CATZ13

Overall Rating
 5 of 5

Value Rating
 5 of 5

Used product for
More than 1 year

Visitors rate this review
2.50 of 5, 4.00 votes

Price Paid:  $200.00 from INDIVIDUAL

Summary:
I ABSOLUTELY LOVE THIS HK. I HAVE PAIRED IT WITH NUMEROUS SETS OF SPEAKERS(CURRENTLY WITH BOSTON ACOUSTICS ) ALL I CAN SAY IS IF YOU CAN GET YOUR HANDS ON AN AVR-40,DO YOURSELF A FAVOR AND GRAB IT.

Strengths:
VERY CLEAN SMOOTH SOUND AND PLENTY OF PUNCH.MANY PEOPLE HATE THE REMOTE BUT I THINK IT IS INNOVATIVE AND JUST TAKES TIME TO GET USE TO.

Weaknesses:
I JUST CAN NOT WRITE ANYTHING BAD ABOUT THIS RECEIVER,IT HAS SERVED ME WELL AND CONTINUES TO DO SO! BUT WHAT DOES IRRITATE ME ARE SO CALLED AUDIO FILES THAT DON'T UNDERSTAND THAT THE HUMAN EAR CAN ONLY HEAR SO MUCH.UNLESS YOU HAVE A BIG RED CAPE AND AN "S" ON YOUR CHEST YOU WILL NOT FIND MANY FAULTS WITH THE AVR-40

Similar Products Used:
PHASE LINEAR 700 B AMP
PHASE LINEAR 4000 PRE-AMP
PHASE LINEAR T 2000 TUNER

Price Paid:  $269.00 from Circuit City

Summary:
Not Dolby-Digital, but for Pro-logic a great receiver.
I use it as a pre-amp, with separate power amps for front and rear. The receiver only powers my center speaker...

Compared to my Hafler preamp, not quite as clean as the volume is turned up. But still a pretty clean, no nonsense unit. Try to find one used.

Strengths:
Minimalist styling, full pre-amp outputs(!)Interesting spatial/wrap control to widen Dolby surround effects.

Weaknesses:
Needs a bit more power. Psychotic looking remote (early models).

Price Paid:  $120.00 from uBid

Summary:
It is unfornate that my unit had to break itself after a year. It's still covered by warranty, but I'm having a little trouble finding my proof of purchase...ack! might have to pay full price for repairs. After a year of perfect and excellent performance, the left channel is fading. Right now I have the balance at 90 defrees into emphasizing left to give a weakened, but balanced sound. Also, when it first starts up, it makes a hiss in the left for about a second now. Refurbished products are catching up to me right now - the money I saved is being sucked out of the wallet.

My first "real" component system:

Harman Kardon AVR 40 (stereo mode of course)
Boston Acoustics CR9s
Radio SHACK!!! wires (16gauge)
Fisher "Studio Standard" ancient CD player (AD-815)

I'm still in love with this one, and it will be worth the repairs. I think we'll stay together even through the hardships. 4 is my overall rating because it cannot be rated at "3 Stars - Average product" & the value so far (before repairs) is a "Bargain".

Strengths:
Great sound, handsome,

Weaknesses:
Remote Control & its volume increments (too big at low volume), speaker connectors are a pain (w/out monster plugs), Reliability!!

Similar Products Used:
Nakamichi Receiver 1, JVC worst model, Kenwood

Price Paid:  $250.00 from fries

Summary:
people just have so many different opinions. I have read thru them all almost.some say bright or lack of bass or whatever. I get so tired of people who think they are audiophiles or think they have this given ability to hear sounds. well there is no perfect speaker or amplifier out there you just appreciate the sound u like and live with the rest. in other words stop criticizing things and appreciate what u have. i know i could have better but i also know my set up is good and is not easily blown away. i have studied stereos for a long time now and there is a lot of over emphasis on speaker wire, or which amplifier sounds better. i get tired of it . i have heard good sound out of seemingly
obsolete equipment merely because the person who owned it had a lot of experience over time lisrening to different equipment and knew what to listen for.i have literally heard the drum beats reach out and grab u where u r at.wow did i ever learn from that person and knew after that what i wanted in my home.

Strengths:
has a nice clean and warm sound with nice bass. it's an HK for sure.

Weaknesses:
the dolby i don't care for but the stereo is over the line that separates high end from mid.i have always felt harman kardon has better sound for the money and the current supply is always there for strength during long throw lows.

Similar Products Used:
Harman kardon HK 870 power amp, marantz 4300 quad and denon.

Price Paid:  $499.00 from Circuit City

Summary:
HK rocks! I have a Russound speaker switch box (8-way) hooked to my avr 40 and it drives all 8 pairs of infinty sterling series ss 2004's great. You wont beleave how many pioneers I burned up. Was useing the Avr 10 after my pioneers but the avr 10 had some surge damage done to it. When in service at Circuit City it got damaged even more so they gave me a AVR 40 with 5 year warenty for replacement. I was happy! Love its power in stereo mode...lacks power in pro-logic. but mainly use it for multi room playing so that is fine.

I even DJ a little in my spare time. My carver amp blew out on me at last min when I was doing sound checks. SO I ran home real quick and grabed the HK AVR 40, I was concerned if it would keep up with the damand of two huge speakers playing loud for about 4 hours. But I had no choice with a job to do in 1 hour. So I just hooked my output from my mixer console into the CD input and hooked up the dual 12's sound tech DJ speakers and cranked the volume to about a little over half way. WOW it sounded great! Much cleaner than the DJ carver amp. Did not shut down once after playing for about 4 hours.

Thank you HK for making a GREAT product! I am VERY pleased!

Strengths:
plenty of power, ease of use, great style, binding post for speaker terminals.

Weaknesses:
Pro-Logic mode not very loud. Very bad remote control. Sometimes has Video glitches when runing signal through video inputs.

Similar Products Used:
Pioneer vsx 454, HK avr 10