The AVR 110 is definitely worth buying
Written: Jun 09 '02
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Pros: The sound quality, the decoders (Logic 7, VMAx, DTS, Dollby Digital), speaker setup
Cons: The remote
The Bottom Line: This is a superb receiver for the music lover (even non-techies) due to its features and cost.
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| Irrsinn's Full Review: harman/kardon AVR 110 5.1 Channels Receiver |
I've had this receiver for about 6 months now, and I still say "wow". I don't know too much about the technical sides of stereos (or "audio/video receivers"), but I do know a good thing when I have it. This receiver gives me plenty of options to play around with, yet is easy to setup.
It supports DTS, Dolby Digital, VMAx, Logic 7, 5 channel stereo and Dolby Pro Logic. It will also play back MP3s, has five video inputs (including 2 S-Video jacks) and four audio inputs. There is a subwoofer output for a powered subwoofer. There are also 4 digital inputs (2 optical, 2 coax) on the back of the unit and 2 (one of each) on the front.
Following the instructions in the manual (which I would advise reading), it was a breeze to setup my speakers. You choose whether you have fronts, centers, or rears, and what size they are (based on the impedance) all from the remote and front display (the options are on the display).
The remote (odd as it is), supports four macros, or series of saved commands. That's easy to setup as well. I personally save a macro to turn on my TV and VCR and another to turn on my TV and DVD player.
I personally have yet to buy a center speaker, which causes quite a bit of a problem when playing DVDs (for the unsavvy, the center speaker plays the voices in DVDs using DTS or Dolby Digital recording). The AVR 110 allows me to quickly choose another mode, like VMAx Near, to play my DVDs with.
One thing that some people may not like about this receiver is the lack of component inputs. I have no devices that use this (and may not ever), so it was not a factor in my search at all. It may be in yours, however.
The AVR 110 is also good at playing regular music. CD players can be connected via RCA cables or optical cables, and sound great either way. Radio usage is good too. I don't listen to much AM, but the FM stations (even some of the weaker ones in the area) sound great and clear.
One thing I find annoying about this receiver is the remote. I love the features it supports, but the shape allows it to slip out of my hand, and in one area of the buttons, they are all about the same size, making it different to distinguish the tuner present up and down from the macros and numbers.
Recommended:
Yes
Amount Paid (US$): 350
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Epinions.com ID:
Irrsinn
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Location: Charlotte, North Carolina
Reviews written: 5
Trusted by: 0 members
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