Harman Kardon Classic On-Ear Headphones

Reviews for Harman Kardon Classic On-Ear Headphones

Customer Reviews and Ratings

5.0 out of 5 stars

Based on 36 reviews

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  • 4.0 out of 5 stars

    Harman/Kardon CL Stereo Headphone Review

    • Written by from Mount Pleasant

    The sound of the H/K CL is near perfect in the bass, but the treble is rolled off quite a bit. The treble is less than the B&W P5 (already treble shy) and slightly more than the Bose OE2i, which has a severe treble rolloff. This tends to make the lower mids murky or muffled. Applying i-device Treble Booster EQ cures most of these problems and makes the H/K CL suitable for use as a portable hi-fi headphone. Whether it qualifies as a high fidelity home stereo headphone depends on several factors, but if home use is the main thing, you can get much better sound with (for example) the Audio-Technica M50 for less money.

    17 of 22 people found this useful

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  • 4.0 out of 5 stars

    Overall good

    • Written by from Kaneohe

    So i got these on a whim. I wanted some new headphones that had good portability and good sound and was $200 or under. I tried the B&W p3's many times in store and i really tried to like them but i just couldn't. Sound was way to muffled and just overall sounded bad for the price. Disappointing since I love the p5's. They didnt have these on display but decided to get them anyways.

    At first i didn't like this sound but i've come accustomed to it. I really like it now. It provides a nice rich sound that is never harsh or sibilant.

    When i first heard them i wasn't blown away. Sound was muffled compared to my aviators which are great for rock. These are okay for rock. The bass is really nice. It is definitely there but doesn't thump annoyingly and extends real low making a really rich sounding bass. The mids are nice and smooth and non fatiguing. The highs are rolled off.

    The soundstage is also bigger than i expected. It was bigger than my SK Aviators. Not amazing but not bad at all.

    The noise isolation is also pretty good. Works well for me when walking around or in a restaurant or something but on the bus i had to crank it up a bit.

    The headphones are built well from what i can tell and the cable is nice and thick.

    The headphones fold flat but they dont fold up. The case provided is a bit big but i really like it anyways.

    Overall i like these headphones and will be keeping them.

    6 of 6 people found this useful

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  • 4.0 out of 5 stars

    Harman Kardon Classic Headphones: OK with glasses

    • Written by from Toronto

    Having read as many reviews as I could find and knowing there has been some concern about some discomfort when wearing these headphones with glasses, I tested them in store along with the B&W P3s and some other sets.

    Other reviews of the P3s are spot on: they sound good and are comfortable, but compared to the HK Classics, their sound is definitely muddled and not as sharp. I really like the B&W C5 earbuds, but I found the P3s lacking somehow.

    The Harman Kardon Classics give a crisp, full sound, with just enough bass.

    Re: comfort: At first, using the "small" metal band that came attached to the set, there was some discomfort behind my ears (I wear Ørgreen glasses; titanium and very thin, yet there was still noticeable pinching). When I switched to the larger band, I found I could slide the cups a bit further down so they don't pinch the tops of my ears as much. They still provide full coverage of my ears and they fit more comfortably. The downside is that the large band is a bit too big, ideally, for my head. Not too bad, but there is some slippage.

    I'll test it out for another week and give an update. If I get used to them over time, I foresee bumping the rating up to a 5; the sound is great!

    6 of 7 people found this useful

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  • 4.0 out of 5 stars

    Don't get if you were glasses; really good otherwise

    • Written by from richmond hill

    these are amazing headphones, but they are extremely uncomfortable if you were glasses. This is because of their pinching force on top of the ear. they are very comfortable if you don't were glasses. sound quality really good, a little shy on treble, but much better than the P3. decent noise isolation.

    3 of 3 people found this useful

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