Clearly, when creating their new Onyx Studio 8 speaker system, Harman/Kardon designers were inspired by onyx, a mineral that is a type of agate. The portable speaker itself is very similar to a small spaceship – black, blue and light gray.
For example, the acoustic fabric covering the body is made of recycled polyester thread, and the packaging of the model fully complies with the requirements of the American Forest Stewardship Council (FSC). Many see it as a miniature of the planet – thanks to the aluminum carrying handle, which in its shape resembles the ring of Saturn.
The handle also doubles as a stand that the speaker rests on to stand on flat surfaces in an upright position. It’s an interesting design that won’t suit everyone, but it’s nice to see
The round body of the speaker seems to float in the air. And the Harman/Kardon Onyx Studio 8 is as nice to look at as it is to touch: it’s finished in premium acoustic fabric. At the top of the speaker there are convenient buttons that fit perfectly into the overall concept: power switch, Bluetooth pairing, volume control.
And on the back you can find an AUX port for connecting other audio sources, a power input and USB-C for updating equipment. In addition, you can pair two units for stereo sound using Wireless Dual Sound technology. Under the grille, two 1-inch tweeters and one 4.8-inch woofer produce a total of 50 watts and provide a frequency response of 50 Hz to 20 kHz.
Harman/Kardon Onyx Studio 8 is a portable device. This means that the speaker can work without being connected to the network. The battery capacity is quite large – 3250 mAh. This is enough to continuously listen to music for up to 8 hours.
However, the listening time may be affected by the volume level. A sound volume of 80 dB will be more than enough for both a cozy family evening at home and a noisy party outdoors. It will take about 5 hours to fully restore the charge.
Conclusion
Throwing almost 3.3 kg into a backpack and constantly carrying almost 3.3 kg on your shoulders is not a particularly tempting idea. And the dimensions are not small: 268.0×302.5×159.5 mm. Therefore, it is not difficult to conclude that the Harman/Kardon Onyx Studio 8 is a desktop speaker system.
It was created in order to enjoy pleasant high-quality sound at home or, for example, in the office. The weight of the device determines the format of its use. There is no aux input cable included, which is disappointing for the price.