Harman Kardon vs Harman Kardon

[mnatiq]

Some of u might know that I am selling my current onkyo 806, only 2 buy a harman Kardon AVR. I have owned a harman b4 (avr 247 and avr 354 for a month, returned it b4 the 30 days were up, 2 expensive at the time) and I love em. Don't get me wrong onkyo is reallly nice but I prefer hk.

So I have decided on getting either the hk avr 354 or hk 3550 HD. Now my question is which 1 should I get and WHY. I am so confused about em cuz they seem 2 have the same specs but the 3550 HD is about a $150 more.

Other then the 3550 HD looks I can't tell why it's more money. I will get the 354 from futureshop for $700 CAD and the 3550 HD will be off eBay for about 850-900 CAD. Keep in mind the 3550 HD from futureshop is $1300 CAD.

Plz help. I would post specs but I am posting from my iPhone and it is hard with that copy paste thing. Btw sorry bout the spelling mistakes.

 

[Lordoftherings]

Hmmm... Deja vu.

 

[PENG]

So I have decided on getting either the hk avr 354 or hk 3550 HD. Now my question is which 1 should I get and WHY. I am so confused about em cuz they seem 2 have the same specs but the 3550 HD is about a $150 more.

The 3550 has the A-Bus, a multi room convenience feature that you may or may not find useful.

Other then the 3550 HD looks I can't tell why it's more money. I will get the 354 from futureshop for $700 CAD and the 3550 HD will be off eBay for about 850-900 CAD. Keep in mind the 3550 HD from futureshop is $1300 CAD.

That does not sound too bad, perhaps because the C$ has not been doing too badly lately. They are having the 254 on sale for 599 right now, a claimed 200 discount, what a joke!

A few years ago I phoned HK and asked if I purchased from the U.S. would the warranty still work. The answer was "NO". At the time the C$ was very low so I would have to pay around 3K for the AVR7300 and something like 1399 for a 225. That's when I decided not to look at HK products ever again until they change their Canadian pricing policy. With the higher C$ now, the gap has closed somewhat but it is still significant, relative to other comparable brands.

So be sure to bargain hard, you can't do it with BB but you sure can bargain at certain FS stores. No harm trying anyway.

 

[PENG]

Hmmm... Deja vu.

I guess you, like me, will not buy HK because of where we live, right? I paid C$2K for my 4308 over a year ago when the lowest price I could find on Amazon.com (that included vendors such as AFL) was over US$2K, so why would I buy HK? OTOH, the OP seems to be fixated on their product, so I suggest him to negotiate hard and try different FS stores. He should be able to negotiate them down by at least C$100.

 

[Lordoftherings]

I guess you, like me, will not buy HK because of where we live, right? I paid C$2K for my 4308 over a year ago when the lowest price I could find on Amazon.com (that included vendors such as AFL) was over US$2K, so why would I buy HK? OTOH, the OP seems to be fixated on their product, so I suggest him to negotiate hard and try different FS stores. He should be able to negotiate them down by at least C$100.

Well, not only that, but I was mainly referring to the OP (mnatiq), already discussed subject, on these Harman Kardon receivers. If you look carefully in another thread, you'll see exactly what I mean. This thread is kind of obsolete, when this has already been on the table.

 

[Seth=L]

Please keep what you have, otherwise you'll end up wondering where that money you had went because you thought you where on top of things when in fact you weren't. If you had expense troubles when you purchased the H/Ks before then trust me you aren't out of it yet. You will lose more by selling the Onkyo and buying an H/K again, and it will turn into a vicious cycle of perpetual money loss. Don't throw your money into the mounding pit.

 

[Lordoftherings]

* Deja Vu *

Here's the thread that I was previously referring to.

@ http://forums.audioholics.com/forums/showthread.php?t=57755

Bob

 

[PENG]

Well, not only that, but I was mainly referring to the OP (mnatiq), already discussed subject, on these Harman Kardon receivers. If you look carefully in another thread, you'll see exactly what I mean. This thread is kind of obsolete, when this has already been on the table.

You have good memory! Déjà vu for sure !

 

[davidtwotrees]

If you had expense troubles when you purchased the H/Ks before then trust me you aren't out of it yet. You will lose more by selling the Onkyo and buying an H/K again, and it will turn into a vicious cycle of perpetual money loss. Don't throw your money into the mounding pit.

I just crawled out of this pit, Seth. One loses money on every transaction. The buying, and then selling, of used gear to fund new gear is a viscous cycle. I am currently in a money crunch for lack of work in this economy. My savings? A mound of used gear that I will lose money on if I sell.....
...to the OP- That Onkyo is just fine.........Save your cash for new speakers if you are that upgrade bitten..........

 

[Lordoftherings]

You have good memory! Déjà vu for sure !

Thanks. It's a good quality indeed to have a good memory in these kind of audio discussions.

Bob

 

[mnatiq]

I just crawled out of this pit, Seth. One loses money on every transaction. The buying, and then selling, of used gear to fund new gear is a viscous cycle. I am currently in a money crunch for lack of work in this economy. My savings? A mound of used gear that I will lose money on if I sell.....
...to the OP- That Onkyo is just fine.........Save your cash for new speakers if you are that upgrade bitten..........

are you saying that my polk monitor 70's are nothing special and need to be upgraded? i really want to know, i am sure you know more then i do. when i got them i was thinking that they are great and no1 really ever told me that i should upgrade. i know my center needs to go. all info is appreciated. thanks

 

[mnatiq]

Here's the thread that I was previously referring to.

@ http://forums.audioholics.com/forums/showthread.php?t=57755

Bob

The 3550 has the A-Bus, a multi room convenience feature that you may or may not find useful.



That does not sound too bad, perhaps because the C$ has not been doing too badly lately. They are having the 254 on sale for 599 right now, a claimed 200 discount, what a joke!

A few years ago I phoned HK and asked if I purchased from the U.S. would the warranty still work. The answer was "NO". At the time the C$ was very low so I would have to pay around 3K for the AVR7300 and something like 1399 for a 225. That's when I decided not to look at HK products ever again until they change their Canadian pricing policy. With the higher C$ now, the gap has closed somewhat but it is still significant, relative to other comparable brands.

So be sure to bargain hard, you can't do it with BB but you sure can bargain at certain FS stores. No harm trying anyway.

@thelordoftherings

i did post something similar on another thread but i never got the answer that i wanted, which PENG gave me. sorry if this bugs you.

btw in the other thread i talk about getting a amp and then barely mention selling and buying a H/K and never asked about the difference's.

 

[Lordoftherings]

^ Doesn't bug me at all, I just mentioned it, that's all.

 

[lsiberian]

Those prices seem ridiculous and the upgrade seems like a bit overkill. Why not just ebay up a 254 or 247. Harman Audio ebay's them for a little over 200 us dollars.

If it were me I'd just stick with the Onkyo. Upgradeitis is a disease.

 

[Lordoftherings]

^ +1 I agree.

 

[blackzarg]

I think the 3550HD also is XM satellite capable, while the 354 is not.

I own a HK AVR-247 and an Onkyo TX-SR876, and, while I thought the HK sounded more full and warm than the Onkyo at first, I barely notice a difference now. What do you not like about the 806? You're not really getting an upgrade (except cosmetically, where the HK wins hands down) and the iPod dock.

 

[Lordoftherings]

^ For you maybe (cosmetics being better on the HK vs. Onkyo), but for me and others too,
it's the other way around.

 

[mnatiq]

Those prices seem ridiculous and the upgrade seems like a bit overkill. Why not just ebay up a 254 or 247. Harman Audio ebay's them for a little over 200 us dollars.

If it were me I'd just stick with the Onkyo. Upgradeitis is a disease.

i owned the avr 247 before and sold that also. lol. i prefer the 354 over the 254 cuz of the wpc.

 

[mnatiq]

I think the 3550HD also is XM satellite capable, while the 354 is not.

I own a HK AVR-247 and an Onkyo TX-SR876, and, while I thought the HK sounded more full and warm than the Onkyo at first, I barely notice a difference now. What do you not like about the 806? You're not really getting an upgrade (except cosmetically, where the HK wins hands down) and the iPod dock.

i noticed that the HK was overall better in terms of sound, it ratteled my kitchen table where as my ONkyo does not, lol PLZ dont kill me over that.

the onkyo has another problem that is killing me. when i play games on my ps3, it gives a blue glaze on the dark shades, i got new HDMI as well but thats not seem to work also some times i notice a lag. my point is that with the hk that would not happen.

i dont know what to tell u guys, i think i am just selling cuz i prefer HK over any other brand. thats just me.

or i just like to sell stuff and buy stuff and sell that stuff and then buy other stuff and then sell that stuff. lol. u guys should see me with my cell phones.

 

[SilverMK3]

I'd go for the 3550 if you can get your hands on one. Hopefully you can sidestep the HDMI audio issues and slow mode switching that plague the 254/354.

I'm speaking from experience on this one, not just regurgitating what I've read online. I returned two 254's and tested a 354 in-store and all had the same problems.