Harman Kardon AVR 7550HD Flagship Receiver

[PENG]

Having the video processor within an AVR has many advantages...
A typical home theater system will have a wide variety of sources connected, each of these sources requires different video post-processing modes.
The video processing modes may include:
a. NR
b. Edge correction
c. Film edit
d. Aspect ratio
e. Gamma gain
f. Sharpness

Connected sources could include a PS3, cable box and a digital camera.
If one expects the video post-processing to be done within the video display, then every time one switches to a different source they need to go back to the display's OSD and change modes...
As when the AVR is connected to the video display through HDMI, all modes within the display are applied globally to the single input from the AVR, a major disadvantage...
For example..

• On the cable box, one is watching a movie so he wants the film-edit mode ON.
• On the PS3 one is playing games so most of the post-processing modes should be OFF
• On the digital camera, one will likely want to adjust the sharpness and gamm gain controls

Perhaps in the future when all sources are HD, there will be less need for changing video post-processing modes, however in today's SD and HD world these mode changes are frequently required.

Regarding choice of video processors, this now comes down to the marketing game which is better..
Anchor Bay, Marvel, ST, TI, Reon..
Just like which audio DSP or DAC is better..

Just my $0.00..

I am sure your points are valid but I am also quite sure they do not apply to many people. My 4308, like some mid high end receivers such as Rotel, has that 'stupid' Faroudja in it but even if it had a Reon I would still stick with pass through only as I prefer to let my players do their own things. I have compared my player's Reon, ABT, Faroudja, and the unkown makes ones in my Pro-111 and the BDP320 extensively and I honestly cannot say which one does a better job upscaling. If I am forced to make a call I would say my $99Toshiba XDE500 looks the best even after reading a couple of bad reviews (they apparently did yield very good results on synthetic tests) on them.

My experience tells me all those talks about how superior the ABT VRS and Reon/Realta are overhyped to the nth degree because watching real world material that people enjoy and immersed in is not the same as watching specially designed synthetic test materials. I guess it could be a bit like an audio amp that does 5 to 100 Khz +/- 0.1 dB does not sound better than one that does 20 to 25 Khz +/- 0.2 dB everything else being equal.

 

[speakerking]

I have a question i can but the harman 7550 for 900 used for 3 months but im not sure that harman is rating the recievers with a ALL CHANNEL DRIVEN SPEC like they use to cause the manual says 110 watts times 2 channels driven so does the website and also i can get a yamaha v3900 which i know is rated by home theater 100 times 5 or 69 watts times 7 and i can get that for 1000 dollars please advise

And also i e mailed harman and asked them about there power rating its been 3 days and didnt get back to me please dont tell me there playing the number game with there watts like everyone else !

 

[bandphan]

I have a question i can but the harman 7550 for 900 used for 3 months but im not sure that harman is rating the recievers with a ALL CHANNEL DRIVEN SPEC like they use to cause the manual says 110 watts times 2 channels driven so does the website and also i can get a yamaha v3900 for 1000 dollars please advise

All channel driven spec is useless in the real world.

 

[speakerking]

I know im just wondering if harman kardon is still making the same quality recievers i have the avr 635 and was gonna upgrade

 

[speakerking]

Ok i just recieved a e mail from harman kardon


I am very sorry to say that the time finally came when we had to change the way we were rating our receivers. The truth; the buying public no longer goes to an audio specialist where they get to find out the true differences between receivers and why certain receivers rated at 50 watts sound ten times better and louder than another receivers rated at 200 watts. As a result, most people will walk right by a 50 watt HK receiver in the store and go right for the 150 watt ‘whatever’ receiver just because the number is higher.



Because of this we have slightly altered the way we are rating our receivers. We now rate them at 2 channels driven instead of all channels driven. This is still much better than 1 channel driven at one frequency, but unfortunately not the same as it once was.

 

[bandphan]

I know im just wondering if harman kardon is still making the same quality recievers i have the avr 635 and was gonna upgrade

JR.com has the Onkyo 1008 for $1099 and the 808 for $749 right now.

 

[speakerking]

That 1008 has a single EI transformer downgraded from the last model

 

[bandphan]

That 1008 has a single EI transformer downgraded from the last model

you mentioned the 3900 and the hk, id go with the onkyo over both. If your concerned about power, get the 808 as a pre and add a 5ch amp like emotivas.

 

[speakerking]

Well yes power is good of course but also i was comparing prices i can get the avr 7550 for 900 dollars or the yamaha v3900 for a thousand i was considering these just cause the deal i can get on them and i also see the onkyo 3008 sometimes on sale at best buy for 1299 and also from what ive seen the harman 7550 is usually 2500 across the board but im not sure about the video chip do you have any insight on this and also be honest what about the yamaha dont you like ?

 

[bandphan]

Well yes power is good of course but also i was comparing prices i can get the avr 7550 for 900 dollars or the yamaha v3900 for a thousand just cause the deal i can get on them and i also see the onkyo 3008 sometimes on sale at best buy for 1299 and also from what ive seen the harman 7550 is usually 2500 across the board but im not sure about the video chip do you have any insight on this and also be honest what about the yamaha dont you like ?

Just not a fan of their avrs of late(Z7 excluded). I own and have owned many of their products. IMO Denon and Onkyo offer good features, ie room correction as well as Pioneer's elite lines. Not a fan at all of Harmon's avrs going back to the mid to late 90's, power wise they are nice, feature wise not so much so. Id rather pick up a unit and use it as a pre or get a dedicated pre and add a power amp that will last for years. How big of room do you have, what speakers are you using, what features do you need? As for the video processing, how much and what is applied is dependent on your display. I prefer ZERO processing on all of my sources into my display.

 

[speakerking]

good point maybe instead of a reciever i should just get a power amp and use my avr 635 as a pre pro cause it has the texas insterment da 610 chip the only concern is i dont have the new surround formats and setting up room calibration i dont know if the mic for my reciever will still set up room calibration when using pre outs i guess i could go get a spl meter let me ask you this audio advisor has a nad t955 amp for 799 are they any good and i can buy a processor later

 

[bandphan]

good point maybe instead of a reciever i should just get a power amp and use my avr 635 as a pre pro cause it has the texas insterment da 610 chip the only concern is i dont have the new surround formats and setting up room calibration i dont know if the mic for my reciever will still set up room calibration when using pre outs i guess i could go get a spl meter let me ask you this audio advisor has a nad t955 amp for 799 are they any good and i can buy a processor later

Nad makes good products, but Id move up into the 200-250wpc range, something like this you can pick up and Onkyo 707 and use it as a pre for around 450 or wait and pickup another unit later.

 

[speakerking]

wow nice amp that is a heck of a good deal how can that only be 799 ?

 

[bandphan]

wow nice amp that is a heck of a good deal how can that only be 799 ?

Internet only, lower overhead. They also OEM for some other manufactures.

 

[speakerking]

Do you own any of there amp or heard em how would you describe there sound like natural, warm, bright or....

 

[bandphan]

Do you own any of there amp or heard em how would you describe there sound like natural, warm, bright or....

transparent no coloring of the sound. Ive played with several of the models and many members own them. For the money hard to beat. I wouldnt hesitate to get one if I needed it.

 

[speakerking]

By the way im going to upgrade later to maybe psb speakers that amp would be perfect although that wattage would be good for 2 channel i allways wonder about the center channel most center channel speakers can really handle the wattage you know what im saying

 

[bandphan]

By the way im going to upgrade later to maybe psb speakers that amp would be perfect although that wattage would be good for 2 channel i allways wonder about the center channel most center channel speakers can really handle the wattage you know what im saying

To much power is (almost) never an issue. I wouldnt worry about that at all. Your only going to be send high amounts of watts in short bursts most of the time. If you listened to music at a 100w continuous with most speakers you would loose your hearing very quick. Most only use around 25w to achieve moderate levels, its just knowing that if there is a big dynamic range the amp can deliver what is needed.

 

[M Code]

I have a question i can but the harman 7550 for 900 used for 3 months but im not sure that harman is rating the recievers with a ALL CHANNEL DRIVEN SPEC like they use to cause the manual says 110 watts times 2 channels driven so does the website and also i can get a yamaha v3900 which i know is rated by home theater 100 times 5 or 69 watts times 7 and i can get that for 1000 dollars please advise

And also i e mailed harman and asked them about there power rating its been 3 days and didnt get back to me please dont tell me there playing the number game with there watts like everyone else !

If you can get a 7550HD for $900 new in the box and with a warranty, you better grab it..
Best dealer cost is $1585..
So either the unit is hot or something is fishy here..

Just my $0.00..

 

[speakerking]

Hey thanks again for your advice im going in to a new direction into seperates that is its gonna be more money in the end it will be worth it man i still cant get why those prices are so low i no theres no overhead