Harman kardon esquire 2 reviews.
Harman/Kardon Esquire 2 literally gives off chic - design, materials, leather-like finish. And the manufacturer acts as a guarantee that the sound of this baby will be deep and not deprived of details. But something went wrong and such an expensive handsome man does not match his appearance ...
Contents of delivery
I'm probably some kind of box fetishist, because I love beautiful packaging, inside which everything lies neatly in its forms. It is in such a box that Esquire 2 comes with a magnetic lid, beautiful design and foam molds for the speaker itself, documentation and charging cable.
Design, materials
The appearance of the speaker is simply a paradise for a connoisseur of sophisticated style, everything is so beautiful, neat, expensive and at the same time not pretentious. Three colors are available for sale: black, silver and gold, as in our case. Flagship smartphones will look great near such a column.
The entire front part with the frame is cast from aluminum, which adds strength. The back wall has a leather-like finish and a folding leg in the form of a Harman/Kardon logo slash. Photos only partially convey the charm of design delights, so you know - the device looks even brighter live.
Ergonomics
As part of my job, I constantly use portable speakers both at home and outdoors. It is important for me that the portable does not take up much space, plays well and looks stylish. We have already talked about appearance, we will touch on the sound further, but we will talk about ease of use now. At a glance, it may seem that a rectangular shape with thin ends is completely impractical - does it mean that the speakers will always be directed upwards? In fact, far from fools work in Harman, and this moment was taken into account.
On the rear "leather" wall, as already mentioned, there is a folding leg, due to which the column can be installed vertically. The solution is convenient, however, it is a pity that you can not adjust the angle of inclination. In most cases, the smartphone cannot be leaned on the speaker - so using the Esquire 2 as a stand will not work.
Connection
The main interface for connecting sources is Bluetooth. You can also listen to music wired, for which the AUX connector is responsible. Charging takes place already by the classical method (via USB). There is an indicator on the front that shows the connection status. On the left side there are five battery status diodes, on the right side there is a 3.5 mm audio jack, microUSB for charging and a full-size USB.
Controls
Control buttons are placed on top, with the help of which the speaker is turned on, Bluetooth pairing mode is activated, calls are received and the microphone is turned off. To the right you can see the volume rocker.
sound
As you can see from the intro, the sound is a little let down. It's not that he's bad, just mediocre, which doesn't fit in well with the big picture. With that look and the Harman/Kardon nameplate, you expect at least cleanliness and at least some depth. But in our case, deafness, smeared bass and mediocre detail rule the ball. All of the above is clearly manifested when connected via Bluetooth (and, by the way, not with all sources). As soon as the FiiO X5-II portable player was connected to the speaker with a cable, the sound immediately became fresher and juicier, the bass became more accentuated and elastic, the general barrel-shaped sound was gone. And believe it or not, but after a couple of weeks the sound became more cheerful, the speakers warmed up, so to speak.
Chart songs from Hozier, Adele, Major Lazer, Coldplay, Kygo, One Republic, etc. sound nice. But on heavier songs, the speaker stumbles / hiccups.
speakerphone
But what pleasantly surprised me was the excellent implementation of the speakerphone system, for which as many as four microphones are responsible - the interlocutor hears you perfectly. You can safely move around and talk on Harman/Kardon Esquire 2 (tested personally in a room of 15 m²).
Autonomy, Power Bank
Inside, there is a Li-ion battery with a capacity of 3200 mAh, which allows you to listen to music for up to 8 hours with a wireless connection and medium volume. Another important functional point is the ability to charge portable devices via USB.
Results
Harman/Kardon Esquire 2 is a fashionable pop singer, elegant and handsome, with calm vocals. If you force him to sing Metallica's Enter Sandman, then nothing will come of it, but to perform a cover of a Coldplay song is always welcome. The model turned out to be functional, with the ability to charge other portable devices via USB, excellent speakerphone implementation and stylish design. What's the cost? Yes, $200. But this is Harman/Kardon.
Liked:
materials
Quality microphones
Wired and wireless connection
Did not like:
- Not suitable for heavy music
The editors thank the Portable store for providing Harman / Kardon Esquire 2 for testing
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Harman/Kardon Esquire 2 Gold (HKESQUIRE2GLD) 5 999 - 6 999 UAH Compare prices |
| Type of | Portable speakers |
| Installation | universal |
| Connection | wired, wireless |
| Number of channels | 1.0 |
| Number of lanes | 2 |
| Speaker power, W | 16 (2x8) |
| Frequency range, Hz | 75-20000 |
| Signal-to-noise ratio, dB | 80 |
| Amplifier | built-in |
| Phase inverter | — |
| USB | Micro USB x1 (for charging) |
| Bluetooth | Bluetooth 4.1 |
| Airplay | — |
| NFC | + |
| RCA | — |
| mini Jack 3.5mm | x1 |
| Built-in FM receiver | — |
| Built-in audio player | — |
| Food | USB, battery |
| Autonomy, hours (battery capacity, mAh) | 8 hours / 3200 mAh |
| Housing material | plastic/metal |
| Finishing material | no data |
| Dimensions, mm | 130x190x34 |
| Weight, kg | 0,599 |
| Color | golden |
| Equipment | micro USB cable, AUX cable |
| Additionally | Built-in microphone |
Completely redesigned Esquire - the first version was heavy and incomprehensible, in the second version everything was redone and it turned out very well. Less weight, better sound...
Design, construction
Let me remind you, the first column called Esquire was a rather strange gadget. It seems to be a compact thing, but the weight is more than a kilogram. You expect good sound, but classmates in terms of weight (not size) show the best result. At that time, these were several Bose speakers, but now some JBL gadgets can be cited as a competitor. Although HK had its undeniable advantages - elegant design, leather trim, metal body, good voice quality. The designers of the company had a difficult task - to make the good in Esquire even better, eliminate the negative aspects and come up with a positioning that leaves no questions. Which is what was done. And the younger version of Esquire called Mini helped in this. In my opinion, the thing is stupid in terms of sound, but with an undeniably good design, an attractive toy that can work both as a speakerphone and as an external battery.
What was done in the second version? They took the successful design of the Mini, reduced the weight, improved the quality of speech transmission, sound, and it turned out to be a very good speaker for those who are annoyed by the youthful appearance of JBL and the classic Bose. In the modern world, there are consumers for Esquire 2, I assume that it will be very good to buy it for a gift - it looks stylish, it's hard to find fault with functionality, plus you can still arrange conferences. And here we are not talking about some mythical people in jackets sitting in a negotiation room. Here, my friend and I recently called up other friends at home and for this we used one speaker with a microphone - alas, it’s not very convenient to talk, you have to raise your voice, repeat. I think Esquire 2 would make our lives a lot easier.
As I said, the design was borrowed from the Mini. A metal grill covers the speakers, a small light indicator on top. When viewed from above, on the right are USB, AUX connectors for connecting the speaker via cable and a microUSB connector, at the bottom are rubber feet for mounting on a stand, on the left is a battery indicator, on the top are buttons for volume control, on / off, activation of pairing mode, answer a call and mute the microphone. The buttons are pressed with a pleasant effort. The back part is trimmed with leather, there is a stand in the form of a slash (the expression slash is more familiar to many), in order to easily remove it, you do not need to hook it on the bottom, you just need to press on the top part. The speaker can be listened to using a stand or placed on a table.
Three colors - black, graphite and gold, in the company it is called "champagne shade".
It is very difficult to find fault with the appearance of the device, it seems to me that Harman Kardon Esquire 2 is able to please any consumer - although JBL solutions are more suitable for young people. Different bright colors, water protection, more affordable price.
The Esquire 2 measures 190 x 34 x 130 mm and weighs 599 grams. That is, five hundred grams less than the first version.
Working hours
Claimed battery life is 8 hours, USB charging is about four hours. There is no power supply included, just a flat cable. A 3200 mAh battery is used, other gadgets can be charged using the USB connector, this is a convenient feature.
Voice quality
There are four microphones in the corners, sound pickup is declared from either side of the speaker, VoiceLogic technology is supported - the technology was announced by HARMAN in 2014, you can read more. In short, HARMAN decided to pay attention to the quality of voice transmission also because modern smartphones and tablets are largely tied to the use of voice as another control method, and you should be comfortable not only communicating using portable speakers, but also using Siri or Google services. To put it even more simply, voice quality is very important, and HARMAN pays enough attention to this. Well, VoiceLogic is a software and hardware complex, microphones that work in conjunction with software responsible for suppressing background noise and echo. Another plus is the convenience in conversation, the full impression of a normal conversation on the phone, when you do not need to raise your voice (even if the music is not too loud nearby). In the future, VoiceLogic may be used in cars, televisions and other devices.
In general, the voice quality of the Esquire 2 is at a good level, I liked to communicate using the device.
Sound quality
Two speakers are installed inside, the total power is 16 W, the frequency range is 75 Hz - 20 kHz, the signal-to-noise ratio is > 80 dB, for a small speaker, these figures are not particularly important. The sound quality is good, it seems to me that the weight has been reduced, but the Esquire 2 sounded better than the first version. Despite the size, low frequencies are felt, and in general the impressions from the device remain very good. It is better to put it on a wooden table, you can literally feel the sound under your hands.
conclusions
In retail, the device costs 12,490 rubles, this is the RRP, everything else depends on the greed of the sellers. Personally, I liked the changes, I myself would be happy to use Esquire 2 in my daily activities. It was possible to eliminate all the shortcomings of the first version and highlight the advantages - the niche of the device is clear. Stylish speaker with good sound quality, excellent voice quality, can charge your smartphone, you can install it on a stand or listen like that. Highly recommend, worth the money.
The Harman/Kardon Esquire 2 is a very stylish wireless speaker system. It is equipped with a teleconferencing system, a four-channel microphone, four sound membranes and a powerful battery that will recharge the connected device. Built-in Bluetooth technology will provide wireless connection to up to three gadgets. The column is equipped with a convenient retractable stand.
Clear, surround sound
Harman/Kardon Esquire 2 is equipped with Bluetooth support, built-in conference call system and proprietary noise reduction technology. The VoiceLogic Noise Canceling Teleconferencing System and the built-in 4-channel microphone that picks up sound in a 360-degree radius ensure that audio is received and transmitted clearly, even in the noisiest environments. The speaker is also equipped with four sound membranes, which will provide loud rich low tones and bright high tones in the frequency range from 75 Hz to 20 kHz. A powerful battery with a capacity of 3200 mAh will not only allow you to listen to music for 8 hours, but also recharge your gadget via a USB cable.
Stylish and comfortable
Harman/Kardon Esquire 2 has a stylish, sleek design and is made from quality materials. The body of the speaker is made of aluminum, which has a natural leather trim. The retractable stand will help to place the device steadily on the table, which is very convenient for conferences. Thanks to its small size, you can always take it with you to any meeting. The Harman/Kardon Esquire 2 speaker system is sure to meet your needs for quality teleconferencing and mobile audio.
Peculiarities:
- Teleconferencing system
- 3200 mAh battery
- Bluetooth technology with 3 gadgets connection
- Retractable stand
- VoiceLogic Noise Reduction
- Sleek design
I have long wanted to buy a small wireless speaker, but with one condition: that the sound quality is excellent. And now my dream came true, we went to the store to choose a column. I chose from the speakers of three companies: JBL, Harman Kardon and Sony. In terms of dimensions, design and sound quality, we chose Harman Kardon ESQUIRE 2. In the store, after listening to music on several speakers from different companies, Harman Kardon ESQUIRE 2 was not equal, among the same in terms of power.
Harman/Kardon is a well-known American company. Harman/Kardon was founded by two friends Sydney Harman and Bernard Cardon in 1953. Both are rightfully called enthusiastic scientists, since from the very beginning they showed an interest in maximizing the development of high-quality sound reproduction technologies. By 1956, Bernard Cardon had sold all of his shares to Sydney Harman, who later became the sole owner of the company.
The company is one of the main suppliers of radio equipment for BMW, Mini, Mercedes-Benz, Harley-Davidson, Subaru Land Rover, SAAB.
The most advanced technology, the best sound, the most advanced design, made using the latest developments and high-quality materials - these are the principles based on which Sydney Harman built the company. The same principles are at the head of Harman/Kardon today!
Portable speaker specifications:
Type of shell- closed, with retractable leg
Housing material- aluminum/leather
The column has a stylish, elegant design. The front of the column is made of aluminum, and the back wall is made under the skin.
It will look great on the desktop, on the computer table, outdoors, in formal and informal settings. On the back wall there is a retractable leg, with the help of which the speaker can be placed in a vertical position. Moreover, the retractable leg is easily reached by pressing the leg from above. And at the same time, you don’t have to suffer and pick out the leg from below.
Dimensions (WxHxD)- 190x130x34 mm
The weight-599 g
Dimensions and light weight allow you to take the column on vacation, outdoors, fishing, to the office, and anywhere. It does not take up much space and its weight will not pull your hands away.
Number and diameter of emitters- 4 x 32mm drivers
Rated power of built-in amplifier- 2 x 8W
The column has 2 channels with a power of 8 watts.
Bluetooth version- 4.1
Supported Bluetooth protocols- A2DP v1.3, AVRCP v1.5, HFP v1.6, HSP v1.2
Bluetooth transmitter frequency range -2.402-2.480 GHz
Bluetooth version- 4.1- This is the reception of data, as well as the transmission of data without interference.
Frequency range- 75 Hz - 20 kHz
Signal to noise ratio- more than 80 dB
Optimal signal-to-noise ratio
USB output for charging smartphones/tablets- 5V/1A
It can be used to charge a smartphone or tablet.
mini USB port
It charges the built-in battery. Micro USB to USB cable included for charging
Battery type- lithium-ion polymer, 3200 mAh (3.7 V)
Music play time- up to 8 hours
Battery Charging Time- 3.5 to 5.5 hours (depending on the amount of charging current, max.: 2A/5V)
Inputs- Linear 3.5mm Aux
With it, you can listen to music through the wire. For example, we connect an mp3 player, the sound quality is excellent.
Also at the corners of the speaker are 4 microphones, with sound reception at 360 degrees, which catch sound from all directions. Installed Proprietary noise suppression system VoiceLogic. The interlocutor will perfectly hear you, no matter in which corner of the room you are. It is also possible to conduct a conference call with different removal of the interlocutors. Everyone will hear great.
The control buttons are located at the top of the speaker: a speaker power button, a Bluetooth connection button, a call receive button and a microphone mute button, as well as a volume rocker.
We bought a column for 11,500 rubles.
In my opinion, the design, sound quality, and voice transmission functions will appeal to the most demanding customers. We are happy with the purchase. Wherever we have taken it. And on vacation - she didn’t take a lot of space in her suitcase, to the dacha, to fishing, to the gym. It looks great and fits into the design of the apartment. The main advantage, of course, is that despite the small dimensions, high sound quality has been achieved.
Of the shortcomings, I can note only one - a little lack of bass. Otherwise, the sound is excellent. With prolonged use, especially in nature, the upper mesh can be clogged with all sorts of debris. The vacuum cleaner does a great job.
Made in China.
