Harman Kardon products have always been considered solid for me. And all because it has decent quality and decent design. For example, the Citation MultiBeam 700 is a whole home theater, which has some disadvantages, but insignificant.

However, there are simpler options – the Harman Kardon Citation Oasis speaker system. This compact device attracts not only with its stunning design, but also with a large number of all kinds of functions. So it’s time to talk about this system in more detail.

Kit and appearance

Attention to detail is the first thing I want to see in modern gadgets. And Harman Kardon is fortunately fine with that. The box in which the Citation Oasis is shipped is equipped with a handle, making it much easier to transport the speaker.

The kit includes the acoustics itself, a 1,8 meter power cable, a quick guide, a warranty card and a safety data sheet. The speaker is offered in two colors – dark gray and light gray.

I think both versions look very good, but I would still prefer the second, because it is easier to fit into any interior. Top and bottom – hard and durable plastic. The sides are finished with a soft-touch fabric from Kvadrat Studio. Most of the refractory material comprises natural wool fibers.

In front is a monochrome screen and above it is a device status indicator that notifies, for example, of muted microphones. The display shows the time and date, as well as information about network connections, volume level, signal sources, selected song or radio station.

On the back are connectors and three buttons: to mute microphones and Wi-Fi, as well as adjust the backlight. Silence mode activates from 00:00 to 06:00 by default by flipping the Wi-Fi off switch.

Above – an area for wireless charging devices with a rubber ring and illuminated control buttons: all touch-sensitive, except for one – Play / Pause and Snooze. A feature called Snooze makes it possible to stop the alarm for a few minutes before re-signaling.

Touch buttons are also needed in order to bind four radio stations to them by pressing and holding while the radio is on. The rest of the keys allow you to increase or decrease the volume, as well as switch between songs or stations.

There are plenty of connectors: a jack for an FM antenna, a 1A USB port for charging devices, a 3,5 mm mini-jack for headphones, a microUSB for service workers and a power port.

On the bottom panel, you can also find a multi-pin connector hidden under the cover for service workers and a lithium battery compartment, which is necessary to save the settings after disconnecting from the power supply.

Nearby there is also a factory reset button and threaded holes for installing the speaker on a stand. As for the wireless charging pad for other Qi-enabled devices, everything works fine.

Capabilities

Along the edges of the front panel are two 44mm full-range speakers, complemented by two amplifiers with a total power of 12 watts. The column works with various formats: MP3, WAV, FLAC, HE-AAC, LC-AAC, Vorbis and Opus.

Immediately I would like to point out that the sound in this model pleases, and it suits perfectly for background playback. The sound is balanced and even soft in places. The bass is good, enough volume and high volume are felt. There is no unpleasant and cheap rattling, the details are easy to trace.

It has Bluetooth 4.2 and Wi-Fi 5 modules with 2,4 and 5 GHz support. Full customization of the Harman Kardon Citation Oasis is possible in the Google Home app, which is available for iOS and Android. To do this, simply connect the speaker system to Wi-Fi, register it in your home network, like any member of the Citation family, and place it in any suitable room.

When there are several speakers of this line at home, all of them can be combined to create a complete audio system. If you have an Android smartphone in your hands, you can use the Chromecast to access hundreds of streaming services and play your music. If the products are from Apple, then AirPlay 2 will come in handy.

The column supports voice control using Google Assistant, but, unfortunately, there is no Russian language. If you want to set up, for example, an alarm clock, then you have to command it in English. And you can also change the preset hours of the speaker transition to the silence mode with a voice command.

It should also be remembered that in Russia DAB radio does not actually work, and the presence of a digital DAB + receiver is a distinctive feature of this speaker. However, the built-in wire that acts as an analog FM receiver allows you to catch the available frequencies.

Another notable feature is the alarm clock. It is able to play not only music from radio stations, but also a selected composition from preset or assigned by the user. In addition, you can give a command so that the speaker wakes up with different signals every day.

Cost and opinion

Today Harman Kardon Citation Oasis is offered in Russia for 13 990 rubles… I believe that the ideal place for this speaker system can be precisely the workplace at home or in the office.

But there are other options – a bedside table in the bedroom, kitchen or living room. The Citation Oasis has enough essential features, great sound, nice design and, most importantly, high quality. Therefore, I believe that the price of this speaker system is fully justified.