As far as wireless speakers go, Harman Kardon has advanced technologies that can deliver the best sound. However, with so many products and models one after another, which Onyx is the best choice? To make sure you get the best value for your money, our team has evaluated the Harman Kardon Onyx 3 VS Onyx 2.
Harman Kardon Onyx 3 or Onyx 2?
Features Comparison:
Harman Kardon Onyx 3 Versus Onyx 2
Design and Build
At first glance, the Harman Kardon Onyx Studio 3 and 2 are very similar. They both have a round design with a large front grille and a logo, however minimal, plastered on the front. The round shape is unique as we usually see a boxier square design like in Bose Soundtouch 20 and 30 or rectangle shape when it comes to wireless speakers.
The two speakers along with the Onyx Studio 4 have two hind legs that allow it to rest at a slight angle on your tabletop.
While our experts do appreciate Harman Kardon’s attempt at an innovative design, the practicality is a little lacking in both speakers. This is because they won’t be able to stand upright if placed on anything but a flat surface. But that aside, it doesn’t impact the performance.
Another thing that creates a problem in a round wireless speaker design is the portability. Round speakers that can’t rest on anything other than a flat surface don’t make the smartest choice on a day out.
With that said, the look of the speakers is very appealing and both the Onyx Studio 2 VS 3 come in black or white, so you can match them with the rest of your system. The standard of the build for both the Harman Kardon Onyx Studio 3 VS 2 are high end as well as with Onyx Studio. 4
Sound Quality
Harman Kardon also works on Samsung devices such as their soundbars or even rear speakers like SWA-8500S, which is why our experts have nothing but the highest expectations for both wireless speakers. Much to our pleasure, both the Onyx Studio 3 and Studio 2 match up well.
The bass produced from both Harman Kardon Onyx Studio line of wireless speakers is enough to impress even the pickiest audiophiles. Not many Bluetooth [1] speakers can offer this amount of bass. So if you aren’t too concerned about the portability, our team is sure you will be happy with the audio quality.
However, one thing does set them apart. When you are moving the speakers around the house, the Studio 2 will pause when you plug it back in but the Studio 3 will provide a seamless experience.
Since the Harman Kardon Onyx Studio 3 can be paired with another speaker to create stereo audio while the Harman Kardon Onyx Studio 2 can’t, it’s our winner here.
Harman Kardon Onyx 3 and Onyx 2 Drivers
Let’s take a look at what’s under the hood to get an even better idea of the sound quality or your music in this Harman Kardon Onyx Studio 2 VS Onyx Studio 3 comparison.
The two Harman Kardon Bluetooth speakers are pretty close in this aspect. Under the grille, the Onyx Studio 2 VS 3 features two passive radiator and four drivers plus two tweeters and two woofers. It’s basically like having a full sound system embedded in these round speakers.
The power rating for each of these drivers is 15 watts, which means they total to 60 watts of output. This is way lower than the power rating of Logitech Z407 with 80 watts. However, for a speaker of this size and design, it’s very impressive. If you are looking for great sound to pump at a high volume, these two speakers would not disappoint.
Connectivity
Both speakers have a wireless design that is great for portability around the house. Just like Bose Soundlink 3 and JBL Xtreme with wireless connectivity, you can sync them to stream music from multiple mobile devices. If you like convenience, you will like the Harman Kardon Onyx line including the Studio 1, Studio 2, Studio 3 and Onyx Studio 4.
The Onyx Studio 2 has an aux line that can connect to Bluetooth 3.0 and the Studio 3 can connect to Bluetooth 4.1.They still need to be connected to a power source if you don’t intend on consuming the battery too quickly. Both the Onyx Studio 3 VS 2 have a built-in microphone for phone calls.
(We also detailed connectivity options for Bose Soundlink Mini and Soundtouch 10 here.)
Battery Life
Another interesting feature is the battery life on both the Studio 2 speaker and the Onyx Studio 3 speaker. For all the bass it can produce, the battery doesn’t quite match up.
Other Bluetooth 3.0 and Bluetooth 4.1 wireless speakers can deliver 12 hours and over of runtime but sadly, both the Onyx 2 speaker and 3 speaker only give you about 5 on a full charge. It is almost half of what JBL Pulse 2 or Charge 3 can produce in terms of battery life. We guess this is due to the design, which cannot hold a larger battery.
Also Read: JBL vs. Harman Kardon
If you intend to play your music at a high volume, you cannot expect to still have a 5 hour battery life. This makes the speaker even less portable if you want to enjoy amazing sound.
Harman Kardon Onyx 3 and Onyx 2 Price
There are a lot of speakers out there that give great dual sound at much cheaper prices including the Logitech Z313 and Logitech Z323. However, the Onyx Studio 3 VS 2 speakers are still affordable if you want good sound despite all the inconveniences.
Our team does enjoy an innovative speaker and the bass quality really puts other models to shame. However, since the Onyx 3 is considered a new and improved design, it does come at a higher price.
Overall Winner: Onyx Studio 3
The winner of the Onyx Studio 2 VS Studio 3 battle is the Onyx 3. It gives great bass tones and a better overall experience when moving the speaker and pairing it with another for more realistic audio. The design is innovative and high-end, and the color choices make it a great fit for any interior.
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