soundcore Rave Party 2
- Harman Kardon Go + Play 3 vs W-King X10-1
- JBL Boombox 3 Wifi vs Soundcore Motion Boom+
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 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.
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 →
| 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 |
| Max Volume | 103dB |
| Omnidirectional | No |
| 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 |
- 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
- Reddit Search for Harman Kardon Go + Play 3 Review
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
- Harman Kardon Go + Play 3 vs JBL Partybox Encore 2
- Harman Kardon Go + Play 3 vs Tribit Stormbox Blast
- Harman Kardon Go + Play 3 vs Earfun Uboom X
- Harman Kardon Go + Play 3 vs JBL Partybox Encore Essential 2
- Harman Kardon Go + Play 3 vs JBL Partybox Encore
- Harman Kardon Go + Play 3 vs JBL Partybox Encore Essential
- Harman Kardon Go + Play 3 vs Harman Kardon Onyx Studio 8
- Harman Kardon Go + Play 3 vs Harman Kardon Onyx Studio 6
- See all 47 comparisons
Soundcore Motion Boom+: $140 after $40 coupon, Discontinued Amazon eBay
Pros: 80W stereo from dual 30W woofers + dual 10W tweeters with titanium drivers for treble clarity. 13,400mAh battery for 20 hours (12-15 at high volume). IP67 waterproof, floats, rugged build inspires confidence. Bluetooth 5.3 multipoint pairing, Soundcore app EQ, PartyCast 2.0 mode. USB-C input, USB-A output for powerbank.
Cons: Default presets are all warm sounding with rolled off treble. Will need a custom EQ to get closer to neutral. A shrill sounding 6khz peak comes out when volume is above about 60%. Not much deeper bass than a Motion Boom and a lot less deep bass than other speakers in the class. Discontinued.
Full Soundcore Motion Boom+ review and specifications →
| App | Yes (Soundcore app) |
|---|---|
| Aux Input | Yes |
| Aux Latency | 17ms |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 52Hz |
| Battery Life | 20 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC |
| Bluetooth Latency | 33ms |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.3 |
| Built in Microphone | No |
| Digital Aux Input | No |
| Dimensions | 15.1" x 5.1" x 7.7" (384 x 130 x 196 mm) |
| Discontinued | Yes |
| Drivers | 30W: Dual drivers |
| EQ | Yes (App EQ) |
| IP Rating | IP67 |
| Max Volume | 108dB |
| Omnidirectional | No |
| Output Power | 80W |
| Party Mode | Yes (PartyCast up to 100 speakers) |
| Power Bank | Yes (USB-A, 5V/2.1A) |
| Power Input | USB-C |
| Stereo | Yes |
| TWS | Yes |
| USB Playback | No |
| Weight | 5.3 lbs / 2.4 kg |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Joy & Oluv’Sone: Soundcore Motion Boom Plus & Earfun UBoom X - sound test More from Oluv’Sone →
- Alan Ross Reviews: Tribit Stormbox Blast or Soundcore Motion Boom Plus or W King D10? 🤪 More from alanrossreviews →
- Alan Ross Reviews: Tribit Stormbox Blast Review vs Soundcore Motion Boom Plus - cheap bass!
- DLX Willington: Tough Game! Tribit Stormbox Blast vs Soundcore Motion Boom Plus Binaural sound samples More from DLXWillington →
- Reddit Search for Soundcore Motion Boom+ Review
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
- Soundcore Motion Boom+ vs JBL Boombox
- Soundcore Motion Boom+ vs Sony SRS-XG500
- Soundcore Motion Boom+ vs JBL Partybox On the Go
- Soundcore Motion Boom+ vs Soundcore Rave Party 2
- Soundcore Motion Boom+ vs W-King H10
- Soundcore Motion Boom+ vs W-King D10
- Soundcore Motion Boom+ vs Sony ULT Field 7
- Soundcore Motion Boom+ vs Turtlebox Grande
- See all 47 comparisons