Price Paid:  $120.00 from ebay

Summary:
I want to set up a 2ch for a occasional listen area and I got this one, maybe because of the price and the ratings.
Well, the chassis is HUGE, oversize. I can't belive it. It has a lot of inputs but I just use to hook up a cd player and listen to AM, FM. The sound quality is good, clean and clear, nice bass. FM reception is amazing compare to my yamaha or any other receivers i've used. AM reception is normal. I don't like the volumn knob, I feel like it can break anytime. The buttons lay out is really bad, especially the loudness button, tiny and hidden behide the big volumn knob. I took me a couple day to realize there is one because I didn't care about the manual.
For the sound, I recommend it, but for the lay out, size, i don't like it.

Strengths:
Sound, nice looking, strong FM reception.

Weaknesses:
Big big, weak flakey volumn knob

Similar Products Used:
None

Price Paid:  $125.00 from uBid

Summary:
I'm using this outdated HT preamp as the heart of my stereo-only system in our family room. It's ironic that it makes makes one hell of a stereo Tuner/Preamp, especially for the money. I'm using it to drive a couple of Fairchild monoblock tube power amps (EL34 outputs), which are powering some JBL 4425 studio monitors (horns). It's got an excellent phono preamp, and really does my Thorens table/Ortofon MC20 cart justice. The unit I got from uBid was so pristine that I don't believe it was a "B" stock unit. I know they didn't sell very well, and I think Sid Harman was dumping new stock through though uBid.

Strengths:
Nice phono section, good FM, remote works fine, smooth sounding preamp

Weaknesses:
Chassis is too large, needs extra preamp main outputs

Summary:
Still enjoying this pre-amp and only paid $120 for it the price I got for my Kenwood receiver. Day and night difference between the two which makes me very happy to be owning the H/K. Using the radio shack remote which gives it a more solid feel to it, the suplied remote well you have heard the story. Need a DVD player now and then maybe the H/K Digital processor.

Strengths:
Very clean sound, no coloration. Simple to use.

Weaknesses:
Badly written manual. Remote needs to be replaced with a good learning one.

Similar Products Used:
Kenwood Kr-v8540

Summary:
well, folks, I wish I would have gotten this unit for $100.00, as many other reveiwers have, but I am an H/K dealer (through a distributor) and even at dealer cost, I paid about 200.00. this unit has had a few problems, ranging from mysterously shutting off to center and rear channel noise problems...just an all around peice of crap, in terms of reliability. I also do not care for the remote, but for a few hundred dollars, H/K will sell you a sweet remote to go with it! I am also dissapointed with the manual, saying the sub has adjustable output, but it is not even on/off, much less adjustable! since the DVD revoloution, I can see the logical thing to do is replace this with an Onkyo, which has onboard Dolby Digital as well as fully adjustable crossovers with adjustable gains! I compared the sound of my buddys Onkyo with my H/K, and needless to say, the PA5800 had less power and was noisier! I always build my own speakers, and the H/K was unhappy with a 2ohm load and shut off after getting VERY hot...the Onkyo was OK with it but both were happier with an 8 ohm load, although I suspect 4 ohms would serve either best, at least as a high pass...I have a big burly Carver running a beast of a Fosgate power series 15" in a transmission line enclosure to run the bottom end (take that, car audio boomer brats!) OK, well, enough complaining, how about them bears? the phono stage is pretty sweet for a H/T peice, but not many people use that, of course. This thing has the 2nd best Pro Logic surround I have ever heard, surpassing a Denon THX peice another friend has, with much better articulation of placement on low frequency effects especially...well, anyway, if you need a cheap prologic peice, this thing looks like a million, sounds good at worst, great for most applications, and can hold its own against most any reciever...happy listening!

Strengths:
excellent Dolby tracking, great Volume control, Phono preamp is excellent (for a H/T pre) switchable front panel A/V inputs

Weaknesses:
crapola remote, no sub volume, cheeseball power supply, made in Korea

Similar Products Used:
Haflet, Audio Research, homebuilt

Summary:
I got mine for $99+shipping. I needed only a high quality stereo pre-amp. However, sterep pre-amps are not cheap. I decided to go with either the PT-2500 or the NAD 917AV ($230). They do pretty much the same thing, ie dolby prologic preamp/tuners. NAD always have superb performance and the 917AV's tuner is the same as the standard setting NAD 412. I was going to buy the NAD, but then I found the PT-2500 for under $100. That decided it.

I was a little apprehensive becaue of a previous experience with an H/K AVR65. That unit was crappily built, had a high noise floor, and when the volume was changed using the remote control, the motor's on/off spikes infiltrated into the sound.

I am happy to report that, other than looking similar, the PT-2500 shares nothing with the AVR 65. It is very well made, sound quality is perfect, the tuner is superb, and I could not be happier with the unit. I cannot comment on the theater abilities, but I find that if I switch it to Direct (which is how I operate it), the sound is indistinguishable from when I run my CD Player directly into the power amp. The volume control is superb, precise and well controlled by the remote. The AM section of the tuner is just AWFUL. My car's stereo pulls in AM better than the PT-2500

I heartily recommend the PT-2500 to everybody not needing a good AM section and Dolby Digital.

Strengths:
Very good build quality, superb sound quality, price, excellent FM, great prices going.

Weaknesses:
The AM is crap!

Similar Products Used:
Carver CT-24v (piece of crap)