Harman Kardon SoundSticks Wireless Bluetooth Speaker System

After owning quite a few PC speaker setups, there is no denying the initial "Wow" reaction to this stunning design during the unboxing even before even turning the unit on. Very neat packaging, accessories and manual. The speakers themselves have a nice "heft" to them without feeling fragile despite the glass surface. The rubber stands attached to the satellite speakers also work remarkably well preventing slippage of the speakers by accidental knocks or inattentive gesture of the hand over the desktop. The setup just...works. The subwoofer houses most electronics including the amplifier as well as almost all buttons. There is a small metallic sensor located at the bottom front base of the right satellite unit to control the volume setting of the set. Works very well, however, there is no tactile or visual feedback of the current volume level. There is a white LED inside the sub indicating powered state. The overall sound quality is quite satisfying; well above average in its class, but not on par with the best studio monitors especially at the sub-bass levels. There is plenty of kick, midrange and treble extensions are right where they need to be in this price range. Distortion is minimal for both plain stereo 2.1 or various simulated Surround modes. Both Bluetooth and wired modes provide equally impressive sound quality. Overall, the setup proved to be very flexible and capable sound setup for my gaming PC making it both a good value for price paid as well as a statement piece and conversation starter due to it's unique industrial design, quality and performance. I'm very pleased with this purchase. To date I have not find anything to complain about. My only enhancement suggestion would be some kind of visual indicator like a discreet LED strip or similar indicator to validate the volume levels without looking at the Windows UI to prevent startling someone in the room by switching sources at different dB levels at times, since at the highest levels these speakers can be really loud. No biggie, but a useful add-on feature to an already sophisticated setup.

I had purchased the original Harmon Kardon soundsticks that are wired 6-7 years ago when they came out and I loved them. Unfortunately my dog had chewed through the audio cables that connect the satellite speakers so I had to go shopping for new ones. I was pleased to find out they came out with newer version of them with wireless bluetooth! The sound quality is clear and crisp while the deep bass accentuates the background. The speakers do need to be facing your direction in order to get the 2.1 surround sound feeling with great mid-range. The build quality feels solid with a rubber outlining metal for the base and a clear plastic material housing the speakers. The subwoofer itself is a giant clear jellyfish shape with an aesthetic design. There's also a black power button that you push which doubles as a bass control knob if you want to adjust it. You should note that the speakers are not directly fed to the woofer, but they have wires (about 3 ft in length) that you must connect to the sub. The cables are also constructed of a shiny thick lining as opposed to the previous model that has regular skinny audio lines. My only gripe was setting up the bluetooth as I had trouble with my windows 10 upgraded laptop. My galaxy phone paired just fine but for some reason my laptop would not connect for the life of me. After a bit of researching I found out that when you upgrade to Windows 10, somewhere along the installation the driver files get corrupted. So I found out my bluetooth model and manually went to the factory website to upgrade the drivers. I hope that helps you if you're having trouble connecting wirelessly. All in all a great purchase and would recommend to a friend.

UPDATE: 3 years later these speakers are still trucking and they sound just as amazing as the day I wrote the original review. I seriously cannot recommend these enough they have not given me a single issue. This is an investment which has already paid off and when these die I will be going Harman again. These are the best speakers I have ever owned, and this is coming from a Bose girl. Im not an audiophile so take that into account. The bass is EXTREMELY powerful to the point where I have to turn it down otherwise it shakes my mouse and makes it go crazy on the screen. It sounds AMAZING especially when I play video games. One of the best parts has to be the looks. This looks like something out of an alien movie and gives my modern themed room, even more edge. Ive had it 2 months so far and no problems at all with it. The bluetooth feature is definitely worth the extra money since I can alternate between playing music from my phone or my computer and since I power my desktop with my SurfaceBook laptop it takes a huge load off the Surface Dock because it used to disconnect all the time when it was powering my old speakers. Overall this was worth every penny and I recommend them to everyone. *I have NOT received any product free or discounted for review. Thus, all opinions are strictly my own. As someone who relies solely on reviews when making a purchase, I know how crucial they can be and I hope mine helped you when considering this.

I was seduced by the sound of the Apple HomePod, so I bought one. After a couple days I realized, yes, the sound quality was great, but I was missing great stereo separation. There were a couple other problems, not the least of all was the price. I shopped around and ordered this and decided to keep the one that sounded better. Winner: Harmon Kardon. The bass is more powerful, but that's not all. The highs are crisp. I just love stereo sound! Why go back to mono sound? It's silly. The Bluetooth link is great and easy to set up. I usually listen in my office at low volume. With most systems music at low volume has no bass. The HomePod fixed that problem with some clever DSP. This also fixes the problem with a discrete subwoofer volume control. You can crank the volume of the sub, so when listening at low volume, you can still hear the bass. The only weakness is slightly inferior mid range sound, but it's not that big a difference. At the same price this one is the winner, but for $150ish less, it's a no brainer!

For these to sound good, you have to always be in the sweet spot because they're so directional. Now that we got the sound out of the way, let's talk about use. UX is horrible, mostly because they are not tested in the real world, and simple things can cause this product not to work. Here's what to look forward to: 1. If power cord from a desk lamp runs along the same line as the right speaker cable, prepare for these to turn OFF when you turn your light on/off. To turn back on, you'll need to tap the volume button. 2. Have neighbors? Bluetooth's always in Discovery mode, so you're stuck listening to whatever they want to listen to, at whatever volume... at any time of day OR NIGHT. You have been warned. :) 3. The bass and power are located in the subwoofer, which if you place it where it's supposed to be, is incredibly inconvenient for quick adjustments. 4. Did I mention anybody can connect to this at any time? Did I also mention that their sound overrides your own and there's no way to kick them off your speaker? When you turn the volume down, they turn it back up. You mute, they unmute, wondering what has happened to their music. 5. You're greeted with a jarring electrical buzz/pop each time you plug and unplug the headphone jack from your device. If you use this with a laptop, be prepared for a lot of loud noises. 6. No way to disable Bluetooth :) 7. This product makes people you don't even know angry because they connect to it thinking it's their bluetooth speaker, and they see their music playing--they can even hear it--but... where's it coming from? 8. Bluetooth range, if you dare use Bluetooth with this thing, is terrible. Line of sight is required for best performance. If you have so much as one wall between you (stick built, drywall), it may not work. I can be 15 feet away from my living room cooking in the kitchen and if I step in front of the fridge, it'll lose me. In stark contrast, a Bose SoundLink Mini II keeps a strong signal in most parts of my apartment. All in all, this device is a piece of chit. Don't waste your money looking cool, spend it on something that works without all the oversight like wide-open Bluetooth, and whacky cables that make a desk lamp able to turn the thing off. Ridiculous.

I initially panned these speakers because I noticed a significant delay between the speakers and the soundtrack on video playback via my computer. I just disconnected and reconnected the Bluetooth connection and, problem solved. You will notice a muddled bass response on some newer, maxed out EQ-ed tunes, but a volume adjustment and sub volume (separate circuit) will calm it down. You really do need to play with these to find the sweet spot between the iTunes volume control, the computer volume control and the sub output. (Tip: the optimum sub output volume setting is a lot LOWER than you may initially perceive it to be.) These replaced the initial SoundSticks that I've had for literally a little over a decade (the original SoundSticks). I do miss the USB connection that came with these. But, I'm happy with the Bluetooth connection. Also, I did try to hook these up via cable directly from the subwoofer to the headphone jack. Didn't really notice that much of a difference. Went back to Bluetooth to free up my headphone jack on my computer. The real plus to the design of these is the separate sub and the ability to separate the tower mid/high speakers comfortably to about 5 feet. (I will agree with some posts that the picture of the tower speakers is misleading, because it doesn't show the wires. The are in fact wired. To be clear, though, they are hooked up to the sub, not the computer.) That withstood, The ability to separate the speakers and sub creates a great surround sound, both bottom up and left to right. Additionally, if you're a mac user (iMac for me), they redesigned the color scheme to match that of the iMac black and aluminum design. They compliment the computer beautifully. Apologies to Harman Kardon for not correcting my initial post earlier than now. These are great speakers!

When I was in college, an iMac and these soundsticks were the pinnacle of cool tech. Of course, at that time I had no money to purchase them. When I saw that they were still available, and in a bluetooth version, I had to pull the trigger and get them. Pros: They sound amazing, bluetooth or wired. I have not turned them all the way up, because it would be far too loud for my home. Bluetooth pairing was simple. They look incredibly cool. Great-sounding art. Cons: Can't switch between wired or bluetooth without manually disconnecting the cord. A switch would be nice. Wired overrides BT. The interior light is bright. These are in my bedroom, and I'd leave them on all the time, but I shut them off because I like to sleep in a dark room. I know this is nitpicky, but I really wish the 2 satellite speakers could connect wirelessly to the base. I know they'd still need power, but I'd love the option of placing them farther away. My version didn't come with a US power cord. Not sure if I got an import version or what, but it was a standard cord, and I had one available.

such incredible sound! I was one of the first consumers to buy this product because they were vouched for by selling it at the Apple store. So I purchased it...... well over 10 years ago ....because Apple was "God" and everything that Apple suggested or did turned into gold. Now this speaker system is in the MOMA. Well deserved. Several years later, I believe that this is well deserved. The impossible marriage between quality sound and good looks has been met in this system and you will be blown away at how acoustical correct and well rounded depth of sound come out of those little tweeters and the SUB..... well that's another story..... it rocks as if you were at a hip hop concert. Incredible! After all these years, their quality hasn't diminished in the slightest and even more... on top of all of the great things I can say about this product..... they are beautiful, they rock, they are exact, without any distortion, even on max volume on both the speaks and the sub..... you will be so surprised. It's so nice to find a product that has withstood the test of time. NO electronics has done this... Now they have bluetooth. Thanks Harman Kardon for sticking religiously to what you know to be true sound delivery in such a compact space.

Wonderful product. Got it delivered before time and found the product in perfect shape with all original packaging and manuals. Very easy to install. I had the product up and running in flat 15 mins. Positives 1. Exceptionally good sound quality, sound clarity in particular, good bass control. 2. Very effective Bluetooth streaming with either android or iphones. Harman recommends iPhone for best experience and I do see it has some weightage in it. 3. The device works well with 3.5 mm connection as well. I had connected it with my FM Radio (using auxiliary cable - supplied with the product ) and with TV using RCA cable to 3.5 mm converted (Red and White Cable merging to 3.5 mm size std headphone jack - not supplied and you need to get your own). 4. Look wise as well speakers are fantastic. It looks so different and elegant compare all other 2.1 systems. 5. Price is attractive. Got it for Price 13,200 and on top of 15 % discount from Amazon. At 11 K, I don't think there is any other speaker available which can match even 50% value of this speaker. Negatives 1. Too many wires and all are exposed so, you have to find a way to hide them if you are sensitive about wire clutters. 2. No remote. Bass has to be adjusted manually as there is no remote. Sound you can adjust with TV remote or your mobile phones, depending how you are using. 3. At very high bass I felt some of the sounds were distorted and I had to reduce it. Final words - a must buy if you are a music loved, connect it with your mobile, fm or even tv. It provides a rich experience.

Ses gayet güzel. Dördüncü nesli bu bahar çıkacak, bu üç. Bluetooth koruması yok, isteyen bağlanabiliyor o kötü yönü. Bir de keşke aldıktan iki gün sonra indirime girmeseydi...

Harmon Kardon products are well-known for excellent sound. I purchased another HK device last year (HK Go + Play) and it too delivers great full sound and it pairs with my laptops and other devices easily (which isn't always the case with some Bluetooth devices). When I had a problem with the first HK device, it was replaced promptly and without hassles. Based on that positive first experience I did not hesitate to go with HK again when I was looking for a sound system for my office. The Soundsticks deliver excellent bass which I love (that can be controlled if it's excessive) plus nice, rich and clear mid and treble tones - all well balanced even at lower volumes. As far as appearance? Well.... the jury is still out - while I respect its design boldness, and I'm getting used to the look, and apparently the design was honored with a spot in the Museum of Modern Art - it is different and I'm getting used to it but not yet ready to say I love it. Not sure how it could be improved though - its a nice modern look in my modern style office so I guess its a fit. Price? Excellent - good value for a quality Harmon Kardon product.

Si lo que buscas es un sonido lo más natural y con un buen rango dinámico el sistema SOUNDSTICKSBTAM 2.1channels de Harman/Kardon es la opción. El juego de bocinas es excelente para usarlas con una PC de escritorio. La potencia de salida es suficiente para entregar un volumen sin distorsión, sobre todo cuando se está al límite superior de volumen. El sub buffer es algo grande si deseas tenerlo sobre el escritorio; pero si lo colocas sobre el escritorio recomiendo el que no tengas objetos que puedan vibrar con las frecuencias más bajas. El diseño es muy atractivo y se destaca muy bien en cualquier estilo de habitación. No es un sistema para cubrir con facilidad toda una habitación. La funcionalidad de conexión vía BT es un valor agregado y que permite conectarlo con teléfonos móviles y tabletas.

A HUGE shout out to Amazon for the splendid service!! It was delivered the very next day(Xpress Delivery!), the whole package was very neatly packed & the actual container was well sealed. Coming to the product itself, here are the PROS: 1) First of; had an amazing unboxing experience. It was brand NEW, feels premium but a bit delicate at the first glance('Fragile', to be precise)!! But undoubtedly, this is THE MOST stunning looking 2.1 sound system available out there. 2) The whole package was pretty heavy(around 6 KG, as mentioned on the box), contrary to how light weight it appears in the thumbnail. 3) Setting this thing up was very simple and hardly took 5 minutes. 4) But Boy O Boy !! The moment I hit the play button, I was absolutely blown away. 5) This thing is LOUD, very loud! and will easily fill my whole apartment(which is around 1500 sq. ft., to give you guys an estimate). 6) Bass knob(which is the POWER button as well) is a bit inconveniently placed and can be adjusted manually(a remote control would've have added another charm to the whole deal). 7) Output was very crisp and soothing. No less than a Home Theater setup honestly. 8) Bass was highly punchy and the sub woofer doesn't cramp at all, even at max volume! 9) Coming to the Bluetooth connectivity, i heard a lot of negative reviews about it & that, the connection breaks intermittently. But so far, it has worked seamlessly for me(using iPhone 6). 10) A small(but quite bright) White LED light glows on powering ON the system and also the Bluetooth indicator(blue); both of them illuminates the Woofer in the dark & that looks superb, specially when you're partying. A couple of CONS: 1) Being the satellite speakers, they won't spread the effects 360* but gets more clear/crisp, when you sit right in front of them. 2) Too delicate i'd say and needs to be handled with utmost care. Overall I'd highly recommend this product! Best in class, for the price tag :) Cheers!