Summary – Harman Kardon Aura Studio 2 Speaker
The Harman Kardon Aura Studio 2 is a Bluetooth speaker with a unique design that looks like an inverted subwoofer. It is essentially a speaker and subwoofer combined which delivers 360 omni-directional sound dispersion. The Studio 2 features ambient lighting which provides an aesthetically appealing white light glow from the center turbine with an animated ring of center LEDs. The speaker also features proprietary stereo-widening DSP technology which helps to deliver fully optimized audio performance. The speaker itself comes equipped with six high-midrange transducers and a dedicated subwoofer that delivers deep stunning lows and tight bass performance. It also comes with wireless dual sound feature that allows you to link two Aura Studio 2 speakers together to create a much wider sound-field. If you are looking for a uniquely designed Bluetooth speaker that will make for a great conversation piece in your home, the Harman Kardon Aura Studio 2 is a great choice.
The Pros & Cons
The Pros. The Harman Kardon Aura Studio 2 is a uniquely designed speaker with very stunning glass shaped cone design and a built-in subwoofer. It is a true masterpiece in terms of design.
The Cons. The highs and timbre ranges sound more mellow as compared to other Bluetooth speakers with dedicated tweeters
Sound Performance
We were surprised at how good the HK Aura Studio 2 sounded – the bass from the Aura Studio 2 goes very low and has plenty of depth. The bass is unlike any bass we have heard before – it hits tight and punchy and adds plenty of depth and complexity to the music. The low-end frequency ranges hit much harder than you would expect and adds a lot of layers to the music performance. Vocal performances sound really good on the HK Aura Studio 2 and the treble ranges are crisp and nicely defined. That being said, we did find that the higher frequency ranges on the Studio 2 sounded more mellow as compared to the Harman Kardon Onyx speaker. Instrumental music sounded decent with good attention to detail, although the speaker does not really pick up the subtle notes in the music as the speaker is more bass-orientated. Bass-heavy music genres such as electronic dance music performed exceptionally well on the Aura Studio 2 with really good deep lows – you can really feel the depth of the bass from the Aura Studio 2 and it fills up your room with powerful sound. You can also crank up the volume on the Aura Studio 2 speakers and it will not distort, although the treble ranges can start to buzz at the highest volume levels.
Design & Build Quality
In terms of design, the HK Aura 2 is a clear winner. It features a stunning coned-shaped like design and the tinted glass looks really good. The subwoofer is located in the center of the speaker and there is a center subwoofer hole which pumps out deep bass directly from the acoustic drivers. The design is aesthetically stunning and always makes for a good conversational piece in your home. We also liked the LED lights on the Aura 2 which gives it a nice aesthetically pleasing appearance. The wireless Bluetooth connectivity on the Aura 2 works like a charm and we did not experience any clipping noise or dips in sound quality while streaming music from our mobile device. We also liked the wireless dual sound feature which allows you to connect two Aura 2 speakers together to create a much wider soundstage – it’s ideal for outdoor spaces and large living rooms. The Aura 2 speaker looks really sleek and stylish and blends in nicely with modern home interior décor – it is a medium-sized speaker that does not take up much space and is easy to place around the home including on bookshelves or desktops.
The Verdict?
The Harman Kardon Aura 2 is powerful Bluetooth speaker capable of pumping out stunning lows and very deep bass performance. The sound quality from the Aura 2 is very crisp, with nice midranges and very tight lows that add plenty of depth and complexity to the sound. If you are in the market for a bass-heavy Bluetooth speaker, the Aura 2 will definitely not disappoint. Bass-heavy music genres such as electronic dance music hits hard and come with very tight and bass – the bass does not muddy into the midrange frequencies and stays where it should be as bass. It hits tight and goes really low – you can even feel the bass while listening to the Aura 2 speaker at 70% volume. We also liked the fact that the speaker does not distort at high volume levels, although the higher frequency treble ranges does start to roll off at higher volumes. The speaker has a really sleek and stylish design with ambient lighting that gives it a very unique appearance. It blends in nicely with modern home interior décor and makes for a great conversation piece in the living room or dining room. Overall, it’s definitely a speaker you should get if you love its unique modern design and sleek glass appearance – with great sound quality.
Be sure to check out our top picks for the loudest Bluetooth speakers that produce deep bass and tremendous volume output for music lovers.