Maybe it's just so classy, you can't resist it...
The Harman/Kardon range of home and portable speakers oozes elegance and sophistication, perhaps none more so than the Onyx Studio 4.
The first thing you'll notice about it is its size. The Onyx Studio 4 is not a speaker you can hide away between books or bottles on a shelf - this'll need a space of its own. At 278mm across, it's about the diameter of a large dinner plate. Although this places it firmly in the upper size scale for portable devices, it's by no means clunky or ungainly. Everything is subtly curved, the few physical control buttons there are have been tucked away just over the top edge. In fact, the up and down volume buttons are so subtle, sometimes I struggled to find them at all, especially in dim lighting. Luckily the plus and minus symbols are slightly raised so you can just go by feel.
The other feature that impressed me with its subtlety was the power and bluetooth connection sounds. I have no idea why we need these stupid noises on any speaker at all, I hate them. If your speaker hasn't turned on, you'll know because it won't work. Why do I need an annoying bleeping noise to tell me? Same goes for the bluetooth connection - if my music plays out of my phone instead of the speaker, probably hasn't connected. Unfortunately, pretty much every bluetooth device I've ever used insists on beeping at me or in extreme cases, talking to me (usually in a funny accent). What's more, these silly bleeps and beeps often blast out at maximum volume. Thankfully, while the Onyx Studio 4 still has the bleeps, they're very toned down and much less irritating than most.
Everything about the Onyx Studio 4 is understated; there are no needless flashing coloured lights, although the power button does change from white to red once the speaker needs charging. Unusually, this is done via a specific AC adapter - not with a USB connection like most other similar devices. This seems a little strange as it doesn't charge particularly quickly. The good news is, you'll get the full 8 hours of playback the Harman/Kardon website promises.
Some reviewers have criticised the Onyx Studio 4 for being a portable speaker that isn't very portable, primarily because of its size. I found this claim utterly unfounded for three reasons;
1 - it isn't particularly heavy
2 - the handle cavity on the back is perfectly positioned for balance and
3 - the three points of contact created by the two angled rear feet and the rubberised base provide a very stable setup on a variety of surfaces.
Obviously this is not a speaker you're going to clamp to a bike or take to the beach. It's simply too nice for that kind of abuse.
What the Onyx Studio 4 really excels at is sound quality. It's like pouring warm chocolate into your ears. Or wrapping your brain in soft leather. The rich, powerful but smooth bass is surely the reason the speaker is as big as it is, and it's so worth it. I don't know if a speaker can make music sound luxurious, but if it can, this one definitely does. It's not just about the bass, somehow Harman/Kardon has created a music machine that produces a mix across all frequencies that is mellow without sounding muddy. I especially enjoyed listening to jazz tracks featuring double-bass or more acoustic-based artists like Jack Johnson and George Ezra.
The dome-shaped speaker seems to do a great job of filling a room with music without having to crank up the volume past a level you can comfortably talk over. What's more, there is a Party Mode button which lets you instantly connect to other HK speakers so you can stream your playlist through the whole house if you like. (As a bonus, because they're owned by the same parent company, Party Mode works between Harman/Kardon and JBL speakers too)
There's an app (isn't there always?) called HK Connect. Other than installing any firmware updates that may become available, it's not that useful unless you decide to buy two Onyx Studio 4's - then you can use the app to set them up as left and right speakers. Remember when stereo music was a thing?
While this is not the speaker to splash around with by the pool, if your focus is genuinely great sound quality the Onyx Studio 4 is a touch of elegant design that will be sweet music to your ears. Literally. Clear a space on the mantelpiece.
Click here for more information on the Harman/Kardon Onyx Studio 4 bluetooth speaker
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