Customer Reviews

Harman Kardon AVR 146 Home Theater Receiver with iPod Control and HDMI connectivity

5 star:		(10)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

This will be the fourth receiver I've owned and by far the best. My last was the Onkyo TX-SR500, and it was solid. But I wasn't completely satisfied with the 5.1 surround sound generated from it. The audio was serviceable, but I knew it should sound better...especially considering it was connected to an excellent set of speakers (Onkyo SKS-HT500). So, without being too serious about it, I decided to look around for a new receiver.

I was specifically looking for an AVR that would support HDMI audio output now that I have an HD-DVD player, but frankly there aren't that many available in the store. I did find several affordable receivers that might be an improvement over what I already have. I especially had my eye on a Yamaha and this Harman/Kardon AVR. Neither supported HDMI audio, but they do provide HDMI ports for pass-through. Neither support TrueHD or DTS-HD, which also intrigued me.

When it was said and done, I decided those fancy features aren't really important for me right now. What IS important is a strong 5.1 surround sound at an affordable price. Did I mention both AVRs were out-of-the-box? I couldn't resist. I had heard some good things about the sound quality of H/K receivers and it's pleasing to the eye as well. I took it. And I'm so glad I did.

First, it has an amazing number of inputs and outputs. Plenty of ports for analog cables, coaxial and optical digital audio cables, s-video and component video cables. Maybe someday I'll actually have all those cables. As it is, I have my cable box and HD-DVD player connected with the fiber-optic cables and my other DVD/CD player connected by coaxial digital cable. And everything sounds incredible!

Now I don't want to imply that Onkyo is substandard. They make a great product. But my Onkyo AVR was probably a bit old and worn out. Sounds sometimes seemed muffled, particularly when watching movies with lots of explosions or gunfire. But the H/K is definitely an improvement. Right now, I'm watching one of the Harry Potter DVD's right now and I'm just enveloped in glorious 5.1 surround sound! The audio is sharp, crisp and, when need be, loud. When I played my Brandi Carlile CD, it sounded incredibly powerful and rich...and that's just from the Dolby ProLogic II - Music setting. I used to listen to CDs through the analogue cables to get decent audio quality from all 5 speakers and the subwoofer, but I think I'll keep the AVR on digital.

One thing that may turn-off potential buyers is the low wattage per speakers from the AVR-146 at only 30 watts per channel. I suppose if you need a new AVR for a huge Home Theater room you should get something more powerful. But I've had receivers with highter watts and they never sounded THIS good. I don't know what else to say about that...Harman/Kardon makes a great audio product and I'm truly enjoying my listening experience so far.

I'm happy with this unit and it does sound great. I think the amplifier power is more than enough for a small/medium sized room. It seems to be a better quality amplification than what I was getting with my "more powerful" Sony receiver. Like others, the big reason I bought this was the 2 HDMI inputs and I was disappointed to learn that it doesn't process the HDMI data in any way. This causes 2 problems worth noting:

1 - It will not decode the HDMI audio. So you'll need to run coax or optical cables from your source device if you want surround sound audio. Otherwise, the HDMI audio is passed on to your HDMI display (which is probably a TV with just 2 speakers).

2 - It is impossible to get into the receivers settings without using the On Screen Display (OSD) and the OSD will not show up on a HDMI connected TV. Even though the unit has a nice dot matrix display, the settings aren't available that way. This means you can't configure the unit properly without having a non-HDMI display hooked up. I had to drag out a little 13" TV I had and plug it into the "monitor out" on the receiver to finish setting it up.

But now that it's configured and set up, it does exactly what I need at a great price!

This is a solid component, but beware when it says "HDMI connectivity." I bought this model specifically for this feature, figuring the hookups to my HDTV would be simpler and the sound quality would be first rate, but it turns out that the receiver just "channels" the HDMI video signal and does not decode the audio that comes with it -- you have to connect separate audio cables anyway. If I had realized this when I was shopping, I would have opted for a model that was half the price. Harman Kardon is a reliable manufacturer, and I've been satisfied with the receiver's sound quality and ease of use, but this was a major drawback for me.

using it in an 18' x 20' room. audio volume is adequate (30 per channel), using 5 speakers, wont blow the windows out. but loud enough. audio quality to my ears, is quite good. hdmi switching is just that, switching, no processing. that said, depending on how system is set up, hdmi signal processing is not desirable. there are all of the required i/o types, analog audio, digital (optical) audio, s-video, component video, composite video, hdmi (2 in switched, 1 out). i have not yet used the front panel inputs. all in all, i would buy it again.

Let's start with the positives; This unit has more features than most other receivers in this price range could dream of. It really is a great value. Currently I use this in a smallish room, and it has plenty of power to drive a set of small to medium size bookshelf speakers. HDMI switching works very well. Pretty solid construction, and pretty darn nice to look at too. Lastly, the On Screen Display is fantastic, this really could not be an easier unit to set up and configure. It's even easier when you need to add or replace components.

There are a couple downsides though. While it does seem to be pretty well built for a unit in this price range, I definitely wouldn't expect it to last a decade. If you're looking for a real workhorse, double your money and pick up a nice Onkyo.

Also, it has an annoying tendency to drop audio when it doesn't detect a signal, and it takes a few seconds for the audio to return. Sometimes it doesn't return at all and I have to power cycle the machine. This is especially noticeable when fast-forwarding on my Comcast DVR. For some reason, the receiver turns off the speakers when I FF, 30sec skip, or replay, and after pressing play again, it takes a second or two for it to turn the speakers back on. Seems to happen more commonly on digital inputs, like my DVR via coax, or HD-DVD player via optical.

Overall, I would recommend this to anyone looking for an inexpensive way to consolidate remotes, add some additional inputs, and improve sound over a Home-Theater-in-a-Box.

Last night my AVR-146 did not stay on, gave a faint odor of smell, and a bit of a crackling sound; given the fact, that all components are solid state; repair would cost more then replacement; my questions folow Is the AVR-154 still made? If so is it stronger than the AVR-146?; If so, then the AVR-154 will be the replacement model; I believe the power is 50% stronger than the AVR-146; is this correct? I am disappointed that this receivr lasted for around 2 years with conservative use. Please respond via this site so I may make mt decision ASAP.
Thank you in advance!

Had to put it outside right after I turned it on today. (So it didn't cause a fire.) Had it for 2 years and now the house smells like melted electronics. The surround sound never did save that often. (It would forget and switch on different settings). I'll never get this brand again because I actually had the fire extinguisher ready. I don't care how good it sounds.

When the receiver worked, I really enjoyed the way it sounded. However, after about 1 year it died. Turned it on one day, smelled burning plastic and heard some crackling noises, and then it went out - never to come back to life.

As far as receivers go, I didn't pay that much for it, but I would still expect it to last longer than 1 year. I have a receiver from the 70s that still kickin'. I guess they really don't make things like they used to.

Next time, I think I'll spend a little more money and go with Pioneer, Onkyo or Denon and get the extended service plan!

I did my homework on this one before I bought it. I was looking for HDMI connectivity and best value, and nothing else comes close to this unit. I compared it side by side with the Sony STRDG 510 (the only other unit for around $200 with HDMI pass thru connections) and I think the Harmon Kardon AVR146 is a much better unit for the price. Don't be fooled by Sony's inflated power ratings. BestBuy rates the Sony at 500w (100w x5) and the AVR146 at 300 watts (60w x5). My AVR146 drives 5 full size Yamaha in wall speakers and a powered sub with no effort and can do it at low listening levels. The ipod connection via "the bridge" is also a plus. The one downside on both units is that the HDMI pass thru sends the video signal, but not the audio signal. I can't figure out why it was designed that way. Maybe someone with more tech knowledge can help out with that question?

First of all this is a great receiver for the price. It has all the features you would ever need for a home theater application and then more. There are plenty of hookups for all of your accessories; however with my particular cable subscriber the HDMI terminal did not work from the cable box to the receiver.