There is nothing more sexy than a well-designed bookshelf stereo system and man is the MAS 102 a looker. It’s much of what you’d expect in such a device with a slot-loading CD player, FM tuner, two USB port, a ton of auxiliary inputs including digital, analog, and phono, and of course a connection for Harman Kardon’s iPhone/iPod dock, The Bridge III. The 2 x 65-watt amp powers the 5-inch 130mm bass-reflex and 1-inch dome tweeters. At $999, it likely sounds great, but as most sexy tabletop systems, the MAS 102 probably carries a hefty premium thanks to the low volume manufacturing run and high-end perceived value. → Read More
The home theater in a box is alive and well with the latest setup coming from Harman in the form of the Harman Kardon BDS Series. The BDS 400 and BDS 800 pack similar equipment, with the latter sporting a 5.1 theme rather than the 2.1 layout found in the 400 model. Both packages come with a similar receiver that combines Blu-ray, DVD, FM tuner, with a front-panel USB port and a iOS compatibility with a port for the Harman Kardon The Bridge IIIP docking solution. The only difference then is the BDS 2 SO receiver is designed for a 2.1 system and the BDS 5 SO works with five speakers and a sub. Both receivers can be purchased separate without the speakers for $699 and $799, respectively. As for the full HTIB systems, they’re shipping now for $999 and $1499, with the 5.1 setup obviously the more pricey pack. → Read More
Home theater aficionados probably won’t be interested in this minimal setup, but I kind of like it. The five-speaker-plus-sub thing is great if you’ve got a room for it, or can afford to outfit it correctly, but for the average apartment-dweller or someone who just doesn’t care that much about surround sound, a good soundbar like this SB 16 from Harmon Kardon could be just what the doctor ordered. → Read More
Harman Kardon introduced the 3rd generation of its classic SoundStick speakers in Japan over the summer. Not much is different from the 2nd incarnation, just a few slight tweaks, but the US availability wasn’t announced. Well, the company just changed that. The speaker set is available to US customers for $209. The press release states it’s available now, although all we’re seeing on the official website is the SoundStick II system, but that will probably change shortly. What’s different? Well, friend, I’m glad you asked. → Read More
Short version: Harman/Kardon makes great speakers, and this set is no exception. If you’re looking for a relatively inexpensive home-theater speaker system, you can definitely do much worse then the HKTS 20BQ. This is a complete 5.1 system in a box, and includes everything you need to get your system rocking. The speakers have great response throughout the range, and the 8 inch powered subwoofer will definitely shake things up. → Read More
This Harman Kardon iPod controller is one of the best in-car iPod solutions ever made. Seriously, the product has been out for a few years, but it works great. Installation isn’t a breeze, though cause it should be wired directly into the car stereo, but the interface and sound quality is solid. Amazon has the docking edition on sale for only $39.99 too. Trust me, it’s a hell of deal for the $179 device. → Read More
Hardman/Kardon’s Drive + Play 2 is a mobile media manager that can be installed into your car. It features a 3.5-inch customizable full-color display, five-button wireless controller, a power adapter that connects to the car’s lighter, digital expansion hub and allows you to fully browse through your Apple iPod or Microsoft Zune. If you don’t have an Apple iPod or a Microsoft Zune, no biggie. Drive + Play 2 will support any music/flash players also as they are USB-based. The bad part is, Drive + Play 2 will not charge anything but an iPod. The other downside to this product is its suggested retail price, which is a whopping $399. Why would you pay $399 for a media manager when you can pay less and get a whole new CD/DVD deck w/ LCD screen that supports the iPod? Sorry HK, it’s a cool idea, but it’s just not worth biting. Harman Kardon Present Drive + Play 2 [product page] → Read More
