harman/kardon - Onyx Studio 4 Portable Bluetooth Speaker - Black

Bass, volume, and fullness of sounds at higher volumes. Most bluetooth speakers automatically equalize the audio to have less and less bass as audio volume is tuned up in order to provide louder audio, less distortion, and generally a more pleasant experience. These speakers keep the bass and fullness going till almost at the top volume. Additionally, the bass extension is much deeper. This thing probably is clean and loud down to about 60hz or so, making most kick drums and bass really audible and not locking. Most bluetooth speakers roll off at moderate volumes well before 100hz-150hz or so. Audio isn't perfect, and there are a couple of holes in the frequency response in what sounds like the 100hz region, but a very pleasant audio experience. Note that this unit is somewhat large, and not easy to transport due to it's shape. Weighs quite a bit as well. When it is plugged into a power source to charge/play, audio output is MUCH better, as power to the 4 drivers inside is 15watts x 4 driver instead 7.5 watts x 4 drivers (as listed by HK). Negatives: The stereo pairing of two units for true stereo audio requires the HK Connect App, and requires a lot of fidgeting to work each time. It is not consistent and can be frustrating to use the app as it sometimes requires several power off/on cycles of the speaker to get it to recognize properly with the app (have found you'll know it's properly recognized when the power level of each speaker is displayed in the app). The Sony XB series is definitely much more intuitive here and can do it all with the buttons, making it more future-proof. When paired as a stereo pairs, where one unit is the left a speaker and one unit is the right, the audio and stereo separation are quite good. Couple other notes, there is a power adapter that charges and/or provides power while playing. It is a separate power brick and power cord that plugs into a standard 110v household outlet, and then plugs into the speaker via a barrel plug at 19v DC. There is also a 3.5mm line input jack and another jack and that I haven't used. The speaker grill/cloth material doesn't seem like it'd be the most durable. Audio occasionally stutters when changing or skipping tracks/songs manually, though if you pay a whole playlist it's hardly noticeable.

My first experience with harman/kardon products was the Onyx 2 speaker, which I passed on to my stepdaughter. That speaker performed well, still does and she uses it often. The Onyx 4 has the ability to party chain up to 100 speakers simultaneously or pair two speakers wireless in stereo where you would hear the sound separation in media being played (this feature wasn't available on the Onyx 2, not sure if it was available on the Onyx 3). This is a great feature provided by using the HK Connect app. The app is decent but could use some tweaks in terms of things like having an equalizer function and a better layout (using it on an iPhone XS Max). I like that the speaker grill is taken up to the edge of the circular design and the legs are more stout and match the color of the speaker. This is the difference between the 2 and the 4. The form factor of these speakers is what gives them the ability to produce great sound for their size and the design looks good in a home or office setting. It is a welcome departure from the styles of speakers leaning toward a rugged/outdoor style or gimmicky with a bunch of lights and cheap plastic. These are not water or weather proof but they were not designed to be which is fine. The speakers designed for that tend to lack in sonics because they are mostly sealed to keep moisture and dust out. These are a bit more executive and 'grown up'. From a sound quality perspective, the speaker plays at a 60 watt output plugged in and 30 watts wirelessly. I'm not sure about the battery life on these but they are rated at 8 hours (the 2 wasn't the great on battery life but I never really used them unplugged much so it wasn't a deal breaker for me). I'm pretty sure that's playing them at a reasonable volume, which on these speakers, they sound exceptionally well even at lower volume levels. I have found that most of the bluetooth speakers I've tried have a sweet spot where they sound their best at slightly higher that mid volume. These sound great at the lower and higher end of the spectrum and everywhere in-between without distorting at the higher end. Paired with another speaker, even better. Original MSRP on these are $449.95. Definitely pricey but they tend to go on sale for half of that which for what you are getting, I think it's a good deal. Buy two and it's like you're getting them for the price of one. Having two definitely opens up the sound spectrum and abilities. People are always surprised by the sound that comes out of these babies. Really good for space saving but still having that home stereo floor speaker type sound in the room.

after nearly a year of owning this speaker, i finally decided to write a review. about 5 minutes ago, i was cleaning out my car and ended up setting the speaker on top of the car. after i finished cleaning, i got to thinking. i need face wash from walgreens. well, what do i do? i go to walgreens. after getting halfway down my street, i hear a loud bang on top of my car. again, what did i do? i left the speaker on top of the car. there i go, looking in the rear view wondering what was going on. there i see my poor onyx studio 4 laying in the middle of the street. i put it in reverse like terry so quickly so to save it. it does in fact have scratches. the rubber ring around the speaker did pop out a bit, but i was able to push it right back in. here i am, freaking out thinking that it is broken. but no, it works perfectly. although i do not suggest throwing across the street, if a situation like this happens to you, i strongly believe that everything will be okay.

I went to my local Best Buy a couple weeks ago looking for a clean sounding wireless speaker to use when I'm not in the mood to wear headphones. I listened to every speaker they had at my local store and wasn't really thrilled with any of the choices. Disappointed, I went back home and pulled up the Best Buy website to see if there were any other speakers offered online. That's when I found the Harman Kardon Onyx Studio 4, and it was even on sale for $150! The reviews here on Best Buy were very positive and I thought it was definitely worth a look. I raced back down to my local Best Buy wondering why I did not remember seeing that speaker only to find that none were out on display, although there was an entire pallet of them on the end of the aisle. I rolled the dice and took a chance buying the speaker without ever listening to it, hoping it was really as nice as the reviews stated. While in the checkout line, the Best Buy agent helping me started raving about what an amazing speaker I was about to buy and how everyone at that store LOVES that speaker! He wasn't kidding - this speaker is the best sounding wireless speaker I have ever listened to. I loved it so much that I went and bought a second one the next morning to pair them together in a stereo arrangement using the HK app. I can't even begin to express how much I love these speakers!! Great sound, beautiful contemporary look, super easy to use and a fantastic bargain when on sale.

This speaker is powerful. We saw that it was on a great couldn't pass up deal, and after reading reviews and watching videos we decided to take a chance on this in Lieu of the Home Pod. Although it's not a smart speaker like the Home Pod (we were never interested in its "smart" ability.), we just wanted it for the sound. Well my goodness we were instantly blown away because this does the job, and we spent wayyyyyyy less than if we had pre-ordered Apples new "first" generation toy, not knowing anything about it. If you are looking for a portable speaker I suggest looking at this one. Once charged it holds charge for a long time. I have not timed it but I spent several days using it unplugged for hours and it's still going. However, you can keep it plugged in and it will play until your hearts content. Once again it's not a smart speaker so if thats what you are looking for, this isn't it but if you want a portable clear sound and deep bass, this is for you. If you can get it on SALE (like we did), get one or two for less than the price of one! but if not and you have the $450 it's worth a try.

Aesthetics 5/5: The Onyx Studio 4 was a perfect fit for our living room audio needs. It was stylish, fit in to our décor, and has a streamlined look to it. Audio 3.5/5: Overall great sound from a portable speaker, and a job well done by Harmon. Quite a bit bass heavy though, and not the most balanced sound, but perfect for playing some background music with company over or throwing a party. Fills a much large room with great sound. Amazing sound, just don't expect a flat frequency audiophile level response you can get from a great 2 channel system. Features: 3.5/5: Bluetooth and direct connection via 3.5mm jack are the only connection options, sadly. No streaming, no Wifi / DLNA connectivity, etc. But... this unit is battery powered and it is perfect for bringing outside for a BBQ or to the beach for some tunes while you relax outdoors. Value 5/5: When you can pick this up for less than 2 benjamins, and have a great speaker that can blow away most of the competition at this price point, it's a no brainer. While I wish it had DLNA capability, I can just stream my playlists to my phone and have the phone play via Bluetooth to the speaker. Perfect solution.

I purchased two of these speakers for Christmas Gift to myself. I paired both of these speakers together and cant believe the sound quality that came from these speakers! I own a pair of Old School Cerwin Vega"s with the BIG 15" woofer and two mid range, and a Super Tweeter. I get into trouble with these Cerwin Vega"s, so decided to get something smaller. I had these Harmon Kardon speakers only @ half volume and could not believe he Bass these speakers put out! AWESOME! I went upstairs to grab something, and when I came back down the song {All About The Bass} started to play, and it got so loud, I forgot that I had the Harmon Kardon speakers playing, thought that I had my Cerwin Vegs'a playing and tried to turn the volume don, until I realized that I was playing the Harmon Kardon speakers! I don't think though that the battery life is 8 hrs. I got about 4-5 hrs of music out of these. I have no problem with that though, because these speakers ROCK! If you can afford it, buy TWO of these and pair them for some OUTSTANDING sound..

I had been using my husband's Onyx for a while now but he wanted it back and I cant say I blame him. I fell in love with it the moment I heard the first song play. The bass is deep while the music is crisp and it is a powerful speaker. So after Christmas I went online and found the Onyx Studio 4 which comes with more features and the sound quality is as good if not better than my husband's older one. I love being able to pair it up with my Note 9 and my new HP Notebook. I also love the ability to send and receive calls with it as well. It's incredibly easy to set up all I had to do is plug it in and pair it up and I was ready to go. Best Buy also had the best sale going so I got the speaker for a steal! I also opted for the same day delivery which didn't disappointment either. I knew was I was getting with little guy but it still exceeded my expectations. I will enjoy it for a long time to come. Kathy Shops at Northglenn Best Buy