Axiom Home Page Forums General Discussion Home Theater Is this really the receiver I should get?

OK, so I've done some research and so far the best receiver for me seems to be the Harmon Kardon AVR 630. Is there anything that would surpass this receiver, keeping in mind that i can probably get it for only $700

Hello addicted,

Hope you are well. I own the H/K AVR 630, it is a fantastic receiver. The only annoying thing it does is its autosense for digital material, it goes mute for 2 seconds to detect what kind of source material is being played when hooked up via digital input. So, on DVDs it switches maybe 3 times from menu, to previews, to movie...each time muting for 2 seconds to go from pro logic to Dolby Digital etc...once locked on it is fine.

The power and features of this receiver are top notch, and I believe you will enjoy it. Make sure you have a strong shelf, it weighs in at a hefty 41 pounds.

Later,

TonyM

Ad, welcome. You haven't described what features of the 630 lead you to believe that it might fit your needs best. Two other attractively-featured receivers that can be had for $600 or less are the Denon 985(identical to 2805)and the Yamaha 5790. You should give them consideration as well.

ditto what JohnK says, I have the 2805. Although my Axioms don't arrive until Friday, , I have my 2805 hooked up to my 1980's Pioneer 4-way CS60 loudspeakers, AR center, infinity bookshelf surrounds...and this thing sounds totally awesome, can't wait till the real deals arrive.

Randy

Just bought the HK AVR630 off eBay this week, I got it delivered for $641.00 US from HK....Good buy...

Alright, thanks a lot for the advice.

I have been considering ordering either this or the hk avr 430. But,I don't think I would care for the audio drop outs I have been reading about on other boards. I also have some concerns about reliability issues with HK. I perceive that they have a less than stellar QC record. A few years ago there was what you might call a trading center in my community. It was a store that dealt mainly in low quality furniture and refurbed electronics. They sold HK receivers and amps. The shelves were stacked high with refurbed HK gear. Every since then I've been leary of them. Over the years I've owned Pioneer and Yamaha, and have never had one problem. HK may well possess an awesome sound, but I just can't get myself to pull the trigger on one of them. I know there are many happy HK owners on this board, but their products frankly scare me.

My experience with HK QA/QC has been wonderful. I bought a refurbished AVR 125 from an unlicensed online dealer. It had want turned out to be a troublesome short that caused the unit to cut out. After 2 trips to a local HK licensed repair shop-HK not only agreed to let me to return the unit (even though I had not bought it from a licensed dealer) they also upgraded me to the next generation AVR 130. When the finances allow I will definitely upgrade to another HK. Many people on this board are using HK receivers, the cut out is annoying, but it isn't a real big deal. Don't hesitate to go with HK after some comparison shopping.

I don't have the AVR line but the Stereo HK3480 has been wonderful, it doesn't run as hot as the onkyo after hours of cranking, and to my ears the SQ smoke the Onkyo and Yamaha when pair up with the M2i.

One of the greatest features of the upper level HK AVRs when teamed with Axiom speakers is the bass management. Since the -3dB points of the mains, center, and surrounds are fairly different, the bass management on the HK AVRs lets you set different crossover points for each.