OVERALL
ALTERNATIVES
SPECS
VS AVERAGE
REVIEWS
Scored using Headphones Methodology v1.0
Headphones Methodology v1.0
Mathematical & Unbiased Scoring
Products in this category are scored under Frontum Headphones Methodology v1.0: technical specifications plus authentic consumer ratings, with 0% commercial bias.
Explore Headphones Methodology v1.0

Harman Kardon Ae Review | 93 Data compared

Avg. price:~£45Form factor:in-earConnectivity:wiredBattery life:N/A hoursActive noise cancellation (ANC):no

Harman Kardon Ae Review: Compare 93 technical specifications and user reviews to see how this product ranks in the Headphones category and whether it is worth buying.

Harman Kardon Ae
5.6/10

Overall score

Score
5.6/ 10
✕
What it is
An overall evaluation of the headphones' quality, based on technical analyses and user reviews.
When it matters
When you need a quick reference to identify the best headphones on the market.
Score distribution
â–¼
<55-66-77-88-99-10
â–¼ Worse than 82% of models
Score components

80%

5.3

Technical score

20%

6.9

User score

â–¼Worse than 82% of headphones
6.9

Value for money

Value for money
6.9/ 10
✕
What it is
An indicator that combines the headphones' overall rating with their cost.
When it matters
When you are looking for headphones that offer a strong balance of performance, features, and price.
Score distribution
â–¼
<55-66-77-88-99-10
â–¼ Worse than 79% of models
Score components

70%

5.6

Overall score

30%

10

Price

â–¼Worse than 79%
5.3

Technical score

Technical score
5.3/ 10
✕
What it is
An assessment of technical performance for products in the Headphones category across these key areas: Sound, Calls & Controls, Connectivity, Features, Battery, Design.
When it matters
When you want to compare headphones based on technical performance and available features.
Score distribution
â–¼
<55-66-77-88-99-10
â–¼ Worse than 84% of models
Score components

52%

5.5

Sound

20%

4.0

Features

10%

7.2

Design

8%

4.6

Connectivity

6%

4.9

Battery

4%

6.5

Calls & Controls

â–¼Worse than 84%
6.9

User score

User score
6.9/ 10
✕
What it is
A rating that combines user reviews and the total number of reviews received by the headphones.
When it matters
When you want to understand how headphones perform in real listening and how reliable they are in terms of comfort, audio quality, battery life, and long-term use.
Score distribution
â–¼
<55-66-77-88-99-10
â–¼ Worse than 87% of models
Score components

70%

7.4

User ratings

30%

5.7

Number of reviews

Based on ratings from across the web.
â–¼Worse than 87%
  • harman-kardon-ae
  • harman-kardon-ae
  • harman-kardon-ae
  • harman-kardon-ae
harman-kardon-ae
harman-kardon-ae
harman-kardon-ae
harman-kardon-ae
Where to buy
*As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases.
Best rankings
Available: ranking among products currently available (including other versions of this product).All: ranking among all products in the database.
Loading category ranking...

Technical Specifications of pair of headphones Harman Kardon Ae

Technical score
Technical score
5.3/ 10
✕
What it is
An assessment of technical performance for products in the Headphones category across these key areas: Sound, Calls & Controls, Connectivity, Features, Battery, Design.
When it matters
When you want to compare headphones based on technical performance and available features.
Score distribution
â–¼
<55-66-77-88-99-10
â–¼ Worse than 84% of models
Score components:

52%

5.5

Sound

20%

4.0

Features

10%

7.2

Design

8%

4.6

Connectivity

6%

4.9

Battery

4%

6.5

Calls & Controls

5.3
User score
User score
6.9/ 10
✕
What it is
A rating that combines user reviews and the total number of reviews received by the headphones.
When it matters
When you want to understand how headphones perform in real listening and how reliable they are in terms of comfort, audio quality, battery life, and long-term use.
Score distribution
â–¼
<55-66-77-88-99-10
â–¼ Worse than 87% of models
Score components

70%

7.4

User ratings

30%

5.7

Number of reviews

Based on ratings from across the web.
6.9
Popularity
Popularity
5.7/ 10
✕
What it is
An indicator based on the number of reviews received by the headphones.
When it matters
When you prefer headphones that have already been chosen and reviewed by many other users.
Score distribution
â–¼
<55-66-77-88-99-10
â–¼ Worse than 52% of models
Popularity:
Harman Kardon Ae has a popularity score of 5.7 points, which is lower than that of 51.3% of products in this category.
5.7
Value for money
Value for money
6.9/ 10
✕
What it is
An indicator that combines the headphones' overall rating with their cost.
When it matters
When you are looking for headphones that offer a strong balance of performance, features, and price.
Score distribution
â–¼
<55-66-77-88-99-10
â–¼ Worse than 79% of models
Score components:

70%

5.6

Overall score

30%

10

Price

6.9
Active noise cancellation (ANC)
no
This pair of headphones does not support active noise cancellation. 27.5% of headphones support active noise cancellation.
Driver type
dynamic
Driver size
9 mm
Market range: <10 mm – >50 mm
This pair of headphones uses a driver size of 9 mm, smaller driver size than 92.3% of headphones and equal to 2.6% of headphones.
Number of drivers
1
Market range: <1 – >4
This pair of headphones uses 1 drivers, fewer drivers than 4% of headphones and equal to 96% of headphones.
Lowest frequency
16 Hz
Market range: <5 Hz – >20 Hz
This pair of headphones reaches a lowest frequency of 16 Hz, lower lowest frequency than 54.1% of headphones and equal to 4.2% of headphones.
Show more
Noise-canceling microphone
no
This pair of headphones does not support a noise-canceling microphone. 39% of headphones support noise-canceling microphones.
Can be used as a headset
yes
This pair of headphones is headset-ready, 84.8% is not. 15.2% of headphones can be used as headsets.
Number of microphones
1
Market range: <0 – >4
This pair of headphones has 1 microphones, more microphones than 26.9% of headphones and equal to 50.9% of headphones.
Boom microphone
no
This pair of headphones does not include a boom microphone. 13.5% of headphones have a boom microphone.
Microphone SNR
?
Show more
Connectivity
wired
This pair of headphones supports wired connectivity, less flexible connectivity than 49.2% of headphones and equal to 50.8% of headphones.
Bluetooth version
N/A
Maximum Bluetooth range
N/A
Audio latency
N/A
Multipoint support
no
This pair of headphones does not support multipoint. 30.6% of headphones support multipoint.
Show more
Ambient sound mode
no
This pair of headphones does not offer ambient sound mode. 24.9% of headphones support ambient sound mode.
EQ support
no
This pair of headphones does not support EQ customization. 23.2% of headphones support EQ.
Companion app
no
This pair of headphones does not work with a companion app. 21.6% of headphones support companion apps.
Adjustable ANC levels
N/A
Voice assistant support
no
This pair of headphones does not support voice assistants. 60.9% of headphones support voice assistants.
Show more
Battery life
N/A
Battery life with ANC
N/A
Charging time
N/A
Quick charge
no
This pair of headphones does not support quick charging. 33.1% of headphones support quick charge.
Battery capacity
N/A
Show more
Brand name
Harman Kardon
Form factor
in-ear
Weight
16 g
Market range: <14 g – >340 g
This pair of headphones weighs 16 g, lighter than 87.7% of headphones and equal to 0.8% of headphones.
Acoustic design
closed-back
Clamp force
N/A
Show more

Harman Kardon Ae vs the average pair of headphones

246810TotalDesignSoundBatteryConnectivityCalls & ControlsFeatures
  • 92.7% lower weight
    This pair of headphones is lighter than the average pair of headphones (16 g vs 218 g). The average pair of headphones weighs 218 g.
    16 g vs 218 g
  • Direct 3.5 mm plug
    This pair of headphones includes a direct 3.5 mm plug, the average pair of headphones does not. 39.8% of headphones have a 3.5 mm male connector.
  • In-line controls
    This pair of headphones includes in-line controls, the average pair of headphones does not. 36.6% of headphones support in-line controls.
  • Wind noise reduction
    This pair of headphones reduces wind noise, the average pair of headphones does not. 34.3% of headphones support wind noise reduction.
  • 92.7% lower weight
    This pair of headphones is lighter than the average pair of headphones (16 g vs 218 g). The average pair of headphones weighs 218 g.
    16 g vs 218 g
  • Direct 3.5 mm plug
    This pair of headphones includes a direct 3.5 mm plug, the average pair of headphones does not. 39.8% of headphones have a 3.5 mm male connector.
  • In-line controls
    This pair of headphones includes in-line controls, the average pair of headphones does not. 36.6% of headphones support in-line controls.
  • Wind noise reduction
    This pair of headphones reduces wind noise, the average pair of headphones does not. 34.3% of headphones support wind noise reduction.
  • 31 mm smaller driver size
    This pair of headphones has smaller driver size than the average pair of headphones (9 mm vs 40 mm). The average headphones use a driver size of 40 mm.
    9 mm vs 40 mm
  • Non-replaceable earpads
    This pair of headphones has non-replaceable earpads, while the average pair of headphones has replaceable ones. 75.6% of headphones have replaceable earpads.
  • No voice assistant support
    This pair of headphones does not support voice assistants, the average pair of headphones does. 60.8% of headphones support voice assistants.
  • Fixed cable
    This pair of headphones has a fixed cable, while the average pair of headphones has a detachable one. 62% of headphones have a detachable cable.
  • 0.7 % higher distortion
    This pair of headphones has a higher total harmonic distortion than the average pair of headphones (1 % vs 0.3 %). The average headphones have total harmonic distortion of 0.3 %.
    1 % vs 0.3 %
  • 16% lower user score
    User score
    6.9/ 10
    ✕
    What it is
    A rating that combines user reviews and the total number of reviews received by the headphones.
    When it matters
    When you want to understand how headphones perform in real listening and how reliable they are in terms of comfort, audio quality, battery life, and long-term use.
    Score distribution
    â–¼
    â–¼
    <55-66-77-88-99-10
    Harman Kardon Ae
    the average pair of headphones
    Harman Kardon Ae has a lower user score than the average pair of headphones (6.9 vs 8).
    6.9 vs 8
  • 4.8% worse value for money
    Harman Kardon Ae has worse value for money than the average pair of headphones (6.93 vs 7.3).
    6.93 vs 7.27
  • 4 older release date
    This pair of headphones was released earlier than the average pair of headphones (2012 vs 2016). The average headphones were released in 2016.
    August 2012
    2012 vs 2016
  • 16% lower user score
    User score
    6.9/ 10
    ✕
    What it is
    A rating that combines user reviews and the total number of reviews received by the headphones.
    When it matters
    When you want to understand how headphones perform in real listening and how reliable they are in terms of comfort, audio quality, battery life, and long-term use.
    Score distribution
    â–¼
    â–¼
    <55-66-77-88-99-10
    Harman Kardon Ae
    the average pair of headphones
    Harman Kardon Ae has a lower user score than the average pair of headphones (6.9 vs 8).
    6.9 vs 8
  • 4.8% worse value for money
    Harman Kardon Ae has worse value for money than the average pair of headphones (6.93 vs 7.3).
    6.93 vs 7.27
  • Non-replaceable earpads
    This pair of headphones has non-replaceable earpads, while the average pair of headphones has replaceable ones. 75.6% of headphones have replaceable earpads.
  • Fixed cable
    This pair of headphones has a fixed cable, while the average pair of headphones has a detachable one. 62% of headphones have a detachable cable.
  • 31 mm smaller driver size
    This pair of headphones has smaller driver size than the average pair of headphones (9 mm vs 40 mm). The average headphones use a driver size of 40 mm.
    9 mm vs 40 mm
  • 0.7 % higher distortion
    This pair of headphones has a higher total harmonic distortion than the average pair of headphones (1 % vs 0.3 %). The average headphones have total harmonic distortion of 0.3 %.
    1 % vs 0.3 %
  • No voice assistant support
    This pair of headphones does not support voice assistants, the average pair of headphones does. 60.8% of headphones support voice assistants.
  • 4 older release date
    This pair of headphones was released earlier than the average pair of headphones (2012 vs 2016). The average headphones were released in 2016.
    August 2012
    2012 vs 2016

Video reviews

Hands-on testing, unboxing, and real-world video evaluations

Not graded

Expert reviews

In-depth analysis and verdict from leading tech publications

uk.pcmag.com
29/08/2012
Hands-on review · Balanced in-ear
Verdict
The Harman Kardon AE is a balanced in-ear with reserved bass that suits many genres, though rivals fit and look better.
soundandvision.com
05/12/2012
Lab test · In-ear headphones
Verdict
The Harman Kardon AE is a clean, neutral in-ear for vocals, pop and jazz, but its soft bass fits music with lighter bass better than hip-hop.
wired.com
21/10/2012
Hands-on review · Smartphone earphones
Verdict
The Harman Kardon AE looks sleek with a comfortable fit and a great case, but its dark, muddy sound leaves out high-end detail.
trustedreviews.com
06/08/2012
Hands-on review · Metal in-ear
Verdict
The Harman Kardon AE is a tough, aluminum-clad in-ear with powerful bass, but its non-removable cable and bass-heavy sound can feel congested.
ilounge.com
14/05/2021
Hands-on review · In-ear headphones
Verdict
The Harman Kardon AE is a stylish, comfortable in-ear with strong bass at 50% volume, though its cheap-feeling case and tangle-prone cable let it down.
au.pcmag.com
05/09/2012
Hands-on review · In-canal earphones
Verdict
The Harman Kardon AE is a balanced, subtle in-canal pair with healthy bass that suits many genres, but its hard-to-tell-apart remote buttons and stiff cable hold it back.
areadvd.de
01/08/2012
Hands-on test · Premium in-ear
Verdict
The Harman Kardon AE is a well-built in-ear with punchy bass and a very fair price, best for listeners who like lively sound.
area-dvd.de
Not Dated
Listening test · Premium in-ear
Verdict
The Harman Kardon AE is a powerful, dynamic in-ear with very strong bass, suited to listeners who like loud, punchy sound rather than delicate music.
cuffie.pro
22/05/2017
Hands-on review · Premium in-ear
Verdict
The Harman Kardon AE has outstanding bass and clear vocals, but its heavy, bulky earpieces keep slipping, so it is not for sport.

Third-party reviews

Based on ratings from across the web.
Reviews last updated: November 2026 · How we calculate this

What customers like about Harman Kardon Ae

  • Premium aluminum alloy housing that is durable and aesthetically matches Apple devices
  • Powerful and extended bass response suitable for genres like hip-hop and electronic music
  • Excellent passive noise isolation, especially when using the included Comply foam tips
  • Comfortable fit for long-term wear once the appropriate ear tips are selected
  • High-quality, tangle-resistant cable with a built-in three-button remote and microphone for iOS

What customers don't like about Harman Kardon Ae

  • Sound signature can feel 'dark' or 'congested,' lacking clarity in the high-end for some listeners
  • The heavy aluminum build makes them less ideal for exercising as they may fall out during movement
  • Non-removable cable limits longevity if the cord is damaged
  • Bass can sometimes overwhelm mid-range frequencies, leading to a loss of detail in complex tracks
  • Included carrying case feels somewhat cheap or 'cardboard-like' compared to the premium headphones

Verdict

The Harman Kardon AE (Acoustically Enhanced) are premium wired in-ear headphones featuring 9mm drivers housed in a distinctive, durable aluminum-alloy casing designed to reduce resonance and enhance bass. They offer a frequency response of 16Hz–20kHz, delivering a warm sound profile with strong low-frequency reproduction, clear mids, and a 3-button iOS-compatible remote with microphone. Main pros include high-quality build materials, included Comply foam tips for passive noise isolation, and a sophisticated aesthetic. Key cons are that the bass can be overwhelming for some, the rigid cable can be prone to microphonics, and the angular housing may be uncomfortable for smaller ears.

Compare Harman Kardon Ae with other products in the Headphones category

1Product to compare no. 1
VS
2Product to compare no. 2
VS
3Product to compare no. 3 (optional)

Graphic comparison of Harman Kardon Ae and other products in the Headphones category

No results found