Short answer: the Harman Kardon Luna on measured sound quality, the JBL Pulse 5 on price. The Harman Kardon Luna ranks #22 of 136 medium speakers at $290.99. The JBL Pulse 5 ranks #42 at $199.12, $91.87 cheaper.
What the Harman Kardon Luna offers: Pretty balanced sound besides the boosted bass. Watch for: Not stereo. Boosted bass, not as detailed as higher ranked speakers
What the JBL Pulse 5 offers: Cool light show, although not synced to the music like the Pulse 2. Watch for: Not quite as deep bass as others. Plastic scratches easily.
Buy the Harman Kardon Luna when sound quality outweighs the price for you, and the JBL Pulse 5 when the price outweighs sound quality instead.
Specifications Side By Side
| Harman Kardon Luna | JBL Pulse 5 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $290.99 | $199.12 |
| Ranked | #22 of 136 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers | #42 of 136 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers |
| App | No | Yes |
| Aux Input | No | - |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 57Hz | ~58Hz |
| Battery Life | 12 hours (Manufacturer specified) | 12 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC | SBC |
| EQ | No | Yes |
| IP Rating | IP67 | IP67 |
| MicroSD Playback | No | - |
| Power Input | USB-C | USB-C |
| Stereo | No | No |
| Omnidirectional | No | Pointing up |
| TWS | Yes | - |
| USB Playback | Yes | - |
| Weight | 2.5 lbs / 1.13 kg | 3.3 lbs / 1500 g |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.3 | 5.3 |
| Dimensions | 8.3" x 3.1" x 3.1" (210 x 78 x 80 mm) | 4.2" x 8.4" x 5.2" (107 x 214 x 131 mm) |
| Drivers | 48mm x 90mm woofer, 20mm tweeter | 64mm woofer, 16mm tweeter |
| Frequency Response | 60Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) | 58Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| Output Power | 40W | 40W |
| Digital Aux Input | No | No |
| Party Mode | - | Yes (PartyBoost up to 100 speakers) |
Related Speaker Comparisons
A few more comparisons worth a look in the same class:
- B&O Beosound A1 3rd gen vs Tribit Maxsound Plus V1/V2/Thunderbox Plus
- B&O Beosound A1 2nd gen vs Tribit Maxsound Plus V1/V2/Thunderbox Plus
- JBL Partybox 110 vs Tribit Maxsound Plus V1/V2/Thunderbox Plus
- Harman Kardon Luna vs Sony SRS-XB30
- JBL Charge 6 vs Harman Kardon Luna
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 Luna: $290.99 Amazon eBay
Pros: Pretty balanced sound besides the boosted bass.
Cons: Not stereo. Boosted bass, not as detailed as higher ranked speakers
Full Harman Kardon Luna review and specifications →
| App | No |
|---|---|
| Aux Input | No |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 57Hz |
| Battery Life | 12 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.3 |
| Digital Aux Input | No |
| Dimensions | 8.3" x 3.1" x 3.1" (210 x 78 x 80 mm) |
| Drivers | 48mm x 90mm woofer, 20mm tweeter |
| EQ | No |
| Frequency Response | 60Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| IP Rating | IP67 |
| MicroSD Playback | No |
| Omnidirectional | No |
| Output Power | 40W |
| Power Input | USB-C |
| Stereo | No |
| TWS | Yes |
| USB Playback | Yes |
| Weight | 2.5 lbs / 1.13 kg |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Oluv Patreon: Harman Kardon Luna - sound demo More from Oluv’Sone →
- Alan Ross Reviews: Beats Pill vs Harman Luna vs Bose Flex vs Soundcore Motion Plus More from alanrossreviews →
- Storytripper HD: Klipsch Nashville vs Harman Kardon Luna vs Soundcore Motion 300 More from storytripperhd →
- Reddit Search for Harman Kardon Luna Review
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
- Harman Kardon Luna vs Tribit Maxsound Plus V1/V2/Thunderbox Plus
- Harman Kardon Luna vs Tribit Xsound Mega
- Harman Kardon Luna vs JBL Charge 5 Wifi
- Harman Kardon Luna vs Xiaomi Sound Party
- Harman Kardon Luna vs B&O Beosound A1 3rd gen
- Harman Kardon Luna vs JBL Charge 5
- Harman Kardon Luna vs Soundcore Boom 3i
- Harman Kardon Luna vs JBL Flip 7
- See all 72 comparisons
JBL Pulse 5: $199.12 Amazon eBay
Pros: Cool light show, although not synced to the music like the Pulse 2.
Cons: Not quite as deep bass as others. Plastic scratches easily.
Full JBL Pulse 5 review and specifications →
| App | Yes |
|---|---|
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | ~58Hz |
| Battery Life | 12 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.3 |
| Digital Aux Input | No |
| Dimensions | 4.2" x 8.4" x 5.2" (107 x 214 x 131 mm) |
| Drivers | 64mm woofer, 16mm tweeter |
| EQ | Yes |
| Frequency Response | 58Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| IP Rating | IP67 |
| Omnidirectional | Pointing up |
| Output Power | 40W |
| Party Mode | Yes (PartyBoost up to 100 speakers) |
| Power Input | USB-C |
| Stereo | No |
| Weight | 3.3 lbs / 1500 g |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Techder Audios: JBL PULSE 5 VS JBL CHARGE 5 “LIGHTS VS BASS?!” More from techderaudios →
- Jay’s Straight Up Reviews & More: Bass Check 💣 Treblab HD-360, Ultimate Ears EpicBoom, Marshall Middleton & JBL Pulse 5. Boom or Bust? More from JaysStraightUpReviews →
- M1MTechChannel: Welche JBL Partybox ist die BESTE ? Alle Partyboxen im Vergleich | 2026 More from M1MTechChannel →
- Reddit Search for JBL Pulse 5 Review
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
- JBL Pulse 5 vs Soundcore Glow
- JBL Pulse 5 vs Xiaomi Sound Outdoor
- JBL Pulse 5 vs Tribit Stormbox Pro
- JBL Pulse 5 vs W-King D320
- JBL Pulse 5 vs Bose Soundlink Revolve+ II
- JBL Pulse 5 vs Soundcore Motion 100
- JBL Pulse 5 vs Bose Soundlink Revolve+
- JBL Pulse 5 vs Bose Soundlink Revolve
- See all 72 comparisons