Short answer: the Harman Kardon Onyx Studio 8. It ranks #10 of 73 boombox speakers by sound quality at $159.99; the Harman Kardon Go + Play 2 ranks #18 and costs $350, so there is not much of a tradeoff to weigh.
The case for the Harman Kardon Onyx Studio 8: Warm sound with boosted bass. The tradeoff: Not as loud as others.
What the Harman Kardon Go + Play 2 gets right: Warm sound with boosted bass. The catch: Not as loud as others.
Buy the Harman Kardon Onyx Studio 8. 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.
Specifications Side By Side
| Harman Kardon Onyx Studio 8 | Harman Kardon Go + Play 2 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $159.99 | $350 Discontinued |
| Ranked | #10 of 73 in Boombox Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers | #18 of 73 in Boombox Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers |
| Aux Input | Yes | - |
| Aux Latency | 42ms | 0ms |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 35Hz | 40Hz |
| Battery Life | 8 hours (Manufacturer specified) | 8 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Built in Microphone | Yes | Yes |
| IP Rating | None | None |
| Bluetooth Latency | 175ms | 33ms |
| Max Volume | 96dB | 99dB |
| Power Input | DC Barrel Connector (19V/2.1A) | AC Power brick |
| Stereo | Yes | Yes |
| Omnidirectional | No | No |
| TWS | Yes | No |
| Weight | 7.3 lbs / 3.3 kg | 5.3 lbs / 2.4 kg |
| App | Yes (Harman Kardon One app) | No |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC | SBC |
| Power Bank | No | No |
| EQ | Yes (App EQ) | No |
| Party Mode | No | Yes (Wireless Dual Sound) |
| USB Playback | No | No |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.2 | - |
| Output Power | 50W RMS | 100W AC / 30W battery |
| Dimensions | 10.6" x 11.9" x 6.3" (268 x 302.5 x 159.5 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 |
| Discontinued | - | Yes |
Related Speaker Comparisons
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- Harman Kardon Go + Play 3 vs Harman Kardon Onyx Studio 6
- Harman Kardon Onyx Studio 6 vs JBL Boombox 3 Wifi
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The Two Speakers In Full
Harman Kardon Onyx Studio 8: $159.99 Amazon
Pros: Warm sound with boosted bass.
Cons: Not as loud as others. No water rating.
Full Harman Kardon Onyx Studio 8 review and specifications →
| App | Yes (Harman Kardon One app) |
|---|---|
| Aux Input | Yes |
| Aux Latency | 42ms |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 35Hz |
| Battery Life | 8 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| 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 | 2x 75mm woofers + 2x 20mm tweeters |
| EQ | Yes (App EQ) |
| IP Rating | None |
| Max Volume | 96dB |
| Omnidirectional | No |
| Output Power | 50W RMS |
| Party Mode | No |
| Power Bank | No |
| Power Input | DC Barrel Connector (19V/2.1A) |
| Stereo | Yes |
| TWS | Yes |
| USB Playback | No |
| Weight | 7.3 lbs / 3.3 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 Onyx Studio 8 review - part 2 of 3
- 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!
- Reddit Search for Harman Kardon Onyx Studio 8 Review
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
- Harman Kardon Onyx Studio 8 vs Harman Kardon Onyx Studio 6
- Harman Kardon Onyx Studio 8 vs Vifa Copenhagen 2.0
- Harman Kardon Onyx Studio 8 vs Harman Kardon Onyx Studio 7
- Harman Kardon Onyx Studio 8 vs Aiwa Exos-9
- Harman Kardon Onyx Studio 8 vs Harman Kardon Onyx Studio 9
- Harman Kardon Onyx Studio 8 vs JBL Partybox Encore Essential
- Harman Kardon Onyx Studio 8 vs JBL Partybox Encore
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- See all 16 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