There are a few products in this world that can be categorized as having iconic designs such as the first iPod, Volkswagen Beetle, iMac G3 and Harman Kardon Soundsticks. The shape is very recognizable and has been maintained in more recent models. If you visited the Apple Store (or Switch) at the beginning of the millennium, you will definitely be able to see the Harman Kardon Soundsticks speakers displayed quite prominently. Launched in 2000, the transparent speakers were designed by Harman in collaboration with Apple to be compatible with various other transparent Apple products.
There is no speaker like it even though the product is over a quarter of a century old. The Harman Kardon Studio Aura 5 uses the same design as the Soundsticks but without the two satellite speakers and now comes with a built-in LED lighting system. What is good and what is not? Here is my full review.
SPECIFICATIONS
Features of Harman Kardon Aura Studio 5
Type Bluetooth Speaker 360-Degree
Drivers 6x Mid-range (40mm),
1x Tweeter (25mm)
1x Subwoofer (143mm)
Audio Supported 360-Degree
Applications Supported Harman Kardon ONE App
Lights 5 Animated Themes (Ocean, Aurora, Blossom, Sunrise, Fireplace)
Bluetooth 5.4 Connection,
Auracast
3.5mm Audio Jack
Weight 4.2 Kilograms
Selling Price RM 1,599
DESIGN
Aura Studio 5 maintains the iconic dome shape made of transparent plastic material providing a direct view of the chamber containing the LED lighting system. The lighting chamber has a panel that is now flat without the boxy blocks like on the Aura Studio 4. For me this design is very unique and beautiful but my son laughed because he said “is this a Kinder Egg for daddy?” and I agree with his opinion. It does look like his favorite chocolate but with a Dr. Robotnik touch.
My only issue with this plastic dome is that it is very easy to catch dirt. When changing its position, fingerprints and fingerprints stick easily. Indoors, just two days on the table, dust will accumulate. So this immaculate design requires you to clean it regularly. I can't remember the last time I had to clean a speaker regularly since it was born almost 50 years ago.
At the bottom of the plastic dome are all the audio drivers and a touch panel to manually control the speaker. There are no controls included, instead it relies entirely on the Harman Kardon One app to access the speaker's various features.
A total of 6 mid-range drivers (40mm), 1x tweeter (25mm) and 1x subwoofer (143mm) are placed on the base. The drivers are arranged around the base to provide a 360-degree audio experience. The buttons to control the audio volume, turn on/off the lights and Bluetooth tethering are placed on the same base.
AUDIO QUALITY
Audio quality is where the Aura Studio 5 really shines, and can even be said to be more dynamic than cylinder-type speakers like the Apple HomePod and Huawei Sound X that have been reviewed before. This is because its larger size allows the audio to be played louder before distortion effects can be heard.
In the class of all-in-one cylinder speakers, I feel that the Aura Studio 5 has the best audio with a wider feel. Rock, vocal and acoustic songs are most compatible with this speaker. The bass is loud and deep. This poses an issue because it can drown out other audio profiles.
The Aura Studio 5 is a speaker that emphasizes bass so it is not very balanced for all genres of music. For the same reason, it is not at all compatible for watching movies or TV series. This is a disadvantage of cylinder-type speakers due to the size constraints and location of the speakers. It is designed to be used in small spaces in the home or office. For the space it is designed, the audio offered is satisfactory. Don't expect it to bypass larger speakers or soundbars.
USER EXPERIENCE
This speaker supports the latest Bluetooth 5.4, which offers a more stable and faster connection than previous versions. The pairing process with Android smartphones or iPhones is fast and smooth without any issues. Connection using a 3.5mm cable and Google Fast Pair are also possible. Strangely, there is no AirPlay support, which will definitely disappoint users of the Apple ecosystem.
One interesting feature is Auracast support. If you have two Aura Studio 5 units (or other Harman Kardon speakers that support Auracast), you can combine them for a more comprehensive stereo audio experience and Multi Room support.
Visually, the ambient lighting that moves with the music provides a soothing experience. There are 5 light themes (such as Fireplace and Aurora) to choose from, making this speaker not just an audio device, but also a decorative light that brightens up the living room at night. There is a feature of using only the lights with ocean sound in the background for relaxing at home. It turns the Aura Studio 5 into a Lava Lamp that I had in university over 20 years ago.
SOFTWARE
The Aura Studio 5 is controlled using the Harman Kardon ONE app. The interface is simple and easy to understand. Among the controls in the app are the light flickering pattern, light color, turning on floodlight mode, tethering to devices, EQ settings and updating the software. Connecting the Aura Studio 5 to other equipment under the Harman Kardon ecosystem can also only be done through this app.
The app is useful and smooth whether on Android or iOS. The only drawback is that when a song is played, the album art graphic is not displayed. It is a bit strange that it makes me prefer to control the songs played through YouTube Music, Apple Music and Spotify because it is more intuitive.
IN THE BOX
Here's what you get with each purchase:
1x Harman Kardon Aura Studio 5
3x Power Cable (various plug heads depending on the region)
1x Quick Start Manual
1x Warranty Card
CONCLUSION
The Harman Kardon Aura Studio 5 is a speaker that combines an attractive aurora-like lighting system and excellent audio engineering. It's not just a speaker to listen to, but an object that can provide a mood that can soothe the soul. From an audio perspective, it's satisfactory for a small speaker to use in a small space at home. As Gen Z kids say, this is a speaker specifically for aura farming when you have guests at home.
The audio performance is better when compared to the Apple HomePod, Huawei Studio X and Samsung Music Frame. However, in my opinion, it's only suitable for streaming music, not watching videos.
At RM 1,599, it may seem expensive, but the Aura Studio 5 is actually priced competitively compared to the Apple HomePod (RM 1549) and Samsung Music Frame (RM 1999), all three of which are marketed as aesthetic home audio systems.
Pros
Iconic and futuristic transparent dome design.
3-way audio system with 360-degree audio.
Very powerful and deep bass.
Beautiful ambient lighting with various themes.
Bluetooth 5.4, Auracast and 3.5mm cable support.
Cons
No AirPlay or WiFi support
Acrylic dome surface easily traps dust and fingerprints.
Quite heavy.
