Skip to main content
  1. Home
  2. Audio / Video
  3. News

Digital Trends may earn a commission when you buy through links on our site. Why trust us?

20-year-old design lives on in Harmon Kardon’s $300 Aura Studio 3 speaker

Simon Cohen
By

Wireless speakers that offer an extra-wide soundstage, like Apple’s $299 HomePod and Amazon’s $200 Echo Studio, are becoming increasingly popular as people look to get the most audio bang for their buck from a single speaker. Now buyers have another choice when it comes to expansive sound: Harmon Kardon’s $300 Aura Studio 3 Bluetooth speaker is now available for pre-order and is expected to start shipping July 1.

Harmon Kardon Aura Studio 3
Harmon Kardon

The Aura Studio 3 is the third generation of Harmon Kardon’s transparent-domed wireless speaker, which uses a design the company has been refining ever since it debuted as the bass module enclosure for its Apple iMac companion Soundsticks speakers in 2000.

Recommended Videos

Previous versions of the Aura speaker have looked visually similar to the Aura Studio 3, but the latest model is a departure from the past in a few notable ways. Older Aura models included an LED light source to provide a visual element along with the music, but the Aura Studio 3 uses an “elegant ripple effect,” which makes the light display more dynamic.

It’s also considerably more powerful than its predecessors. Previous versions used a pair of 15-watt amplifiers to power six circularly arranged midrange drivers (for the 360-degree sound field), while the down-firing woofer was equipped with a 30-watt amp. The Aura Studio 3 uses a similar midrange configuration, but its woofer is now powered by a 100-watt amp, which should give the speaker a much better presence and low-end kick.

However, it’s not all upside for the Aura Studio 3: unlike previous versions, it can’t be used as a speakerphone for making calls.

Perhaps the most surprising omission considering the Aura Studio 3’s price is the lack of Wi-Fi. Virtually all other wireless speakers at this price — and even some previous Aura models — have the option of Wi-Fi connectivity, which is a requirement for voice assistant functionality. It’s also the only way to stream higher-quality music to a wireless speaker.

While some companies, including Harmon Kardon’s sister brand JBL, have been working on providing multi-speaker support via Bluetooth, Harmon Kardon makes no mention of this possibility with the Aura Studio 3’s specs.

Given these considerable drawbacks and the Aura Studio 3’s steep price, it will have to offer truly exceptional sound in order to compete.

Want more news, reviews, guides, and features from Digital Trends? Follow us on Apple News, Google News, and Flipboard.

Topics
Simon Cohen
Simon Cohen
Contributing Editor, A/V
Simon Cohen covers a variety of consumer technologies, but has a special interest in audio and video products, like spatial…
HD to 4K: these home theater projectors are up to $2,000 off
The Optoma UHD55 projector.

While TVs are great, if you want to have a large screen TV that goes over 80 inches, you're liable to spend thousands of dollars, and if you want to go over 100 inches, you may not even find any options at all, especially at the consumer level. Luckily, there are a lot of great projectors that can not only hit those targets but exceed them and do it at a much cheaper cost than a regular TV. Even better, there is quite a big sale right now at Crutchfield on home theater projectors, with everything from budget-friendly options to top-of-the-range stuff.

What you should buy in Crutchfield's projector sale
Not all projectors have to be incredibly expensive, and you can grab a great project for a good price with the Optoma HZ40HDR, which is , saving you a solid $450 in the process. It's an FHD projector, although it can handle 4k and HDR sources,  and the bulb has a 30,000-hour life span, which is pretty great for a budget-oriented projector. On the other hand, if you want 4k, Optomo has a good budget option for that too, the Optoma UHD35STx, which is a 4k short-throw projector with HDR10 and HLG HDR going , which isn't a massive discount on the usual $1,549, but it's still pretty good.

Read more
Best AirPods Max deals: New and refurbished for $440
A woman wearing the Apple AirPods Max.

Shopping the best headphone deals will turn up a number of options from a wide variety of headphone brands, but if you’re interested in what Apple has to offer in terms of premium audio, the Apple AirPods Max are where you’ll want to turn. The AirPods Max are Apple’s top-of-the-line headphones, and while they churn out some impressive audio experiences, they also churn out a hefty price point. With the rumors of AirPods Max 2 going on you’ll be able to find some decent AirPods Max deals out there. We’ve done that hefty lifting for you, however, and have laid out the best AirPods Max deals below. You’ll find deals on both new and refurbished AirPods Max, but click quickly if one of these deals works for you, as Apple deals can be unpredictable and we don’t know how long these will last.
AirPods Max -- $519, were $549

The AirPods Max are Apple's first attempt at a set of over-the-ear headphones. They got a lot of things right. We love these headphones, even when compared against some audiophile options that prioritize sound quality. The AirPods Max have awesome noise cancelling. Everything Apple learned with the earbud-style AirPods works even better with the cup style of the AirPods Max. Along with great ANC comes a great transparency mode. With a twist of the Max's massive knob, you'll go from complete silence to feeling like you're not wearing headphones at all. The audio on phone calls is great as well, and they pair better with the iPhone than any non-Apple headphones could ever hope to.

Read more
Best AirPods Pro deals: Get Apple’s flagship earbuds for $122
The Apple Airpods Pro in their charging case.

Apple’s lineup of headphones has grown over the years. It currently makes a number of AirPods models that can be talked about among the best wireless earbuds. Among them are the AirPods Pro. The AirPods Pro are regularly in contention to be among the best headphones overall as well, and because of their popularity it can be difficult to track down AirPods Pro deals worth shopping. We’ve managed to find some out there, however, and below we’ve rounded up all of the best AirPods Pro deals you can shop right now. You’ll find discounts on both new and refurbished AirPods Pro models, as well as some information on why each model might be best for you.
Apple AirPods Pro (Refurbished) — $122, was $220

While there’s a newer model of AirPods Pro available, the first generation Apple AirPods Pro can still hold their own against some of the best wireless earbuds. Made for a slightly more premium user than something like the Apple AirPods 3, the AirPods Pro have higher end features, including active noise cancellation and a transparency mode, which allows you to hear and interact with the world around you while you have the headphones on. Spatial audio with dynamic head tracking is another impressive feature. This makes watching movies and other content a truly immersive experience. This refurbished model of the Apple AirPods Pro comes with free 30-day returns and a 1-year warranty.

Read more