HK AVR-630 or Yamaha RX-V2400

[mpmondin]

Hello all. I am undecided between purchasing the Harman Kardon AVR-630 or the Yamaha RX-V2400 Receiver. I listen to a lot of music and watch a lot of movies, so my receiver will be used intensively. I also would like to know your opinion about whether these receivers will play a pair of B&W DM 604 S2 as front speakers confortably. I know the HK is underated at 75Watts/channel while maybe the Yamaha is overated at 120Watts/channel, moreover considering the HK is heavier than the Yamaha. What are your opinions?

 

[annunaki]

If you will be using five to seven high quality speakers, I would definitely take the Harman Kardon. The amplifier is much beefier in the H/K. In turn it should sound more dynamic as it has a more powerful amp. The Yahmaha is full of sound field processing that the H/K does not have. If soundfields are important it may be worth a look. Both are reliable well built units.

Power consumption specs on the two units are vastly different which tells more of the story. The H/K comes in at 1,000 watts while the Yamaha is at 500. You cannot output more than what is taken in. With a typical class a/b amplifier (at rated output) efficency of about 55%, one would expect about 78 watts or so per channel all channels driven simultaneously unclipped on the H/K. On the Yahmaha one could expect about 39 watts per channel all channels driven simultaneously unclipped. This gives the H/K a 3db output/dynamic advantage. If you are serious about music the H/K is the choice to make here.

 

[Unregistered]

Although Yamaha boasts 120W/channel against HK 75W/channel, that is just messing around with numbers. HK is in another (higher) league to the Yamaha. Harman Kardon AVR-630 ALL THE WAY.

 

[Unregistered]

bah to hk

yamaha dsp modes all they way, you can always get amps for the reciever, but you can't get dsp modes and other features that no other company has come close to touching.

 

[av_phile]

I guess it all depends on your priorities. Yamaha does give excellent digital processing features, though HK and others aren's exactly far behind. But on sheer sonics alone, HK has the edge for me.

 

[Yamahaluver]

Listen to both with the speakers of your choice, IMHO, Yamaha has way more musical sound than HK but that is strictly my biased, subjective opinion.