Short answer: the Soundcore Boom 2. It ranks #10 of 77 large speakers by sound quality at $99.99; the Harman Kardon Citation 200 ranks #13 and costs $130, so there is not much of a tradeoff to weigh.
What the Soundcore Boom 2 gets right: Pretty deep bass for the size. The catch: Only a single midrange driver, so you only get stereo for the tweeters.
What the Harman Kardon Citation 200 offers: Deeper bass than any Onyx. Watch for: Overly boomy by default, you can short press the Bluetooth and volume down buttons simultaneously to decrease the bass, and the Bluetooth and volume up buttons simultaneously to increase it.
Buy the Soundcore Boom 2. It ranks higher for sound quality than the Harman Kardon Citation 200 and costs less, so there is no real case for the other one.
If battery life is a priority, the Soundcore Boom 2 is rated for 24 hours versus 8 hours for the Harman Kardon Citation 200.
If water resistance matters to you, the Soundcore Boom 2 at IPX7 (brief submersion) holds up far better than the Harman Kardon Citation 200 at IPX4 (splashing).
Specifications Side By Side
| Soundcore Boom 2 | Harman Kardon Citation 200 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $99.99 | $130 Discontinued |
| Ranked | #10 of 77 in Large Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers | #13 of 77 in Large Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers |
| App | Yes | Yes (Harman Kardon app) |
| Aux Input | No | No |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 47Hz | - |
| Battery Life | 24 hours (Manufacturer specified) | 8 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC | SBC |
| Built in Microphone | No | Yes |
| EQ | Yes | No |
| IP Rating | IPX7 | IPX4 |
| Bluetooth Latency | 125ms | - |
| Max Volume | 105dB | - |
| MicroSD Playback | No | - |
| Party Mode | Yes (PartyCast 2.0 up to 100 speakers) | No |
| Power Bank | Yes (USB-A) | No |
| Power Input | USB-C | USB-C |
| Stereo | Partially (1 woofer) | Partially (1 woofer) |
| Omnidirectional | No | No |
| TWS | Yes | No |
| Weight | 3.7 lbs / 1.68 kg | 6.3 lbs / 2.85 kg |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.3 | 4.2 |
| Dimensions | 11.7" x 7.3" x 4" (297 x 185 x 102 mm) | 7" x 8.6" x 6.8" (178 x 219 x 172 mm) |
| Drivers | 120mm x 90mm woofer, 2x 20mm tweeters | 5" woofer, 1" tweeter |
| Frequency Response | 45Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) | 40Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| Output Power | 80W | 50W |
| Digital Aux Input | No | No |
| Wifi | - | Yes |
| USB Playback | - | No |
| Discontinued | - | Yes |
Related Speaker Comparisons
More useful head-to-heads from the same speaker class:
- Soundcore Motion Boom vs Soundcore Rave Neo 2
- Tribit Stormbox Lava vs Soundcore Motion Boom
- Mifa Wildbox vs Soundcore Motion Boom
- Harman Kardon Citation 200 vs Soundcore Motion X500
- Tribit Stormbox Lava vs Harman Kardon Citation 200
The Two Speakers In Full
Soundcore Boom 2: $99.99 Amazon Bhphotovideo
Pros: Pretty deep bass for the size. Cool lights in the side passive radiators. For the best sound quality use Oluv’s EQ or Alan Ross’s EQ. With the stock tuning, this speaker would rank around #24, due to the boosted bass and rising treble.
Cons: Only a single midrange driver, so you only get stereo for the tweeters. Sound processing issues with inconsistent bass notes that disappear at low levels like the Soundcore Boom and Soundcore Boost, not great for listening at low levels. Quite bass heavy with BassUp turned on, I’d recommend turning it off. A little bit of a bright tuning in the treble, about +5db.
Full Soundcore Boom 2 review and specifications →
| App | Yes |
|---|---|
| Aux Input | No |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 47Hz |
| Battery Life | 24 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC |
| Bluetooth Latency | 125ms |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.3 |
| Built in Microphone | No |
| Digital Aux Input | No |
| Dimensions | 11.7" x 7.3" x 4" (297 x 185 x 102 mm) |
| Drivers | 120mm x 90mm woofer, 2x 20mm tweeters |
| EQ | Yes |
| Frequency Response | 45Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| IP Rating | IPX7 |
| Max Volume | 105dB |
| MicroSD Playback | No |
| Omnidirectional | No |
| Output Power | 80W |
| Party Mode | Yes (PartyCast 2.0 up to 100 speakers) |
| Power Bank | Yes (USB-A) |
| Power Input | USB-C |
| Stereo | Partially (1 woofer) |
| TWS | Yes |
| Weight | 3.7 lbs / 1.68 kg |
As an eBay Partner, we may be compensated if you make a purchase.
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- JOY‘s 3D Audio Show: Tribit StormBox Lava vs SoundCore Boom 2 - sound quality demo
- JOY‘s 🎧3D🔈Audio-Show: JBL Charge 6 vs SoundCore Boom 2 - David vs Goliath
- Mateusz Cholewa: TRIBIT StormBox LAVA vs Soundcore BOOM 2
- Joy & Oluv’Sone: Bose SoundLink Max & SoundCore Boom 2 - indoor soundtest
- Joy & Oluv’Sone: Bose SoundLink Max & SoundCore Boom 2 - outdoor soundtest
- Joy & Oluv’Sone: Best portable speakers 2025 - get the best bang for your buck $$$
- Oluv Patreon: SoundCore Boom 3i - first impressions & EQs
- Alan Ross Reviews: Ultimate Soundcore Boom 2 Review - Is It Worth The Hype?
- Oluv Patreon: Anker Soundcore Boom 2 - first impressions
- Jay’s Straight Up Reviews & More: Soundcore Boom 2 💣vs Mifa Wildbox 🪇 Basement Battle of the Bluetooth Boombox Welterweights ⚖️
- Jay’s Straight Up Reviews & More: New Release! Soundcore Boom 2 😯 Bluetooth Boombox Speaker 🔊 Unboxing, First Look & Sound Demo
- CEONTHEMAKING: Soundcore Boom 2 - HANDS DOWN The Best Speaker Under $150!
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- Joy & Oluv’Sone: JBL, Bose, B&O, Sonos, Earfun, SoundCore… which portable speaker sounds best?
- Joy & Oluv’Sone: Sony ULT Field 5 vs Anker SoundCore Boom 2 - listening test
- Reddit Search for Soundcore Boom 2 Review
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
- Soundcore Boom 2 vs Mifa Wildbox
- Soundcore Boom 2 vs Marshall Stockwell 2
- Soundcore Boom 2 vs B&O Beosound A5
- Soundcore Boom 2 vs Soundcore Motion Boom
- Soundcore Boom 2 vs Soundcore Select Pro
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Harman Kardon Citation 200: $130 Discontinued
Pros: Deeper bass than any Onyx.
Cons: Overly boomy by default, you can short press the Bluetooth and volume down buttons simultaneously to decrease the bass, and the Bluetooth and volume up buttons simultaneously to increase it. Discontinued.
Full Harman Kardon Citation 200 review and specifications →
| App | Yes (Harman Kardon app) |
|---|---|
| Aux Input | No |
| Battery Life | 8 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC |
| Bluetooth Version | 4.2 |
| Built in Microphone | Yes |
| Digital Aux Input | No |
| Dimensions | 7" x 8.6" x 6.8" (178 x 219 x 172 mm) |
| Discontinued | Yes |
| Drivers | 5" woofer, 1" tweeter |
| EQ | No |
| Frequency Response | 40Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| IP Rating | IPX4 |
| Omnidirectional | No |
| Output Power | 50W |
| Party Mode | No |
| Power Bank | No |
| Power Input | USB-C |
| Stereo | Partially (1 woofer) |
| TWS | No |
| USB Playback | No |
| Weight | 6.3 lbs / 2.85 kg |
| Wifi | Yes |
As an eBay Partner, we may be compensated if you make a purchase.
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Ezekielo: Citation 200 vs Beolit 20 with Sound Comparison!
- KULAS TECH SHOW: Harman Kardon Citation 200 vs JBL Xtreme3 Sound & Bass test
- Ezekielo: Citation 200 vs Onyx Studio 6 vs Bose Portable Speaker Sound Comparison
- KULAS TECH SHOW: Harman Kardon Citation 200 vs Onyx Studio 7 Bass comparison
- Reddit Search for Harman Kardon Citation 200 Review
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
- Harman Kardon Citation 200 vs B&O Beosound A5
- Harman Kardon Citation 200 vs Soundcore Motion Boom
- Harman Kardon Citation 200 vs Marshall Stockwell 2
- Harman Kardon Citation 200 vs Soundcore Select Pro
- Harman Kardon Citation 200 vs B&O Beoplay A2 active
- Harman Kardon Citation 200 vs Bose SoundLink Max
- Harman Kardon Citation 200 vs JBL Xtreme 3
- Harman Kardon Citation 200 vs Soundcore Motion X600
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