Works With
All iPods
The Good
Clear sound
Deep, powerful bass
Terrific surround sound
Affordable
The Bad
Not portable
No remote
Doesn’t make sense in home theater or stereo system
The Price
US$169.95
The first impression Harman Kardon’s SoundSticks II make is a visual one: they just look so darn cool. The two transparent, thin speaker columns, and the squat see-through subwoofer just catch your eye. But plug the speakers in to your iPod or computer and they’ll do the visual one better: they’ll catch your ear – and won’t let go.
When it comes to any speakers, sound, of course, is the paramount concern in judging quality, and the SoundSticks II don’t disappoint. The speakers produce a clear, subtle sound that makes everything sound great. They can get very loud and the bass provided by the subwoofer is thick, rich, heavy, and terrific.
Using the speakers with either an iPod (plugged in via the headphone jack) or a computer is a joy, especially when used for watching a DVD, thanks to the encompassing aural experience that gives you a true sense of being in the action.
On top of the sound quality, the volume buttons on the right speaker stick show great attention to detail. Instead of volume up and down buttons, the controls are touch sensitive and increase or decrease volume based on how long you hold your finger on them, rather than how many times you push them. It’s not an important feature, but it does add to the heavy cool factor the SoundSticks II sport.
The speakers aren’t perfect for every use or consumer. For one, they lack audio controls. They’re also not portable and won’t make sense for people who use their iPods as part of their home stereo or theater systems. However, they aren’t designed for these uses.
When taken on their own terms, and used for the applications they’re designed for, it’s hard to see what else one could want out of the SoundSticks II.
