Short answer: the Aiwa Exos-10, if you are buying new. The Harman Kardon Onyx Studio 8 ranks higher than it (#12 vs #38 of 89 boombox speakers, 4.1/5 vs 3.5/5) but is discontinued, so only consider it used; the Aiwa Exos-10 is still sold new at $159.99.
What the Harman Kardon Onyx Studio 8 does well: At 3.3 kg, Harman Kardon Onyx Studio 8 combines a 120mm woofer and 2x 20mm tweeters with Bluetooth and aux. Watch for: Bass is limited by its 35Hz specification.
The case for the Aiwa Exos-10: Clear, clean treble with good separation of instruments and vocals, and no distortion even near full volume in a side by side test against the W-King X20, where it kept up in loudness at 90%. The catch: It lacks deep bass: even with bass maxed it rolls off around 50Hz, where the W-King X20 and Zealot boomboxes reach deeper, and it is about 2dB quieter at full volume.
Buy the Aiwa Exos-10, since the Harman Kardon Onyx Studio 8 is discontinued and only worth hunting down used.
Still deciding? The full Portable Bluetooth rankings cover every ranked option.
Specifications Side By Side
| Harman Kardon Onyx Studio 8 | Aiwa Exos-10 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $197.90 Discontinued | $159.99 |
| Ranked | #12 of 89 in Boombox Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers | #38 of 89 in Boombox Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers |
| Aux Input | Yes | Yes |
| Aux Latency | 42ms | - |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 35Hz | - |
| Battery Life | 8 hours (Manufacturer specified) | 12 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Built-in Microphone | Yes | - |
| IP Rating | None | - |
| Bluetooth Latency | 175ms | - |
| Maximum SPL | 96dB (measured by Alan Ross Reviews) | - |
| Power Input | DC Barrel Connector (19V/2.1A) | - |
| Stereo | Partially (1 woofer) | Partially |
| Omnidirectional | No | - |
| TWS | Yes | - |
| Weight | 7.3 lbs (3.3 kg) | - |
| App | Yes (Harman Kardon One app) | - |
| Bluetooth | Yes | Yes |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC | - |
| Power Bank | No | - |
| EQ | Yes (App EQ) | Yes (bass and treble) |
| Party Mode | No | Yes (Party Sync, 100+ speakers) |
| USB Playback | No | Yes |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.2 | 5.0 |
| Amplifier Power | 50W RMS | 200W RMS (40W x 2 + 120W) |
| Dimensions | 10.6” x 11.9” x 6.3” (268 x 302.5 x 159.5 mm) | - |
| Drivers | 120mm woofer + 2x 20mm tweeters | 6.5” (165mm) subwoofer + full-range drivers, 4 passive radiators |
| Digital Aux Input | No | - |
| Strap | No | - |
| Removable Battery | - | No |
| FM Tuner | - | Yes |
Related Speaker Comparisons
How Harman Kardon Onyx Studio 8 compares with other leading options:
- Tribit Stormbox Blast vs Harman Kardon Onyx Studio 8
- Harman Kardon Go + Play 3 vs Harman Kardon Onyx Studio 8
- JBL Partybox Encore 2 vs Harman Kardon Onyx Studio 8
- JBL PartyBox On-The-Go 2 Plus vs Harman Kardon Onyx Studio 8
- JBL Partybox Encore Essential 2 vs Harman Kardon Onyx Studio 8
Prices on this page were last checked September 30, 2026 at 2:57 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 8: $197.90 Discontinued Amazon eBay
Newer model: the Harman Kardon Onyx Studio 9, ranked lower, rated 4.1/5.
Pros: At 3.3 kg, Harman Kardon Onyx Studio 8 combines a 120mm woofer and 2x 20mm tweeters with Bluetooth and aux. Claimed 8 hours (manufacturer specified) battery life and up to 96db make its feature set practical for its intended room or portable use. A built-in microphone and the Harman Kardon One app with EQ. Measured bass extension of 35Hz (-10dB).
Cons: Bass is limited by its 35Hz specification. Warm tuning with boosted bass, not as loud as others, and no water resistance rating. Discontinued.
Full Harman Kardon Onyx Studio 8 review and specifications →
| Amplifier Power | 50W RMS |
|---|---|
| App | Yes (Harman Kardon One app) |
| Aux Input | Yes |
| Aux Latency | 42ms |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 35Hz |
| Battery Life | 8 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth | Yes |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC |
| Bluetooth Latency | 175ms |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.2 |
| Built-in Microphone | Yes |
| Digital Aux Input | No |
| Dimensions | 10.6” x 11.9” x 6.3” (268 x 302.5 x 159.5 mm) |
| Drivers | 120mm woofer + 2x 20mm tweeters |
| EQ | Yes (App EQ) |
| IP Rating | None |
| Maximum SPL | 96dB (measured by Alan Ross Reviews) |
| Omnidirectional | No |
| Party Mode | No |
| Power Bank | No |
| Power Input | DC Barrel Connector (19V/2.1A) |
| Stereo | Partially (1 woofer) |
| Strap | No |
| TWS | Yes |
| USB Playback | No |
| Weight | 7.3 lbs (3.3 kg) |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Alan Ross Reviews: Harman Kardon Onyx Studio 8 review - part 2 of 3 More from alanrossreviews →
- Alan Ross Reviews: Onyx Studio 8 vs HK Onyx 6, Xtreme 3, PartyBox Encore, Go+ Play, Bag of Riddim! part 3 of 3
- Alan Ross Reviews: Dead room vs Live room - Onyx studio 8 self tuning test! part 1 of 3
- Alan Ross Reviews: Ultimate HK Onyx Studio speaker review and comparison! 8 speakers!
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
- Harman Kardon Onyx Studio 8 vs Harman Kardon Onyx Studio 6
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- Harman Kardon Onyx Studio 8 vs Harman Kardon Onyx Studio 7
- Harman Kardon Onyx Studio 8 vs Vifa Copenhagen 2.0
- Harman Kardon Onyx Studio 8 vs Harman Kardon Onyx Studio 9
- Harman Kardon Onyx Studio 8 vs Aiwa Exos-9
- Harman Kardon Onyx Studio 8 vs JBL Partybox Encore Essential
- Harman Kardon Onyx Studio 8 vs Zealot ZE51
- See all 74 comparisons
Aiwa Exos-10: $159.99 Amazon eBay
Older model: the Aiwa Exos-9 (ranked higher, rated 4.2/5).
Pros: Clear, clean treble with good separation of instruments and vocals, and no distortion even near full volume in a side by side test against the W-King X20, where it kept up in loudness at 90%. A 200W RMS tri-amplified design with a 6.5” woofer and four passive radiators, FM radio with presets, aux and USB inputs, a remote, analog-style VU meters and Party Sync with 100+ speakers.
Cons: It lacks deep bass: even with bass maxed it rolls off around 50Hz, where the W-King X20 and Zealot boomboxes reach deeper, and it is about 2dB quieter at full volume. Owners comparing it with the Aiwa Exos 9 it replaces find the older model clearer with tighter bass, and the Exos 10 drops the Exos 9’s 5-band EQ (only bass and treble) and removable battery. Claimed battery life is 12 hours.
Full Aiwa Exos-10 review and specifications →
| Amplifier Power | 200W RMS (40W x 2 + 120W) |
|---|---|
| Aux Input | Yes |
| Battery Life | 12 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth | Yes |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.0 |
| Drivers | 6.5” (165mm) subwoofer + full-range drivers, 4 passive radiators |
| EQ | Yes (bass and treble) |
| FM Tuner | Yes |
| Party Mode | Yes (Party Sync, 100+ speakers) |
| Removable Battery | No |
| Stereo | Partially |
| USB Playback | Yes |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons