Short answer: the Harman Kardon Onyx Studio 8. It ranks #10 of 73 boombox speakers by sound quality at $159.99; the Sony ULT Field 7 ranks #40 and costs $400, so there is not much of a tradeoff to weigh.
What the Harman Kardon Onyx Studio 8 offers: Warm sound with boosted bass. Watch for: Not as loud as others. No water rating.
What the Sony ULT Field 7 offers: Better sounding than the XG500 Watch for: Still not as deep bass as the top ranked speakers. 8khz peak
Buy the Harman Kardon Onyx Studio 8. It ranks higher for sound quality than the Sony ULT Field 7 and costs less, so the other one has nothing left to offer.
Battery life favors the Sony ULT Field 7: rated for 30 hours against 8 hours for the Harman Kardon Onyx Studio 8.
If water resistance matters to you, the Sony ULT Field 7 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 | Sony ULT Field 7 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $159.99 | $400 |
| Ranked | #10 of 73 in Boombox Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers | #40 of 73 in Boombox Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers |
| Aux Input | Yes | Yes |
| Aux Latency | 42ms | - |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 35Hz | ~52Hz |
| Battery Life | 8 hours (Manufacturer specified) | 30 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Built in Microphone | Yes | Yes |
| IP Rating | None | IP67 |
| Bluetooth Latency | 175ms | - |
| Max Volume | 96dB | - |
| Power Input | DC Barrel Connector (19V/2.1A) | AC Power cord |
| Stereo | Yes | Yes |
| Omnidirectional | No | No |
| TWS | Yes | Yes |
| Weight | 7.3 lbs / 3.3 kg | 13.9 lbs / 6.3 kg |
| App | Yes (Harman Kardon One app) | No |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC | SBC, AAC, LDAC |
| Power Bank | No | Yes (USB-A, 5V/1.5A) |
| EQ | Yes (App EQ) | Yes (App + ULT button) |
| Party Mode | No | Yes (Party Connect up to 100 speakers) |
| USB Playback | No | Yes |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.2 | 5.2 |
| Output Power | 50W RMS | 100W |
| Dimensions | 10.6" x 11.9" x 6.3" (268 x 302.5 x 159.5 mm) | 20.2" x 8.8" x 8.7" (512 x 224 x 222 mm) |
| Drivers | 2x 75mm woofers + 2x 20mm tweeters | 2x 114mm x 114mm X-Balanced woofers + 2x 46mm (1.9") tweeters |
| Digital Aux Input | No | No |
| Guitar Input | - | Yes |
| Microphone Input | - | Yes (Karaoke mode with echo effect) |
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Prices on this page were last checked August 27, 2026 at 10:09 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: $159.99 Amazon eBay
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 |
- 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!
- Reddit Search for Harman Kardon Onyx Studio 8 Review
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
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- 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 44 comparisons
Sony ULT Field 7: $400 Amazon eBay
Pros: Better sounding than the XG500
Cons: Still not as deep bass as the top ranked speakers. 8khz peak
Full Sony ULT Field 7 review and specifications →
| App | No |
|---|---|
| Aux Input | Yes |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | ~52Hz |
| Battery Life | 30 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC, AAC, LDAC |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.2 |
| Built in Microphone | Yes |
| Digital Aux Input | No |
| Dimensions | 20.2" x 8.8" x 8.7" (512 x 224 x 222 mm) |
| Drivers | 2x 114mm x 114mm X-Balanced woofers + 2x 46mm (1.9") tweeters |
| EQ | Yes (App + ULT button) |
| Guitar Input | Yes |
| IP Rating | IP67 |
| Microphone Input | Yes (Karaoke mode with echo effect) |
| Omnidirectional | No |
| Output Power | 100W |
| Party Mode | Yes (Party Connect up to 100 speakers) |
| Power Bank | Yes (USB-A, 5V/1.5A) |
| Power Input | AC Power cord |
| Stereo | Yes |
| TWS | Yes |
| USB Playback | Yes |
| Weight | 13.9 lbs / 6.3 kg |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Jay’s Straight Up Reviews & More: SONY ULT Field 7 💣vs JBL Boombox 3 🧨 Showdown! 🪇Let’s Shake it Up! 🔋Battery Powered Basement Battle More from JaysStraightUpReviews →
- Dominik Reviews: Sony ULT Field 7 vs Tribit Stormbox Blast Both good? 😂 More from Dominik Reviews →
- Reddit Search for Sony ULT Field 7 Review
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
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- Sony ULT Field 7 vs JBL Boombox
- Sony ULT Field 7 vs Soundcore Motion Boom+
- See all 48 comparisons