Harman Kardon AVR-254 7x50W 7.1-Channel Home Theater Receiver with HDMI 1.3a Repeater

by Harman Kardon

Product Details

• Product Dimensions: 15 x 17.3 x 6.5 inches ; 33.4 pounds
• Shipping Weight: 34 pounds
• Shipping: This item is also available for shipping to select countries outside the U.S.
• Shipping Advisory: This item must be shipped separately from other items in your order. Additional shipping charges will not apply.
• ASIN: B0016BGRX6
• Item model number: AVR 254
• Average Customer Review: 3.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (67 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #7,838 in Electronics (See Top 100 in Electronics)
  • #83 in Electronics > Home Audio & Theater > Stereo Components > Receivers & Amplifiers > Component Receivers

Product Description

From the Manufacturer

From the Manufacturer

Flexible Connectivity and Ultrawide Bandwidth at a Great Value

Driven by a passion for music and cinema, Harman Kardon engineers are fanatical about maintaining a balance between pure technology and a quest for artistic truth. Their devotion to detail and love for all types of music and cinema have produced some of the finest audio/video and stereo receivers available. The AVR-254 reflects Harmon Kardon's commitment to bringing you high-quality components that are packed with features, all at an affordable price.

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AVR-254 - 7 x 50W 7.1-Channel A/V Receiver with HDMI 1.3a Repeater, Audio/Video Processing and Upscaling to 1080p

The Harman Kardon AVR-254 is the most affordable Harman Kardon receiver to feature both Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD Master Audio decoding on the audio side, and Faroudja DCDi Cinema video processing to 1080p on the video side. That's not all though, the AVR-254 includes three HDMI inputs, connections for external amplifiers, EzSet/EQ technology to fine-tune your system to the acoustics of your room, and an RS-232 port for future firmware upgrades. The AVR-254 also features a high-current, ultrawide-bandwidth design that provides maximum fidelity and 50 Watts of power to each of its 7 channels.

The Harman Kardon AVR-254 provides a host of connections and features View Larger

Make Your Movie Library Look And Sound Its Best
You know the latest Blu-ray movie or high definition broadcast is going to look great on your high-definition display, but what about everything else? The Harman Kardon AVR-254 improves the look of standard-definition video with advanced Faroudja processing, automatically upscaling lower resolution sources to the 1080p HD standard. Display settings may also be configured manually, allowing you to specify the optimal picture quality and aspect ratio for various sources such as game consoles or your current DVD collection.

And what the AVR-254 does for video, it also does for audio. In addition to decoding the latest Blu-ray surround formats such as Dolby True HD and DTS-HD Master Audio, the AVR-254 includes proprietary Logic 7 processing, which is capable of generating discrete 5.1 or 7.1-channel sound from traditional 2-channel sources.

The included microphone and EzSet/EQ system automatically calibrate the AVR-254

Fine Tune Your System Like A Pro
There’s an important difference between your home audio system and the ones you hear in movie theaters and concert halls. Professional systems are precisely calibrated by audio technicians to deliver the best possible surround sound experience. Harman Kardon’s powerful EzSet/EQ system gives you all the tools you need to achieve professional sound calibration at home. Just connect the advanced omni-directional microphone to your Harman Kardon AVR-254 receiver and follow the on-screen instructions. With a few simple steps, it will automatically adjust speaker channel levels, distances and crossover points to suit your exact room parameters.

Listen To What You Want, Where You Want
As any family will tell you, a two-zone entertainment system can be a real crowd pleaser. While the kids watch their favorite movie on the theater system in the den, for example, you can be out listening to your favorite CD on the deck. The AVR-254 makes setting up a basic multi-room system easy. First, build a high-performance 5.1 channel home theater around your video display. Then assign the two remaining channels to a second zone, wire in an extra pair of speakers to a nearby room or outdoors and you’re done. With the AVR-254, you can direct a different source to each zone simultaneously so someone in each zone can choose what they want to listen to.

Spend More Quality Time With Your iPod
The iPod is a great way to take your favorite songs anywhere, but you can also use it along with the Harmon Kardon AVR-254 to fill your home with music. Just connect a stereo mini-cable to your iPod or other MP3 player, and then plug the other end into to the auxiliary jack of the AVR-254. Your music library and playlists will be at your fingertips, as always, but your selections will sound like never before. The AVR-254 makes it easy to turn your iPod library into rich, room filling sound.

On-screen graphical menus make setup easy

A Quick and Easy Setup
There’s no denying that a typical home theater system can be challenging to set up and use, but Harman Kardon receivers are far from typical. The AVR-254 comes with a Quick-Start Guide that walks you through the color-coded connections that you’ll need for even the most elaborate multi-channel systems. Once connected, you’ll discover your Harman Kardon AVR-254 makes navigation easier with intuitive high-resolution, graphical on-screen menus. To access the menus at any time from any source, simply press the AVR button on the remote.

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Technical Specifications and Features

• Surround Sound Channels: 7.1
• Power: 50 Watts per channel, 350 Watts total
• HDMI Inputs: 3 with 1 output
• Component Video Inputs: 2 with 1 output
• S-Video Inputs: 4 with 1 output
• Composite Video Inputs: 4 with 1 output
• Digital Audio Inputs: 3 optical, 3 coaxial
• Faroudja DCDi Cinema Video Processing
• EzSet/EQ Automatic Room Equalization
• Dual-Zone Audio
• XM Tuner Ready
• Dolby Digital
• Dolby Pro Logic II
• Dolby TrueHD
• DTS 5.1
• DTS-HD Master Audio
• DTS 96/24
• Logic 7
• Auxiliary Input Port
• RS-232 Port
• Full-Color Graphical On-Screen Interface
• Seven-Device Programmable Remote Control
• Dimensions: 17-5/16" W x 6-1/2" H x 15" D
• Weight: 27.1 pounds

Product Description

The Harman Kardon AVR-254 7x50W 7.1-channel home theater receiver with HDMI 1.3a repeater is an affordable home theater system that gives you more bang for your buck. 7.1-Channel A/V receiver includes HDMI™ switching and audio/video processing. With 350 watts (50 watts x 7 channels) at your fingertips, movies will put you into the heart of the action. This is upscale video without an upscale price. The AVR-254 is Harman Kardon's most affordable receiver and allows you to upscale incoming analog video signals to high-resolution 720p output or select two HDMI™ inputs for audio processing - all with a Simplay HD™-verified, single-wire connection to an HDMI-equipped display. And the sound? Pure Harman Kardon audio, with the clarity possible only with EzSet/EQ™ technology and our high-current, ultrawide-bandwidth amplifier design.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

131 of 143 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Would be the king of the hill, if it just worked..., August 27, 2008

By 

Pierrick Verilhac (Loveland, CO USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Harman Kardon AVR-254 7x50W 7.1-Channel Home Theater Receiver with HDMI 1.3a Repeater (Electronics)

I spent several months researching my new receiver for my home theater. I spent countless hours hanging out on the avsforum, read everything I could about receivers. I was looking for a receiver that would have the following features:

- at least 2 HDMI inputs
- great sound quality for music as well as movies
- HD audio codecs (Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD MA) support
- would cost $650 MSRP or less

The choice is clear:
- Onkyo 606 or 705
- Yamaha 663
- Sony 820 or 920
- HK 254
- Pioneer 1018
- Denon 1909 or 988

I didn't even try the Onkyos, because I was afraid of the overheating problems and the humming noise reported on many units. Plus, they are downright ugly. The Yamaha had only 2 HDMI, and did not pass BTB/WTW, the Sonys are notorious for having the worst sound quality (unless you tap into the really high end models) across the board, so I didn't consider those either.

I was then left with the HK, Pioneer and Denon receivers.

I first bought the HK 254. All the users on avsforum swore by the HK sound. Well, they were right. The sound is nothing short of outstanding. The GUI is light-years ahead of the competition too. And finally, it is by far the slickest looking receiver of all.

Now, on the negative. HK is notorious for releasing products that haven't been thoroughly tested, and that don't work properly until the firmware update is released, and even at that point, it doesn't always work right. Well, they got that right too...

1 - the fan noise on 2 different units was unbearably loud, and not only was it loud, it wasn't a constant noise: it was pulsating. Crappy quality control from HK, can't afford more than $2 on a decent fan!
2 - if you connect your PS3 to the HK receiver using HDMI audio out + Linear PCM (the only way to take advantage of the HD audio codecs), here's what happens: you get sound drop outs that last for several minutes in many bluray movies (There Will Be Blood is a good example). Also, in GTA IV, you cannot hear the dialogs from the person you talk to on your cell phone. When I say "you cannot hear the dialogs", I mean: there is NO sound at all, it's not that the volume is low.
3 - the surround sound never "locks" on the one you want, it always reverts to Logic 7 eventually, and even if you can sometimes get it back by cycling through the surround sounds, it doesn't always work and it is a major hassle.
4 - it can't pass HDMI video with video processing turned OFF (it's always on!), and it won't pass BTB/WTW either.

I don't want to go into the details of all these bugs, but they completely kill all the enjoyment you could get from the unit. I exchanged my first unit, thinking I got a lemon, but the 2nd unit showed exactly the same problems, all of them. I finally returned the unit, disgusted with HK's quality control.

I then tried the Pioneer 1018, the Denon 1909 and the Denon 988. All 3 of them performed flawlessly, without a single hickup.

The Pioneer worked great but sounded a little weak, lacked punch and attack compared to the HK. It also had a very annoying bright blue LED that you can't turn off, and the worst remote I've ever seen.

The Denon 1909 and 988 were very similar, the 988 having a very slight edge in terms of SQ for music, but lacked the extra HDMI input and didn't have the Audyssey Dynamic EQ and Volume features. The 1909 was the only receiver I tried that could maintain the surround field perfect at any time and any given volume.

I ended up keeping the 1909, because of its great sound quality and of its superb handling of surround field, thanks to the Audyssey Dynamic EQ and Volume. Oh, and did I mention that it just works? ;)

After my disastrous experience with the HK, I wouldn't touch that receiver with a 10ft pole. If you consider this unit, wait until HK comes up with a firmware update, and make sure that it actually fixed all the problems. For more info about these problems, visit the avsforum dot com forum, and search for "Official Harman/Kardon AVR x54: Problems and Solutions Thread".

24 of 25 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Big Bang For Your Buck, July 25, 2008

By 

Christopher J. Lesure "Chris LeSure" (Ellington, CT) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Harman Kardon AVR-254 7x50W 7.1-Channel Home Theater Receiver with HDMI 1.3a Repeater (Electronics)

This is the best receiver in its price range, period. For a mid-level receiver, this unit has features often found in higher-end models. Out of the box, setup was a snap. Directions are clear and easy to flow. The included microphone for the EZ setup made calibrating this unit a breeze. The sound is phenomenal. Crisp highs and deep lows. Plenty of power for the user looking to bring their speakers to life. The High Definition on-screen interface makes adjusting the AVRs features simple, and users hooking up multiple components (DVD, Bluray, Cable) will rejoice at the levels of customization. With support for all the newest lossless audio encoding, this model is sure to please well into the future.

15 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great Receiver with Bad Rep, December 10, 2008

By 

M. Johnsen "TheGreatMJ" (NJ, USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Harman Kardon AVR-254 7x50W 7.1-Channel Home Theater Receiver with HDMI 1.3a Repeater (Electronics)

I've had my receiver for about 4 months now.

I have read a bunch of reviews on this receiver and I hear nothing but complaints on the PS3 issue and the "Loud" fan. Just to begin with, I haven't updated my firmware yet, and will do as soon as I get a USB to Serial connector...which is the one thing I dislike. Though, I figure if you can figure out how to hook it up, you'll know enough not to mess it up. So I can't complain too much. Almost a smart move.

The fan is loud if you turn everything off in the room, including the PS3 which makes more noise than the receiver. I can only hear it when I stick my head next to receiver after a long session of listening to audio at a high volume. I do have it lowest to the ground with no heat underneath it which helps keep it cool. Maybe I got lucky, but I think more people just write reviews only when they have a bad experience. My experience has been nothing but amazing.

The whole issue with the volume dropping during blu ray movies, I haven't seen an extensive amount of movies, maybe in the teens, but out of all of them not 1 problem occurred.

I've had compliments from all my friends on the receiver. Girls come over and say it looks "pretty." Guys come over and are in awe by the on screen menu and sound. Yes, I've had issues where it defaults back to Logic 7, but it doesn't occur often. I know there's a reason it does it, and I'm still trying to figure out the exact reason. I'm sure it's the device hooked up to it that's changing and the receiver going to logic 7 because the input changed. It's not like every morning it defaults back.

Overall I've been nothing but happy with this receiver. In fact, after I bought the receiver I noticed all the PS3 and fan things going on. So I called up HK customer service just to ask them what was going on and if I should hold off on a blu ray play for now. The person on customer support was very nice and told me the truth. "Engineers have recreated the problems in the lab and are working on a firmware update." And really, the problem was found and worked on quickly. It's not like it took years for the update. That's good support!

Definitely happy I bought the HK254.