Harman Kardon Onyx, JBL Spark and Pebbles speakers debut at IFA

Posted on 05/09/2013 by Joe Pollicino

A part of all its audio announcements during IFA, Harman's showing off new multimedia speakers. The $499 Onyx leads the pack with a leather-wrapped standing circular design, compatibility with Airplay and DLNA, Bluetooth (aptX and AAC) with NFC paring and a six-hour rechargeable battery. A duo of three-inch woofers and 3/4-inch tweeters are housed in its enclosure, all of which are independently powered for a total peak output of 60-watts RMS. The speaker also uses Harman's DSP and packs dual passive bass radiators for optimal lowend response. A stainless steel handle makes it easy to carry between rooms and there's a 3.5mm input to ensure your jams never stop pumping if wireless connectivity is an issue. Expect it to be available later in the year.

Aside from that centerpiece, two new speakers are coming out of the JBL division. Getting less serious, the $130 Spark is an indoor Bluetooth speaker with a quirky transparent design that's shaped like a megaphone. The unit needs to plug into a wall for power, but features stereo output via two 40mm drivers, an inline controller on its fabric cable and a hook if you want to mount it to a wall. Lastly, the brand's $59 Pebbles are a coupled pair of USB-powered desktop speakers. The enclosures can stand vertically or horizontally and pack dual 50mm drivers aided by DSP. An auxiliary input is also onboard for your mp3 player, as is a cable management system for when you need to pack 'em up. Both the Spark and Pebbles will be available in a range of colors when they eventually hit shelves. Press releases for all the speakers mentioned are viewable after the break. %Gallery-slideshow79641%

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Filed under: Home Entertainment, Portable Audio/Video

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Source: Harman Kardon, JBL

Harman Kardon outs pair of sleek soundbars with prices starting at $599

Posted on 05/09/2013 by Edgar Alvarez

Some would argue that soundbars aren't necessarily a must-have in one's home entertainment system, but there's no doubt a good set can certainly take the viewing and listening experience to another level. To wit, Harman Kardon has chosen IFA 2013 as the platform to unveil a couple of new, audiophile-grade soundbars, the Sabre SB 35 and SB 26. For starters, the top-of-the-line SB 35 model carries a cool $999 price tag, bringing with it qualities such as 1.75-inch drivers and 1-inch tweeters, Dolby Digital TrueHD / DTS HD Decoding, plus Bluetooth connectivity and access to three HDMI ports -- Harman says that given its mere 1.25-inch in depth, it's the slimmest multi-channel 8.1 bar on the market.

The SB 26, on the other hand, comes in slightly cheaper at $599 and sports dual-driver, two-way speaker modules that are powered by a pair of 3-inch, "mid-range" drivers and a 1-inch dome tweeter. Naturally, choosing the entry-level model means potential buyers will miss out on SB 35-specific features like Harman's Wave surround-mode, which utilizes "advanced digital signal processing to deliver a realistic surround-sound." (There's also one less HDMI incision, and we all know how important something as ubiquitous as that can be.) The company didn't say when we can expect these to be up for grabs; in the meantime, though, check out the PR after the break to go over all the audio nitty-gritty before deciding which SB soundbar is the one for you.%Gallery-slideshow79630%

Filed under: Misc, Home Entertainment, Peripherals, HD

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Source: Harman Kardon

Toshiba Excite Write review

Posted on 08/08/2013 by Joseph Volpe

It's a tricky thing to name your devices after a verb. And when we say "tricky," we mean ill-advised. That Toshiba could willfully overlook Excite as a magnet for terrible (and terribly negative) puns speaks to its distance from the tablet category (remember the Thrive?). Yet, here we have another generation of Excite tablets and this, the Excite Write, is the line's top-shelf offering. Its Wacom digitizer and included stylus mean this tablet can go toe to toe with the Note 10.1; both have the same screen size and 1,024 degrees of pressure sensitivity. But where Samsung's outsized Note skimped on the HD resolution, Toshiba's gone the opposite direction. Boasting a 2,560 x 1,600 display, a Wacom digitizer, a Tegra 4 heart, 2GB of RAM and Harman Kardon speakers, the Write is a welcome chord change in an otherwise uneventful 10-inch Android fugue. Of course, the catch to all of this premium goodness is a premium price: $600 in this case. You still there?

Gallery: Toshiba Excite Write review

Filed under: Tablets

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Harman Kardon ships AVR 2700 and 3700 receivers with 4K scaling and AirPlay

Posted on 20/04/2013 by Jon Fingas

Now that Ultra HD TVs are poised to hit the market in force, it's more important than ever to have receivers that can handle them -- even if our bank accounts often can't. Harman Kardon knows this well enough to ship its AVR 2700 and AVR 3700 receivers, both of which carry 4K passthrough and upscaling on their eight HDMI ports as a matter of course. The two also support AirPlay streaming alongside more commonplace DLNA media sharing and offer remote control mobile apps. Home theater futureproofers mostly have to decide on audio channels and network support before they buy: the $800 AVR 2700 produces 7.1-channel surround and sticks to Ethernet alone for networking, while the $996 AVR 3700 introduces 7.2-channel audio and WiFi. Few of us will use either receiver to its full potential right now, but well-heeled 4K TV owners (or just the well-prepared) can pick one up today.

Filed under: Cellphones, Home Entertainment, HD

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Source: Harman Kardon (1), (2)

Harman bringing trio of JBL speakers and pair of AV receivers to CES

Posted on 04/01/2013 by Jamie Rigg

Harman has joined several other companies in jumping the CES gun, announcing five new products it's bringing to the show. First up is the JBL Charge, a hardy Bluetooth speaker which promises an impressive 12 hours of tunes on a single charge. If you are willing to sacrifice some of that play time, you can siphon power from the internal battery to other kit via the speaker's USB port. Expected to start shipping in Q1 2013, you should be able to pick one up for around $149. Joining JBL's OnBeat range are the Mini and Rumble speaker docks, which are both compatible with Apple's Lightning connector. The Mini is a fairly standard dock which will play and charge for up five hours on battery power, and should be available this coming March for around $149. The Rumble, however, is a little more equipped, with both Lightning and Bluetooth streaming options, as well as a 4.5-inch, "down-firing subwoofer" for bass junkies. That extra muscle is reflected in the price, though, which is likely to be $399 when it hits stores next spring.

A couple of new Kardon-branded A/V receivers from Harman are also coming along to CES -- the AVR 2700 and 3700. Both have multi-zone functionality, are stacked with wireless features including internet radio, AirPlay and DLNA connectivity, and can be controlled using iOS and Android apps. The AVR 2700 has eight HDMI ports and 4K video scaling for when you get round to buying that UHDTV, as well as 7.1-channel audio (at 100 watts per channel). The AVR 3700 adds WiFi connectivity, and has 7.2 channels (at 125 watts per channel) for adding a second woofer to your setup. When they become available to purchase in Q1 2013, expect wallet damage to the tune of $799 for the 2700, or $999 for the 3700. You can get a closer look at all the Harman products in the press shots below (complete with unnecessary reflection), and if you're into PRs, there are a whole bunch awaiting you after the break.

Gallery: JBL speaker and Harman Kardon A/V receiver press shots

Continue reading Harman bringing trio of JBL speakers and pair of AV receivers to CES

Filed under: Home Entertainment, Peripherals, Wireless, HD

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Engadget’s holiday gift guide 2012: portable audio

Posted on 03/12/2012 by Joe Pollicino

Welcome to the Engadget holiday gift guide! Picking presents for friends and loved ones is never a simple task, and with thousands of options for each category, buying technology can be an especially frustrating experience. We're here to help. Below you'll find today's bevy of curated picks, and you can head back to our hub to see the rest of the product guides as they're added throughout the holiday season. And don't forget to enter our giveaway -- leave a comment for a chance to nab AT&T's HTC Windows Phone 8X.

If you plan on picking up smartphones, tablets or laptops for you and your loved ones this holiday season, it's safe to bet most of them won't produce decent sound quality when left to their built-in devices. That's why we're here to highlight some portable audio wares that should help you jam out at home and on the go with pleasing sonic fidelity. We've narrowed it down to wired headphones, wireless headphones and wireless speakers that blend style, portability and, of course, quality to please many an audiophile.

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Filed under: Portable Audio/Video

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JBL freshens its portable speakers with Micro II, Bluetooth-toting Flip and Micro Wireless

Posted on 04/09/2012 by Jon Fingas

JBL has been on a wireless speaker kick lately -- it might as well throw some truly portable models into the equation. Accordingly, two of the three speakers it's shipping today, the Flip and Micro Wireless, sport Bluetooth audio and a 5-hour battery to cut the cord. The Flip (seen above) is the multi-talented athlete of the bunch: its design can work either upright or on its side to stuff into small spaces, and a built-in mic provides speakerphone duties. The Micro Wireless' puck shape isn't as clever, but it fits a standard 3.5mm input jack and space to clip to a carabiner or lanyard. Both these and the Micro Wireless' strictly wired counterpart, the Micro II, have a bass port to improve the low-end frequencies that are so often missing in this class of speaker. Prices may be the real incentives here: the Flip is the most expensive of the trio at $99, while the Micro Wireless and Micro II are even lighter on the wallet at respective $59 and $39 price points.

Continue reading JBL freshens its portable speakers with Micro II, Bluetooth-toting Flip and Micro Wireless

Filed under: Cellphones, Portable Audio/Video

JBL freshens its portable speakers with Micro II, Bluetooth-toting Flip and Micro Wireless originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 04 Sep 2012 18:22:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Engadget’s back to school guide 2012: portable audio

Posted on 20/08/2012 by Joe Pollicino

Welcome to Engadget's back to school guide! The end of summer vacation isn't nearly as much fun as the weeks that come before, but a chance to update your tech tools likely helps to ease the pain. Today, we're taking our audio with us -- and you can head to the back to school hub to see the rest of the product guides as they're added throughout the month. Be sure to keep checking back -- at the end of the month we'll be giving away a ton of the gear featured in our guides -- and hit up the hub page right here!

With all of the studying and on-campus traveling you're about to delve into, sometimes adding a bit of music to your step can spice up those mundane times in your daily routine. That's why we've rounded up a selection of portable speakers and headphones that'll not only help you rock out whenever the mood strikes, but also go a step further by letting you take phone calls without skipping a beat. It may not be audiophile-grade gear in the official sense, but it won't matter when you're enjoying good sound just about anywhere your smartphone-connected life takes you.

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Filed under: Wearables

Engadget's back to school guide 2012: portable audio originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 20 Aug 2012 12:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Harman Kardon trots out five iPhone-matching headsets, keeps you in high Apple fashion

Posted on 12/06/2012 by Jon Fingas

There's no shortage of iPhone-friendly headsets. Not many are actually designed to match an iPhone's looks, however, and Harman Kardon is counting on that urge to coordinate to draw a few listeners into a new line of very tersely-named headphones and headsets. The more conspicuous resemblances to Apple's creation come through the wired CL on-ear headphones, the Bluetooth-equipped BT over-ears and the noise-cancelling NC over-ears, all of which share a distinctly familiar-looking leather-and-steel design. Subtler listeners will still get a trace of similarity with the in-ear NI and upgraded AE buds, although most of the iPhone friendliness at their size comes through an in-line microphone and remote. Both the BT and NC are battery-powered and last for 12 and 30 hours for their respective special tricks; they'll both keep working through a wire if you've forgotten to charge up just before that Hong Kong vacation.

In step with the iPhone-heavy focus, Harman Kardon is only selling the quintet of headphones through Apple's online and physical stores, where they start at $100 for the NI and peak at the NC's $299. One caveat: we wouldn't factor the NC into any short-term trips, as it won't show until the late summer.

Gallery: Harman Kardon AE, BT, CL, NI

Continue reading Harman Kardon trots out five iPhone-matching headsets, keeps you in high Apple fashion

Harman Kardon trots out five iPhone-matching headsets, keeps you in high Apple fashion originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 12 Jun 2012 17:31:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Toshiba intros Qosmio X875 gaming laptop with Ivy Bridge, fairly tame digs

Posted on 10/04/2012 by Dana Wollman

In case it wasn't clear, Toshiba's overhauling its entire consumer lineup for the back-to-school season, and that includes its lone gaming rig. The 17.3-inch Qosmio X875 replaces last year's X775, ushering in Ivy Bridge and that same reined-in design we we've seen in recent photos. Though Toshiba's remaining fairly mum on specs (we bet this has something to do with not wanting to steal Intel's thunder), we can confirm it packs "third-generation" Intel Core processors, NVIDIA GTX 670M graphics with 3GB of video memory, dual hard drive bays, quad Harman Kardon speakers and four memory slots, with up to 16GB of RAM on board out of the box. The resolution can be either 1600 x 900 or 1080p, with that latter pixel count only available on the 3D model. As you can see in the photos, Toshiba's moved to a subtler aluminum aesthetic it's calling Black Widow, but what you can't tell from that vantage point is that this guy is 25 percent thinner than its predecessor. In case you needed more proof this is an Ivy Bridge machine, note the release date: this beastly fellow won't be available until June 24th. At that point, it'll start at $1,299, though the highest-end configuration will set you back a cool $2,499. That's more than two months away, of course, so for now you'll have to content yourselves with our teaser shots below.

Gallery: Toshiba Qosmio X875 hands-on