Expert's Rating
Pros
Cons
Our Verdict
From the Playlist book:
If JBL’s Creature II — which we’ve reviewed on Playlist and recommend highly — is otherworldly in its design, Harman Kardon’s Soundsticks II system is positively underwaterish. With a sub that looks like a new species of jellyfish and four-driver satellites that will look right at home next to your aquarium, this system certainly won’t go unnoticed on your desk. The good news is that the sound quality will also attract attention, with excellent detail and good overall balance. You don’t get some of the extra features of other systems in this price range, such as a headphone jack or multiple inputs, but given how much better the system looks, that just might be an acceptable tradeoff. As with the Creature II (JBL and Harman Kardon are divisions of the same parent company), you control the volume via touch-sensitive buttons on the right satellite. The only problem with the Soundsticks II is that it may end up taking more of your precious desk space than expected–you’ll be tempted to put the sub where you can see it.
(Full review in progress.)–Dan Frakes