Price Paid:  $350.00 from Circuit City

Summary:
Luckily, I already knew how nice Harman Kardon A/V receiver's were before I bought my new one. I compared it to some really expensive units and found them all lacking compared even to the lowly AVR-120. It may not have all of the bells and whistles, but it will outperform almost every other A/V receiver on the market. Mate this receiver with a set of high efficiency speakers and you have a really nice sounding setup for cheap. HK uses true ratings on their equipment. If they say the unit is rated at 45 watts per channel, then it will push 45 watts per channel all day long with very little distortion and virtually no clipping. Find another sub 400 dollar receiver capable of this and let me know about it.

Strengths:
Performance, looks, cost, reliability and quality.

Weaknesses:
Features and remote (I don't like the design of the remote, but it works fine).

Similar Products Used:
Pioneer Elite, Sony ES, Denon, Onkyo, Nakamichi, Marantz and various others.

Price Paid:  $199.00 from HarmanKardon.com dir

Summary:
I agree with the previous reviewer, I looked at every receiver with all the features I wanted, from this model all the way up to Nakamichi, Onkyo, Yamaha, Pioneer Elite, and many others. After trying everything I could get my hands on, I came to the conclusion that this is simply the finest receiver on the market for anywhere near it's price, and it beats many that are priced over $1500.00 The thing that people need to remember about the power rating of this receiver is that it is rated at FULL power, meaning if you look at the THD rating of this receiver, then look at how much power it's using at that rating, it's rated at full out. You literally can use ALL of the power of this receiver. Many of the popular receivers are rated with a weighted rating...they are rated at 75% or so of their full power, but that's because if you run them at full power they would be at more like 10% THD instead of the rating they list. People need to look at specs a little closer and read them in a fair manner. I'm not a huge fan of the remote, as the buttons are small but that's no biggie, as I have a universal remote that operates all of my theater system.

Strengths:
I am still blown away by how big and open the top end sounds on this receiver, it sounds so much bigger than anything else I tried that it's not even comparable. Very rich sound, and with a sub, the lows rattle the windows in the opposite end of my house.

Weaknesses:
I can't think of a single weakness. I don't know what the others who say this is unreliable have done but they couldn't have been operating the receiver properly, or it wasn't vented properly, or something, because mine has run at least 8 hours a day for the last year and a half and it's never shown any sort of problem.

Similar Products Used:
I tried everything I could get my hands on up to the $2000.00 price range and just decided that I couldn't do any better for my money than this receiver, it really is audiophile at a medium price.

Price Paid:  $0.00

Summary:
I have read a few of these reviews on this receiver and I can't believe someone said this unit lacked power. The only way this thing lacks power is if you are using low sensitivity speakers, or if you don't know quite how to use it. I have had mine for almost 2 yrs and I love it. I brought home a Sony, Onkyo, Denon, and Yamaha to test them in my house first. The HK won by all means. The remote works fine, I don't know why the complaints. You can make the unit seem a little more powerful if you take all your speaker levels all the way up and adjust them down as needed. I have all my levels set at 10 except the sub. I can still crank this thing to full power and it doesn't distort. You can't be in the same room with it though, for the fact that you would go deaf. I am using older Advent Prodigy towers, baby advent rears, a sony center (which needs replacing), and a Velodyne CT120 Sub. I highly suggest buying this unit even for audiophiles. I have a 30 by 26ft great room and this unit fills this room up nicely with sound.

Strengths:
the whole thing

Weaknesses:
absolutely none

Similar Products Used:
Sony, Marantz, Yamaha, Onkyo, Denon, Pioneer

Price Paid:  $0.00

Summary:
I have had my AVR 110 for almost two tears now, and I love it for the price you pay you can't get anything better. A friend of mine has a $2800 Nakamichy (spelled wrong but close enough)And you can't hear any difference at all. If you are looking for great sound at a great price get a AVR110 or I guess it would be a AVR125 now but it the same amp with some small changes.

Strengths:
Sound is clear, lots of digital inputs. Looks like a million bucks. HK all so has the best support as well, When the AVR110's first came out the remotes did not work and they replaced mine right away. I just emailed HK and they sent it out with no question asked. It will last for years to come.

Weaknesses:
I find the remotes sucks too but lets face it anyone that has a home theater has a home theater remote too. I know that the AVR100's remote can control a lot of things but having a touch pad display is a lot nicer.

Similar Products Used:
Technics, Sony.

Price Paid:  $425.00 from garage sale

Summary:
What's the old saying?? It's not what's on the outside that counts. This thing looks like a million bucks, but the insides are junk. STAY FAR AWAY from this so called piece of garbage. I have had it for less than 5 months and the front Left, Right and center channel speakers are not working. For my trouble of unhooking all my gear and the unit going back to CHINA to get fixed is not worth my time. For people that think they got a great deal on it from harmonaudio.com, think again. You want to spend a few hundred bucks on refurbished junk that's going to break down in a couple months? The sound from this unit is good, but for brand new electronics to break like this is unacceptable. I do not abuse my gear, and this just tells me that HK is not the company it used to be.

Strengths:
Looks good, makes decent coffee table

Weaknesses:
remote, manual, made in China, BROKE after less than 5 months of less than casual use