New Harman Kardon AVR's

[WorldLeader]

I just bought my first multi-channel receiver a few hours ago from Harman Kardon's eBay site. The model was the AVR 235, and I hope it works well. I bought it for roughly $205 (which includes $30 for shipping)

Is the AVR 235 going to be a good choice? I haven't found hardly any less-than-5-star reviews out there for it

(MSRP $549)

 

[PENG]

I just bought my first multi-channel receiver a few hours ago from Harman Kardon's eBay site. The model was the AVR 235, and I hope it works well. I bought it for roughly $205 (which includes $30 for shipping)

Is the AVR 235 going to be a good choice? I haven't found hardly any less-than-5-star reviews out there for it

(MSRP $549)

Assuming it has a one year warranty on it, it is definitely a great choice for $205 shipped.

 

[Seth=L]

Let me use another common phrase that may hold more meaning for you: 'You can polish a turd, but it's still a turd'.

Ha, I misunderstood his post when he said "Don't care for HK" I thought he was asking me a question. I used to like there stuff, when they put some meat in their receivers. Their current approach in both appearance is less than appealing.

 

[WorldLeader]

Assuming it has a one year warranty on it, it is definitely a great choice for $205 shipped.

I'm glad, here is what HK says about the warrantee:

Product Condition: This is a factory remanufactured unit carrying the original factory warranty.

Seth=L: What disappoints you about HK receivers? I think they look pretty good, but are you also talking about their quality? I'm confused, please come clean on what you are trying to say

 

[Guiria]

I always thought Harman Kardon made a great product until I saw that you can purchase them online at walmart.com...then I was instantly skeptical.

 

[emorphien]

I don't like the cheap volume knobs on those. I liked the style right before this one, it was very much similar to the esoteric Lexicon division.

I still like the ones that look like the x25 series (I've had a 225 in the livingroom for 4ish years without any issues except one optical input that may or may not be flaky or may just have dust in it). I like the simple mostly black face. Then again I'm not a huge fan of silver electronics and blue lights (same for my visual preference of NAD vs Rotel, etc).

 

[Seth=L]

I always thought Harman Kardon made a great product until I saw that you can purchase them online at walmart.com...then I was instantly skeptical.

Target carries them in-store at certain locations.

I don't like their appearance, I don't like that they seem to have a quality control problem, and I don't like that they are becoming so trendy. They don't pack the muscle they used to.

 

[emorphien]

Target carries them in-store at certain locations.

I don't like their appearance, I don't like that they seem to have a quality control problem, and I don't like that they are becoming so trendy. They don't pack the muscle they used to.

I haven't noticed that with the new ones, but I'd agree they are trying to go flashy to make themselves more trendy and that the quality control seems lower. As far as the innerds and the power they put out, I wasn't aware of any significant changes.

 

[WorldLeader]

I always thought Harman Kardon made a great product until I saw that you can purchase them online at walmart.com...then I was instantly skeptical.

I think we need some [snob][/snob] tags for posts like these.

What does the vender have to do with the product? It isn't a Wal-mart brand! I've never shopped at a Wal-Mart since they built one in my town, but I still think that they might have some quality brands there. Plus, what big online store doesn't have the capabilities to offer just about any product? Would you stop buying NAD from your Hi-Fi shop if you knew that they were sold at Target?

my 2¢

 

[baseman]

I really like the looks but I saw an awful lot of refurbished ones out there when I was looking to buy in the last few weeks. Is it common to find so many from other manufacturers too? It seemed that every couple places had a few refurb HK's. Then I went to Circuit City and there were three sitting on a table!

 

[Seth=L]

I really like the looks but I saw an awful lot of refurbished ones out there when I was looking to buy in the last few weeks. Is it common to find so many from other manufacturers too? It seemed that every couple places had a few refurb HK's. Then I went to Circuit City and there were three sitting on a table!

Circuit City dropped H/K and other Harman stuff in their stores, they said they had to many returns on them. I guess that is why there are so many refurbs.

I noticed when looking in the H/K receivers, even the more expensive ones, they have a lot of empty space. The power supplies look smaller and the caps are nothing amazing. I think they are very average, and a tad overrated in the respect that people to strongly associate them with high-end.

 

[WorldLeader]

Part of the reason I went with a refurb (besides the cost) was that it has been re-evaluated in the factory and works correctly. I would rather know that it works well, even if it didn't at one time.

In any event I will get mine this Friday so I can give you guys the rundown on Harman refurbs. I will say that buying from HK's eBay store was painless and the transaction went through on a normal Visa card.


Seth=L : When you say that HKs are nothing amazing, are you referring to the MSRP vs performance, or the street price vs Performance? While I agree that there are better receivers out there for $550, are there that many out there better for $200?

 

[Seth=L]

Part of the reason I went with a refurb (besides the cost) was that it has been re-evaluated in the factory and works correctly. I would rather know that it works well, even if it didn't at one time.

In any event I will get mine this Friday so I can give you guys the rundown on Harman refurbs. I will say that buying from HK's eBay store was painless and the transaction went through on a normal Visa card.


Seth=L : When you say that HKs are nothing amazing, are you referring to the MSRP vs performance, or the street price vs Performance? While I agree that there are better receivers out there for $550, are there that many out there better for $200?

I have no problem with Refurb, I buy used electronics all the time, they could be refurbed and I wouldn't even know it.

I wouldn't buy one at retail, though I have considered an H/K refurbed, but I don't have an urge to buy a receiver right now because I have a nice receiver now, probably over kill for my apartement.

 

[Buckeyefan 1]

People can slam audio all they want. My Denon 3805 took a crap several weeks ago - out of warranty. A very good friends Yamaha 2500 took a crap last fall - out of warranty. Another friend has an HK7300 going on 3 years and it hasn't even hiccuped. I've read many times where HK will service out of warranty AVR's free of charge, whereas Denon and Yamaha will laugh you off the phone if your AVR is out of warranty. Live and learn...

 

[Guiria]

I think we need some [snob][/snob] tags for posts like these.

What does the vender have to do with the product? It isn't a Wal-mart brand! I've never shopped at a Wal-Mart since they built one in my town, but I still think that they might have some quality brands there. Plus, what big online store doesn't have the capabilities to offer just about any product? Would you stop buying NAD from your Hi-Fi shop if you knew that they were sold at Target?

my 2¢

I've heard horror stories that given the huge distribution power that Walmart can bring to companies products...Walmart influences the procurement of raw materials going into the electronics sold at their stores. They require the manufacturers to cut corners on the guts of the product so that Wal-mart can sell the product for a cheaper price than anywhere else.

I heard this from an x-walmart employee that worked in their corporate offices in Arkansas or wherever it is. Whether or not it's true, I am very SKEPTICAL of any electronics sold at Wal-mart now. If that calls for some snob tags then so be it...I am a snob.

I have a friend that bought an AVR from the HK direct refurb ebay store and he has had no problems with it. I almost went the HK refurb route about 6 months ago when getting a new reciever. I ended up choosing a Yammie instead.

 

[Seth=L]

Wal-Mart does pressure their vendor/any company that sells products in their store to reduce the manufacturing costs. What they do is tell the company how much they will buy their product for and it is a take it of leave it offer. If the company decides not to use Chinese labor (H/K is doing this now) or less expensive parts and can't justify selling their products for low prices, they don't get sold at Wal-Mart.

However Chinese labor doesn't mean they poorly manufacture their products, but it does bring it into question when they have more quality control problems. A company has to make money somehow. If H/K looses the support of a reputable retailer (Circuit City) it must change it's process of manufacturing, branch out, and/or find another retailer. I am sure that Circuit City accounted for a large amount of H/K receiver sales, especially when CC was higher regarded than Best Buy or before BB ever came about.

 

[Cygnus]

I prefered the looks of the JK's way before these big blue knob things came out. The (what mabye 5 year) old look. Black with the list of DSP's and sound modes on the display, you know.


These ones arent bad but not great. I'd go for a Yammie over my Denon right now anyways (my Denon's volume knob is wierd. When I turn it down real fast the volume doesnt go down as fast as it should. It staysd between two values before a while)

 

[emorphien]

I prefered the looks of the JK's way before these big blue knob things came out. The (what mabye 5 year) old look. Black with the list of DSP's and sound modes on the display, you know.

Yeah, those went away a few generations ago, not too long after I got my H/K.

 

[MDS]

What's with this blue backlighting stuff anyway? It seems like all the manufacturers play 'me too'. Onkyo started adding that to their dvd players and the receivers soon followed. Did they copy HK?

I find that annoying in a dark room and yes you can dim it or shut if off but that has to be done every time you turn on the receiver as it is not a persistent setting.

 

[WorldLeader]

vs

*shrug*

I like the newer look better but hey, I'm young.