Harman Kardon CITATION 7.4 User manual

CITATION
harman /kardon

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Citation Center
26046 Eden Landing Road, Suite 5
Hayward, CA94545
Made in USA
lf A Hâmañ Int€maliffal compeny
@1995 Hum K'a¡don, Inærporated
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Introduction
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Thank you for selecting the Citarion 7.4 Subwoofer Speaker es parr of your audio
system. It has been carefully designed to deliver the best possible sonic performence
for home theater and critical audio applications. In order to obtain the maximum
enjoyment from your new speaker, please take a few minutes to read the infor-
mation contained in this manual. This brief invesrmenr of time will yield major
dividends by making certain that your amplifier is properly installed and optimized
for the specifics of your sysrem.
'W'elcome to the Citation family. \Øe wish you meny years of listening pleasure!
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Description
The Citation 7.4 is a high qualiry subwoofer loudspeaker, designed to be used in
conjunction with either full-range or satellite speakers in a home thearer or critical
listening environment. The Citation 7.4 is Home THX' certified, and it is a perfect
companion to other Home THX speakers in the Citation line.
The Citation 7.4 is designed for forward-firing installation. It uses a l4-inch
driver with a cast frame basket and a l9-pound magnet motor assembly and a
-inch voice coil. \Øhen combined with the carefully consrrucred, heavy-dury
speaker cabinet, the Citation 7.4 forms a powerful system to deliver the thunderous
lows of the latest acdon adventure movie, or the smooth bass notes of a classical
organ concert.
The Citation 7.4 is a passive subwoofer, which means that it does not include any
onboard crossover or amplifier. It is strongly suggested rhat this speaker be used
with a Home THX surround processor such as the Citation Z0 or a properly
adjusted electronic crossover sysrem. The use of high qualiry amplifiers such as rhe
Citation 7.I will also enhance the performance of this subwoofer.

I-/npacking
The carton and shipping materials used in protecting your Citation 7.4 Subwoofer
were specially designed ro cushion it from the shocks and vibration of shipping.
\Øe suggest that you save the carton and packing marerials for use in shipping if
you move or in the event rhat the speaker ever needs repair.
To minimize the size of the canon while in storege, you may wish ro flatren it. This
may be done by carefully slitting the tape seams on the bottom and collapsing the
carton down to a more two-dimensional appearance. Other cardboard packaging
and protective materials may be stored in the same menner. Packing materials that
cannot be collapsed should be saved along with the carron in a plastic bag.
Speaker Placement
In order to assure optimal performance of the Ciration7.4, some planning and
experimentation may be required ro find the correct placemenr in your lisrening
environment. Different room sizes, shapes, furnishings and wall trearments may
cause a speaker location that works well in one room not to work in anorher.
In general, subwoofers are non-directional, due to the ear's insensitivity to the
directionality of low frequencies. This means that they may be placed in a
number of locations within a room. Do not be afraid ro mov€ the subwoofer
around the room somewhat if you find that the original placement does not
produce the desired result.
In addition, the size, or cubic volume of a listening room may have a direct impact
on the performance of a subwoofer. Depending on the size of a room, and the
placement of the speaker, two or more subwoofers may be required to produce
smoother bass response over a broader listening area.
A good starting point for locating subwoofers is to place them within three feet
of the front channel speakers, such as the Citation 7.2. Put one nexr to the right
speaker, and one next to the left. As an alternadve, placing one or both of the
subwoofers in a system in the corners of a room will increase the bass response.
If you are in doubt as to the proper location for speakers in a specific installation,
please consult with your dealer or installer. They will be able to advise you.

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System Connections
I Nole: 'When making connections between your amplifiers and the Citation
I 7.4,be certain that both the input device and the amplifier are turned off. To
I assure that there will be no unwanted signal transients that can damage equip-
I ment or speakers, it is always best to unplug all equipment before making any
I connecrions. Modern electronic products often have a "standby'' mode that
I may be acdvated even though the product may eppear to be turned off.
As a general rule, avoid running any input signal or speaker wire connections in
pardlel with each other, or with AC pov/er cords. This can result in undesired hum
or other interference that will greatly degrade signal performance.
It is highly recommended that the length of cable connecting any set of speakers be
identical. For example, if there are two subwoofers in your system, make certain
that the cable length connecting each speaker to the amplifier is identical, even
though one speaker may be physically closer to the amplifier than the other. If one
speaker has excess wire in its lead to maintain equal length, make certain the extra
cable is NOT coiled in a circle, as this may form an inductor that will negatively
impact the performance of your speakers.
Cobles or Connecting Wire
To assure that the high qualiry signals produced by your Citation system are carried
to your speakers without loss of clariry or resolution, vr'e recommend the use of
high quality speaker cable. Many brands of cable are available, and the choice of
cable may be influenced by the distance bet'ween your speakers and the ampliûe¡
the type ofspeakers in use, personal preferences, and other factors. Your dealer
or installer is a valuable resource to consult in selecting the proper cable for
connections benveen your amplifier and speakers.
Regardless of the brand or type of cable selected, we recommend that you use cable
constructed of fine, multi-srand copper with a gauge of 14 or larger. Remember,
that when specifying cable, the lower the number, the thicker the cable.
Cable with a gavge of 16 may be used for short runs of less than ten feet. 'We do
nor recommend that you use any cables with an A\ØG equivalent of 18 or higher
due to the power loss and degradation in performance that will occur.
One way to insure that cables will deliver a predictable level of performance is to
use cables rhat are Home THX certified. This certification assures that the cables
have met a rigorous set of specifications designed for home theater applications.
Cables that are run inside walls Should have the appropriate markings to indicate
listing with UL, CSA or other approved testing agency standards for that applica-
tion. Questions about running cables inside walls should be referred to your
installer or a licensed elecuical contractor who is familiar with the NEC and/or
the applicable local building codes in your area.
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€onneclions lo Speokers
Connections to the speakers from the sysrem's amplifier may be made using bare
wire, banana plugs or spade lugs.
If bare wire is used for the connections, strip approximately ll2 inch to 314 inch
(20mm) of insulation from the end of each wire and carefully twist the strands of
each conductor together. Be careful not to cut the individual strands or rwist them
off for optimal performance, all strands must be trsed.
Before connecting the wires to the speaker, note that the binding post connections
in the terminal cup have black and red colored rings on the gold-plated terminal
screws. These a¡e your keys to maintaining correct phasing with the amplifier and
processor.
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Figure I Tèrminøl Cup

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Loosen the binding-posr screws far enough so that the pass-through hole is
revealed. Note that one conductor of the speaker cable will have no markings, and
the other will have a red line, brand name markings, a black thread, or some other
positive indication. Place the wire with no markings, or a "-" sign through the ter-
minal with the black colored ring. This will be the "negarive" conducror. Place rhe
wire with the "+" sign or the thread or markings through the hole in the terminal
with the red colored ring. This is the 'þosirive" conducor. Twist the terminal
scrervvs back so that a positive connection is made, but do not overtighten or use
tools, as this may break the delicate wire strands and decrease sysrem performance.
(Figure 1)
If you are using spade lugs, connect them to the wire using the manufacurer's
instructions. Loosen the caps on the binding posts and place lugs between the
screw terminal and the back of the binding posr, as if it were a horseshoe on the
game's post. Be sure to observe proper polarity, by placing the "-" or blank wire to
the black post, and the "+" or marked conducror to the red post. Tighten with your
ûngers to obtain a positive contacr.
Banana plugs may simply be inserted into the jack provided on the speaker termi-
nal connection. Before inserting the plugs, make certain that the binding poôt's
scre\M caP is tightened down by turning it in a clockwise direction. This makes cer-
tain that the maximum contact area is available. Also, be certain that the plugs are
firmly inserted so that a proper connecrion is made.
Finall¡ run the cables to the amplifier, and connect the cables using the instruc-
tions provided by the manufacturer. \Øhen making connecrions at the amplifier
end, be certain to observe proper polariry connecting the "black" wire to the nega-
tive terminal and the "red" wire to the positive terminal.
fu previously noted, if more than one subwoofer is in use, make certain that rhe
wire lengdr from the amplifier to each speaker is identical, and that any excess wire
is not coiled in a circle.

Operation
Operation of the CitationT.4 is simple, and there are no conrrols ro adjust. Audio
level controls are set and adjusted using the appropriate controls on your controller,
processor, preamp or external electronic crossover.
Service Information
If your installation has followed rhe suggestions in this manual you should enjoy
mâny years of trouble-free operation and high qualiry listening enjoyment. If
you suspect that there is a problem that requires assisrance, conracr your dealer
or installer. If they are not able to assist you, contacr the Citation Center at
800-787-6766. The Citation 7.4 does not contain any user serviceable parts.
It is important that any repairs be carried out only by an authorized Citation sery-
ice agent to assure proper service and to preserve the protection of your Limited
W'arranty. It is a good idea to keep your sales slip or receipt in a safe place with this
manual so that it will be available to verify the purchase date for warranny claims.
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[Jse Bc Care
The wood veneer finish of your Citation 7.4 Subwoofer may be cleaned with any
furniture-grade polish. Do not use petroleum-based cleaners or abrasives. Any dust
that accumulates on the grille cloth may be lightly brushed away by hand, taking
care not to put too much pressure on the grille.

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ùpecrncatrons
Frequenry Response: 2l Hz - 100 Hz t3 dB
Driver Complement: 14" lffoofer with Cast Frame Basket
Nominal Impedance: 6 ohms
Sensitivity: 94 dB SPL/I 'watt @ 1 meter
Power Handling Capabiliry: Over 300 watts
Dirnensions (HxWxD): I9-718 x 24-718 x 13-712 inches (not including feet)
504 x 613 x 394 mm (not including feet)
V'eight: 85 lbs/38.5 kg
Dolby æd Pro logic are registered rrademalc ofDolby labomrories Liænsing Corp.
THX and Home THX arc registercd rademarlc of Luø6lm Lrd.
AJI ferures and specifications are subjec! ro change wirhout norice.
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