Short answer: the Harman Kardon Go + Play 3. It ranks #3 of 75 against #50 of 75 for the ZZA K8. The K8 is described as completely insane value for the money at $40, but its frequency response is a very V curve and it can be harsh in the treble, so the Go + Play 3’s warm boosted bass is the safer buy.
What the Harman Kardon Go + Play 3 gets right: Warm sound with boosted bass. Set against that: Just a little over half as loud as the higher rated boomboxes.
On the ZZA K8 side: Completely insane value for the money. The catch: Very V curve frequency response, can be harsh in the treble range.
Buy the Harman Kardon Go + Play 3 if sound quality is the priority over the price, or the ZZA K8 if the price is the priority over sound quality.
If battery life is a priority, the ZZA K8 is rated for 30 hours versus 8 hours for the Harman Kardon Go + Play 3.
If water resistance matters to you, the ZZA K8 at IPX6 (powerful water jets) holds up far better than the Harman Kardon Go + Play 3 at no water resistance.
Looking for alternatives? See the complete Portable Bluetooth rankings.
Specifications Side By Side
| Harman Kardon Go + Play 3 | ZZA K8 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $385 | $40 after clipped coupon, Discontinued |
| Ranked | #3 of 75 in Boombox Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers | #50 of 75 in Boombox Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers |
| App | Yes (Harman Kardon One app) | No |
| Aux Latency | 112ms | - |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 35Hz | - |
| Battery Life | 8 hours (Manufacturer specified) | ~30 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Built-in Microphone | Yes | No |
| EQ | Yes (App EQ) | No |
| IP Rating | None | IPX6 |
| Bluetooth Latency | 120ms | - |
| Maximum SPL | 103dB (measured by Alan Ross Reviews) | - |
| Power Input | AC Power brick | USB-C |
| Stereo | Yes | Yes |
| Omnidirectional | No | No |
| TWS | Yes | Yes |
| Weight | 10.4 lbs (4.7 kg) | 6.8 lbs (3.1 kg) |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC, AAC | SBC |
| Power Bank | Yes | Yes (USB-A) |
| Party Mode | No | No |
| USB Playback | No | No |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.2 | - |
| Amplifier Power | 160W RMS | - |
| Dimensions | 17.3" x 9.4" x 7.6" (439 x 240 x 192 mm) | - |
| Aux Input | Yes | Yes |
| Drivers | 1x 130mm (5") subwoofer + 2x 70mm midrange drivers + 2x 20mm tweeters | 8" woofer + tweeters |
| Digital Aux Input | No | No |
| Outputs | - | Aux |
| Microphone Input | - | Yes |
| Wireless Microphones | - | Yes 2 Included |
| FM Tuner | - | No |
| Discontinued | - | Yes |
Related Speaker Comparisons
More top alternatives to 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 Essential 2
- Harman Kardon Go + Play 3 vs JBL Partybox Encore
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
- 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 49 comparisons
ZZA K8: $40 after clipped coupon, Discontinued eBay
Pros: Completely insane value for the money. Comes with 2 metal body wireless microphones that are USB-C chargeable. Comes with Chinese labeled infrared remote control. Has voice delete function that works quite well. Adjustable microphone reverb. Pretty good build quality. The default EQ is the most balanced, the other two sound muffled.
Cons: Very V curve frequency response, can be harsh in the treble range. Treble is boosted a good +10dB. Midbass is recessed. Slight distortion issue at all volume levels due to the bass high pass filter being set too low. Discontinued and no longer sold new. Discontinued.
Full ZZA K8 review and specifications →
| App | No |
|---|---|
| Aux Input | Yes |
| Battery Life | ~30 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC |
| Built-in Microphone | No |
| Digital Aux Input | No |
| Discontinued | Yes |
| Drivers | 8" woofer + tweeters |
| EQ | No |
| FM Tuner | No |
| IP Rating | IPX6 |
| Microphone Input | Yes |
| Omnidirectional | No |
| Outputs | Aux |
| Party Mode | No |
| Power Bank | Yes (USB-A) |
| Power Input | USB-C |
| Stereo | Yes |
| TWS | Yes |
| USB Playback | No |
| Weight | 6.8 lbs (3.1 kg) |
| Wireless Microphones | Yes 2 Included |
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons