Announced in early 2020, the Harman/Kardon Aura Studio 3 is a top-shelf wireless Bluetooth speaker that offers 360-degree sound thanks to its dome-shaped design. This translates to a pretty wide soundstage when playing music, which is common among the best speakers in the industry. This design, plus its LED breathing light on the bottom of its transparent cabinet, gives it an exquisite look. The speaker supports Bluetooth connectivity up to a range of about 207 ft, which is not far from what the best Bluetooth speakers offer. With a latency of 47ms and 112ms for Android and iOS devices respectively, owners would be better placed to watch movies over an Android connection, and even though it is relatively small in size, the iFox IF012 would be a much better alternative for users who’d like something that’s even more compact. Check it out in our iFox iF012 review.
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Harman/Kardon Aura Studio 3 Review
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Top experts liked the Harman/Kardon Aura Studio 3’s distinctive design and ability to produce a wide soundstage. They were also happy with its ambient lighting and appreciated how loud it could get. However, they didn’t appreciate its lack of a battery, missing WiFi connectivity, and absent voice assistant and speakerphone functionality.
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Product Snapshot
Overview
Announced in early 2020, the Harman/Kardon Aura Studio 3 is a top-shelf wireless Bluetooth speaker that offers 360-degree sound thanks to its dome-shaped design. This translates to a pretty wide soundstage when playing music, which is common among the best speakers in the industry. This design, plus its LED breathing light on the bottom of its transparent cabinet, gives it an exquisite look. The speaker supports Bluetooth connectivity up to a range of about 207 ft, which is not far from what the best Bluetooth speakers offer. With a latency of 47ms and 112ms for Android and iOS devices respectively, owners would be better placed to watch movies over an Android connection, and even though it is relatively small in size, the iFox IF012 would be a much better alternative for users who’d like something that’s even more compact. Check it out in our iFox iF012 review.
Consensus
our Verdict
The Harman/Kardon Aura Studio 3 delighted product testers with its unique 360-degree design, as they agreed that this allowed it to produce a wide soundstage. Analysts from Rtings also liked how loud it got during their tests, and they were pleased that its Bluetooth connectivity had a long range. Similarly, testers from Nerd Techy enjoyed its LED lighting and praised the clarity of sound across all frequencies. They also noted that Studio 3’s bass is just alright, but those who need a speaker with a more powerful bass response might want to explore our Denon Home 350 review.
Still, the Studio 3 also had its share of drawbacks, and some of them include a lack of support for voice assistants and missing speakerphone functionality. Testers lamented that its lack of a battery restricted it to indoor use, and in this way, it is similar to the Klipsch The One II, which we’ve also looked at in our Klipsch The One II review.
Reason to Buy
- Wide soundstage
- Ambient lighting
- Decent bass levels
- Gets loud
- Long-range Bluetooth connectivity
Reason to Avoid
- No WiFi connectivity
- No battery
- Lacks support for voice assistant/speakerphone functionality
Harman/Kardon Aura Studio 3 Specs
 | Battery Life | n/a |
 | Built In Microphone | Yes |
 | Charge Time | n/a |
 | Size | 11.2" (w) x 9.1" (h) x 9.1" (d) |
 | Smart App | n/a |
 | Speaker Pairing | n/a |
 | Water Resistant | n/a |
 | Wattage | 2 x 15W RMS + 1 x 100W RMS |
 | Wireless Range | n/a |
All Specs
Test Results
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*0 = no data
| Battery Life (Hours) | 0 |
| Volume Output (dB) | 88.15 |
| Low End Roll Off (Hz) | 62.586 |
| High End Roll Off (Hz) | 4,832.637 |
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Product Comparison
 Harman/Kardon Aura Studio 3 Review |  Bose Home Speaker 500 Review Draft | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
True Score | 81 | 62 | NR | NR |
Ranking | # 54 / 260 | # 105 / 260 | # / 260 | # / |
Market Context |
Announced in early 2020, the Harman/Kardon Aura Studio 3 is a top-shelf wireless Bluetooth speaker that offers 360-degree sound thanks to its dome-shaped design. This… |
The Harman/Kardon Aura Studio 3 has a battery, while the Harman Kardon Onyx Studio 6 does not, but the Studio 3 has RGB lighting which… The Harman/Kardon Aura Studio 3 has a battery, while the Harman Kardon Onyx Studio 6 does not, but the Studio 3 has RGB lighting which the Studio 7 does not. However, weighing 6.4 pounds, the Studio 6 is lighter than the Studio 3, which weighs 8.1 pounds, but the Studio 3 can play stereo content while the Studio 7 cannot. Check out our Harman Kardon Onyx Studio 6 review to learn more about it. |
The Harman/Kardon Aura Studio 3 does not have voice assistant support or WiFi connectivity, while the Bose Home Speaker 500 does, but the Studio 3… The Harman/Kardon Aura Studio 3 does not have voice assistant support or WiFi connectivity, while the Bose Home Speaker 500 does, but the Studio 3 does have RGB lighting that is missing on the Speaker 500. The Speaker 500 also has a companion app that the Studio 3 does not. |
The most notable difference between the Harman/Kardon Aura Studio 3 and the Harman Kardon Onyx Studio 7 is in design. Other differences are that the… The most notable difference between the Harman/Kardon Aura Studio 3 and the Harman Kardon Onyx Studio 7 is in design. Other differences are that the Studio 3 has to be plugged into a power source, while the Studio 7 is battery-powered, and the Studio 7 also has a 3.5mm audio jack that the Studio 3 does not. |
Battery Life | n/a | 8 hrs | – | – |
Built In Microphone | Yes | Yes | – | – |
Charge Time | n/a | 5 hrs | – | – |
Size | 11.2" (w) x 9.1" (h) x 9.1" (d) | 11.2" (h) x 11.5" (w) x 5" (d) | – | – |
Smart App | n/a | Yes | – | – |
Speaker Pairing | n/a | Yes | – | – |
Water Resistant | n/a | Yes | – | – |
Wattage | 2 x 15W RMS + 1 x 100W RMS | 50W | – | – |
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Score Card
E
Expert Score
*.75
We place a 75% weighted value on Expert Test Scores
C
Customer Score
*.25
We place a 25% weighted value on Customer Scores
True Score
Any product with a True Score above 70 is a Mixed Reviews
Expert Score Breakdown
Publications with higher Trust Scores are given more weight.
102.6Category Trust Score
57The Harman/Kardon Aura Studio 3 is decent for music. It has a balanced sound profile… read moreBy:
Sophie Arsenault
98.76Category Trust Score
75“No bottom line found for this product” read moreBy:
TechGuru- 35.05
Category Trust Score
90The Harman Kardon Aura Studio 3 is a bit of a unique animal. This is… read moreBy:
Unknown
Customer Score Breakdown
- 94
(
4.7/5
)
1056Ratings
- NR
(
NR/5
)
Ratings
- 90
(
4.5/5
)
74Ratings
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