Harman/Kardon AVR-354 or ??

[Jedi Master]

I have been the proud owner of a HK AVR 80II THX receiver for a while now but I think its time to move on. I'm looking for a good home theater receiver for under $1000 & considered both the Yamaha RX-V663 and the HK 354. So far, I' leaning toward the HK. Am I on the right track or should I be looking at other makes/models? (I will be purchasing a 1080p 50" and a Blu-Ray in a few months but the receiver right away).

Secondly, how much should I ask for when selling my AVR 80II?

Thank you SO MUCH for your opinion! It's so difficult sifting through the marketing hype ...

 

[rnatalli]

Both are good choices, but the 354 is more comparable to the 863 and the 254 is comparable to the 663. The 254 will likely outpower the 663, but is known to be buggy. HK has a 4th firmware update due in December so this might be a moot point. The HK also has a far superior OSD and will pass BTB/WTW. If you can wait on the update for a month or two, I'd go with the HK. JR is an authorized dealer and has the 254 for $389 right now.

Any reason why you're only looking at these two and not comparable receivers from Onkyo, Marantz, Denon, and Pioneer?

 

[Bugbitten]

No problems with my son's HK354 since the firmware upgrade.

Can be found on Fry's weekend sales.

 

[Jedi Master]

Both are good choices, but the 354 is more comparable to the 863 and the 254 is comparable to the 663. The 254 will likely outpower the 663, but is known to be buggy. HK has a 4th firmware update due in December so this might be a moot point. The HK also has a far superior OSD and will pass BTB/WTW. If you can wait on the update for a month or two, I'd go with the HK. JR is an authorized dealer and has the 254 for $389 right now.

Any reason why you're only looking at these two and not comparable receivers from Onkyo, Marantz, Denon, and Pioneer?

Thanks. As far as your Q re: reviewing comparable brands: I've always like HK products. I've heard from several that Yamaha often provides more bang-for-the-buck and that as a musical instrument company, they have a well-rounded approach toward their design & engineering. Marantz was great 'back in the day' but are they now? I don't know -that's why I'm looking for input. Denon SEEMS a bit better than Onkyo's offering and I had my eye (and both ears) on those as well. Pioneer has always seemed like a company that sells products that are entry-level with 'cheesy' gimmicks -except for maybe the Elite series. Again, I don't know all the facts, and unfortunately, I may be another victim of marketing and prejudices. Please feel free to set me straight!

 

[rnatalli]

The HK254, Yamaha 663, Pioneer 1018, Marantz SR5003, Onkyo 606, and Denon 1909/789 are all comparable. These days, receivers don't sound a whole lot different from each other especially considering most have EQ which can be adjusted. Go with the one with the features you need at the best price. In terms of power (on the bench, not advertised specs), I'd say it goes like this: Marantz, HK, Denon, Onkyo, Pioneer, and Yamaha; but all have enough power to push most speakers to loud levels. The Denon, Onkyo, and Marantz have Audyssey features if that floats your boat; only the Denon has Audyssey Dynamic EQ and Dynamic Volume as far as I know. I believe the 663 won't pass BTB/WTW and none of the receivers will overlay volume display over HDMI except the HK which has the best GUI. I'd say if you've had HK in the past and liked them, go with the 254 as it's good bang-for-buck and most problems have been fixed with the October firmware and HK plans one more upgrade in December.