Onyx Studio 2 upgrades Bluetooth music experience

Harman Kardon’s Onyx Studio 2

By Yoon Sung-won

Harman Kardon, the premium audio device maker of Harman Group, has rolled out Onyx Studio 2 as an upgrade to the premium Bluetooth speaker.

The Onyx Studio 2 offers a combination of high-quality Bluetooth sound production capability and a luxurious design.

Like its predecessor, Onyx Studio 2 has two three-inch woofers, two 0.75-inch tweeters and two passive radiators, which are inside the front cover and on the back, and produce a total of 60-watt (W) audio output with an especially rich bass tone.

The 60W output volume was overly abundant when played indoors and enough even to be listened to outdoors.

In order to have sound production output, the device has sacrificed portability to some extent, weighing about 2.1 kilograms.

It has two legs under its circular speaker body that keep it stable on a flat surface even when it trembles. But at the same time, these non-foldable legs also make the device inconvenient to be carried outdoors despite the handle.

Onyx Studio 2 has Harman Chardon’s unique modern design and its monotone colors ― black and white ― help it better blend in with household furniture.

The audio device provides Bluetooth 3.0 interface to access mobile devices but does not support other wireless connection options such as Wi-Fi or digital living network alliance (DLNA). It can support two devices connected at the same time.

Unlike the original Onyx Studio, the sequel has an auxiliary port and is thus compatible with audio devices that do not support Bluetooth technology.

Its 2,600mAh lithium-ion rechargeable battery runs slightly less than five hours when fully charged.

Onyx Studio 2 also has a built-in speakerphone with a noise-cancelling technology called VoiceLogic that supports hands-free calling.

An Onyx Studio 2 costs 399,000 won ($311) in Korea.