Harman Kardon Aura Studio 3 Review
When it comes to Harman/Kardon, many people will think of eye-catching Aura speakers. This classic model brings a high-value appearance with its transparent design and has even become a best-selling product. And the latest model is Harman Kardon Aura Studio 3 Bluetooth wireless speaker.
Harman Kardon has integrated unique design concepts into all aspects of Aura Studio 3. As a result, it has outstanding sound quality and a crystal-like, elegant shape design.
About Harman/Kardon
To select which speakers have the best sound quality in the world, the answer may be different. To decide which audio companies produce the most energic and colorful speaker product lines, I may be the first to think of JBL. But to select which audio brand is the noblest and elegant, except B&O, I believe Harman Kardon must be on the list!
Harman Kardon was co-founded by Dr. Sidney Harman and Bernard Kardon, two extraordinary wizards, in 1953. After so many years of accumulation and precipitation, Harman Kardon has already become an enormous empire in the audio industry.
You may know Bose, Beats, Sony, but Harman shows a lot of competitive strong compared with those audio companies. But maybe you don’t know that more than 80% of the luxury car audios in the world today are all designed and developed by Harman.
Sixteen well-known audio brands such as Mark Levinson, JBL, AKG, REVEL, Lexicon, Infinity, Bang & Olufsen Automotive are actually part of Harman Group! We can find them in Ferrari, Aston Martin, Cadillac, Maserati, Lexus, BMW, Audi, Mercedes, Alfa Romeo, Lincoln, Lamborghini, JEEP, Jaguar, Land Rover, Ford, GM, Subaru, Hyundai, Toyota, and other famous car companies The figure of Harman Audio.
It can be said that Harman is a well-deserved king in the audio market. And Harman Kardon, as the eldest son of the Harman Group, is naturally respected by all means and has an extremely lofty status!
Design
Harman Kardon Aura Studio 3 speaker is the third generation of the Aura Studio Bluetooth wireless speaker series. Compared with the second generation, it has made significant progress.
Aura Studio 3 adopts a completely closed design, and the improvement in sound quality is extremely significant! Due to its impressive appearance and the ultimate sound quality, Aura Studio 3 won the 2020 iF Design Award and the 2020 Red Dot Design Award!
The Buttons
There are very few buttons on Aura Studio 3, only the most basic power button, Bluetooth button, volume + and -, and a light button.
As for the minimalism, all the buttons are touch-operated and “hidden” at the waistline, without any abruptness. All operations are controlled by a touch screen, without any fancy functions, and these are just the minimalist design concepts of Harman Kardon.
The Woofer
Harman Kardon Aura Studio 3 speaker is an upgraded version of the previous generation, the Aura Studio 2. In addition, the size of its subwoofer can ensure the coverage of the room with a more detailed and complete bass range.
Especially in appearance, Harman Kardon Aura Studio 3 does not have the previous bass port tube. Instead, the transparent, crystal-like dome shell makes the speaker’s outlook more perfect, a perfect match for your indoor decoration.
The Lighting Effect
On the basis of the transparent design, Aura Studio 3 also adds elegant light effects and uses a new corrugated ambient lighting.
Harman Kardon Aura Studio 3 Bluetooth speaker has a unique water-like corrugated structure at the bottom of the transparent cabinet, and a built-in 360° LED breathing light. In addition, a larger area of lighting with ripple effects can follow the rhythm of the music, just like a work of art.
As long as the music is played, the corrugated structure in the transparent speaker will permeate a white light effect. Therefore, the light-emitting area is mainly concentrated on the surrounding and top positions, and there will be a specific combination of changes according to the music melody.
If Harman Kardon Aura Studio 3 is in a relatively dark environment, slowly, The changing light effect will bring a good sense of feeling. With suitable music, it is obviously very emotional.
The Power
In addition, it is worth mentioning that Harman Kardon Aura Studio 3 has a built-in power adapter, which can complete the power supply with only one power cord, which saves space and makes the whole more beautiful.
In terms of function, this product fully interprets the minimalist concept of Harman Kardon. The speaker does not have a complicated way of use, but is dedicated to music playing.
Aura Studio 3 provides Bluetooth 4.2 connection and 3.5mm AUX input. Although simple, it is sufficient for most scenarios, and smart devices such as mobile phones and tablets can be accessed.
In daily use, Bluetooth transmission is undoubtedly the most critical connection method.
360° Surround Sound
Of course, for speakers, acoustic design is the critical point. Considering the shape of Aura Studio 3, behind the speaker grille, there are six built-in equidistantly arranged 40mm mid-to-high frequency units, making this product easy to achieve 360° sound effects.
In other words, this speaker does not have the concept of a “sweet spot”. Instead, it can get a consistent sense of hearing at any angle and position, and it is obviously a very convenient design for home use.
Not only that, as the third-generation product, the low-frequency unit of the speaker has been completely upgraded. The low-frequency woofer unit at the bottom of the cabinet has a diameter of 130mm and has a power of 100W, laying an excellent foundation for surging low-frequency performance.
But there is no built-in battery inside the speaker, so you must always plug in the power cable when using it. This Bluetooth speaker by Harman Kardon is definitely not used to go out for parties. It is more suitable to enjoy the beauty of music quietly at home!
Sound performance
After talking about the lighting effects, let’s talk about the sound performance of Harman Kardon Aura Studio 3.
The mellow and surging low frequency, coupled with the warm mid-frequency vocals, is the first feeling this speaker gives people. But, at the same time, it is also a typical American tuning, which is not only suitable for fast-paced electroacoustics, rock, and roll, even if it is The more soothing music style can also be handled well.
On the other hand, with the large-diameter, high-output low-frequency driver unit, the speaker’s low-frequency performance is obviously the most prominent.
The volume is abundant but not excessive, and it will not overwhelm the middle and high frequencies, which can bring a delightful listening experience. The performance of the vocals and musical instruments of the speakers tends to be gentle and relaxed, with a good atmosphere, and it is not easy to get tired after listening for a long time.
In addition, the volume of the speakers is also very sufficient. If you listen to the music around 3-5 meters away from the speaker, you only need to turn the volume level at 60%. As long as it is slightly increased to about 60%, it can bring sufficient volume.
For a home environment, whether a living room, bedroom or desktop near-field placement, Aura Studio 3 can be competent.
Conclusion
One of the highlights of Harman Kardon Aura Studio 3 is undoubtedly the transparent dome shape, crystal-like transparent design, combined with the corrugated ambient lighting effect, with a unique visual effect.
In addition, the sound performance of the Harman Kardon Aura Studio 3 Bluetooth wireless speaker is quite outstanding.
It also has enough output power to meet the needs of home use. If you are looking for a wireless speaker with straightforward control features, excellent design, and a focus on high music sound quality playback, Harman Kardon Aura Studio 3 is a perfect choice.
Harman Kardon Aura Studio 3 Specifications
- Bluetooth version: 4.2
- Support: A2DP 1.3, AVRCP 1.6
- Transducers: Mid-high range
- Rated Power: 2 x 15W RMS + 1 x 100W RMS
- Frequency response: 45Hz – 20KHz (-6dB)
- Signal to noise ratio: 80dB at 15W (Mid-high range); 80dB at 100W (Subwoofer)
- Power supply: 100-240V – 50/60Hz
- Bluetooth transmitter power: 0 – 9dBm
- Bluetooth transmitter frequency range: 2.402 – 2.480GHz
- Bluetooth transmitter modulation: GFSK, π/4 DQPSK, 8DPSK
- Dimension (H x W x D): 283.6 x 232 x 232 (mm) \ 11.2″ x 9.1″ x 9.1″
- Weight: 3.6kg (7.9lb)
