Harman Kardon Onyx Studio 6 vs JBL Boombox 4

Last updated: October 1, 2026

Short answer: the Harman Kardon Onyx Studio 6 for value, the JBL Boombox 4 for output. The Boombox 4 has pretty insane output capability for its size, but our notes call it pretty overpriced for the category. The Onyx Studio 6 is warm with boosted bass and runs 8 hours at medium volume, at $130 versus $549.95.

Harman Kardon Onyx Studio 6 vs JBL Boombox 4

Buy the JBL Boombox 4, since the Harman Kardon Onyx Studio 6 is discontinued and only worth hunting down used.

There is a real battery-life gap here: the JBL Boombox 4 is rated for 28 hours, the Harman Kardon Onyx Studio 6 only 8 hours.

Still deciding? The full Portable Bluetooth rankings cover every ranked option.

Buy the JBL Boombox 4 at Amazon ($549.95) →Buy the Harman Kardon Onyx Studio 6 at Amazon ($130) →

Specifications Side By Side

Harman Kardon Onyx Studio 6 JBL Boombox 4
Price$130 Discontinued$549.95
Ranked#13 of 90 in Boombox Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers#20 of 90 in Boombox Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers
Aux InputYesNo
Bass Extension (-10dB)37Hz41Hz
Battery Life8 hours (Manufacturer specified)28 hours (Manufacturer specified)
Built-in MicrophoneYesNo
IP RatingIPX7IP68
Bluetooth Latency180msAAC 144ms, SBC 48ms
Maximum SPL96dB (measured by Alan Ross Reviews)115dB (measured by Alan Ross Reviews)
Party ModeYes (Wireless Dual Sound)Yes (Auracast)
Power InputDC Barrel Connector (19V/2A)AC Power cord
StereoNoYes
OmnidirectionalNoNo
TWSYes (see https://www.reddit.com/r/Bluetooth_Speakers/comments/w339x5/how_to_harman_kardon_onyx_studio_5_6_dual_sound/)Yes
Weight6.5 lbs (2.94 kg)13.2 lbs (5.98 kg)
BluetoothYesYes
Bluetooth CodecsSBCSBC, LC3, AAC
AppNoYes
EQNoYes (7 band)
Power BankNoYes (USB-C, up to 30W)
USB PlaybackNoNo
Bluetooth Version4.25.4
Amplifier Power50W RMS210W AC / 200W battery
Dimensions5” x 11.5” x 11.2” (128 x 291 x 284 mm)20.1” x 10.2” x 8.3” (510 x 260 x 210 mm)
Drivers1x 120mm (4.7”) woofer + 1x 25mm (1”) tweeter + 1x passive radiator2x 123mm woofers + 2x 20mm tweeters with passive radiators
Digital Aux InputNoYes (USB-C)
StrapNoNo
Removable Battery-Yes
FM Tuner-No
Microphone Input-No
MicroSD Playback-No
Buy the JBL Boombox 4 at Amazon ($549.95) →Buy the Harman Kardon Onyx Studio 6 at Amazon ($130) →

More worthwhile head-to-heads for Harman Kardon Onyx Studio 6:

Prices on this page were last checked October 2, 2026 at 10:18 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 Onyx Studio 6: $130 Discontinued Amazon eBay

Harman Kardon Onyx Studio 6 ranking card

Newer model: the Harman Kardon Onyx Studio 9, ranked lower, rated 4.1/5.

Pros: Harman Kardon Onyx Studio 6 uses a 120mm woofer, 25mm tweeter and passive radiator. Its 2.94 kg, claimed 8 hours (Manufacturer specified) battery life, IPX7 protection, aux input and up to 96dB make it a practical option for its intended room or portable use. Measured bass extension of 37Hz (-10dB).

Cons: Bass is limited by its 37Hz specification. There is no companion app. No EQ adjustment. Warm tuning with boosted bass, and not as loud as others. Discontinued.

Full Harman Kardon Onyx Studio 6 review and specifications →

Amplifier Power50W RMS
AppNo
Aux InputYes
Bass Extension (-10dB)37Hz
Battery Life8 hours (Manufacturer specified)
BluetoothYes
Bluetooth CodecsSBC
Bluetooth Latency180ms
Bluetooth Version4.2
Built-in MicrophoneYes
Digital Aux InputNo
Dimensions5” x 11.5” x 11.2” (128 x 291 x 284 mm)
Drivers1x 120mm (4.7”) woofer + 1x 25mm (1”) tweeter + 1x passive radiator
EQNo
IP RatingIPX7
Maximum SPL96dB (measured by Alan Ross Reviews)
OmnidirectionalNo
Party ModeYes (Wireless Dual Sound)
Power BankNo
Power InputDC Barrel Connector (19V/2A)
StereoNo
StrapNo
TWSYes (see https://www.reddit.com/r/Bluetooth_Speakers/comments/w339x5/how_to_harman_kardon_onyx_studio_5_6_dual_sound/)
USB PlaybackNo
Weight6.5 lbs (2.94 kg)
Check current price at Amazon ($130) →Search eBay for Harman Kardon Onyx Studio 6 →

JBL Boombox 4: $549.95 Amazon B&H Photo Video eBay

JBL Boombox 4 ranking card

Older models: the JBL Boombox 3 (ranked lower, rated 3.8/5), the JBL Boombox 2 (ranked lower, rated 3.5/5) and the JBL Boombox (ranked lower, rated 2.9/5).

Pros: Pretty insane output capability for the size. IP68 protection and Auracast pairing with other current JBL speakers. Measured bass extension of 41Hz (-10dB).

Cons: Pretty overpriced for the category. Better than the Boombox 3 mostly because there are more 7 EQ bands instead of just 3 and it can be better tuned. Try Oluv’s EQ for it. Out of the box sounds worse than the Boombox 3. No Aux input.

Full JBL Boombox 4 review and specifications →

Amplifier Power210W AC / 200W battery
AppYes
Aux InputNo
Bass Extension (-10dB)41Hz
Battery Life28 hours (Manufacturer specified)
BluetoothYes
Bluetooth CodecsSBC, LC3, AAC
Bluetooth LatencyAAC 144ms, SBC 48ms
Bluetooth Version5.4
Built-in MicrophoneNo
Digital Aux InputYes (USB-C)
Dimensions20.1” x 10.2” x 8.3” (510 x 260 x 210 mm)
Drivers2x 123mm woofers + 2x 20mm tweeters with passive radiators
EQYes (7 band)
FM TunerNo
IP RatingIP68
Maximum SPL115dB (measured by Alan Ross Reviews)
MicroSD PlaybackNo
Microphone InputNo
OmnidirectionalNo
Party ModeYes (Auracast)
Power BankYes (USB-C, up to 30W)
Power InputAC Power cord
Removable BatteryYes
StereoYes
StrapNo
TWSYes
USB PlaybackNo
Weight13.2 lbs (5.98 kg)
Check current price at Amazon ($549.95) →Check current price at B&H Photo Video →Search eBay for JBL Boombox 4 →