Harman Kardon HKTS-18 High-Performance, 6-Piece Home Theater Speaker System (Black Gloss) Review

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(More customer reviews)I'll just confirm and add a little bit to what everyone else has said about these truly great speakers. They sound great, first and foremost. They feel very solid, like they are made entirely of metal (a good thing!). In fact, while many systems sport satellite speakers weighing around 2 pounds (USA), these weigh closer to 3 pounds.
The image on the Amazon page for these speakers does not do them at all justice! The base speaker is very big, looks like a fine price of furniture, and could possible sub as a side-table (but don't do it...hehe)!
I have mine connected to a Denon AVR-1908 receiver. I mention this because it took me a few days to figure the best setup for these speakers, and I want to mention some pointers. My receiver allows choosing between 'small' and 'large' when it comes to the front, back, and center speakers. For these speakers, set them all to 'small'.
But, most importantly, be sure the sub-woofer is turned on on your receiver! I used the system for a couple of days before I realized the bass speaker was not on! That's because the front speakers were set to 'large', so they took up the task of filling in the missing bass (so it was hard to notice the bass wasn't on). I figured out how to turn the bass on in the receiver, and - WHOA! - the entire room shook!
Which brings me to a special pointer - you can tell if the bass speaker is getting a signal by the COLOR of the light on top! If it is off, there is no power. If it is yellow, it is on, but no signal (or too low a signal to register if low volume). Blue means on and there is a signal!
So, in conclusion, these speakers are awesome for the price! Speaking of which, the price of Amazon fluctuates for this item more than the stock market! I have seen it go up and down on the same day as much as fifty or even two hundred dollars! So monitor the price and strike when it is low (I got mine for LESS than four hundred dollars!).

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The Harman Kardon HKTS 18 is a beautiful black lacquer speaker system with a powerful 200 watt 10" subwoofer.It is a 5.1 speaker system which can be expanded to 7.1 with the optional HKS-9 satellite speakers. It has a 3/4" tweeter for excellent high frequency response.It is magnetically shielded so it can be put next to your TV. It comes with all the speaker cables and shelf stand and wall mount brackets for the satellites.

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Harman Kardon AVR-154 5x30W 5.1-Channel Home Theater Receiver Review

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(More customer reviews)Harman Kardon offers a no-nonsense approach to style, design and audio expression. I purchased the AVR 154 to complement my audio/video system, which includes: a 1080p, 46" Samsung LCD; Sony PS3, 1080i digital cable box, Dell notebook, and Polk Audio RM6750 5.1 satellite/sub system. My a/v system is set-up in an apartment living room (14' by 16') with vaulted ceilings and the floor is carpeted. My favorite sofa chair is set-up just off-center about 11' from the center speaker and TV, but the receiver has ample features to help me achieve a sweet spot, set crossover points, and control my cable box without moving from my comfy chair.
The receiver's dynamic power output combined with ultra-wide bandwidth and low distortion are a great match for the balanced tonal quality of the Polk satellites. Even with a rating of 30 watts per channel, movies and music have a renewed enjoyment. I selected this audio component specifically, because it has more than adequate power for my speaker system and living space.
My impression when watching Dave Mathews and Tim Reynolds - Live at Radio City Music Hall (Blu-ray) was sheer "awe". Watching and listening to Tim Reynolds pluck away at his acoustic guitar helped me appreciate his musical expertise in a new way; not to mention, Dave Matthews's vocals are splendid during the opening song, "Bartender". When watching BT - This Binary Universe (DVD) in DTS, the artist's electronic expression is revealed in crisp, clear detail and showcased the receiver's ability to accurately reproduce the wide-band frequency spectrum of synthesized sounds. While playing Battlefield - Bad Company, the game comes to life with whizzing bullets, exploding gas tanks, and angry mercenaries in pure Dolby Digital bliss.
To connect my components, I used HDMI cables for video and optical digital cables for audio. This simplified connecting the components and maintained audio fidelity. However, the drawback to this set-up is that I could not program the HDMI 3 remote button to control the digital cable box. I had to program the Vid 2 remote button to control it. Not a big problem, but just slightly annoying, because I wanted to fully utilized the HDMI switching.
In summary, if you just spent an obscene amount of money on a flat panel that has the audio equivalency to a portable laptop, shelling out a few hundred bucks on this receiver to give it a nice home in your living room would not be a bad idea. Or if you are like me, an extreme audiophile with an extremely tight budget, this is a great pick.


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The Harman Kardon AVR-154 5x30W 5.1-channel home theater receiver is a powerful little receiver at a reasonable price. This 5.1-Channel A/V receiver includes HDMI' switching and 150 watts (30 watts x 5 channels) to put you into the middle of the action of your favorite movie. It is affordably priced and full-featured. The AVR-154's sonic quality and sophisticated features make it an exceptional value. From two-input, Simplay HD'-verified HDMI' switching to the latest Cirrus Logic 49510 DSP, A/V Sync Delay and a high-current amplifier, the AVR-154 is modest in price, but high in performance.

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Acoustic Research HD510 Surround Sound Home Theater System Review

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(More customer reviews)I was very nervous about ordering speakers that I had never heard before, and also there were no other reviews that I could find. And, I ordered all the decor speaker covers so I was hoping everything would sound okay.
Well, to my relief, the speakers sound fantastic!! As a matter of fact, they sound MUCH clearer, cleaner, and warmer than the Klipsch bookshelf speakers they replaced! They also are much louder from the same amp, so I guess they are more efficient. By the way my amp is not that great so I was so glad these sound so good from even an average amp.
The subwoofer is plenty powerful, I live in a condo so I have not cranked it all the way up, but I have it at about 1/4 volume and it fills out the low end completely and booms when needed. It has a frequency control and also a volume control which is nice.
The satellites seem to be very high quality. They are made of metal and pretty heavy. I almost knew when I took the first one out of the box that it would sound good because it felt so solid. And luckily, it did. I really like how they are very clean in the high end, so I can now hear the dialogue in movies without having to turn up the stereo so high.
I have only watched movies so far, but anything from Star Wars to Drama to Music Videos sound awesome. I especially like the concerts on my satellite TV, they sound great in the 5.1 surround.
Very satisfied with this purchase, and my friends, especially women are really amazed at the decor covers and how they hide the surround system. Plus if I ever get robbed I don't think they'll even realize I have a stereo..


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Harman Kardon AVR 247 Home Theater Receiver w/ HDMI connectivity Review

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(More customer reviews)Great sound and power to burn, even at 50w per channel. Harman Kardon is well known for their marriage of tone and power, and this receiver delivers on that promise. Bright and distinct high end, clear and robust mids, and punchy, clean bass. Most of the lower rated reviews here knock the user friendliness of the receiver. But people, don't leave the comfortable confines of entry-level receivers unless you're willing to spend some time learning to operate your purchase. Very happy with this receiver. Sounds great. Looks sharp too.

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Harman Kardon's AVR-247 receiver incorporates a number of genuine engineering breakthroughs. These include innovative iPod connectivity and HDTV and multi-room capabilities to take audio/video receiver design to new levels of performance and functionality. It features an exclusive iPod interface that, with a compatible iPod connected via The Bridge (Harmon Kardon's optional iPod docking station), displays menus on a connected TV or video display and the receiver's front panel display. The iPod can also be operated via the receiver's remote control. It pumps 50 Watts of power through each of its 7 channels, employing Logic 7 processing and EzSet/EQ technology to ensure that you always have crisp Dolby Digital audio. The AVR-247 also allows you to upscale incoming analog video signals to high-resolution 720p output.

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Harman Kardon AVR 240 7.1-Channel A/V Receiver, Silver Review

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(More customer reviews)My previous system consisted of the Sony STR -DE698 which powered two polk bookshelves and center with an Onyko sub. I've always been a fan of the Sony brand...but have been consistently disappointed with the reliability and performance of the products in the past five years. In terns of the 698, performance wasn't noticeably lacking until I walked in to a Worst Buy and heard the reproduction of a Yamaha receiver with a sub par three speaker system. To say the least, I repeatedly questioned myself on why I even had a Sony receiver while driving home with my very board girlfriend. So I reacted by researching three different receivers at Amazon- Pioneer VSX-1015TXK 7.1 Channel, Denon Denon AVR-786S 7.1-Channel Home Theater Receiver, Yamaha HTR-5850 XM-Ready 6.1-Channel A/V Surround Receiver (Black), and of course the HK AVR-240.
The Pioneer and Yamaha looked great due to the fact that they offered THX certification. The Yamaha looked even better when I realized that it offered XM radio (which should be offered on all receivers within the next two years). Those were all great reasons to buy HK's competitors, but I decided to go with the 240 due to the following reasons: 1) Great price at Amazon 2) The overall style 3) Great reviews 4) High current reproduction - 50 watts sounds like 100 watts, or rather a 110 Sony watts = 50 HK watts.
Once I set up the 240 I instantly heard a huge difference of clarity through my center Polk. Instead of repeatedly turning up the volume to hear the dialogue, I could hear a balanced tone of dimensionally through all four speakers. Movies that included crashes and bombs of all sorts seemed to come natural to my four speaker setup through the Dolby vs Ref mode. This mode seemed to turn three speakers into five speakers (adding two invisible side speakers) which created a greater surround feeling within my 1 bedroom apartment.
If anything from my experience, I would consider the Sony as a Datsun and the Harmon as a Mercedes. Just my thoughts....food for thought that will hopefully help in your future buying experience.

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Harman Kardon's AVR 240 7.1-channel A/V surround receiver is among the best receivers in its class, as it harnesses many of the company's latest features and technologies to go with its near-universal surround-format compatibility. Internally, the receiver is engineered for extraordinary sonic performance, with an amplifier section that delivers seven channels of high-current (+/-35 amps), wide-bandwidth amplification--50 watts into 8 ohms, 20 Hz to 20 kHz, with less than 0.07 percent total harmonic distortion--in addition to employing state-of-the-art 192 kHz/24-bit audio digital-to-analog converters.
The receiver also offers a wide range of digital and matrix surround modes, including Dolby Digital, Dolby Digital EX, Dolby Pro Logic IIx (which provides an expansive, full-range 7.1-channel program from any stereo or 5.1-channel source), DTS, DTS ES Discrete and Matrix, DTS 96/24, and DTS Neo:6. Listeners will also delight in the Virtual Speaker mode, which creates an enveloping sound field when fewer than six speakers are available, and Dolby Headphone, which provides a much more open and realistic presentation through a pair of ordinary headphones.
Adding to the receiver's versatility are such sound-enhancing features as Harman International's exclusive Logic 7 processing in both 5.1 and 7.1 versions, which creates a wider, more enveloping field environment and more defined fly-overs and pans; and VMAx, which uses proprietary processing to create an open, spacious sound field even when only two front speakers are available. The receiver's extensive bass management options, meanwhile, include four separate crossover groupings.
Other receiver essentials include high-bandwidth, HDTV-compatible component video switching with assignable inputs, an onscreen menu and display system with the choice of a blue or black background screen, and compatibility with the Bridge, a Harman Kardon device that works with most iPod models. The Bridge lets you operate your iPod from across the room using the AVR 240's remote control, which has been preprogrammed with several iPod control codes. As a result, listeners can select tracks and navigate most iPod functions, charge the unit, or even view track information on the AVR 240's LED display or onscreen menu.
The receiver's variety of audio and video connections include three wide-bandwidth, HDTV-compatible component video inputs, five S-video and five composite video inputs, and two analog audio inputs. Digital audio options, meanwhile, include three coaxial and three optical audio inputs, including one of each on the front panel. Other jacks range from 6- and 8-channel direct audio inputs to 7.1-channel preamp outputs that accommodate a DVD-Video, DVD-Audio, SACD, or universal player.
Anyone that's ever suffered from technology overload when setting up his or her audio/video system can rest easy with the AVR 240. The unit's intuitive onscreen menus coordinate with the system's EzSet/EQ function to provide automated system calibration and room equalization, thus greatly simplifying installation. The resulting speaker output compensates for the effects of a room's acoustics to improve the overall system performance. In tandem with EzSet/EQ--which comes with its own microphone--the AVR 240 also includes a full set of manual configuration settings for those who wish to custom-trim their system even further.
Lastly, the AVR 240 comes with an AM/FM tuner with 30 station presets. The AVR 240 measures 17.3 by 5.9 by 13.8 inches (W x H x D) and carries a two-year warranty on parts and labor.
What's in the Box AVR 240 receiver, remote control, power cord, AM and FM antennas, EzSet/EQ microphone, user's manual.

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Harman Kardon AVR-254 7x50W 7.1-Channel Home Theater Receiver with HDMI 1.3a Repeater Review

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(More customer reviews)I spent several months researching my new receiver for my home theater. I spent countless hours hanging out on the avsforum, read everything I could about receivers. I was looking for a receiver that would have the following features:
- at least 2 HDMI inputs
- great sound quality for music as well as movies
- HD audio codecs (Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD MA) support
- would cost $650 MSRP or less
The choice is clear:
- Onkyo 606 or 705
- Yamaha 663
- Sony 820 or 920
- HK 254
- Pioneer 1018
- Denon 1909 or 988
I didn't even try the Onkyos, because I was afraid of the overheating problems and the humming noise reported on many units. Plus, they are downright ugly. The Yamaha had only 2 HDMI, and did not pass BTB/WTW, the Sonys are notorious for having the worst sound quality (unless you tap into the really high end models) across the board, so I didn't consider those either.
I was then left with the HK, Pioneer and Denon receivers.
I first bought the HK 254. All the users on avsforum swore by the HK sound. Well, they were right. The sound is nothing short of outstanding. The GUI is light-years ahead of the competition too. And finally, it is by far the slickest looking receiver of all.
Now, on the negative. HK is notorious for releasing products that haven't been thoroughly tested, and that don't work properly until the firmware update is released, and even at that point, it doesn't always work right. Well, they got that right too...
1 - the fan noise on 2 different units was unbearably loud, and not only was it loud, it wasn't a constant noise: it was pulsating. Crappy quality control from HK, can't afford more than $2 on a decent fan!
2 - if you connect your PS3 to the HK receiver using HDMI audio out + Linear PCM (the only way to take advantage of the HD audio codecs), here's what happens: you get sound drop outs that last for several minutes in many bluray movies (There Will Be Blood is a good example). Also, in GTA IV, you cannot hear the dialogs from the person you talk to on your cell phone. When I say "you cannot hear the dialogs", I mean: there is NO sound at all, it's not that the volume is low.
3 - the surround sound never "locks" on the one you want, it always reverts to Logic 7 eventually, and even if you can sometimes get it back by cycling through the surround sounds, it doesn't always work and it is a major hassle.
4 - it can't pass HDMI video with video processing turned OFF (it's always on!), and it won't pass BTB/WTW either.
I don't want to go into the details of all these bugs, but they completely kill all the enjoyment you could get from the unit. I exchanged my first unit, thinking I got a lemon, but the 2nd unit showed exactly the same problems, all of them. I finally returned the unit, disgusted with HK's quality control.
I then tried the Pioneer 1018, the Denon 1909 and the Denon 988. All 3 of them performed flawlessly, without a single hickup.
The Pioneer worked great but sounded a little weak, lacked punch and attack compared to the HK. It also had a very annoying bright blue LED that you can't turn off, and the worst remote I've ever seen.
The Denon 1909 and 988 were very similar, the 988 having a very slight edge in terms of SQ for music, but lacked the extra HDMI input and didn't have the Audyssey Dynamic EQ and Volume features. The 1909 was the only receiver I tried that could maintain the surround field perfect at any time and any given volume.
I ended up keeping the 1909, because of its great sound quality and of its superb handling of surround field, thanks to the Audyssey Dynamic EQ and Volume. Oh, and did I mention that it just works? ;)
After my disastrous experience with the HK, I wouldn't touch that receiver with a 10ft pole. If you consider this unit, wait until HK comes up with a firmware update, and make sure that it actually fixed all the problems. For more info about these problems, visit the avsforum dot com forum, and search for "Official Harman/Kardon AVR x54: Problems and Solutions Thread".

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The Harman Kardon AVR-254 7x50W 7.1-channel home theater receiver with HDMI 1.3a repeater is an affordable home theater system that gives you more bang for your buck. 7.1-Channel A/V receiver includes HDMI' switching and audio/video processing. With 350 watts (50 watts x 7 channels) at your fingertips, movies will put you into the heart of the action. This is upscale video without an upscale price. The AVR-254 is Harman Kardon's most affordable receiver and allows you to upscale incoming analog video signals to high-resolution 720p output or select two HDMI' inputs for audio processing -all with a Simplay HD'-verified, single-wire connection to an HDMI-equipped display. And the sound? Pure Harman Kardon audio, with the clarity possible only with EzSet/EQ' technology and our high-current, ultrawide-bandwidth amplifier design.

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Harman Kardon HK3480 Stereo Receiver Review

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(More customer reviews)A couple of months ago my old and very simple Sony equipment started to give up on me after years of use. So I started to look for a good replacement for it.
Since this was meant to be a replacement to be located at my bedroom and mostly for music playing, my first idea was to look for one of those popular mini-systems with everything integrated on them. I found some interesting products from Onkyo and Denon but, although their sound was quite nice (especially Denon's), I found that their power was somehow limited.
Then, I decided to look for some of those "Home Theater in a box" systems that are so popular nowadays, even if I would use it primarily for music reproduction! I tried Sony, Kenwood and Denon. I found an interesting Denon system, but before buying it I decided to bring along a couple of my own CDs in order to try it out with my own music!
The next day I took a couple of my favourite CDs with me to try them with the Denon. I chose Mahler's Symphony #3 (with Boulez), Andreas Scholl's "Ombra mai fu", some Dead Can Dance and Air's "Moon Safari". It really sounded nice but since I had those CDs with me I decided to make a last visit to the department store where I had seen the Denon and Onkyo mini-systems before making a final decission.
An hour later I visited this department store and went to their audio department. Instead of looking for the mini-systems I went directly to the high-end audio area. Among the various Onkyos, Marantz, Denons and Yamahas I noticed Harman Kardon's new HK-3480, and I immediately liked the looks of it's new design! Then, I contacted a salesman and after telling him that I mostly listen to classical music (although my other musical tastes are quite varied), he suggested me to give the Harman Kardon a try!
I was able to compare the Harman Kardon with the Denons (both the mini-system and the Home Theater options). After some listening I was convinced that a nice stereo system was more than enough for me. The power and sheer clarity of sound of Harman Kardon's HK-3480 was immediately noticeable!
We first tried it with a couple of Yamaha speakers, then with Cerwin-Vega, Infinity and finally with Polk. Boy oh boy, what a beautiful sound the Polk's have, cristal clear and absolutely gorgeous!!! Besides, they look so sharp! We finally added an Infinity subwoofer and there it was, the perfect setup for me! I was really ready to make a final decission! I bought Harman Kardon's HK-3480 reciever along with H-K's FL-8385 CD player, a pair of Polk's RTi8 speakers and Infinity's PS10 subwoofer. What a difference from my old and humble Sony setup! By the way, if you choose Polk speakers like I did, get the black ones, they look great along Harman Kardon's silver and black design!
The HK-3480 receiver works great! There are more than enough connections inputs on it, including several for audio/video and a phono input too (now I'm also thinking about replacing my old Technics for a brand new turntable). The HK-3480 is surely a great receiver for those who want top quality stereo sound, but it should me mentioned that with the VMAx feature on this receiver you can have simulated surround sound too when you need it!
I now feel that all of a sudden my CD collection doubled in size since every single CD in my collection sounds so much better now! I'm rediscovering music that I bought 10 or 15 years ago! What a joy!!!

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Not everyone wants or needs a 5.1-channel receiver, which is where this HK3480 two-channel receiver from Harman Kardon comes into play. This ultra-high-bandwidth, 240-watt unit is perfect for fans of jazz, classical, or rock, as its powerful features bring out both the bombast and the nuance of your favorite music. The HK3480 is also one of the few stereo receivers to employ VMAx technology, a proprietary signal-processing technique that simulates a 360-degree sound field through a mere two speakers. The technology gives the listener the sensation of sitting in a concert hall or theater without requiring a surround sound setup.Though the HK3480 is designed primarily for music, it also pumps out high-quality audio for your TV, DVD player, VCR, and video game console. It includes enough inputs for each of these components, along with composite video switching that allows you to conveniently switch between them. And unlike many current receivers, the unit offers a high-quality phono input (with preamp) for people who treasure the unique sound of LPs and don't want to give up their lifelong record collections. The HK3480 also comes with an AM/FM tuner with 30 station presets, a three-step fluorescent display, and a multicomponent remote control. As with most modern receivers, it's ready to serve as the audio centerpiece of all your listening needs, with seven audio inputs and four video inputs (including one on the front panel). The inputs are gold-plated for quality. The unit also comes with pre-out/main-in jacks for use with external amplifiers or speaker processors and a separate subwoofer output. Hookup is simple due to the color-keyed connections. The receiver's tuner section offers exceptional performance, from its high signal-to-noise ratio (73 dB in mono, 72 dB in stereo) to high (40 dB) channel separation for superior stereo imaging--not to mention strong tuning abilities with the help of better-than-80-dB image rejection and better-than-100-dB IF (intermediate frequency) rejection. This component is equipped with a nonvolatile EEPROM (Electrically Erasable and Programmable Read-Only Memory) that preserves tuner presets and system configuration information, even when the unit is not connected to a main power source. What's in the Box Stereo receiver, remote control, two AAA batteries, user's manual, and warranty/registration information.

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