Up for sale is my 2.1 Harman Kardon Speaker System for the computer, Works with PC and Mac, in excellent like new condition, Cash and pickup only. Location: Forest Hills; Price: $180; Read more. SoundSticks Speaker Harman Kardon Sponsored Link. Harman Kardon Speaker Anti-dust Cover - Silicone Lip for Harman Kardon Soundsticks II, III and Aura Studio 1, 2 Bluetooth Transparent Speaker System (Cat Black) 4.6 out of 5 stars 40. Harman Kardon SoundSticks Wireless Bluetooth Speaker System 4.3 out of 5 stars 954.
| Industry | Electronics |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1953; 67 years ago |
| Founders | Sidney Harman Bernard Kardon |
| Headquarters | , U.S |
| Products | audio equipment |
| Parent | Harman International |
| Website | harmankardon.com |
Harman Kardon (stylized as harman / kardon) is a division of US-based Harman International Industries, a subsidiary of Samsung Electronics, and manufactures home and car audio equipment.
It was its original division, founded in 1953 by Sidney Harman and Bernard Kardon.[1]
History[edit]
In the early 1950s, Sidney Harman was the general manager of the David Bogen Company, a manufacturer of public address systems at the time. Bernard Kardon was the chief engineer at Bogen. Due to management changes at Bogen in the early 1950s, both men resigned. With $5,000 investment each, Sidney Harman and Bernard Kardon founded the Harman Kardon Company in 1953.
In the 1950s Harman Kardon designed some of the first high fidelity audio products that lent to starting the high fidelity business. Integrated receivers (with a tuner, preamplifier and power amplifier) was an idea to introduce and provide high fidelity performance in a single unit. However, integrated high fidelity receivers were not new as, for example, Scott Radio Laboratories had manufactured such items in the late 1930s.[2] The company's first product was an FM tuner.
One year after its founding, in 1954, Harman Kardon introduced their compact size high fidelity receiver, the Festival D1000. The D1000 was one of the world's first AM/FM compact Hi-Fi receivers, and a forerunner to today's integrated receivers. This monaural unit was aimed to introduce non-technical consumers to high fidelity and combined many now-familiar features such as a tuner, component control unit and amplifier in a single chassis. The shape, form function and size of the D1000 was a forerunner of the modern integrated receiver. Early Harman Kardon Hi-Fi equipment can be identified by a distinctive design of a copper plated chassis with a copper and black color scheme for panels and enclosures.[3]
By 1956, Bernard Kardon decided to retire and sold his interest in the company to Sidney Harman. As the sole head of Harman Kardon, Harman continued to make the company a technical leader in Hi-Fi products. Sidney Harman would change the company's name to Harman International, but the receivers, tuners and amplifiers were still branded Harman Kardon. The products continue to be branded as Harman Kardon.
In 1958, Harman Kardon introduced one of the first stereo receivers, the Festival TA230, once again aimed at non-technical users with the intention of making high-fidelity stereo widely available. Stereo sound was achieved by using one channel from the AM band, and one channel from the FM band. This early form of stereophonic reception was called simulcast stereo. Early FM broadcast signals did not have the stereo carrier (pilot) signal that carried the stereo left and right channels. After the stereo signal standard was established, a stereo multiplex circuit connected to or built into the receiver was used to decode the stereo signal. The first true FM Multiplex Stereo Receiver was sold by H.H. Scott in 1961 with introduction of the Model 350 tuner.[3]
In 1959, Harman Kardon marketed the Citation II, an early ultra wideband stereophonic tube amplifier. It featured 60 watts/channel output with a frequency response of 18-60,000 Hz at 20 watt output.[4] The company promoted their philosophy of designing high fidelity sound using amplifiers that provided widest possible audio bandwidth. Although the human ear highest audible range is around 20,000 Hz, the full range of sound goes beyond that with harmonics and overtones that may be beyond the hearing range of the human ear. These harmonics interact with other frequencies to produce audible secondary sounds or interference.[3]
In 1969 Harman bought the major speaker manufacturer JBL. In 1970 Harman marketed the first stereophonic cassette recording deck with Dolby B noise reduction.[3]
In 1976, Harman supported Jimmy Carter's bid to become President of the United States. When Carter became President, he appointed Harman to be the Deputy Secretary of Commerce. As US law required appointees to have no direct business interests in day-to-day activities, Harman had to sell the company, and he sold the company to Beatrice Foods, a large conglomerate, for $100 million.
1980 brought the introduction of the Citation XX high current amplifier, which provided quicker response to large signal transitions from the power amplifier to the speakers. The Citation XX amplifier was called 'the world's best-sounding power amplifier' by the editors of The Audio Critic magazine.[5] The amplifier was designed by Finnish engineer Dr. Matti Otala [fi] who discovered transient intermodulation distortion (TIM) in 1970[6] and worked to mitigate its effects in the following years. The Citation XX was a project to get the best possible measurements of output signals, and the best perceived sound.[7] A record player with tangential pick-up arm Rabco was released in 1980, too.[8]
After the Carter presidency, Harman regained ownership of Harman International. In 1980 he purchased Harman International from Beatrice Foods for $55 million. However, the receiver group was not included in the purchase because Beatrice Foods had previously sold the group to the Japanese company Shin-Shirasuna. The Harman Kardon receiver group was the heart of Harman International, and in 1985 Harman purchased the receiver group and returned the company to its pre-1976 form.
From 1999 to 2007, Harman Kardon worked to develop digital processing for audio products. In 1999 the company introduced the CDR-2 compact disc recorder, the first with 4X high speed dubbing. In 2000, Harman Kardon produced the AVR-7000 audio-video receiver, which was able to decode and process HDCD.
Harman retired in 2007 at the age of 88. At that time he hired technology executive Dinesh Paliwal to succeed him as CEO.
On March 11, 2017, Samsung Electronics announced the acquisition of Harman for a reported purchase price of $US8 billion.[9]
Other Harman Kardon products[edit]
SoundSticks[edit]
The Harman Kardon iSub 2000 Subwoofer and SoundSticks were introduced at the July 2000 Macworld expo. Harman Kardon partnered with Apple to design and manufacture these products.[10]
Apple did the industrial design and mechanical engineering to have the product fit into the Apple product family. This product won an Industrial Design Excellence Awards gold award[11] and was featured on the cover of I.D. magazine. The SoundSticks II were a minor upgrade, with the addition of capacitive volume control buttons and a 3.5mm mini-jack input replacing the previous USB input. The SoundSticks III were a further update changing the styling slightly using black highlights and white lighting to match the new iMacs, instead of green and blue of the original SoundSticks and the SoundSticks II.[12] The Soundsticks Wireless introduced the capability to accept Bluetooth inputs. However, it retains the wires between the speakers.[13]
Car audio[edit]
Harman Kardon supplies or supplied audio equipment to several vehicle manufacturers including Audi, BMW, Land Rover,[14]Mercedes-Benz, MG Rover, Volvo, Buick, Kia, Ssangyong, MINI, Saab, Harley-Davidson, Chrysler, Alfa Romeo, Dodge, Jeep,[15]Ram, Daihatsu, Toyota, Honda, Jaguar, Suzuki, Mitsubishi, Nissan, Subaru and Tata Motors.
Computer speakers[edit]
Harman Kardon Soundsticks Iii For Mac Os
Harman Kardon has made desktop computer speakers. Harman Kardon has also made laptop speakers, which have been used in certain models of Toshiba, Acer notebooks, Asus laptops, AppleiMacs and Huawei's M5 tablets. A pair of Harman Kardon transparent spherical speakers, along with the Apple G4 Mac Cube for which they were designed and produced from 2000 to 2001, are housed in the permanent collection of New York's Museum of Modern Art.
LG Tone Platinum Headset[edit]
Smart speakers[edit]
In 2017, Harman Kardon released a smart speaker, powered by the Microsoft Cortana virtual assistant, called Invoke. In August 2018, Harman Kardon announced the Citation 500, a US$700 smart speaker running the Google Assistant.[16]
Equipment photo gallery[edit]
Harman Kardon F50-XK Tube FM Stereo Multiplex Tuner
Harman Kardon F50-XK Tube FM Stereo Multiplex Tuner (top view)
Dolby S Tapedeck since 1990
Clock widget free download - Alarm Clock, iTunes Lyrics Widget, OneMac Apple Watch widget, and many more programs. Super World Clock. Get one of the best clock widgets for your Mac. Clock widgets. Get an translucent OS X Yosemite styled clock widget for your Mac OS X Dashboard. ↓ Download WATCH. Get the WATCH clock widget right for your Mac OS X Dashboard. Super World Clock. Get one of the best clock widgets for your Mac OS X Dashboard. Flip to the back and choose your region and city. World Clock App for Windows 8 / 10. Super Accurate, 4500+ Locations, Sunrise/Sunset Worldwide, DST Clock Changes, Time Zone Information & more. Large selection of cities from around the world to pick from. Sunrise / Sunset times. DST start and end times. Full support for Desktop and Tablet. Snapped view, so you can see your clocks whilst you work on something else. Fullscreen mode, showing a large clock of the city of choice.
CD-Player HD 710 (1996-1998)[17]
AV-equipment
(about 2005)Harman Kardon iSub Subwoofer (top view)
Harman Kardon Car Audio Speaker in a BMW
See also[edit]
References[edit]
- ^McFadden, R.D. Sidney Harman, Newsweek Chairman, Is Dead at 92., The New York Times, 13 April 2011.
- ^McMahon, Morgan E. (1987). Flick of the Switch. North Highlands, California: Vintage Radio. pp. 167–169. ISBN978-0-914126-10-2.
- ^ abcdKardon, Harman. 'The History of Harman Kardon'. Harman. Retrieved 2013-02-20.
- ^'Harman Kardon Citation II'. Bassboy. Retrieved 2014-04-21.
- ^The Audio Critic. ElectrocompanietArchived 2008-12-04 at the Wayback Machine
- ^Otala, M. 'Transient distortion in transistorized audio power amplifiers', IEEE Xplore. Volume 18, Issue 3, September 1970, pp. 234–239.
- ^The birth of the Otala amplifierArchived 2009-04-26 at the Wayback Machine
- ^Popular Science 6/1980 bei Google Books (englisch), retrieved 2020-04-24.
- ^'Samsung completes $8 billion Harman acquisition'. Retrieved 26 September 2018.
- ^'Harman Kardon History'. Archived from the original on 2015-02-27. Retrieved 2015-02-25.
- ^'iSub: Gold, Consumer Products'. Industrial Designers Society of America. Archived from the original on 2003-12-07. Retrieved 6 December 2014.
- ^SoundSticks page Retrieved on 2011-08-11 Archived August 5, 2011, at the Wayback Machine
- ^SoundSticks pageReview: Harman Kardon SoundSticks Wireless at the Wayback Machine (archived April 4, 2016)
- ^Auto Express September 2006
- ^'Harman Kardon premium audio system'. WK2 Jeeps.com.
- ^Fingas, Jon (27 August 2018). 'Harman Kardon's Google Assistant speaker packs 200W of power'. Engadget. Retrieved 27 August 2018.
- ^hifiengine.com 2020, Harman Kardon HD710, retrieved 27 Mai 2020
External links[edit]
2001 – Apple's desktop computers began to include Harman/Kardon speakers in October 1999, when Harman/Kardon's brand-new Odyssey digital speakers were included with the new slot-loading iMacs.
Since then, Harman/Kardon has codeveloped several new speaker systems with Apple. And with each one's announcement, compatibility requirements became more and more confusing. If you thought the name was weird, you ain't seen nothing yet.
Since I'm so fond of their performance, I decided to make a guide for Harman/Kardon systems to help others out and clear the confusion. I have a cheat sheet a the bottom for quick future reference. Here goes:
iSub
With the introduction of the slot-loading iMacs, Apple announced an accessory subwoofer (a speaker that enhances bass performance) called the iSub. This uses a Harman/Kardon speaker mechanism in a jellyfish-like case designed by Apple's industrial design team. It uses a USB connection to send sound digitally, which is decoded by the amplifier located inside the iSub.
The software it uses (included with Mac OS 9.0.4 and later) was designed to adjust the frequency range of the iMac's internal speakers so they won't overlap with the iSub. This trick also increased maximum volume, since the small internal speakers no longer had to handle deep bass. When it shipped in early 2000, the slot-loading iMacs were the only systems that worked with the iSub, which is manufactured completely by Harman/Kardon.
Spherical Cube Speakers
When Apple first shipped the G4 Cube in August 2000, included were a brand-new Harman/Kardon speaker system. It uses two baseball-sized speakers using a larger version of the Odyssey mechanism built into the slot-loading iMacs. These speakers connect to a small external amplifier that has a headphone jack and a very short USB cable for plugging into the computer.
Unlike the iSub, which has a separate power cable, the speakers were powered by USB. They work fine when plugged into the Cube's USB ports or the USB ports on any Apple monitor that plugs into an ADC port. (More information on ADC ports in my article Farewell CRT.) Although they use Harman/Kardon speaker mechanisms, final assembly is done by Apple.
SoundSticks and Subwoofer
Harman/Kardon also shipped their new SoundSticks around the same time. These combined a subwoofer (that looks almost exactly like the iSub) and two satellite speakers, the SoundSticks, that each contained four Odyssey speakers. The subwoofer, which contains amplifiers for both itself and the satellites, plugs into the computer's USB port and to a power outlet. The satellites plug into the subwoofer with two RCA-type connectors.
These work with any Mac with USB and at least Mac OS 9.0.4. Although these are often called 'SoundSticks w/iSub' (because the subwoofer looks just like an iSub), the SoundSticks subwoofer cannot be used to supplement an iMac's built-in speakers, nor can you plug the satellite speakers into an ordinary iSub. Like the iSub, these were co-designed by Apple but manufactured by Harman/Kardon.
Apple Pro Speakers
Fast forward to Macworld San Francisco 2001. Apple announced new G4 towers with proprietary Digital Audio Connector ports. These are basically a thinner version of the headphone-style jack, powered by the components used in the Cube Speakers' amplifier box. The digital port works with the new Apple Pro Speakers (M), which are, what do you know, Cube speakers with a headphone-like plug and no amplifier box.
The Pro Speakers are a separate add-on, unlike the Cube Speakers, which were only available with the G4 Cube. You can also use the iSub with them, just like with an iMac. For some reason unbeknownst to me, these are manufactured by Apple instead of Harman/Kardon like the iSub and SoundSticks are.
Quick Cheat Sheet with Extra Tips
The iSub only works with iMacs with slot-loading drives – or with G4s made January 2001 and later when used in conjunction with Apple Pro Speakers.
When the iSub is connected to a compatible system, USB sound software adjusts the iMac's or Pro Speakers' frequency range so they don't overlap with the iSub. This also increases their maximum volume.
The Cube Speakers require special 10-watt USB ports to work at full volume. The G4 Cube has these ports, as do all Apple ADC monitors. These special USB ports are sometimes called 20-watt ports by Apple, because the two ports share a single 20-watt supply of power, however, the Cube Speakers only use 10 watts.
The Cube Speakers will work on any Mac with USB and Mac OS 9.0.4 or newer, but the volume will be much lower. This is because regular USB ports only supply 2.5 watts.
You can use the Cube Speakers at full volume with a G4 tower if it has an ADC monitor and they're plugged into an ADC monitor's USB ports. However, they'll only work at a reduced volume if plugged into the G4's own ports or a USB hub.
In the 1950s Harman Kardon designed some of the first high fidelity audio products that lent to starting the high fidelity business. Integrated receivers (with a tuner, preamplifier and power amplifier) was an idea to introduce and provide high fidelity performance in a single unit. However, integrated high fidelity receivers were not new as, for example, Scott Radio Laboratories had manufactured such items in the late 1930s.[2] The company's first product was an FM tuner.
One year after its founding, in 1954, Harman Kardon introduced their compact size high fidelity receiver, the Festival D1000. The D1000 was one of the world's first AM/FM compact Hi-Fi receivers, and a forerunner to today's integrated receivers. This monaural unit was aimed to introduce non-technical consumers to high fidelity and combined many now-familiar features such as a tuner, component control unit and amplifier in a single chassis. The shape, form function and size of the D1000 was a forerunner of the modern integrated receiver. Early Harman Kardon Hi-Fi equipment can be identified by a distinctive design of a copper plated chassis with a copper and black color scheme for panels and enclosures.[3]
By 1956, Bernard Kardon decided to retire and sold his interest in the company to Sidney Harman. As the sole head of Harman Kardon, Harman continued to make the company a technical leader in Hi-Fi products. Sidney Harman would change the company's name to Harman International, but the receivers, tuners and amplifiers were still branded Harman Kardon. The products continue to be branded as Harman Kardon.
In 1958, Harman Kardon introduced one of the first stereo receivers, the Festival TA230, once again aimed at non-technical users with the intention of making high-fidelity stereo widely available. Stereo sound was achieved by using one channel from the AM band, and one channel from the FM band. This early form of stereophonic reception was called simulcast stereo. Early FM broadcast signals did not have the stereo carrier (pilot) signal that carried the stereo left and right channels. After the stereo signal standard was established, a stereo multiplex circuit connected to or built into the receiver was used to decode the stereo signal. The first true FM Multiplex Stereo Receiver was sold by H.H. Scott in 1961 with introduction of the Model 350 tuner.[3]
In 1959, Harman Kardon marketed the Citation II, an early ultra wideband stereophonic tube amplifier. It featured 60 watts/channel output with a frequency response of 18-60,000 Hz at 20 watt output.[4] The company promoted their philosophy of designing high fidelity sound using amplifiers that provided widest possible audio bandwidth. Although the human ear highest audible range is around 20,000 Hz, the full range of sound goes beyond that with harmonics and overtones that may be beyond the hearing range of the human ear. These harmonics interact with other frequencies to produce audible secondary sounds or interference.[3]
In 1969 Harman bought the major speaker manufacturer JBL. In 1970 Harman marketed the first stereophonic cassette recording deck with Dolby B noise reduction.[3]
In 1976, Harman supported Jimmy Carter's bid to become President of the United States. When Carter became President, he appointed Harman to be the Deputy Secretary of Commerce. As US law required appointees to have no direct business interests in day-to-day activities, Harman had to sell the company, and he sold the company to Beatrice Foods, a large conglomerate, for $100 million.
1980 brought the introduction of the Citation XX high current amplifier, which provided quicker response to large signal transitions from the power amplifier to the speakers. The Citation XX amplifier was called 'the world's best-sounding power amplifier' by the editors of The Audio Critic magazine.[5] The amplifier was designed by Finnish engineer Dr. Matti Otala [fi] who discovered transient intermodulation distortion (TIM) in 1970[6] and worked to mitigate its effects in the following years. The Citation XX was a project to get the best possible measurements of output signals, and the best perceived sound.[7] A record player with tangential pick-up arm Rabco was released in 1980, too.[8]
After the Carter presidency, Harman regained ownership of Harman International. In 1980 he purchased Harman International from Beatrice Foods for $55 million. However, the receiver group was not included in the purchase because Beatrice Foods had previously sold the group to the Japanese company Shin-Shirasuna. The Harman Kardon receiver group was the heart of Harman International, and in 1985 Harman purchased the receiver group and returned the company to its pre-1976 form.
From 1999 to 2007, Harman Kardon worked to develop digital processing for audio products. In 1999 the company introduced the CDR-2 compact disc recorder, the first with 4X high speed dubbing. In 2000, Harman Kardon produced the AVR-7000 audio-video receiver, which was able to decode and process HDCD.
Harman retired in 2007 at the age of 88. At that time he hired technology executive Dinesh Paliwal to succeed him as CEO.
On March 11, 2017, Samsung Electronics announced the acquisition of Harman for a reported purchase price of $US8 billion.[9]
Other Harman Kardon products[edit]
SoundSticks[edit]
The Harman Kardon iSub 2000 Subwoofer and SoundSticks were introduced at the July 2000 Macworld expo. Harman Kardon partnered with Apple to design and manufacture these products.[10]
Apple did the industrial design and mechanical engineering to have the product fit into the Apple product family. This product won an Industrial Design Excellence Awards gold award[11] and was featured on the cover of I.D. magazine. The SoundSticks II were a minor upgrade, with the addition of capacitive volume control buttons and a 3.5mm mini-jack input replacing the previous USB input. The SoundSticks III were a further update changing the styling slightly using black highlights and white lighting to match the new iMacs, instead of green and blue of the original SoundSticks and the SoundSticks II.[12] The Soundsticks Wireless introduced the capability to accept Bluetooth inputs. However, it retains the wires between the speakers.[13]
Car audio[edit]
Harman Kardon supplies or supplied audio equipment to several vehicle manufacturers including Audi, BMW, Land Rover,[14]Mercedes-Benz, MG Rover, Volvo, Buick, Kia, Ssangyong, MINI, Saab, Harley-Davidson, Chrysler, Alfa Romeo, Dodge, Jeep,[15]Ram, Daihatsu, Toyota, Honda, Jaguar, Suzuki, Mitsubishi, Nissan, Subaru and Tata Motors.
Computer speakers[edit]
Harman Kardon Soundsticks Iii For Mac Os
Harman Kardon has made desktop computer speakers. Harman Kardon has also made laptop speakers, which have been used in certain models of Toshiba, Acer notebooks, Asus laptops, AppleiMacs and Huawei's M5 tablets. A pair of Harman Kardon transparent spherical speakers, along with the Apple G4 Mac Cube for which they were designed and produced from 2000 to 2001, are housed in the permanent collection of New York's Museum of Modern Art.
LG Tone Platinum Headset[edit]
Smart speakers[edit]
In 2017, Harman Kardon released a smart speaker, powered by the Microsoft Cortana virtual assistant, called Invoke. In August 2018, Harman Kardon announced the Citation 500, a US$700 smart speaker running the Google Assistant.[16]
Equipment photo gallery[edit]
Harman Kardon F50-XK Tube FM Stereo Multiplex Tuner
Harman Kardon F50-XK Tube FM Stereo Multiplex Tuner (top view)
Dolby S Tapedeck since 1990
Clock widget free download - Alarm Clock, iTunes Lyrics Widget, OneMac Apple Watch widget, and many more programs. Super World Clock. Get one of the best clock widgets for your Mac. Clock widgets. Get an translucent OS X Yosemite styled clock widget for your Mac OS X Dashboard. ↓ Download WATCH. Get the WATCH clock widget right for your Mac OS X Dashboard. Super World Clock. Get one of the best clock widgets for your Mac OS X Dashboard. Flip to the back and choose your region and city. World Clock App for Windows 8 / 10. Super Accurate, 4500+ Locations, Sunrise/Sunset Worldwide, DST Clock Changes, Time Zone Information & more. Large selection of cities from around the world to pick from. Sunrise / Sunset times. DST start and end times. Full support for Desktop and Tablet. Snapped view, so you can see your clocks whilst you work on something else. Fullscreen mode, showing a large clock of the city of choice.
CD-Player HD 710 (1996-1998)[17]
AV-equipment
(about 2005)Harman Kardon iSub Subwoofer (top view)
Harman Kardon Car Audio Speaker in a BMW
See also[edit]
References[edit]
- ^McFadden, R.D. Sidney Harman, Newsweek Chairman, Is Dead at 92., The New York Times, 13 April 2011.
- ^McMahon, Morgan E. (1987). Flick of the Switch. North Highlands, California: Vintage Radio. pp. 167–169. ISBN978-0-914126-10-2.
- ^ abcdKardon, Harman. 'The History of Harman Kardon'. Harman. Retrieved 2013-02-20.
- ^'Harman Kardon Citation II'. Bassboy. Retrieved 2014-04-21.
- ^The Audio Critic. ElectrocompanietArchived 2008-12-04 at the Wayback Machine
- ^Otala, M. 'Transient distortion in transistorized audio power amplifiers', IEEE Xplore. Volume 18, Issue 3, September 1970, pp. 234–239.
- ^The birth of the Otala amplifierArchived 2009-04-26 at the Wayback Machine
- ^Popular Science 6/1980 bei Google Books (englisch), retrieved 2020-04-24.
- ^'Samsung completes $8 billion Harman acquisition'. Retrieved 26 September 2018.
- ^'Harman Kardon History'. Archived from the original on 2015-02-27. Retrieved 2015-02-25.
- ^'iSub: Gold, Consumer Products'. Industrial Designers Society of America. Archived from the original on 2003-12-07. Retrieved 6 December 2014.
- ^SoundSticks page Retrieved on 2011-08-11 Archived August 5, 2011, at the Wayback Machine
- ^SoundSticks pageReview: Harman Kardon SoundSticks Wireless at the Wayback Machine (archived April 4, 2016)
- ^Auto Express September 2006
- ^'Harman Kardon premium audio system'. WK2 Jeeps.com.
- ^Fingas, Jon (27 August 2018). 'Harman Kardon's Google Assistant speaker packs 200W of power'. Engadget. Retrieved 27 August 2018.
- ^hifiengine.com 2020, Harman Kardon HD710, retrieved 27 Mai 2020
External links[edit]
2001 – Apple's desktop computers began to include Harman/Kardon speakers in October 1999, when Harman/Kardon's brand-new Odyssey digital speakers were included with the new slot-loading iMacs.
Since then, Harman/Kardon has codeveloped several new speaker systems with Apple. And with each one's announcement, compatibility requirements became more and more confusing. If you thought the name was weird, you ain't seen nothing yet.
Since I'm so fond of their performance, I decided to make a guide for Harman/Kardon systems to help others out and clear the confusion. I have a cheat sheet a the bottom for quick future reference. Here goes:
iSub
With the introduction of the slot-loading iMacs, Apple announced an accessory subwoofer (a speaker that enhances bass performance) called the iSub. This uses a Harman/Kardon speaker mechanism in a jellyfish-like case designed by Apple's industrial design team. It uses a USB connection to send sound digitally, which is decoded by the amplifier located inside the iSub.
The software it uses (included with Mac OS 9.0.4 and later) was designed to adjust the frequency range of the iMac's internal speakers so they won't overlap with the iSub. This trick also increased maximum volume, since the small internal speakers no longer had to handle deep bass. When it shipped in early 2000, the slot-loading iMacs were the only systems that worked with the iSub, which is manufactured completely by Harman/Kardon.
Spherical Cube Speakers
When Apple first shipped the G4 Cube in August 2000, included were a brand-new Harman/Kardon speaker system. It uses two baseball-sized speakers using a larger version of the Odyssey mechanism built into the slot-loading iMacs. These speakers connect to a small external amplifier that has a headphone jack and a very short USB cable for plugging into the computer.
Unlike the iSub, which has a separate power cable, the speakers were powered by USB. They work fine when plugged into the Cube's USB ports or the USB ports on any Apple monitor that plugs into an ADC port. (More information on ADC ports in my article Farewell CRT.) Although they use Harman/Kardon speaker mechanisms, final assembly is done by Apple.
SoundSticks and Subwoofer
Harman/Kardon also shipped their new SoundSticks around the same time. These combined a subwoofer (that looks almost exactly like the iSub) and two satellite speakers, the SoundSticks, that each contained four Odyssey speakers. The subwoofer, which contains amplifiers for both itself and the satellites, plugs into the computer's USB port and to a power outlet. The satellites plug into the subwoofer with two RCA-type connectors.
These work with any Mac with USB and at least Mac OS 9.0.4. Although these are often called 'SoundSticks w/iSub' (because the subwoofer looks just like an iSub), the SoundSticks subwoofer cannot be used to supplement an iMac's built-in speakers, nor can you plug the satellite speakers into an ordinary iSub. Like the iSub, these were co-designed by Apple but manufactured by Harman/Kardon.
Apple Pro Speakers
Fast forward to Macworld San Francisco 2001. Apple announced new G4 towers with proprietary Digital Audio Connector ports. These are basically a thinner version of the headphone-style jack, powered by the components used in the Cube Speakers' amplifier box. The digital port works with the new Apple Pro Speakers (M), which are, what do you know, Cube speakers with a headphone-like plug and no amplifier box.
The Pro Speakers are a separate add-on, unlike the Cube Speakers, which were only available with the G4 Cube. You can also use the iSub with them, just like with an iMac. For some reason unbeknownst to me, these are manufactured by Apple instead of Harman/Kardon like the iSub and SoundSticks are.
Quick Cheat Sheet with Extra Tips
The iSub only works with iMacs with slot-loading drives – or with G4s made January 2001 and later when used in conjunction with Apple Pro Speakers.
When the iSub is connected to a compatible system, USB sound software adjusts the iMac's or Pro Speakers' frequency range so they don't overlap with the iSub. This also increases their maximum volume.
The Cube Speakers require special 10-watt USB ports to work at full volume. The G4 Cube has these ports, as do all Apple ADC monitors. These special USB ports are sometimes called 20-watt ports by Apple, because the two ports share a single 20-watt supply of power, however, the Cube Speakers only use 10 watts.
The Cube Speakers will work on any Mac with USB and Mac OS 9.0.4 or newer, but the volume will be much lower. This is because regular USB ports only supply 2.5 watts.
You can use the Cube Speakers at full volume with a G4 tower if it has an ADC monitor and they're plugged into an ADC monitor's USB ports. However, they'll only work at a reduced volume if plugged into the G4's own ports or a USB hub.
The Mac OS allows only one USB sound device at a time. Thus, the Cube Speakers and the iSub cannot be used together.
The SoundSticks' satellite speakers do not work without the subwoofer, as it houses their amplifier.
The SoundSticks get around the one-device rule by using only one USB connector; signals are routed to the two speakers from the subwoofer. Because of that internal routing, the SoundSticks' subwoofer's relative volume is controlled by a knob, rather than by the Sound control panel as with the iSub.
The SoundSticks' subwoofer and the iSub, although they look very similar, are not interchangeable. The SoundSticks' subwoofer cannot be used in conjunction with iMac or Pro Speakers, and the iSub does not contain the amplifier and connectors needed by the satellites.
The Apple Pro Speakers use a proprietary connector rather than USB; this connector is found only on G4 towers (not Cubes) made January 2001 and later.
Because they don't use USB, you can use the iSub in conjunction with the Pro Speakers and stay within the one-device rule. However, other USB speakers won't work, because they aren't designed to be used with other speakers.
Harman Soundsticks Ll
Resources
- iSub with orange iMac from iSub review, MacNN, 2000.01.21
- iSub Problems with Intel-based Macs, Accelerate Your Mac, 2007.03.16
- Proprietarily Ridiculous – The Apple Pro Speakers, Dremel Junkie, 2012.01.02
- The iSub Hack, The (Electronics) Engineers Shed, 2012.02.19
- How to Bring Your Apple Pro Speakers Back to Life, tonymacx86, 2012-06.11
- SoundSticks Wireless Review: The ‘Apple iSub' Is as Elegant and Powerful as Ever, but ‘Wireless' Is Another Story, Dave Smith, International Business Times, 2013.03.12
Keywords: #isub #harmankardonodyssey #appleprospeakers #soundsticks #harmankardoncompatibility
Short link: http://goo.gl/DA8Nzo
Soundsticks 2
searchword: harmankardoncompatibility
