Sonos begone! This top rival to the Arc soundbar is £500 off

One end of a black Harman Kardon Citation Multibeam 1100 soundbar.
(Image credit: Future)

If Sonos' recent app woes have turned you off the firm's products, here's a great deal on an alternative to the Sonos Arc soundbar. The Harman Kardon Citation Multibeam 1100 is now just £299 at Peter Tyson – down from its RRP of £799. That's a saving of £500.

Best Harman Kardon Citation Multibeam 1100 deal

Harman Kardon Citation Multibeam 1100was £799now £299 at Peter Tyson (save £500)
Read our Harman Kardon Citation Multibeam 1100 review

Harman Kardon Citation Multibeam 1100 was £799 now £299 at Peter Tyson (save £500)
This Sonos Arc rival has it where it counts – at full price, it earned four stars in our review, so with this discount it's a fantastic buy. It combines a broad but precise soundstage with HDMI passthrough and a simple set-up. This deal is exclusive to Peter Tyson VIP members.
Read our Harman Kardon Citation Multibeam 1100 review

At launch, the Citation Multibeam 1100 was priced similarly to the Sonos Arc, which inevitably led to comparisons between the two. The Award-winning Arc came out top in that battle, but this discount makes the Harman Kardon a different proposition altogether...

Its curved edges and oval profile are very similar to the Arc's, and it boasts a hi-res, full-colour touch-sensitive LCD panel, which is a joy to use. This also makes set-up and calibration a doddle, though it does come at the expense of a mobile app. It's also placed on the top of the 'bar, meaning you have to stand over it if you want to read what's on-screen – not ideal. The soundbar's front blinking lights to tell you what functions it's performing aren't quite the same.

But get it going and you soon forgive any such design quirks. The Multibeam 1100 sounds much bigger than it is, with a surprising amount of volume and bass. It remains measured throughout, and refuses to be overwhelmed. Its low frequencies aren't quite as well portrayed as the Sonos Arc's, but at this discount, that's eminently forgivable.

Its surround processing has a welcome solidity too, making for a strikingly cinematic experience. And it's yours for under £300. Sold.

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Joe Svetlik

Joe has been writing about tech for 17 years, first on staff at T3 magazine, then in a freelance capacity for Stuff, The Sunday Times Travel Magazine, Men's Health, GQ, The Mirror, Trusted Reviews, TechRadar and many more (including What Hi-Fi?). His specialities include all things mobile, headphones and speakers that he can't justifying spending money on.