Harman Kardon Champagne 3-Piece Computer Speakers (Black)

by Harman

Product Details

• Shipping Weight: 11 pounds
• Shipping: Currently, item can be shipped only within the U.S.
• ASIN: B00005B9AU
• Item model number: CHAMPAGNE BK
• Average Customer Review: 3.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (23 customer reviews)
• Date first available at Amazon.com: September 4, 1973

Product Description

Amazon.com Product Description

Dubbed "Champagne" by Harman Kardon, this elegant, black, three-piece computer speaker system features ultrathin, champagne-glass-shaped satellite speakers and a powerful 28-watt subwoofer. Compatible with any audio device equipped with a 3.5 millimeter stereo output jack, the system provides stereo and four-channel audio input, playing a processed signal back through the two satellite speakers for surround audio playback. The subwoofer includes a bass port to increase deep bass output, reproducing bass down to 35 Hz.

A push-button volume control on the right satellite and bass, treble, and surround level controls on the subwoofer let you adjust sound settings to suit your preferences and environment.

The Champagne three-piece computer speaker system comes with a one-year warranty.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

14 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Can speakers get any better?, June 9, 2001

By 

[e-mail] (Baldwin, NY) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Harman Kardon Champagne 3-Piece Computer Speakers (Black) (Personal Computers)

This speaker system is absolutely amazing. The sound clarity and quality are as good of those on a Bose Stereo system! Whether you are playing a computer game, or listening to music, the sound is superb.

The positive aspects of this speaker system are that Harman Karmen has an excellent reputation, the speakers are very modern, unique, and stylish, the speakers are extremely small, there are convenient controls on top of small speakers ( + and - symbols control the volume)and you can control the surround sound, the bass, etc on the subwoofer, and the sound is excellent. In the directions, it said that you should place the speakers a certain distance from the monitor because it interferes with it...I have not had trouble with that even though my speakers are very close to the monitor. In addition, it takes 3 minutes, literally, to set these speakers up.

This Harman Karden speaker system has an excellent value, and you should definitely consider it if you are looking for great surround sound at a decent price.

13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Excellent Sound Quality, Great Value, October 29, 2004

By 

P. Scott Pope "Scott Pope" (Chicago, IL) - See all my reviews
(TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Harman Kardon Champagne 3-Piece Computer Speakers (Black) (Personal Computers)

My goal in purchasing the Harmon Kardon Champagne speakers was to simply produce sound superior to that of the internal speakers in my Sony Vaio laptop. I wanted something compact and inexpensive, figuring the quality can't be a major differentiator at this price point. My expectations have been greatly exceeded.

Scanning Craigslist, I came across someone selling these speakers as an unneeded accessory to her Dell computer. The speakers appeared to be very well suited for my limited desk space. The champagne-flute design is both compact and very aesthetically pleasing. The subwoofer has a small form factor as well, which is appealing in a Manhattan apartment.

While I purchase the set secondhand, the sound quality is vastly superior to that produced by my $150 Sony compact stereo. Playing a wide variety of mp3's on my Vaio, the sound is crystal clear and well defined. Voice, guitar, piano, cymbals, and bass come through with remarkable clarity.

The small form factor of the two main speakers, each about the same size and shape as an actual champagne flute, allows placement directly on my desk besides my 16" laptop screen. With the speakers 20 inches from the listener, the timbre is excellent.

At 10" high and 8" wide, the elliptical-frustum-shaped (check a geometry text) subwoofer has great base and excellent aesthetics. However, it would be nice, if possible, to have the controls and power switch accessible from the speakers. Presumably, this would distract from their sleek shape. To be somewhat critical, the subwoofer seems to get a bit overwhelmed by songs with deep base such as Sade's "By Your Side" when the base control is at its maximum setting.

Having a couple of friends who are audiophiles, I have spent significant time listening to $30k systems. While this $20 setup can't compare, the value is unsurpassed. It is actually hard to believe this quality of sound comes from a hard drive and such diminutive speakers.

One feature that is rather interesting, but not appealing to some customers, is a "softswitch" on the top of the left speaker. It raises and lowers the volume with no indicator light. This is highly undesirable in many scenarios. When there is a problem with connectivity or the system itself, one doesn't know if the volume is elevated. Likewise, turning on the computer with the speakers connected and powered, the user will have no indication of how loud the first sounds will be at first.

Pros
* Great Sound Quality
* Compact Design
* Fabulous Aesthetics

Cons
* No volume indicator
* Could use additional inputs for right and left audio (cable box, TIVO, DVD player)

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars clear,compact,cost effective, October 3, 2001

By 

david hambly (mount ephraim, new jersey USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Harman Kardon Champagne 3-Piece Computer Speakers (Black) (Personal Computers)

great sounding speakers,sleek design,small satelites.powerful sub woofer,great highs,crisp midtones,driving bass. only things i don't like is +- on speaker does not have have numerical settings for volume 1-10, ok thats picky, but the on off control is on the subwoofer in the back on the bottom.it says to place it 2 feet from the monitor.i don't have a big table so i place it on the floor.so its a pain to bend down to the floor avery time i want to turn the speskers on or off. overall this system features excellent quality at a reasonable price.best bang for the buck.