Short answer: the Harman Kardon Onyx Studio 6. It ranks #11 of 73 boombox speakers by sound quality at $130; the Harman Kardon Go + Play 2 ranks #18 and costs $350, so there is not much of a tradeoff to weigh.
On the Harman Kardon Onyx Studio 6 side: Warm sound with boosted bass. Set against that: 8 hour battery at medium volume.
What the Harman Kardon Go + Play 2 offers: Warm sound with boosted bass. Watch for: Not as loud as others.
Buy the Harman Kardon Onyx Studio 6. It ranks higher for sound quality than the Harman Kardon Go + Play 2 and costs less, so there is no real case for the other one.
If water resistance matters to you, the Harman Kardon Onyx Studio 6 at IPX7 (brief submersion) holds up far better than the Harman Kardon Go + Play 2 at no water resistance.
Specifications Side By Side
| Harman Kardon Onyx Studio 6 | Harman Kardon Go + Play 2 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $130 | $350 Discontinued |
| Ranked | #11 of 73 in Boombox Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers | #18 of 73 in Boombox Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers |
| Aux Input | Yes | - |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 37Hz | 40Hz |
| Battery Life | 8 hours (Manufacturer specified) | 8 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Built in Microphone | Yes | Yes |
| IP Rating | IPX7 | None |
| Bluetooth Latency | 180ms | 33ms |
| Max Volume | 96dB | 99dB |
| Party Mode | Yes (Wireless Dual Sound) | Yes (Wireless Dual Sound) |
| Power Input | DC Barrel Connector (19V/2A) | AC Power brick |
| Stereo | Yes | Yes |
| Omnidirectional | No | No |
| TWS | Yes (see https://www.reddit.com/r/Bluetooth_Speakers/comments/w339x5/how_to_harman_kardon_onyx_studio_5_6_dual_sound/) | No |
| Weight | 6.5 lbs / 2.94 kg | 5.3 lbs / 2.4 kg |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC | SBC |
| App | No | No |
| EQ | No | No |
| Power Bank | No | No |
| USB Playback | No | No |
| Bluetooth Version | 4.2 | - |
| Output Power | 50W RMS | 100W AC / 30W battery |
| Dimensions | 5" x 11.5" x 11.2" (128 x 291 x 284 mm) | 20" x 9" x 9.5" (508 x 228.6 x 241.3 mm) |
| Drivers | 2x 75mm woofers + 2x 20mm tweeters | 2x 90mm (3.5") woofers (front and rear firing) + 2x 20mm tweeters |
| Digital Aux Input | No | No |
| Aux Latency | - | 0ms |
| Discontinued | - | Yes |
Related Speaker Comparisons
More useful head-to-heads from the same speaker class:
- Harman Kardon Onyx Studio 7 vs Harman Kardon Onyx Studio 9
- Harman Kardon Onyx Studio 7 vs Zealot ZE21
- JBL Partybox Encore Essential vs Harman Kardon Onyx Studio 8
- Harman Kardon Go + Play 2 vs Zealot ZE01
- Harman Kardon Go + Play 2 vs Soundcore Motion Boom+
The Two Speakers In Full
Harman Kardon Onyx Studio 6: $130 Amazon
Pros: Warm sound with boosted bass. Oluv liked it slightly better than the newer Onyx 7.
Cons: 8 hour battery at medium volume. Not at loud as others.
Full Harman Kardon Onyx Studio 6 review and specifications →
| App | No |
|---|---|
| Aux Input | Yes |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 37Hz |
| Battery Life | 8 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC |
| Bluetooth Latency | 180ms |
| Bluetooth Version | 4.2 |
| Built in Microphone | Yes |
| Digital Aux Input | No |
| Dimensions | 5" x 11.5" x 11.2" (128 x 291 x 284 mm) |
| Drivers | 2x 75mm woofers + 2x 20mm tweeters |
| EQ | No |
| IP Rating | IPX7 |
| Max Volume | 96dB |
| Omnidirectional | No |
| Output Power | 50W RMS |
| Party Mode | Yes (Wireless Dual Sound) |
| Power Bank | No |
| Power Input | DC Barrel Connector (19V/2A) |
| Stereo | Yes |
| TWS | Yes (see https://www.reddit.com/r/Bluetooth_Speakers/comments/w339x5/how_to_harman_kardon_onyx_studio_5_6_dual_sound/) |
| USB Playback | No |
| Weight | 6.5 lbs / 2.94 kg |
As an eBay Partner, we may be compensated if you make a purchase.
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Alan Ross Reviews: Onyx Studio 7 vs Onyx Studio 6 - massive deep bass battle 😁
- That Speaker Guy: Harman Kardon Onyx Studio 6 vs Devialet Mania
- Ezekielo: Citation 200 vs Onyx Studio 6 vs Bose Portable Speaker Sound Comparison
- Alan Ross Reviews: Harman Kardon Go+ Play 2 mini or Onyx Studio 6 - best speaker for bass?
- Alan Ross Reviews: Ultimate HK Onyx Studio speaker review and comparison! 8 speakers!
- Reddit Search for Harman Kardon Onyx Studio 6 Review
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
- Harman Kardon Onyx Studio 6 vs Harman Kardon Onyx Studio 8
- Harman Kardon Onyx Studio 6 vs Harman Kardon Onyx Studio 7
- Harman Kardon Onyx Studio 6 vs Harman Kardon Onyx Studio 9
- Harman Kardon Onyx Studio 6 vs Vifa Copenhagen 2.0
- Harman Kardon Onyx Studio 6 vs Zealot ZE41
- Harman Kardon Onyx Studio 6 vs JBL Partybox Encore Essential
- Harman Kardon Onyx Studio 6 vs Zealot ZE21
- Harman Kardon Onyx Studio 6 vs JBL Partybox Encore
- See all 18 comparisons
Harman Kardon Go + Play 2: $350 Discontinued
Pros: Warm sound with boosted bass.
Cons: Not as loud as others. No water rating. Discontinued.
Full Harman Kardon Go + Play 2 review and specifications →
| App | No |
|---|---|
| Aux Latency | 0ms |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 40Hz |
| Battery Life | 8 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC |
| Bluetooth Latency | 33ms |
| Built in Microphone | Yes |
| Digital Aux Input | No |
| Dimensions | 20" x 9" x 9.5" (508 x 228.6 x 241.3 mm) |
| Discontinued | Yes |
| Drivers | 2x 90mm (3.5") woofers (front and rear firing) + 2x 20mm tweeters |
| EQ | No |
| IP Rating | None |
| Max Volume | 99dB |
| Omnidirectional | No |
| Output Power | 100W AC / 30W battery |
| Party Mode | Yes (Wireless Dual Sound) |
| Power Bank | No |
| Power Input | AC Power brick |
| Stereo | Yes |
| TWS | No |
| USB Playback | No |
| Weight | 5.3 lbs / 2.4 kg |
As an eBay Partner, we may be compensated if you make a purchase.
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Alan Ross Reviews: Harman Kardon Go+ Play 3 vs Go Play 2, the holy grail has arrived? ✔
- Alan Ross Reviews: JBL Boombox 2 bass monster or the mature Harman Kardon Go+ Play 2 mini for bass?? 💥
- Alan Ross Reviews: Tribit Stormbox Blast or Harman Kardon Go+ Play 2 Mini by an old bloke!
- Alan Ross Reviews: Harman Kardon Go+ Play 2 mini or Onyx Studio 6 - best speaker for bass?
- Alan Ross Reviews: Soundcore Motion Boom Plus vs Harman Kardon Go+ Play 2 mini - party vs HiFi
- Alan Ross Reviews: Bag of Riddim vs Harman Kardon Go+ Play 2 - boom boom in da room! 🥳
- Alan Ross Reviews: HK Go+ Play vs Soundcore Motion Boom - biggest bass battle ever!!!!!!!!!!!!
- Reddit Search for Harman Kardon Go + Play 2 Review
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
- Harman Kardon Go + Play 2 vs Harman Kardon Onyx Studio 5
- Harman Kardon Go + Play 2 vs JBL Boombox 4
- Harman Kardon Go + Play 2 vs JBL Boombox 3 Wifi
- Harman Kardon Go + Play 2 vs Zealot S89
- Harman Kardon Go + Play 2 vs JBL Boombox 3
- Harman Kardon Go + Play 2 vs Zealot ZE21
- Harman Kardon Go + Play 2 vs Tribit Stormbox Blast 2
- Harman Kardon Go + Play 2 vs Zealot ZE41
- See all 27 comparisons