Short answer: the Harman Kardon Go + Play 3 for portable deep bass, the JBL Authentics 500 for a mains-powered stereo room speaker. The Authentics 500 packs a 6.5 inch down-firing subwoofer, three midranges and three tweeters with 270W behind them, but its 40Hz to 20kHz (-6dB) spec points to limited deep-bass reach and it has no battery. The Go + Play 3 reaches 35Hz at -10dB, though it is only a little over half as loud as the higher rated boomboxes and lasts 8 hours at medium volume.
Buy the JBL Authentics 500 at $449.95 for a powered desktop speaker, or the Harman Kardon Go + Play 3 at $385 for a boombox speaker instead.
Still deciding? The full Powered Home rankings and Portable Bluetooth rankings cover every ranked option.
A large smart speaker with a built in subwoofer, virtual Dolby Atmos, Wi-Fi streaming and both Alexa and Google Assistant.
A stylish stereo boombox with very deep bass for its size and warm sound, made for indoor use.
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Specifications Side By Side
| JBL Authentics 500 | Harman Kardon Go + Play 3 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $449.95 each | $385 |
| Ranked | #5 of 10 in Large Size Powered Desktop Speakers | #3 of 112 in Boombox Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers |
| App | Yes | Yes (Harman Kardon One app) |
| Aux Input | Yes | Yes |
| Battery Life | No Battery | 8 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC | SBC, AAC |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.3 | 5.2 |
| Dimensions | 17.6” x 9.4” x 10.1” (447 x 240 x 255.7 mm) | 17.3” x 9.4” x 7.6” (439 x 240 x 192 mm) |
| Dolby Atmos | Yes (virtual) | - |
| EQ | Yes | Yes (App EQ) |
| Ethernet | Yes | - |
| Frequency Response | 40Hz - 20kHz (-6dB) (Manufacturer specified) | - |
| IP Rating | None | None |
| Drivers | 6.5” (down-firing subwoofer), 3x 2.75” midranges, 3x 1” (25mm aluminum dome) tweeters | 1x 130mm (5”) subwoofer + 2x 70mm midrange drivers + 2x 20mm tweeters |
| Party Mode | Yes (Wi-Fi multi-room) | No |
| Power Input | 100 - 240V AC, ~ 50/60Hz | AC Power brick |
| Configuration | 3.1 channel | - |
| Stereo | Yes | Yes |
| Streaming Services | AirPlay 2, Chromecast, Spotify Connect, Tidal Connect, Alexa MRM | - |
| Inputs | USB-C (USB playback, US only) | - |
| Voice Assistants | Amazon Alexa & Google Assistant (simultaneous) | - |
| Weight | 17.2 lbs (7.8 kg) | 10.4 lbs (4.7 kg) |
| Wi-Fi | Yes (IEEE 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/ax, 2.4GHz/5GHz) | - |
| Amplifier Power | 270W (Max @ THD 1%) | 160W RMS |
| XLR Input | No | - |
| RCA Input | No | - |
| TRS Input | No | - |
| Optical Input | No | - |
| Coaxial Input | No | - |
| USB Input | Yes | - |
| HDMI Input | No | - |
| AES Input | No | - |
| Bluetooth | Yes | Yes |
| Aux Latency | - | 112ms |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | - | 35Hz |
| Built-in Microphone | - | Yes |
| Bluetooth Latency | - | 120ms |
| Maximum SPL | - | 103dB (measured by Alan Ross Reviews) |
| Omnidirectional | - | No |
| TWS | - | Yes |
| Power Bank | - | Yes |
| USB Playback | - | No |
| Digital Aux Input | - | No |
| Strap | - | No |
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