Short answer: the Harman Kardon Onyx Studio 9 is the smoother indoor music speaker; the Tribit Stormbox Blast is the louder, longer-running outdoor value. Harman Kardon is #14 of 75 and Tribit is #2 of 75.
Onyx Studio 9 has three tweeters, app EQ, stereo pairing, Auracast, and a measured 41Hz bass point. Its smooth, non-fatiguing sound works well in a living room, but it has no water resistance and only an eight-hour claimed battery.
Stormbox Blast reaches 108dB, claims 30 hours, has 43Hz bass extension, and can be made more neutral with its available EQ. It is less detailed than the best speakers, but it has far more party-speaker stamina.
Buy the Harman Kardon Onyx Studio 9 at $189.99 for a refined indoor presentation and app-based tuning.
Buy the Tribit Stormbox Blast at $179.99 for higher output, long runtime, and more capable outdoor use.
On the Harman Kardon Onyx Studio 9 side: Auracast multi-speaker connection alongside classic stereo pairing. The catch: Slight recessed mids, boost in the upper mids, rolled off upper treble.
The case for the Tribit Stormbox Blast: Amazing speaker given its size, competes well with some speakers in the Party size class. The catch: Lacks a bit of detail compared to the top ranked speakers in other size categories, dip at 5.5kHz.
If water resistance matters to you, the Tribit Stormbox Blast at IPX7 (brief submersion) holds up far better than the Harman Kardon Onyx Studio 9 at no water resistance.
Looking for alternatives? See the complete Portable Bluetooth rankings.
Specifications Side By Side
| Harman Kardon Onyx Studio 9 | Tribit Stormbox Blast | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $189.99 | $179.99 |
| Ranked | #14 of 75 in Boombox Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers | #2 of 75 in Boombox Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 41Hz | 43Hz |
| Maximum SPL | 101dB (measured by Alan Ross Reviews) | 108dB (measured by Alan Ross Reviews) |
| IP Rating | None | IPX7 |
| Power Input | AC Power Cable (2-Prong) | AC Power cord |
| Stereo | Yes | Yes |
| Omnidirectional | No | No |
| TWS | Yes | Yes |
| Weight | 9.3 lbs (4.2 kg) | 12 lbs (5.45 kg) |
| App | Yes (Harman Kardon One app) | Yes (Tribit App) |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC | SBC |
| EQ | Yes (App EQ) | Yes (10 band) |
| Party Mode | Yes (Auracast) | No |
| USB Playback | No | No |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.3 | 5.3 |
| Battery Life | 8 hours (Manufacturer specified) | 30 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Amplifier Power | 50W RMS | 90W RMS (140W peak) |
| Dimensions | 11.4" x 11.3" x 5.1" (289.2 x 287.5 x 130 mm) | 15.7" x 6.3" x 9.1" (400 x 160 x 230 mm) |
| Drivers | 120mm woofer + 3x 20mm tweeters | 2x ~107mm (4.2") woofers + 2x ~25mm tweeters |
| Digital Aux Input | No | No |
| Aux Input | No | Yes |
| Aux Latency | - | 0ms |
| Built-in Microphone | - | No |
| Bluetooth Latency | - | 66ms |
| Power Bank | - | Yes (USB-A) |
| FM Tuner | - | No |
| Microphone Input | - | No |
| MicroSD Playback | - | No |
| Lights | - | Yes |
Related Speaker Comparisons
More worthwhile head-to-heads for Tribit Stormbox Blast:
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- Harman Kardon Go + Play 3 vs Tribit Stormbox Blast
- Tribit Stormbox Blast vs JBL Partybox Encore 2
- JBL Partybox Encore Essential 2 vs Tribit Stormbox Blast
- Tribit Stormbox Blast vs JBL Partybox Encore
Prices on this page were last checked September 22, 2026 at 5:11 AM 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 9: $189.99 Amazon eBay
Pros: An elegant 4.2kg living-room portable with a measured 41Hz -10dB bass point, 101dB maximum level, three tweeters, app EQ, stereo pairing and Auracast multi-speaker linking. Reviews praise its balanced, smooth presentation and non-fatiguing treble, making it a more music-focused choice than most party speakers. Measured bass extension of 41Hz (-10dB).
Cons: It has no water resistance, aux input or USB playback, and its eight-hour claimed battery life is short for an outdoor portable. Bass is less deep than some earlier Onyx Studio models, while the slightly recessed mids and rolled-off top end mean it is not the most open or detailed option; it still charges from an AC power cable rather than USB-C.
Full Harman Kardon Onyx Studio 9 review and specifications →
| Amplifier Power | 50W RMS |
|---|---|
| App | Yes (Harman Kardon One app) |
| Aux Input | No |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 41Hz |
| Battery Life | 8 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.3 |
| Digital Aux Input | No |
| Dimensions | 11.4" x 11.3" x 5.1" (289.2 x 287.5 x 130 mm) |
| Drivers | 120mm woofer + 3x 20mm tweeters |
| EQ | Yes (App EQ) |
| IP Rating | None |
| Maximum SPL | 101dB (measured by Alan Ross Reviews) |
| Omnidirectional | No |
| Party Mode | Yes (Auracast) |
| Power Input | AC Power Cable (2-Prong) |
| Stereo | Yes |
| TWS | Yes |
| USB Playback | No |
| Weight | 9.3 lbs (4.2 kg) |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
- Harman Kardon Onyx Studio 9 vs Harman Kardon Onyx Studio 7
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- Harman Kardon Onyx Studio 9 vs Harman Kardon Onyx Studio 6
- Harman Kardon Onyx Studio 9 vs Zealot ZE21
- Harman Kardon Onyx Studio 9 vs Harman Kardon Onyx Studio 8
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- Harman Kardon Onyx Studio 9 vs Yeahbox Sonic Boom Ultra
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Tribit Stormbox Blast: $179.99 Amazon eBay
Pros: Amazing speaker given its size, competes well with some speakers in the Party size class, bass almost as deep as a Partybox 100. Quite neutral in the default and xbass modes, but try Oluv’s EQ or Alan Ross’s EQ for a slightly more neutral sound. Oluv has mentioned v3.5 now uses his EQ as the defaults and sounds extremely good. 2 different light modes or can be turned off. Measured bass extension of 43Hz (-10dB).
Cons: Lacks a bit of detail compared to the top ranked speakers in other size categories, dip at 5.5kHz. Without the above EQ this speaker would rank around #4 in the rankings. The curved underside of the handle makes it a little harder to grip and can be uncomfortable to carry long distances.
Full Tribit Stormbox Blast review and specifications →
| Amplifier Power | 90W RMS (140W peak) |
|---|---|
| App | Yes (Tribit App) |
| Aux Input | Yes |
| Aux Latency | 0ms |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 43Hz |
| Battery Life | 30 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC |
| Bluetooth Latency | 66ms |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.3 |
| Built-in Microphone | No |
| Digital Aux Input | No |
| Dimensions | 15.7" x 6.3" x 9.1" (400 x 160 x 230 mm) |
| Drivers | 2x ~107mm (4.2") woofers + 2x ~25mm tweeters |
| EQ | Yes (10 band) |
| FM Tuner | No |
| IP Rating | IPX7 |
| Lights | Yes |
| Maximum SPL | 108dB (measured by Alan Ross Reviews) |
| MicroSD Playback | No |
| Microphone Input | No |
| Omnidirectional | No |
| Party Mode | No |
| Power Bank | Yes (USB-A) |
| Power Input | AC Power cord |
| Stereo | Yes |
| TWS | Yes |
| USB Playback | No |
| Weight | 12 lbs (5.45 kg) |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Alan Ross Reviews: Tribit Stormbox Blast Firmware Update 5.2 and other things……. More from alanrossreviews →
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- Mateusz Cholewa: Tribit Stormbox Blast 🎶 🆚Deep BASS - Tribit Stormbox LAVA More from Mateusz Cholewa →
- Jay’s Straight Up Reviews & More: Tribit Stormbox Blast 🆚 Sony SRS-XG500 - Tailgater Special - Battery Powered ☢️ Bass Boost Enabled. More from JaysStraightUpReviews →
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- Jay’s Straight Up Reviews & More: Soundcore Boom 2 Plus VS Tribit Stormbox Blast 🛜 Boombox Basement Battle 📊Custom EQ 🔥Who You Got?
- Alan Ross Reviews: Not quite! JBL Authentics 300 review and sound test vs Boombox 3, Encore and Stormbox Blast
- Techder Audios: Tribit Stormbox Blast VS Teufel Boomster "BASS VS FUNCTIONS!" More from techderaudios →
- Oluv Patreon: SoundBoks 4 vs Stormbox Blast - first impressions More from Oluv’Sone →
- Joy & Oluv’Sone: Tribit Stormbox Blast vs Earfun UBoom X, a PROPER sound test 😎
- Mateusz Cholewa: EarFun UBOOM X Deep Bass 🆚 Tribit Stormbox Blast🎶Review👌
- Oluv Patreon: Tribit Stormbox Blast vs Earfun UBoom X - outdoor test
- Oluv Patreon: Harman Kardon go+play 3 vs Tribit Stormbox Blast - outdoor soundtest
- Dominik Reviews: JBL Boombox 3 vs 2x Tribit Stormbox Blast 🤑 Huge difference? More from Dominik Reviews →
- Jay’s Straight Up Reviews & More: W-King X20 vs Tribit Stormbox Blast 🍿 Garage Battle of Boombox Speakers 🍻Custom & Standard EQ’s
- Jay’s Straight Up Reviews & More: W-King X20 vs Tribit Stormbox Blast 🍿 Garage Battle of Boombox Speakers 🍻Custom & Standard EQ’s
- Dominik Reviews: Sony ULT Field 7 vs Tribit Stormbox Blast Both good? 😂
- Jay’s Straight Up Reviews & More: Bugani Boost Max vs Tribit Stormbox Blast - GhettoBlaster Battle 🏠Indoors 🔋Battery Powered
- Jay’s Straight Up Reviews & More: Soundcore Rave Party 2 vs. Tribit Stormbox Blast - Bluetooth Speaker Basement ⚒ Battle
- Jagist reviews: Tribit Stormbox Blast vs Sony SRS XG 500 More from Jagistreviews →
- Alan Ross Reviews: Tribit Stormbox Blast or Soundcore Motion Boom Plus or W King D10? 🤪
- Alan Ross Reviews: Tribit Stormbox Blast Review vs Soundcore Motion Boom Plus - cheap bass!
- DLX Willington: Tough Game! Tribit Stormbox Blast vs Soundcore Motion Boom Plus Binaural sound samples More from DLXWillington →
- Alan Ross Reviews: Tribit Stormbox Blast or Soundcore Motion Boom Plus or W King D10? 🤪
- Jagist reviews: Tribit Stormbox Blast vs Altec Lansing Mix 2.0
- Alan Ross Reviews: Spatial Audio: Soundcore Motion X600 Vs Tribit Stormbox Blast
- Oluv Patreon: Audiocase S5 vs Tribit Stormbox Blast - first impressions
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
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