As an H/K owner I can tell you it doesn't work like that. Manufacturer specs are not that reliable. The H/K watts thing is more myth than anything. I think their main claim to fame is robust power supplies. The way to compare one rec'r to another is find some third party bench tests and see exactly what the equipment could and couldn't do.
The good news is that relatively current receivers will go plenty loud enough to damage your hearing with in home use. IIRC you were looking to get Primus 362's, right? Anyways, what particular rec'r are you looking for specs on? If you're in the market for a rec'r, choosing features is usually the first consideration.
I already have the Infinity Primus set (2x P362, 2x P162, PC350), I just need the most basic one. I just need optical/coaxial input to connect my DVD player to get 5.1, no concern for other features such as video inputs, etc.
Anybody seen a site that reviews HK receivers like what Audioholics does with Yamahas? (i.e. the 663 was rated around 40w all channels driven in actual testing/measurement)
I probably listen to around 80dB to 90dB max. Don't have a dedicated/sound-proofed room so neighbors will definitely complain if louder than that.
And to shed some light of reality on things, it doesn't amount to a hill of beans. The difference between "low powered" and "high powered" receivers is only about 3db of gain. In other words, they are all powered about the same give or take a little. The amplifier section of a receiver is easily the least important factor in deciding between them.
In this case, the amplifier section of a receiver is the only thing I'm worried about since I don't need all the other features, just basic 5.1 output is all I need since this will just be for a secondary setup. All I need is for the receiver to be able to process 5.1 and have at least 1 digital output (coaxial/optical).
