To celebrate its 75th anniversary, JBL has expanded its headphone lineup with the new JBL Tour Series. These headphones, which will offer both an over-the-ear and a true-wireless option, are perfect for business professionals who want a sleek design with smart features and advanced technology.
Mark Levinson, by Harman, makes audio equipment that many of us can only ever aspire to own. I’ve been able to listen to several of their system set-ups in person, and each time I’ve walked away thinking that if I ever become rich and famous, I’d be tempted. If you’re already in a position to buy, then you’ll be glad to know that they’ve expanded their offering of luxury-line components. Even though the prices are still quite aspirational, they are a little more obtainable than Mark Levinson’s typical price-points.
This year, IFA will consist of a much smaller live convention coupled with a virtual show. Even though the pandemic travel restrictions have made it just about impossible for press from the states to attend, there will still be lots of news to share. One of the IFA press conferences I never miss is Harman’s, and even though things will be very different this year, there are still plenty of exciting new JBL offerings to check out.
For years the multi-room audio market was owned by Sonos. Amazon chipped away at that a bit by giving their Echo speakers multi-room functionality. Sonos responded by adding Alexa to their speakers. Well, things are changing, and Harman Kardon’s new Citation line of speakers is ready to give both a run for their money; the entry-level Citation ONE is superb.
The summer might be winding down, but JBL and Harman are just heating up with a few announcements this week at IFA 2018 that everyone should be interested in.
Last year when I reviewed the Huawei MediaPad M3, I called it the best Android tablet for the money; I was impressed with its solid build, sleek styling, Harman Kardon sound, and excellent price. Now comes the Huawei MediaPad M5, and what was already a fab tablet is now a possible iPad killer — assuming you don’t mind a non-iOS device.
If you’ve been burdened with Amazon’s Echo ruining your home Decor, it’s time for you to upgrade to the Harman Kardon Allure Portable Digital Assistant Speaker.
How does JBL follow their popular JBL Xtreme portable Bluetooth speaker? By going bigger. And that’s exactly what they did with the XTREME 2, an even MORE powerful follow up to one of JBL’s most sold electronics in 2017.
A good pair of headphones is hard to find, but if you’re tired of searching, then you might want to check out JBL’s recently updated Everest series. Sporting three different models, the JBL Everest collection (710GA, 310GA, and 110GA) are made with different wearers in mind, depending on if you like around ear, on-ear, and in-ear.
We are fans of the JBL Clip 2, and when we saw that the company had announced the 3rd edition of their Bluetooth speaker at CES in Vegas, we had to check it out. So what’s changed? And the answer is a whole lot. Taking evolution to a whole new level is the JBL Clip 3, a portable waterproof Bluetooth speaker that doesn’t slack on the features. With ten hours of battery life, an even better audio performance due to JBL tweaking the internals, the Clip 3 also adds a bit of flair with some new colors which will match…
AKG has been breaking barriers in audio technology for years, and the company looks to expand their popular N-Series with their AKG N5005 headphones. Flaunting studio quality sound and a brilliant design, the N5005 were made with precision, courtesy of AKG working with sound curves and frequency responses to give an optimal sound quality that listeners will love.
While at IFA, I had a chance to check out the JBL Boombox, their largest and most powerful portable speaker to date. Available in forest green or black, the Boombox offers a 20,000mAh battery, best in class sound, and up to 24 hours of battery life. Most importantly, it probably sounds better than most home stereo speakers. No, really.
Now and then a product comes along that doesn’t fit into an established category. The JBL Soundgear wearable audio device is one such product. The Soundgear isn’t a pair of headphones. It isn’t a Bluetooth speaker. It is a wearable music delivery system that creates an entirely new category. But I’m left to wonder, does it have a future?
On the surface, the smart speaker market is already pretty packed with competitors. The two most well-known of these, Google Home and Amazon Echo, dominate the market. So why would someone like Harman Kardon and Microsoft team up to create what is arguably a late entry into this competitive landscape?
What happens when you’re pining for a massive home theater TV system, but can’t possibly afford a 100” LED TV? You’ll want to consider Hisense’s new 4K Ultra HD Smart laser TV with Harman Kardon Audio.
From the beginning, the JBL Pulse line has been made up of excellent portable speakers which happen to include a light show. But it wasn’t until the Pulse 3 that the design became sophisticated. The JBL Pulse 3 looks like the love child of a portable Bluetooth speaker and a fancier lava lamp, and it’s one pretty baby.
If you’ve got an Amazon Alexa or Google Home device, then you’ve already found out that while intelligent speakers are okay, they usually aren’t that great to look at nor do they sound as amazing as one might hope.
Another one my favorite CES visits each year is with Harman. As someone who absolutely loves AKG, JBL and Harman Kardon audio products, time at the Harman display space is like being a kid in a candy store. I missed it, but Judie spent some quality time before heading to see Sting in concert.
While much of their IFA press conference centered on growth of the brands covered by the Harman parent company (JBL, Harman-Kardon, AKG, Infinity, etc.), there was one announced product that I want to focus on, because I think it may ultimately be the most intriguing — the Everest headphone collection with TruNote Sound Calibration.
As I mentioned previously in this series on Car Audio, I test a lot of premium factory car stereo systems, and while I am impressed with the quality they achieve I have found they still cannot stand up to the sound quality of aftermarket components installed properly. If you are ready to upgrade that factory stereo system, read on.
Music in the mobile environment is more than just an accessory or option to drivers, and for many it is a necessity. Every new vehicle I test usually arrives with a premium audio system, and I love putting the stereo systems through their paces almost as much as the vehicles themselves. But car audio can be more, much more.
