Harman/Kardon Citation Multibeam 700 / problem with Goole speaker groups

[Tm2]

My setup:

• Three Google Nest Routers (one as a primary, two slaves to spread the network)
• Two Google Points - both to spread the wifi and for the smart speaker connectivity.
•  (Had before three more Points, yet disabled them due to the fact Google WiFi cannot handle more that five wifi hotspots.. )
• Seven Google Mini -speakers
• A Google Nest Hub and a Google Audio  -speaker.
• Two Chromecasts (for audio only, the Chromecast seems to be only device providing audio out (via HDMI) and therefore feeding audio for my amplifiers and proper set of speakers).
• Harman/Kardon Citation Multibeam 700 -soundbar
• (other misc stuff like some 30ish lights - mainly Philips Hue but also some other brands, two air conditioners and whatnot..)

Like stated in the subject, the current problem is dealing with the speaker groups: The HK Soundbar connects easily and nicely to the Google Home -app and fits nicely in the speaker groups in the app.

However, whenever casting audio (music) to the speaker groups, the soundbar remains idle (not playing audio), it only works when casted only to it directly.

Needless to say, the Soundbar has up-to-date firmware.

Is there any real solulution, or is my only choise to buy yet another (third) Chromecast to join the soundbar into the Google Home speakergroups?

[mat-maas]

I have the same problem. After working for several months (appr 18 months) the HK citation 700 soundbar is not responding anymore in a group.

When I delete the group and make a new one with first only the soundbar and than adding a google home speaker to the group it is working. When I stop streaming and start streaming again the soundbar is not working anymore.

The soundbar is already send back to HK once. Got a new one last week but the same problem exists.

[amst3l]

I have the exact same issue with my MB700.. driving me insane!

[mat-maas]

I probably have found the cause. I have my citation 700 in a group with a google home.

The soundbar is also connected with my TV. As long as I don't use the TV the soundbar keeps responding in the group. But when I have used the TV the soundbar isn't responding anymore in the group. Than I have to delete the group and make the group again.

This could be the cause, but I don't know how to fix it 😞

[amst3l]

Restarting the device from the google home app also helps. But it just keeps hanging in either hdmi or aux. It says it understood the voice command but it just never launches. I contact the support of harman kardon aswell. They send me a list of stuff to check which i'm currently doing. 

[mat-maas]

I solved it for my setup.

I connected the soundbar via hdmi AND fiber to my TV. And now everything is working.

Before I also contacted HK. And I also got the email with lots of things I had to check. None of these solved the problem 😞

[amst3l]

Fiber as in optical? 

[mat-maas]

Yes a optical connection

[amst3l]

Alright! But how does it work/how do you get it to work? 

Do you still select the hdmi for tv audio? Could you elaborate please? If its a valid fix i can share it on some other forum i'm involved with. A few others have the exact same issue 

[mat-maas]

And after a night of watching TV it isn't working anymore 😞😞

[amst3l]

Ah thats too bad, i will also report this back to the support

[amst3l]

A thought popped up.. have you tried using only the audio fiber cable?

[mat-maas]

As it is working now for 2 days I won't change anything. Will see if it keeps working

[amst3l]

Alright, keep up posted 😄 HK support wants me to send my MB700 to their support department. I'm 100% certain however this isn't a hardware issue so i won't be doing it

[mat-maas]

I have done the same. Got a new one. But with that one the problem keeps the same.

[amst3l]

After refusing to send HK support my MB700 and asked if they could do a rollback if finally got a somewhat hopefull answer. They acknowledge it is a software issue and are working on it.. no ETA though. So we'll just have to wait it out.

They did note a workaround that indeed does the trick (most of the times😅😞

First ask: "Hey Google, play music" - this enabled the casting

Then ask: "Hey Google, play [radio station X]"

Hope this offers some help to you all

[Juni]

Hi folks,

Thanks for posting here in the Google Nest Community and sorry for the late response.

I’m glad your issue is resolved now. I’ll keep this thread open for 3 more days. If you need further help, let me know.
 

Regards,

Juni

[amst3l]

A workaround is not the same as a fix...

[Tm2]

The issue is freaking far away from resolving.

There are at least two workarounds, yet neither is fixing the actual issue.

The worksaround amst3l  introduced is fine, but is not applicaple for all the situations, you're not always near the soundbar and ofter there are multiple other speakers withing the hearing range.

Another workaround, plugging a Chromecast -device to the hdmi-imput of the soundbar, resolves mostly the issue of soundbar not responding in the groups - but is not applicaple for those using the soundbar with a tv, and this workaround also costs money; One needs to buy to one more Google device just to fix up dysfunctioning other google devices.

So, there are multiple partially working workarounds and the problem still persists.

[mat-maas]

I don't think it is resolved. There is just a work around

[mat-maas]

Is there some progress somewhere into a solution?

[Mellamo]

reserving a static IP to the soundbar seems to do the trick. also giving it a own name instead of the generic one

[Juni]

Hi Mellamo,

Thanks for the tip. I hope everyone can try this and let us know if it worked for you by updating this thread,

Looking forward to your responses. 

Regards,

Juni

[amst3l]

Do you mean giving the name in either the Google Home app or in the router? I Already have the static ip, but doesn't really work (at least not all the times)

[Mellamo]

In the router.

I´ve tried every other suggestion i could find but this immediately solved it.

Have u tried removing the speaker group and creating a new one (preferably with a new name)

[amst3l]

Mmh, i did change it but no success. Not lasting anyways. Will try the speaker group method!

I also disabled DMZ, but that also didn't solve the issue... 

[Mellamo]

aaaaaaand it broke....

However, redoing the steps solves it again. Atleast its narrowed down a ton, before nothing worked.

Either, the speaker group or the IP thingy is the problem. Gonna test just creating a new speaker group next time it brakes

[mat-maas]

Another name is no fix for me.

Where in the settings I can give it a fixed op address?

[acrylamid]

I have a Harman/Kardon Citation Multibeam 500 with the same problem.

[AWSch]

I bought a HK 700 citation soundbar with sub and 2x surround speakers a month ago. It is also linked with tv. Sound is excellent. I could ask Google assistant to play radio, music, classical, etc. Since yesterday it only works when I ask "ok Google, play radio station x". When I ask to play music the response is "can't play on this device, maybe another device". I have tried many things including reset to factory settings and linked speakers again. No succes. Any advice please

[Madsf]

Anyone with news regarding this topic. I'm so frustrated with the issue 😂

[AWSch]

Just after my previous message and a lot of research I decided to download the Google assistant app on my phone and ensured that the language is the same on this app as on the Google Home app on my phone. I am not sure if this was really the remedy but since I have done this, my system is back to normal. I have not received "can't play on this device, maybe another device", since.

[ViktorNo]

Exactly the same problem here and it's almost gotten worse the past few months. 

Worked flawlessly in the beginning, then it broke to the point where it could be used by starting for example Spotify casting directly towards only the soundbar and then "add" more speakers in the Google Home app in the media section, but now it won't respond at all. It's like it's not being found through Google or something.

[Ivanokeeffe]

Just throwing my hat in the ring here.

I can't even connect to my soundbar using Google Home/Utility Activation, it just tells me:

cannot activate harmon kardon soundbeam 7000