It can be quite tough to find a Bluetooth speaker with a good battery and audio quality for yourself.
However, there are plenty of speakers that do fit this criterion. We recommend the Harman Kardon Onyx speakers. They not only have high audio quality but excellent battery life.
In today’s post, we will analyze the features, pros, and cons of Onyx Mini Bluetooth speakers in detail so you know whether they are worth your money or not.
Onyx Mini Speaker Review
Sleek-designed Onyx Mini Speaker features dual-sound and signature Harman Kardon sound experience. Its built-in microphone and 10 hours of battery playtime makes it a smart and portable music gadget.
Alternate #1 – Bang & Olufsen Beosound Balance Wireless Speaker
Beosound Balance speaker is a good combination of elegant design and powerful sound performance. It has cutting-edge audio technology that creates room-filling sound experience.
Alternate #2 – Jabra Speak 710 UC Wireless Speaker
Jabra Speak 710 UC is a portable and lightweight designed speaker that has omni-directional microphone and HD sound quality.
Quick Summary of the Main Product
Onyx Bluetooth portable speakers are best known for their indoor use. The Onyx Mini Bluetooth speaker might seem a bit pricey but its features and sound quality is worth the price. For a mini sized portable speaker, such powerful sound and frequency rate is an exceptional feature. You can get these speakers in three different colors i.e black, blue and gray.
Onyx mini is a sleek-designed and compact speaker which has a convex front-facing panel covered with speaker grills and Harman Kardon logo in the center. It can be a good choice of speaker for your desktop or tabletop since it has upward-angled drivers. The back panel of the speaker is covered with matte rubber and has a passive bass radiator situated in the middle.
The Onyx speaker provides Wireless Dual Sound feature which allows you to connect the speaker with other compatible speakers to uplift your sound experience.
The built-in microphone feature and echo cancelling technology provides clear and smooth voice quality. The sound quality and volume is exceptionally high for a speaker this size. It has a frequency response ranging between 75Hz-20Hz. The Harman Kardon Onyx Mini speaker has a wide sound dispersion with powerful bass response even on low sound volumes. It requires 3 hours to get fully charged and the battery will last you 10 hours.
Features and Benefits
Wireless Bluetooth Streaming
The Onyx Mini Speaker has built-in wireless Bluetooth technology which can be connected with multiple devices. You can connect upto three compatible devices and play the music at the same time for a high multidimensional sound experience.
There are four buttons shown in the picture above. The Bluetooth pairing button is in the right corner. You need to press it to search for a new device. To connect it with another Onyx Mini or studio speaker, hold the button for 5 seconds and it will connect automatically. The five dots represent the battery indicator.
Long-lasting/Rechargeable Battery
The Onyx Mini speaker has a rechargeable battery that takes around three hours to get fully charged. The speaker provides 10 hours of playtime with a fully charged battery.
As shown in the picture, the speaker has a micro USB port and USB power adapter port at the back. You can use the power cable for easy and convenient charging.
Built-in Microphone
The Onyx Mini features a built-in microphone. This makes it a suitable sound gadget to use in video conferences and meetings. The Harman Kardon noise and echo-cancelling technology delivers a clear and smooth voice quality. It can be used for phone calls since the speakerphone quality is really good.
Wireless Dual-Sound Technology
If you want to uplift your music experience then this wireless dual sound technology is made for you. You can connect upto three speakers wirelessly. If you have HK Connect+, you can even link upto 100 speakers at one time. The wireless dual sound technology allows you to enjoy a widely dispersed sound experience with high quality audio.
High-Definition Sound Quality
The sound quality of Onyx Mini is exceptional considering its size. High definition sound quality is usually described as a sound with low distortion and wide frequency range and response. In mathematical terms, 96- 192kHz is referred to as high definition sound. Onyx Mini comes with such a fine sound quality. Although, some people tend to judge the sound quality on the basis of the size of the gadget. But in this case, Onyx Mini despite its size delivers HiFi sound quality which is in demand today.
Multi-connectivity
Onyx Mini comes with this amazing feature of being able to connect with upto 3 devices. This allows any three of your gadgets to take control over one speaker. The best part is that despite being connected to more than devices the voice quality remains really good.
Accessories
You can also purchase other useful accessories with the Onyx Mini such as 1x USB adapter and 3x plugs. With these basic accessories, Onyx Mini comes with a safety sheet. One thing we liked about this was the manufacturer also provides the users with a portable bag so they can carry everything safely.
Battery Power
Onyx Mini despite its small size has 3000 mAh battery capacity. According to its features, the battery life lasts for up to ten hours. However, some public reviews have mentioned that the battery lasts upto 2 days which is quite a long battery life as compared to other such speakers.
Rich bass
As mentioned above, the Onyx Mini has a wide range of frequency response and it has a great bass. Low frequency allows it to produce a rich bass which gives a great music listening experience.
Treble-free sound
Just like other speakers Onyx Mini has a high frequency of 75Hz. This level of frequency allows the portable speaker to produce crisp and clear sound. Oftenly we refer high frequencies to trebbled sound or distorted voice quality but this mini speaker gives out best and treble free sound despite its high frequency range.
Signal-to-Noise Ratio
It has an excellent SNR which maximally gives out desired sound. Onyx Mini ahd 80dB of SNR which excellently cancels out background voices or unwanted noise. This element assures the fine sound quality with rich bass.
USB Ports
Just like it has a multi-connectivity feature for Bluetooth which allows it to connect more than one device to the speaker without having to reconnect or disconnect. Same is the case with usb ports. It has more than one usb port to provide listeners with more devices to connect.
Enables Smartphone Remote
The Harman Kardon Onyx Mini allows you to control the functions on the speaker over your smartphone. This benefits you greatly as it does not not bound you to sit close to the speaker all the time. You can access every function on the speaker through your mobile phone.
Pros and Cons
- The Harman Kardon Onyx Mini speaker is designed to be sleek and portable. It is available in four different colors so you can easily match it with your home or office.
- Although the size of the speaker is compact, it has a high-quality sound. We were thoroughly impressed with the bass response for a gadget this size. It also features a standard midrange frequency with clear vocals at high volume. There will be no sound distortions or breakage even at high volumes.
- The upward-angled 8W drivers produce a more aligned sound. If you keep the speaker on a slightly high level like a desktop or tabletop, the audio will be aligned with your ears providing you a much better sound experience than outward straight-drivers.
- You can connect the Harman Kardon Onyx Mini speaker with another speaker to get high quality sound experience and a stereo field. Not only speakers, but you can connect multiple other gadgets at one time using its wireless dual sound technology. The connection system is convenient and time-saving. You just have to hold the button for a few seconds and the speaker will automatically connect with a compatible device.
- The built-in speakerphone enables you to use this speaker as a gadget for clear deliverance of voice during conference calls. The echo-cancelling technology eliminates the unnecessary noise making the voice clearly audible.
- The price of Onyx Mini speakers is a little on the pricier side if you compare it to other speakers this size. It can be counted as a high end speaker brand. It does provide you with many latest features and high sound quality but the price might exceed your budget for portable house speakers.
- Although the speaker is compact and sturdy but it lacks in providing water-resistant properties.
Social Proof
For proof of the performance of the Harman Kardon Onyx Mini speaker, we went on the internet to read customer reviews and expert articles on the product.
We were pleased to see an overall positive experience from the customers. They were especially impressed by the sound quality and the battery life of the speakers.
Some customers even experienced a much longer battery life than what was claimed by the manufacturers.
Although some customers did mention that the price range was considerably high but after using the speakers, they deemed the price worth it for the overall quality. Here are some of the reviews we came across on Amazon:
More Recommendations!
#1: Modernistic Alternative to Onyx Mini - Bang & Olufsen Beosound Balance Wireless Speaker
The Beosound Balance Speaker is a great package of an elegant exterior and high quality sound performance. It is known for its well-crafted hardware structure made with natural oak wood. It will definitely uplift the aesthetics of your room.
The speaker delivers acoustic configuration of multiple drivers. It provides a powerful bass response and a widely-dispersed sound experience. The directional sound technology ensures the formation of room-filling sound.
It has beamforming technology that enables this wireless speaker to navigate the focused listeners and direct the sound deliverance towards them. It also provides additional components like Beosound Balance and power cable.
Features of Beosound Balance Wireless Speakers
- Connection with wired audio sources
- Google voice assistant
- Multiroom streaming
- 7 acoustic drivers
- Dynamic sound quality
- Sophisticated design
- Multiple connectivity options
- Built-in Google assistant
- Customized sound formation
- Additional components (power cable, Beosound balance)
- Great sound
- Expensive
Best Modernistic Alternative
The Best Modernistic Alternative is Bang & Olufsen Beosound Balance because it provides you with a package of elegantly modern design with a high quality audio. If you want a wireless speaker with multiple sound dispersion qualities then we highly recommend this speaker for you to try.
#2: Best Lightweight Alternative of Onyx Mini - Jabra Speak 710 UC Wireless Speaker
The Jabra Speak 710 UC wireless speaker is the best lightweight portable Bluetooth speaker. It is most commonly used in video conferences and meetings for its clear voice quality.
It provides in-room sound coverage for upto 6 people at one time. You can expand the voice range by connecting two Jabra speakers with its convenient connectivity system. It has an omnidirectional microphone with high definition voice quality. The speaker is compatible with many platforms like GoToMeeting and Skype.
It is lightweight and portable so you can take it anywhere with you. It connects with multiple devices like your phone, laptop or car Bluetooth. The microphone and speaker output is multidimensional with 360-degree sound coverage.
Features of Jabra Speak 710 UC Wireless Speaker
- Wide in-room coverage
- Omni-directional microphone
- Rechargeable battery
- Digital signal processing technology
- Battery life upto 15 hours
- Clear and crisp voice quality
- Multiple connectivity option
- Long battery life
- Easy setup
- Works with different platforms
- Handy and small speaker
- For in-room coverage of more than 6 people, two Jabra speakers are required
Best Lightweight Alternative
The Best Lightweight Alternative is Jabra Speak 710 UC Wireless Speaker because it features high quality audio for calls and music. If you need a portable lightweight speaker with wide sound dispersion then you might want to consider this option.
Guide to Buy
There are certain factors and specifications you to be aware of before you purchase a portable wireless speaker. To make things easier for you, we’ve compiled all the points you need to look for.
Here are the main things that can aid you to find the best sound gadget.
Battery life
With any portable device, good battery life is extremely crucial. A portable speaker that has to be charged every hour will only waste your time and money.
Therefore, we recommend you search for speakers that have a long battery lifespan and a quick charging facility.
It is important to note that speakers with a high volume output will consume higher amounts of battery. So, for a high-volumed multidimensional speaker, we recommend a battery life of 10 to 15 hours or more.
In addition, it is a good idea to fully charge the Li-ion battery for the best power output.
Audio Quality
It is quite obvious that you need a speaker that produces a good quality sound. There are different types of speakers available. Some have high volume capacity but that results in sound breakage and distortion. Some have mid-range audio volumes but they have good frequency and bass response. So you need to search for a speaker that fulfils your sound requirements with good audio performance and powerful bass.
Size and exterior look
Wireless speakers come in multiple sizes. For a portable Bluetooth speaker, we suggest you go with a compact size. This way you’ll be able to carry it to places without any hassle.
Although larger speakers have better audio and battery life, the latest sound technology now gives the same quality even in compact speakers. The look of the speaker is up to your personal choice and aesthetic.
Multiple Connectivity Options
A way to enhance your listening experience is to connect your speaker with multiple speakers and create a stereo sound system. A lot of speakers have built-in connectivity options that let you link two speakers at a time to upgrade your speakers.
Wrapping Things Up
In conclusion, the Harman Kardon Onyx Mini Speaker is definitely a great portable speaker option. It has multiple sound features, connectivity options, high-quality audio, and more.
So if your budget allows you to make this investment, this Bluetooth wireless speaker is the way to go.
Let us know what you think in the comments below.
