Short answer: the Tribit Stormbox. It ranks #93 of 136 medium speakers by sound quality at $68; the Harman Kardon Esquire 2 ranks #120 and costs $200, so there is not much of a tradeoff to weigh.
What the Tribit Stormbox offers: IPX7 water resistant, dual pairing for stereo setup, excellent battery life (20 hours), instant on/off buttons, 97dB max volume Watch for: Muffled sounding, treble dips from 5khz-12khz. Listening from the front is the worst frequency response, lay it down facing up with xbass off for the smoothest response. Not technically a 360 speaker, only front and rear.
What the Harman Kardon Esquire 2 offers: Doubles as a conferencing speakerphone with a 4-mic array and noise/echo cancellation. Flat, compact design packs easily. USB charge-out for topping off a phone. Watch for: Bass is weak, vocal and instrument separation is underwhelming and sounds tinny at high volume
Buy the Tribit Stormbox. It ranks higher for sound quality than the Harman Kardon Esquire 2 and costs less, which settles it without a real tradeoff to make.
The Harman Kardon Esquire 2 is not a sound-quality pick. It sits near the bottom of the 136 medium speakers; there are better options higher up.
There is a real battery-life gap here: the Tribit Stormbox is rated for 20 hours, the Harman Kardon Esquire 2 only 8 hours.
Water resistance is not close: the Tribit Stormbox is rated at IPX7 (brief submersion), well ahead of the Harman Kardon Esquire 2 at IPX4 (splashing).
Specifications Side By Side
| Tribit Stormbox | Harman Kardon Esquire 2 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $68 | $200 Discontinued |
| Ranked | #93 of 136 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers | #120 of 136 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers |
| App | No | - |
| Aux Input | Yes | Yes |
| Aux Latency | 0ms | - |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 52Hz | - |
| Battery Life | 20 hours (Manufacturer specified) | 8 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Built in Microphone | Yes | Yes |
| EQ | No | - |
| IP Rating | IPX7 | IPX4 |
| Bluetooth Latency | 166ms | - |
| Max Volume | 97dB | - |
| Weight | 1.2 lbs / 535 g | 0.8 lbs / 0.35 kg |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.0 | 4.1 |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC | - |
| Dimensions | 7.1" x 2.7" x 2.7" (180 x 68 x 68 mm) | 7.5" x 5.1" x 1.3" (190 x 130 x 34 mm) |
| Drivers | 2x 45mm full-range drivers + 2x passive radiators | 4x 1.25" (32mm) full-range drivers |
| TWS | Yes | No |
| Party Mode | No | - |
| Power Input | USB-C | Micro USB |
| Output Power | 20W | 16W |
| Digital Aux Input | No | No |
| Omnidirectional | Yes | No |
| Stereo | - | No |
| Power Bank | - | Yes (USB-A) |
| Discontinued | - | Yes |
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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
Tribit Stormbox: $68 Amazon eBay
Pros: IPX7 water resistant, dual pairing for stereo setup, excellent battery life (20 hours), instant on/off buttons, 97dB max volume
Cons: Muffled sounding, treble dips from 5khz-12khz. Listening from the front is the worst frequency response, lay it down facing up with xbass off for the smoothest response. Not technically a 360 speaker, only front and rear.
Full Tribit Stormbox review and specifications →
| App | No |
|---|---|
| Aux Input | Yes |
| Aux Latency | 0ms |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 52Hz |
| Battery Life | 20 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC |
| Bluetooth Latency | 166ms |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.0 |
| Built in Microphone | Yes |
| Digital Aux Input | No |
| Dimensions | 7.1" x 2.7" x 2.7" (180 x 68 x 68 mm) |
| Drivers | 2x 45mm full-range drivers + 2x passive radiators |
| EQ | No |
| IP Rating | IPX7 |
| Max Volume | 97dB |
| Omnidirectional | Yes |
| Output Power | 20W |
| Party Mode | No |
| Power Input | USB-C |
| TWS | Yes |
| Weight | 1.2 lbs / 535 g |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Alan Ross Reviews: All Tribit Speakers Compared - Maxsound Plus, Stormbox, Xsound Go, Maxboom More from alanrossreviews →
- Alan Ross Reviews: Earfun Uboom vs Tribit Stormbox - 360 degree bluetooth speaker comparison
- Alan Ross Reviews: Tribit Stormbox Pro Review - vs Tribit Stormbox - bass monster?? 🤔
- Reddit Search for Tribit Stormbox Review
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
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Harman Kardon Esquire 2: $200 Discontinued eBay
Pros: Doubles as a conferencing speakerphone with a 4-mic array and noise/echo cancellation. Flat, compact design packs easily. USB charge-out for topping off a phone.
Cons: Bass is weak, vocal and instrument separation is underwhelming and sounds tinny at high volume. Discontinued.
Full Harman Kardon Esquire 2 review and specifications →
| Aux Input | Yes |
|---|---|
| Battery Life | 8 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth Version | 4.1 |
| Built in Microphone | Yes |
| Digital Aux Input | No |
| Dimensions | 7.5" x 5.1" x 1.3" (190 x 130 x 34 mm) |
| Discontinued | Yes |
| Drivers | 4x 1.25" (32mm) full-range drivers |
| IP Rating | IPX4 |
| Omnidirectional | No |
| Output Power | 16W |
| Power Bank | Yes (USB-A) |
| Power Input | Micro USB |
| Stereo | No |
| TWS | No |
| Weight | 0.8 lbs / 0.35 kg |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
- Harman Kardon Esquire 2 vs Tribit Stormbox Mini
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