Best 2 channel Receiver under $400.00...?

Kex

Fatbrando wrote: »

Okay Gentlemen, I just hooked up the Harman Kardon HK 3490 ...

Congratulations FB! Enjoy your new purchase! I have great respect for h/k products, earned through the truly outstanding performance, IMO, in terms of power, sound and functionality, of their entry level receiver, the AVR147.

You will occasionally hear some question their reliability, but I have not had a single issue with my 147. AFIK, most of the complaints concern the 247/347 receivers, despite numerous very happy owners here and elswhere, and those are a totally different animal from your two channel 3490 anyway.

I think you'll be very happpy with it!

AndyGwis

shack wrote: »

I hope HK has better quality control now than what they experienced just a few years ago. Their stuff was very unreliable. There is a reason there was so much refurb gear available through Harman Audio. I owned a HK 2 channel receiver for a short period of time that was nothing but problems. It would not work with the remote and overheated badly. As I went through my issues I found that I wasn't alone and there were lots of problems with HK gear across the board. They alway had well designed products with lots of power, they just didn't build them very well. Maybe now they have those issues worked out.

I've seen others complain of HK quality control / reliability as well, but I never had one issue of any kind with either my HK 635 (owned and used daily for 2+ years) or my HK 3480 (owned and used daily for 2+ years).

Maybe just bad luck for you and/or good luck for me. I bought both of mine new, though, and not refurb so maybe that has something to do with it.

Both great pieces and extraordinary value.

shack

AndyGwis wrote:

Maybe just bad luck for you and/or good luck for me. I bought both of mine new, though, and not refurb so maybe that has something to do with it.

I purchased a HK 3475, new, even though I had heard about some QC issues. Several opinions on the forum convinced me to take the plunge. It didn't last long. I only had it less than a month and got a full refund. I ended up purchasing a Denon DRA-685 that I have to this day.

ben62670

Never had an issue with mine. There was a short run that hurt their rep, but it has been fixed. The refurb market has the units with the problems resolved. It's a good time to get HK;)

nikolas812

No problems here either. I don't remember the model number of my first one. It was an older model. I had it for about a year with no problems. It did run hot though.

But the new one I have runs very very cool. I am also running it with a pair of Lsi9's and it never really even gets warm.... You would think with the low ohm rating of the Lsi's it would get warmer than it does... I am very impressed with there new 2 channel receivers.




Nick

DollarDave

We haven't had any issues with my daughter's 3480 and she has used it everyday for 20 months.

TomB

Thanks. Any thoughts on the HK3390 versus the NAD C720BEE?

http://nadelectronics.com/products/hifi-receivers/C720BEE-Stereo-Receiver/specs

bikezappa

I know most people have not used Revox equipment before but if you want a very nice high quality 2 channel receiver take a look at the B 285. This baby cost $3300 new in the 80s and is built like a tank. I use one to drive my SDAs in my bedroom system with no problems.

You can get them on Ebay for less than $400 if you wait a bit. If possible get the remote for it.

Danny Tse

Always wanted some of that Revox gear.

bikezappa

The big down side to Revox gear is the repair costs done at an autherized repair shop.

The remotes to any of the B series are way ahead of the times.

I can completely control a Revox CD player, tape recorder and tuner with a single remote. The remote also adjusts bass and treble and balance. And it can defeat the tone controls

Want more? The remote can turn off/on speaker A and B and turn off the pre outs from the B 260 amplifier. Each FM station loudness can be adjust in order to make them have the same loudness.

You never need to leave the chair.

Below is a revox H series, amp, cd, tuner and tape and fancy remote

emjordan

For a great 2 channel receiver in the $400 range, I like the Yamaha RX-797. It is $499 at Crutchfield, but better deals are available online. On the used marketplace, even better deals can be found (include one for sale here on the Polk forum). It has pre-outs and two zone capability. I use mine for two separate outdoor speaker systems (using the A/B speakers) and have been very happy with its performance.

It's not fancy, but it is built very solid and have performed well for me. For what their worth, all the reviews that I read before buying the Yamaha were excellent.

AndyGwis

Tom - Nad is great gear. Probably watt for watt more powerful than the HK, although both seem to underrate their power specs.

For me, the choice was HK because I find the NAD gear to have a very retro-fugly appearance, less 'bells', poor WAF, and that dolphin-retro-fugly grey appearance (oh, I mentioned that already). I think the HK had a Phono that NAD was missing which I thought I might need/want someday.

Both great pieces and performers, though. Can't go wrong with either.

Fatbrando

retro-fugly....

LOL!

FB

TomB

Thanks, Andy. Upon closer inspection, it does look like the NAD lacks phono inputs, which I need.

Pity, as I was leaning toward the NAD, "retro-fugly" appearance notwithstanding. (In black, however, NOT "dolphin-gray": what's up with that?)

DollarDave

Maybe you should consider a phono pre-amp like NAD makes? I have one and it works great.

TomB

Dave, do you have the NAD PP-2, or a different phono pre-amp? (I gather the phono pre-amp outputs are just fed into one of the receiver inputs, right?)

I've always used Grado cartridges, and I've never had an issue with the infamous "Grado hum", when using my old Harman/Kardon receiver (I understand that Grado and H/K work well together): would the NAD have any problem there?

DollarDave

TomB wrote: »

Dave, do you have the NAD PP-2, or a different phono pre-amp? (I gather the phono pre-amp outputs are just fed into one of the receiver inputs, right?)

I've always used Grado cartridges, and I've never had an issue with the infamous "Grado hum", when using my old Harman/Kardon receiver (I understand that Grado and H/K work well together): would the NAD have any problem there?

I do have the NAD PP-2 and it just feeds one of the user-defined inputs on my B&K PT-5.

I am really a novice with turn tables, so I will defer the Grado question.

EFanning

The Marantz SR4023 is being offered by 6th Ave. via Amazon for $377 shipped.

http://www.amazon.com/Marantz-4023-SR4023-Stereo-receiver/dp/B001EMBKNO/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=audio-video&qid=1229182645&sr=1-2

More on this unit at Crutchfield.com. I'd bet this unit outperforms the HK stuff.

Kex

EFanning wrote: »

... I'd bet this unit outperforms the HK stuff.

Marantz and h/k are frequently compared for thier modestly rated output and sound quality, however, I would not bet that that unit outperforms the h/k. On specs. alone, it is only 80w/ch compared to the 120w/ch of the h/k (with very similar THD). I would feel confident buying either unit personally, but that was a bit of a sweeping statement you made, IMO.

Conradicles

Kex wrote: »

Marantz and h/k are frequently compared for thier modestly rated output and sound quality, however, I would not bet that that unit outperforms the h/k. On specs. alone, it is only 80w/ch compared to the 120w/ch of the h/k (with very similar THD). I would feel confident buying either unit personally, but that was a bit of a sweeping statement you made, IMO.

My harman/kardon HK-3480 continues to amaze me as I just upgraded my speaker cables to audioquest.:cool: