Harman Kardon MAS 102 Compact, Integrated Music System (Discontinued by Manufacturer)

I bought the stereo based on the Harman Kardon reputation for quality and workmanship. I was disappointed to receive a defective product, however Amazon was more than accommodating in arranging a speedy exchange. Upon receiving the second unit last week, I discovered the volume control does not function. After repeated voicemails and unanswered emails, Harman Kardon customer service was not sympathetic or helpful regarding the problems with their products. You would expect that a stereo at this price point would be flawless, but sadly, this is not the case.Update: I was finally able to speak with a sympathetic Harman Kardon technical support person, who suggested sending the unit to the nearest authorized warranty repair centre. Unfortunately, the nearest location is a three hour drive from my home, therefore I have decided to return the product for a full refund. I am dissappointed as I really liked the stereo, but the quality control at Harman Kardon is pathetic.

the unit did not function properly and had to be returned. A big disappointment.

The Harman Kardon MAS 102 sounds fantastic. The closest speaker system that I have that can compare to is the Harman Kardon GO + Play II. In fact, I feel like the two systems sound similar, with the GO + Play II being a little boomier and less clear in the lower frequencies. I'm not an audiophile, so I don't have the vocabulary or discerning ears to really tell you what makes the MAS 102 sound amazing, but it does. I guess my best description would be that they sound very effortless and graceful.Even with the volume turned down, I feel like I can hear all the "details" in my music. Turning the volume up doesn't produce any distortion, and everything still sounds wonderfully balanced without getting boomy or crackly. I guess it's more like listening on a pair of good headphones than on a pair of speakers.It comes with a single disc, slot-loaded CD player, which is fine. It also has two USB inputs, a 3.5mm line-in jack, optical digital inputs, and RCA audio inputs. You can get their Bridge III dock for iPod 30-pin connectivity. I emailed Harman Kardon in September 2012 asking about a newer dock with Lightning support and received no answer. It'd be great if the MAS 102 supported Airplay or Bluetooth.The USB input support is nice, but there are a few limitations. I was able to plug my old, 5th generation iPod into the USB port and the MAS 102 was actually able to read and play my music. Some of the MP3 titles even appeared on the MAS 102 LCD screen. It seem that the MAS 102 shuts off its USB ports when you switch to another input mode though (Line-in or CD, for example), so keep that in mind if you want to use the MAS 102 as an extra phone charging port. My iPhone 3GS was much less compatible with the USB ports. The MAS 102 just kept trying to read my iPhone without luck, and the iPhone never started charging.Fortunately, I have the Bridge III dock accessory which works great with both my iPhone and iPod. It charges both of my devices, regardless of input mode, as long as the MAS 102 is powered on.Overall, it's a very nice sounding and very pretty speaker system, but for the price, I'd expect it to come with some sort of wireless connectivity and maybe a bigger LCD screen to help with navigating files on USB drives.

Just purchased my first stereo in YEARS! I went with Harmon Kardon due to it's reputation and have not been disappointed. The sound is incredible. The look is sleek and modern. It's simple to use. It's integration with my iPhone is simple. Thrilled to have purchased it. The only thing I would change is better connectivity to a turntable.

This system is really nice in terms of its sound quality but it is only meant for serious listeners who appreciate good quality sound

the first unit arrived and the FM receiver was broken. i got so far as unpacking the speakers on the second unit and all the mounting scews were missing such that the speaker fell right out of the speaker box. am going to try one more exchange to see if i get a unit that actually works. but hopes are not high.i have uploaded a picture of the broken speaker immediately as it appeared upon unpacking.will update this review once the third unit is received.

I bought my system from ebay but am warning you not to buy it at all. H.K quality control is atrociously bad and all their inventory is now old. First shipment system turned itself on and off randomly..it went back no questions and they shipped me a new one. it arrived and controls worked but when I opened the speakers package where the grills are packed separately one of the bass speakers fell out! Not connected, not screwed in nor the hard rubber sealing ring on it. Screws on the magnets in the back. I put the tabs on the lugs in back connecting it, put it back, mounted the screws and using soft faced hammer and teak block gently pressed the hard rubber sealing gasket back in place and put the grill on. The whole thing works and works beautifully but in two shipments, two failures of their units. I had to finish their assembly. No wonder they sold so few for $1,000 original list and they have so much finished goods left. Two failures, no more Harmon Kardon. Their reputation is not supported by facts.

Despite other reviews about receiving damaged product, I bought this system. What a great deal. It was triple boxed, in perfect condition. Setup took less than 30 minutes. Sound is excellent. This replaced a Luxman system when I downsized. I am impressed at the sound quality for the money. Great deal at less than 50% of original price.Negatives: if you lose the remote you can't operate the system; single play CD only but there are several inputs for other components and TV.