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- Table of Contents
- Top
- Main Differences
- Design
- Sound
- Active Features
- Connectivity
- Comments
JBL Boombox 3 vs Harman/Kardon Go + Play 3
Side-by-Side Comparison
Products
JBL Boombox 3
Harman/Kardon Go + Play 3
Tested using Methodology v0.8
Updated Feb 10, 2025 02:22 PM
SEE PRICE
Amazon.comTested using Methodology v0.8
Updated Dec 05, 2024 05:23 PM
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Amazon.com
BluetoothYes
Wi-FiNo
SpeakerphoneNo
Voice AssistantNo
Battery PoweredYes
BluetoothYes
Wi-FiNo
SpeakerphoneYes
Voice AssistantNo
Battery PoweredYes
Variants
- BoomBox 3 (Black)
- BoomBox 3 (Squad)
- Go + Play 3 (Black)
Our Verdict
JBL Boombox 3
Harman/Kardon Go + Play 3
The JBL Boombox 3 and the Harman/Kardon Go + Play 3 are medium-sized portable Bluetooth speakers with different strengths. The Harman/Kardon gets a little louder than the JBL and also puts out more consistent bass, so kick drums have just the right amount of punch. On the other hand, the JBL's almost 30-hour battery life is much longer than the Harman/Kardon's seven hours. The JBL is also rated IP67, so it'll withstand getting wet at your garden party, and it has a companion app, unlike the indoor-oriented Harman/Kardon. If you know you'll only use it indoors, the Harman/Kardon is well worth a look. If not, the JBL is the better pick.
Check Price
Black
BoomBox 3
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Amazon.comBlack
Go + Play 3
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Amazon.comSquad
BoomBox 3
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Amazon.comBlack
Go + Play 3
SEE PRICE
Walmart.comBlack
Go + Play 3
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B&HBlack
Go + Play 3
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BestBuy.comMain Differences forMusic
Music
Threshold
Music
7.5
7.5
EQ
Graphic
No
Frequency Response Accuracy
7.5
7.7
Soundstage
7.2
7.8
Dynamics
8.1
7.5
Full Comparison
Design
Style
Style Photo
RGB Lights
No
No
Portability
8.1
8.5
Dimensions Photo
Volume
1,465 in³ (24,000 cm³)
1,136 in³ (18,616 cm³)
Weight
15.1 lbs (6.9 kg)
10.8 lbs (4.9 kg)
Power Source
AC & Battery
AC & Battery
One-Hand Carry
Yes
Yes
Build Quality
8.5
6.7
Build Quality Photo
Material Quality
Great
Great
Water Resistance
Submersible (IPx7)
Unspecified
Dust Resistance
Dust-Proof (IP6x)
Unspecified
Impact Resistance
Unspecified
Unspecified
Floats In Water
Yes
Unspecified
Controls
6.6
7.5
Controls Photo
Controls Photo 2
Ease Of Use
Great
Good
Feedback
Good
Okay
Music Play/Pause
Yes (Physical)
Yes (Tactile)
Call Answer/End
No
Yes (Tactile)
Volume Up/Down
Yes (Physical)
Yes (Tactile)
Track Next/Previous
Forward Only (Physical)
Yes (Tactile)
Microphone On/Off
No
No
Additional Controls
Yes
Yes
In The Box
In The Box Photo
Sound
Frequency Response Accuracy
7.5
7.7
Frequency Response Graph
Slope
0.48
0.18
Std. Err.
2.64 dB
2.15 dB
Low-Frequency Extension
46.2 Hz
45.6 Hz
High-Frequency Extension
19.3 kHz
19.9 kHz
Raw Frequency Response
Raw Frequency Response Graph
Binaural Recording @ 1m
Binaural Recording @ 2m
Soundstage
7.2
7.8
Directivity Graph
Directivity Index
5.32 dB
4.10 dB
Stereo
Yes
Yes
Dynamics
8.1
7.5
Dynamic Range Compression
SPL @ Max Volume
91.9 dB SPL
96.1 dB SPL
DRC @ Max Volume
0.66 dB
2.81 dB
Active Features
Battery
8.9
6.7
Battery Life
29.7 hrs
7.0 hrs
Charge Time
4.6 hrs
1.8 hrs
Power Saving
Yes
Yes
Charging Port
AC
AC
Battery Powered
Yes
Yes
Voice Assistant
0.0
0.0
Alexa
No
No
Google Assistant
No
No
Speakerphone
No
Yes
Siri
No
No
Voice Assistant
No
No
Voice Activation
No
No
Microphone Mute
No Microphone
No
Far-Field Performance
No Microphone
No Assistant
Ambient Noise Performance
No Microphone
No Assistant
App
7.9
0.0
App Picture
App Name
JBL Portable
No App
iOS
Yes
No
Android
Yes
No
EQ
Graphic
No
Stereo Pair Mode
Yes
No
Party Mode
Yes
No
Multi-Room
No
No
Connectivity
Wired
Aux Input
Yes
Yes
USB Audio
No
No
Other Ports
Yes
No
Bluetooth
8.2
8.4
Bluetooth
Yes
Yes
Bluetooth Version
5.3
5.2
Bluetooth iOS Latency
143 ms
47 ms
Bluetooth Android Latency
141 ms
259 ms
Bluetooth Range
334.6 ft (102.0 m)
334.6 ft (102.0 m)
Multi-Device Pairing
2 Devices
2 Devices
Wi-Fi
0.0
0.0
Wi-Fi Version
No Wi-Fi
No Wi-Fi
Wi-Fi Frequency Band
No Wi-Fi
No Wi-Fi
Wi-Fi
No
No
Apple AirPlay
No
No
AirPlay Latency
N/A
N/A
Google Chromecast
No
No
Chromecast Latency
N/A
N/A
Check Price
Black
BoomBox 3
SEE PRICE
Amazon.comBlack
Go + Play 3
SEE PRICE
Amazon.comSquad
BoomBox 3
SEE PRICE
Amazon.comBlack
Go + Play 3
SEE PRICE
Walmart.comBlack
Go + Play 3
SEARCH
B&HBlack
Go + Play 3
SEARCH
BestBuy.com
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JBL Boombox 3
Harman/Kardon Go + Play 3
Comments
JBL Boombox 3 vs Harman/Kardon Go + Play 3: Main Discussion
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