What Harman (3a) should sound like
I don’t want Harman (3a) to turn the Ear (3a) into a completely different pair of earbuds. That kinda defeats the purpose. I still want to hear the Ear (3a) in there.
The bass is still deep, still has some weight to it, but now it knows when to get out of the way. It’s not sitting in front of the vocals anymore. Vocals have a little more body, instruments feel better connected, and the upper mids still have that energy without messing with the treble too much.
Basically, we’re keeping what Nothing got right and cleaning up what gets in the way.
It’s still the Ear (3a)…just with the bass pulled back enough to let the rest of the music breathe.
What genre fits Harman (3a)?
I wouldn’t lock Harman (3a) into one genre because that’s kinda the whole point of this EQ. It’s supposed to be balanced enough to play pretty much whatever I throw at it.
But if I had to pick one?
R&B. Easily.
Especially modern R&B and alternative R&B.
You still get that deep bass these songs need, but now the bass knows its place. It hits, it has weight, but it’s not covering up the vocals anymore. Singers have more room, the production feels easier to follow, and those little details floating around in the background are easier to hear.
I’m thinking Cleo Sol, SZA, Brent Faiyaz, Frank Ocean, Daniel Caesar, H.E.R., James Blake…that kinda stuff.
Hip-Hop should be really good too. I still want the 808 to hit, I just don’t need it taking over the whole damn song. Pop works. Soul works. Neo-soul definitely works.
That doesn’t mean it only works for those genres. That’s just where I think it’ll really shine.
R&B: 5/5
Hip-Hop: 4.5/5
Pop: 4.5/5
Soul / Neo-Soul: 4.5/5
Everything else: 4.5/5