Short answer: the Harman Kardon Onyx Studio 6. It ranks #11 of 73 boombox speakers by sound quality at $130; the Zealot S89 ranks #16 and costs $193.58, so there is not much of a tradeoff to weigh.
What the Harman Kardon Onyx Studio 6 gets right: Warm sound with boosted bass. The catch: 8 hour battery at medium volume.
On the Zealot S89 side: A great value for the bass performance, play time and max volume in the boombox class. Set against that: On the heavy side.
Buy the Harman Kardon Onyx Studio 6. It ranks higher for sound quality than the Zealot S89 and costs less, so there is no real case for the other one.
If battery life is a priority, the Zealot S89 is rated for 40 hours versus 8 hours for the Harman Kardon Onyx Studio 6.
Specifications Side By Side
| Harman Kardon Onyx Studio 6 | Zealot S89 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $130 | $193.58 |
| Ranked | #11 of 73 in Boombox Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers | #16 of 73 in Boombox Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers |
| Aux Input | Yes | Yes |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 37Hz | 36Hz |
| Battery Life | 8 hours (Manufacturer specified) | 40 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Built in Microphone | Yes | No |
| IP Rating | IPX7 | IPX6 |
| Bluetooth Latency | 180ms | - |
| Max Volume | 96dB | - |
| Party Mode | Yes (Wireless Dual Sound) | Yes (PartyAdd up to 100 speakers) |
| Power Input | DC Barrel Connector (19V/2A) | USB-C |
| 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/) | Yes |
| Weight | 6.5 lbs / 2.94 kg | 16.1 lbs / 7.3 kg |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC | SBC |
| App | No | No |
| EQ | No | Yes (multiple modes) |
| Power Bank | No | Yes (USB-A + USB-C) |
| USB Playback | No | Yes |
| Bluetooth Version | 4.2 | - |
| Output Power | 50W RMS | 250W |
| Dimensions | 5" x 11.5" x 11.2" (128 x 291 x 284 mm) | 21.2" x 10.4" x 9.4" (538 x 265 x 240 mm) |
| Drivers | 2x 75mm woofers + 2x 20mm tweeters | 130W subwoofer + 2x 40mm drivers + 2x tweeters |
| Digital Aux Input | No | No |
| MicroSD Playback | - | Yes |
Related Speaker Comparisons
More useful head-to-heads from the same speaker class:
- Zealot ZE21 vs Zealot S95
- Harman Kardon Onyx Studio 8 vs Harman Kardon Onyx Studio 9
- Harman Kardon Onyx Studio 8 vs Zealot ZE21
- Zealot S89 vs Zealot ZE01
- Tribit Stormbox Blast vs Harman Kardon Onyx Studio 6
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
Zealot S89: $193.58 Aliexpress Amazon
Pros: A great value for the bass performance, play time and max volume in the boombox class. Likely the same internals as the Zealot ZE21
Cons: On the heavy side. A little rolled off up top and not that balanced through the rest of the range. Clarity isn’t as good as better speakers. Bass EQ is bloated and muddy sounding
Full Zealot S89 review and specifications →
| App | No |
|---|---|
| Aux Input | Yes |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 36Hz |
| Battery Life | 40 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC |
| Built in Microphone | No |
| Digital Aux Input | No |
| Dimensions | 21.2" x 10.4" x 9.4" (538 x 265 x 240 mm) |
| Drivers | 130W subwoofer + 2x 40mm drivers + 2x tweeters |
| EQ | Yes (multiple modes) |
| IP Rating | IPX6 |
| MicroSD Playback | Yes |
| Omnidirectional | No |
| Output Power | 250W |
| Party Mode | Yes (PartyAdd up to 100 speakers) |
| Power Bank | Yes (USB-A + USB-C) |
| Power Input | USB-C |
| Stereo | Yes |
| TWS | Yes |
| USB Playback | Yes |
| Weight | 16.1 lbs / 7.3 kg |
As an eBay Partner, we may be compensated if you make a purchase.
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Oluv Patreon: Zealot S89 vs Yeahbox Boom Max3 - indoor listening test
- Oluv Patreon: Zealot S89 vs Yeahbox Sonic Boom Max3 - outdoor test
- Dominik Reviews: Zealot S89 vs JBL Boombox 4 - JBL Alternative? Sound Test
- Jagist reviews: Jbl Boombox 4 Vs Zealot S89!!!
- Techder Audios: ZEALOT S89 VS ZEALOT ZE01 EXTREME POWERFULL VS COMPACTER BASS PERFORMANCE!
- Reddit Search for Zealot S89 Review
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
- Zealot S89 vs JBL Boombox 4
- Zealot S89 vs Zealot ZE21
- Zealot S89 vs Zealot ZE41
- Zealot S89 vs Harman Kardon Go + Play 2
- Zealot S89 vs Harman Kardon Onyx Studio 9
- Zealot S89 vs Harman Kardon Onyx Studio 5
- Zealot S89 vs Harman Kardon Onyx Studio 7
- Zealot S89 vs JBL Boombox 3 Wifi
- See all 19 comparisons