Harman Kardon Citation I

[ramjet]

This is my progress after about 40 hours work into a full build using all new wire, components and chassis. Some original parts are being used (tube sockets and switches). Anybody who built one of these from a kit in the early 60s has may greatest respect. I done two Citation V power amplifiers in the last six months but they were child's play compared to this. I think I've still got another 40+ hours to go.

 

[Nyjblbob]

Nice looking chassis. where did you get it?
bobhorn

 

[gadget73]

Is someone selling these as a kit? That would be interesting

and yes preamps have way too much going on inside.

 

[ramjet]

Nice looking chassis. where did you get it?
bobhorn

I bought it on that auction site over a decade ago at the same time I got a Mc225 chassis and tube cover. I believe the seller was in Korea.

 

[ramjet]

Is someone selling these as a kit? That would be interesting

and yes preamps have way too much going on inside.

No new kits available that I am aware of. New chassis, new turret board for Channel B, all new wire and RCA jack boards plus I have the original assembly manual and pictorials. The donor Citation I was a mess.

 

[jefferylhenr]

They do sound good once you get everything squared and the tube covers block Rfi so don’t forget those.

 

[Sam Cogley]

Nice looking chassis. where did you get it?
bobhorn

I found them for sale out of China in the past few days when I was looking for top and bottom covers for my beat-up Citation I.

 

[atmasphere]

Is someone selling these as a kit? That would be interesting

and yes preamps have way too much going on inside.

The Citation 1 tone controls are switches. So when you set them to flat they really are. Of all the vintage era tube preamps, its arguably the most sophisticated. Properly sorted out it easily keeps up with modern fare.

 

[gadget73]

The Marantz 7c has the same sort of controls. Flat puts them out of circuit.

 

[dcgillespie]

Ditto for the Mac C-11 and C-22

Dave

 

[Sam Cogley]

So does the lowly PAS 3X…

 

[dcgillespie]

The 3X does remove the tone controls at flat, but still uses variable controls. The previous 3 units mentioned actually use switches for the controls.

Dave

 

[Sam Cogley]

The 3X does remove the tone controls at flat, but still uses variable controls. The previous 3 units mentioned actually use switches for the controls.

Dave

Fair point, I was only thinking about pulling the tone controls out of circuit. The PAS does the poor man's version of it.

 

[ramjet]

Fair point, I was only thinking about pulling the tone controls out of circuit. The PAS does the poor man's version of it.

Probably a good time to show the final results. I haven't tested it yet as there are three bench projects ahead of it.

 

[tubeactive]

That was a serious amount of work,
@ramjet !
I hope the sound is as impressive and even more involving !

 

[Sam Cogley]

That was a serious amount of work,
@ramjet !
I hope the sound is as impressive and even more involving !

Rebuilding a C-IV is a lot of work. The C-1 is next level, and I’m kind of dreading doing mine.

Probably a good time to show the final results. I haven't tested it yet as there are three bench projects ahead of it.

That looks absolutely fantastic!