Harman Kardon Receiver

Archived from groups: alt.tv.tech.hdtv,alt.home-theater.misc,alt.video.dvd (More info?)

nospam@nospam.com wrote:
> Anyone got an opinion on the HK AVR335? I'm getting a new receiver to
> replace my old Marantz SR5000, I want to get better sound and the 7.1
> capability.
>
> I can also pick up a used HK AVR7000 for a little bit less. AVR7000
> doesn't have 7.1 but I think it'll give me better sound than the
> AVR335, am I right?
>
> Thanks.


I've had 2 HK receivers (the 535 and the 7000). Both failed within a
year of purchase. I now use an Outlaw 990 processor + Outlaw 955
5-channel amp and am very happy with it.

When the HK AVR's worked, I liked the way they sounded.

Cheers,

C

Archived from groups: alt.tv.tech.hdtv,alt.home-theater.misc,alt.video.dvd (More info?)

FDR wrote:
> "Ritz" <ritz@mordor.net> wrote in message
>
>
> I had one fail, but just within the second year. Luckily they had (have) a
> two year warranty and I wasn't out anything. The failure had to do with the
> on screen text display (volume, etc) being jittery. It was fixed and had no
> problems in the two years since. It's sort of enclosed so there is heat
> buildup, so that may have been a culprit.
>
> Mine has sounded great and I would get another one if I had to.

I wouldn't buy another HK product. I purchased both units from
authorized dealers and both times got a hard time about getting the
units fixed (the DAC was unstable and would randomly inject noise into
the signal when you were using coax or fiber digital signals in from
your transport...analog playback was unaffected. BOTH units failed in
the same manner (AVR535 and AVR7000). When I got each unit
repaired/replaced I immediately gave them away (and the 535 later failed
again...the power transformer went south). For consumer "mid-fi"
equipment, HK is priced at a premium so you'd think you would get
acceptable build quality and service.

If I was going to ever consider a home theater receiver again, I'd
probably go with one of the Denon units. The AVR-3805 is very nice
(though not as robust as separates) at just under $1000. You won't be
driving any 4ohm speakers with it (at least at theater listening
levels), but they do sound rather neutral and don't suffer from lack of
headroom like most consumer theater receivers.

If you've got the budget, I'm very fond of the Outlaw gear
(http://www.outlawaudio.com). My system looks like this:

Outlaw 990 pre/DAC
Outlaw 955 (5 x 200WPC into 8 ohms...300wpc into 4ohms)
a pair of Outlaw LFM-1 powered subs (actually made by Hsu Research)
Magnepan 1.6 mains
Definitive Technology C1 center
Definitive Technology BP2 bipolar surrounds
Monarchy DIP 24/96 jitter buster (for 2-channel goodness)
Samsung HD-841 720p/1080i upsampling DVD player
Sharp Aquos 32" panel
Canare 4S11 speaker cabling
Kimber RCA interconnects
Outlaw digital coax and Toslink cables

Good luck with the system. Again, I'd think long and hard about rolling
the dice on an HK receiver. They sound pretty good, but they are
somewhat failure prone (at least in my experience).

Cheers,

C

Archived from groups: alt.tv.tech.hdtv,alt.home-theater.misc,alt.video.dvd (More info?)

I almost bought the HK receiver but just was not that impressed with HK.
They just seemed to lack raw power imo. I wound up buying the Onkyo
TX-LR552S digital receiver and have been very pleased. It is listed at only
65 watts a channel but it is a lot louder than several 100 watt/channel
receivers I have listened to.

Good luck...

<><



FDR <_remove_spam_block_rzitka@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:slnAe.32707$0i3.29662@twister.nyroc.rr.com...
>
> "Ritz" <ritz@mordor.net> wrote in message
> news:mGlAe.155276$t07.59431@fe12.lga...
> > FDR wrote:
> >> "Ritz" <ritz@mordor.net> wrote in message I had one fail, but just
within
> >> the second year. Luckily they had (have) a two year warranty and I
> >> wasn't out anything. The failure had to do with the on screen text
> >> display (volume, etc) being jittery. It was fixed and had no problems
in
> >> the two years since. It's sort of enclosed so there is heat buildup,
so
> >> that may have been a culprit.
> >>
> >> Mine has sounded great and I would get another one if I had to.
> >
> > I wouldn't buy another HK product. I purchased both units from
authorized
> > dealers and both times got a hard time about getting the units fixed
>
> I brought mine to a authorized repair center. I showed them the warranty
> and though they were skeptical and called HK about it, they repaired it.
> They had said that a part was on back ordere for three weeks, but I
> contacted HK directly and they were able to get it to me within a week.
>
> > (the DAC was unstable and would randomly inject noise into the signal
when
> > you were using coax or fiber digital signals in from your
> > transport...analog playback was unaffected. BOTH units failed in the
same
> > manner (AVR535 and AVR7000). When I got each unit repaired/replaced I
> > immediately gave them away (and the 535 later failed again...the power
> > transformer went south). For consumer "mid-fi" equipment, HK is priced
at
> > a premium so you'd think you would get acceptable build quality and
> > service.
> >
> > If I was going to ever consider a home theater receiver again, I'd
> > probably go with one of the Denon units.
>
> Denon is nice too. That was my second choice if i didn't get the HK.
>
> > The AVR-3805 is very nice (though not as robust as separates) at just
> > under $1000. You won't be driving any 4ohm speakers with it (at least
at
> > theater listening levels), but they do sound rather neutral and don't
> > suffer from lack of headroom like most consumer theater receivers.
>
> I've been tempted to audition thier digital receiver. I don't have a
major
> league HT setup so I don't think I'd experience the limitations they may
> have. OTOH, their low heat operation would do really well in the nearly
> closed cabinet I have.
>
> >
> > If you've got the budget, I'm very fond of the Outlaw gear
> > (http://www.outlawaudio.com). My system looks like this:
>
> Nope, I'm not even close for that kind of budget....yet.
>
> >
> > Outlaw 990 pre/DAC
> > Outlaw 955 (5 x 200WPC into 8 ohms...300wpc into 4ohms)
> > a pair of Outlaw LFM-1 powered subs (actually made by Hsu Research)
> > Magnepan 1.6 mains
> > Definitive Technology C1 center
> > Definitive Technology BP2 bipolar surrounds
> > Monarchy DIP 24/96 jitter buster (for 2-channel goodness)
> > Samsung HD-841 720p/1080i upsampling DVD player
> > Sharp Aquos 32" panel
> > Canare 4S11 speaker cabling
> > Kimber RCA interconnects
> > Outlaw digital coax and Toslink cables
> >
> > Good luck with the system. Again, I'd think long and hard about rolling
> > the dice on an HK receiver. They sound pretty good, but they are
somewhat
> > failure prone (at least in my experience).
>
> Well, when it dies or another few years pass, then I'll have to think
about
> it.
>
> >
> > Cheers,
> >
> > C
>
>