Wireless multi-room speakers are nothing new. Sonos and Bose have been perfecting them for years. But Harman Kardon’s new take on the conventional multi-room speaker system is unique. The new Citation Series is a build-it-out-yourself, completely customizable multi-room speaker and home audio system. You can get individual countertop speakers which work similarly to, say, a Sonos Play:1, or you can build a robust 5.1-channel surround sound system, comprised of a powered soundbar, floorstanding speakers. Harman Kardon is calling this “the next generation of home speakers.”
Not only are the speakers in the Citron Series designed to look sharp — they feature the brand’s signature industrial design — but they have a modern twist. each speaker has a built-in high-resolution LCD touchscreen for touch controls (You’ll be able to do things like play/pause and adjust volume. (Admittedly, the company hasn’t released everything that these touchscreens are used for.) Additionally, each speaker supports Chromecast and has Google Assistant built-in; meaning you’ll be able to stream music to the system from your smartphone, tablet or laptop. Or you Google’s virtual assistant to control your smart home devices, play music for you, or answer any question you like.
Additionally, the company will be releasing an over-the-air update that will Apple AirPlay 2 to the Citation series. This means that, for anybody with an iPhone, iPad, Apple TV, HomePod or Mac, they’ll be able to stream music to their Harman Kardon system. Or they’ll be able to ask Siri to do it for them. This updated is expected in “early 2019.”
As far as sound quality, the Citation Series is powered by WiSa, which is a wireless technology that helps all speakers work together and optimize sound for the room its in. According to the company’s press release, the series “delivers low latency, HD multi-channel and multi-room capabilities, which allow for the control of amazing sound from any room, either playing from one music source or playing different tracks in different rooms.”
As mentioned above, the Citation Series is a multi-room speaker system that you can configure to work perfectly for your home. The lineup consists of multiple countertop speaker options, a soundbar, powered subwoofer and tower speaker. The smallest tabletop speakers start at $200, while the largest floorstanding speakers go for $2,500/pair. All are available now on Harman Kardon’s website.
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