Sound Check – Harmon Kardon Esquire Speaker

We’ve tried out a lot of different portable speakers at Man of Many, but the Harman Kardon Esquire is one of the best we’ve seen. Whenever we hear the word’s “portable-wireless” it often manifests in a sub-par speaker with the feel of something that should belong in the toy section of Kmart; but this is different, this is Harman Kardon. As one would expect from such an reputable brand, not only is it a gorgeous-looking piece of technology – it actually sounds good too. With platforms like Spotify making it easy to access your music everywhere you go, the Esquire speaker provides a great way to playback a high quality sound to match.

Form

As soon as you pull this baby out the box, it’s clear to see that it’s an exceptionally well-made device. It’s got a sturdy built quality and some equally slick looks. The Esquire features high quality materials and finishes from the aluminum trim, to the leather panel and speaker grille, all culminating in a design that’s as sexy as Margot Robbie’s Wolf of Wall St performance. Perfect for the desk, bookshelf, coffee table or anywhere you choose to lay down your beats.

Function

The Esquire has bluetooth connectivity, AUX input and is NFC-enabled for quick pairing, as well some bonus features you won’t find in most other speakers.

We were impressed by the dual noise cancelling microphones to achieve crystal clear conference calls. This was probably a feature included to appease travelling executives, but it also could come in quite handy for backpackers on drunk Skype chats.

In addition to the 10hr battery life, the charging adapter features 3 USB ports so you can charge your speaker, tablet and phone all at the same time.

Sound

Unlike the clamourous mash up of  treble and distortion you might get with other speakers, the Esquire really packs a powerful punch. The the dual drivers achieve crisp, clear audio quality and is capable of reaching those louder volumes. Best of all, it actually hits the low frequency notes. That’s right, a compact speaker that has bass!

Features

Amplifier power: 2 x 10 watts

Frequency response: 80-22 kHz

Signal to noise ratio: 80 dB

Input Connection: AUX in, Bluetooth

Dimensions: 46.5 x 147 x147 mm

Check it out