Harman HK 3370 2 Channels Receiver
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- THX Certification: No
- Number of Channels: 2 Channels
- Type: Receiver
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The sound of blankets
Pros
Great remote; beautiful exterior design; integrates very well with HK's CD changers
Cons
Poor sound quality; runs very hot
Recommended it?
No
The Bottom Line:
What use are the look and the features if it doesn't sound good?
It can be successfully argued that the glory days of the two-channel receiver are past. The two-channel world is alive and well despite the onslaught of surround sound formats geared towards video reproduction, but while there is no shortage of two-channel software (the vast majority of recordings released today are still stereo), quality two-channel hardware tends to congregate in the fairly expensive and not always widely available specialty market geared towards audiophiles, at least in the US. While this results in some excellent equipment, besides being expensive it also de-emphasizes convenience, partly in favor of utmost signal purity and dedicated design, partly to appease the target buyer's hair shirt mentality of "if I don't have to struggle to operate it, it cannot possibly sound good." This, of course, is not acceptable to most listeners, even those with the best musical intentions. The venerable stereo receiver, once the mainstay of the audio world, has almost dwindled away to a non-entity.
Almost, but not completely. A few models are available, and by all initial indications, harman/kardon's latest offerings, the HK3370 under review here and its bigger sibling, the HK3470, should be as good as any. The 3370 offers 70 watts of power per channel (into 8 ohms, 20 Hz - 20 kHz, 0.07% THD) and boasts, according to the marketing literature, a "high-current amplifier design" which should theoretically enable it to drive difficult (low-impedance) speakers during dynamic musical passages without clipping or overheating. There are five audio inputs, two of which are tape loops and one is a phono stage suitable for turntables with Moving Magnet (MM) cartridges. The mere presence of a phono stage should immediately elevate the 3370 towards the top of the must-check-out list of anyone who owns and uses a turntable (note the "must-check-out" rather than "must-buy" - more on that in a moment). There is the usual complement of features - 30 radio presets, tone controls (bass and treble) and a balance control. All control are adjusted using well-damped knobs, a welcome change from the irritating pushbuttons popular until a few years ago.
On the back panel, things begin to get more interesting. You can connect two sets of speakers to the 3370, switchable both from the front panel and the remote, and terminals for both pairs are four-way binding posts (you cannot use spades, but single and double bananas are ok, as is bare wire and pins, of course) - kudos to HK. Immediately next to the source inputs, there is a set of preamp outputs and "mains" inputs, allowing you to use the 3370 as a dedicated preamp with a separate amplifier or as a dedicated amp, with gain and switching handled by an outboard preamp. HK thoughtfully supplies a pair of jumpers to connect the two for "normal" (both preamp and amp sections) operation. Besides allowing audio nuts to experiment with different outboard gear, these connectors make it possible to use the 3370 as a stereo unit now and as a part of a multichannel system later - just add a processor and three more channels (instead of five) of amplification. I am not aware of another two-channel receiver currently on the market that offers this feature, so chalk up a few more points for HK engineers.
Right next to the pre-out/mains-in is surprise number two - a pair of subwoofer outputs. This allows you to connect not just one, but two subwoofers, one for each channel. It is also useful for driving large tower speakers that have built-in subs with separate inputs. For those who have not lost their mind completely yet, the right sub output doubles as a mono out for a single sub. The rear panel is rounded out with two switched AC outlets, antenna connectors, a grounding terminal for turntables and a pair of unified remote jacks for controlling compatible HK gear.
The only important (to this reviewer, at least) feature missing is the ability to defeat tone and balance controls, but it is a small price to pay for the features that one does get.
As I mentioned in my previous review of HK's FL8380 CD changer, one of the company's hallmarks had always been attractive, classy and fairly unique exterior appearance of their components, and the 3370 certainly fits the bill. The fairly tall faceplate is approximately two-thirds tinted transparent plastic which hides the display and sports small but useable source selection buttons along the lower edge and an oversized volume control knob on the right side. This knob feels very reassuring as you turn it and features an LED indicator. The volume pot is motorized - change the volume from the remote and watch the green light rotate around the dial. Nifty. The bottom third of the face is matte black plastic with the power button and headphone jack on the left and the tone and balance control on the right. Along the top edge, immediately below the source selector switches is a gently curving row of buttons in champagne gold, tuning, band selection and radio preset selection among them. This touch complements the disc tray of the 8380 changer beautifully, making the two look perfect together.
Similar to the 8380, the 3370 has one of the best remote controls on the market. Large but comfortable, with oversized rubber buttons that don't feel like they are going to fall off at any moment, it also holds the last pleasant surprise: the plastic panel at the bottom slides open, revealing a tiny numeric keypad. From it, you can not only enter a specific radio preset (the front panel makes you scroll through them), you can also punch in the frequency of the station directly and - here is the best part - you gain direct track access to the CDs in the 8380. This is by far the best integration of receiver and CD player I have ever seen, and unless you are an obsessive programmer, it finally gives you full control of the system from a single remote.
Two more small points are worth mentioning as far as the integration of the two units is concerned. Pressing the Dimmer button the receiver's remote dims not only its display but also that of the CD player - ironically, something you cannot do with the CD player by itself. What I found slightly off-putting is that the displays are of slightly different colors. The receiver's is ever so slightly more green than the vibrant blue of the CD player. True, I am picking nits here, but in a system as likely to be chosen for its look and feel as for its sound (if not more), it is worth considering.
And what about the sound of the 3370? This is where the unpleasant surprises set in. I simply did not care for it. Every recording I played, whether CD or LP, seemed to sound slightly muffled, as if a light but very noticeable blanket was put over the stage and the performers. This was especially evident with treble frequencies. The cymbals, flutes and violins did not shimmer and sparkle as they do through my reference receiver, the Yamaha RX-596. Instead, they merely played along, damped and slightly removed from reality. One might initially consider this to be a positive quality, one resulting in less listener fatigue, but in the case of 3370 it is more than a lack of shrillness, it was an actual obstruction of sound, making the upper frequencies not just recessed but actually obscured. One may suspect poor system matching at this point, but this is not very likely either. The B&W DM 602 S2 that I used for all my auditions are fairly bright speakers that some might call "crispy," so I suspect the muffling effect of the 3370 would be even more pronounced with a more laid-back and "polite" speaker such as, say, PSB or Mission.
The problems in the bass, while less pronounced, were not entirely absent either. There was bass, sure, but it seemed less tight and punchy than it did with the Yamaha. It was what one renowned professional reviewer likes to call "soggy." Again, speaker mismatching is not likely to be the cause - the B&Ws, while they do not go particularly deep, have time and again demonstrated excellent bass control - the low frequencies are tight and musical, leaving nothing but the HK to blame for the lack of usual performance.
The net effect was that the 3370 robbed most music of its immediacy, of its sense of presence, of its ability to reach out and touch you, sonically and emotionally. Acoustic instruments sounded less realistic, and human voices more indifferent, less involved (and involving).
All this stellar industrial design and mediocre sound comes with a street price of about US $300. While not expensive, I cannot possibly recommend it. What good are the features if the sound is not there? The only situation I can think of where the 3370 would be an appropriate choice is if you use music primarily as background and do not engage in attentive listening and you already have or planning to buy the matching CD player and want the system integration and must have the look and feel of HK. Otherwise, even in this stereo-hostile world, better performance is to be had for the same or less money. Yamaha currently has three stereo receivers in its lineup, and the middle model, the RX-496, at 75W/channel and US $299 is the most direct competitor, and if the sound of my 85-watt RX-596 (which, incidentally, runs much cooler than the HK) is any indication, its sound will blow the 3370 away. Denon also has a similarly-priced and similarly-powered model that unfortunately I have not heard, but comments from the press seem to be favorable. Finally, Onkyo has two stereo receivers in its lineup, both with phono stages that I hear nothing but good things about. The TX-8511 gives you a full 100W/channel for the same price, and the TX-8211 delivers 50W for $100 less. While 50W may seem like little next to all the 100-watters, keep in mind that doubling output power results in sound pressure increase of only 3dB, making the savings in funds more than concomitant with the loss of power. I am hoping to audition and report on the TX-8211 soon; in the meantime, I can wholeheartedly recommend the Yamaha as a superior alternative to the HK. Happy listening.
***
Associated Equipment:
Loudspeakers: B&W DM 602 S2 bookshelf speakers
Digital Source: Pioneer DV-343 single-disc DVD player
Analog Source: Music Hall MMF-2.1 turntable with stock tonearm and Goldring Elan MM cartridge
Amplification: Yamaha RX-596 stereo receiver
Other: Monster Cable cables, Sanus speaker stands
Almost, but not completely. A few models are available, and by all initial indications, harman/kardon's latest offerings, the HK3370 under review here and its bigger sibling, the HK3470, should be as good as any. The 3370 offers 70 watts of power per channel (into 8 ohms, 20 Hz - 20 kHz, 0.07% THD) and boasts, according to the marketing literature, a "high-current amplifier design" which should theoretically enable it to drive difficult (low-impedance) speakers during dynamic musical passages without clipping or overheating. There are five audio inputs, two of which are tape loops and one is a phono stage suitable for turntables with Moving Magnet (MM) cartridges. The mere presence of a phono stage should immediately elevate the 3370 towards the top of the must-check-out list of anyone who owns and uses a turntable (note the "must-check-out" rather than "must-buy" - more on that in a moment). There is the usual complement of features - 30 radio presets, tone controls (bass and treble) and a balance control. All control are adjusted using well-damped knobs, a welcome change from the irritating pushbuttons popular until a few years ago.
On the back panel, things begin to get more interesting. You can connect two sets of speakers to the 3370, switchable both from the front panel and the remote, and terminals for both pairs are four-way binding posts (you cannot use spades, but single and double bananas are ok, as is bare wire and pins, of course) - kudos to HK. Immediately next to the source inputs, there is a set of preamp outputs and "mains" inputs, allowing you to use the 3370 as a dedicated preamp with a separate amplifier or as a dedicated amp, with gain and switching handled by an outboard preamp. HK thoughtfully supplies a pair of jumpers to connect the two for "normal" (both preamp and amp sections) operation. Besides allowing audio nuts to experiment with different outboard gear, these connectors make it possible to use the 3370 as a stereo unit now and as a part of a multichannel system later - just add a processor and three more channels (instead of five) of amplification. I am not aware of another two-channel receiver currently on the market that offers this feature, so chalk up a few more points for HK engineers.
Right next to the pre-out/mains-in is surprise number two - a pair of subwoofer outputs. This allows you to connect not just one, but two subwoofers, one for each channel. It is also useful for driving large tower speakers that have built-in subs with separate inputs. For those who have not lost their mind completely yet, the right sub output doubles as a mono out for a single sub. The rear panel is rounded out with two switched AC outlets, antenna connectors, a grounding terminal for turntables and a pair of unified remote jacks for controlling compatible HK gear.
The only important (to this reviewer, at least) feature missing is the ability to defeat tone and balance controls, but it is a small price to pay for the features that one does get.
As I mentioned in my previous review of HK's FL8380 CD changer, one of the company's hallmarks had always been attractive, classy and fairly unique exterior appearance of their components, and the 3370 certainly fits the bill. The fairly tall faceplate is approximately two-thirds tinted transparent plastic which hides the display and sports small but useable source selection buttons along the lower edge and an oversized volume control knob on the right side. This knob feels very reassuring as you turn it and features an LED indicator. The volume pot is motorized - change the volume from the remote and watch the green light rotate around the dial. Nifty. The bottom third of the face is matte black plastic with the power button and headphone jack on the left and the tone and balance control on the right. Along the top edge, immediately below the source selector switches is a gently curving row of buttons in champagne gold, tuning, band selection and radio preset selection among them. This touch complements the disc tray of the 8380 changer beautifully, making the two look perfect together.
Similar to the 8380, the 3370 has one of the best remote controls on the market. Large but comfortable, with oversized rubber buttons that don't feel like they are going to fall off at any moment, it also holds the last pleasant surprise: the plastic panel at the bottom slides open, revealing a tiny numeric keypad. From it, you can not only enter a specific radio preset (the front panel makes you scroll through them), you can also punch in the frequency of the station directly and - here is the best part - you gain direct track access to the CDs in the 8380. This is by far the best integration of receiver and CD player I have ever seen, and unless you are an obsessive programmer, it finally gives you full control of the system from a single remote.
Two more small points are worth mentioning as far as the integration of the two units is concerned. Pressing the Dimmer button the receiver's remote dims not only its display but also that of the CD player - ironically, something you cannot do with the CD player by itself. What I found slightly off-putting is that the displays are of slightly different colors. The receiver's is ever so slightly more green than the vibrant blue of the CD player. True, I am picking nits here, but in a system as likely to be chosen for its look and feel as for its sound (if not more), it is worth considering.
And what about the sound of the 3370? This is where the unpleasant surprises set in. I simply did not care for it. Every recording I played, whether CD or LP, seemed to sound slightly muffled, as if a light but very noticeable blanket was put over the stage and the performers. This was especially evident with treble frequencies. The cymbals, flutes and violins did not shimmer and sparkle as they do through my reference receiver, the Yamaha RX-596. Instead, they merely played along, damped and slightly removed from reality. One might initially consider this to be a positive quality, one resulting in less listener fatigue, but in the case of 3370 it is more than a lack of shrillness, it was an actual obstruction of sound, making the upper frequencies not just recessed but actually obscured. One may suspect poor system matching at this point, but this is not very likely either. The B&W DM 602 S2 that I used for all my auditions are fairly bright speakers that some might call "crispy," so I suspect the muffling effect of the 3370 would be even more pronounced with a more laid-back and "polite" speaker such as, say, PSB or Mission.
The problems in the bass, while less pronounced, were not entirely absent either. There was bass, sure, but it seemed less tight and punchy than it did with the Yamaha. It was what one renowned professional reviewer likes to call "soggy." Again, speaker mismatching is not likely to be the cause - the B&Ws, while they do not go particularly deep, have time and again demonstrated excellent bass control - the low frequencies are tight and musical, leaving nothing but the HK to blame for the lack of usual performance.
The net effect was that the 3370 robbed most music of its immediacy, of its sense of presence, of its ability to reach out and touch you, sonically and emotionally. Acoustic instruments sounded less realistic, and human voices more indifferent, less involved (and involving).
All this stellar industrial design and mediocre sound comes with a street price of about US $300. While not expensive, I cannot possibly recommend it. What good are the features if the sound is not there? The only situation I can think of where the 3370 would be an appropriate choice is if you use music primarily as background and do not engage in attentive listening and you already have or planning to buy the matching CD player and want the system integration and must have the look and feel of HK. Otherwise, even in this stereo-hostile world, better performance is to be had for the same or less money. Yamaha currently has three stereo receivers in its lineup, and the middle model, the RX-496, at 75W/channel and US $299 is the most direct competitor, and if the sound of my 85-watt RX-596 (which, incidentally, runs much cooler than the HK) is any indication, its sound will blow the 3370 away. Denon also has a similarly-priced and similarly-powered model that unfortunately I have not heard, but comments from the press seem to be favorable. Finally, Onkyo has two stereo receivers in its lineup, both with phono stages that I hear nothing but good things about. The TX-8511 gives you a full 100W/channel for the same price, and the TX-8211 delivers 50W for $100 less. While 50W may seem like little next to all the 100-watters, keep in mind that doubling output power results in sound pressure increase of only 3dB, making the savings in funds more than concomitant with the loss of power. I am hoping to audition and report on the TX-8211 soon; in the meantime, I can wholeheartedly recommend the Yamaha as a superior alternative to the HK. Happy listening.
***
Associated Equipment:
Loudspeakers: B&W DM 602 S2 bookshelf speakers
Digital Source: Pioneer DV-343 single-disc DVD player
Analog Source: Music Hall MMF-2.1 turntable with stock tonearm and Goldring Elan MM cartridge
Amplification: Yamaha RX-596 stereo receiver
Other: Monster Cable cables, Sanus speaker stands
