Harman Kardon Citation I Tube Preamp Fully Restored Telefunken Tubes Walnut Case

HARMAN KARDON CITATION I STEREO TUBE PREAMPLIFIER – FULLY RESTORED, WITH ORIGINAL DOCUMENTATIONUp for consideration is a Harman Kardon Citation I preamplifier — this is where it all started for Harman Kardon, and the piece that made them a respected name in affordable high-end audio. This is about the best example of a Citation I that I have ever seen.THE STORY I purchased this in the mid-80s from a lady, along with its matching Citation V power amplifier. Her late husband had built it around 1960 and kept all of the original schematics, manuals, and assembly pictorials — all of which I am including. Since then it has been stored in a bin in a climate-controlled room for the past 40+ years. Early this year I pulled it out to have it professionally restored so I could share this legendary preamp with a true collector who can really appreciate it.THE RESTORATION I found Bill Wittmer of Bill Wittmer Amplifier Repair in Philadelphia, a seasoned technician specializing in vintage tube audio. Bill started by testing all nine tubes, which are the very desirable Telefunken brand (12AX7/ECC83 and 12AT7/ECC81). Every tube tested healthy on his Sencore TC-162 tester — strong, matched emission readings (80–90), zero grid leakage, and "Excellent" life ratings across the board. The full tube-by-tube results are in the service report.He then fully rebuilt the power supply, replacing all of the filter capacitors, diodes, and out-of-spec resistors, and moved on to replace all of the coupling capacitors and the remaining capacitors throughout the preamp with modern high-voltage film capacitors. He rebuilt the phono preamp section, replaced all of the RCA input and output jacks with new gold-pin style jacks, added a phono ground connector, cleaned every control and switch, and replaced the old two-prong power cord with a new grounded 3-prong cord. All voltages were verified to factory specification. The result restores the original clean, beautiful sound this preamp is famous for.I am including ALL of the original parts Bill replaced — including the original "Bumblebee" capacitors and electrolytic cans — a nice bonus for collectors who want to keep the original components with the unit.THE CABINET The rare original walnut case had some scratches and stains from a planter, so I fully stripped, sanded, and refinished it with Danish oil. It looks as beautiful as it did 65 years ago.THE BUCKING TRANSFORMER Bill also built a dedicated bucking transformer for this preamp. These units were designed for the 115–117 VAC wall voltage of the era; today's line voltage typically runs 120–126 VAC, which pushes the internal voltages to their maximum and can severely shorten tube and component life. The bucking transformer steps the line down to a proper 117 volts. It's a bit ugly, but very effective — and strongly recommended for use at all times.WHAT'S INCLUDEDCitation I preamplifier in its refinished original walnut caseCustom-built HK Citation One bucking transformerOriginal Operation Manual and Assembly ManualComplete set of original assembly pictorials (I–XIII), mounting template, errata sheet, "The Citation Sound" brochure, and the April 1961 Electronics World test reportTechnician's written service report with full tube test results and 90-day warranty on the workAll original parts removed during the restoration, plus the original 2-prong power cordNOTES As with all tube gear, it's recommended to power on the preamp for about 15 seconds before powering on the amplifier.I am also listing the matching Citation V power amplifier, restored by Bill at the same time. I would love to sell the pair together to a collector and keep them united, as they have been for the past 65 years — please reach out if you're interested in both.SHIPPING / PICKUP I strongly prefer local pickup in the Downingtown, PA area (19335), and I'm willing to meet halfway up to 50 miles. Given the age, weight, and irreplaceable nature of this piece, local handoff is the safest option for everyone.I will ship if needed, but please understand: the preamp, parts, and manuals weigh over 50 pounds, and proper double-boxing will add at least another 10 pounds in boxes and packing material. I will need up to a week to prepare and pack it properly, and even with careful packing, I'll be honest — shipping something this valuable and heavy makes me nervous. If you're within driving distance, meeting up is truly the better option for both of us.