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Harmon Kardon is recognized around the globe as a leader in the audio technology industry. For decades, the company has been providing premium quality stereos, speakers, and audio equipment to consumers and professionals. They are known for high-quality and superior performance with a wide range of product lines that are sure to impress even the most experienced audio professionals.
The company prides itself on the reliability and consistent performance of its products, so it does not take introducing a new product line lightly. They employ some of the world’s finest engineers and spare no expense when it comes to making sure a product is ready to deliver above expectations. While many of Harmon Kardon’s products are impressive, their NI in-ear headphones represent an exceptional value at under $100 and deliver excellent quality audio that far exceeds the expectations of most users.
Harmon Kardon never sacrifices quality or performance when they design a new product and the NI headphones are no exception. Not only are the performance and price excellent, but the headphones are also durable and offer plenty of eye appeal as well.
These headphones have a long list of features and impressive specs that include optimized drivers, multiple sizes of silicone sleeves included, unmatched audio clarity, and even a built-in microphone. They are designed specifically for seamlessly complimenting Apple devices of all types including the iPhone, iPad, and iPod product lines.
Let’s take a closer look at the Harmon Kardon NI Headphones and find out all that they can offer.
What’s Included?
You get a lot more with these in-ear headphones other than just the headphones themselves. Harmon Kardon knows that comfort is just as important as sound quality when it comes to choosing a set of premium headphones. Therefore, they include three pairs of different sizes of silicone sleeves, small, medium, and large. The sleeves easily slide over the in-ear portion of the headphones to provide a soft yet snug fit that will be comfortable for many hours of extended use while listening to music, watching videos, or any other audio needs.
Additionally, they include an extra-long 1.1-meter cable connector, user manual, and warranty registration card. They even include a protective travel case that will keep these premium headphones safe and undamaged while you are in transit.
- 1 pair of headphones
- 3 pairs-silicone sleeves: S, M & L sizes
- 1-3 foot 8-inch cable
- Travel case & user manual
- Warranty registration card
Features and Performance
The NI Harmon Kardon NI in-ear headphones have a sleek modern look with most of the device black in color with aluminum trim and accent pieces giving them a refined touch. The base of the earpieces is square in shape with the inner portion rounded for comfort. The squared design of the exterior portion gives them a somewhat unique appearance that adds a bit of boldness to the device.
The headphones have a frequency response of 20Hz-20kHz and the 9mm drivers offer excellent sound clarity with above-average bass accuracy even at the highest volume levels. When the Harmon Kardon engineering team designed these headphones they gave special attention to improving audio purity and performance even at low volume levels.
This is partly accomplished through the passive noise-reduction capabilities as well as the acoustic engineering of the device. Better sound clarity and high-performance noise reduction offer an exceptional audio experience even at lower volumes, which can help save your eardrums from problems that result from volume levels that are too high.
The chrome-accented device control piece includes a built-in microphone with a three-button control piece that is convenient and easy to operate. It was intentionally designed to be similar to what iPhone and iPad users are already accustomed to with Apple products.
The three-button control pad allows you to adjust volume levels, pause and play audio tracks, skip tracks, and control phone functions. The phone functions are limited to answering and ending calls but again this is very similar to the type of functionality Apple users are accustomed to and it provides the essential features most users require.
There are typically few real differences in how most of these control pads feel and look between the many different models of earphones on the market. While the Harmon Kardon control pad stands out a bit due to the chrome accents, it also does well in the performance department.
In contrast to many other models that seem unresponsive unless you find the exact right spot to press to initiate a command, the NI’s control pad seems quite responsive and easy to use. There is no need to fumble around pressing a button several times to get the device to respond. More often than not, the device responds on the first press of the control piece and the textured design makes it easy to feel what you are doing without having to directly look.
One of the most frustrating aspects of using headphones generally is the tendency for the cord to become tangled seemingly every time you take them out of their case. This Harmon Kardon model solves that frustration to a large degree by utilizing a cable that is coated with an elastomer.
This makes the cable resistant to inconvenient tangling, getting rid of a common headphone annoyance. Additionally, Harmon Kardon has used commercial-grade materials for all the cord pieces on the device to ensure quality and a long-lasting product.
Warranty and Support
Harmon Kardon not only offers exceptional value in the design and performance of their products but they back it up with a great overall customer experience as well. The NI headphones come with a full one-year warranty if they are purchased online or from a retailer that is an authorized dealer.
The warranty guarantees Harmon Kardon will replace your headphones with a brand new set if you experience a failure with your electronic device within the first year of ownership.
However, it is important that you have a receipt as proof of where you purchased the device from and when, as they might not honor the warranty without a receipt. Additionally, they offer complete product support through their website in various ways.
The complete user manual, spec sheet, and quick-start guides are available for download on the Harmon Kardon website. They also offer customer support via email and phone with a reputation for promptly responding to customer inquiries and a high grade for resolving issues in a satisfactory manner.
Final Thoughts on the NI Headphones
Harmon Kardon has kept audio enthusiasts entertained for many decades with their many excellent quality products that offer premium sound performance and an exceptional overall entertainment experience.
The NI Headphones do not take a step backward in any way compared to any other Harmon Kardon products and may even improve on certain aspects. The headphones won’t quite measure up to some of the higher-priced over-the-ear headphone models that are available on the market. However, in terms of overall value, you will be hard-pressed to find a better value and better performance in a pair of in-ear headphones that sell for under $100.
We have no hesitation in recommending these headphones as one of the better overall consumer values for anyone that needs all-purpose earbuds for music, movies, and audio entertainment of all types. They offer an excellent balance of affordability, convenience, and the type of performance you would expect from a set of high-end earbuds in a much higher price range.