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Harmon Kardon Citation 23? Still desired?

24.167.222.192
Posted on August 5, 2016 at 09:34:26
Jeff Starr
Audiophile

Posts: 1574
Location: Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Joined: March 4, 2000
 Years ago the above tuner got some good reviews, and people were paying top dollar for them. Now, I don't see any interest, is it all about the reliability issues? Or?

I may be getting one, I'll put in my second system replacing a Yamaha CT400. The CT400 is stock and just works. It does need some bulbs in the numbers window, but otherwise, cabinet is faded, but that is it.

Educate me on the 23.

Thank you,
Jeff

 

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RE: Harmon Kardon Citation 23? Still desired?, posted on August 5, 2016 at 15:31:13
PaulN
Audiophile

Posts: 1412
Joined: January 13, 2000
 IIRC, that tuner was well-known for DX'ing, but may have had some manufacturing issues that could cause problems. I think the power supply was prone to burning out capacitors. If it works good, it should sound at least as good as the Yammy it will replace.

 

dunno, but you could do far, far better than a CT-400, posted on August 5, 2016 at 17:43:37
mhardy6647
Audiophile

Posts: 16006
Location: New England
Joined: October 12, 1999
Contributor
  Since: October 23, 2016
 The CT-400 and its cousins are OK, but it was, of course, the bottom of the line at its time.

I mean, heck, you can get a CT-1010 for less than a hunnert smackers.
The CT-1010 is at the least a fairly decent sounding (and reasonably "hot") soiled state tuner.

DSC_6689_z

and, unlike many of the cheaper Yamaha tuners, at least it has actually got some stuff inside of it...

DSCN6032

When it comes to actually listening to FM, though, I am still awfully partial to this family of tuners...

Sherwood S3000 V 1
This one is one of the later, on-board MPX stereo morphs of this fine, unassuming (and cheap) little FM tuner.
all the best,
mrh

 

RE: dunno, but you could do far, far better than a CT-400, posted on August 5, 2016 at 20:02:27
Jeff Starr
Audiophile

Posts: 1574
Location: Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Joined: March 4, 2000
 The 400 is in the bedroom system, if the tuner is on for more than a hour a week, it is unusual.

I bought the 400 over 10 years ago. At one time as I think I said, I actually was looking for a Citation 23. I vaguely remember it being recommended.
I have a good tuner in the main system, there is a 23 I can get for the cost of shipping. Otherwise I would not be even asking, the 400 would stay where it is.

 

See TIC article about it, posted on August 6, 2016 at 19:57:20
Timbo in Oz
Audiophile

Posts: 23221
Location: Canberra - in the ACT - SE Australia
Joined: January 30, 2002
 Cheaply built, might cost a bit to get right.

My view is that investment in a really good directional antenna with gain is vital to getting good FM. IE one on a boom up high outside or in a loft or a rhombic wire on your ceiling / floor / loft.

The tuner comes second.


Warmest

Tim Bailey

Skeptical Measurer & Audio Scrounger


 

RE: See TIC article about it - Thanks Tim, posted on August 6, 2016 at 21:29:06
Jeff Starr
Audiophile

Posts: 1574
Location: Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Joined: March 4, 2000
 I am aware of TIC, but didn't think to take a look.

I am getting the 23 for the cost of shipping. It was a refurbished unit with one owner. He says it works fine.

Like I said, many years ago I was looking for second tuner and I tried to buy one. That was before the quality issues surfaced.

The CT400 I bought off of eBay for very little. I also had a Nikko I bought on a whim, I gave it to a friend.

As to antennas, you gave me some advice with my MD Etude, I solved that with a long single [no splices/couplers] coax to a back room. Now no multipath or noise issues. The CT400 brings in all my stations with a simple dipole.

If the 23 is a bust, I'll lose very little time or money. And I know there are better vintage tuners out there. I wasn't shopping for a tuner, this just came up. I committed before doing any research. It wouldn't be the first boat anchor, I have ever owned.

Thanks for the link.

 

RE: Correction Yamaha is a CT600 nt, posted on August 19, 2016 at 18:02:46
Jeff Starr
Audiophile

Posts: 1574
Location: Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Joined: March 4, 2000
 ;-)

 

RE: Harmon Kardon Citation 23? Still desired?, posted on September 30, 2016 at 19:39:23
kff
Audiophile

Posts: 1033
Location: SE PA
Joined: October 19, 2006
 I have a couple 23s along with a few other tuners.

Like the looks of the Luxman T-110 and have a couple, one needs a new home soon, other sits with the C-1000 for that family portrait.
Got a couple Yamahas, TX-1000 that sounds great and is in the main rig even though other units look good. Got a T-7 I refurbed and loaned to a friend. The TX is way better.
The two 23s, one needs a new home but I have to fix the display lamp first. The other is the main unit in the bedroom system, pulls in everything. Anything marginal and I hit that button to fine tune and it brings in that college station over in New Jersey just fine.

I got the whole stack or 22, 23, 25 cheap and have that doing receiver duty upstairs. Good gear but the build quality is iffy. Might need some soldering redone. Last of the Citation before Harman Int'l bought Mark Levinson. Can't have the public buying HK and not buying ML.

I like it but the 23 is not a pretty tuner. That whole stack is just not good looking gear but 200wpc sounding good and lots of flexibility in the preamp...OK, I didn't pay much and it was in great shape with manuals.

 

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