Harmon Kardon Onyx Studio 6 Review

The Harman Kardon Onyx Studio 6 is portable, waterproof Bluetooth speaker that looks more like a design piece than something that can get soaked in the rain and continue working. Pricing for the Onyx Studio 6 is certainly confusing—a list price of $479.95 is replaced by permanent sale prices of anywhere from $200 to $300, including from Harman Kardon itself. At that lower price range, the speaker is a solid value. Anyone seeking an accurate mix should steer clear, but mega-bass lovers looking for rumble in a portable, outdoor-friendly design will be pleased.

The Onyx Studio 6 is an upright, circular speaker with a cutout, rubberized handle, making it look like a designer handbag from some angles. Available in black, blue, or gray, the 11.2-by-11.5-by-5.0-inch (HWD), 6.5-pound speaker has considerable heft, so the handle is pretty much a necessity.

Almost hidden against the backdrop of the cloth grille is an array of rubberized black buttons, including Bluetooth, power, volume plus/minus, and a playback control that skips a track when pressed twice (but oddly doesn’t navigate backward when pressed three times).

Below these controls, there’s a tiny status LED that shines through the grille, and an array of powerful drivers, including a single 4.7-inch woofer and a single 1-inch tweeter that combine for 50 watts and a frequency range of 50Hz to 20kHz. The speaker is compatible with Bluetooth 4.2, and supports the SBC codec only. Two Onyx Studio 6 speakers can be wirelessly connected to form a stereo pair

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A covered port on the back protects the connections for the included power supply, as well as a 3.5mm aux input (no cable is included for that input). There’s also a micro USB service port.

An IPX7 rating means the speaker can technically be submerged up to a meter in water, though Bluetooth signal doesn’t do well underwater. The point is, it should be fine poolside or in the rain. Just make sure the cover for the connections port is closed.

Harman/Kardon estimates battery life to be up to eight hours, but your results will vary with your volume levels.

What’s missing? The speaker has so much bass depth, an app with EQ would really have been helpful. And some users might might appreciate a speakerphone function—there’s no mic on the Onyx Studio 6.

Performance

On tracks with intense sub-bass content, like the Knife’s “Silent Shout,” the Onyx Studio 6 delivers palpable deep bass that will vibrate most of the surfaces you place it on. At top volumes, the bass doesn’t distort, though it does thin out a but—the DSP (digital signal processing) kicks in to prevent distortion.

For tracks that don’t have bonkers sub-bass like this one, but still pack some serious low-frequency punch—like nearly every track on the new Fiona Apple record, Fetch the Bolt Cutters—the Onyx Studio 6 still delivers thunder and then some. Luckily, it doesn’t overwhelm the mix, but playing the this record at high volumes has an almost live venue PA feeling to it, with intense bass on the kick drum hits.

See How We Test Speakers

Bill Callahan’s “Drover,” a track with far less deep bass in the mix, gives us a better sense of the Onyx Studio 6’s general sound signature. The drums here sound like thunder, or a Godzilla-sized timpani. Low-frequency fiends will get their fix, but anyone seeking an accurate mix will be disappointed that there’s no app to dial things back. Luckily, the higher frequencies are still represented, so what we have is a somewhat balanced, hollowed out mix with powerful bass and sculpted highs to match.

On Jay-Z and Kanye West’s “No Church in the Wild,” the kick drum loop receives enough high-mid presence for its attack to retain its punchiness, but it also gets some serious added low-frequency heft. The sub-bass synth hits that punctuate the beat are delivered with slightly less intensity, though, so we know the limits of this speaker’s low-end. It can reproduce The Knife’s sub-bass to a degree, but it thins out at top volumes, and it has trouble reaching all the way down to get these really deep bass synth hits. But don’t worry, bass lovers: The rest of the lows are so dialed up you won’t notice what’s missing. The drum loop here packs more low-end punch than it would in an accurate reproduction of this mix, by a wide margin. The vocals on this track are somehow not overwhelmed by all the added thunder—they sound crisp and clear, and lack much in the way of added sibilance.

You’d think that orchestral tracks, like the opening scene from John Adams’ The Gospel According to the Other Mary, might be in trouble through this speaker, but the bass doesn’t sound quite as crazy on classical and jazz mixes as it could. The higher-register brass, strings, and vocals still retain the spotlight, but even if things are relatively balanced, this is a far from accurate sound signature.

Conclusions

From a purely sonic standpoint, the Harman Kardon Onyx Studio 6 delivers the kind of thump bass lovers are looking for. But in the portable, outdoor-friendly category, it has some worthy competition. The $400 JBL Boombox 2 is powerful and has stereo drivers, and we’re also fans of the $250 Sony SRS-XB43 and the $150 Sony SRS-XB33. All of these speakers can withstand water exposure, and some of them even put on LED light shows. But it’s hard to match the Onyx Studio 6’s main selling point: gonzo bass response. If that’s what you’re after, you’re sure to be happy.

Harmon Kardon Onyx Studio 6

Pros

• Intense bass depth and crisp highs

• Handsome, waterproof design

• Easy to operate

The Bottom Line

If you like intense bass depth, the waterproof Harman Kardon Onyx Studio 6 will help you forget that it’s a fairly pricey mono speaker.

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Harman/Kardon Onyx Studio 6 Review

Tested using
Methodology v0.8

Reviewed Feb 16, 2021 at 09:43 am

Latest change: Retest Jul 20, 2022 at 02:21 pm

By John Panoryios, Becca Fischer, and Yannick Khong

5.8

Videos/Movies

7.4

Podcasts

2.8

Voice Assistant

6.6

Outdoors

overview
test results
deals
discussions

Battery Powered

Yes

Speakerphone

No

Voice Assistant

No

Bluetooth

Yes

Wi-Fi

No

The Harman/Kardon Onyx Studio 6 is a portable Bluetooth speaker with a unique rounded design. It’s easy to bring with you on-the-go thanks to its integrated handle, and it even has an IPX7 rating for water resistance, though we don’t currently test for this. With a neutral, balanced sound profile, it’s well suited for listening to a wide range of audio content, though it struggles to reproduce a thumpy low-bass. It doesn’t get very loud, either, and it lacks sound customization features like an EQ.

Our Verdict

6.6

Music

The Harman/Kardon Onyx Studio 6 is alright for music. It has a very balanced, neutral sound profile that makes it suitable for listening to lots of different music genres. However, like many smaller speakers, it struggles to reproduce a thumpy, punchy low-bass, which can be disappointing if you love bass-heavy genres like hip-hop. It also has to downmix stereo content into mono, which doesn’t sound as immersive, and it lacks sound customization features.

Pros

• Decent frequency response accuracy.

• Supports multi-device pairing.

5.8

Videos/Movies

The Harman/Kardon Onyx Studio 6 is middling for videos and movies. Its neutral, balanced sound profile can reproduce dialogue clearly, but it lacks low-bass, so you don’t really feel the deep thump and rumble in action-packed scenes. It has to downmix stereo content into mono, which doesn’t sound as immersive. Also, its latency with Android and iOS devices via Bluetooth is likely too high to be suitable for watching videos, though some apps compensate for latency differently.

7.4

Podcasts

The Harman/Kardon Onyx Studio 6 is satisfactory for podcasts. Its balanced mid and treble ranges reproduce clear, accurate, and detailed dialogue. You can also pair it with up to two devices at the same time, making it easy to switch between listening to a podcast on your laptop and listening to an audiobook on your phone. However, it doesn’t get very loud, and there’s some compression present when you play it at max volume.

Cons

• Doesn’t get very loud; some compression at max volume.

• 4.7-hour battery life.

2. 8

Voice Assistant

The Harman/Kardon Onyx Studio 6 doesn’t support voice assistants.

6.6

Outdoors

The Harman/Kardon Onyx Studio 6 is adequate for outdoor use. This well-built speaker has an IPX7 rating for water resistance, though we don’t currently test for this. Its integrated handle makes it really easy to bring on the go. However, its 4.7-hour battery life isn’t ideal for long days outside, and it doesn’t get very loud.

Cons

• Doesn’t get very loud; some compression at max volume.

• 4.7-hour battery life.

• 6. 6

  Music

• 5.8

  Videos/Movies

• 7.4

  Podcasts

• 2.8

  Voice Assistant

• 6. 6

  Outdoors

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1. Updated Jul 20, 2022:
   Clarified that the speaker can’t be stereo paired in ‘Controls’ and ‘Soundstage’ boxes.

2. Updated Feb 16, 2021:
   Review published.

3. Updated Feb 11, 2021:
   Early access published.

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Differences Between Sizes And Variants

The Harman/Kardon Onyx Studio 6 comes in several different color variants: ‘Gray’, ‘Black’, and ‘Blue’. We tested the ‘Gray’ variant, and you can see the label for the model we tested here. We expect the other color variants to perform similarly.

If you come across another version, let us know in the discussions, and we’ll update our review.

Compared To Other Speakers

The Harman/Kardon Onyx Studio 6 is a portable Bluetooth speaker with a very neutral, balanced sound profile out-of-the-box. Its integrated handle makes it easy to bring this speaker with you on-the-go, and it even has an IPX7 rating for water resistance, though we don’t currently test for this. However, it has to downmix stereo content into mono to play it, and it doesn’t have a lot of sound enhancement features like an EQ. You can also check out our recommendations for the best Bluetooth speakers, the best Bluetooth speakers for bass, and the best waterproof Bluetooth speakers.

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The JBL Boombox 2 is a better speaker than the Harman/Kardon Onyx Studio 6. The JBL has a better soundstage performance, and it can play stereo content without downmixing it to mono. It also gets louder, and it has longer battery life.

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The JBL Xtreme 2 and the Harman/Kardon Onyx Studio 6 have similar overall performances, and depending on your listening habits, you may prefer one over the other. The Harman/Kardon has a more neutral, balanced sound profile out-of-the-box. However, the JBL has a better soundstage performance, longer battery life, and it supports voice assistants from your smartphone, unlike the Harman/Kardon.

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The JBL Charge 5 is a better speaker than the Harman/Kardon Onyx Studio 6. The JBL is better built with an IP67 rating for dust and water resistance, meaning it’s dust-tight and immersible in up to a meter of water for 30 minutes. It’s smaller, more portable, and has a longer-lasting battery life than the Harman, though battery life can depend on your usage habits, and your experience may differ. That said, the Harman can produce a slightly more extended low-bass than the JBL.

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The JBL Xtreme 3 and the Harman/Kardon Onyx Studio 6 are similarly-performing speakers, so depending on your listening habits, you may prefer one over the other. The Harman/Kardon has a better-balanced sound profile out-of-the-box. However, the JBL is better built, with longer battery life and better soundstage performance.

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The Harman/Kardon Aura Studio 3 and the Harman/Kardon Onyx Studio 6 have different strengths. The Aura offers a more open and immersive-sounding soundstage and can get louder with less compression present at max volume. However, the Onyx is battery-powered and comes with a built-in carrying handle, making it more portable. It’s also better-built and can produce a slightly more extended low-bass than the Aura.

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The Anker Soundcore Motion+ is a slightly better speaker than the Harman/Kardon Onyx Studio 6. The Anker can play stereo content without downmixing it to mono, and can get slightly louder than the Harman/Kardon. Its sound is more customizable thanks to the graphic EQ and presets featured in its companion app. It’s also smaller, making it more portable. That said, the Harman/Kardon offers a better-balanced sound profile out-of-the-box, and can produce a more extended low-bass than the Anker. It also has slightly less compression present at max volume, resulting in cleaner audio at louder volume levels.

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Depending on your listening habits, you may prefer either the Sony SRS-XB43 or the Harman/Kardon Onyx Studio 6. The Sony is better-built with longer battery life, and it supports voice assistants from your smartphone. Also, its companion app offers a graphic EQ so you can customize its sound profile. However, the Harman/Kardon has a better-balanced sound profile out-of-the-box.

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The Bang & Olufsen Beosound Explore is a better speaker than the Harman/Kardon Onyx Studio 6. The Beosound Explore is more portable and is better built, with an IP67 rating for dust and water resistance, though we don’t test for this. It’s also more customizable, thanks to its EQ presets and its ‘Beosonic’ feature, so you can customize its sound to your liking. Additionally, it has an excellent soundstage and can play stereo content without downmixing it to mono. That said, the Onyx Studio 6 has a better-balanced sound profile out-of-the-box and can reproduce a deeper bass than the Beosound Explore.

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The Harman/Kardon Onyx Studio 6 and the Denon Home 350 have different strengths and depending on your usage, you may prefer one over the other.  The Harman/Kardon is a battery-powered speaker that you can take with you outdoors. It has an IPX7 rating for water resistance, although we don’t currently test for this, its Bluetooth performance is better, and it can be paired with up to two devices at once. However, the Denon is a home speaker that can only be used wired. It has a more neutral sound profile out-of-the-box, a better soundstage and dynamics performance, and it supports Wi-Fi. It also has a companion app with bass and treble sliders so you can tweak its sound to your liking.

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Test Results

Sort Category───────────RATINGSMusicVideos/MoviesPodcastsVoice AssistantOutdoors

Category AllDesignSoundActive FeaturesConnectivity

Design

RGB Lights

No

The Harman/Kardon Onyx Studio 6 has a very unique, sleek design. It has a round shape, it sits vertically on a flat base, and it has an integrated aluminum handle to make it easier to carry. You can buy this speaker in several different color variants, including ‘Gray’, ‘Blue’, and ‘Black’.

Volume

637 in³ (10,439 cm³)

Weight

6.4 lbs (2.9 kg)

Power Source

AC & Battery

One-Hand Carry

Yes

This speaker is incredibly portable. It’s small and easy to carry with one hand thanks to its integrated handle. Since it’s battery-powered, you can also bring it outside without having to plug it into an outlet.

Material Quality

Great

Water Resistance

Submersible (IPx7)

Dust Resistance

Unspecified

Impact Resistance

Unspecified

Floats In Water

Unspecified

The Harman/Kardon Onyx Studio 6 has a good build quality. Most of the speaker is wrapped in a tight fabric, and there’s a handle on top made of aluminum. Overall, it feels solid. There’s even an IPX7 rating for water resistance, though we don’t currently test for this. However, the fabric may be prone to collecting dust over time.

Ease Of Use

Great

Feedback

Good

Music Play/Pause

Yes (Physical)

Call Answer/End

No

Volume Up/Down

Yes (Physical)

Track Next/Previous

No

Microphone On/Off

No

Additional Controls

Yes

The controls are middling. The physical buttons let you adjust the volume, power the speaker on/off, play/pause your audio, and activate Bluetooth pairing mode. You can press the play button twice to skip to the next track, but unfortunately, you can’t skip back to the previous track. Also, you can hold the Bluetooth button to pair another Onyx Studio 6 speaker to amplify your audio across a larger space. However, this doesn’t create a true stereo pair where one speaker plays the left channel, and the other plays the right. Harman/Kardon calls this feature ‘Wireless Dual Sound’. There’s a light under the Power button that indicates the speaker’s power status and some audible feedback when you reach max volume.

• Harman/Kardon Onyx Studio 6
• Power cable
• Power adapter
• Quick Start guide

Sound

Slope

-0.28

Std. Err.

3.21 dB

Low-Frequency Extension

49. 0 Hz

High-Frequency Extension

18.2 kHz

The Harman/Kardon Onyx Studio 6 has decent frequency response accuracy. It has a neutral, balanced sound profile suitable for listening to lots of different audio content, and there’s a little extra warmth in the high-bass that can please fans of bass-heavy music. However, like most speakers, it struggles to reproduce a thumpy, punchy low-bass. There also aren’t any sound customization features like an EQ available.

Binaural Recording @ 1m

Binaural Recording @ 2m

Directivity Index

4.69 dB

Stereo

No (mono)

This speaker has a sub-par soundstage performance. It has to downmix stereo content to mono to play it since it doesn’t have separate speakers for its left and right channels. It means that if you play a song that normally has the drums on the left and the guitar on the right, the speaker doesn’t playback that distinction. Also, while you can pair it to another Onyx Studio 6 speaker, this doesn’t create a true stereo pair, where one speaker acts as a left channel and the other as the right channel. Its directivity is just okay, resulting in a soundstage perceived as narrow and a bit uneven due to the overemphasis in the treble range, meaning your audio sounds a bit different when listening from different angles, like when listening from behind the speaker. For a Harman/Kardon speaker with an excellent soundstage performance that can play stereo content without downmixing it to mono, check out the Harman/Kardon Aura Studio 3.

SPL @ Max Volume

87.9 dB SPL

DRC @ Max Volume

2.48 dB

This speaker has a fair dynamics performance. It doesn’t get very loud, and other speakers like the JBL PartyBox 100 can get louder. Also, there’s some compression present when you play it at max volume, which can be disappointing if you want to use it at parties or in large rooms.

Active Features

Battery Life

4.7 hrs

Charge Time

4.1 hrs

Power Saving

Yes

Charging Port

AC

Battery Powered

Yes

The Harman/Kardon Onyx Studio 6 has disappointing battery performance. It’s advertised to last for eight hours off of a single charge, but in our testing, it only lasted for a little over four hours. That said, battery life can vary depending on usage, so your real-world experience may be different. Also, there’s a power-saving feature that shuts it off after twenty minutes without an audio file, which is handy.

Alexa

No

Google Assistant

No

Speakerphone

No

Siri

No

Voice Assistant

No

Voice Activation

No

Microphone Mute

No Microphone

Far-Field Performance

No Microphone

Ambient Noise Performance

No Microphone

App Name

No App

iOS

No

Android

No

Stereo Pair Mode

No

Party Mode

No

Multi-Room

No

Note: While you can pair this speaker to another Onyx Studio 6 to amplify your audio across a larger space, you can’t create a stereo pair in which one speaker plays the right channel, and the other plays the left.

Connectivity

Aux Input

Yes

USB Audio

No

Other Ports

Yes

The Harman/Kardon Onyx Studio 6 has an AUX port that you can use to wire devices like your smartphone to the speaker to play audio. There’s also a micro USB port, but it’s only for servicing the speaker.

Bluetooth

Yes

Bluetooth Version

4.2

Bluetooth iOS Latency

264 ms

Bluetooth Android Latency

163 ms

Bluetooth Range

334.6 ft (102.0 m)

Multi-Device Pairing

2 Devices

The Harman/Kardon Onyx Studio 6 has good Bluetooth connectivity. You can pair it with up to two devices at the same time, making it easy to switch your audio source between different devices.