Harman Kardon and Dynaudio are two renowned and well respected brands in the audio industry that produces high quality car speakers, headphones, soundbars, and subwoofers.
In this article, we will cover a general overview of both brands, looking specifically at sound quality, durability, price and so on. Of course, each brand has different devices at different price points, however we will compare them as closely as we can.
Dynaudio is a well-regarded brand in the audio industry known for its high-quality speakers and headphones, while Harman Kardon is a well-known brand in the audio industry known for its high-quality home theater systems and audio equipment.
Pros and Cons of Harman Kardon:
- Pros: Known for producing a wide range of audio products, including speakers, headphones, and home theater systems. Many of their products are well-regarded for their sound quality and value for money.
- Cons: Connection issues are common with this brand.
Pros and Cons of Dynaudio:
- Pros: Known for producing high-quality speakers with excellent sound quality and strong bass response. Many of their products are designed to be aesthetically pleasing and can be a good fit for a home theater setup.
- Cons: Some of their products can be expensive, and some users have reported issues with durability.
Quick History
Harman Kardon Quick History
In 1953, Sidney Harman and Bernard Kardon partnered to establish the Harman Kardon audio equipment company. In 1954, Harman Kardon manufactured the world’s first true receiver system with the production of the Festival D1000 for non-technical users.
After Bernard Kardon left, Harman created a parent brand, Harman International Industries, through which he took on new businesses, including JBL, Soundcraft, Newsweek Magazine, and many others.
Harman Kardon products include stereo receivers and CD players, headphones, home theater, AV receivers, car stereos, and other audio equipment.
Dynaudio Quick History
Dynaudio is a Danish loudspeaker manufacturer that was founded in 1977. Dynaudio builds car speakers using only their own drivers, for home use, professional use and car audio systems. Dynaudio products have been used by BBC, Volvo, Bugatti, Volkswagen and several recording studios.
However, Volkswagen has switched to a different audio supplier for most of its new vehicles. Currently, only the Volkswagen Touareg is still available with a Dynaudio sound system from the factory.
Sound Quality
Harman Kardon Sound Quality
Harman Kardon has done a great job of protecting the brand’s recording technology patents. They have ensured that all audio equipment from the brand produces high-quality audio that is almost as perfect as it was recorded in the studio.
Harman Kardon’s audio devices are targeted at primary consumers but intend to deliver quality. Hence, audio equipment from Harman Kardon provides balanced treble and bass, clear, and clean sounds that make it a better choice all the time.
However, one thing some people might find distressing about Harman Kardon is the fact that they can be bassy. An untuned Harman Kardon speaker has a bit of an overpowering bass effect to it, although you can always re-tune this to the way you would like it.
Dynaudio Sound Quality
Dynaudio devices are known for their precise sound and sensitive response. Their in-house drivers have superb audio reproduction, with well-balanced tones.
Some of their tweeters use their Hexis built-in dome for rich amounts of detail in the sound output. Coupled with their in-house woofer driver, you get a well-balanced sound output that doesn’t blow out or subdue some tonal ranges.
Features
Harman Kardon Features
Harman Kardon is a brand that is focused on delivering the best audio equipment.
There are several modern features on Harman Kardon products which include the multi-pairing feature on most new Harman Kardon speakers.
The feature allows the speaker to connect to multiple devices at once. Harman Kardon’s Automatic Multi-beam Calibration (AMC) in their soundbar adjusts the surround sound to your room set up.
Dynaudio Features
Dynaudio devices have a lot of useful features that make them easier to use or improve their sound quality. Some common features found in Dynaudio devices are:
- Wide selection of ports, including HDMI, USB, coax, aux input and optical audio input.
- Wireless connection using wifi or Bluetooth
- Stream from iRadio, Apple Airplay, UPnP™ via wireless network connection
- Play music streamed from macOS, iOS, Android, Windows or Windows Mobile devices using a Bluetooth wireless connection.
- Provide USB battery charging for appropriate devices.
Build Quality
Harman Kardon Build Quality
One thing that is common to Harman Kardon is its impressive build quality. Harman Kardon pays special attention to the design of each product, which includes the components, sound quality, and overall durability.
Their designs differ depending on the brand. For example, those with the JBL logo on them are mostly known for having fewer aesthetics but a powerful body that lasts a long time.
However, those with Harman Kardon directly written on them have a pretty interesting design that is sometimes unorthodox (like the Esquire speaker) but with a weaker structural delivery.
Another addition that is worth noting is that Harman Kardon products are mostly not a great fit for outdoor use. This may be because they are mostly focused on consumer products.
Dynaudio Build Quality
Dynaudio is very conscious about the quality of its products, down to the smallest components. They manufacture their own drivers and use the best materials for the components.
The Dynaudio Evoke 10, for example, has a magnesium silicate polymer (MSP) woofer and coated soft dome tweeter for excellent durability and accurate sound output.
The body is constructed from durable materials such as wood veneer, aluminum and sturdy plastic that are braced and damped to minimize vibrations.
Ease of Use
Harman Kardon Ease Of Use
Harman Kardon products have varied sizes and are mostly waterproof.
These two factors ensure they are easy to carry around and easy to use anywhere. However, the absence of a 3.5mm input port on some of their products makes them a little hard to use, although this is compensated for with Bluetooth connectivity.
Another problem with using some Harman Kardon products is that they focus so much on the design that it affects non-technical users. An example of this is seen in the design of the Harman Kardon Soundstick 3.
However, the Bluetooth multi-pairing feature in some Harman Kardon speakers improves its usability as it allows you to connect more than one device to the speaker at once.
Dynaudio Ease Of Use
Dynaudio devices are easy to set up and operate. They support the use of infrared remotes and the Connect Control app which makes it still much easier to use them
Cost
Harman Kardon Cost
An average Harman Kardon JBL Portable Bluetooth speaker has a price range of around 40-400 dollars. However, here is a more concise idea of the Harman Kardon products:
- Headphones from $44 to around $500
- Earbuds from $40 to $120
- Soundbar from $150 to $1000
- Home theaters and surround speakers from about $150 to $1700 (full sound system)
However, there might be a slight difference in this price when getting any of the products. This price difference can be noticed across different regions and dealers.
Although most people buy them because of the delightful sound and quality, some people still feel the Harman Kardon devices are too expensive regardless of what they offer.
Dynaudio Cost
Most Dynaudio devices have midrange prices, but some of their products have high-end price tags. The price ranges of some Dynaudio devices are given below.
Floorstanding: $1200 – $25,000
Bookshelf: $400 – $5000
Subwoofers: From $2400 and above
Transmitters: From $300 and above
Space Requirements
Harman Kardon Space Requirements
Harman Kardon products are some of the best audio equipment with space efficiency. They have a range of portable devices that can be placed almost anywhere without taking up too much space.
Their home theater systems come with a pretty sleek design, with portable speakers and subwoofers in most cases. An example of this is the HKTS 65 home theater speaker system.
Dynaudio Space Requirements
Dynaudio devices vary a lot in size. They have desktop/bookshelf models to large, floorstanding speakers. For example, the petite Dynaudio Evoke 10 desktop speakers measure 180x315x266mm (WHD) and weigh 6.7kg compared to the Dynaudio Emit 50 that measures 8.1″ x 44.9″ x 12.3″ (WHD) and weighs a hefty 57.2 lbs.
Remote Controls
Harman Kardon Remote Controls
Harman Kardon allows you to easily control and have a relaxing musical experience with the remote control. They have a physical remote control that mostly comes with soundbars and the home theater system.
However, you can also download the Harman Kardon remote app for Apple, Android, and PC use. The remote allows you to play music and control your Harman Kardon device from anywhere in your house.
Dynaudio Remote Controls
Dynaudio devices can be remotely controlled using an infrared remote or the Dynaudio Connect Control app. To use the app, the devices have to be connected over the same WiFi network.
Power Range
Harman Kardon Power Range
The power range of most Harman Kardon speakers varies from portable devices to much larger ones. A device such as the Harman Kardon Automotive Mini, with 12 high-performing speakers, has a power range of around 360 watts.
However, in a much smaller device like the Harman Kardon HKTS 15, the power range in the 5.1 speaker system is around 100 watts.
Dynaudio Power Range
Dynaudio devices come with large power ranges for powerful sound output. The Dynaudio Evoke 10 is rated at 160 Watts peak power. The much larger Dynaudio Emit 50 is rated at 240 Watts.
Frequency Response
Harman Kardon Frequency Response
In a Harman Kardon receiver (using the AVR 1610 specs as an example), the frequency range is around 87 MHz to 108 MHz. Interestingly, in another device, such as the portable Onyx Studio 4 speaker, the frequency range is just about 50Hz to 20kHz.
When you need to get a Harman Kardon product, you can request the spec of the particular device to know the frequency response.
Dynaudio Frequency Response
The frequency response ranges vary from device to device, though they all are within recommended levels for maximum enjoyment.
The petite Dynaudio Evoke 10 has a frequency response range from 47Hz–23kHz, which is excellent for a speaker of its size. The Dynaudio Emit 50 floorstanding speakers span a wider 33Hz – 25KHz.
Conclusion
If you need a good sound system in the future, you can put your faith in Focal. Decades of experience have made the organization into a market-leading brand. Try Focal for your next sound upgrade if you’re looking for great sound quality and high-fidelity sound.
Dynaudio is a brand that manufactures devices that deliver quality audio output with great accuracy. The great thing is that you can enjoy their devices whether you have money to spend or you are on a tight budget.
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