Harman Kardon Citation Multibeam 1100

The surprise in the middle of the upper side is an oblong color touch screen with excellent resolution, which allows you to configure the system, connect to the internet, switch modes, and operate services such as streaming Spotify even while the song is presented.

It also allows you to begin the calibrating process. It's a shame that this stunning display substitutes the soundbar's missing mobile app, especially if it wants to compete with brands like Sonos. The soundbar can be connected to the Google Home assembly, however, only the volume can be adjusted from there.

You can mirror material from your mobile device, allowing you to play music from any source without issue. The soundbar includes Bluetooth technology in addition to Wi-Fi and Ethernet. It offers voice control with Google Assistant, Alexa, and Siri.

To connect to the TV, a pair of HDMI is used, with one pass-through for external devices that is compatible with both 4K/60p HDR10+ and Dolby Vision, and one with eARC. The Dolby Atmos format is also supported by the gadget.

The soundbar also includes a small remote control, giving you basically complete control. However, when working with it, you will confront the issue of positioning the display on top, making it impossible to see from the front. When you've mastered the menu, you may use the four LEDs on the front to check the device's status.

The interpretation of these flashing signals will become more pleasant with practice; the good news is that the equipment did not require any more modifications after the automatic calibration of the soundbar; everything worked well.

There's a basic two-band equalizer, as well as a voice enhancement mode that uses Harman's Pure Voice technology and a night setting that reduces the dynamic range of the soundbar so it doesn't bother others. There are 11 drivers in total, including six 55 x 90 mm racetrack woofers, three 25 mm height drivers, and a pair of 70 mm upward output drivers.

Harman's MultiBeam technology, which combines angled speaker arrays with digital signal processing to provide a wide range of frequencies with sharp directivity that can be 'radiated' from walls and ceilings for surround sound, is used in these.

The device supports Dolby Atmos decoding in three different settings, which may be modified using the remote control or the top panel. However, the DTS:X format is not supported, which may frustrate Blu-ray aficionados in particular.

On the remote, next to the Atmos button, is a Surround button that toggles the Multibeam 1100's Smart Surround mode on and off. When the soundbar is powered on, this feature is enabled by default and applies Dolby Surround upmixing to the soundbar's HDMI eARC TV input.

The major parameter with a soundbar is, of course, sound quality. However, this also applies to the multiroom speaker function. This test was easily passed by the Citation Multibeam 1100. When watching movies, it produces good sound with a reasonable surround effect, which, although not comparable to sets with physical effect speakers, is among the best among stand-alone soundbars.

This result is all the more intriguing because it can be achieved without the use of an external subwoofer. The sound processor pushes the lowest bass into the playable area, which can make some scenes seem a little flat, but the overall impression is really nice. It also performs well in terms of music reproduction, which is not often the case with soundbars.

The sound is balanced, powerful, and has outstanding presentation over the whole frequency range, including bass, with one minor constraint. Instrumental tunes sound great as well; none of the instruments are lost. It is one of the most pleasant soundbars on the market, and its purchase is absolutely worth considering.

The soundbar comes in two color options: classic black and plus gray. Furthermore, if the bass from the soundbar is insufficient for you, you may augment it by purchasing the CITATION SUB S wireless subwoofer for $399.99.

Post by Bryan C.