Don’t let its size fool you!

Most people generally have the impression that the bigger bigger the headphones the better. In most cases this is true – a bigger headphone usually means it carries a bigger driver or speakers that in turn deliver better sound. But then again, that line of thinking doesn’t always apply. Case in point: the Harman Kardon SoHO, a pair of headphones that are small and portable yet still deliver rich audio and powerful bass.

Design wise, the SOHO stands out because of its smaller size, compared to similarly priced headphones, it’s around 30% smaller. It’s apparent that the SOHO isn’t your regular pair of earphones, as far as the design and material is concerned – it’s simple, functional and elegant, and uses premium materials in its construction, a nice departure from the big, clunky desings of other headphones in the same price range. Harman Kardon used leather to wrap the steel band and the square earcups, which have a metal frame. The earcups can also be rotated for easy storage with the included case.

The SOHO’s design has the side effect of making it look like it’s meant for the ladies, which may or may not be an issue depending on you. Numerous friends and officemates thought it was a product especially made for women, which we have to agree on. Aside from white, the SOHO is also available in two other colors: black and camel. One thing that we did notice is that the SOHO isn’t as adjustable as we like. People with bigger noggins may have trouble with it when it comes to the length of the headband.

Another nice feature of the SOHO is the removable cable, which can be accessed through the magnetically placed ear pads. Honestly we like this idea as majority of headphones usually have breakages in their cables when it’s suddenly jerked or pulled. Harman Kardon also thoughtfully included a second set of cables as backup should you break the first one.

The SOHO has inline controls that allow you to control your audio device hands-free, though it’s meant for Apple products and not Android. We tested it on several phones which include the Galaxy S4, LG G2 and Padfone 2 and found that the only working feature is the play and pause, with the volume and track controls unresponsive. We also noticed that the white cable is especially prone to dirt and grime, especially with the matte rubber texture on it.

The SOHO is equipped with a smaller 30mm driver compared to the usual 40mm driver of headphones in the same price range. That compromise in audio output may be a deal breaker for some, but in actual use we found that the audio quality is rich, full in range and surprisingly has no distortion. We opted to listen to bass heavy music such as Follow You Down by Zedd feat. Bright Lights and we weren’t disappointed at all. For a track that was bass and treble heavy, the SOHO did alright. We did notice that the SOHO could use a bit more bass, though that’s easily fixed through your device’s equalizer settings.

Overall the Harman Kardon SOHO impressed us with its compact size and uncompromised audio clarity. Its design and materials stands out in the crowd of large, hulking headphones, and you definitely won’t regret handing over Php9,990 for one.