Home > Consumer Reviews > Harman Kardon SoundSticks II 2.1 Plug and Play Multimedia Speaker System

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.

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.

To begin, I mean in no way for this review to be negative, simply take it for face value and understand that there are many other satisfied people. I am somewhat of an audiophile and have invested good sums of money in quality musical and audio equiptment. During the time of my purchase I was in the market for a small set of studio monitors because they provide very clear and defined sound, the problem is that for me to have the setup I wanted it would cost about 1000$ (too much money). This situation brought me to understand my price bracket which was about 200$. Being an Apple user (powerbook G4) I saw these speakers on their website and began to do some research on the speakers in comparison to the Klipsch 2.1 and other 5.1 models. Side by side with the soundsticks and the Klipsch 2.1, I was drawn to the soundsticks because of their compact size. At the store it was hard for me to get a good idea of what the sound was like because the subwoofer was elevated on the same plane as the satellites, causing the overall sound to be much differant than what it would be in your home. In the end I ended up purchasing the soundsticks for 170$, because they had a defined sound and I liked the size. Bringing them home I was amazed with the almost effortless setup with these speakers. After plugging them in I was slightly taken back with the sharp treble response of the satellites and the lack of thump provided by the woofer. After about 15 minutes of playing with the EQ on my computer and the bass knob I found the best setting I could ( a flat mid/treble range with a rounded bass). However, I just could'nt seem to get the sound out of them that I wanted to. I think this is because the satellites only have four 1' speakers and cannot provide ample diaphram movement for a solid mid range. This is where the woofer comes in, it compensates for where the satellites lack in mid and drowns out the low bass. On a more positive note, the design of these speakers is very well done, finding a harmony between minimalism and performance. The touch sensitive volume control is also neat, and I liked the way that you could quickly mute them by simply touching but pads at the same time. Another complaint I have though is how there is no control for the bass or treble on the satellites and for a person like my self that likes to play with EQ in gets irritating to keep bending down under my desk to adjust the woofer.

Overall, I give these a three because they are good but have some problems they need to work out. that being said, if you are in the market for powerful speakers with a great design the Harmon Kardon Soundstick IIs are for you. If you are looking for something with a more balanced output and a thicker bass I would stray away from them. Again, I would like to mention that I am not trying to discourage you from purchasing this item, I am simply attemping to have you consider some of the factors that I passes by at the store.

The Harman Kardon Soundsticks are close to perfect. You can't begin to understand the quality of sound until you hear them in use for yourself. They are amazing - such crisp, crystal clear sound quality.

I am giving these speakers 4 stars instead of 5 as I have found a few minor flaws.

1. There is no way to get into the side speakers if something inside goes wrong. At a party, someone bumped one of the side speakers knocking one of the 4 tweeters out of place. A simple fix-it job of clipping it back in to it's backing, I was dismayed to find no way to get in to do the job. I had to resort to cutting a hole in the back of the speaker so that I could clip the tweeter back in place. A shame to ruin such a sexy machine - but it still works fine. This problem is easily solved - don't be a show off like me, and put your unit out on display at your party! (It just looks so good - can you blame me for wanting people to admire it)

2) I have found that although the sound quality is wicked for small rooms, the sound does not really carry all that well in large rooms. Perfect for small gatherings, for your computer setup, bedroom, lounge room - though not ideal for large party halls etc...though what can you expect from the price.

The sound quality is still unmatched, and the speaker trio continue to get jealous praise from whoever sees them, or listens to their output. I use them in conjunction with my ipod all the time, and they are awesome. The way they light up when in use is unreal - they just look so cool!

Many of the opinions of the original Soundsticks apply to these Soundsticks 2--incredible design, good sound, and so on, but these second generation speakers are better in several respects:

Harman/Kardon abandoned the awkward, limiting USB interface of the original model. The Soundsticks 2 use an almost universal connector, the stereo mini-plug, used in almost all computers and portable stereo equipment--CD players and the like. I use mine with my iPod and it's a dynamite combination.

The volume control consists of two touch-sensitive pads on one of the sticks. Touch both simultaneously, and it mutes. Very cool. They kept the blue LED in the subwoofer which glows beautifully in a darkened room.

Bass from the subwoofer is more than adequate, in my opinion, and overall sound is quite good. Setup is incredibly simple.

But most of all, the cool-ness factor of these speakers, especially the subwoofer, is worth the price of admission. You won't want to hide this one under a desk. Everyone stops in their tracks when they see this speaker system. Highly recommended.