Harman Kardon makes great-sounding speakers and headphones. They also have their own unique design: as much thought is put into making them look great on your desk or on your head as is put into the sound quality itself. The Harman Kardon Soho Wireless headphones are no exception, and at a price of $100, $150 off retail, they’re hard to beat. With the included free two-day shipping thrown into the deal, you’ll be rocking out in your new pair of headphones in no time.
Instead of your traditional oval-shaped earcups, the Sohos are a rectangle. Using a combination of stitched leather and stainless steel versus the plastic found with competing models gives them a bit more heft — and likely more durability (although we’d recommend keeping them in the included pouch when not in use). A unique fold-flat function allows you to store them in the carrying pouch and tuck them away in a gym bag, briefcase, or purse.
But these headphones don’t just look pretty. You’ll get the standard crisp highs and enhanced bass response that Harman Kardon is known for, combined with both Bluetooth and NFC support and earcup-mounted sensors to allow you to navigate through your library and manage incoming calls without reaching for your phone. A handy bypass cable allows you to stay connected to your sound should your battery power drop, too.
Owners back up Harmon Kardon’s claims, noting that the leather stitching holds up under heavy use, and the sound quality is as good as described — especially considering the smaller size of the speakers themselves (30mm versus 40mm, which some prefer as this typically yields better sound quality). Reviewers were also able to get about 9 hours of continuous play out of the headphones without having to charge them again.
While we wouldn’t disagree that at full price you might be able to find a better set of headphones overall, at only $100 the competition isn’t too hard to beat, and the Sohos are definitely a better choice. But whatever you do, don’t wait — the white versions have already sold out, and at this price, the remaining black model Soho’s are sure to sell out soon.