Solid, featureful mid-range receiver marred by audio flaws
Written: Sep 13 '99
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Lots of features, elegant front panel, great manual
Cons: Hiss and hum, poor product support
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| jason_steiner's Full Review: harman/kardon AVR 65 Receiver |
I purchased my AVR 65 almost a year ago, to go with my new DVD player. I had a limited amount of money, and wanted a receiver that would provide a solid foundation for future additions. The new (at the time) AVR 65 seemed like the perfect solution.
It handles switching between a wide variety of components, including S-Video jacks for all video component. The AVR 65 also supports both DD 5.1 and DTS digital audio, and has 6-channel inputs for future decoders. I didn't expect many more standards - the market isn't really big enough to support two - but at the time I had just purchased a computer sound card (the Diamond MX200) which featured 3D positional sound through 4-channel outputs. By running the computer's audio and video through the AVR to my TV and speakers, I could play computer games on a large screen with surround sound.
The AVR 65 looks elegant as well. The case is a little thin, but the front panel is nicely arranged, with a single row of buttons, a blue LED display, and one large volume knob. It's much more understated than other receivers in the same price range which try to impress with an array of lights, knobs, and buttons, and just end up looking cheap. The receiver's on-screen programming is a little more cluttered, but the manual was written by someone who knew English, so it's not difficult to learn.
The remote works fine for operating the receiver. Like every other "universal" remote I've tried, it doesn't support all the features of the remotes it's supposedly replacing. That's fine, since I intend to replace them all with a completely customizable remote like the Harman Kardon/Microsoft "Take Control" in the near future.
How it sounds...
Both good and bad. H/K is known for receivers that offer great tonal quality at their price points, and the AVR 65 doesn't disappoint in this regard. It is exceedingly clear, bringing out the smallest audible details.
Unfortunately, the early models of this receiver also have a bit of hiss and hum. The hiss becomes audible at around -15 volume, and becomes very loud at 0. Normally the receiver's not turned up that high, and this is not an issue, but with sources recorded at low levels (DVDs and well-mastered CDs) it's sometimes necessary, and the hiss becomes VERY annoying. The hum emanates from the center speaker only. It is constant volume, and is masked by almost any other material, but it's still a disappointing flaw in an otherwise excellent receiver. At first I wasn't sure if these was something unique to my setup. H/K has since admitted problems exist, and have supposedly fixed them in later production runs. By that time it was too late to return my unit. I could have it repaired now, but at a cost of $100+ and being left for 2-4 weeks without it.
As long as I don't turn it up too loudly, I still enjoy it a great deal. It certainly has all the features I was looking for. However, the existence of these problems and H/K's slow and inadequate response make it difficult to recommend their products.
Recommended:
No
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Epinions.com ID:
jason_steiner
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Member: Jason Steiner
Location: Phoenix, AZ
Reviews written: 24
Trusted by: 9 members
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