Short answer: the Harman Kardon Go + Play 3 for better sound quality, the Zealot ZE01 for the lower price. The Harman Kardon Go + Play 3 ranks #3 of 73 boombox speakers at $385. The Zealot ZE01 ranks #25 at $169.99, $215.01 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 Zealot ZE01 offers: Appears to be the same internals as the S95 Watch for: A little rolled off up top and not that balanced through the rest of the range. Clarity isn’t as good as better speakers.
Buy the Harman Kardon Go + Play 3 when sound quality outweighs the price for you, and the Zealot ZE01 when the price outweighs sound quality instead.
There is a real battery-life gap here: the Zealot ZE01 is rated for 40 hours, the Harman Kardon Go + Play 3 only 8 hours.
If water resistance matters to you, the Zealot ZE01 at IPX6 (powerful water jets) holds up far better than the Harman Kardon Go + Play 3 at no water resistance.
Specifications Side By Side
| Harman Kardon Go + Play 3 | Zealot ZE01 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $385 | $169.99 |
| Ranked | #3 of 73 in Boombox Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers | #25 of 73 in Boombox Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers |
| App | Yes (Harman Kardon One app) | No |
| Aux Latency | 112ms | - |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 35Hz | 45Hz |
| Battery Life | 8 hours (Manufacturer specified) | 40 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Built in Microphone | Yes | No |
| EQ | Yes (App EQ) | Yes (multiple modes) |
| IP Rating | None | IPX6 |
| Bluetooth Latency | 120ms | - |
| Max Volume | 103dB | - |
| Power Input | AC Power brick | USB-C |
| Stereo | Yes | Yes |
| Omnidirectional | No | No |
| TWS | Yes | Yes |
| Weight | 10.4 lbs / 4.7 kg | 13.2 lbs / 6.0 kg |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC, AAC | SBC |
| Power Bank | Yes | Yes (USB-A + USB-C) |
| Party Mode | No | No |
| USB Playback | No | Yes |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.2 | - |
| Output Power | 160W RMS | 120W RMS / 150W peak |
| Dimensions | 17.3" x 9.4" x 7.6" (439 x 240 x 192 mm) | 13.1" x 11.2" x 8.1" (332 x 284 x 207 mm) |
| Aux Input | Yes | Yes |
| Drivers | 1x 130mm (5") subwoofer + 2x 70mm midrange drivers + 2x 20mm tweeters | Dual 120mm speakers + dual 42mm speakers |
| Digital Aux Input | No | No |
| MicroSD Playback | - | Yes |
Related Speaker Comparisons
A few more comparisons worth a look in the same class:
- Zealot S95 vs JBL Boombox
- Zealot S95 vs Sony ULT Field 7
- Turtlebox Gen 2 vs Zealot S95
- Harman Kardon Go + Play 3 vs Tribit Stormbox Blast
- Harman Kardon Go + Play 3 vs Soundcore Boom 2 Plus
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
Zealot ZE01: $169.99 Amazon Aliexpress eBay
Pros: Appears to be the same internals as the S95
Cons: A little rolled off up top and not that balanced through the rest of the range. Clarity isn’t as good as better speakers.
Full Zealot ZE01 review and specifications →
| App | No |
|---|---|
| Aux Input | Yes |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 45Hz |
| Battery Life | 40 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC |
| Built in Microphone | No |
| Digital Aux Input | No |
| Dimensions | 13.1" x 11.2" x 8.1" (332 x 284 x 207 mm) |
| Drivers | Dual 120mm speakers + dual 42mm speakers |
| EQ | Yes (multiple modes) |
| IP Rating | IPX6 |
| MicroSD Playback | Yes |
| Omnidirectional | No |
| Output Power | 120W RMS / 150W peak |
| Party Mode | No |
| Power Bank | Yes (USB-A + USB-C) |
| Power Input | USB-C |
| Stereo | Yes |
| TWS | Yes |
| USB Playback | Yes |
| Weight | 13.2 lbs / 6.0 kg |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Bullionix_Gadgets_Reviews: ZEALOT ZE-01 VS ZEALOT S-95! 😱: Sound Comparison!!!
- Techder Audios: ZEALOT S89 VS ZEALOT ZE01 EXTREME POWERFULL VS COMPACTER BASS PERFORMANCE! More from techderaudios →
- Techder Audios: Zealot ZE01 VS Tronsmart Bang Max SOLID VOCALS VS DEEPER BASS
- Techder Audios: Zealot ZE01 VS Xdobo BMTL Wow Max DEEPER BASS VS LOUDER BASS?!
- Reddit Search for Zealot ZE01 Review
- Head-to-Head Comparisons