Harman AVR 525 7.1 Channels Receiver
Out of stock |
Similar in Receivers
- Surround Sound: Dolby Digital® DTS ES® Dolby Pro Logic II
- THX Certification: No
- Number of Channels: 7.1 Channels
- Type: Receiver
- Surround Mode Power: 70 Watt @ 8 ohm, 20 Hz - 20 kHz, THD: 0.07%
- Stereo Mode Power: 85 Watt @ 8 ohm, 20 Hz - 20 kHz, THD: 0.07%
- Overview
-
Reviews
-
Compare Prices
User ReviewRead All Reviews »
Strong and Distinct
Pros
Attractive Clean and Powerful
Cons
Heavy Speaker terminals too close together
Recommended it?
Yes
The Bottom Line:
Really, the verdict is still out on reliability, but it meets or beats the competition (Denon and Onkyo) in terms of performance.
I'm on my second HK AVR525; the first one was factory reconditioned and suffered from a sort of electronic convulsion symptoms – it was strange to watch it react as if it were possessed. As interesting as that seems, it is ultimately unusable. I bought it from an online retailer at ebay who claimed they were factory resellers so I was thankful that HK honored the warranty and after failing to repair it correctly the first time, sent a replacement.
Since then, the internal battery has failed; if I lose power for longer than 2 minutes (or I unplug the unit, etc.), I lose all my pre-sets. I only use it for DVDs, so this is of little hassle, but I can see how this would severely affect heavy audio/video users. Thankfully, HK's on-screen display makes set-up as painless as possible.
The unit is heavy (about 50 lbs.). Some liken this to a feeling that it is built better, or it's amp is stronger. But that's like saying a 1966 Ford Thunderbird is better than today's coupes and sedans because it is heavier – this simply is not the case. Since the unit is heavier, you will likely need to spend more for a cabinet capable of carrying it.
The AVR525 must have some sort of safety cutout if the speaker connections are loose; the owner's manual states as much, so the speaker connections must be tight. Getting behind the AVR525 where I have it located at home is a full-time job on its own. The terminals are so close together that it is difficult to find the right terminals for the speakers, and fishing the wires into the terminals is more luck than art. Plus, you need pixie-like fingers to spin the terminals tight once the wires (now in your way) are inserted. What a pain….
The AVR has all the bells and whistles of its competition; a microphone in the remote senses the sound-field from each speaker and sets the correct output level automatically. I went through this step, and didn't like what I was hearing, so I changed it. I will say that the AVR525's ability of fine-tuning the sound imaging is extensive. You don't need to drill into the details that the unit offers, but if you want to, you can.
The unit is extremely strong in terms of power. Its high-current amplifier outperforms other amps with as many as three times the listed amp ratings, and does it effortlessly. The sound is crisp – you'll hear everything from the source as it is recorded exactly.
The unit is attractive in relation to other plain looking receivers such as Denon or Onkyo, and truth be told, I was going to buy a Denon, but my wife liked the styling of HK. If this unit lasts 10 years, I will buy another HK; if not, I will try Denon.
Since then, the internal battery has failed; if I lose power for longer than 2 minutes (or I unplug the unit, etc.), I lose all my pre-sets. I only use it for DVDs, so this is of little hassle, but I can see how this would severely affect heavy audio/video users. Thankfully, HK's on-screen display makes set-up as painless as possible.
The unit is heavy (about 50 lbs.). Some liken this to a feeling that it is built better, or it's amp is stronger. But that's like saying a 1966 Ford Thunderbird is better than today's coupes and sedans because it is heavier – this simply is not the case. Since the unit is heavier, you will likely need to spend more for a cabinet capable of carrying it.
The AVR525 must have some sort of safety cutout if the speaker connections are loose; the owner's manual states as much, so the speaker connections must be tight. Getting behind the AVR525 where I have it located at home is a full-time job on its own. The terminals are so close together that it is difficult to find the right terminals for the speakers, and fishing the wires into the terminals is more luck than art. Plus, you need pixie-like fingers to spin the terminals tight once the wires (now in your way) are inserted. What a pain….
The AVR has all the bells and whistles of its competition; a microphone in the remote senses the sound-field from each speaker and sets the correct output level automatically. I went through this step, and didn't like what I was hearing, so I changed it. I will say that the AVR525's ability of fine-tuning the sound imaging is extensive. You don't need to drill into the details that the unit offers, but if you want to, you can.
The unit is extremely strong in terms of power. Its high-current amplifier outperforms other amps with as many as three times the listed amp ratings, and does it effortlessly. The sound is crisp – you'll hear everything from the source as it is recorded exactly.
The unit is attractive in relation to other plain looking receivers such as Denon or Onkyo, and truth be told, I was going to buy a Denon, but my wife liked the styling of HK. If this unit lasts 10 years, I will buy another HK; if not, I will try Denon.
