It is improbable that you haven't heard about Harman Kardon: maybe you've seen speakers, audio receivers, headphones, or even notebooks that have this brand stamped on them. Did you wonder what Harman Kardon is, why it's such a big name on the audio scene, or why the devices made by them are so highly appreciated by people all over the world? If you answered yes to any of these questions, read this article to get some insight on Harman Kardon and why this name matters:
What is Harman Kardon?
Harman Kardon is a division of Harman International, that manufactures high-quality consumer-grade audio equipment and devices, such as headphones, speakers, and soundbars. It also manufactures car audio equipment.
Nowadays, Harman Kardon is one of Samsung's owned subsidiaries, acquired by the latter on March 11, 2017, for approximately 8 billion US dollars. Originally, Harman Kardon was founded in 1953 by Sidney Harman and Bernard Kardon, in Stamford, United States.
On top of all the audio equipment that bears the company's original name of Harman Kardon (often styled as harman / kardon), the parent company - Harman International - also makes and sells other well-known audio brands such as JBL (bought by Harman Kardon in 1969), AKG, Mark Levinson, Infinity, and Crown Amplifiers.
What does Harman Kardon make?
Since its beginnings, Harman Kardon always focused on designing and building home, personal, and car audio equipment at the highest audio standards.
Here's a list of audio equipment that Harman Kardon makes nowadays:
- Audio Video Receivers
- Stereo Receivers and CD players
- Blu-ray Disc Players
- Home Theater Speaker Systems
- Soundbars
- Portable Speakers
- Computer Speakers
- Headphones (in-ear, on-ear, over-ear)
What is Harman Kardon when it comes to laptops, speakers, etc.?
Harman Kardon is not just a mere certification from a company that owns great brand names. When it comes to laptops, Harman Kardon has a strong presence, manufacturing speaker systems for some of the best notebooks available. You can find Harman Kardon speakers on laptops made by big companies such as ASUS, Lenovo, Toshiba, or Dell.
In the automobile world, many luxury cars from important manufacturers like Mercedes, Daimler, or BMW, are also equipped with sound systems and electronics from Harman Kardon.
What's the difference between Harman Kardon and other audio brands?
Harman Kardon's business is sound, so you have to compare it to other brands that are in the same niche. The philosophy behind all Harman Kardon devices is sleek design and high-quality audio, as close to the original recordings - studio-like if you prefer. Although Harman International owns other audio brands and some of them target the professional audio scene, Harman Kardon only targets consumers. That means that its competition is from other brands that also address consumers.
Harman Kardon doesn't make poor quality sound devices, so when comparing something that bears the Harman Kardon brand to other similar devices from another brand, you have to make a choice based on particular specifications, design, and personal preference.
Among the competitors of Harman Kardon from the audio consumer segment, we could mention Bose, Sennheiser, Logitech, and Beats.
Are Harman Kardon speakers any good?
Harman Kardon speakers are very good! Regardless of what audio equipment you're buying, including speakers, if harman / kardon is written on it, then its sound quality is above the average of the market. Furthermore, all Harman Kardon speakers have something uniquely theirs when it comes to design. If you're craving something elegant, but also something with at least a touch of novelty, you should take a look at audio equipment made by Harman Kardon.
Unfortunately, the sound quality and all the other great aspects of Harman Kardon speakers also mean that they're not cheap. Harman Kardon speakers tend to be of high-quality, but they are also in the high to mid-range prices.
What's your opinion about Harman Kardon?
Do you like this brand and the audio equipment bearing this name? Would you buy speakers, receivers, or laptops that are or have electronics from Harman Kardon? If you already have devices made by Harman Kardon, what's your experience with them? You can use the comments below to share your opinions.
