Harman Kardon

Harman/Kardon

Company type	Brand (under Harman International Industries)
Industry	Audio equipment
Founded	1953 in Westbury, New York, United States
Founder	Sidney Harman, Bernard Kardon
Headquarters	United States
Area served	Automotive, Consumer, and Professional audio markets
Products	Audio equipment including receivers, amplifiers, speakers, noise-canceling devices, video and navigation systems, voice-controlled telephones, climate management units, home theater solutions
Parent	Harman International Industries

Overview

Harman/Kardon operates as a brand under the umbrella of the American corporation Harman International Industries. Established in 1953 in Westbury, New York, the company was co-founded by entrepreneurs Sidney Harman and Bernard Kardon.

The enterprise concentrates on three primary sectors within the audio equipment industry: Automotive, Consumer, and Professional markets. It markets products through a portfolio of proprietary brands such as AKG, Bang & Olufsen Automotive, Becker, Crown International, dbx, DigiTech, JBL, JBL Professional, Infinity Systems, Harman/Kardon itself, Lexicon, Mark Levinson Audio Systems, Soundcraft, and Studer.

Corporate Clients

HARMAN International serves a diverse array of corporate clients including leading companies such as Apple, Audi, BMW, Cadillac, Ford, Genesis, Google, Hyundai, Kia, Lexus, Lincoln, Mercedes-Benz, Ram Trucks, Toyota and Volkswagen.

Intellectual Property

As of June 30, 2007, the firm maintained ownership of 1,885 registered trademarks globally with an additional 294 trademarks pending approval. Additionally, it possessed 1,695 patents across the United States and international jurisdictions, alongside 2,172 patent applications awaiting review. These patents encompass a variety of technologies related to audio systems, infotainment solutions, and software innovations.

Company Founders

Following his college graduation, Sidney Harman commenced his career at the David Bogen Company as an engineer, focusing on the design of public-address systems. Over a span of 14 years at Bogen, Harman advanced from engineering roles to sales management, eventually becoming the company's general manager by the 1950s.

Harman sought to develop a superior audio system tailored for American consumers, but when Bogen declined to pursue this direction, he chose to resign in 1953. Alongside him, Bernard Kardon—Bogen's chief designer—joined the departure. Together, they established Harman/Kardon Inc., each contributing $5,000 in startup capital and launching their manufacturing operations in Westbury, New York.

Initial Products

In the 1950s, Harman Kardon pioneered some of the earliest high-fidelity audio equipment. Their inaugural product was an FM tuner.

The concept of integrated receivers—combining a tuner, preamplifier, and power amplifier into one unit—aimed to deliver high-fidelity sound performance conveniently. Although not entirely new, as Scott Radio Laboratories had produced similar devices in the late 1930s, Harman Kardon's approach was innovative for its time.

Just one year after its inception, in 1954, Harman Kardon unveiled two key products: the seven-tube A-100 AM-FM tuner with automatic frequency control priced at $70.50 and the Festival D-1000 receiver—the world’s first integrated hi-fi receiver—retailing for $189.50.

File:Harman Kardon Festival D-1000 receiver.jpg

Harman Kardon Festival D-1000 receiver, circa 1954

Marketed as containing “all the essential electronic components of a premium high-fidelity system within a compact and controlled chassis,” this device incorporated a wide bandwidth FM tuner, a preamplifier, and a 20-watt amplifier with automatic loudness control—all housed in a single enclosure.

The duo had engineered an advanced audio receiver that enabled users to enjoy radio broadcasts and records at home with exceptional sound quality simply by connecting speakers. Harman recalled how listeners were astonished: “We blew them away; they were moved by Shostakovich’s Fifth,” he said. “No one had experienced anything like that in their living room before.”

The D-1000 stood among the earliest AM/FM compact Hi-Fi receivers globally and served as a precursor to modern integrated receivers. This monaural device was designed to introduce high-fidelity audio to non-technical buyers by integrating familiar features such as a tuner, control unit, and amplifier into one chassis. Its design—featuring copper-plated chassis elements along with copper and black paneling—became a hallmark of early Harman Kardon equipment.

By 1956, the company’s valuation reached $600,000. The following year, Harman Kardon expanded its product lineup to include console receivers, standalone tuners, amplifiers, and various integrated receivers offering different wattage outputs and feature sets. These products were categorized into three tiers: "Standard," "Deluxe," and "Custom." Additionally, the company introduced an unconditional one-year warranty covering parts and labor on all its equipment.

Kardon steps down

In 1957, Kardon stepped away from the company. Under Harman's leadership, the business expanded consistently, becoming a dominant force in consumer audio across home, professional, and automotive sectors. Their product range grew to include speakers, amplifiers, noise-canceling devices, video and navigation systems, voice-controlled telephones, climate management units, and home theater solutions.

Ongoing advancements

File:Harman Kardon Festival TA-230 receiver, circa 1958.jpg

Harman Kardon Festival TA-230 receiver, circa 1958

The year 1958 saw Harman unveil the Festival TA-230, recognized as the first high-fidelity simulcast stereo receiver. This device targeted consumers without technical expertise, aiming to make stereo sound accessible on a broad scale. The stereo effect was produced by utilizing one audio channel from the AM band and another from the FM band. This early approach to stereophonic playback was termed simulcast stereo.

At that time, FM broadcasts lacked the stereo pilot signal necessary for transmitting separate left and right audio channels. In 1959, two years prior to the FCC's official endorsement of FM multiplex stereo transmission, Harman Kardon launched the MA-250 FM multiplex adapter. This unit was compatible with Ode T-250 and Lyric F-250 tuners and converted them into fully operational multiplex tuners once installed.

By February 1959, Harman Kardon promoted their 24-watt A-224 stereo amplifier alongside the T-224 AM/FM tuner as "America's best-selling stereo amplifier and tuner."

Also in 1959, the company introduced the Citation II, an early ultra-wideband stereophonic tube amplifier delivering 60 watts per channel with a frequency response ranging from 18 to 60,000 Hz at 20 watts output. Harman Kardon emphasized their commitment to high-fidelity audio design through amplifiers capable of delivering the broadest possible frequency range. While human hearing typically extends up to about 20,000 Hz, sounds beyond this threshold—including harmonics and overtones—play a role in shaping audible audio experiences by interacting with other frequencies to create secondary sounds or interference.

In 1969, Harman expanded its portfolio by acquiring renowned speaker manufacturer JBL. The following year, Harman Kardon released the CAD5, recognized as the first stereophonic cassette recorder equipped with Dolby B-type noise reduction technology.

File:Harman Kardon 330B Transistor Stereo Receiver.jpg

Stereo Receiver from the 1970s

Harman divests company

In 1977, Harman accepted a role within the Carter administration as Under Secretary at the United States Department of Commerce. At that time, U.S. regulations mandated that appointees hold no active business interests. To comply, upon assuming office in 1976, Harman sold his enterprise to the conglomerate Beatrice Foods for $100 million. Beatrice Foods quickly divested several segments of the business, including the original Harman Kardon division, resulting in only 60% of the initial company remaining by 1980.

Harman reacquires company

Following the conclusion of Carter's presidency, Harman aimed to reclaim ownership of Harman International. In 1980, he repurchased the company from Beatrice Foods for $55 million. However, this acquisition did not include the receiver group, which Beatrice had previously sold to the Japanese firm Shin-Shirasuna. Since the Harman Kardon receiver division was central to Harman International, Harman bought back this group in 1985, restoring the company to its structure before 1976.

By 1991, Harman International operated as a collection of loosely connected companies, each catering to distinct audiophile markets loyal to brands such as JBL and Infinity. This inefficient organizational model spanned 21 divisions. Harman consolidated these into five units, eliminating redundant functions like separate accounting departments within each division. The resulting cost savings enabled increased marketing efforts and a strategic focus on sales through mass-merchandise retailers. These adjustments led to a turnaround: from a $19.8 million loss on $587 million in sales during fiscal 1991 to a $3.5 million profit on $605 million in sales in fiscal 1992.

In 1980, Harman introduced the Citation XX high-current amplifier, designed to deliver faster responses to large signal transitions from the power amplifier to loudspeakers. The editors of The Audio Critic magazine praised it as "the world's best-sounding power amplifier." Finnish engineer Matti Otala, who identified transient intermodulation distortion (TIM) in 1970 and worked to reduce its impact over subsequent years, developed the Citation XX with a focus on optimal output signal measurements and superior sound quality. The Citation preamplifier was available both as a kit and fully assembled. Additionally, a record player equipped with a tangential pick-up arm by Rabco was launched in 1980.

Between 1999 and 2007, Harman Kardon concentrated efforts on advancing digital audio processing technologies. In 1999, they released the CDR-2 compact disc recorder—the first capable of 4X high-speed dubbing. The following year saw the introduction of the AVR-7000 audio-video receiver, notable for its ability to decode and process High Definition Compatible Digital (HDCD) signals.

Harman stepped down in 2007 at age 88, appointing technology executive Dinesh Paliwal as his successor CEO.

On March 11, 2017, Samsung Electronics declared its acquisition of Harman for approximately US$8 billion.

Other product lines

File:Harman Kardon speaker.jpg

A Harman Kardon PC speaker

SoundSticks

Main article: SoundSticks

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Harman Kardon Soundsticks

The launch of the Harman Kardon iSub 2000 Subwoofer alongside the SoundSticks took place at the Macworld event in July 2000. These products were developed through a collaboration between Harman Kardon and Apple.

Apple was responsible for the industrial design and mechanical engineering to ensure these products aligned with the Apple product lineup. The design earned a gold Industrial Design Excellence Award and was showcased on the cover of I.D. magazine. The SoundSticks II introduced subtle enhancements such as capacitive volume controls and replaced the USB input with a 3.5mm mini-jack. Subsequently, the SoundSticks III featured a refreshed aesthetic incorporating black accents and white illumination, designed to complement the newer iMac models, differing from the original green and blue lighting of its predecessors. The Soundsticks Wireless version added Bluetooth connectivity for audio input, though it maintained wired connections between the individual speakers.

Automotive audio

Harman Kardon provides audio systems to multiple automobile manufacturers including BMW, Dodge, Hyundai, Kia, Mahindra & Mahindra, Mercedes-Benz, Mini, Subaru, Volvo and Volkswagen.

Computer speakers

Harman Kardon has produced speakers designed for desktop computers. Additionally, the company has supplied laptop audio systems featured in select models from Toshiba, Acer, and Asus, as well as in Apple iMacs and Huawei's M5 tablet series. Notably, a pair of Harman Kardon’s transparent spherical speakers, created specifically for the Apple G4 Mac Cube and manufactured between 2000 and 2001, is included in the permanent collection of New York’s Museum of Modern Art.

Smart speakers

In 2017, Harman Kardon introduced the Invoke smart speaker, which integrates the Microsoft Cortana virtual assistant. Later, in August 2018, the company unveiled the Citation 500, a premium smart speaker priced at US$600 and powered by the Google Assistant. By 2021, Harman Kardon partnered with Xiaomi to enhance audio performance on its latest smartphones; the Xiaomi Mi 11 series became the first mobile devices to incorporate a dual-speaker system fine-tuned by Harman Kardon.Template:Primary inline

Equipment photo gallery

• Harman Kardon F50-XK Tube FM Stereo Multiplex Tuner
  Harman Kardon F50-XK Tube FM Stereo Multiplex Tuner
• Top view of Harman Kardon F50-XK Tube FM Stereo Multiplex Tuner
  Top view of Harman Kardon F50-XK Tube FM Stereo Multiplex Tuner
• Dolby S Tapedeck introduced in 1990
  Dolby S Tapedeck introduced in 1990
• CD Player HD 710 (manufactured 1996–1998)[32]
  CD Player HD 710 (manufactured 1996–1998)
• Audio-video equipment (circa 2005)
  Audio-video equipment
  (circa 2005)
• Top perspective of Harman Kardon iSub Subwoofer
  Top perspective of Harman Kardon iSub Subwoofer
• Harman Kardon car speaker installed in a BMW vehicle
  Harman Kardon car speaker installed in a BMW vehicle

See also

• List of phonograph manufacturers

External links

• File:Commons-logo.svg Media related to at Wikimedia Commons
• Official website