JBL: Inexpensive Harman Kardon GLA-55 2.0-Powered Loudspeaker System (Clear)

Inexpensive Harman Kardon GLA-55 2.0-Powered Loudspeaker System (Clear)

Product Description

The Harman GLA-55 high-end two-piece speaker system has been engineered to raise the bar and deliver the industry reference standard in computer audio. No desktop system before has merged art and science so beautifully and so functionally. Offering versatility in its function, the Harman Kardon GLA-55 system is a stylized multimedia focal point, boasting breathtaking beauty, functionality and impeccable sonic performance. Combining numerous proprietary technologies, the GLA-55 system delivers clear and accurate high-impact sound with a large soundstage. Arguably the best 2.0 speaker system ever engineered, it integrates beautifully with home and office decor, and is perfect for audio enthusiasts looking for an audiophile-quality sound experience.

List Price:	$999.99
Price:	$872.63 & eligible for FREE Super Saver Shipping on orders over $25. Details
as of Sun, 10 Feb 2013 14:50:29 GMT

Product Details

Color: clear
Brand: Harman Kardon
Model: GLA-55
Dimensions: 10.50" h x 5.50" w x 5.50" l,

Features

Atlas and CMMD Transducers
Slipstream Port Design
110 Watt Digital Power with DSP
COE (Computer Optimized Equalization)
OCT (Optimized Compression Topology)

Amazon.com

I'm just going to get this out of the way now, since I'm guessing I'm not the first to say this and know I won't be the last--the Harman Kardon GLA-55 2.0 speakers look like they were hewn cold out of the side of Superman's Fortress of Solitude. With their sculpted, gemlike appearance, the GLA-55 ("glass", get it?) speakers are certainly conversation pieces, with their clear PMMA enclosures. But the key question to ask of course if you're going to pony up the $999 retail: how do they sound?

First let's talk about the tech inside of it. As though no one told the Harman Kardon engineers that they were working on computer speakers, the GLA-55s pack a lot of the same technology as Harman Kardon's high-end audiophile speakers. For example, the superior frequency range of the CMMD Lite tweeters gives the GLA-55s the clarity and versatility of a three-way speaker for the highs and mids, despite the two-way design.

The woofer is an Atlas AL, which claims to mimic the performance of an 18-inch woofer in a 3-inch package. I will say that while I disagree with that assessment--bass is clean but not booming--you're definitely not going to feel cheated out of low-end. The excursion on the aluminum woofers is among the highest I've seen anywhere; the GLA-55s don't have any grilles, so you can see immediately how the woofers move so much air under load you could probably dry a wet towel with them. Helping with the heavy lifting on the bass is a variable-width port design that eliminates whacking distortion, and an enclosure made of PMMA (an acrylic used to make bulletproof glass) which creates a super-stiff, resonance-free enclosure for the woofers. All of this is powered by 110-watt integrated amps, so you don't need to worry about your input--important when considering computers or laptops as potential sources.

Volume is controlled via plus and minus touch-sensitive metal buttons on the left speaker. The buttons are very responsive and you can even quickly mute sound by pressing both the plus and minus signs simultaneously.

For my listening test I used a regular Dell Latitude D630 laptop playing some of my own FLAC-encoded digital music through WinAmp 5 with a flat EQ and the stock sound card settings. I have to admit when I received these speakers that despite their pedigree I wasn't sure what to expect, whether or not these were simply status symbols or serious business. I'm happy to say that the GLA-55s performed not just admirably, but surprisingly well. The imaging was strong and rivaled floorstanding speakers at the same price point; not only was there clear localization between the guitar and snares in Alexi Murdoch's "All My Days", it seemed like there was no bad place to stand in the room. I could hear the soft clicks of the opening and closing of the pads of the clarinets in the opening bars of the National's "Geese of Beverly Road". The Fender Jazzmaster distortion of J. Mascis' "Out There" was a thick wall of sound you could almost recline on. The bass on OutKast's "Call of the Wild" didn't shake me out of the room, but it was crisp and punchy without any "whack" or distorted grumble.

Oh, and since they're computer speakers I suppose you could use them for games, too. For gaming I used my home gaming rig, an AMD 64X2 4800+ with a Radeon 3870 and just the stock AC97 integrated sound card. Most sound in games is digitally compressed and can therefore only be helped so much, but recent games that lean heavily on strong sound design such as EA's Dead Space sounded great even without an expensive sound card, thanks to the broad soundstage the GLA-55s can support. Because so much sound in games can be significantly compressed, however, you may notice yourself getting the most out of the GLA-55s by using your iTunes library moreso than your games directory.

Are these speakers worth a grand? Ultimately that's up to you to decide, but I will say that I have heard so-called audiophile speakers at this price point that didn't sound this good. Regardless of the price, the GLA-55s are strong performers with virtually no downsides, save bass that slightly weakens at full volume (but, to be fair, these are 3-inch woofers) and a cosmetic styling that's hardly conservative and therefore may not appeal to everyone.

Pros: Great imaging; responsive touch controls, extremely high woofer excursion for clean, punchy bass; performance equivalent to similarly-priced floorstanding three-way speakers in a two-way design that's one-fifth the size.

Cons: Styling borders on gaudy; bass thins out slightly at full volume.

--Aric Annear

From the Manufacturer

A love for music is what drove Dr Sidney Harman to found Harman Kardon more than 55 years ago and it is what continues to drive the brand today. From the world’s very first high fidelity receiver, the Festival D1000, to arguably some of the finest audio components delivered today, the GLA-55 is a further expression of this experience and expertise.

Harman Kardon leading the industry in 1953

From the Slipstream tuned-port enclosure and custom chrome tubing to the powerful bass of its Atlas woofers and crystal-clear highs of its CMMD tweeters, the GLA-55 system represents true audio luxury. It delivers with a powerfully tuned 100-watt bi-amplified digital amplifier coupled with DSP (digital signal processing) equalization to efficiently provide its transducers with efficient power. For added bass response, a subwoofer output is provided for connection to a variety of stand-alone subwoofers. And touch-sensitive volume controls make it easy to control: simply touch both volume controls simultaneously to mute the audio output, and touch again to un-mute. From the chrome base to the fully visible audio engine and Slipstream port, the clear glass-like design has every detail covered.

A Market Leader Not A Market Follower
Harman Kardon continues to leverage real engineering with the goal of delivering a world-class audio experience virtually everywhere sound matters. Over the years, Harman Kardon has led the way with the introduction of numerous industry firsts including the first high-fidelity home receiver, the first cassette deck with Dolby B noise reduction, the first high-current amplified home receiver, the first computer-to-Home-Audio Link for direct MP3 playback through your audio system, the fist stand-alone home receiver with a fully digital signal path from input to speaker outputs just to name a few. Plus, the world’s most revered car makers--BMW, Mercedes Benz and Land Rover among them--partner with Harman Kardon to offer their demanding customers an entirely new category of in-vehicle technology through the seamless integration of mobile electronics called Harman Infotainment. This extensive engineering experience was applied in the GLA-55 to deliver another industry first, the world’s first audiophile level speaker system for computer use. Multimedia audio has always been the low-tech poor cousin of the compute revolution. Harman Kardon’s GLA-55 has changed that. No longer do audio enthusiasts need to settle for good-enough audio playback on their desktop or laptop computer. Another Harman Kardon first.

Compatibility
The GLA-55 speaker system is compatible with virtually any audio device with an analog output. A stereo mini jack connection allows you to enjoy the ultimate audio performance from a variety of devices such as desktop computers (all platforms), laptop computers (all platforms), MP3 players and CD players.

Easy-To-Use Music Controls
Just a touch increases or decreases the volume. Touch both volume controls simultaneously to mute. Touch again to un-mute. An LED on the front of both speakers lets you know whether the system is on, in standby, or muted.

Easy-to-use controls

Advanced Technology and Engineering
The GLA-55 features many proprietary technologies to provide the ultimate audio performance with astonishing bass and clear accurate mids and highs.

Digital Power and DSP
The GLA-55 system delivers with a powerfully tuned digital audio path. Its clean and compact 110 Watts (55 per channel) of digital amplification, coupled with DSP (digital sound processing) equalization, efficiently provides the GLA-55 speakers component with cool-running power. The GLA-55 also features an integrated heatsink and fully shielded amp enclosure which eliminates the potential for electrical interference. A solid chrome plated copper buss bars for low resistance and signal integrity delivers the signal from the amplifier to the speakers.

COE (Computer-Optimized Equalization)
The GLA-55 system equalization has been computer optimized to provide a rich soundstage over a wide range of listening positions.

OCT (Optimized Compression Topology)
The GLA-55 utilizes a proprietary compression technology which ensures clean, accurate sound at high output levels.

Atlas AL Woofers
The woofer was specifically engineered for the GLA-55 and is capable of nearly 1-inch of peak to peak travel for tight, accurate bass reproduction. This is the equivalent of what is found in an 18-inch professional woofer which is about six times the size.

CMMD Lite Tweeter is silky smooth clear out to 20kHz

CMMD Lite Tweeters
This is the same edge-driven dome tweeter found in many of Harman’s high-end home loudspeakers and theaters systems. They provide a linear response clear out to 20 kHz, a first for computer speaker systems.

Atlas AL Midrange/Woofer delivers great bass extension

Slipstream Port Design
The Harman Kardon GLA-55 provides superior performance to competing loaded enclosures primarily due to our revolutionary Slipstream Port. The slipstream port provides lots of surface area outside the enclosure so that the air stays stuck together--the engineers call it an "Adverse Pressure Gradient." That gradual change from high pressure to low pressure eliminates the distortion we hear as "whacking." Because the area of the port in the middle is much smaller than the mouth of the port, the port can be MUCH shorter than a cylindrical port with a surface area the same as Slipstream’s mouth. Stickiness outside the box is maximized by increasing pressure and stickiness inside the port is minimized by reducing velocity. The benefit of this technology is more bass output with greatly reduced port noise and distortion.

Harman Kardon's Slipstream Port

PMMA Enclosure and the Annealing Process
The GLA-55’s enclosure material is the same as what is used in bulletproof glass. Harman Kardon then takes this material and puts it through an annealing process. This includes baking each enclosure at 80 degree C for 4 hours. This process provides increased dimensional stability by realigning the molecular structure of the enclosure material. To further enhance performance the GLA-55’s enclosure has a variable wall thickness which creates a stiff and resonance free enclosure. The net result of the annealing process and variable wall thickness enclosure is increased bass performance and a reduction in unwanted distortions and resonances.