Harman Kardon Citation 21
The Citation 21 is a preamplifier from Harman Kardon's Citation line, and documentation on it is thin. No production years, original price or dimensions have turned up in any of the standard references. Its place within the Citation lineup isn't recorded either. What is known comes down to a handful of specs, and those disagree depending on the source.
The most consistent picture comes from two of the three databases that list the model. Both agree on a frequency response of 5Hz–100kHz, THD of 0.004%, a signal-to-noise ratio of 90dB, and phono input sensitivity of 1mV. A third source, hifi-wiki.com, lists more conservative figures — 20Hz–20kHz response, 0.02% THD, 80dB S/N, and 2mV phono sensitivity — so take the exact numbers with some caution. All three sources agree on line input sensitivity of 150mV. Inputs are phono, tuner, and two aux positions, with a pre-out for connection to a power amplifier. Tone controls for bass and treble are present, and there's a headphone jack on board.
The December 1987 issue of High Fidelity (p.44) ran a test report on the Citation 21. It notes that the top row of buttons on the front panel carried pilot lights to indicate their settings. The same issue (p.40) mentions the IC-20, a sibling model that appeared in the same test context. Beyond that, the record goes quiet. No design details, circuit topology or construction notes are documented, and no owner or reviewer opinions beyond that brief mention have survived.
The specs conflict and there is no historical context, so this page is a work in progress. If you own a Citation 21 and can confirm the numbers on the rear panel or in the manual, the archive would welcome the correction.
- Preamplifier
- Inputs: Phono, Tuner, Aux 1, Aux 2
- Outputs: Pre-out
- Tone controls: Bass, Treble
- Headphone jack: Yes
- Line input sensitivity: 150mV (agreed by all sources)
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