Short answer: the Zealot ZE41. It ranks #14 of 73 boombox speakers by sound quality at $219.95; the Harman Kardon Go + Play 2 ranks #18 and costs $350, so there is not much of a tradeoff to weigh.
What the Zealot ZE41 offers: The absolute best value for the bass performance, play time and max volume in the boombox class. Watch for: The heaviest and biggest boombox speaker around.
On the Harman Kardon Go + Play 2 side: Warm sound with boosted bass. Set against that: Not as loud as others.
Buy the Zealot ZE41. It ranks higher for sound quality than the Harman Kardon Go + Play 2 and costs less, so there is no real case for the other one.
If water resistance matters to you, the Zealot ZE41 at IPX5 (water jets) holds up far better than the Harman Kardon Go + Play 2 at no water resistance.
Specifications Side By Side
| Zealot ZE41 | Harman Kardon Go + Play 2 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $219.95 | $350 Discontinued |
| Ranked | #14 of 73 in Boombox Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers | #18 of 73 in Boombox Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers |
| App | Yes | No |
| Aux Input | Yes | - |
| Battery Capacity | 48000mAh (12x4000mAh) | - |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.3 | - |
| Dimensions | 22.1" x 9.4" x 13" (562 x 238 x 331 mm) | 20" x 9" x 9.5" (508 x 228.6 x 241.3 mm) |
| Drivers | 191x130mm 140W subwoofer + 2x 93mm 60W midrange drivers + 2x 42mm 20W tweeters | 2x 90mm (3.5") woofers (front and rear firing) + 2x 20mm tweeters |
| EQ | Yes (Vocal, Bass Boost, Normal modes) | No |
| Frequency Response | 20Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) | - |
| IP Rating | IPX5 | None |
| Microphone Input | Yes (Karaoke mode) | - |
| MicroSD Playback | Yes | - |
| Output Power | 300W | 100W AC / 30W battery |
| Party Mode | Yes (PartyAdd up to 100 speakers) | Yes (Wireless Dual Sound) |
| Power Bank | Yes (USB-A + USB-C) | No |
| Power Input | Type-C | AC Power brick |
| Stereo | Yes | Yes |
| Omnidirectional | No | No |
| TWS | Yes | No |
| USB Playback | Yes | No |
| Weight | 25.3 lbs / 11.48 kg | 5.3 lbs / 2.4 kg |
| Digital Aux Input | No | No |
| Aux Latency | - | 0ms |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | - | 40Hz |
| Battery Life | - | 8 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth Latency | - | 33ms |
| Max Volume | - | 99dB |
| Bluetooth Codecs | - | SBC |
| Built in Microphone | - | Yes |
| Discontinued | - | Yes |
Related Speaker Comparisons
More useful head-to-heads from the same speaker class:
- Harman Kardon Go + Play 3 vs Harman Kardon Onyx Studio 9
- Harman Kardon Onyx Studio 9 vs JBL Boombox 3 Wifi
- Zealot ZE21 vs JBL Boombox 3 Wifi
- Zealot ZE41 vs JBL Boombox 3
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The Two Speakers In Full
Zealot ZE41: $219.95 Aliexpress Amazon
Pros: The absolute best value for the bass performance, play time and max volume in the boombox class.
Cons: The heaviest and biggest boombox speaker around. A little rolled off up top and not that balanced through the rest of the range. Clarity isn’t as good as better speakers. Bass EQ is bloated and muddy sounding.
Full Zealot ZE41 review and specifications →
| App | Yes |
|---|---|
| Aux Input | Yes |
| Battery Capacity | 48000mAh (12x4000mAh) |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.3 |
| Digital Aux Input | No |
| Dimensions | 22.1" x 9.4" x 13" (562 x 238 x 331 mm) |
| Drivers | 191x130mm 140W subwoofer + 2x 93mm 60W midrange drivers + 2x 42mm 20W tweeters |
| EQ | Yes (Vocal, Bass Boost, Normal modes) |
| Frequency Response | 20Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| IP Rating | IPX5 |
| MicroSD Playback | Yes |
| Microphone Input | Yes (Karaoke mode) |
| Omnidirectional | No |
| Output Power | 300W |
| Party Mode | Yes (PartyAdd up to 100 speakers) |
| Power Bank | Yes (USB-A + USB-C) |
| Power Input | Type-C |
| Stereo | Yes |
| TWS | Yes |
| USB Playback | Yes |
| Weight | 25.3 lbs / 11.48 kg |
As an eBay Partner, we may be compensated if you make a purchase.
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Jagist reviews: Zealot Ze41 Vs Zealot Ze21!!! Battle Of The Bass Brothers!!! 👀👀👀
- Jagist reviews: Yeahbox Sonic Boom Ultra Vs Zealot Ze41!!! Battle Of Big Boys!!! 😜😜😜
- Techder Audios: Zealot ZE41 VS JBL Boombox 4 “BOOSTED BASS VS BOOSTED TREBLE!?”
- Jagist reviews: Jbl Boombox 4 Vs Zealot Ze41!!! Sheer Power Vs Great Clarity!!! 😍😍😍
- Jagist reviews: Zealot Ze41 Bass Test!!! Power!!! 🤯🤯🤯
- Reddit Search for Zealot ZE41 Review
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
- Zealot ZE41 vs Zealot ZE21
- Zealot ZE41 vs Harman Kardon Onyx Studio 9
- Zealot ZE41 vs Zealot S89
- Zealot ZE41 vs Harman Kardon Onyx Studio 7
- Zealot ZE41 vs JBL Boombox 4
- Zealot ZE41 vs Harman Kardon Onyx Studio 6
- Zealot ZE41 vs Harman Kardon Onyx Studio 8
- Zealot ZE41 vs Harman Kardon Onyx Studio 5
- See all 41 comparisons
Harman Kardon Go + Play 2: $350 Discontinued
Pros: Warm sound with boosted bass.
Cons: Not as loud as others. No water rating. Discontinued.
Full Harman Kardon Go + Play 2 review and specifications →
| App | No |
|---|---|
| Aux Latency | 0ms |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 40Hz |
| Battery Life | 8 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC |
| Bluetooth Latency | 33ms |
| Built in Microphone | Yes |
| Digital Aux Input | No |
| Dimensions | 20" x 9" x 9.5" (508 x 228.6 x 241.3 mm) |
| Discontinued | Yes |
| Drivers | 2x 90mm (3.5") woofers (front and rear firing) + 2x 20mm tweeters |
| EQ | No |
| IP Rating | None |
| Max Volume | 99dB |
| Omnidirectional | No |
| Output Power | 100W AC / 30W battery |
| Party Mode | Yes (Wireless Dual Sound) |
| Power Bank | No |
| Power Input | AC Power brick |
| Stereo | Yes |
| TWS | No |
| USB Playback | No |
| Weight | 5.3 lbs / 2.4 kg |
As an eBay Partner, we may be compensated if you make a purchase.
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Alan Ross Reviews: Harman Kardon Go+ Play 3 vs Go Play 2, the holy grail has arrived? ✔
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- Alan Ross Reviews: Tribit Stormbox Blast or Harman Kardon Go+ Play 2 Mini by an old bloke!
- Alan Ross Reviews: Harman Kardon Go+ Play 2 mini or Onyx Studio 6 - best speaker for bass?
- Alan Ross Reviews: Soundcore Motion Boom Plus vs Harman Kardon Go+ Play 2 mini - party vs HiFi
- Alan Ross Reviews: Bag of Riddim vs Harman Kardon Go+ Play 2 - boom boom in da room! 🥳
- Alan Ross Reviews: HK Go+ Play vs Soundcore Motion Boom - biggest bass battle ever!!!!!!!!!!!!
- Reddit Search for Harman Kardon Go + Play 2 Review
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
- Harman Kardon Go + Play 2 vs Harman Kardon Onyx Studio 5
- Harman Kardon Go + Play 2 vs JBL Boombox 4
- Harman Kardon Go + Play 2 vs JBL Boombox 3 Wifi
- Harman Kardon Go + Play 2 vs Zealot S89
- Harman Kardon Go + Play 2 vs JBL Boombox 3
- Harman Kardon Go + Play 2 vs Zealot ZE21
- Harman Kardon Go + Play 2 vs Tribit Stormbox Blast 2
- Harman Kardon Go + Play 2 vs Harman Kardon Onyx Studio 9
- See all 27 comparisons