Harman Kardon Citation MultiBeam Soundbars: An In-Depth Review

Elevating your home audio experience no longer requires a complex array of speakers and tangled wires. The modern soundbar promises immersive sound from a sleek, compact unit. Among the myriad options, Harman Kardon’s Citation MultiBeam series stands out, aiming to blend sophisticated design with powerful, room-filling audio. With a legacy of audio excellence, Harman Kardon introduces its proprietary MultiBeam technology, designed to deliver a captivating soundstage that transforms movies, music, and games into truly engaging experiences.

Understanding Harman Kardon MultiBeam Technology

At the heart of the Citation MultiBeam soundbars lies Harman Kardon’s innovative MultiBeam technology. This sophisticated audio processing system utilizes precisely angled speaker arrays combined with advanced digital signal processing. Its primary goal is to create a wider, more enveloping soundstage by “beaming” sound off your room’s walls and ceiling. Instead of merely pushing sound forward, MultiBeam directs it around your listening space, generating a sense of width and depth that extends beyond the physical confines of the soundbar itself. This technology aims to immerse you in your content, making you feel closer to the action on screen or surrounded by your favorite music.

Diving Deep into the Harman Kardon Citation MultiBeam 1100

The Harman Kardon Citation MultiBeam 1100 represents the pinnacle of the series, offering a premium single-bar solution for discerning audio enthusiasts. It integrates cutting-edge features and robust performance into an elegant package.

Design and Build Quality

The MultiBeam 1100 immediately distinguishes itself with a design that is both elegant and unobtrusive. Unlike many soundbars that opt for aggressive, utilitarian aesthetics, the 1100 features pleasingly rounded front edges and a top surface wrapped in high-quality Kvadrat fabric, crafted from real wool. This choice of material, available in both black and a seriously attractive light grey, exudes a premium feel that allows the soundbar to blend seamlessly into modern living spaces. Measuring 1150mm wide, it maintains a low profile, designed to sit comfortably beneath most televisions.

Unique to its design are the deep, funnel-like ports on its left and right ends, which are crucial for projecting the side-firing audio beams. On its top edge, you’ll find a high-resolution, full-color touch-sensitive LED display that doubles as a control pad. While this premium display offers a lovely user experience for setup and control, its upward-facing orientation can be a minor inconvenience when operating the soundbar from a sofa. However, the overall build quality is excellent, feeling robust and capable of handling the 630W of power it generates without distortion or unwanted vibrations.

Sound Performance: Movies and TV

For cinematic experiences, the Citation MultiBeam 1100 delivers a surprisingly potent performance for a soundbar of its sleek dimensions. It offers spacious and authentic Dolby Atmos presentation, creating a genuine three-dimensional sound space that extends forward and to the sides. The up-firing drivers contribute to noticeable height effects, pulling you deeper into the movie’s world.

Dialogue clarity is a standout feature; voices are consistently clear, crisp, authentic, and warm, often appearing to emanate from the screen rather than being confined to the soundbar below. For those who prioritize vocal intelligibility, the dedicated Pure Voice processing mode offers a tasteful enhancement. Dynamic range is impressive, handling aggressive impact sounds—like gunfire or explosions—with real force, while ensuring that even the subtlest audio cues are rendered with exceptional detail. The soundbar’s responsive bass is delivered with depth and control, avoiding muddiness and integrating well with the expansive mid-range.

“The Multibeam 1100 delivers a startlingly large and superbly crafted soundstage. Its sound is packed with detail and accurately placed effects, all underpinned by immaculately handled power and bass levels.”

While the MultiBeam 1100 excels at creating an immersive front-and-side sound field, it’s important to note that, as a single-bar solution, it cannot replicate a true wrap-around surround sound experience where effects come from directly behind you.

Sound Performance: Music

One of the MultiBeam 1100’s most significant strengths is its versatility, performing equally well with music as it does with movies. It possesses a “chameleon-like ability” to adapt its sound profile, making it a compelling choice for music lovers. Music playback is characterized by transparency, authority, and deftness, with excellent detail retrieval across genres.

Vocals are handled beautifully, whether male or female, placed precisely within a well-defined stereo image. Instruments are rendered with clarity, and the soundbar’s controlled bass ensures that low frequencies are potent yet integrated, never overpowering the rest of the mix. While soundbars with external subwoofers might deliver deeper, more room-shaking bass for certain music genres, the MultiBeam 1100 effectively modifies its output to suit a wide variety of musical styles. Even standard stereo tracks benefit from its refined sound, though a “Smart Sound” mode can be engaged for a more expansive, three-dimensional rendition, particularly effective with orchestral pieces.

Connectivity and Smart Features

The MultiBeam 1100 is well-equipped with modern connectivity options. It features an HDMI output with eARC (Enhanced Audio Return Channel), allowing it to receive full, uncompressed Dolby Atmos soundtracks from compatible TVs. A single HDMI loopthrough is also provided, supporting 4K, HDR, HDR10+, and Dolby Vision passthrough, a useful feature for connecting source devices directly. While it doesn’t officially support 4K/120Hz or VRR for gaming through this port, some devices may pass 4K/120Hz in standard dynamic range.

Additional inputs include an optical digital audio input, along with comprehensive wireless capabilities: Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 5, Apple AirPlay 2, Chromecast built-in, and Spotify Connect. These enable seamless multi-room music streaming and integration into smart home ecosystems. Voice control is supported through Google Assistant, and it can also work with Alexa and Siri. An effective auto-calibration system is integral to its setup, optimizing the soundbar’s output for your room’s unique acoustics.

Expandability: The Full Citation Ecosystem

While the Harman Kardon Citation MultiBeam 1100 performs admirably as a standalone unit, it offers an upgrade path for those seeking a more comprehensive surround sound experience. You can seamlessly integrate optional wireless Citation Subwoofers (Citation Sub or Citation Sub S) for deeper, more impactful bass. For true rear surround effects and an even more immersive 5.1.2 system, a pair of wireless Citation Surround speakers can be added, creating a complete Harman Kardon Citation ecosystem.

A Look at the Harman Kardon Citation MultiBeam 700

For those with smaller spaces or a more modest budget, the Harman Kardon Citation MultiBeam 700 offers a compelling alternative within the same family. It’s a more compact and less expensive soundbar, initially released in 2020.

The MultiBeam 700 retains the clean and simple design language of the Citation series, featuring a touch-screen strip for basic controls and setup. It houses two 25mm tweeters and five 5cm woofers, delivering 210W of power. While it lacks Dolby Atmos support found in the 1100, it still utilizes MultiBeam technology to create good spatial effects, adding atmosphere and space to your audio. Its sound is characterized by a balanced, easy-listening character with a satisfying amount of bass for its size. It can hold its own without an additional subwoofer, making it ideal for small to medium-sized rooms.

Connectivity includes an HDMI ARC port, optical in, and aux in, alongside Bluetooth 4.3, Chromecast, and Apple AirPlay. It also integrates Google Assistant for voice control and features an auto-setup calibration system. While it may exhibit a slight flatness in dynamic expression compared to class leaders, its ability to function as part of a multi-room system and its pleasant sound make it a worthwhile consideration.

Citation MultiBeam vs. The Competition

When comparing the Harman Kardon Citation MultiBeam soundbars to rivals, several points emerge. The MultiBeam 1100, in particular, competes with products like the Sonos Arc and Bowers & Wilkins Panorama 3. While some reviewers note that the Sonos Arc might offer slightly more dazzling height effects and vocals, the MultiBeam 1100 often receives praise for its musicality and its ability to switch between film and music playback with impressive refinement. Its elegant design and high-quality materials also give it a distinctive edge. The primary drawbacks often cited against the MultiBeam series are the lack of a dedicated mobile app for settings control and the absence of DTS:X support, though Dolby Atmos content is far more prevalent.

Is a Harman Kardon Citation MultiBeam Soundbar Right for You?

Deciding if a Harman Kardon Citation MultiBeam soundbar is the right choice depends on your specific needs and preferences.

Factors to Consider

• Room Size and Acoustics: The MultiBeam 1100 is suited for larger living rooms, especially when paired with optional subwoofers and surrounds. The MultiBeam 700 is a better fit for smaller to medium spaces where its compact form factor and standalone bass performance shine.
• Primary Use: If you prioritize a balanced experience for both movies (especially Dolby Atmos content) and music, the MultiBeam 1100 is an excellent all-rounder. For mainly boosting TV audio and casual music listening in a smaller setting, the MultiBeam 700 offers great value.
• Budget and Upgrade Path: The MultiBeam 700 is the more budget-friendly entry point. The 1100, while a significant investment, offers expandability into a full 5.1.2 system, allowing you to upgrade over time.

Pros and Cons (Summary)

Harman Kardon Citation MultiBeam 1100

• Pros:
  • Excellent, spacious Dolby Atmos for movies.
  • Superb musicality and detailed audio playback.
  • Premium, elegant design with quality materials.
  • Comprehensive connectivity (HDMI eARC, AirPlay 2, Chromecast).
  • Effective auto-calibration and smart features.
  • Expandable with optional Citation Sub and Surround speakers.
• Cons:
  • No dedicated mobile app.
  • Upward-facing display can be inconvenient.
  • Lacks DTS:X support.
  • Cannot deliver true rear surround from a single bar.

Harman Kardon Citation MultiBeam 700

• Pros:
  • Balanced, easy-listening sound.
  • Compact design for smaller rooms.
  • Good spatial effects for a standalone bar.
  • Google Assistant and multi-room capabilities.
  • Satisfying bass without a separate subwoofer.
• Cons:
  • No Dolby Atmos support.
  • Less dynamic and less refined than the 1100.
  • Fewer physical connections than the 1100.

Conclusion

The Harman Kardon Citation MultiBeam soundbars, particularly the flagship 1100, embody a commitment to sophisticated design and impressive audio performance. From the rich, detailed soundscapes they create for movies to their surprisingly musical prowess, these soundbars offer a compelling package for enhancing your home entertainment. While they might have minor quirks like the absence of a dedicated mobile app, their overall balance of aesthetics, features, and sound quality makes them strong contenders in their respective categories. Ultimately, they offer a gateway to a more immersive and enjoyable audio journey.

Which Harman Kardon Citation MultiBeam soundbar will best elevate your personal listening sanctuary?

Câu Hỏi Thường Gặp

What is Harman Kardon MultiBeam technology?

Harman Kardon MultiBeam technology uses angled speakers and digital processing to bounce sound off walls, creating a wider, more immersive soundstage that extends beyond the physical soundbar, enhancing both movie and music experiences.

Does the Citation MultiBeam 1100 support Dolby Atmos?

Yes, the Harman Kardon Citation MultiBeam 1100 fully supports Dolby Atmos, featuring up-firing drivers to create vertical sound effects and a spacious, three-dimensional audio experience for compatible content.

Can I add a subwoofer and rear speakers to the MultiBeam soundbars?

For the MultiBeam 1100, you can expand its capabilities by wirelessly adding optional Harman Kardon Citation Subwoofers for deeper bass and Citation Surround speakers to achieve a true 5.1.2 channel surround sound system.

Is the Harman Kardon Citation MultiBeam good for music?

Both MultiBeam models are praised for their musical performance, but the MultiBeam 1100 particularly excels, offering transparent, detailed, and balanced audio that adapts beautifully across various music genres, making it a strong choice for music lovers.

What connectivity options does the Citation MultiBeam 1100 offer?

The MultiBeam 1100 provides comprehensive connectivity including HDMI eARC, an HDMI loopthrough with 4K/HDR support, optical input, Bluetooth 5, Wi-Fi, Apple AirPlay 2, Chromecast built-in, and Spotify Connect, supporting wide compatibility and multi-room audio.