Short answer: the Harman Kardon Onyx Studio 8. It ranks #10 of 73 boombox speakers by sound quality at $159.99; the Tribit Stormbox Blast 2 ranks #22 and costs $300, so there is not much of a tradeoff to weigh.
What the Harman Kardon Onyx Studio 8 gets right: Warm sound with boosted bass. The catch: Not as loud as others. No water rating.
On the Tribit Stormbox Blast 2 side: Pretty deep bass. Watch for: Sounds quite muddy with the boosted lower and upper bass. Boosted treble around 6khz.
Buy the Harman Kardon Onyx Studio 8. It ranks higher for sound quality than the Tribit Stormbox Blast 2 and costs less, so there is no real case for the other one.
If battery life is a priority, the Tribit Stormbox Blast 2 is rated for 30 hours versus 8 hours for the Harman Kardon Onyx Studio 8.
If water resistance matters to you, the Tribit Stormbox Blast 2 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 | Tribit Stormbox Blast 2 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $159.99 | $300 |
| Ranked | #10 of 73 in Boombox Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers | #22 of 73 in Boombox Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers |
| Aux Input | Yes | Yes |
| Aux Latency | 42ms | - |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 35Hz | 40Hz |
| Battery Life | 8 hours (Manufacturer specified) | 30 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Built in Microphone | Yes | No |
| IP Rating | None | IP67 |
| Bluetooth Latency | 175ms | - |
| Max Volume | 96dB | 110dB |
| Power Input | DC Barrel Connector (19V/2.1A) | AC Power Cable or 10w USB-C |
| Stereo | Yes | Yes |
| Omnidirectional | No | No |
| TWS | Yes | Yes |
| Weight | 7.3 lbs / 3.3 kg | 19.2 lbs / 8.7 kg |
| App | Yes (Harman Kardon One app) | No |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC | SBC, AAC |
| Power Bank | No | Yes (USB-A) |
| EQ | Yes (App EQ) | Yes (10 band) |
| Party Mode | No | No |
| USB Playback | No | No |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.2 | - |
| Output Power | 50W RMS | 200W AC / 180W battery |
| Dimensions | 10.6" x 11.9" x 6.3" (268 x 302.5 x 159.5 mm) | 18.7" x 7.6" x 10.2" (476 x 193 x 259 mm) |
| Drivers | 2x 75mm woofers + 2x 20mm tweeters | 1x ~180x110mm rectangular subwoofer + 2x ~80mm mid drivers + 2x ~25mm tweeters |
| Digital Aux Input | No | No |
| Microphone Input | - | Yes (2x 6.35mm) |
| FM Tuner | - | 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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- 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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Tribit Stormbox Blast 2: $300 Amazon
Pros: Pretty deep bass.
Cons: Sounds quite muddy with the boosted lower and upper bass. Boosted treble around 6khz. Xbass mode makes it sound even more muddy. Nowhere near as neutral and balanced as the first Blast and a big downgrade unless you only care about max volume
Setup: Try the EQ from Alan Ross at this timestamp of his video
Full Tribit Stormbox Blast 2 review and specifications →
| App | No |
|---|---|
| Aux Input | Yes |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 40Hz |
| Battery Life | 30 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC, AAC |
| Built in Microphone | No |
| Digital Aux Input | No |
| Dimensions | 18.7" x 7.6" x 10.2" (476 x 193 x 259 mm) |
| Drivers | 1x ~180x110mm rectangular subwoofer + 2x ~80mm mid drivers + 2x ~25mm tweeters |
| EQ | Yes (10 band) |
| FM Tuner | No |
| IP Rating | IP67 |
| Max Volume | 110dB |
| MicroSD Playback | No |
| Microphone Input | Yes (2x 6.35mm) |
| Omnidirectional | No |
| Output Power | 200W AC / 180W battery |
| Party Mode | No |
| Power Bank | Yes (USB-A) |
| Power Input | AC Power Cable or 10w USB-C |
| Stereo | Yes |
| TWS | Yes |
| USB Playback | No |
| Weight | 19.2 lbs / 8.7 kg |
As an eBay Partner, we may be compensated if you make a purchase.
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Joy & Oluv’Sone: Tribit Stormbox Blast 2 - outdoor sound test
- Joy & Oluv’Sone: Tribit Stormbox Blast 2 - indoor sound test
- Joy & Oluv’Sone: Tribit Stormbox Blast 2 vs 2 Earfun UBoom X - outdoor test
- Alan Ross Reviews: Tribit Stormbox Blast 2 custom EQ best settings! Alan Ross!
- Alan Ross Reviews: Tribit Stormbox Blast 2 firmware V11 update - earthquake warning!
- Alan Ross Reviews: Tribit Stormbox Blast 2 review - fun fun fun! sometimes 😊
- Mateusz Cholewa: Soundcore Rave 3 🤗v🆚s Tribit Stormbox Blast 2👌🎶
- Jay’s Straight Up Reviews & More: Tribit Stormbox Blast 2 😳 First Look, EQ and Light Modes Demo 🚨
- Jay’s Straight Up Reviews & More: Tribit Stormbox Blast 2 vs JBL Boombox 3 🔊 Got Bass? Let’s See How They Compare 😲 Battery Powered 🔋
- Jay’s Straight Up Reviews & More: Tribit Stormbox Blast 2 vs Blast 😲 A Family Feud 🚗 Tailgater Special 🔋 Battery Powered 🎶 Old vs New
- Jagist reviews: Zealot Ze21 Vs Tribit Stormbox Blast 2!!!
- Jagist reviews: Zealot S95 Vs Tribit Stormbox Blast 2!!!
- Reddit Search for Tribit Stormbox Blast 2 Review
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