Bose and Harman Kardon are pedigreed heavyweights in the audio industry, both with long histories of outstanding products. Their forays into Bluetooth technology continue to provide fans with great options. See how their latest compact speakers stack up against each other, with the Bose SoundLink Revolve on one corner and the Harman Kardon Onyx Studio 5 on the other.
The Bose SoundLink Revolve is compact, lightweight, and robust, making it the superior choice for outdoor Bluetooth speakers.
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Bose vs Harman Kardon Bluetooth Speaker Comparison Chart
| Model | ||
 |  | |
| Price | Check Price at Walmart | Check Price at Amazon |
| Height | 6″ | 11.2″ |
| Width | 3.2″ | 11.5″ |
| Depth | 3.2″ | 5″ |
| Weight | 1.5 lbs | 6.6 lbs |
| Water Resistance | IPX4 | None |
| Colors | 2 | 3 |
| Handle | No | Yes |
| Microphone | Yes | No |
| Transducers | Single full range | Tweeter and woofer |
| Voice Control | Yes | No |
| Battery Life | 12 hours | 8 hours |
| Wireless Range | 30 feet | 30 feet |
Design
The
It’s actually a stretch to call the
The Bose SoundLink Revolve is compact, lightweight, and robust, making it the superior choice for outdoor Bluetooth speakers.
And yes, it’s going to look good on there, too. The Onyx Studio 5 is draped in an elegant fabric material that gives it a pleasing texture both to look at and touch. It definitely looks like a premium product even though it’s much more affordable than the
One more detail that really cements the SoundLink Revolve’s edge in design and portability is its IPX4 rating. It can survive getting splashed on long enough for you to get it under cover. It’s not fully waterproof though, so you’ll have to take care not to actually drop it into a pool. Still, it’s a big plus if you want a portable speaker to bring outdoors. It even has a threaded universal mount underneath if you want to secure it onto a tripod.
Setup and Controls
The
While both Bluetooth speakers have sets of buttons at the top, there’s an extra multi-function button on the
The Harman Kardon Onyx Studio 5 may not be the most compact Bluetooth speaker, but it packs impressive bass in its slim and sleek frame. It comes in blue, grey, and black.
Meanwhile, the control buttons on the
The other aspect where the
Sound Quality
The
Between the two of them, there’s no doubt that the
The Harman Kardon Onyx Studio 5 may not be the most compact Bluetooth speaker, but it packs impressive bass in its slim and sleek frame. It comes in blue, grey, and black.
The difference in power lies in the Onyx Studio 5’s woofer and tweeter combo, which simply outmuscles the single full-range transducer of the
It would hardly be fair to compare the
Battery Life
The
For its size, it’s a bit disappointing that the
The SoundLink Revolve also charges to full much quicker, at around 3-4 hours compared to the Onyx Studio 5’s 5 hours. This might not matter much if you’re primarily using either speaker indoors where you can simply leave them plugged in. However, if you’re planning to take the speaker off its cable, you’ll find the better overall battery of the Bose model a big plus.
Verdict
The
The Bose SoundLink Revolve is compact, lightweight, and robust, making it the superior choice for outdoor Bluetooth speakers.
The Harman Kardon Onyx Studio 5 may not be the most compact Bluetooth speaker, but it packs impressive bass in its slim and sleek frame. It comes in blue, grey, and black.
With its compact size and lightweight build, the Bose SoundLink Revolve is easily the portable Bluetooth speaker deserving of the distinction. It has a water-resistant construction and grip-friendly texture. Add in its top and bottom shock-absorbing bumpers, and it’s clear that it’s the superior choice if you’re going to be bringing a speaker outdoors. Yes, it costs roughly half as much again as the Onyx 5, but it’s well worth it thanks to its excellent sound quality and longer battery life.
If you’re after a wireless speaker to fill up your living room, and want one that’s as beautiful as it sounds, the Harman Kardon Onyx Studio 5 will be more attractive. You’ll save quite a bit and still end with arguably the more premium looking device. Just remember that it’s going to be heavy carrying it around for too long, and you’d want to save some battery life by sticking to the middle volumes.
FAQs
Part of Harman International, Harman Kardon manufactures speakers and soundbars known for their excellent build and audio quality. If you’re using an ASUS, Dell, or Lenovo laptop, check the speakers as they might be made by Harman Kardon as well.
They are not exactly the same brand, but they are both owned by Harman International. A Samsung subsidiary, Harman International owns other big names in the audio industry such as Crown Amplifiers and AKG.
Bose is headquartered in Massachusetts, but it has manufacturing facilities in the US, Malaysia, China, and Mexico.
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