Short answer: the JBL Clip. It ranks #35 of 47 small speakers by sound quality at $50; the Harman Kardon Neo ranks #43 and costs $90, so there is not much of a tradeoff to weigh.
What the JBL Clip offers: Very compact and light (5.3 oz) with an integrated carabiner. Watch for: Quite a lack of bass.
On the Harman Kardon Neo side: IPX7 waterproof. Set against that: Huge lack of bass.
Buy the JBL Clip. It ranks higher for sound quality than the Harman Kardon Neo and costs less, so there is no real case for the other one.
If sound quality matters at all to you, skip the Harman Kardon Neo. It ranks near the bottom of the 47 small speakers, so look higher up the list instead.
If battery life is a priority, the Harman Kardon Neo is rated for 10 hours versus 5 hours for the JBL Clip.
Specifications Side By Side
| JBL Clip | Harman Kardon Neo | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $50 Discontinued | $90 Discontinued |
| Ranked | #35 of 47 in Small Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers | #43 of 47 in Small Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers |
| App | No | No |
| Aux Input | Yes (integrated 3.5mm cable) | No |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | ~95Hz | 105Hz |
| Battery Life | 5 hours (Manufacturer specified) | 10 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| EQ | No | No |
| Party Mode | No | No |
| Power Bank | No | No |
| Power Input | AC Wall Wart | USB-C |
| Stereo | No | No |
| Omnidirectional | No | No |
| TWS | No | No |
| Weight | 0.3 lbs / 158 g | 0.6 lbs / 251 g |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC | SBC |
| Built in Microphone | Yes | Yes |
| IP Rating | None | None |
| Output Power | 7W RMS | 3W |
| Dimensions | 5.4" x 3.8" x 1.8" (137.2 x 96.5 x 45.7 mm) (Clip 3, original JBL Clip dimensions not available) | 4.3" x 4.3" x 1.3" (110 x 110 x 34.1 mm) |
| Drivers | 1.57" (40mm) driver | 1.6" (41mm) full-range driver |
| Discontinued | Yes | Yes |
| Digital Aux Input | No | No |
| Max Volume | - | 87dB |
| Bluetooth Version | - | 4.2 |
| Frequency Response | - | 130Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| Charging Time | - | 3 hours |
Related Speaker Comparisons
More useful head-to-heads from the same speaker class:
- JBL Go 4 vs Harman Kardon Esquire Mini 2
- JBL Go 3 vs Harman Kardon Esquire Mini 2
- JBL Clip 5 vs Sony SRS-XB13
- JBL Clip 3 vs Harman Kardon Neo
- Harman Kardon Neo vs Noxgear 39g
The Two Speakers In Full
JBL Clip: $50 Discontinued
Pros: Very compact and light (5.3 oz) with an integrated carabiner. Has its own built-in 3.5mm aux cable, so you don’t need to carry one separately.
Cons: Quite a lack of bass. Mids are a little hollow. Discontinued.
Full JBL Clip review and specifications →
| App | No |
|---|---|
| Aux Input | Yes (integrated 3.5mm cable) |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | ~95Hz |
| Battery Life | 5 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC |
| Built in Microphone | Yes |
| Digital Aux Input | No |
| Dimensions | 5.4" x 3.8" x 1.8" (137.2 x 96.5 x 45.7 mm) (Clip 3, original JBL Clip dimensions not available) |
| Discontinued | Yes |
| Drivers | 1.57" (40mm) driver |
| EQ | No |
| IP Rating | None |
| Omnidirectional | No |
| Output Power | 7W RMS |
| Party Mode | No |
| Power Bank | No |
| Power Input | AC Wall Wart |
| Stereo | No |
| TWS | No |
| Weight | 0.3 lbs / 158 g |
As an eBay Partner, we may be compensated if you make a purchase.
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
Harman Kardon Neo: $90 Discontinued
Pros: IPX7 waterproof. Elegant matte-metal design with an attachment loop. Echo-cancelling mic for calls; goes louder than its size suggests.
Cons: Huge lack of bass. Discontinued.
Full Harman Kardon Neo review and specifications →
| App | No |
|---|---|
| Aux Input | No |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 105Hz |
| Battery Life | 10 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC |
| Bluetooth Version | 4.2 |
| Built in Microphone | Yes |
| Charging Time | 3 hours |
| Digital Aux Input | No |
| Dimensions | 4.3" x 4.3" x 1.3" (110 x 110 x 34.1 mm) |
| Discontinued | Yes |
| Drivers | 1.6" (41mm) full-range driver |
| EQ | No |
| Frequency Response | 130Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| IP Rating | None |
| Max Volume | 87dB |
| Omnidirectional | No |
| Output Power | 3W |
| Party Mode | No |
| Power Bank | No |
| Power Input | USB-C |
| Stereo | No |
| TWS | No |
| Weight | 0.6 lbs / 251 g |
As an eBay Partner, we may be compensated if you make a purchase.
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
- Harman Kardon Neo vs Lenovo 700 Ultraportable Bluetooth Speaker
- Harman Kardon Neo vs Harman Kardon Esquire Mini 2
- Harman Kardon Neo vs Muzen Wild Mini
- Harman Kardon Neo vs Noxgear 39g
- Harman Kardon Neo vs Sony SRS-XB12
- Harman Kardon Neo vs JBL Clip 3
- Harman Kardon Neo vs Sony SRS-XB13
- Harman Kardon Neo vs Sony SRS-XB100
- See all 11 comparisons