Harman Kardon's new Bluetooth speaker wants to sound good and help save the planet

Harman Kardon Onyx Studio 8 in blue
(Image credit: Future)

It's hard to stand out in a sea of Bluetooth speakers, but Harman Kardon's new Onyx Studio 8 is trying its best. Billed as its "best sounding and most eco-friendly yet", the Onyx Studio 8 not only includes Bluetooth tech, but it's actually made using recycled plastic and a mix of other sustainable materials.

It also features speaker grille fabric made from recycled polyester yarn, while the product packaging meets standards certified by the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC). Even the ink used on the packaging is of the eco-friendly soy variety.

Back to the nuts and bolts of the Onyx Studio 8, and the speaker uses a single 12cm woofer and twin 2cm tweeters. Battery life should be good for eight hours which means you should be able to move the portable speaker (using its anodised aluminium handle) from room to room and keep the party going without having to plug it into the mains.

And, speaking of moving it around, the Onyx Studio 8 can actually calibrate its sound to match your room so it should sound at home wherever you want to use it.

You can also pair two Onyx Studio 8s together for stereo sound or pair two devices to one speaker and take turns streaming your favourite tracks. Voice calls are also catered for thanks to the inclusion of a dual microphone set-up. 

The Harman Kardon Onyx Studio 8 will be available from late October, priced £249 / $299 / AU$429.

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Andy Madden

Andy is Deputy Editor of What Hi-Fi? and a consumer electronics journalist with nearly 20 years of experience writing news, reviews and features. Over the years he's also contributed to a number of other outlets, including The Sunday Times, the BBC, Stuff, and BA High Life Magazine. Premium wireless earbuds are his passion but he's also keen on car tech and in-car audio systems and can often be found cruising the countryside testing the latest set-ups. In his spare time Andy is a keen golfer and gamer.