Harman Spyro Jellyfish Speakers

Tokyo’s Harman International is well known for producing both its own brand of high-quality audio products and more down-to-earth items on its JBL label. On the latter comes an attractive set of powered speakers, known as spyro and styled after a jellyfish.

For ¥20,000 ($174/£88) the 2.1 satellite speakers and subwoofer combo seems like a stylish bargain. Not only does the spyro set-up look like a jellyfish with flowery tentacles, but the output is decent too – 12W from the satellites and 24W from the woofer.

Other technology in the speakers is impressive too. There’s something called OCT (Optimized Compression Topology), which stops volume spikes that can distort small speakers and touch-sensors on the satellites are used to adjust the volume. A double-click of the finger on the sensors engages the mute function.