Short answer: the Harman Kardon Onyx Studio 7. It ranks #12 of 73 boombox speakers by sound quality at $298.90; the JBL Boombox 3 ranks #21 and costs $349.95, so there is not much of a tradeoff to weigh.
On the Harman Kardon Onyx Studio 7 side: Warm sound with boosted bass. Set against that: Sounds a little sterile.
What the JBL Boombox 3 offers: IP67 rated. Watch for: Dips in mid bass range which makes the bass sound undefined, bass boosted, peaky at 700hz, not quite as good mids and treble as the Blast.
Buy the Harman Kardon Onyx Studio 7. It ranks higher for sound quality than the JBL Boombox 3 and costs less, so there is no real case for the other one.
If battery life is a priority, the JBL Boombox 3 is rated for 24 hours versus 8 hours for the Harman Kardon Onyx Studio 7.
If water resistance matters to you, the JBL Boombox 3 at IP67 (brief submersion) holds up far better than the Harman Kardon Onyx Studio 7 at no water resistance.
Specifications Side By Side
| Harman Kardon Onyx Studio 7 | JBL Boombox 3 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $298.90 | $349.95 |
| Ranked | #12 of 73 in Boombox Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers | #21 of 73 in Boombox Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers |
| Aux Input | Yes | Yes |
| Aux Latency | 0ms | 25ms |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 37Hz | 43Hz |
| Battery Life | 8 hours (Manufacturer specified) | 24 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Built in Microphone | Yes | No |
| IP Rating | None | IP67 |
| Bluetooth Latency | 266ms | 100ms |
| Max Volume | 96dB | 110dB |
| Party Mode | Yes (Wireless Dual Sound) | Yes (PartyBoost up to 100 speakers) |
| Power Input | DC Barrel Connector (19V/2.1A) | AC Power cable |
| Stereo | Partially (1 woofer) | Yes |
| Omnidirectional | No | No |
| TWS | No | Yes |
| Weight | 6.4 lbs / 2.9 kg | 14.8 lbs / 6.7 kg |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC | SBC |
| App | No | No |
| EQ | No | No |
| Power Bank | No | Yes (USB-A) |
| USB Playback | No | No |
| Output Power | 50W RMS | 180W AC / 136W battery |
| Dimensions | 11.3" x 11.3" (285.8 x 285.8 mm) (round design) | 19" x 10.1" x 7.9" (482 x 257 x 200 mm) |
| Drivers | 2x 75mm woofers + 2x 20mm tweeters | 1x 189mm subwoofer + 2x 81mm woofers + 2x 20mm tweeters |
| Digital Aux Input | No | No |
| FM Tuner | - | No |
| Microphone Input | - | No |
| MicroSD Playback | - | No |
Related Speaker Comparisons
More useful head-to-heads from the same speaker class:
- Harman Kardon Go + Play 2 vs Tribit Stormbox Blast 2
- Tribit Stormbox Blast 2 vs JBL Boombox 2
- JBL Partybox Encore 2 vs Tribit Stormbox Blast 2
- Harman Kardon Onyx Studio 7 vs Harman Kardon Go + Play 2
- JBL Authentics 300 vs JBL Boombox 3
The Two Speakers In Full
Harman Kardon Onyx Studio 7: $298.90 Amazon
Pros: Warm sound with boosted bass.
Cons: Sounds a little sterile. 8 hour battery at medium volume, teeny bit less bass than the Onyx 6. Not at loud as others. No water rating.
Full Harman Kardon Onyx Studio 7 review and specifications →
| App | No |
|---|---|
| Aux Input | Yes |
| Aux Latency | 0ms |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 37Hz |
| Battery Life | 8 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC |
| Bluetooth Latency | 266ms |
| Built in Microphone | Yes |
| Digital Aux Input | No |
| Dimensions | 11.3" x 11.3" (285.8 x 285.8 mm) (round design) |
| Drivers | 2x 75mm woofers + 2x 20mm tweeters |
| EQ | No |
| IP Rating | None |
| Max Volume | 96dB |
| Omnidirectional | No |
| Output Power | 50W RMS |
| Party Mode | Yes (Wireless Dual Sound) |
| Power Bank | No |
| Power Input | DC Barrel Connector (19V/2.1A) |
| Stereo | Partially (1 woofer) |
| TWS | No |
| USB Playback | No |
| Weight | 6.4 lbs / 2.9 kg |
As an eBay Partner, we may be compensated if you make a purchase.
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Alan Ross Reviews: JBL Boombox 2 vs Onyx Studio 7 big bass battle 💋
- Alan Ross Reviews: Onyx Studio 7 vs Onyx Studio 6 - massive deep bass battle 😁
- Geri’s Collection: Harman Kardon Onyx 7 vs Onyx 4
- KULAS TECH SHOW: Harman / Kardon Onyx Studio 5 vs Onyx Studio 7 - Close battle🔥🔥
- Alan Ross Reviews: Ultimate HK Onyx Studio speaker review and comparison! 8 speakers!
- Reddit Search for Harman Kardon Onyx Studio 7 Review
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
- Harman Kardon Onyx Studio 7 vs Harman Kardon Onyx Studio 6
- Harman Kardon Onyx Studio 7 vs Harman Kardon Onyx Studio 9
- Harman Kardon Onyx Studio 7 vs Harman Kardon Onyx Studio 8
- Harman Kardon Onyx Studio 7 vs Zealot ZE41
- Harman Kardon Onyx Studio 7 vs Zealot ZE21
- Harman Kardon Onyx Studio 7 vs Zealot S89
- Harman Kardon Onyx Studio 7 vs JBL Partybox Encore Essential
- Harman Kardon Onyx Studio 7 vs JBL Boombox 4
- See all 19 comparisons
JBL Boombox 3: $349.95 Amazon
Pros: IP67 rated. 24 hour battery life (6.5 hour charge time). Doubles as a power bank. PartyBoost links up to 100 compatible JBL speakers. Three-way speaker system with subwoofer.
Cons: Dips in mid bass range which makes the bass sound undefined, bass boosted, peaky at 700hz, not quite as good mids and treble as the Blast.
Full JBL Boombox 3 review and specifications →
| App | No |
|---|---|
| Aux Input | Yes |
| Aux Latency | 25ms |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 43Hz |
| Battery Life | 24 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC |
| Bluetooth Latency | 100ms |
| Built in Microphone | No |
| Digital Aux Input | No |
| Dimensions | 19" x 10.1" x 7.9" (482 x 257 x 200 mm) |
| Drivers | 1x 189mm subwoofer + 2x 81mm woofers + 2x 20mm tweeters |
| EQ | No |
| FM Tuner | No |
| IP Rating | IP67 |
| Max Volume | 110dB |
| MicroSD Playback | No |
| Microphone Input | No |
| Omnidirectional | No |
| Output Power | 180W AC / 136W battery |
| Party Mode | Yes (PartyBoost up to 100 speakers) |
| Power Bank | Yes (USB-A) |
| Power Input | AC Power cable |
| Stereo | Yes |
| TWS | Yes |
| USB Playback | No |
| Weight | 14.8 lbs / 6.7 kg |
As an eBay Partner, we may be compensated if you make a purchase.
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Oluv Patreon: Earfun UBoom X vs JBL Boombox 3 - outdoor test
- Alan Ross Reviews: JBL Boombox 3 review vs JBL Boombox 2 a subwoofer and a 3 way equals heaven? 💋
- Alan Ross Reviews: W King T11 party boombox and Karaoke machine review vs T9, Stormbox Blast and Boombox 3.
- Dominik Reviews: JBL Boombox 3 vs 2x Tribit Stormbox Blast 🤑 Huge difference?
- Alan Ross Reviews: Not quite! JBL Authentics 300 review and sound test vs Boombox 3, Encore and Stormbox Blast
- Alan Ross Reviews: WiFi Edition: JBL Boombox 3 ultimate review! vs Boombox 3 Bluetooth edition
- Oluv Patreon: Earfun UBoom X vs JBL Boombox 3 - outdoor
- Jay’s Straight Up Reviews & More: Zealot ZE21 vs JBL Boombox 3 Tailgater Special @20ft. The Budget Beast Against the OG Boombox
- Jay’s Straight Up Reviews & More: Tribit Stormbox Blast 2 vs JBL Boombox 3 🔊 Got Bass? Let’s See How They Compare 😲 Battery Powered 🔋
- Picky Audio: SO CLOSE! Soundcore Boom 2 Plus vs JBL Boombox 3
- Picky Audio: Extended Sound Test (Soundcore Boom 2 Plus vs JBL Boombox 3)
- Alan Ross Reviews: W-King X20 JBL Boombox 3 killer! this should be illegal! - I was shocked!
- Jay’s Straight Up Reviews & More: New! W-King X20 vs JBL Boombox 3 🛜 Head to Head 🔋Battery Powered 📊Custom EQ - Links In Description
- Alan Ross Reviews: W-King X20 JBL Boombox 3 killer! this should be illegal! - I was shocked!
- Jay’s Straight Up Reviews & More: New! W-King X20 vs JBL Boombox 3 🛜 Head to Head 🔋Battery Powered 📊Custom EQ - Links In Description
- Alan Ross Reviews: Tronsmart Bang Max Review, JBL Boombox 3 wannabe 130w
- Jay’s Straight Up Reviews & More: Skullcandy BARREL XT vs JBL Boombox 3 🤯Budget Banger vs Reigning Champ 🔋 Battery Powered 🏠 Indoors
- Jay’s Straight Up Reviews & More: SONY ULT Field 7 💣vs JBL Boombox 3 🧨 Showdown! 🪇Let’s Shake it Up! 🔋Battery Powered Basement Battle
- AudioTribe: JBL Authentics 500 VS JBL Boombox 3 Sound Test Comparison
- Reddit Search for JBL Boombox 3 Review
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
- JBL Boombox 3 vs Tribit Stormbox Blast 2
- JBL Boombox 3 vs JBL Boombox 3 Wifi
- JBL Boombox 3 vs LG Xboom Stage 301
- JBL Boombox 3 vs Harman Kardon Onyx Studio 5
- JBL Boombox 3 vs Harman Kardon Go + Play 2
- JBL Boombox 3 vs Zealot S95
- JBL Boombox 3 vs JBL Boombox 4
- JBL Boombox 3 vs Zealot ZE01
- See all 24 comparisons