Harman Kardon has announced a new lineup of smart speakers at CES 2019. Dubbed the ‘Citation Series’, the speakers come with Google Assistant and Chromecast built-in and LCD touch screens. The audio subsidiary of Samsung also announced at the trade show that the speakers will receive AirPlay 2 support via a firmware update sometime in early 2019.
The speakers, which were showcased at CES 2019, are aimed at the mid- to high-end spectrum of the audio market and start at $199.95 (roughly Rs. 14,110) for the Citation One and go all the way up to $2,499.95 (roughly Rs. 1,76,400) for the flagship Citation Towers. The speakers are already on sale in North America with global availability details unknown at the moment.
Each speaker in the Citation series has an aluminium chassis with Winter Grey or Classic Black wool fabric on top. The diverse line-up consists of five tabletop speakers (Citation One, Citation 100, Citation 300, Citation 500, and Citation Surround), a soundbar called Citation Bar, a subwoofer called Citation Sub, and a floorstanding speaker called Citation Tower. Google Assistant support will allow users to control Android-connected smart home products as well as stream music and ask questions by simply saying “Ok Google”.
Michael Mauser, President, Lifestyle Audio at Harman, said, “Consumers increasingly look to their home entertainment systems to do more than just play music. While features like voice control and multi-room streaming are becoming standard, the Harman Kardon Citation Series is anything but. The pairing of our unprecedented audio legacy and premium design with smart features and ease of use gives Citation the opportunity to truly transform the listening experience.”
