Harman Kardon SoundSticks II Plug and Play Multimedia Speaker System

by JBL

Product Details

• Product Dimensions: 16 x 12 x 11.2 inches ; 1.1 pounds
• Shipping Weight: 10.9 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Shipping: This item is also available for shipping to select countries outside the U.S.
• ASIN: B0001DBEM4
• California residents: Click here for Proposition 65 warning.
• Item model number: SoundSticks II
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (611 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank:
  • #69 in Electronics > Computers & Add-Ons > Computer Accessories > Computer Speakers
• Date first available at Amazon.com: August 22, 2003

Product Description

From the Manufacturer

Harman Kardon's SoundSticks II three-piece speaker system produces high-quality stereo sound for Music, MP3s, movies and gaming experiences.

The SoundSticks II system encourages you to step out of the ordinary speaker world and offers sound in an original and unique package. The system, described as curvy, sleek and sexy, delivers sound that is loud and clear.

SoundSticks II employs a new computer-optimized multi-band parametric equalization and Harman’s unique "capacitance touch" control buttons on the right satellite allow for direct access to volume control.

Product Description

The mini stereo jack connection allows you to enjoy awesome audio from a variety of devices such as digital music players, computers (all platforms), stereos and portable listening devices.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

458 of 472 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Crisp Clear Sound, June 25, 2004

By 

J.SC "J.SC" (Atlanta, GA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Harman Kardon SoundSticks II Plug and Play Multimedia Speaker System (Personal Computers)

These speakers give much better sound than my old pair of speakers. They also look much better than just about any multimedia speaker out there. Of course, they cost more too. If you are looking for a good sounding, sharp designed set of speakers and can afford the $150-$200 price, get these. If these cost too much, but you still want something unique looking, try the JBL Creature II speaker set. It ranges $60 - $100.

A few things you cannot tell from the product description:
> These speakers (Soundstick II) are compatible with PCs. The original Soundsticks were only for Apples.
> The casing, though plastic, is very solid. I can't tell how scratch resistant it is though. I have not tried to scratch them yet...
> The subwoofer has a bass adjust knob.
> One of the satellite speakers has a touch volume control.
> The system does not have an on/off button. It designed to stay on all the time.

245 of 258 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Everything sounds perfect except metal stuff......, January 1, 2005

By 

L. Sion - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Harman Kardon SoundSticks II Plug and Play Multimedia Speaker System (Personal Computers)

I set up my Soundstick in my bed room.. not with the computer, but with my iPod, I tried them with my iPod at various stores before I bought them. they sound much better than the JBL Creature 2, so if you are choosing between the two, you don't have to, go buy the Soundstick 2.

they are strongly built, very soild, they sound a little stiff brand new, but, you know, that's normal for audio speakers, especially the sub. I run them at low volume for few hours and they start singing right there, I put the satellites on the table top, about 2 feet from each other, and the sub under the table, have a lot of definition and "width" from the two tiny, and with the bass boost twist at the back of the sub, you'll be amazed how easy the balanced tone can be adjusted, and they sound very soild even in very low volume,

I tried pop stuff like Michelle Branch, Clay Aiken, sound very clean, and have a very good definition, jazz greats like Herbie Hancock, Miles Davis, every instruments sound so distinct, and bands like Maroon 5, My Chemical Romance(it's esp good on trying stereophonic), Story of the Year, or even bit heavier Blink, or the D'n'B 4Hero, the Soundstick 2 still provide very good spectrum of different freq inside small area like my bedroom, thing like bassline and bass drum are audible and solid, yet highs like hihat and cymbal are clean but not ping, the overall performance is excellent, considering the price and size of the unit.

but when I turn to a even heavier side, like Pantera, Slayer, or Soilwork, Mnemic or Shadows Fall, those fast double bass rumbles are still audible, very clean, but even i boost the bass a little bit more, it still do not have enough power and air to be felt, i 'm not talking about that kinda floor shaking storm, but just not enough "heaviness", but i think it's partly due to the fact that I connected the Soundstick directly to the iPod dock.

Cons?! i'd be happier if the bass adjust knob is placed at the front of the sub, but not the back, so i can hear the difference in tone while i'm adjusting, without leaning real close to the sub, which on and off gave me the illusion of excessive bass. And they don't have any kind of indication on peak or threshold volume-wise, the touch volume control is good to use, but very often i'm worrying about if i would peak the system by turning too loud, especailly back when it's brand new.

I'd recommend everyone buying one of this for small room use, the Soundstick sound really great, and combine with artistic design, the blue LED is really a thoughtful attraction, which really add points for anyone who want their system to be more than ordinary audio speakers, but a feelie as well.

74 of 77 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Perfect for Classical Music!, January 28, 2005

By 

HK (USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Harman Kardon SoundSticks II Plug and Play Multimedia Speaker System (Personal Computers)

I have been looking for a decent pair of speakers for my computer for almost a year. After going through many user reviews, as well as actually listening to some of them, I have to say the Soundsticks are one of the best computer speaker sets out there. You will be surprised that plastic speakers can sound this great! I have had the Soundsticks speaker for close to a month already. As with many others, I am very pleased with my purchase.

I primarily use Soundsticks to listen to classical music, which I believe is very demanding towards speakers. Due to the very dynamic nature of classical music, speakers need to perform well all the way from the highs to the lows in order to give a reasonable interpretation to the music. Because a lot of the speakers on the market now are geared towards the R&B / Rockn'Roll / Rap crowd, many of them only have some bass to shake the floor. Their inadequacy in reproducing the intricate details in classical music is indeed painfully obvious.

On the contrary, Soundsticks give a balanced performance across the spectrum, providing classical music fans the perfect solution to computer music. The highs are sweet and clear. If you try to play the "Voice of an Angel" album from Charlotte Church on Soundsticks, you will see what I mean. Midrange is a little bit on the tight side, probably because the tweezers aren't equipped very well to handle that. Nevertheless, Soundsticks still show considerable warmth and refinement. Bass is solid with good definition. The subwoofer won't shake the floor like other systems. What Soundsticks give you is quality bass, not quantity. Overall, the sound is very spacious and rich. You can try the Tchaikovsky piano concerto no. 1 on Soundsticks. The grand poetic opening of the piece will give you a very good idea what Soundsticks can do for you.

Of course, nothing is perfect. Soundsticks do have shortcomings:
1. Lacks a little bit of midrange.
2. Sound is very directional. Once you move away from the "sweet spot", the spaciousness of the sound disappears.
3. Bass adjusting knob is on the subwoofer unit, kinda hard to reach if you put the subwoofer under your desk.
4. Touch sensitive control will take some time to get used to.
5. Soundsticks cannot be turned off unless you unplug them. So, they are not very friendly to your electricity bill.
6. Relatively pricey.

However, I guess all the shortcomings mentioned is relatively trivial compared to the wonderful sound they produce.

I highly recommend Soundsticks to all classical music fans. You will get the biggest bang of your buck investing on Soundsticks! They will perfectly fill up your office / bedroom / dorm room and give you the most intimate experience with your favorite music ever! Amazon has been offering the Soundsticks at the lowest price on the internet as far as I know. For the record, I brought mine for $120.

One last point I want to draw your attention to is the pitfall of connecting the Soundsticks to computer. You may hear a good deal of statics noise in doing so, even when you are not playing any music. Chances are that it is the fault of your bad computer soundcard. You can verify this by connecting the Soundsticks to a CD player, preferably those with a dedicated optical lineout. If you don't get statics anymore after that, then it is definitely your computer's fault!

You may also want to check out the Bose Companion 3 speaker set. The Companion sounds at least as good as Soundsticks if not better. However, they cost twice as much as Soundsticks. And of course, they don't look quite as good! Is this a trade off you are willing to make? You will have to decide on your own.

Some good recordings to try on the Soundsticks:
Dvorak Cello Concerto in B Minor, Op.104 (Rostropovich)
Bruch Scottish Fantasy (Perlman)
Tchaikovsky: Concerto No. 1/Rachmaninoff: Concerto No. 2 (Van Cliburn)
Voice of an Angel (Charlotte Church)
Classics (Sarah Brightman)

[...]

Happy listening to all the intellectually sophisticated classical music fans!!