Short answer: the Soundcore Boom 2. It ranks #10 of 77 large speakers by sound quality at $99.99; the Harman Kardon Onyx Studio 4 ranks #47 and costs $100, so there is not much of a tradeoff to weigh.
What the Soundcore Boom 2 offers: 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. Watch for: 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.
What the Harman Kardon Onyx Studio 4 offers: Balanced sound quality with deep resonant bass and crisp treble, large dynamic range. Multi-host Bluetooth connectivity for 2 phones, daisy chaining up to 100 speakers. Elegant modern design with smooth curves and premium materials. Watch for: 8 hour battery at medium volume. Not at loud as others. Not as deep of bass as the newer Onyx. External AC power brick for charging.
Buy the Soundcore Boom 2. It ranks higher for sound quality than the Harman Kardon Onyx Studio 4 and costs less, which settles it without a real tradeoff to make.
Battery life favors the Soundcore Boom 2: rated for 24 hours against 8 hours for the Harman Kardon Onyx Studio 4.
Water resistance is not close: the Soundcore Boom 2 is rated at IPX7 (brief submersion), well ahead of the Harman Kardon Onyx Studio 4 at no water resistance.
Specifications Side By Side
| Soundcore Boom 2 | Harman Kardon Onyx Studio 4 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $99.99 | $100 Discontinued |
| Ranked | #10 of 77 in Large Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers | #47 of 77 in Large Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers |
| App | Yes | Yes (HK Connect) |
| Aux Input | No | Yes |
| 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 | None |
| Bluetooth Latency | 125ms | - |
| Max Volume | 105dB | - |
| MicroSD Playback | No | - |
| Party Mode | Yes (PartyCast 2.0 up to 100 speakers) | Yes (Connect+ up to 100 speakers) |
| Power Bank | Yes (USB-A) | No |
| Power Input | USB-C | DC Barrel Connector (19V/2.1A) |
| Stereo | Partially (1 woofer) | Yes |
| Omnidirectional | No | No |
| TWS | Yes | Yes |
| Weight | 3.7 lbs / 1.68 kg | 4.5 lbs / 2.06 kg |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.3 | 4.2 |
| Dimensions | 11.7" x 7.3" x 4" (297 x 185 x 102 mm) | 11.4" x 11.4" x 5.1" (290 x 290 x 130 mm) |
| Drivers | 120mm x 90mm woofer, 2x 20mm tweeters | 2x 75mm woofers, 2x 20mm tweeters |
| Frequency Response | 45Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) | 50Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| Output Power | 80W | 60W |
| Digital Aux Input | No | No |
| Discontinued | - | Yes |
Related Speaker Comparisons
Other pairings from the same speaker class worth checking:
- Harman Kardon Citation 200 vs Zealot S97
- W-King T9 vs Zealot S97
- Mifa Wildbox vs Soundcore Motion Boom
- Soundcore Boom 2 vs Tribit Stormbox Lava
- Mifa Wildbox vs Soundcore Boom 2
Prices on this page were last checked August 27, 2026 at 10:09 PM 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
Soundcore Boom 2: $99.99 Amazon B&H Photo Video eBay
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 |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- JOY‘s 3D Audio Show: Tribit StormBox Lava vs SoundCore Boom 2 - sound quality demo More from Oluv’Sone →
- JOY‘s 🎧3D🔈Audio-Show: JBL Charge 6 vs SoundCore Boom 2 - David vs Goliath
- Mateusz Cholewa: TRIBIT StormBox LAVA vs Soundcore BOOM 2 More from Mateusz Cholewa →
- 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? More from alanrossreviews →
- 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 ⚖️ More from JaysStraightUpReviews →
- 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!
- Josh’s Gadgets and More: Budget Monster ZZA K8 vs Soundcore Boom 2
- 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 Harman Kardon Citation 200
- Soundcore Boom 2 vs Soundcore Motion Boom
- Soundcore Boom 2 vs Soundcore Select Pro
- Soundcore Boom 2 vs Brane X
- Soundcore Boom 2 vs B&O Beoplay A2 active
- See all 48 comparisons
Harman Kardon Onyx Studio 4: $100 Discontinued eBay
Pros: Balanced sound quality with deep resonant bass and crisp treble, large dynamic range. Multi-host Bluetooth connectivity for 2 phones, daisy chaining up to 100 speakers. Elegant modern design with smooth curves and premium materials.
Cons: 8 hour battery at medium volume. Not at loud as others. Not as deep of bass as the newer Onyx. External AC power brick for charging. Discontinued.
Full Harman Kardon Onyx Studio 4 review and specifications →
| App | Yes (HK Connect) |
|---|---|
| Aux Input | Yes |
| Battery Life | 8 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC |
| Bluetooth Version | 4.2 |
| Built in Microphone | Yes |
| Digital Aux Input | No |
| Dimensions | 11.4" x 11.4" x 5.1" (290 x 290 x 130 mm) |
| Discontinued | Yes |
| Drivers | 2x 75mm woofers, 2x 20mm tweeters |
| EQ | No |
| Frequency Response | 50Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| IP Rating | None |
| Omnidirectional | No |
| Output Power | 60W |
| Party Mode | Yes (Connect+ up to 100 speakers) |
| Power Bank | No |
| Power Input | DC Barrel Connector (19V/2.1A) |
| Stereo | Yes |
| TWS | Yes |
| Weight | 4.5 lbs / 2.06 kg |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Geri’s Collection: Harman Kardon Onyx 7 vs Onyx 4
- OCM Reviews: Onyx Studio 4 Vs Onyx Studio 5 - Sound Quality Comparison - Bluetooth Speaker
- Alan Ross Reviews: Ultimate HK Onyx Studio speaker review and comparison! 8 speakers! More from alanrossreviews →
- Reddit Search for Harman Kardon Onyx Studio 4 Review
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
- Harman Kardon Onyx Studio 4 vs Zealot S97
- Harman Kardon Onyx Studio 4 vs JBL Xtreme 2
- Harman Kardon Onyx Studio 4 vs Tronsmart Halo 100
- Harman Kardon Onyx Studio 4 vs W-King D8
- Harman Kardon Onyx Studio 4 vs Sony SRS-XB43
- Harman Kardon Onyx Studio 4 vs JBL Xtreme
- Harman Kardon Onyx Studio 4 vs Doss Soundbox XL
- Harman Kardon Onyx Studio 4 vs Sony ULT Field 5
- See all 38 comparisons