What's up with Harman Kardon?

[infullview]

Are they going out of business? I just looked at their website and they only had two AV receivers listed and both of them were marked "Sold Out". Also, I noticed NewEgg no longer has them listed in their AV search filter. I know they are a subsidiary of Samsung; have they decided to give up the nameplate?

 

[swechsler]

I've been wondering the same. Lately they seem to be using the brand (and Citation as well) for selling mostly Bluetooth devices and custom car infotainment systems. I thought maybe Harman International was trying to consolidate different brands for different markets, but they don't currently appear to have any brand that sells mass market surround sound receivers (there's Arcam, but they're not nearly as well known as H/K). And the sold out receivers on their website are several years out of date.

Here are all the brands that Harman owns. Infinity is also pretty much dead.

 

[trinhsman]

They are selling their shower speaker system. I’m sure it’s full range
Advertised on tv all the time.

 

[the skipper]

It looks like Samsung is doing what Voxx has done in buying up brands only to phase them out.

 

[swechsler]

It looks like Samsung is doing what Voxx has done in buying up brands only to phase them out.

The difference with Voxx is that AFAIK they're still selling the same types of equipment, just with some consolidated brands (let's face it, how many different speaker brands can one company support?).

 

[the skipper]

this was posted in another thread where I mentioned that Klipsch bought out API and subsequently axed Mirage, Energy, and Athena. This post expanded on that.

https://audiokarma.org/forums/index.php?threads/mirage-nanosat-5-1.946206/page-2#post-14478549

 

[infullview]

I've been wondering the same. Lately they seem to be using the brand (and Citation as well) for selling mostly Bluetooth devices and custom car infotainment systems. I thought maybe Harman International was trying to consolidate different brands for different markets, but they don't currently appear to have any brand that sells mass market surround sound receivers (there's Arcam, but they're not nearly as well known as H/K). And the sold out receivers on their website are several years out of date.

Here are all the brands that Harman owns. Infinity is also pretty much dead.

I looked through the link you posted and it all looks like stuff that will wind up on craigslist, or in a landfill. Most of it's total junk with the exception of AKG which they still seem to be supporting.

 

[wu6fiend]

I just checked their website, and there is practically nothing there. What is there appears to be disposable junk. Sad. We have several HK pieces from 15-odd years ago, still in daily use, that have performed well. When I bought the AVR 3600, I noted it appeared less well built and certainly less visually appealing than the AVR 635 that preceded it. Judging by what I see in the stores, the way of the future is the sound bar, with the market for components getting steadily narrower and narrower.

 

[bruno80918]

ThAt is sad for me.
My first receiver was a hk 330c. Intro to hi fi.
Still use a 80’s Hk Avr as a daily driver.
Looks like another audio name bites the dust.

 

[tarior]

Soon to be, if not already, another zombie brand.

 

[Blue Shadow]

Cars are 25% computers. It is moving to 75% computers and the Harmon International group was in automotive in big ways not just audio, so Samsung bought their way into a major stake in that emerging market. The world does not revolve around vintage hi- fi gear as it moves forward. There may be some brands killed or sold off but there will be more computers in cars and suvs and they will be from samsung subsidiaries and others.

 

[KC Miller]

Just got a HK Rabco ST7 up and running,I will keep the name alive all by myself if I have to.

 

[wmgwizard]

Maybe we need a "Vintage Brands" thread ?

 

[hjames]

Holding on to MY vintage Harman Kardon stuff as long as possible - but to me,
HK gear is at least 20 years old. Just like I ignore the newer Sparkomatic and later "ALTEC" gear.

 

[Bigyank]

I've got a 1963 H/K receiver. What a long and storied legacy brand.

 

[blademan13]

So sad, I really hate to see any more of these old names fade away. I guess I haven’t helped the situation much as I am drawn more to vintage hifi than supporting a company’s modern efforts. After lusting after their gear in the early 80’s I have really developed a soft spot for the older H/K amps.

 

[infullview]

So sad, I really hate to see any more of these old names fade away. I guess I haven’t helped the situation much as I am drawn more to vintage hifi than supporting a company’s modern efforts. After lusting after their gear in the early 80’s I have really developed a soft spot for the older H/K amps.

I agree with you, but I did support them with a purchase of an AV1510 model when my very expensive Yamaha had issues with the DSP board. I bought this inexpensive model thinking of it as a stop gap, and found it to be very worthy. I also have an HK 825 which I recapped and restored, the HK 870 which works, but is waiting for full restoration, the matching tuner. Hate to see this venerated name plate circle the drain

 

[swechsler]

I looked through the link you posted and it all looks like stuff that will wind up on craigslist, or in a landfill. Most of it's total junk with the exception of AKG which they still seem to be supporting.

Not sure I agree there. Revel, Lexicon, Levinson, JBL and Arcam are still making legitimate equipment (and JBL sells both mass market and higher end gear). Most of the others are professional brands (e.g. Crown, dbx, Soundcraft) that aren't going anywhere. It seems as if only Infinity* and H/K have been put out to pasture (that's ignoring brands that are no longer active at all, such as Epicure).

* And Infinity is still quite active in the car stereo market.

 

[J English]

Yeah, I still have a lot of good H/K gear. My 430 receiver is still powering my basement system. Lots of good power, very sensitive tuner (not that I use that anymore) and a more than decent phono stage. I have a 5 series receiver from the late 80s that is also still working well, but it's not in my rotation much. I have two 230's that work but some of the transistors have gotten a bit hissy. I also have one nicer H/K tape deck that has been very trouble-free that I rotate in occasionally. Like many of us, I have that "too much gear" problem. Of all of them, the 430 is the keeper, depending on how my systems ebb and flow I could imagine having that one fully reworked someday. I will be sad to see the H/K label abandoned. It may lie dormant for awhile and then come back as a premier marque again, that seems to be how brand libraries work.

I can attest to AKG at least still being a decent brand, my K361 headphones are one of the favorite things I've bought in the last year in audio. A cheap, good thing.