Harman AVR 525 7.1 Channels Receiver
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- 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%
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User ReviewRead All Reviews »
Superb sound, Improved quality control
Pros
Sound quality, greatly improved build quality, remote, features.
Cons
Needs more optical inputs. Poor manual.
Recommended it?
Yes
The Bottom Line:
Go find a good used one or find a blow out sale and enjoy. Too expensive when new, a steal used or on clearance sale!!
As with all my stuff, I got this one from ebay with one channel blown up for $202.50 US
Build Quality:
Unlike the previous "0" series (AVR 120, 320, 520...), this one was exceptionally free from quality control issues (connectors 1/2 on, bad solder, mis-alligned parts on the circuit boards). It looks like someone took a whip to the factory, because now this looks like a high-end HT receiver should...flawless on the inside too.
Remote:
Although busy, the backlit remote was very easy to figure out and the EZ set function (any receiver over $600 should have this feature) worked well. The remote was a bit " beamy", in that it had to be aimed more or less right at the receiver.
Connections:
LOTS !! Component, s-video and composite video hookups, no phono stage though ( oh well ) and only 2 Optical inputs while having 2 co-axial digital inputs. The optical inputs are side by side and too close together for the optical cables with flared ends for easy grip. I actually had to take a sharp knife and shave some of the rubber off the sides of the cable-ends to fit 2 optical cables on at the same time !!!
The 8 channel pre outs would satisfy those with a yearning to buy 4 big stereo power amps and take out a wall or 2.
Operation:
Once you have everything hooked up on the back, the OSD guides you through the assigning of inputs, speaker size, etc. It is easy to understand and use.
Sound:
The sound is in a class of its own. Its like looking through a dirty window, and then having the window removed altogether, revealing the true picture. Very open, detailed and quick, without losing authority on the bottom end. The 70 watts RMS / channel is accurate as I measured 77 with all channels loaded. The cooling fans kicked in and the receiver kept on pumping. Despite having less than the 'magical' 100 watts per channel, the 70 that this one has is authoritative in the bottom end and will leave you wanting nothing more. I ran this unit full range through all my speakers and can say that it doesn't need a subwoofer to make the windows rattle.
Owners manual:
Although informative, only use it as a last resort. Its improved from the style of the older AVR 320, but needs work.
Build Quality:
Unlike the previous "0" series (AVR 120, 320, 520...), this one was exceptionally free from quality control issues (connectors 1/2 on, bad solder, mis-alligned parts on the circuit boards). It looks like someone took a whip to the factory, because now this looks like a high-end HT receiver should...flawless on the inside too.
Remote:
Although busy, the backlit remote was very easy to figure out and the EZ set function (any receiver over $600 should have this feature) worked well. The remote was a bit " beamy", in that it had to be aimed more or less right at the receiver.
Connections:
LOTS !! Component, s-video and composite video hookups, no phono stage though ( oh well ) and only 2 Optical inputs while having 2 co-axial digital inputs. The optical inputs are side by side and too close together for the optical cables with flared ends for easy grip. I actually had to take a sharp knife and shave some of the rubber off the sides of the cable-ends to fit 2 optical cables on at the same time !!!
The 8 channel pre outs would satisfy those with a yearning to buy 4 big stereo power amps and take out a wall or 2.
Operation:
Once you have everything hooked up on the back, the OSD guides you through the assigning of inputs, speaker size, etc. It is easy to understand and use.
Sound:
The sound is in a class of its own. Its like looking through a dirty window, and then having the window removed altogether, revealing the true picture. Very open, detailed and quick, without losing authority on the bottom end. The 70 watts RMS / channel is accurate as I measured 77 with all channels loaded. The cooling fans kicked in and the receiver kept on pumping. Despite having less than the 'magical' 100 watts per channel, the 70 that this one has is authoritative in the bottom end and will leave you wanting nothing more. I ran this unit full range through all my speakers and can say that it doesn't need a subwoofer to make the windows rattle.
Owners manual:
Although informative, only use it as a last resort. Its improved from the style of the older AVR 320, but needs work.
