The Harman Kardon Go + Play 3 speaker // Source: Tristan Jacquel for Frandroid
After the small Luna speaker, Harman Kardon offers a new Bluetooth speaker with a neat aesthetic. The less adventurous Go + Play 3 is more intended for transport from the living room to the kitchen or patio than served on the sand at the beach. Its strengths lie in a three-way stereo acoustic system that offers detailed reproduction of the three frequency registers. It even has a built-in subwoofer and microphones for making calls.
Harman Kardon Go Plus Play 3 data sheet
The case used for this test was borrowed from the manufacturer
Harman Kardon Go Plus Play 3 A flattering ending
The Harman Kardon Go + Play 3 is a relatively large speaker, measuring 49 cm wide, 24 cm high and 19 cm deep. This is necessary to accommodate all the transducers and generate the sound in a small space. It also weighs 4.7 kg, proof that it is not filled with vacuum but with powerful motorized speakers. Despite its size, the speaker looks very elegant and all-round. It is characterized by its brushed aluminum carrying bar and a top glass shell that houses the touch controls and small LEDs to indicate the charging status. The acoustic fabric used is perfectly connected to the speaker frame without the seams being visible.
The upper tray is made of tempered glass // Source: Tristan Jacquel for Frandroid
On the back there is a small connection panel with an analogue input in 3.5 mm mini-jack format, a USB-C port (up to 10 W for charging a third-party device) and a socket. The bottom is flanked by two impressive silicone legs that ensure the stability of the speaker and prevent it from transmitting vibrations to the surface on which it is placed. Here we see the subwoofer transducer facing the floor.
Internal design of the Go + Play 3
The Harman Kardon Go + Play 3 is therefore a 3-way speaker, meaning that it uses three separate groups of transducers to separately reproduce the bass, midrange and treble registers of the sound. This is an advantage over speakers with wideband (single-channel) transducers, as each of the transducers included on board the HK Go + Play 3 is specialized. The 13cm downward-firing speaker is equipped with a heavy and rigid diaphragm, with enormous semi-roll suspension to reproduce the deepest tones at high levels.
The 13 cm converter of the integrated subwoofer // Source: Tristan Jacquel for Frandroid
A passive radiator also helps him, which increases his efficiency. On the front there are two transducers with a diameter of 7 cm for medium tones and two dome tweeters with a diameter of 2 cm for high tones. This montage also calls to mind the JBL Boombox 3, the adventurous – and highly musical – cousin of this Go + Play 3. Since JBL is a subsidiary of Harman, this is undoubtedly no coincidence.
Harman Kardon Go Plus Play 3 Five buttons and that’s it
Harman Kardon is apparently trying to make its Bluetooth speakers extremely easy to use. Just like the little Luna, the Go + Play 3 does not have a control application. You will therefore have to make do with the touch controls on the glass panel (volume control, Bluetooth pairing, answering calls and switching on/off). The lack of an application is therefore not a disadvantage for the supplement. The manufacturer had the bright idea of having it emit a calibration tone every time it is turned on, which it systematically measures to adapt its sound signature to the environment. This is by no means superfluous, as every room vibrates differently and reduces and amplifies certain frequencies. Being able to take this into account is even essential.
Two speakers can be connected via Bluetooth
The Bluetooth connection is practical via a multipoint connection, so you can use two Bluetooth sources one after the other without having to disconnect the other one. Two Go + Play 3 can be paired via the Bluetooth connection, which is practical for creating an even more intense music atmosphere in a large living room or garden. The Bluetooth range is classic, limited to 10 meters, but absolutely stable. To see for myself, I left the room where the speaker was with my smartphone and moved away so that a (thin) partition and a wooden floor separated it from the speaker.
The connections of the Harman Kardon Go + Play 3 // Source: Tristan Jacquel for Frandroid
The music didn’t stop playing and without microcuts. If you decide to use the speaker during a video game, expect a slight delay in sound propagation compared to the image. In this case, it is better to use the mini-jack line input if the source allows it. On the other hand, the picture and sound synchronization is perfect when watching films and series. As for audio codecs, the speaker only supports the universal SBC codec.
Harman Kardon Go Plus Play 3 Harmonic audio quality
This speaker will please many ears as the sound it offers is homogeneous and easy to hear. Even at low volumes, bass, mids and highs blend harmoniously and without any exaggeration. The integrated subwoofer is measured, the volume is well placed and the extension to the sub-bass is pleasant. However, the speaker is sensitive to placement and is less immersive in the middle of the room than near a wall or, better, in a corner.
In blue the curve at moderate volume, in pink that at high volume and in orange that at full power // Source: Tristan Jacquel for Frandroid
More specifically, examination of the response curve shows a slight bloat in the extreme bass range, around 40 Hz, which appears to be the cutoff frequency of the passive radiator. By strategically placing the case, you can significantly increase its performance in this area. Without this, the bass already has a nice extension and surprisingly this does not vary with volume. Typically, manufacturers reduce the bass volume above the medium volume to avoid damaging the transducers or causing mechanical noise. This is not the case with the Go + Play 3, which therefore maintains its balance at full volume. The middle and high registers are balanced and the fluctuations in the curve are within an amplitude of 6 dB. In other words: we always have the impression of homogeneity. Note the small peak around 12-13 kHz, equivalent to a slight sheen.
Dynamic headroom and soundstage
A lot of relaxation in recovering dynamic gaps and crescendos, which is due to the quality of the transducers but also to the amplification that can reach up to 160W peak power. That’s a lot for a portable speaker and the guarantee of constant control of the dynamic range. Without letting the speaker play loudly, you benefit from a nuanced and clearly understandable sound.
The assembly quality is impeccable // Source: Tristan Jacquel for Frandroid
Although the speaker operates in stereo mode, its dimensions inevitably limit the width of the soundstage. Don’t expect the size of a pair of spaced speakers. On the other hand, the depth is appropriate; The Harman Kardon Go + Play 3 avoids the risk of compressed sound in the frontal axis that is common with Bluetooth speakers and the sound levels are therefore not compressed.
Harman Kardon Go Plus Play 3 Two microphones for making calls
Thanks to two microphones, a short-range and a long-range microphone, you can make and receive calls or even take part in a video conference via the speaker, no matter where you are in the room. Piece. The quality of the voice recording is very good. Unsurprisingly, you can also hear the person you are talking to very well. A good point, because the hands-free function is increasingly being neglected by manufacturers of home speakers.
Harman Kardon Go Plus Play 3 battery life
Harman Kardon claims a maximum battery life of 8 hours, depending on listening volume and type of music playing. This last point may seem surprising, but since the speaker reproduces very low frequencies, tracks that contain a lot of them inevitably require more amplification. With my playlist of jazz, pop and rock songs and at 50% of the maximum volume – it’s already loud on the GO + Play 3 – the speaker lasted 5h30.
The Harman Kardon Go + Play 3 // Source: Tristan Jacquel for Frandroid
To go beyond that, you need to listen at a third or a quarter of the volume of what is already a comfortable volume. Please note that the speaker has its own power supply and does not discharge when operated from the mains. Charging the battery takes three hours.
Harman Kardon Go Plus Play 3 price and release date
The Harman Kardon Go + Play 3 speaker is available in black or white and costs 349 euros.
Where to buy
Harman Kardon Go Plus Play 3 at the best price?