Harman Kardon AVR 245 7.1 Channel Audio/Video Receiver

by Harman Kardon

Product Details

• Product Dimensions: 15 x 17.3 x 6.6 inches ; 35 pounds
• Shipping Weight: 36 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: B000J1SBME
• Item model number: AVR245
• Batteries: 2 AA batteries required. (included)
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (17 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #92,086 in Electronics (See Top 100 in Electronics)

Product Description

Amazon.com

Driven by a passion for music and cinema, Harman Kardon engineers are fanatical about maintaining a balance between pure technology and their quest for artistic truth. Their devotion to detail and their love for all types of music and cinema have produced some of the finest audio/video and stereo receivers available.

The AVR 245 is XM Ready®, features two-input HDMI™ switching, and includes EzSet+® and iPod* connectivity through The Bridge. Incoming video is transcoded to component video, and audio is processed with virtually every surround mode available. Add the sonic perfection you expect from Harman Kardon® and you’ve got all you need, from A to Z.

Product Description

Harman Kardon AVR 245 7.1 Channel Audio/Video Receiver

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

18 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Harman Kardon sets the Gold standard, December 11, 2006

By 

Daniel Gordon "Video guru" (CA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Harman Kardon AVR 245 7.1 Channel Audio/Video Receiver (Electronics)

I bought a Harman Kardon avr 240 but this is very similar to the 245 with a few minute changes such as hdmi capability. The Harman Kardon receiver 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 receiver is breathtaking.

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Had A Problem w/ AVR 240..Swithced to AVR 245...Excellent Move, November 6, 2006

By 

Win2000 - See all my reviews

This review is from: Harman Kardon AVR 245 7.1 Channel Audio/Video Receiver (Electronics)

I had bought a Harman Kardon AVR 240 receiver. I had nothing but problems within 20 minutes of hooking it up. The power kept shutting the receiver down and it was running really,really HOT...checked all my speaker connections and everything was hooked up properly. So, I got rid of it and ordered the new AVR 245. Hooked it up today and no shutting down, just clean and powerful sound. This receiver also has HDMI switching...I'm not too sure how to hook this up but it does state in owners manual that the HDMI switching only switches between sources for video...even though HDMI carries audio and video, you still need to hook up an audio line either digital coax or digital optical (I hooked up the digital optical). Sound is clear, as I have it hooked up to my Harman Kardon HKTS 14 speakers with a 12" subwoofer. I don't know why but this receiver doesn't seem to get as hot as the AVR 240 did (so far). In addition to having HDMI switching, this receiver has the XM satellite capability and also multiroom capability. I am using a Samsung 4051 LCD TV and running it through DirecTV (HR 20 DVR/Receiver). I am also using a Monster Power 3500 MkII power center. I would not hesitate to buy future products from Harman Kardon. They make a great product and Amazon offers them at a great price. Oh yea, I am using the OPPO 971 DVD player and it's all that.

12 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Great value for a great piece of AV equipment, January 29, 2007

By 

DonTheMagicWand (Bay Area, CA USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Harman Kardon AVR 245 7.1 Channel Audio/Video Receiver (Electronics)

I have the AVR-245 paired with a set of Athena Micra 5.1's and the sound is very good for a beginner HT setup. Dual HDMI switching, clear sound, tons of supported surround modes and inputs - this thing is a great value. If you have an Ipod and love to listen to music in your HT room, get the Bridge. That thing works very well with my Ipod Nano.

A few VERY minor caveats with this AVR:

* No 3-prong AC switching in the back for all in one power (no biggie, would be nice)

* Only 2 rear optical audio ins which get all too quickly eaten up with next gen hardware (I would sacrifice the whole lot of RCA/Svideo's for a few more rear opticals since I don't want to use the front jacks). It would have been nice to make that one optical out another reconfigurable optical in, but hey...

* Brushed aluminum surface collects oily fingerprints too well

* IR remote drop issues when using on carpetted floor, under a bright plasma or in a bright room. This is VERY annoying and happens not only with the supplied remote, but another runiversal as well as 2 Harmony 880's! GRRR...

* EZset calibration is WAAAAAY off. It will set your crossovers and distance out of whack. Measure with a tape measure from your sweet spot listening position, get Avia or DVE and a cheap sound level checker from the "shack that sells radios" to get it right.

* The manual is pretty sparse with good info and the learning curve is high for using all of the features on this thing so take your time and learn how to google!

* 14 gauge speaker wire is a pain to get in the speaker bindings - I should have went with 16 gauge since i don't have that far to run

* EDIT - The HDMI switching only works for the 2 HDMI ins and doesn't convert other video sources to pass through the HDMI out to the TV. For example, you can't plug in to the component, svideo or composite ins and expect for those sources to play over the HDMI cable running to your TV. Bummer, but still not a huge deal.

Overall, this is a great AV piece so far and for the discount that can be had here on Amazon, you definitely can't go wrong!!! Not super future-proof for me (or rather my DVR, PS3, Xbox360, HTPC, etc.) but for the money a very solid investment.