Short answer: the Harman Kardon Luna 2. It ranks #23 of 150 medium speakers by sound quality, rated 4.1/5, at $199.95; the JBL Charge Essential 3 SE ranks #40, rated 3.7/5, at $199.95. With prices this close, go by the sound-quality ranking rather than the cost.
What the Harman Kardon Luna 2 does well: Articulate, spacious midrange with precise imaging and instrument separation. The catch: Treble can sound bright and edgy, and it loses more output off-axis than some rivals.
The case for the JBL Charge Essential 3 SE: Gets louder than the Bose SoundLink Flex 2nd Gen and digs deeper in the bass, with a separate 20mm tweeter, two passive radiators and 40W of amplification in the familiar Charge body. Watch for: In side-by-side listening against the Charge 6, its bass is weaker and less stable and distorts on bass-heavy tracks even with the bass turned down in the app, while a narrow boost in the upper mids makes it sound less natural.
Buy the Harman Kardon Luna 2. It is rated higher for sound quality than the JBL Charge Essential 3 SE at the same price, so it is the default pick unless a specific strength of the other one matters more to you.
There is a real battery-life gap here: the JBL Charge Essential 3 SE is rated for 20 hours, the Harman Kardon Luna 2 only 12 hours.
Want more options? Browse the full Portable Bluetooth rankings.
Specifications Side By Side
| Harman Kardon Luna 2 | JBL Charge Essential 3 SE | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $199.95 | $199.95 |
| Ranked | #23 of 150 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers | #40 of 150 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers |
| App | Yes | Yes |
| Aux Input | No | No |
| Battery Life | 12 hours (Manufacturer specified) | 20 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth | Yes | Yes |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC | SBC, AAC, LC3 |
| EQ | Yes (4 presets + custom) | Yes |
| IP Rating | IP67 | IP67 |
| MicroSD Playback | No | - |
| Power Input | USB-C | USB-C (5V/3A) |
| Stereo | No | No |
| Omnidirectional | No | No |
| TWS | Yes | Yes (Auracast) |
| USB Playback | No | - |
| Weight | 1.6 lbs (735 g) | 2.1 lbs (960 g) |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.4 | 5.4 |
| Dimensions | 8.5” x 3.3” x 3.2” (216 x 84 x 81 mm) | 8.8” x 3.8” x 3.7” (223 x 96.5 x 94 mm) |
| Drivers | 62mm x 82mm woofer with passive radiator, 20mm tweeter | 52mm x 90mm racetrack woofer, 20mm tweeter, two passive radiators |
| Frequency Response | 58Hz - 20kHz (-6dB) (Manufacturer specified) | 60Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| Amplifier Power | 40W (25W woofer + 15W tweeter) | 40W total (30W woofer + 10W tweeter) |
| Digital Aux Input | No | No |
| Strap | No | No |
| Built-in Microphone | - | No |
| Party Mode | - | Yes (Auracast) |
| Power Bank | - | Yes (USB-C) |
Related Speaker Comparisons
More top alternatives to Harman Kardon Luna 2:
- Harman Kardon Luna 2 vs Earfun Uboom L
- Harman Kardon Luna 2 vs Soundcore Motion 300
- Harman Kardon Luna 2 vs Minirig 4
- Harman Kardon Luna 2 vs B&O Beosound A1 2nd gen
- Harman Kardon Luna 2 vs JBL Charge 6
Prices on this page were last checked September 30, 2026 at 2:57 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 Luna 2: $199.95 Amazon B&H Photo Video eBay
Older model: the Harman Kardon Luna (ranked lower, rated 4/5).
Pros: Articulate, spacious midrange with precise imaging and instrument separation. Tight, well-controlled bass from the 62mm x 82mm woofer and passive radiator despite the compact body, and it stays cleaner at volume than pricier rivals like the Sonos Play. IP67 rated, and two units pair via AirTouch for true stereo sound.
Cons: Treble can sound bright and edgy, and it loses more output off-axis than some rivals. Some listeners hear mid-range rattling on certain tracks, similar to sibling JBL models. 12-hour battery life trails category leaders like the JBL Charge 6, which doubles it. Single unit is not stereo (1.1 driver layout).
Full Harman Kardon Luna 2 review and specifications →
| Amplifier Power | 40W (25W woofer + 15W tweeter) |
|---|---|
| App | Yes |
| Aux Input | No |
| Battery Life | 12 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth | Yes |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.4 |
| Digital Aux Input | No |
| Dimensions | 8.5” x 3.3” x 3.2” (216 x 84 x 81 mm) |
| Drivers | 62mm x 82mm woofer with passive radiator, 20mm tweeter |
| EQ | Yes (4 presets + custom) |
| Frequency Response | 58Hz - 20kHz (-6dB) (Manufacturer specified) |
| IP Rating | IP67 |
| MicroSD Playback | No |
| Omnidirectional | No |
| Power Input | USB-C |
| Stereo | No |
| Strap | No |
| TWS | Yes |
| USB Playback | No |
| Weight | 1.6 lbs (735 g) |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- What Hi-Fi?: Harman Kardon Luna 2 review
- Joy & Oluv’Sone: Sonos Play & Harman Kardon Luna 2 - listening test More from Oluv’Sone →
- Mateusz Cholewa: Harman Kardon Luna 2 UNBOXING vs HK Luna Short Test More from Mateusz Cholewa →
- Storytripper HD: Harman Kardon Luna vs Luna 2 More from storytripperhd →
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
- Harman Kardon Luna 2 vs Harman Kardon Luna
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- Harman Kardon Luna 2 vs JBL Charge 5 Wifi
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JBL Charge Essential 3 SE: $199.95 JBL eBay
Older models: the JBL Charge Essential 2 (ranked higher, rated 3.8/5) and the JBL Charge Essential (ranked lower, rated 3.2/5).
Pros: Gets louder than the Bose SoundLink Flex 2nd Gen and digs deeper in the bass, with a separate 20mm tweeter, two passive radiators and 40W of amplification in the familiar Charge body. IP67 water and dust protection, a claimed 20 hours of battery life, a USB-C power bank output, Auracast stereo pairing and multi-speaker linking, Bluetooth 5.4 with AAC, and app EQ.
Cons: In side-by-side listening against the Charge 6, its bass is weaker and less stable and distorts on bass-heavy tracks even with the bass turned down in the app, while a narrow boost in the upper mids makes it sound less natural. Against the Bose SoundLink Flex 2nd Gen it sounds muddier and more strident, with less detail and a smaller soundstage. At full price it costs as much as the Charge 6, which is the better speaker.
Full JBL Charge Essential 3 SE review and specifications →
| Amplifier Power | 40W total (30W woofer + 10W tweeter) |
|---|---|
| App | Yes |
| Aux Input | No |
| Battery Life | 20 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth | Yes |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC, AAC, LC3 |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.4 |
| Built-in Microphone | No |
| Digital Aux Input | No |
| Dimensions | 8.8” x 3.8” x 3.7” (223 x 96.5 x 94 mm) |
| Drivers | 52mm x 90mm racetrack woofer, 20mm tweeter, two passive radiators |
| EQ | Yes |
| Frequency Response | 60Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| IP Rating | IP67 |
| Omnidirectional | No |
| Party Mode | Yes (Auracast) |
| Power Bank | Yes (USB-C) |
| Power Input | USB-C (5V/3A) |
| Stereo | No |
| Strap | No |
| TWS | Yes (Auracast) |
| Weight | 2.1 lbs (960 g) |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
- JBL Charge Essential 3 SE vs Earfun Uboom Slim
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