Harman Kardon Go + Play Portable Speakers System with Dock for iPod (Black/Silver)
by Harman Kardon
(Click here)
Digital Photo Product Details
Manufacturer: Harman KardonBrand: Harman Kardon
Edition: Electronics
Model: HKGOPLAYBLK
Color: Black and Chrome
Publisher: Harman Kardon
Studio: Harman Kardon
Music Label: Harman Kardon
Product features:
- Plays: iPod mini; iPod nano 1G, 2G, 3G, 4G; iPod classic 3G, 4G, 5G, 5.5G, 6G; iPod touch 1G, 2G; iPhone 1G, 3G
- Charges: iPod mini; iPod nano 1G, 2G, 3G; iPod classic 3G, 4G, 5G
- High-performance portable loudspeaker dock for your iPod with RF remote, auxiliary input, video output, and RF remote
- Atlas and Ridge transducers provide tight, accurate amplification; DSP equalization provides the Go + Play transducers with cool-running power
- RF remote control provides the freedom to enjoy your music - easily change tracks, browse libraries and adjust settings
- Monster iCable 800 MP3 Player to Auxiliary Input Cord (3 Feet)
- Monster THXIMINI8 THX Certified 1/8 Stereo to Stereo RCA Cable Adapter
- Apple iPod nano 8 GB Black (3rd Generation) OLD MODEL
- Apple iPod nano 8 GB Silver (3rd Generation) OLD MODEL
- Apple iPod classic 80 GB Black (6th Generation) OLD MODEL
Digital Cameras Photo Reviews of Harman Kardon Go + Play Portable Speakers System with Dock for iPod (Black/Silver)
Customer Review: It will make an audiophile out of you
Summary: 5 Stars
I just bought this for a steal on ebay for $124, remanufactured, sold by Harman Kardon, with 30-day any-reason return policy with no restocking fee, and the same warranty that comes with a new unit. I opened it up today and It's ABSOLUTELY SUPERB.
Now for my review. I researched many, many models before settling on this one. I have a JBL on-stage II which I like a lot for its tiny size, but my husband dropped it a few months ago and now it distorts even at medium volumes. I decided to upgrade when buying a new unit. My parents have a Bose wave radio, and over Christmas at their house I liked the sound of CDs played in it, and wrongly assumed that a Bose sound dock would have the same sound quality. So, I bought and returned the latest Bose. In the Apple store it was the best they had (they were out of the HK Go Play) and I couldn't even locate a JBL Radial to test out, which might have been another option, although the HK Go Play has much better reviews. I tested the B&W (a huge, football-shaped unit that sells for $600) in a local store. I tested a few small shelf systems as well for $600-$800, that even came with an Ipod adapter. None of them come close to the HK Go Play. I cranked it up today and (pardon my gushiness) the music made me cry. I was listening to choral music and it sounded like I was sitting in church. I could "feel" the organ and all the angels flying around. There was NO distortion at ANY volume (and I turned it up all the way), like everyone else in the hundreds of reviews I've read has concurred. The sound separation is superb. I can hear the difference between the altos, sopranos, tenors and baritones. This separation and clarity was not there at all in other speakers. My husband can even hear the lyrics, which he could not in the Bose or the JBL. There is a huge difference between the quiet parts and the loud parts of songs. I chose to buy this unit because the only complaint in the hundreds of reviews I read was that you might get finicky about your music because you'll hear the difference. I concur.
This will make an audiophile out you if you are not already. It will open up a whole new world in music.
Now for the downside.
As stated in the positive things, it will open up a whole new world in music.
1. Instead of just blithely enjoying your music, you might find yourself critical of the arrangement of the song, you might wonder why that soprano took a breath right there instead of at the end of the line, you might hear weird little noises that came up in the place of the recording, you might go endlessly in search of the perfect music, and you might never find it. You may find yourself reading online news and blogs waiting to see when the itunes store will offer LOSSLESS audio format right in the itunes store, or looking for other ways to get CD (or better) quality sound into your HK.
2. You may find yourself comparing the quality of sound to LIVE music, instead of other stereo equipment you've used. I found myself complaining because I could FEEL the organ but I couldn't SEE the singers. I also became suddenly critical of a few slightly off-pitch notes here and there in the choir.
3. You will DEFINITELY have to re-import your CDs in Lossless format into itunes (you can select Apple Lossless encoding as the default way to import your CDs into itunes) because you can hear the difference from several rooms away. If you only bought the 128-bit songs from itunes you might go looking for a used CD to burn and import in lossless format into itunes. If you listen to a lot of music, you might decide a Nano isn't enough, you might end up with a big clunky Ipod Classic with enough storage for a large library in lossless format. :)
4. I didn't think the volume was super loud like some other people commented, but I live in a house, not an apartment. That said, we sat on the opposite side of the room to listen, to appreciate the fullness of the sound. I noticed, however, when I went into other rooms, the SOUND QUALITY TRAVELED WITH ME and I could still hear the distinct separation in the vocal tracks. I think it's a magic speaker system! The sound travels with me and despite never being TOO loud, it doesn't lose much volume 3 rooms away. Maybe it's just the crystal clarity that makes it feel that way.
5. Now I will have to upgrade my other sound stuff so we have a CD player with sound quality as good. Maybe I'll just get a little external one to plug into the audio in jack.
6. The remote is a little tricky. I had to read, memorize and re-figure out the remote. The tricky part is the the volume buttons don't work until you figure out to press "mode" (the square button in the lower left corner) to get out of the ipod menu mode. Then the volume works. You just have to remember to press "mode" once when you turn it on if your main use of the remote is for volume.
7. I agree with some other reviewers that I might like to see the ipod while it's docked. However, you really can't read anything on it until you're up close enough to look down at it. I did prop it up some by putting the two rubber inserts for the smaller ipods behind it (I have a classic) so it does tilt up some. Once I got used to it, though, the remote was nice. Oh, if you have long playlists, you might get annoyed if you want to cycle through several songs quickly. If you click 5 or 6 times in a row, it doesn't register. You have to click and wait a second, then click again and so forth.
In any case, I'm VERY happy with this purchase. I was a little concerned from HK's own description of thunderous bass, that the bass would be overdone and the treble and midtones wouldn't be full enough. That is far from reality. Everything is clear and balanced. I figured out that the reason they say it's "thunderous bass" is because the whole spectrum is present. Often what is packaged as "plenty of bass" is just overamped mushy crap. This is not the case with the HK Go Play. It is clear, full and the vibrations move beautifully through the room. The loud bass organ notes did rattle the windows.
Get the HK Go Play if you want to feel your music.
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Description of Harman Kardon Go + Play Portable Speakers System with Dock for iPod (Black/Silver)
Amazon.com Product Description Understated, sublimely functional industrial design with unsurpassed performance and ease of use. From its flat, protective iPod cradle to its smart RF remote to its arching stainless-steel handle, this portable loudspeaker iPod dock is one that only Harman Kardon could build. Harman Kardon Go + Play delivers tight, thunderous bass from high-excursion low-frequency drivers. Just as important, the highs are distinct and crystal clear. Go + Play is AC- or battery-operated, so it will go anywhere your iPod or other music player goes--and make your favorite music sound better when it arrives. No matter how or where you use it, it's the sound that sets Go + Play apart. The Harman Kardon Go + Play multimedia loudspeaker system is designed to entertain. Click to enlarge. |
 Go + Play works equally well on the go or as a personal home entertainment system. Click to enlarge. |
 The system features the extraordinary industrial design, innovative technologies, and meticulous engineering that you'd expect from Harman Kardon. Click to enlarge. |
 Go + Play delivers an incredible sound experience from most dockable iPod models, MP3 players, or other audio devices, regardless of where you happen to be. Click to enlarge. |
Designed to Entertain
For more than 50 years, Harman Kardon products have delivered--through extraordinary industrial design, innovative technologies, and meticulous engineering--the ultimate listening experience. And for the past 10 years, Harman Kardon has used these techniques to develop some of the world's best-sounding and most-striking-looking multimedia products available. Whether for your computer or your iPod, Harman Kardon multimedia products deliver rich, high-quality sound from systems that look just as good as they sound. In fact, the Harman Kardon SoundSticks system is now in the permanent collection of New York City's Museum of Modern Art. So hook up your computer, dock your iPod, or connect nearly any other audio device, and enjoy the ultimate listening experience from the world's ultimate multimedia products.
A World-Class Listening Experience on the Go
The Harman Kardon Go + Play features an eye-catching industrial design that delivers an incredible sound experience from most dockable iPod models, MP3 players, or other audio devices, no matter where you happen to be. Using an arching stainless-steel handle and a flat protective cradle for keeping your iPod secure, the Go + Play works equally well on the go or as a personal home entertainment system.
Using proprietary speaker design and technology, the sound quality from the Go + Play is simply stunning. And with flexible connectivity, this incredible sound can be had from nearly any audio device, not just your iPod. There's even an S-VHS output so you can watch the videos from your video iPod while enjoying their sound in incredible detail through the Go + Play speaker system.
With an included wireless remote control, using the system is a snap. The remote gives you full control of and access to your music, however and whenever you want it. The Harman Kardon Go + Play system is the perfect combination of functional design and unparalleled sound quality.
Flexible Connectivity
Great sound shouldn't just be limited to a stand-alone system in your home. You also should be able to have great sound from your music devices when you're on the go. With the Go + Play, you now can enjoy great sound wherever you happen to be. Take it with you anywhere; it works with both the included AC adapter and on batteries. You can rock out for nearly 18 hours from just 8 D-cell batteries, and there's even a handy battery-save feature that will save your battery power when the system isn't in use.
When it comes to connecting your musical devices, it couldn't be easier. Do you have a dockable iPod? Simply place it in the flat protective cradle, and instantly enjoy the sound of your favorite musical artist. The Go + Play uses a OnePoint iPod connector so that, by connecting a standard USB cable to the rear of the unit, you'll have a connection that enables you to synchronize your iPod with your computer. The Go + Play will even charge most iPods when they're docked in the cradle. Don't have an iPod? Well, you can still connect your MP3 player, portable CD player, satellite receiver, or computer through the Go + Play system's 3.5-mm input using a simple cable.
The system even has the ability to connect to a television or display device using an S-VHS connection. Now, watching movies, TV shows, and other video content from your video iPod is just a connection away--and you get to listen to them through the high-performance speakers built into the Go + Play.
Advanced Technology
To deliver unmatched high-performance sound, the system features a number of proprietary technologies, including dual-proprietary Ridge transducers. They're made from aluminum, which is inherently strong yet lightweight. This design allows these drivers to reproduce sound with unparalleled accuracy and detail for their size, and means that your music will be played back with a rich midrange and crystal-clear highs, without distortion.
 The included wireless RF remote control gives you the freedom to enjoy your music from across the room, in another room, or even from outside--from up to 20 feet away. Click to enlarge. |
To deliver thunderous bass, the Go + Play uses dual Atlas woofers, which maximize audible output. The Atlas woofers are a high-excursion design, which allows them to deliver the bass response of much larger woofers, and means you'll hear tight, deep bass that will make your music sound more dynamic.
Powering the speakers are two 30-watt Harman Kardon amplifiers, which are designed to deliver high output with minimal distortion. The system even uses highly advanced digital signal processing and equalization to deliver cool, efficient power.
All of that technology comes together in the Harman Kardon Go + Play system to provide a sound experience--whether on the go or in your personal entertainment space--you need to hear to believe.
Easy to Use
No need to be a rocket scientist to use the Harman Kardon Go + Play system. Its elegant, stainless-steel touch-volume controls mean that a single touch increases or decreases the volume. And with the included wireless RF remote control, you have the freedom to enjoy your music from across the room, in another room, or even from outside--from up to 20 feet away. With full access to your iPod, you can easily change tracks, browse libraries, adjust settings, and scroll through extras. It's the perfect way to enjoy your Harman Kardon Go + Play system, no matter where you happen to be.
What's in the Box
Harman Kardon Go + Play speaker system, power supply, 3.5-mm auxiliary audio cable, remote, adapters for iPod