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 ranks #21 and costs $349.95, so there is not much of a tradeoff to weigh.
On the Harman Kardon Onyx Studio 8 side: Warm sound with boosted bass. The tradeoff: Not as loud as others. No water rating.
What the JBL Boombox 3 gets right: IP67 rated. 24 hour battery life (6.5 hour charge time). Doubles as a power bank. Set against that: 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 8. 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 8.
If water resistance matters to you, the JBL Boombox 3 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 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $159.99 | $349.95 |
| Ranked | #10 of 73 in Boombox Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers | #21 of 73 in Boombox Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers |
| Aux Input | Yes | Yes |
| Aux Latency | 42ms | 25ms |
| 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 | 100ms |
| Max Volume | 96dB | 110dB |
| 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 | 14.8 lbs / 6.7 kg |
| App | Yes (Harman Kardon One app) | No |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC | SBC |
| Power Bank | No | Yes (USB-A) |
| EQ | Yes (App EQ) | No |
| Party Mode | No | Yes (PartyBoost up to 100 speakers) |
| USB Playback | No | No |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.2 | - |
| Output Power | 50W RMS | 180W AC / 136W battery |
| Dimensions | 10.6" x 11.9" x 6.3" (268 x 302.5 x 159.5 mm) | 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 |
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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
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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.
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- AudioTribe: JBL Authentics 500 VS JBL Boombox 3 Sound Test Comparison
- Reddit Search for JBL Boombox 3 Review
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
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