Eskimo1 Posted December 17, 2008 Share Posted December 17, 2008 What do you guys think of the Harmon Kardon AVR-354? I was thinking of picking one up and using it until the Emotiva gear is available. I may even use the 354 as a pre amp with the 5 channel Emotiva amp until the new processor is released. What you think? Should I just wait, or will this set up sound good? That's what I'm doing right now. I put up a little review of the H-K AVR's here: http://emotivalounge.proboards54.com/index.cgi?board=ht&action=display&thread=2904 I'd say save your money and get the 254. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frank1938 Posted December 17, 2008 Share Posted December 17, 2008 What do you guys think of the Harmon Kardon AVR-354? I picked up the 354 at BB on Sunday and hooked it up to my Aragon Stage One and 2008. It is going back tonight. Video switching is iffy and there is pumping of the audio. Volume goes up and down and I can't figure out why. Think I will just buy the Sony 7.1 analog out BluRay player and save some of my money. I wanted to use the 354 as a preamp for music surround because of the 7.1 Logic the receiver has. Too bad because it does have a nice sound. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frank1938 Posted December 17, 2008 Share Posted December 17, 2008 Thanks!! I'm gonna bid on that one!! Well, did you get the Academy for a Christmas present? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Natas Posted December 17, 2008 Author Share Posted December 17, 2008 No, I didn't get it. With the holidays and my girlfriends birthday all falling in Dec. it didn't leave me enough to get it. I'll have one in the next few weeks though! [] How would the Onkyo 805 do as a pre amp? Is the video section of those better than the HK? All I really need is pass through on the video. The PS3 converts all of my dvd's and games. The cable box is set to output to the proper resolution as well. I don't need the AVR to do anything to the video signal. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sjcruiser Posted December 17, 2008 Share Posted December 17, 2008 Both the Onkyo 805s and HK *54 receivers use Farouja DCDi chips, so I guess they are comparable in term of video processings. From what I've read (and experienced, as I listened to the Onkyo 905 for a month, which has the almost the same preamp section as the 805), the Onkyo would serve you well as a preamp. In fact, I don't think you could get a better on for that price Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
InVeNtOr Posted December 17, 2008 Share Posted December 17, 2008 okay i have to take back what i said about my 805...... i called Onkyo today and got some info. first off i thought the volume was way too low and had to be turned up way to high. turns out thats how digital volume works. i guess my old receiver was analog. he told me it had to be around 60-70 to be loud (on absolute scale...of course). the other issue i had was i couldn't get my sub to play in 2ch. he told me it only worked in the "Stero" setting. i guess thats not so big a deal, i would like to have my sub playing with a few other settings but maybe other receivers are the same. the last issue was the sound seemed flat. i know this had to do with the EQ somehow. so i played with the settings and it did improve it a lot. i also leared what "in your face" sounded like. i turned up the tweeter Hz a little too high......wow.....talk about blowing your hair back. i felt that speaker was 2" from my face and i was ducking and weaving to get away from it. i am hoping when my new crossover comes in i can get everything balanced and tuned in. after that happens i will see how much i like it. until then, my opinion will be this. Its a good receiver at that price. probobly the best you can buy when you take price into conseridation." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Natas Posted December 17, 2008 Author Share Posted December 17, 2008 Thank you guys so much for all of your help!! I really appreciate it! The 805 is the avr I keep coming back to. Maybe I'll just get one and try it out. I really love this forum and Klipsch, so you'll be seeing at lot more of me on here!!! lol I am going to go with the Emotiva pre/pro at tax time, but for now I think the 805 will do just fine! Thanks again everyone! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PhilMays Posted December 17, 2008 Share Posted December 17, 2008 Natas, theres a KLF-C7 on ebay for local pickup in Chapel Hill. I'm the high bidder, but if you want it I'll back out and pick it up and you could pick it up in Danville...just a thought. I'ts supossed to be a rocking Center, and I bid on it for a rear speaker. Take it if you want it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators Youthman Posted December 17, 2008 Moderators Share Posted December 17, 2008 i would like to have my sub playing with a few other settings but maybe other receivers are the same. I just went through all of my soundfields on my Yamaha and my sub stays on during all of them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
InVeNtOr Posted December 18, 2008 Share Posted December 18, 2008 okay, are you rubbing it in? lol i am going to try again tomorrow with the different sound fields because the guy at onkyo said i may need to increase the db setting it. i had it at 0 because it was loud enough like that. well see. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Natas Posted December 18, 2008 Author Share Posted December 18, 2008 Natas, theres a KLF-C7 on ebay for local pickup in Chapel Hill. I'm the high bidder, but if you want it I'll back out and pick it up and you could pick it up in Danville...just a thought. I'ts supossed to be a rocking Center, and I bid on it for a rear speaker. Take it if you want it. I would love to have that, but what are you going to use for your rear speaker. I have a couple of KG1.2's in the oiled walnut finish that you could use. I'm using both of them as my center channel right now. They are in excellent shape!! If you get the KLF-C7 maybe we could trade. I have no problem driving to Danville. [] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PhilMays Posted December 18, 2008 Share Posted December 18, 2008 Not sure I want to use 1.2's. Some folks have commented how good they sound though. Currently I don't know what I'll use. The price was so low on the KLF that I simply had to bid. 5.1 (5.2) (Dolby) is fine with me, so would 6.2, or even 7.2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Natas Posted December 18, 2008 Author Share Posted December 18, 2008 I don't think that the KLF would fit where I need it to go anyway. I think it would be too tall. Thanks for the info!! Maybe once I get a new stand I'll be able to get one of these or an Academy. But as it stands now, I'm very happy with the sound. (I really do want a new center though) [] Thanks again!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PhilMays Posted December 18, 2008 Share Posted December 18, 2008 No problem! I'm most likely going to get it, just cause. The bids just aren't where they should be for this one and what the heck. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators Youthman Posted December 18, 2008 Moderators Share Posted December 18, 2008 okay, are you rubbing it in? Maybe [] I think I rememberedhaving trouble with the sub coming on for all the DSP options on my Onkyo. I do not have it hooked up or I would look at it. I don't think it's a dB setting personally. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eskimo1 Posted December 18, 2008 Share Posted December 18, 2008 I picked up the 354 at BB on Sunday and hooked it up to my Aragon Stage One and 2008. It is going back tonight. Video switching is iffy and there is pumping of the audio. Volume goes up and down and I can't figure out why. . Did you update the firmware on the AVR? There were a ton of problems that were fixed by the latest firmware release. And it FIGURES that there was a KLF-C7 in Chapel Hill where I used to work, 3 months after I moved away... I had to drive almost 6 hours to get mine! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Natas Posted December 18, 2008 Author Share Posted December 18, 2008 No problem! I'm most likely going to get it, just cause. The bids just aren't where they should be for this one and what the heck. Cool!! Enjoy your new purchase!! [Y] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.