The Harman/Kardon Onyx Studio 8 is a premium wireless speaker with a unique aesthetic that makes it a great centerpiece for your home decor. Its convex shape and ring-shaped carrying handle means it's easily carried around from room to room, and its advertised eight hours of battery life means you won't need to keep it plugged in constantly. It also features a dual-tweeter design for stereo playback and Bluetooth multipoint connectivity, so you can pair it with up to two devices at the same time.
Our Verdict
The Harman/Kardon Onyx Studio 8 is decent for music. It has a relatively balanced default sound profile that's well-suited to a variety of music genres. Though, like many small speakers, it lacks low-end rumble, a pleasing bump in the high bass helps bring out basslines. The mid and treble ranges also have plenty of detail to render vocals and lead instruments in a nuanced way. However, its speaker configuration means stereo separation only occurs in the treble range, as there's only one dedicated speaker for the low and mid frequencies. Audio also won't sound consistent from different listening angles due to its design. That said, it can get quite loud, though there are some compression artifacts at max volume.
- Balanced default sound profile.
- Stereo playback without downmixing to mono.
- Room correction feature.
- Directivity isn't the best.
- Poor battery life performance.
- No IP rating against water or dust.
The Harman/Kardon Onyx Studio 8 is mediocre for watching videos and movies. Its balanced mids and treble mean dialogue and speech sound clear and present, but the lack of low-bass rumble robs action-packed scenes of excitement. While it can get quite loud, there's compression present at max volume, and audio reproduction can be inconsistent as it depends on how you're positioned relative to the speaker. Latency with iOS and Android devices is also quite high, so you'll notice lip sync issues. Different apps compensate for latency differently, so your experience may vary.
- Balanced default sound profile.
- Stereo playback without downmixing to mono.
- Room correction feature.
- Directivity isn't the best.
- High latency with iOS and Android devices.
- No IP rating against water or dust.
The Harman/Kardon Onyx Studio 8 is good for podcasts. It has a balanced, relatively flat mid-range response that's well suited for speech and vocal content so it'll bring out the detail in your favorite podcasters' voices. It's also very portable, so you can bring it around with you while you listen to a podcast. However, while it can get quite loud, there's some compression present at max volume. Its directivity isn't the best either, so audio won't sound consistent from every listening angle.
- Sleek, unique and lightweight design.
- Balanced default sound profile.
- Stereo playback without downmixing to mono.
- Room correction feature.
- Directivity isn't the best.
- Poor battery life performance.
The Harman/Kardon Onyx Studio 8 has no voice assistant compatibility, so it's unsuitable for this use.
The Harman/Kardon Onyx Studio 8 is adequate for outdoor use. It's battery-powered, so it doesn't need to be plugged in to operate. That said, we measured the battery life at a little below seven hours, which won't be enough to get you through a camping trip without a recharge. It also lacks an IP rating for protection against the elements, and audio doesn't sound consistent across all listening angles. However, it's portable enough to carry with one hand, and its balanced default sound profile means it can still be a hit at smaller outdoor gatherings.
- Sleek, unique and lightweight design.
- Balanced default sound profile.
- Stereo playback without downmixing to mono.
- Directivity isn't the best.
- Poor battery life performance.
- No IP rating against water or dust.
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Differences Between Sizes And Variants
The Harman/Kardon Onyx Studio 8 is available in three color variants: 'Black,' 'Blue,' and 'Champagne.' We tested the 'Black' variant but expect all different color variants to perform similarly. You can see its label here.
If you encounter a different variant of this speaker, please let us know in the forums, and we'll update our review.
Popular Speaker Comparisons
The Harman/Kardon Onyx Studio 8 is a premium Bluetooth wireless speaker with Bluetooth multipoint connectivity and a built-in room correction feature that adapts the sound profile to the unique characteristics of your room. It has a more balanced default sound profile than its predecessor, the Harman/Kardon Onyx Studio 6. It can also play back stereo content without downmixing to mono, which is a step up from the last generation. However, it lacks the previous generation's IPX7 rating for water resistance, meaning it's better suited as an indoor speaker where the elements can't damage it. It also lacks the voice assistant capabilities of other premium speakers like the Apple HomePod (2nd generation).
See also our recommendations for the best Bluetooth speakers, the best home speakers, and the best speaker brands.
The Harman/Kardon Go + Play 3 and the Harman/Kardon Onyx Studio 8 are home Bluetooth speakers that share Harman's stylish design language. Of the two, the Onyx Studio 8 is the more visually arresting, with a wraparound band that doubles as a stand and handle. The Play 3 resembles a more traditional boombox. Ultimately, the Play 3 is the better pick for most people. It gets louder, reproduces bass more accurately, and is also cheaper. The Onyx Studio 8 is a bit lighter though, so if you'd prefer a speaker that's easier on the arms when moving from room to room, that's the one to pick.
The Harman/Kardon Onyx Studio 8 is a better all-around speaker than the Harman/Kardon Aura Studio 3. While the Aura Studio 3 is a wired speaker, the Onyx Studio 8 can run off a battery, meaning it can be used outdoors or more easily set up in different rooms. The Onyx Studio 8 is also better built, has a more balanced default sound profile, and has better controls. That said, the Aura Studio 3 has better directivity and lower latency with iOS and Android devices.
The Harman/Kardon Onyx Studio 8 is the predecessor to the Harman/Kardon Onyx Studio 9. Where the Studio 8 stood out for its arresting design, with the entire speaker framed by an aluminum wraparound handle, the Studio 9 has a more traditional, laid-back oval design. Both speakers are easy to carry around your house and sound fairly similar. The main difference is the addition of companion app support to the Studio 9, giving you access to a 7-band EQ to tweak the sound to your heart's desire.
The Harman/Kardon Onyx Studio 8 is a step up from the Harman/Kardon Onyx Studio 6 in many ways, though it lacks its predecessor's IPX7 rating for water resistance. The new generation has a more balanced default sound profile, a longer continuous battery life and it can playback stereo content without downmixing to mono. It also has better controls, allowing you to accept and decline calls, as well as pair with another Onyx Studio 8 to create a true wireless pair. However, the Onyx Studio 6 has lower latency with iOS and Android devices, making it a good choice if you watch a lot of videos or movies.
Test Results
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