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

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