Harmon Kardon has announced a new smart speaker called Citation 500 with Google Assistant support. The smart speaker will be shown at the upcoming IFA 2018 and will be available for pre-order in Europe around September.
The company has collaborated with Kvadrat, Europe’s leading design textiles manufacturer to design the wool fabrics that lend the speaker a minimalist look. The speaker comes in gray and black color option similar to that of Google Home speakers.
The Citation 500 features Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, Chromecast and Google Assistant as well. It has 200W stereo speakers and supports 24 bit/96Khz high-definition audio streaming. It can be controlled through an LCD touch panel housed on the top of the speaker or through voice to request music or other wireless play.
In addition to it, the Citation 500 can be used as a smart home hub for controlling functions like lights or thermostat. The Citation 500 carries a price tag of £549 (US$ 709 / Rs. 49,760 approx.), which is $300 more than the Google Home Max.
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