Harmon Kardon Classic On-Ear headphones

[Double-A]

Hello all, as you can see this is my first post on head-fi . . . as some of you may know Harmon Kardon unveiled a bunch of headphones, earphones etc. at Apples WWDC. I wanted to start a thread about their "Classic" on-ear headphones. Here is a photo (courtesy of pocket-lint): 
 

 
As you can see these headphones bear a resemblance to the Bowers & Wilkins P5 on-ear headphones . . . down to the swiveling earcups. The cable length is 4.59 feet with a 3.5 mm plug for all your portable DAP's, smartphones etc. and has the inline mic with 3 buttons to answer calls on your iPhone and skip tracks etc. . Impedance is 32 ohms and the frequency response is 16Hz to 20kHz. It is pretty apparent that these headphones have a focus on bass as pocket-lint says "The CL's 40mm large enclosure drivers are ported for better bass performance. The headphones are able to recycle information from the back of the driver for extra oomph in the low-frequency department - meaning extra kick when it comes to bass. Harman claims the CL will deliver better, cleaner bass performance than its competitors.". What do you think?
 
EDIT: I forgot to mention that these headphones are exclusively available from Apple . . . you can't even get them direct from the Harmon Kardon website! The headphones are available now for purchase from the online Apple store or from your local Apple Store.
 
EDIT #2: Oh yeah, I grabbed the tech specs from Apple's website.

 

[AstroTurf]

Welcome to the Madness...

Jim

 

[Double-A]

Haha thank you Jim.
 
EDIT: The cord is a bit too long for portable use IMO don't you think? Has anyone heard these at their local Apple Store yet?

 

[Double-A]

I may go to my local Apple Store within the next few days and have a listen to these headphones . . . if I do I will, of course, post my impressions here.

 

[AstroTurf]

Haha thank you Jim.

EDIT: The cord is a bit too long for portable use IMO don't you think? Has anyone heard these at their local Apple Store yet?

Cord too long?

The Etymotic ER-4Ps cord is five foot.

Even if any cord were longer, they do make cable management tools.

But, I have never seen a cord stretcher... LOLz

Jim

 

[Double-A]

Quote:

Cord too long?
The Etymotic ER-4Ps cord is five foot.

And 5 feet is too long as well. WAY too long.

 

[AstroTurf]

Nah, Not really.
 
Driving in my truck with the phone dash mounted, Just right.
 
Sitting at my computer, Just right.
 
Laying down on my bed, phone on night stand, Just right.
 
Walking around, phone in my breast pocket, cable looped over the back of my neck, Just right.
 
An like I said before, They make cable management tools, But offer no cable stretcher.
 
To each their own, Jim

 

[Double-A]

Well, yeah, I suppose you are right.

 

[AstroTurf]

I may go to my local Apple Store within the next few days and have a listen to these headphones . . . if I do I will, of course, post my impressions here.

Please do...

I am wondering how they sound too.

What is your current goto headphone?

Thanks, Jim

 

[Double-A]

I only have one . . . the Incase Sonics. I wish that the Incase Sonics had swiveling ear cups, not so hot highs (I know that with a simple mod you could fix that), and better imaging. Also, better noise isolation. I bought these headphones from my local Apple Store in October of last year and I have been lurking on head-fi since January.

 

[andreiru]

Had a listen yesterday. Was impressed by Harmon Kardon CL to the point I wrote them down to come here to read up on. They've now expanded their range at the London Covent Garden Apple store with over a dozen new headphones, including Klipsch Reference One and it's higher priced sibling, B&W P3/P5, Sennheiser's newest Bluetooth range -mm400/mm550, Sennheiser Amperior, and many others like Bose and unknown to me, funky-looking brands. I don't think any of them have bitten my current most favourite setup neither in sound nor in comfort which is Shure SRH840 through iBasso T3.

 

[omarnj]

So do you recommend these than the P5s? Also, are these noise cancellation headphones?  I am debating between these two... Thanks!

 

[Double-A]

I don't know if I would recommend them over the P5's as I have heard the P5's (used to own them) but I have not heard the Classic's. No they aren't noise cancelling headphones . . . Harman Kardon has some noise cancelling headphones though if that's what you want. BTW, sorry AstroTurf/Jim, I never got around to going to my local Apple Store to listen to these headphones.
 

 

[Pulse14]

.......those.......earcups.................

 

[tzjin]

Wow Jim, you really love your Ety's don't you 

 
Classy and attractive. I'm a bit concerned with the the cups though. It will be hard to get good sound out of something closed that thin.