This thing is everything you want in an integrated amplifier.

Pure raw power, the 990 seems to have an endless amount of clean power. 150wpc@8, benched out at 190wpc. Amp is over 50 pounds.

I have it hooked up to the matching HD990 cd player via the HRS link. I would recommend this cd player and this connection, but obviously with this amp any connection will sound great.

It looks as good as it sounds.

This is one of HK's finest products, and I've owned many over the years.

The manual is about useless.

Runs hot, keep in a ventilated area or get some fans

EzsetEq did a great job in my room with my speakers.

Important features:
Power, Power, Power
Dual mono
HT Bypass
Dual independent sub out
Balanced inputs
EzsetEQ
HRS link with HD990

Crystal clear through the entire spectrum. It produces incredibly accurate sound and processes signals very fast.Makes for satisfying listening,even at low volumes.Sound is full, detailed,well defined, pleasant to the ear,and very natural /realistic.

A friend of mine who works for Harman told me about this amp and said that he was going to get one as soon as he could. He asked me to research it and to give him my thoughts. I researched and researched everything I could on the amp but as most of you know who are looking at this know there are not many reviews on it and the majority of them are from overseas. One thing that stood out to me was it won the "AMP OF THE YEAR" from EISA in 2009 and not to mention the very impressive specs on the Harman website. After my due diligence I decided to purchase one.

Right out of the box this Integrated sounded AMAZING! With the impressive spec of being able to pull up to 200 amps when needed I decided to ditch the cheap 16awg power cord that came with it and put a Kimber Kable PK10 Gold powercord ($330.00 4ft) on it. As the name states it is a high quality 10awg powercable and this made a huge difference. My friend who works for Harman and is a complete non believer of upgraded powercords was floored by the difference.

After we wired it up to my system (I am keeping it simple with just a Wadia 170i Ipod dock running directly into the built-in DAC on the Harman) we decided go let it warm up for about an hour before we did any listening. After anxiously waiting that hour we turned up the volume and started to listen. The first thing we noticed was how everything just sounded right. The highs were crisp and clear, the midrange was very neutral and once again very clear. NOW to the bass!! WOW this integrated has CONTROL!!! It is currently hooked up to my Sonus Faber Grand Piano Domus speakers which are 4ohm nominal so that means this amp is putting out 300watts to them. We listened to numerous tracks that we were familiar with and track after track we were astounded at how much control and finesse this integrated had and also how much time had slipped away. This Integrated just makes you want to keep listening.

So here we are now 100 hours later and it just keeps getting better. I can honestly say that sitting down and listening to music is truly enjoyful. Please believe me when I say this that one of the biggest differences was the upgraded powercable. Since I have the Kimber PK10 gold on it I decided to see what it would sound like with the Kimber Kable PK10 Palladian so I borrowed one from my dealer and WOW once again the difference was astounding. EVERYTHING across the board got better. Now with this powercable feeding the amp it felt as close as I have come to the real thing right in my living room. IT WAS AWESOME!! Now I know that a $1300.00 powercable on a $2400.00 Integrated sounds crazy but since the difference in the sound quality was so dramatic it is 100% worth it. Now before buying the $1300.00 Kimber Kable powercord I am going to audition the New Shunyata Anaconda CX before I make up my mind on which to buy. I will keep everyone posted.

You may be wondering if this is a review of the Harman HK990 or the Kimber Kable powerkords and I will tell you that it is for the Harman HK990!! The Kimber Kable just made it that much better.

I know that if you are looking at this you probably have not had a chance to hear one personally since they just barely decided to release the HK990 in the states just this year and in my area I don't know of 1 dealer that has them. All I know is that I am extremely happy with my purchase and am no longer looking for an integrated for my system which if you ask anyone who knows me it is truly saying something.

FROM THE HARMAN WEBSITE:
High-current, ultrawide bandwidth design for uncompromised realism.
The 150-watt HK 990 stereo integrated amplifier outputs a cleaner, louder and more powerful sound than most amplifiers from other companies. The reason is simple. By utilizing something called high-current capability (HCC), which provides the instantaneous current necessary to precisely drive and control nearly any loudspeaker system, the HK 990 can accommodate more headroom during dynamic program peaks, influencing tighter bass and a superb transient response - at any volume level. The benefit? Heightened realism for whatever music, movies and multimedia you might be listening to.

Optimize performance with Real-Time Linear Smoothing (RLS IV).
Designed to push the performance quotient even further beyond typical harman/kardon® standards, Real-Time Linear Smoothing (RLS IV) is a feature that minimizes interference in digital-to-analog signals with two high-grade stereo analog devices (AD) 1955 DACs. The result? Richly detailed sound and noise level that remains in a non-audible frequency range with very high jitter rejection. This way, you'll always experience sonic refinement and a natural open sound stage - two benefits that should appeal to the most demanding of audiophiles.

EzSet/EQ II takes control of your settings - automatically.
Sit back, relax and let the HK 990 set the room's mood automatically thanks to EzSet/EQ II's room-equalization and system-calibration technology. Simplify system setup with the touch of a button while ensuring the most optimal listening environment possible, in just minutes. EzSet/EQ II even sets speaker volume, speaker balance and timing as well for your system's 2.2-channel surround-sound speakers. By automatically adjusting sound to suit your specific room conditions - including directing sound toward listeners in the ideal, seated position - EzSet/EQ II consistently proves that it knows how to read the room.

Get in sync with an HRS link
As one of the features that make the HK 990 a top-of-the-line audio system, high-resolution synchronization link (HRS link) lets harman/kardon® CD players lock themselves to the external clock of the amplifier to ensure a jitter-free connection. Similar to having the CD playback inside the amplifier, the HRS link carries both the system and data clocks of the amplifier, and the data stream from the CD player. As a cutting-edge feature that's fairly standard in high-end professional audio equipment, the HK 990's HRS link is designed to appease even the most discerning audiophiles.

Minimize signal disruption wherever possible.
When you're listening to audio, you want to have as little signal disruption as possible. With the HK 990's XLR inputs, you get balanced connections designed to reject both external noise (from power wiring, etc.) as well as internal crosstalk from adjacent signal cables. In addition to discriminating against noise and crosstalk, your XLR inputs also allow 6 dB more signal level on the line - so ultimately you'll get a higher signal-to-noise performance than before. Bravo.

Description Integrated Amplifier
Power (FTC)1 2 x 150W @ 8 ohms / 2 x 300W @ 4 ohms
HCC (Amps) ±200
Ultrawide Bandwidth @ 1W (+0, –3dB) 10Hz – 170kHz
Discrete Amplifier Output Devices Yes
Signal-to-Noise Ratio IHF-A (–3dB) 109dB
EzSet® Capability EzSet/EQ™, 2.2-channel
Audio Inputs 8
Tape Monitor Loop Yes
Phono Input Yes, MM and MC
Digital Audio Inputs (Coax/Optical) Rearpanel 2/2
Processor Input Yes, 2.2-channel
Balanced XLR Inputs Yes
HRS-Link Yes
Digital Audio Output (coax/optical) Rearpanel 1/0
Preamp Outputs Yes
Subwoofer Output Yes, dual
Power Consumption (Watts) 800W max
IR-In/Out Jacks Yes