Weeks ago, HARMAN announced a new premium smart speaker with Google Assistant built-in called the Harman Kardon Citation 500. This is the third smart speaker from the Samsung-owned brand coming after the Alexa-powered ‘Allure’ ($249) and Cortana-backed ‘Invoke’ ($199).
Showcased weeks ago at the IFA 2018 in Berlin, the Harman Kardon Citation 500 has an elegant yet minimalistic wool fabric material designed by Danish textile icons, Kvadrat and comes in Gray and Black colour options. It features 200W stereo speakers and supports 24 bit/96Khz high-definition audio streaming as well as Wi-Fi and Bluetooth.
Google Assistant integration allows the user access to music streaming platforms, voice commands, Chromecast support and smart home control. It also feature a full-colour LCD touch panel at the top for controls. While the design and colours are closely similar to Google’s Home Max speakers ($399), it carries a hefty price tag of $599.95 in the U.S.
Michael Mauser, President, Lifestyle Audio at HARMAN, said:
“Our unprecedented audio legacy matched with the Kvadrat’s premium textiles has allowed us to develop this unique smart home speaker. Consumers today are looking for superior sound and superior design and with the Citation 500, that’s exactly what they’ll get.We’re delighted that the Citation 500 has been recognized by EISA.”
