Harman Kardon Nova Bluetooth Speakers Video Review

[admin]

The Harman Kardon Nova Bluetooth Speakers feature fantastic aesthetics, NFC Bluetooth pairing, and a passive radiator for additional bass. They sport a 1.25" tweeter and a 2.5" driver in each speaker rather than the "full range" drivers we sometimes see on this type of speaker. Other than Bluetooth, there is a 3.5mm input as well as an optical input and a 3.5mm headphone output available. Sonically, the Nova speakers sound phenomenal for their size. If you are looking for stylish, good sounding, Bluetooth speakers, and have $300 to burn, these are for you.

Discuss "Harman Kardon Nova Bluetooth Speakers Video Review" here. Read the article.

 

[rojo]

I see no mention of aptX compatibility in this review or on the HK website. Is this dealio not aptX compatible? It seems odd that HK would go to the trouble of incorporating a 2-way design with a passive radiator, but would neglect the codec that makes Bluetooth worthwhile for the type of person who'd spend over 100 bucks on a Bluetooth speaker. Licensing the codec might make the speaker a little more expensive; but without it, one might as well use a cord. Or headphones. Or a small DAC and a pair of monitors. I'm afraid I'm missing the point of these.

 

[itlnstln]

I think if you're in the market for new, portable speakers, options like these HK Novas can make sense. OTOH, I bought this Belkin Bluetooth Receiver and added it to some already-capable, portable speakers. Granted, the Belkin device is not Apt-X compatible, but it's cheap enough to replace should I want to and it gets the job done. Also, the target market for these type of speakers (and, potentially, the quality they produce) wouldn't necessarily know, hear, or care about Apt-X.