Short answer: the Harman Kardon Onyx Studio 8. It ranks #10 of 73 boombox speakers by sound quality at $159.99; the Soundcore Rave Party 2 ranks #42 and costs $199.95, so there is little reason to consider the other one.
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 Soundcore Rave Party 2 offers: This speaker may move around in the rankings as we get better sound samples. Watch for: Poor water rating. Bass extension doesn’t seem very good.
Buy the Harman Kardon Onyx Studio 8. It ranks higher for sound quality than the Soundcore Rave Party 2 and costs less, so the other one has nothing left to offer.
Battery life favors the Soundcore Rave Party 2: rated for 16 hours against 8 hours for the Harman Kardon Onyx Studio 8.
There is a real gap in water resistance: the Soundcore Rave Party 2 at IPX4 (splashing) against the Harman Kardon Onyx Studio 8, which has no water resistance.
Specifications Side By Side
| Harman Kardon Onyx Studio 8 | Soundcore Rave Party 2 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $159.99 | $199.95 |
| Ranked | #10 of 73 in Boombox Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers | #42 of 73 in Boombox Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers |
| Aux Input | Yes | Yes |
| Aux Latency | 42ms | - |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 35Hz | - |
| Battery Life | 8 hours (Manufacturer specified) | 16 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Built in Microphone | Yes | No |
| IP Rating | None | IPX4 |
| Bluetooth Latency | 175ms | - |
| Max Volume | 96dB | - |
| Power Input | DC Barrel Connector (19V/2.1A) | AC Power brick |
| Stereo | Yes | Yes |
| Omnidirectional | No | No |
| TWS | Yes | Yes |
| Weight | 7.3 lbs / 3.3 kg | 10.1 lbs / 4.6 kg |
| App | Yes (Harman Kardon One app) | No |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC | SBC |
| Power Bank | No | Yes (USB-A) |
| EQ | Yes (App EQ) | Yes (App EQ) |
| Party Mode | No | Yes (PartyCast 2.0 up to 100 speakers) |
| USB Playback | No | No |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.2 | - |
| Output Power | 50W RMS | 80W RMS / 120W peak |
| Dimensions | 10.6" x 11.9" x 6.3" (268 x 302.5 x 159.5 mm) | 7.5" x 7.8" x 15.7" (191 x 198 x 400 mm) |
| Drivers | 2x 75mm woofers + 2x 20mm tweeters | 2x 4" (100mm) woofers + 2x 2" (50mm) tweeters |
| Digital Aux Input | No | No |
| Microphone Input | - | Yes (Karaoke mode with reverb effect) |
Related Speaker Comparisons
A few more comparisons worth a look in the same class:
- JBL Partybox Encore vs Harman Kardon Onyx Studio 6
- JBL Partybox Encore Essential 2 vs Harman Kardon Onyx Studio 6
- Harman Kardon Onyx Studio 6 vs W-King X20
- Soundcore Rave Party 2 vs Zealot S78
- Zealot S95 vs Soundcore Rave Party 2
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
- 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 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 44 comparisons
Soundcore Rave Party 2: $199.95 Amazon B&H Photo Video eBay
Pros: This speaker may move around in the rankings as we get better sound samples.
Cons: Poor water rating. Bass extension doesn’t seem very good.
Full Soundcore Rave Party 2 review and specifications →
| App | No |
|---|---|
| Aux Input | Yes |
| Battery Life | 16 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC |
| Built in Microphone | No |
| Digital Aux Input | No |
| Dimensions | 7.5" x 7.8" x 15.7" (191 x 198 x 400 mm) |
| Drivers | 2x 4" (100mm) woofers + 2x 2" (50mm) tweeters |
| EQ | Yes (App EQ) |
| IP Rating | IPX4 |
| Microphone Input | Yes (Karaoke mode with reverb effect) |
| Omnidirectional | No |
| Output Power | 80W RMS / 120W peak |
| Party Mode | Yes (PartyCast 2.0 up to 100 speakers) |
| Power Bank | Yes (USB-A) |
| Power Input | AC Power brick |
| Stereo | Yes |
| TWS | Yes |
| USB Playback | No |
| Weight | 10.1 lbs / 4.6 kg |
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Jay’s Straight Up Reviews & More: Soundcore Rave Party 2 vs. Tribit Stormbox Blast - Bluetooth Speaker Basement ⚒ Battle More from JaysStraightUpReviews →
- Jay’s Straight Up Reviews & More: Soundcore Rave Party 2 🎇 & Rave Neo 2 🎉 Head to Head Off The Floor. A Family Battle❗️
- Jagist reviews: Soundcore Rave Party 2 Bass Test 😍 More from Jagistreviews →
- Jay’s Straight Up Reviews & More: Triple Threat 💸 $200 Challenge 🔋 Soundcore Rave Party 2, W-King H10, JBL Partybox Encore Essential
- Jay’s Straight Up Reviews & More: Soundcore Rave Party 2 🔥 Unboxing & Short Sound Demo. Is This The New Speaker To Beat Under $200?💵
- Flossy Carter: Soundcore Rave Neo 2 / Rave Party 2 - Affordable Party Speakers with RGB Lights More from FlossyCarter →
- Jay’s Straight Up Reviews & More: Skullcandy Barrel XT vs Soundcore Rave Party 2 (Stock & Custom EQ) 🛜 Battery Powered🔋Let’s Get It🧨
- Reddit Search for Soundcore Rave Party 2 Review
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
- Soundcore Rave Party 2 vs Sony ULT Field 7
- Soundcore Rave Party 2 vs JBL Partybox On the Go
- Soundcore Rave Party 2 vs Skullcandy Barrel
- Soundcore Rave Party 2 vs Sony SRS-XG500
- Soundcore Rave Party 2 vs Yeahbox Sonic Boom Max 3
- Soundcore Rave Party 2 vs JBL Boombox
- Soundcore Rave Party 2 vs Soundcore Motion Boom+
- Soundcore Rave Party 2 vs Teufel Boomster NG (2017)
- See all 47 comparisons