There are many big audio producers on the market and Harman Kardon is one of the bests. It has many years of experience behind it, and was founded in the 1950’s by Sidney Harman and Bernard Kardon (so now you know where the name comes from). Since then the company developed more and more, and brought many innovations to the audio market.



For example the two creators of Harman Kardon were the first to use a receiver, or the company was the first to produce a remote control that automatically calibrates a home cinema system. Harman Kardon was also the first to introduce fully color coding for the audio / video receiver connections, and this way they simplified a lot the initial setup. The company offers all sort of products, from home speakers, sound systems, audio / video receiver and many more. They are producing speakers for the home users but also for the automotive industry.

So today we are going to discuss about some Harman Kardon computer speakers, and we’ll choose the HKTS 15 5.1 Channel Home Theater Speaker System. As the name says this is a 5.1 audio system that is composed out of 4 satellite speakers, a subwoofer and a center channel. The center channel has a two drivers that will bring great movie dialogues and the 4 satellites are small but also quite powerful, and they will give mostly the high sounds and will offer you the surround feelings.

All of this is completed by the 100 watts RMS subwoofer that will complete the range sounds and will offer a deep and powerful bass. So this system is great for watching movies and having almost the same feelings as in the cinema but also for listening to music and high volumes and still having a good quality of the sound.

And now here are the complete technical details for this audio system: -   Satellites - Four identical 2 way satellites with 3 " midrange and 1/2 " -dome tweeter, video-shielded; - Center Channel Speaker - Voice-matched with dual 3 " midranges and 3/4 " - dome tweeter, video-shielded; - Subwoofer – 100 Watt, bass-reflex powered subwoofer with 10 " driver; external trigger input; - Nominal Impedance - 8 Ohms (sats & center); -  Sensitivity (SPL @ 1 watt / meter) – 86 dB (sats & center); - Frequency Response - System: 35 Hz – 20 kHz (–6dB); - Line-Level Inputs   Stereo RCA jacks and dedicated LFE; - Speaker Level Inputs & Outputs - Binding posts (sub); spring-lever inputs (sats & center); - Recommended Amplifier Power – 10 W – 80 W; - Subwoofer Level Control – Yes; -  Phase Switch – Yes;  - Audio Sense Turn-On – Yes; - Low-Pass Filter Switch – Yes; - Cables Included – Yes; - Wall Mount Capability - Brackets included for center and satellites; - Dimensions (H x W x D)    - Sats: 6-9/16 " x 3-15/16 " x 3-5/8 "; center: 4 " x 9-1/2 " x 3-5/8 "; sub: 18-7/8 " x 13-3/8 " x 13-3/8 "; - Weight - Sats: 1.7 lb; center: 2.7 lb; sub: 35 lb; -Finish - Black lacquer

The audio industry has really developed in the last decades. And we are not referring here at the big, powerful and expensive speakers used on stages, cinemas, studios and so on, but we are talking about the speakers used by the home users with their computers. They had become so diversified today, with all sorts of shapes, sizes and characteristics.



Beside the classical stereo speakers there are also sound systems, floor standing speakers, in-wall speakers, in-ceiling speakers, wireless speakers and also outdoor speakers. There are many big audio producers on the market and here are just some examples: JBL, Altec Lansing, Harman Kardon, Creative, Klipsch, Bose, Boston Acoustics, Logitech, Genius and others.



As we said earlier the speakers come in all sort of shapes and sizes, and today we are going to discuss about some really cool computer speakers. And we’ll choose the SoundSticks from Harman Kardon. This is one of the best audio producers in the world, and the company has more than 50 years of experience in this domain. It was founded in 1950 by Sidney Harman and Bernard Kardon, and they were the first engineers to make an audio receiver. In time the company came with many other innovations on the market, and all of its products have a good quality.

So now let’s get back to the SoundSticks. These are some speakers with a very cool and futuristic design and you will definitely impress all your friends if you use them. There are 3 speakers which are forming a 2.1 sound system. So this means that there are 2 stereo speakers and also a subwoofer. The stereo speakers will stay on the table and they will be focusing on the mid range and high range sounds.

You can keep the subwoofer on the table too, but it is more recommended to place it in a corner under your desk, to enjoy a deep and powerful bass. Each satellite speaker has a power of 10 watts RMS, while the subwoofer has 20 watts RMS, meaning that the total power is 40 watts RMS. You can connect this cool audio system to your computer, but also to other music sources (CD, DVD or MP3 player). The system has a very good frequency response, that goes from as low as 44 Hz to as high as 20.000 Hz.



So this means that you will have a very good bass, combined with clear mid and high sounds. The satellite speakers have dimensions of 10 inch (254 mm) in height and 2 inch (51 mm) in diameter, and the subwoofer has 10 inch in height and 9 inch in diameter (232 inch). So they are not that big, and they will easily fit on and under your desk. But the best feature of this system is its very cool and futuristic design. And the sound is not that bad either, so they will definitely worth their money. Enjoy them and have a nice day!

Harman Kardon is one of the largest producers of audio equipment in the world, and it makes all sort of devices for home users and also for the automotive industry. The company has a big experience in this domain and it is known to offer very good products to its customers.



It was founded in the 1950’s by Sidney Harman and Bernard Kardon, and since then it continued to grow bigger and bigger and to offer better and better products. It also brought many innovations on the audio market such as the fully color coding of the audio / video receiver’s panel connections (in 2000). The Harman Kardon products are sold all over the world, and you can find all sort of speakers in its offer, such as stereo speakers, home cinema systems, audio components, iPod speakers and many more.



Today we are going to discuss about one of the company’s products and we’ll choose the Harman Kardon HK 695 champagne 2.1 computer speakers.  These are quite advanced speakers that include a lot of the Harman Kardon’s special technologies and features. One of them is the Vmax technology that creates a four speaker sound field from just two speakers, making the sound almost like a surround one. Another technology is the “Harman Multimedia Odyssey I transducer”. And thanks to this one the satellite speakers will sound really good, even though they are so small. The sound will be complex , and the two small speakers will focus on the mid range and high range sounds. And they will be completed by the subwoofer, that will bring the low sound frequencies (the bass).

It is recommended to place the small and thin satellite speakers on your desk in front of you, and the subwoofer under the desk, to enjoy the best sound quality. The 2 speakers are magnetically shielded so you can place them close to the monitor with no interferences. The on and off button is placed on the back of the subwoofer, and each speaker will have a green LED to indicate when they are working. On the top of the right satellite speaker you will find some other controls -  the overall volume and the mute volume. But this is not all…the subwoofer also has some controls: the bass, the treble and the surround, and these are placed on top of it.



The system has a total power of 40 watts RMS, which is divided this way: 28 watts RMS for the subwoofer and 6 watts RMS for each satellite speaker. The total power is quite good considering the small dimensions and the system will sound really good and powerful, especially in a small room. The frequency response goes from 20 Hz to 35.000 Hz, and this is quite good and it means that you can enjoy all the sound ranges (lows, mids and highs). The power consumption is 120 watts. So after all the Harman Kardon HK 695 champagne 2.1 system is quite a good system, that will offer you a nice sound , no matter if you are listening to some music, watching a movie or playing a video game.

There are many big producers of audio equipment in the world, and one of them is Harman Kardon. It is a unit of Harman International Industries and it makes audio devices for  both home users and the automotive industry. It has a lot of history and a big experience behind it, so you  can be sure that the company’s products will stand up to their reputation. Harman Kardon company was founded back in the 1950’s by Sidney Harman and Bernard Kardon (so now you know where the quite unusual name of the company comes from). They were the first to invent the receiver, by combining a tuner and an amplifier into a single unit. With time the company evolved a lot and brought many innovations to the audio industry. For example it was the first to use the fully color coding connections on a receiver rear panel, to simplify the installation. It was also the first company to make a remote control that automatically calibrates a home theater sound system.

In this article we are going to present some of the Harman Kardon speakers. The company offers a wide variety of speakers, from home audio components and systems to computer and ipod speakers, and also devices like receivers, amplifiers, DVD players etc.

Let’s begin by presenting an Audio / Video receiver, for example the AVR 3550 HD. It can handle up to a 7.1 system ( a subwoofer, a center channel and 6 satellite speakers). It has many advanced technologies included such as Dolby® TrueHD, DTS-HD Master Audio™, Faroudja DCDi Cinema™ and Logic 7® processing. It also has multiroom capabilities and it can even play music from an ipod due to “The Bridge II docking stations”. It has many other features, and don’t forget that a good home theater or music system starts with the receiver.  Some of the technical details for this device are :

-         A/V Sync Delay per Input 180 ms
-         Amplifier Type High-current; ± 35 amps
-         Bandwidth 20 Hz – 20 kHz
-         Digital Audio Inputs (Coax / Optical / USB) Rear panel 2 / 3, front panel 1 / 1 , 0
-         Digital Audio Outputs (Coax / Optical) Rear panel 1 / 0
-         Dimensions (H x W x D) 6-1/2 " x 17-5/16 " x 15 "
-         Direct Audio Inputs 7.1
-         Weight 31.7 lb

Now let’s talk about one of the bookshelf speakers from Harman  Kardon. Like the name says these are pretty small speakers that can be placed on a bookshelf. Of course it is not necessary to put them there, because they can also be placed on a desk, or mounted on a wall. They can be used as a part of a sound system, but they can also be used individually. Some of the bookshelf speakers from Harman Kardon are the HKS 6. They will give you a great audio experience, especially if they are used as satellite speakers in a surround sound system. They can give you the sensation of someone being behind you when watching a movie or playing a video game. This can be quite spooky at the beginning, but you will get used to it. These speakers are quite small, with dimensions of 6-9/16 " H x 3-15/16 " W x 3-5/8 " D. They have a frequency response between 110 Hz and 20.000 Hz, this means they are perfect for mid range and high sounds. When you will  combine them with a subwoofer, you will have the full spectrum of sounds. The recommended amplifier power for the HKS 6 is between 10 and 80 watts, and this is pretty good for speakers of this size. The weight for a speaker is 1.7 lb and the price is around 80 dollars.

Some very cool and interesting looking speakers from Harman Kardon are the Soundsticks. There  are 3 speakers (2 stereo speakers and a subwoofer) so this is actually a 2.1 system. It can be connecter to your computer, but also to other multimedia devices (such as CD or  MP3 player), and they will bring a nice and powerful sound to your music, games or movies. And with this cool design (that reminds you of a Science Fiction movie) you can be sure that you will impress all your friends. Each satellite speaker has a power of 10 Watts RMS, while the subwoofer has 20 watts. This means the total power of the system is 40 watts, which can be pretty good for a small room or office. The system frequency range is from 44 Hz to 20.000 Hz, meaning that you will get a deep bass and some nice high sounds in the same time. Both the satellite speakers and the subwoofer are small and lightweight, so they can easily fit anywhere on your desk (or under your desk in the case of the subwoofer). A satellite speaker has a height of 10 inch (254 mm) and a diameter of 2 inch (51 mm) while the subwoofer has 10 inch in height (254 mm) and 9 inch in diameter (232 mm).

The ipods became really famous all over the world in the last years, so that’s why most of t he big audio producers are also making some kind of speakers or docks for ipods. Harman Kardon also has a product of this type in his offer, and this is the “HK Go + Play”. It is a cool looking portable speaker, that is compatible with the iPod. It will give a nice and clear sound, and it runs both with AC power or batteries, so you can use it anywhere you want, and enjoy your favorite music from the iPod. It also has an arching stainless-steel handle, making it easier to be carried around.  It has dimensions of 500 mm W x 230 mm H x 240 mm D, so it will easily fit into your luggage. The frequency response goes from 40 Hz to 20.000 Hz, and this is pretty good for a small portable speaker. It weighs 4.6 kg and has 15 watts of power for each tweeter and 30 watts for each woofer. It is not specified whether this is the real RMS power, or the PMPO. But if the total power is 90 watts RMS, it means that this is a really powerful device, and you can even make a party with it :).

These were just a few of the great speakers and devices offered by Harman Kardon, and there are many more of them. So if you own one, please share your opinions (both good and bad) with us.

Harman Kardon is one of the biggest audio designers in the world, and it produces audio equipments for the public and for the automotive industry. The company is trying its best to bring its clients the best audio quality, nice design, and it has a wide range of products such as: sound systems, speakers, A/V receivers and others. It was founded long time ago, back in the 1950's, by Sidney Harman and Bernard Kardon. Each one of them came with 5000 dollars to build a new company that was specialized in the manufacturing of high fidelity machines for playing music at home. In time the company brought to the public many cool innovations, for example in 2000 Harman Kardon was the first to introduce the fully color coding of and audio /video receiver panel's connections. And this kind of setup really simplified the audio / video setup. The company was expanded all over the world and has a good reputation along the home users. Its plans for the future are to bring more innovations to the audio market, and to satisfy the needs of the most pretentious customers. You will find many products in the company stores or website, such as stereo and home cinema sound systems, audio components, iPod speakers, headphones and also cat speakers.

There are many kinds of computer speaker systems, depending on the number of their components. You can find stereo (or 2.1) sound systems, which are made out of 2 speakers and a subwoofer, 5.1 systems (5 speakers and a subwoofer) and also 7.1 systems (7 speakers and a subwoofer). But there are also the home cinema systems which are combining one of the systems above, with a CD/DVD player. Harman Kardon is also producing 2.1 multimedia computer speaker systems, and a good example is the "HS 250 Home Cinema System".


It is among the most versatile home cinema systems on the market, and it contains an audio / video controller, a 2.1 speaker system and a DVD player. It incorporates the latest Harman Kardon technologies and you can also use it with sources such as CD, VCR, TV or FM radio. It is even compatible with MP3-s. It has all the history and innovation of the company included in it, and it has been designed to provide all the excitement and detail of movie soundtracks and every nuance of musical selection.   Among its high technology features it includes an advanced 10 bit video digital to analog converter, S-video and RGB video outputs, to make sure that you get all the quality from a DVD. It also includes a HDMI output and progressive scan component video outputs, for optimum playback of DVD-s with compatible high definition display devices. It is also among the first integrated home cinema system which allows mobile connectivity by playing compatible music or images from portable devices, using two USB inputs. If you also have the Harman Kardon Bridge product, you will be able to listen to music directly from your iPod, and it will even charge your iPod.

It has a simple and easy to understand menu and commands for both when you are listening to music or watching a movie from DVD. It even has a parental lock function which will enable you to control the discs that can be viewed by your children.

Even if you used CD players before, it is recommended that when you buy a new DVD player to read the instructions manual, because some of the functions and controls may be different, and is best to read all about it, so you can take advantage of all the great opportunities brought by this system. Now let's make a short listing of all the features and technologies that the system has. First of all there is the wide range of audio and video formats supported, such as: DVD video discs, standard audio CD discs, VCD, CD-R / RW, DVD-R / RW, audio discs and also MP3, WMA or JPEG image files. It also features a high quality video playback and allows video connection to an high definition screen. It allows you to simultaneous play a MP3 and a JPEG file. Like we mentioned be fore it has simple to use on screen navigation system, a USB on-the-go port and it can be connected to Ipods. It also allows parental control, the playback of DivX compressed files and many options for languages, soundtracks and subtitles. You will also receive a ergonomically and efficient remote control for the system. Another advantage of this system is that it has multiple analog and digital inputs and outputs.

Using the complex remote control you will be able to control many features for the system. First there are the power on / off button and the volume buttons. When watching a movie you will be able to control everything from your remote control. You can add or remove the subtitle, change the aspect ratio and many more. When listening to music you can select any song with the remote control, you can add or remove play lists and also turn the volume up or down, or mute it. Also when watching image files you can control everything from the remote control, you can change images, zoom in or out and also choose the picture in picture option.



If you are interested in the technical details of this system, you should know the Harman Kardon 2.1 multimedia computer speaker system called HS 250 has this specifications: Audio Formats supported - DVD-Audio, CD, CD-R/RW, MP3, WMA1

Compressed-Audio Bit Rates - MP3: 32 kbps - 320 kbps, WMA1: 16 kbps - 192 kbps
Video Formats - DVD, DVD-R/RW, DVD+R/RW, VCD, SVCD, DivX
Dimensions (H x W x D) - 80mm x 350mm x 325mm
Fast Play - 2x, 4x, 16x, 100x
Slow Play - 1/2x, 1/4x, 1/8x, 1/16x
JPEG Resolution - 5 Megapixels, 5MB file size
Multichannel Power - 65W x 2
Surround Formats - Dolby® Virtual Speaker
Weight (Excluding Speaker System) - 6.7 kg
Max power consumption - 300 W

These were just some of the specifications, if you want to know all of them you will find them in the owner's manual.