Harman Kardon SoundSticks 5 Wi-Fi Review

More than twenty-five years ago Jony Ive designed an icon for Harman Kardon: the original SoundSticks, a 2.1 system whose transparent styling was distinctive enough to enter the permanent collection of New York's Museum of Modern Art. Every generation since has kept that silhouette while modernising what sits inside it.

The SoundSticks 5 Wi-Fi is the most significant change yet. Where the standard SoundSticks 5 relies on Bluetooth 5.4 and HDMI ARC for mainstream buyers, this version drops the HDMI port entirely in favour of full network connectivity — opening up high-resolution streaming through AirPlay 2, Google Cast, Spotify Connect, Tidal Connect and Roon Ready.

It is a bold repositioning: turning a design object into a genuine connected hi-fi system.

The first encounter produces the same effect it always has. Harman Kardon has not tried to reinvent anything, preferring to refine a formula that works. The trio of a transparent domed central subwoofer — inevitably nicknamed the jellyfish — flanked by two translucent column satellites remains faithful to the range's identity, with finishing noticeably improved over earlier generations.

The luminous white finish carries a natural elegance that suits modern interiors, and the high-quality transparent plastic exposes the acoustic architecture inside, turning each component into a decorative element. Polished metal details add a welcome premium touch, contrasting nicely against the transparent plastic, and the circular satellite bases where the cables connect are finished impeccably.

Each satellite measures 95.5 x 281.1 x 95.5 mm and weighs 800 g. Inside each column, three 40 mm midrange drivers and a 25 mm silk dome tweeter are stacked vertically — an arrangement that creates the distinctive look as much as the sound. The subwoofer measures 237.5 x 283.4 x 237.5 mm at 3.7 kg, housing a 133 mm down-firing woofer to complete an ambitious three-way architecture. Total amplification is 190 W RMS.

The connectivity panel at the rear of the subwoofer has been completely rethought against the Bluetooth version. HDMI ARC is gone, replaced by Wi-Fi and a deliberately minimal set of physical connections: a 3.5 mm mini-jack input for an analogue source, a USB-C port reserved for maintenance, the satellite connectors and mains power.

That simplification may disconcert at first, but it reflects the product's philosophy — wireless and network streaming first. If you want a straightforward single-cable connection to a television, the standard SoundSticks 5 with its HDMI ARC port is the model to buy, not this one.

The two satellites connect to the subwoofer using proprietary cables around 1.5 m long, colour-coded red for the right channel. There is no wireless link between the elements. That guarantees zero latency and perfect synchronisation, but it does require some thought about placement before you commit to a position.

Primary touch controls sit on the base of the right satellite: a clean circular surface carrying volume, Bluetooth and a dedicated ambient lighting icon. Responsiveness is excellent and access is practical with the system on a TV unit or desk. There is no physical remote, though — controlling the system from across a room means reaching for a phone.

Initial setup through the Harman Kardon One app is painless. The system is detected automatically, offers to join the home Wi-Fi network — 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/ax across both 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz — and then guides you through the remaining options.

This is where the Wi-Fi version justifies itself. Compatibility is genuinely universal: AirPlay 2 for Apple devices, Google Cast for Android, Spotify Connect and Tidal Connect for direct service streaming, and Roon Ready for anyone running a serious local library. Very few speakers at this level cover all of those.

The three-way architecture performs well, with comfortable power for a room of most domestic sizes. Ambient lighting is customisable and, unusually for such features, tasteful rather than garish.

Three omissions are worth weighing. There is no built-in voice assistant, so this is a speaker rather than a smart hub. The Auracast multiroom function is limited compared with dedicated multiroom ecosystems. And as noted, the absence of HDMI ARC makes this a poor choice as a television speaker, which is precisely what the standard model is for.

In the UK the SoundSticks 5 Wi-Fi is listed on Amazon UK under model number HKSOUNDSTK5WFWUK, and is in stock at the time of writing. Note that this is the Wi-Fi variant specifically — the standard SoundSticks 5, with Bluetooth and HDMI ARC instead of network streaming, is a separate product.

The SoundSticks 5 Wi-Fi succeeds at what it sets out to do. The design remains genuinely timeless — a quarter of a century on, it still stops people mid-conversation — and the finish now matches the ambition. The three-way architecture is capable, the power is more than adequate, and the streaming compatibility is as comprehensive as anything in the category.

The reservations are specific rather than fundamental. No voice assistant, limited multiroom, mandatory cabling between the subwoofer and satellites, and no HDMI ARC.

That last point is the one that should decide your purchase. If this speaker is going next to a television, buy the standard SoundSticks 5. If it is going to stream music from a phone, a laptop or a Roon library, this version is the better instrument — and one of very few speakers that looks as good switched off as it sounds switched on.