Customer Reviews

Harman Kardon AVR 240 7.1-Channel A/V Receiver, Silver

5 star:		(21)
4 star:		(7)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

The Harman Kardon Avr 240 sounds excellent. 50 watts per channel may not seem like a lot to those who rate receivers based on how much wattage they output. However, Harman Kardon uses power more efficiently than other companies.
Watts per channel is an incomplete measure of amplifier power. In terms of dynamic range and impact, it's current that counts. High current capability is an overall design approach encompassing everything from transformer design and storage capacitor size to discrete output circuitry and minimal use of negative feedback. This electronic equivalent of a high-torque, high-displacement racing engine results in audible benefits. You enjoy tighter bass, superb transient response and enhanced presence at any volume level.

Taking the receiver out of the box, I first noticed how heavy it is. It's built like a tank. I welcomed this craftsmanship considering other receivers in the store are mass produced junk that don't last. I've seen many other name brand receivers such as Sony that have the knobs come right off with little effort. For the peasant gang members who go to retail stores for their receivers this may be acceptable. For the rest of us that demand the highest quality value, buy Harman Kardon. The sound quality of the AVR 240 is breathtaking.

My previous system consisted of the Sony STR -DE698 which powered two polk bookshelves and center with an Onyko sub. I've always been a fan of the Sony brand...but have been consistently disappointed with the reliability and performance of the products in the past five years. In terns of the 698, performance wasn't noticeably lacking until I walked in to a Worst Buy and heard the reproduction of a Yamaha receiver with a sub par three speaker system. To say the least, I repeatedly questioned myself on why I even had a Sony receiver while driving home with my very board girlfriend. So I reacted by researching three different receivers at Amazon- Pioneer VSX-1015TXK 7.1 Channel, Denon Denon AVR-786S 7.1-Channel Home Theater Receiver, Yamaha HTR-5850 XM-Ready 6.1-Channel A/V Surround Receiver (Black), and of course the HK AVR-240.

The Pioneer and Yamaha looked great due to the fact that they offered THX certification. The Yamaha looked even better when I realized that it offered XM radio (which should be offered on all receivers within the next two years). Those were all great reasons to buy HK's competitors, but I decided to go with the 240 due to the following reasons: 1) Great price at Amazon 2) The overall style 3) Great reviews 4) High current reproduction - 50 watts sounds like 100 watts, or rather a 110 Sony watts = 50 HK watts.

Once I set up the 240 I instantly heard a huge difference of clarity through my center Polk. Instead of repeatedly turning up the volume to hear the dialogue, I could hear a balanced tone of dimensionally through all four speakers. Movies that included crashes and bombs of all sorts seemed to come natural to my four speaker setup through the Dolby vs Ref mode. This mode seemed to turn three speakers into five speakers (adding two invisible side speakers) which created a greater surround feeling within my 1 bedroom apartment.

If anything from my experience, I would consider the Sony as a Datsun and the Harmon as a Mercedes. Just my thoughts....food for thought that will hopefully help in your future buying experience.

The avr240 is the entry level receiver from the Harmon Kardon AVR line. It's an upgrade version of avr235 with ipod connection and Ez+ setup.

few good functions I want to mention:

1. speaker bass control: you can specify what type of speaker you have, and the receiver will automatically calcuate bass output level based on the speaker selection.

2. sound delay function. let's say if ur front speakers are 20 feet from you and ur back surround speakers are only 5 feet away from you. this receiver will calculate the delay and compensate the difference. same apply to video processing. this way, you can avoid the lip sync effect that caused by un-synced audio/video output.

3. virtual sound function. only have two speakers installed in ur bed room? this reciever can tweak the output and make the 2 speakers sound more like a surround sound system.

4. very sleek design. unlike the black dull onkyo or dennon receivers, avr 240 is sleek. with silver metal cabinet,shinny black face plate, and exotic blue light, this receiver is very modern looking and pleasant to look at.

5. Ipod connection. i have not tried this function yet since i don't have an ipod. but with the current popularity of ipod, im sure ipod users will appreciate this function.

bad:
1. very complicated menu and remote. it's not a plug and play machine. it took me some time just to figure out how to turn the radio on. Ez+ setup is not that great since you have to re-adjust alot of things if u want to personalize ur system.

2. volume knob is made out of plastic which felt "cheap" and easy to break.



Current set up:
- avr 240 receiver
- Front: Athena speakers 35 - 20,000 +- 3Db
- Surround: Polk audio speakers 60 - 20,000 -3Db
- Plan to purchase a JBL subwoofer

First, I am ecstatic with the quality of this receiver. I have 5 Boston Acoustics speakers and a sub-woofer, and when I replaced my 6- year old Yahama, I couldn't believe the difference. My speakers were only producing half of the clarity and definition I now get using this receiver. Handel's Messiah sounds like I am in the room with the orchestra and choir. Any Movies off cable blow me away.
I was able to balance the speakers manually, but I wasted time using the EZ "automatic" setup. After struggling, I found in the back of the manual that H-K recommends using manual setup unless you have 7 speakers. I found the surround sound setup manual to be very disorganized; you will see the same topic in three different places depending how far you have gotten. Some pointers in the back would have helped me during initial setup. I would give this receiver 5 stars, but took one off due to poor user set up documentation. I was able to program the supplied remote for my DVD, but still can't get it to work for my CD player (Sony) or my Cable box (Scientific Atlanta). I have tried every code in the book and it still wont work, and I have polled the components for proper codes using the manual instructions, too.
Why can't H-K spend a morning straightening out the user help manuals and send us all a copy so we can optomize the performance of this terrific system?

The first "good" receiver I bought was an HK - it lasted many years and was followed by some "other manufacturers" receivers that never lasted as long. So I took the plunge to buy this (at a fantastic price on Amazon).
Surprisingly difficult to set up (2 Kef 104.3s and a subwoofer), but once I got everything sorted out, watched (well really, listened) to a movie with the simulated surround sound in 2 speaker mode. Wow.
But other reviewers have covered the quality etc etc. What they haven't mentioned is that this puts out some heat! Anyone would think it was a tube amp... Nice to have something that is clearly not just a "chip on a board".
What a superb receiver for the price. Pretty good even for the list price.

I recently decided it was time to find a suitable home audio system for my 42 inch HD plasma TV. I researched MANY other brands, including COUNTLESS "home theater in a box" setups which include speakers, DVD player, and subwoofer in one. I came to a few conclusions:

1) HTIB systems are usually manufactured and priced to attract the "all in one" type of buyer who wants as many features and as much power in one box without the issue of having to research, buy cables seperate, or figure out a complicated reciever.

2) HTIB systems provide a good setup in terms of a quick fix. Good sound, limited features and often times a limited DVD player.

The AVR 240 is a whole new ballgame. It's a reciever with ENDLESS amounts of connection ports...you can connect everything from your TV, VCRs, DVD players, XBOX systems, EVEN your IPOD via a front port using a 1/8 to RCA cable.

The AVR 240 weighs a ton. You take it out of the box and are somewhat shocked by the weight and even the size of this monster reciever. The metal feel of the case lets you know it's a solid product, not a plastic money saving design.

In terms of connection, you simply connect wires from your seperatly purchased speakers (the unit is MADE for a 5.1 OR a 7.1 connection in my view...you are forced to "enable" a 6th speaker for the 6.1 effect in the manual controls.)

The EZset features asks you to place a supplied microphone in the middle of the room, and run a setup, which gauges WHERE the speakers in the room are, how loud they should be, and so on. It's not a perfect system, but it worked for me.

I connected TV sound VIA a S\PDIF Digital COAXIAL cable from the Audio OUT port on the cable box. I then connected the Sony Upscaling HDMI DVD player via OPTICAL audio OUT using the optical cable. The AVR 240 allows you to switch between inputs via a selector on the remote.

I was also shocked to find that the FM Radio feature WORKED! For once an FM radio that actually picks up FM and clear as can be. I also connected my laptop via the 1/8 to RCA cable using the headphones out INTO the FRONT audio ports of the AVR 240. Crisp and clean sound to say the least.

Overall, this reciever requires about an hour to setup the right way, to get to learn the functions. The instruction booklet is helpful, but not perfect. There is LOTS of information in there, but thankfully its fairly easy to find what you are looking for.

Once connected to the HKTS 8 6.1 speakers from Harman Kardon, I couldn't believe the CRISPNESS of the sound, its the only way to explain it. I watched a Rocky 4 DVD, and couldnt get enough. I then watched a WWE wrestling show LIVE on tv, and the sound of the crowd roaring, the ref hitting the mat "1 2 3" was great.

I have been a loyal HTIB fan for years, and after this component system with prices like Amazon can provide, I'll never go back! Enjoy!!

I got this receiver about a month ago so I have had time use and provide an honest review.

SET-UP
This was my first Home Theater receiver and it was very simple to set-up. I'm not sure what some of the other reviews were talking about. It comes with a microphone and it has an EZset feature that automatically detects how many speakers, what the speaker size it, how far away the speakers are, automatically sets the crossovers. It takes about 5 minutes, all you do is click "Start" from the online menu and your done. You get a perfectly tuned and calibrated system.

SOUND
The sound on this receiver is nothing less than outstanding. Crystal clear with plenty of power to spare. I have it set-up with analog and digital connections. This receiver comes with Logic7 surround sound which is unique to HK (they must own the rights). It works with analog signals and at times even outdoes the digital signals. Logic7 also does an amazing job of decoding a 2 channel stereo signal from TV shows and breaks it out into an amazing 7.1 surround sound. It's nice to have the option of going Dolby, DTS, or Logic7, among countless other surround settings that come with the unit.

PROS
Great sound
Great price
Great looks
Easy to set-up if you just read the manual for a minute.

DRAWBACKs
The only drawback that I have found is that it does put out a lot of heat. I have it in a well ventilated area so it hasn't been a problem for me, but some that may stack other components on it will definately object to the heat output.

The remote is decent, but I broke down and bought a Universal Remote (Automater) which is unreal. It controls Home Theater receiver, DVD, TV, VCR, Stereo, CD player, and tape deck seamlessly. Unbelievably easy to set-up use. The macros are great. One click turns on TV, DVD, HT Receiver, and sets the TV to Video 2 - nice! One click also turns all that stuff off. So for a mere $50 bucks I got a great universal remote and don't use the HK remote at all.

I'm a college kid, recreational audiophile and bass fanatic, studying engineering. I like loud, clean sound.
Bottom line, this receiver is wonderful.

You'll hear it all over the Amazon reviews and online, rating of Watts is an incomplete standard of sound output, and ratings of watts are not standard for all builders of audio equipment. I won't repeat the analogy of power to water in a hose used by a previous reviewer...

I've got the AVR 240 driving a pair of JBL E60 fronts, a JBL EC35 center, two sets of E30 JBL surrounds, and a 400w S120PII JBL subwoofer. I'm using a minijack to RCA plug to run music from my computer to the receiver and an optical line from my PS2 for movies and games. I haven't yet pushed the amp to 1/2 of what it can do and it's more than I can handle. Logic 7 sounds great, and I love how the amp remembers the settings for levels and decoder choices for each input I select. It looks beautiful also, with a crisp face and sexy blue lighting. Some may not like having to scroll through inputs, but I love not having 15brazillion buttions on the face. and having an optical line in front is fantastic for when the guys bring over their XBox 360.

I haven't tried the on-screen guide yet, as I'm waiting on some quality video cables to get here. But know that H/K says the onscreen guide does not work with the component video output of the reciever.

The only negative things I can say: the knobs to attach your speater cable on back are a little awkward. They are a bit small for a normal set of man's fingers. and no HDMI, which I don't use yet, but may in the future.

Don't take my word for any of this... read other online reviews from professionals and call around to try the thing at a local electronics store. I promise you won't be disappointed.

~shakas~

I agree with some of the other reviewers about how this receiver may be a little difficult to set up, the manual and remote aren't that great and the menus can be a bit complicated. With that said though, I think this is all outweighed by the stunning performance of this unit. It's crystal clear with lot's of power and I think most importantly ton's of headroom. Once you get it setup properly and learn how the features work it is a great receiver. I have 5 JBL in-walls and an Athena sub and it sounds fantastic for movies or music. I bought it for under $300 on Amazon so even if I buy a learning remote I still think it's worth it. Thanks to you other reviewers for steering me to the Harmon-Kardon!

I bought this to replace a mid-range Sony receiver. After having had two Sony units that have failed in the past 10 years, I decided it was time to move on. I'm glad I did. The HK sounds better, looks better and has better options than the Sony. I hooked up all my video through the receiver, so now I can just change the audio source, and the video source changes as well. I am finally able to play my iPod through my front and rear surround speakers, to create 4 speaker stereo - something I wasn't able to do with my Sony. I highly recommend this unit. The only negligible complaint is that volume level is measured in negative decibels. So, as you increase volume, it shows a decreased decibel, which is a little confusing.