Short answer: the JBL Go 5. It ranks #24 of 47 small speakers by sound quality at $44.95; the Harman Kardon Neo ranks #43 and costs $90, so there is not much of a tradeoff to weigh.
What the JBL Go 5 offers: IP68 rating, up from the Go 4’s IP67. AirTouch tap-to-pair stereo linking. The tradeoff: Still overpriced for what it delivers, not very different from the Go 4 besides the lights.
What the Harman Kardon Neo gets right: IPX7 waterproof. Elegant matte-metal design with an attachment loop. Echo-cancelling mic for calls; goes louder than its size suggests. Set against that: Huge lack of bass.
Buy the JBL Go 5. 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 water resistance matters to you, the JBL Go 5 at IP68 (extended submersion) holds up far better than the Harman Kardon Neo at no water resistance.
Specifications Side By Side
| JBL Go 5 | Harman Kardon Neo | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $44.95 | $90 Discontinued |
| Ranked | #24 of 47 in Small Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers | #43 of 47 in Small Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers |
| App | Yes | No |
| Battery Life | 8 hours, 10 with Playtime Boost (Manufacturer specified) | 10 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| EQ | Yes | No |
| IP Rating | IP68 | None |
| Party Mode | Yes (Auracast) | No |
| Power Bank | No | No |
| Power Input | USB-C | USB-C |
| Stereo | Yes (AirTouch tap-to-pair) | No |
| Omnidirectional | Pointing up | Pointing up |
| TWS | Yes | No |
| Weight | 0.5 lbs / 230 g | 0.6 lbs / 251 g |
| Aux Input | No | No |
| Digital Aux Input | Yes (USB-C) | No |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC, AAC, LC3 | SBC |
| Built in Microphone | No | Yes |
| Bluetooth Version | 6.0 | 4.2 |
| Frequency Response | 100Hz - 19kHz (Manufacturer specified) | 130Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| Dimensions | 4" x 3" x 1.7" (101 x 77 x 43 mm) | 4.3" x 4.3" x 1.3" (110 x 110 x 34.1 mm) |
| Charging Time | 3 hours | 3 hours |
| Drivers | 45mm | 1.6" (41mm) full-range driver |
| Output Power | 4.8W | 3W |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | - | 105Hz |
| Max Volume | - | 87dB |
| Discontinued | - | Yes |
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Prices on this page were last checked August 21, 2026 at 5:30 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
JBL Go 5: $44.95 Amazon eBay
Pros: IP68 rating, up from the Go 4’s IP67. AirTouch tap-to-pair stereo linking. 7-band custom app EQ, up from the Go 4’s 5-band. USB-C wired audio input.
Cons: Still overpriced for what it delivers, not very different from the Go 4 besides the lights. Still lacking bass and not very clear overall. Mono downmixing produces an audible growling artifact, the same issue noted on the JBL Charge 6. Falls well short of similarly priced rivals like the Tribit Stormbox Micro 2. Weak off-axis dispersion and an uneven, upper-mid-heavy tonal balance. Doesn’t get meaningfully louder at max volume, just harsher.
Full JBL Go 5 review and specifications →
| App | Yes |
|---|---|
| Aux Input | No |
| Battery Life | 8 hours, 10 with Playtime Boost (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC, AAC, LC3 |
| Bluetooth Version | 6.0 |
| Built in Microphone | No |
| Charging Time | 3 hours |
| Digital Aux Input | Yes (USB-C) |
| Dimensions | 4" x 3" x 1.7" (101 x 77 x 43 mm) |
| Drivers | 45mm |
| EQ | Yes |
| Frequency Response | 100Hz - 19kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| IP Rating | IP68 |
| Omnidirectional | Pointing up |
| Output Power | 4.8W |
| Party Mode | Yes (Auracast) |
| Power Bank | No |
| Power Input | USB-C |
| Stereo | Yes (AirTouch tap-to-pair) |
| TWS | Yes |
| Weight | 0.5 lbs / 230 g |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
Harman Kardon Neo: $90 Discontinued eBay
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 | Pointing up |
| Output Power | 3W |
| Party Mode | No |
| Power Bank | No |
| Power Input | USB-C |
| Stereo | No |
| TWS | No |
| Weight | 0.6 lbs / 251 g |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
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