Short answer: the Harman Kardon Onyx Studio 8. It ranks #10 of 73 boombox speakers by sound quality at $159.99; the JBL Boombox 3 Wifi ranks #20 and costs $389.95, 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 catch: Not as loud as others. No water rating.
What the JBL Boombox 3 Wifi offers: Loudest speaker in the category. Slightly better frequency response than the non-wifi version. Set against that: Bass boosted. Dip at 160hz.
Buy the Harman Kardon Onyx Studio 8. It ranks higher for sound quality than the JBL Boombox 3 Wifi and costs less, so there is no real case for the other one.
If battery life is a priority, the JBL Boombox 3 Wifi is rated for 24 hours versus 8 hours for the Harman Kardon Onyx Studio 8.
If water resistance matters to you, the JBL Boombox 3 Wifi at IP67 (brief submersion) holds up far better than the Harman Kardon Onyx Studio 8 at no water resistance.
Specifications Side By Side
| Harman Kardon Onyx Studio 8 | JBL Boombox 3 Wifi | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $159.99 | $389.95 |
| Ranked | #10 of 73 in Boombox Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers | #20 of 73 in Boombox Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers |
| Aux Input | Yes | Yes |
| Aux Latency | 42ms | - |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 35Hz | 43Hz |
| Battery Life | 8 hours (Manufacturer specified) | 24 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Built in Microphone | Yes | No |
| IP Rating | None | IP67 |
| Bluetooth Latency | 175ms | - |
| Max Volume | 96dB | 111dB |
| Power Input | DC Barrel Connector (19V/2.1A) | AC Power cable |
| Stereo | Yes | Yes |
| Omnidirectional | No | No |
| TWS | Yes | Yes |
| Weight | 7.3 lbs / 3.3 kg | 14.6 lbs / 6.6 kg |
| App | Yes (Harman Kardon One app) | No |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC | SBC |
| Power Bank | No | Yes (USB-A, 5V/2A) |
| EQ | Yes (App EQ) | No |
| Party Mode | No | No |
| USB Playback | No | No |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.2 | - |
| Output Power | 50W RMS | 200W AC / 140W battery |
| Dimensions | 10.6" x 11.9" x 6.3" (268 x 302.5 x 159.5 mm) | 19.1" x 10.1" x 7.9" (484 x 256 x 200 mm) |
| Drivers | 2x 75mm woofers + 2x 20mm tweeters | 1x 189mm subwoofer + 2x 81mm woofers + 2x 20mm tweeters |
| Digital Aux Input | No | No |
| Wifi | - | Yes |
Related Speaker Comparisons
More useful head-to-heads from the same speaker class:
- JBL Boombox 3 vs Tribit Stormbox Blast
- Zealot S89 vs JBL Boombox 3
- JBL Partybox Encore Essential 2 vs JBL Boombox 3
- JBL Boombox 3 Wifi vs Zealot S95
- Harman Kardon Go + Play 3 vs Harman Kardon Onyx Studio 8
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
- Harman Kardon Onyx Studio 8 vs Zealot ZE41
- See all 21 comparisons
JBL Boombox 3 Wifi: $389.95 Amazon
Pros: Loudest speaker in the category. Slightly better frequency response than the non-wifi version.
Cons: Bass boosted. Dip at 160hz
Full JBL Boombox 3 Wifi review and specifications →
| App | No |
|---|---|
| Aux Input | Yes |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 43Hz |
| Battery Life | 24 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC |
| Built in Microphone | No |
| Digital Aux Input | No |
| Dimensions | 19.1" x 10.1" x 7.9" (484 x 256 x 200 mm) |
| Drivers | 1x 189mm subwoofer + 2x 81mm woofers + 2x 20mm tweeters |
| EQ | No |
| IP Rating | IP67 |
| Max Volume | 111dB |
| Omnidirectional | No |
| Output Power | 200W AC / 140W battery |
| Party Mode | No |
| Power Bank | Yes (USB-A, 5V/2A) |
| Power Input | AC Power cable |
| Stereo | Yes |
| TWS | Yes |
| USB Playback | No |
| Weight | 14.6 lbs / 6.6 kg |
| Wifi | Yes |
As an eBay Partner, we may be compensated if you make a purchase.
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Dominik Reviews: JBL Partybox Encore 2 vs JBL Boombox 3 WiFi - Sound Test - Wide vs Narrow Soundstage!
- Mateusz Cholewa: JBL Encore 2 Partybox Deep Bass 🆚 Jbl Boombox 3 WiFi 🎶
- 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
- Mateusz Cholewa: Soundcore Rave 3🧐 🆚 Jbl Boombox 3 WiFi
- Reddit Search for JBL Boombox 3 Wifi Review
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
- JBL Boombox 3 Wifi vs JBL Boombox 3
- JBL Boombox 3 Wifi vs Harman Kardon Onyx Studio 5
- JBL Boombox 3 Wifi vs Tribit Stormbox Blast 2
- JBL Boombox 3 Wifi vs Harman Kardon Go + Play 2
- JBL Boombox 3 Wifi vs JBL Boombox 4
- JBL Boombox 3 Wifi vs LG Xboom Stage 301
- JBL Boombox 3 Wifi vs Zealot S95
- JBL Boombox 3 Wifi vs Zealot S89
- See all 30 comparisons