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 Flip Essential 2 ranks #71, rated 3.3/5, at $85.90, $114.05 cheaper, not enough of a saving to outweigh the sound-quality gap.
The case for the Harman Kardon Luna 2: 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.
Why pick the JBL Flip Essential 2: Essentially a Flip 5 in a new shell: the same single 44 x 80mm racetrack driver and 20W amplifier, rated down to 65Hz. The catch: There is no tweeter, and side by side comparisons found it does not sound as good as the Flip 6, with less bass; its bass stops growing above about 70% volume, so turning it up mostly adds loudness, not weight.
Buy the Harman Kardon Luna 2. It is rated higher for sound quality, and saving $114.05 with the JBL Flip Essential 2 does not make up for the sound-quality gap.
Want more options? Browse the full Portable Bluetooth rankings.
Specifications Side By Side
| Harman Kardon Luna 2 | JBL Flip Essential 2 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $199.95 | $85.90 |
| Ranked | #23 of 150 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers | #71 of 150 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers |
| App | Yes | No |
| Aux Input | No | No |
| Battery Life | 12 hours (Manufacturer specified) | 10 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth | Yes | Yes |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC | SBC |
| EQ | Yes (4 presets + custom) | No |
| IP Rating | IP67 | IPX7 |
| MicroSD Playback | No | - |
| Power Input | USB-C | USB-C |
| Stereo | No | No |
| Omnidirectional | No | No |
| TWS | Yes | No |
| USB Playback | No | - |
| Weight | 1.6 lbs (735 g) | 1.1 lbs (520 g) |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.4 | 5.1 |
| Dimensions | 8.5” x 3.3” x 3.2” (216 x 84 x 81 mm) | 6.9” x 2.7” x 2.8” (175 x 68 x 70 mm) |
| Drivers | 62mm x 82mm woofer with passive radiator, 20mm tweeter | 1x 44x80mm racetrack fullrange + 2x passive radiators |
| Frequency Response | 58Hz - 20kHz (-6dB) (Manufacturer specified) | 65Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| Amplifier Power | 40W (25W woofer + 15W tweeter) | 20W RMS |
| Digital Aux Input | No | No |
| Strap | No | - |
| Party Mode | - | No |
| Power Bank | - | No |
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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
- Harman Kardon Luna 2 vs JBL Charge 5
- Harman Kardon Luna 2 vs B&O Beosound A1 3rd gen
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JBL Flip Essential 2: $85.90 Amazon eBay
Older model: the JBL Flip Essential (ranked lower, rated 3.2/5).
Pros: Essentially a Flip 5 in a new shell: the same single 44 x 80mm racetrack driver and 20W amplifier, rated down to 65Hz. In a side by side loudness test it got louder than the JBL Grip, and listeners comparing it with the Marshall Emberton found it more open sounding and clearer. IPX7 waterproof, 520 g, USB-C charging and Bluetooth 5.1 with two phones connected at once.
Cons: There is no tweeter, and side by side comparisons found it does not sound as good as the Flip 6, with less bass; its bass stops growing above about 70% volume, so turning it up mostly adds loudness, not weight. No app, no EQ, no PartyBoost or stereo pairing, a claimed 10 hours of battery, and IPX7 covers water but not dust.
Full JBL Flip Essential 2 review and specifications →
| Amplifier Power | 20W RMS |
|---|---|
| App | No |
| Aux Input | No |
| Battery Life | 10 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth | Yes |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.1 |
| Digital Aux Input | No |
| Dimensions | 6.9” x 2.7” x 2.8” (175 x 68 x 70 mm) |
| Drivers | 1x 44x80mm racetrack fullrange + 2x passive radiators |
| EQ | No |
| Frequency Response | 65Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| IP Rating | IPX7 |
| Omnidirectional | No |
| Party Mode | No |
| Power Bank | No |
| Power Input | USB-C |
| Stereo | No |
| TWS | No |
| Weight | 1.1 lbs (520 g) |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- AudioTribe: JBL Flip 6 vs JBL Flip Essential 2 FULL TEARDOWN in Just 15 Minutes!
- Speaker Fan: JBL Flip 6 VS JBL Flip Essential 2 VS JBL Grip Loudness Test - Which Is Louder?
- HQ AUDIO Exchange: JBL Flip Essential 2 vs. Flip 6 | Bass Sound Test!
- Cristian Catalin’s Sound&Video: JBL Flip Essential 2 VS Marshall Emberton - sound comparison
- Angelicaaudio: Mini JBL Flip Essential 2 vs. JBL Charge 5 Bluetooth Speaker Review
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