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The Official Harman Kardon H/K Citation Owners Thread

You know.. this is a pretty cool thread I have to admit I didn’t notice that for quite a while till a week or so ago
H/K... in my opinion regardless of what people want to say always seemed to value good sound...
Growing up as a kid... listening to my dads kit built CIT IV, and CITV... garrard turntable... WharfeDale speakers I was hooked on good sound...
And it’s glad to see there’s lots of people like myself and appreciate H/K... pretty cool stuff in my opinion!!
 
Yes! On the Citation 16 an IC was used for the front end, where as the Citation 16A had a discreet front end. The IC in the 16 sounds difficult to source.

Citation 16:
upload_2019-4-24_19-35-51.png

Citation 16A:
upload_2019-4-24_19-38-45.png

Mark K.
 
When I got this one I was disappointed by the sound and hoped it just needed a recap and some upgraded parts. I have never heard a recap/upgrade have such dramatic results and I've now done a fair number at this point. All transistors are original.

This amp is what I've been looking for sound quality and I am very happy with it.

Thanks,

Mark K.
 
My amp does deviate from the service manual for the 16A. Unfortunately mine does not have the DC protect circuit like @Super Noob 's does. Mine must be an early version with the relay time delay circuit but not the DC protection.

Mark K.
 
My Cit 21 after Big Sky mods.
IMHO, if you want to know the low down, ask Big Sky-they have been repairing and upgrading H/K for years, and have the pedigree, and proof to show it.
I went with their suggestions and expertise.
I don't get enamored by specs these days, the proof is in the sound.
I'm sure the AP2500 is a fine sounding preamp-better then a stock Cit21? Or the one below? Only a side by side in ones system could you draw a accurate conclusion.
CIT211.JPG CIT212.JPG CIT213.JPG CIT214.JPG
cit215.jpg
 
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Owner of a Citation 21, two 22's (one made in USA, and one Japan), and a 24 checking in. All currently out of rotation waiting for service :(
 
automojo said:
Aww.....lots of potential sitting there!!
Click to expand...
I know. While I like my receivers, I absolutely love my Citations. The sound quality is hard to beat for anything of comparable cost. The walked all over my Adcom stuff when both were new.

I don't really have anything that requires so much power at he moment, but would love to get them back in service.

The Japanese 22 was broken by united parcel smashers. Arrived with the back feet sticking out the bottom of the box, speaker connectors pushed in (cracking the board) and one of the 4/8 ohm switches crushed. The rest just need the typical cold solder joints reflowed and recapped.

I misspoke on the 24. I don't have that one anymore (forgot I gave it to my nephew), but I do have the 23 tuner that I also forgot I had. It works, but I live between two 800 plus foot hills and can't get any reception. Works great at my sisters house in the city.
 

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I'm either not impressed with the Citation 23 or more than impressed with the much older Fisher 600-T. The Fisher will log 60 stations of the 100 FM channels with a pair of folded dipoles in the attic. The Citation 23 (same antenna) will pick up 6 additional stations, but those are all adjacent channel and require the Hi Q mode. They are noisy enough that one would not listen any longer than necessary to identify the station. So, in "normal" service, this TOTL 1989 tuner is no better than the 1964 receiver with much lesser tuner specs. Would be interesting to borrow a McIntosh MR-78 to compare.
 
fred soop said:
I'm either not impressed with the Citation 23 or more than impressed with the much older Fisher 600-T. The Fisher will log 60 stations of the 100 FM channels with a pair of folded dipoles in the attic. The Citation 23 (same antenna) will pick up 6 additional stations, but those are all adjacent channel and require the Hi Q mode. They are noisy enough that one would not listen any longer than necessary to identify the station. So, in "normal" service, this TOTL 1989 tuner is no better than the 1964 receiver with much lesser tuner specs. Would be interesting to borrow a McIntosh MR-78 to compare.
Click to expand...
I'm more impressed that it can hang with you Fisher than disappointed it's not much better. Tuners were much more important in the 60's than the late 80's, early 90's. I don't think companies put much effort into them around that time. When I bought my tuner it was more of an afterthought. I only listened to fm in my 89 mustang 5.0 lx sedan (notch to people these days)
 
I have a very clean / operational Citation receiver that I am planning on moving along..... I am curious as to thoughts on what I should be asking for it....
 
A23gt said:
I'm more impressed that it can hang with you Fisher than disappointed it's not much better. Tuners were much more important in the 60's than the late 80's, early 90's. I don't think companies put much effort into them around that time. When I bought my tuner it was more of an afterthought. I only listened to fm in my 89 mustang 5.0 lx sedan (notch to people these days)
Click to expand...

With only one classical station and no jazz stations remaining in the Chicago area, today it would make more sense to forget the tuner and just connect the phone to the amplifier. One can then stream just about any station from anywhere. With todays stations, I'm not sure that the quality would be that much worse either.
 
Been a while since anyone was on this thread but I’ll throw this question out there anyway...

Of the solid state HK preamps would you guys consider the 17s to be the high water mark...?
 
The only thing I have left is the results of a McIntosh clinic test of my Citation I preamp that I had in 1971. This preamp was awsome, but I wanted the Mc C28 to go with my MC2100. The guy that tested it was amazed at the results, he ran them twice. I wish I had kept it.IMG_20191027_0003.jpg
 
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