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Ok guys I don't post much but when I do you're always full of wisdom. Ok I own a Harman Kardon AVR 7300, which was their flagship model a few years back. I bought it from buyriteelectronics.com and I always had my suspicions that it was a reconditioned unit due to it being so cheap at the time.

While operationally speaking I always loved the performance but their were definitely some quarks. ie. the volume would go up at will sometimes and I was afraid to leave the room for fear of it blowing my axioms or the unit itself. It also made some funny noises every once in a while.

Last week I was in our media room doing a little work on my computer while listening to AM Radio (at an extremely low volume) when I noticed my dog just staring at the H/K. I didnt think much of it until I heard a long hiss and then a poof. I looked over my shoulder and saw a 1 ft. tall flame coming out of the unit. I'm scared sh!tless and fear touching it to get the power off because I might be electrocuted. So I kick the power button and throw a towel over the top which manages to douse the flames.

After I settled my heart attack and my hands stopped shaking I was thinking what the hell just happened. So I ask the brightest among you. What the hell just HAPPENED! I have it hooked up to the monster power center HTS 5100. So I'm not thinking it was faulty power issue.

Secondly even though I believe its out of warranty doesn't Harman Kardon have some liability here? Had I not been in the room my entire guest house/media room may have burned down. Oh and lastly, I had a party planned the next night so I had to purchase another receiver. I bought the Integra DTR 7.7 and love it. No issues. HDMI. upconversion. THX. and I think it sounds better than my H/K. Looking forward to peoples input. Thanks.

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fear touching it to get the power off because I might be electrocuted. So I kick the power button and throw a towel over the top which manages to douse the flames.

.....Because your toes conduct less electricity than your fingers???

Sorry, I couldn't resist. That is really a disappointing story. I'm no expert but it's too bad you didn't return it a few times to have the quirks fixed. At least then you would have a documented history to show it didn't work correctly from day 1. Without that, "out of warranty" may very well mean "out of warranty."

Depending where you live, the store you bought it from probably had a legal obligation to inform you if it was indeed refurbished. You might be able to play that angle but the sad truth is that for the time, effort and money to fight a battle over an out of warranty product, it might be just easier to get a new one. I've been there. It's tough to win and I only fought on due to the principal, not for the money as it got beyond the worth of that.

Of course, it never hurts to ask and threaten some pressure over taking further action if need be, if you truly feel you were wronged. They might surprise you and come good....or not.

I have been surprised by the integrity of some shops before. Seems smaller privately owned shops often have more integrity than their big box brothers. I buy locally and small when I can for that reason. Even if it means I pay a bit more.

That's what you get for listening to AM radio.

Yikes! Was the place that sould you the receiver an Authorized H/K dealer? If so, I'd give them a call and see what they have to say. Then I'd try H/K directly.

Did you have anything strange hooked up to the receiver? I mean, had you perhaps wired an extra set of speakers in parallel or something otherwise non-standard?

If you bought it from an unauthorized dealer, then there probably isn't a whole lot anyone can do to help.

mdrew's gonna love this.

I'm so glad nobody was hurt.

Thanks for the tip on the Integra.

You're a nut Tom....

My guess would be the transformer seeing how you had flames. That would indicate a 120V side failure.

I think you should contact HK directly. If for no other reason, informing them what happened so they can investigate the failure and inform owners if it happens to be a component failure. Now if they actually inform owners is another debate I'm not going to touch......

First and formost it's good news the fire did not spread and everyone was safe.

Like Mike says it very well might have been a transformer or a capacitor that went. I too would get a hold of H/K and air my disappointment with the situation. Ya never know in a case like this, they very well might help you out

Any Pics?

Inside and out.

THE CROWD DEMANDS PICTURES!

I wouldn't open it up at least until I talked to H/K.

Ok thanks for all the input guys. To answer some questions, no it was not an authorized retailer. That was one of the negatives when a guy had told me this e-tailer had them so cheap. I would love to provide some dramatic pics but the flames (although dramatic in effect) didn't produce any scorching. So props to the encasement!! Just wish the inside was built as well. Also, I have all the normal things hooked up. HD Directv DVR. DVD Player. Mini Disc. Homedock Ipod. And no wires were exposed and or crossed. Oh and I was wearing rubber soled shoes so I thought maybe they wouldn't conduct. I guess I'll never know if I would have been electrocuted.

I have sent HK a nice long email for no other reason than to see what they say.

"I have seen alot of things in my life...but that...was...AWSOME....OOHHH MAN!!...Sorry about your car dude"

-Tommy Boy

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Ok thanks for all the input guys. To answer some questions, no it was not an authorized retailer. That was one of the negatives when a guy had told me this e-tailer had them so cheap. I would love to provide some dramatic pics but the flames (although dramatic in effect) didn't produce any scorching. So props to the encasement!! Just wish the inside was built as well. Also, I have all the normal things hooked up. HD Directv DVR. DVD Player. Mini Disc. Homedock Ipod. And no wires were exposed and or crossed. Oh and I was wearing rubber soled shoes so I thought maybe they wouldn't conduct. I guess I'll never know if I would have been electrocuted.

I have sent HK a nice long email for no other reason than to see what they say.

Well, you could do this...soak a ball of paper in lighter fluid, open up the receiver and stick it in there, then drop a match through one of the cracks...and recreate it! Give it a proper photo shoot!

I mean...it's already burnt anyways...

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have it hooked up to the monster power center HTS 5100. So I'm not thinking it was faulty power issue.

The return of the monster, hide you children!

Glad no one was hurt.

I concur that it was most likely the transformer, I had PC P/S cooling stop and the smoke and sparks from the wiring solder melting was pretty cool.

What speakers do you have? 4ohm M80's perhaps?

I hate to hear about this happening. You are very fortunate that nothing more was damaged.

I would contact HK as other have mentioned and start the process. Hopefully you will have some recourse.

However, there is an old saying that goes something like this: "when was the last time that you can remember that you got MORE than you paid for."

If the deal seems too good to be true, then it probably IS too good to be true.

Sorry for your very bad luck!!

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when was the last time that you can remember that you got MORE than you paid for.

The last time I bought Axioms comes to mind. After all, I bought speakers, but I got all of you guys, too.

Good one! LOL!!!!!

Yes, we are worth more than you paid!!!

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That's what you get for listening to AM radio.

Sounds more like he tuned into the microwave band.

Bren R.

Real80sman,

I have the M60's so no 4 ohm issues.

And I loved the Tommy boy reference. Great flick.

I'm all but convinced that HK has some seriously flaky hardware.