Go to rankings
Neither Harman Kardon Onyx Studio 4 nor JBL Charge 4 were recommended by experts this month
On 2 Apr 2024 (24 days ago) we went through 115 Bluetooth Speaker expert endorsements , however neither Harman Kardon Onyx Studio 4 nor JBL Charge 4 were included in any of those recommendations. Since neither Bluetooth Speaker received a single endorsement, as far as expert recommendations go, it's technically a tie. We do, however, recommend taking a look at Sonos Roam or other critically acclaimed Portable Bluetooth Speakers of this month.
For reference, Sonos Roam received 4 endorsements this month, from TechRadar (4 Mar 2024), Tom's Guide (26 Mar 2024) WIRED (18 Feb 2024) and 1 other.
Rank | Change | Price | Bluetooth Speaker |
What Hi-Fi | SoundGuys | PCMag | Popular Mechanics | TechRadar | Rtings.com | Tom's Guide | WIRED | TechHive | Digital Trends |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
3 | - | $176 | Sonos Roam A great speaker that can be taken anywhere | - | - | - | - | 1 | - | 11 | 10 | - | 3 |
N/A | N/A | $265 | Harman Kardon Onyx Studio 4 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
N/A | N/A | $105 | JBL Charge 4 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
Curious to see this month's entire Portable Bluetooth Speakers ranking? It's here
Rank | Change | Price | Bluetooth Speaker | What Hi-Fi | SoundGuys | PCMag | Popular Mechanics | TechRadar | Rtings.com | Tom's Guide | WIRED | TechHive | Digital Trends |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
3 | - | $176 | Sonos Roam A great speaker that can be taken anywhere | - | - | - | - | 1 | - | 11 | 10 | - | 3 |
4 | - | $48 | Tribit StormBox Micro 2 | 3 | - | - | - | 2 | - | - | 9 | - | 8 |
5 | - | Check price | Jbl Boombox 3 | - | - | 7 | - | - | 1 | 9 | - | - | - |
6 | - | $68 | Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 3 | - | 5 | - | - | - | 4 | 8 | - | - | 6 |
Show all rows |
Expert reviews [9]
- with a score: 2
- without a score: 7
Highest score by Trekbible | 84 |
Average score based on 9 reviews | 74 |
Lowest score by TechGearLab | 63 |
Score distribution:
80-100 | |
60-80 | |
40-60 | |
20-40 | |
0-20 |
Expert reviews [22]
- with a score: 9
- without a score: 13
Highest score by What Hi-Fi | 100 |
Average score based on 22 reviews | 94 |
Lowest score by PCMag | 80 |
Score distribution:
80-100 | |
60-80 | |
40-60 | |
20-40 | |
0-20 |
- Amplify your listening experience by wirelessly connecting more than 100 HK connect+ enabled speakers.
- The rechargeable battery supports up to 8 hours of playtime
- Stream music wirelessly via Bluetooth to enjoy room-filling sound. Connect up to 2 smart devices at the same time and take turns playing music.
- Read more
- WIRELESS BLUETOOTH STREAMING: Wirelessly connect up to 2 smartphones or tablets to the speaker and take turns enjoying powerful sound.
- UP TO 20 HOURS OF PLAYTIME: Built-in rechargeable Li-ion 7500mAH battery supports up to 20 hours of playtime and charges your device via USB port
- Read more
Speakers range from not being able to handle even a drop of water to being able to be fully submerged in water for several minutes. Do you plan to take your speaker outside? To the beach? To the pool? In the shower? Then you definitely need to verify the level of water resistance before purchasing. You can tell the water resistance by the IP rating—the higher the rating, the more resistant the speaker is to the elements. For reference, the first digit refers to dust protection and the second digit refers to water protection. It reads as: IP68. Anything higher than IP66 will be dust- and splash-proof, meaning it can handle some contact with water, but cannot be fully submerged or soaked.
Battery life for Bluetooth speakers is measured in milliampere hours (mAh). Manufacturers will report the battery life of a speaker in the average number of hours it takes to empty from a full charge. Keep in mind this number is based on medium levels of usage. If you play the speaker on full volume, it will drain the battery faster. Some specialty features like using the speaker to charge your phone or casting an LED light show will also drain the battery faster. The manufacturer reported number is just an estimate, and may be slightly different based on your usage.
It’s also important to consider is the type of battery. Rechargeable lithium-ion (LI-ion) batters are ideal, but some speakers only take standard or rechargeable AA/AAA/C/D batteries. You may even find Bluetooth speakers that recharge via solar power—great for outdoor use!
Harman Kardon Onyx Studio 4 is a very popular option on the higher end of the price range. It's in the top 3 bestselling bluetooth speakers and has dozens of popular alternatives in the same price range, such as Sony SRS-XB40 or Harman Kardon Onyx Studio 3 .
Harman Kardon Onyx Studio 4 was released in 2017. There are dozens of newer bluetooth speakers on the market. Show newer Bluetooth Speakers
Harman Kardon Onyx Studio 4 is $140.01 more expensive than the average bluetooth speaker ($124.99).
JBL Charge 4 is a very popular option in the middle of the bluetooth speakers price range. It's in the top 3 bestselling bluetooth speakers and has dozens of popular alternatives in the same price range, such as House of Marley Get Together or UE Boom 3 .
JBL Charge 4 was released in 2018. There are quite a few newer bluetooth speakers on the market. Show newer Bluetooth Speakers
JBL Charge 4 is $20.04 cheaper than the average bluetooth speaker ($124.99).