I'm done with H/K!

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phuz
phuz Posts: 2,372
edited January 2003 in Electronics
I'm going to run the Harman Kardon stuff that I have now into the ground over the next couple of years, but I'll never buy another h/k product again.

My DVD-50 has crapped out. Just about everything that has been said about this unit is true. I've even done the firmware upgrade, and I'm still having problems.

It did perform well for a few months, but slowly it has refused to play more and more disks. Now it'll play disks right after I power it up, but if I try to switch to a different disc after that time it refuses to read it. I get disk errors, and odd sounds coming from the unit. It SUCKS.

My only option is to send it to H/K in California and try to get it repaired. I really wish I had bought the extended warranty at CC so I could just chunk this thing and get something that I know will perform. Now I'm out my DVD/CD player for at least a month. :(

This all comes after I've had problems with my first h/k receiver. I'm on my second one now, and it's slowly going down the drain as well. Oh well, at least I didn't pay retail price for it.

Just a heads up for everyone. I know some people have had beautiful results with their H/K stuff, and I have had the same in the past. When they work, they work beautifuly. However the ratio of bad units to good is horrible overall.
Post edited by phuz on
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  • MxStYlEpOlKmAn
    MxStYlEpOlKmAn Posts: 2,116
    edited December 2002
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    H/K is only a high grade aiwa ;)
    Damn you all, damn you all to hell.......
    I promised myself
    No more speakers. None. Nada. And then you posted this!!!!
    Damn you all! - ATC
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  • schumach
    schumach Posts: 199
    edited December 2002
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    Phuz,

    How long have you had the DVD player? I originally had a DVD5 that crapped out 3 times and HK eventually replaced it with a DVD 50 that has worked fine for over a year. If you make a big enough deal out of this they will send you a new unit. I told HK I wanted my money back after 19 months with the DVD 5 and that is when they offered me the DVD 50 or a refund. I am sorry to hear that your DVD player is not working, because for the money it is a good unit.

    I too have reservation on purchasing anything HK in the future, but I like the sound better than Onkyo and Denon. I think if I do any upgrades it will be to seperates.

    Good luck on your situation.
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  • Ron-P
    Ron-P Posts: 8,516
    edited December 2002
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    Dont' blame ya. Their stuff is junk.

    I bought an H/K receiver, returned it a month later after experiencing numerious problems with it. Never again.


    Peace Out~:D
    If...
    Ron dislikes a film = go out and buy it.
    Ron loves a film = don't even rent.
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  • phuz
    phuz Posts: 2,372
    edited December 2002
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    schumach, thanks for the advice and wishes. I've only called them once about it, and the only thing I could get out of them was "send us a copy of the receipt and we'll send you a pre-paid shipping label so you can send it in for repair."

    I asked about a refund, and about shipping another unit out, they said no way. I'm going to try again of course, but apperantly they've been screwed many times by people not sending the old/broken units back.

    I have to agree with you on the sound and overall performance. Like I said, when the stuff works - it's awesome. It's got 192kHz/24-bit Wolfson audio DACs and anything else that someone like me could want - I just want it to work again!

    From what I've read it's really just a sensor that has gone bad. A moderately well known problem, and it's easy to fix. So I'll either send it in or try and find a local place that can fix it. I'm just frustrated and wanted to vent.

    I sincerely hope that H/K has changed some things with their new line of products. I did read somewhere that they were changing to a new manufacturer for their products, hopefully that will resolve all of the QC problems that their late legacy products had/have.
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  • fireshoes
    fireshoes Posts: 3,167
    edited December 2002
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    We stopped carrying the HK dvd players after DVD50 fiasco. They are junk.
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  • kanicker
    kanicker Posts: 86
    edited December 2002
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    2 years and running on a H/K 310 Reciever...
    Best deal I've ever experienced in home audio.
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  • Apex
    Apex Posts: 69
    edited December 2002
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    Well i hope they fix it for you or replace in which they should.

    I'm sure it is just the laser lens or something that has to do with that.My Ps2 was basically having the same problems not reading discs,but it was just dust build up and the lenses needed to be aligned.
    Try putting a audio cd in it and see if it works.If it can play audio cds at all.I'm not too familiar on H/K players.If it works then its one of the lenses out of wack.Since all players have seperate lenses for DVD and audio.
    H/K AVR7000

    "LSI25's bi-wired with 2.4s

    Mirage OM c2 Center "LSiC soon"

    FX300i rears "LSi15's soon for the rears".


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  • RuSsMaN
    RuSsMaN Posts: 17,987
    edited December 2002
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    I LOATHE my 8330 disc changer.

    NEVER again. When I do replace it, I don't know that I can actually sell it to someone. I may just take it into the middle of the street and take a bat to it.
    Check your lips at the door woman. Shake your hips like battleships. Yeah, all the white girls trip when I sing at Sunday service.
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  • goingganzo
    goingganzo Posts: 2,793
    edited December 2002
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    i got h hk dvd 25 and it just broke 2 weeks after i got it so i went back to the store and got a new one i got it for 187 with it regulery sells for 300 at cc but i got the 5 year warentee on it so now everything i have in my ht has at least a 5 year warentt or extended warentee on it the last dvd player i had died after 2 years it was a toshiba.
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  • RuSsMaN
    RuSsMaN Posts: 17,987
    edited December 2002
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    Say WHAT? Huh? In English maybe?
    Check your lips at the door woman. Shake your hips like battleships. Yeah, all the white girls trip when I sing at Sunday service.
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  • joe logston
    joe logston Posts: 882
    edited December 2002
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    they use to be good yrs ago but they are cheaper made now.
    to bad.
    . rt-7 mains
    rt-20p surounds
    cs-400i front center
    cs-350 ls rear center
    2 energy take 5, efects
    2- psw-650 , subs
    1- 15" audiosource sub

    lets all go to the next ces.
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  • nadams
    nadams Posts: 5,877
    edited December 2002
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    Originally posted by goingganzo
    i got h hk dvd 25 and it just broke 2 weeks after i got it so i went back to the store and got a new one i got it for 187 with it regulery sells for 300 at cc but i got the 5 year warentee on it so now everything i have in my ht has at least a 5 year warentt or extended warentee on it the last dvd player i had died after 2 years it was a toshiba.

    Lets see how amazing punctuation is....

    i got h hk dvd 25 and it just broke 2 weeks after i got it. so i went back to the store and got a new one. i got it for $187 with it regulery sells for $300 at cc, but i got the 5 year warentee on it. so now everything i have in my ht has at least a 5 year warentt or extended warentee on it. the last dvd player i had died after 2 years. it was a toshiba.


    Still not very good english, but it's better than the one period that was there before...

    nadams
    Ludicrous gibs!
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  • MxStYlEpOlKmAn
    MxStYlEpOlKmAn Posts: 2,116
    edited December 2002
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    Originally posted by nadams & Mx


    Lets see how amazing punctuation is....

    I purchased the HK DVD 25, it broke two weeks after I purchased it. So, I went back to the store, and purchased a new one. I purchased it for $187.00, when it regulary(?) sells for $300.00 at CC, I also purchased the 5 year warrunty(?) on it. So, now everything I have in my HT has atleast a 5 year warrunty(?) or an extended warunty on it. The last DVD player I purchased died after 2 years. It was a Toshiba.


    Still not very good english, but it's better than the one period that was there before... (alot better...lol)

    nadams & Mx

    I thought i'd add some changes too ;):lol:
    Damn you all, damn you all to hell.......
    I promised myself
    No more speakers. None. Nada. And then you posted this!!!!
    Damn you all! - ATC
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  • brettw22
    brettw22 Posts: 7,621
    edited December 2002
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    Originally posted by nadams
    Still not very good english, but it's better than the one period that was there before...

    :lol::lol: I made a comment about that once and was basically told what a dick I was being.

    Ya know, there's always the flip side. There are a few whose posts you can look at like a puzzle. With ganzo, it's "Find the buried sentence" or "The Punctuation Game" and then for another example, with our little MX, it's the "Scan 2 Pages of Posts for the Point.":D
    comment comment comment comment. bitchy.
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  • Frank Z
    Frank Z Posts: 5,860
    edited December 2002
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    I may just take it into the middle of the street and take a bat to it.
    Say WHAT? Huh? In English maybe?

    You're killin' me!:lol::lol::lol:
    9/11 - WE WILL NEVER FORGET!! (<---<<click)
    2005-06 Club Polk Football Pool Champion!! :D
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  • nadams
    nadams Posts: 5,877
    edited December 2002
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    Originally posted by ATCVenom
    This board can easily be characterized as an english professors nightmare.

    I agree. Although I make mistakes like the rest of 'em, I do try and at least make it so that my point can be understood. Oh well, no point in beating this to death, as all the beating that this point has taken so far has not changed how people post on this board. That said, I shall leave this thread alone, because I have nothing technical to add to it.

    nadams
    Ludicrous gibs!
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  • gidrah
    gidrah Posts: 3,049
    edited December 2002
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    Sorry to hear about your DVD! And everybody else's stuff too. This is interesting. While I've never owned H/K this thread will come to mind during future investments.

    I'm still looking for a killer deal on some Citation tube amps though.
    Make it Funky! :)
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  • Systems
    Systems Posts: 14,873
    edited January 2003
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    Guess I'll see how the HK CDR26 burner holds up. I got the ext warranty, but I would've done that w/any brand, due to prior bad luck w/Philips CD recorders.
    Testing
    Testing
    Testing
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  • RuSsMaN
    RuSsMaN Posts: 17,987
    edited January 2003
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    Re: bad luck with Phillips

    You'd think if ANYONE could get it right, they would. Funny stuff.
    Check your lips at the door woman. Shake your hips like battleships. Yeah, all the white girls trip when I sing at Sunday service.
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  • jltrdavis
    jltrdavis Posts: 78
    edited January 2003
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    I have been a die hard H/K fan for years but ever since they moved their manufacturing to China they have went downhill. (Shortly after the AVR85 I believe)

    I personally will not buy any newer H/K products.


    -Jason
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  • jdavy
    jdavy Posts: 380
    edited January 2003
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    Well I can only speak from my experience and my HK AVR-7000 made in China rocks. We use it all day long with out a hick up. Clean power and sound.
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  • wlrandall
    wlrandall Posts: 440
    edited January 2003
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    Same here. I've been abusing an AVR7000 for about 1.5 years and the only problem I ever had was my fault (not letting it breath). Can't forget my old AVR25mkII that I bought back in '95 either. It nows serves other duties upstairs.
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  • jltrdavis
    jltrdavis Posts: 78
    edited January 2003
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    I did at one time own a refurb AVR7000 and it did work well, but H/K did have a ton of problems with these units.. You can still buy the refurbs off their site.


    -Jason
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  • rnnwld064
    rnnwld064 Posts: 8
    edited January 2003
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    I am not sure about everyone else, but everthing I have ever bought at CC has been a total flop, take my $$$$$ elsewhere now. Has anyone else ever had this problem?
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  • MxStYlEpOlKmAn
    MxStYlEpOlKmAn Posts: 2,116
    edited January 2003
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    Everyone that works there seems to be a moron or a person that is stuck up their boss's butt! Everytime u walk in, can we help u? then when u need it, THEY DONT HELP! not to mention the CS at CC around here is slow as slow gets...
    Damn you all, damn you all to hell.......
    I promised myself
    No more speakers. None. Nada. And then you posted this!!!!
    Damn you all! - ATC
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  • begbie
    begbie Posts: 630
    edited January 2003
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    The thing with H/K is that whenever a new, revamped model is introduced - there has been a higher chance of defect in H/K models over other brands. Sometimes they've been a bit slow to fix the defect but once they've done that - all has been well.

    Example-When we use to sell the new avr 300-500 models. some units had a problem with the volume control. Models built before May of that year had the problem but none there after. Also when they came out with their new dvd player (dvd-50 model), it was a bit glitchy but they deveolped a firmware upgrade.

    I'd still buy an H/K today but I don't think I'd be the first one in line ! ;)
    Polk Rt800i -Fronts
    Polk cs400i -Center
    Polk fx500i -side surrounds
    Polk rc60i -rear surrounds
    Onkyo TX-NR 1009 (9.2) receiver
    Velodyne cht12
    Polk psw111
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