Harman Kardon AVR 1650 5.1-Channel, 95-Watt Audio/Video Receiver with HDMI v.1.4a, 3-D, Deep Color

• 95 watts X 5 with high-current and ultrawide bandwith capability for accurate, dynamic sound
• Four HDMI v.1.4a inputs with 3-D and Deep Color
• Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD Master Audio decoding for the latest playback from hi-resolution sources like Bluray
• Proprietary EzSet/EQ technology simplifies setup for the best possible sound
• Optional Bridge IIIP iPod/iPhone dock plays music and videos from your favorite device

This really is one of the best buys you can make for a mid-range receiver these days.

It does not compare to some of the more expensive and powerful receivers out there but for what you pay here you are getting amazing value.

Connectivity:

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

This is one of the most important feature for a lot of people so I'll start here:

The receiver has 4Xhdmi inputs which is very impressive for a $400 receiver, it also boasts 6 RCA inputs, 2 optical inputs, one coaxial input, an rgb component input and 1 hdmi out.

all in all, a very good selection. It also has an optional input for an IIIP docking station for an iphone but that is not included and costs a whopping $130 ().

This is quite a disappointment for me but I was able to connect my *ANDROID* phone using a simple 3.5mm headphone jack to rca converter (costs $1.22 at ).

Sound Quality:

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I have it connected to a set of 5.1 Harman Kardon speakers and the sound is quite good, the bass is actually amazing (even surpasses my Denon AVR-988 in the quality of the bass).

The mid-tones and high tones could stand to be a bit more precise and separated, but not more so than any other receiver in that price neighborhood.

Ease of use:

~~~~~~~~~~~~

1. Installation: was actually very easy, the colored sockets made it very easy to know which speaker I'm connecting right now and that the polarity is correct (this was of course helped by me having the HK speakers which were color coded in the same way).

The setup and tuning was a breeze thanks to the EZSet EQ calibration.

2. Remote Control: average remote control, nothing to write home about, but it is programmable so that can be nice for some people.

3. On device controls: Those leave a bit to be desired the stunning look of the receiver comes at a price the buttons on the device are quite hard to make out but I don't think I ever needed to use them.

Look and Feel:

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

This is where this box really shines, I've seen many receivers in my days and this one really takes the crown for most beautiful device. It really complements the living room where other receivers do the exact opposite.

Features:

~~~~~~~~~

1. 3D: I can't really talk about that since I don't have a 3D tv (who needs it, anyway?) but it's there if you need it...

2. Dolby TrueHD \ DTS-HD Master Audio: This was tested and does indeed work it is, however, fairly standard these days in receivers like that.

3. Logic 7 processing: this technology claims to transform standard 2 channel sound to surround sound. It does NO SUCH THING, not even a $3,000 receiver can do that.

-----------

Conclusion:

~~~~~~~~~~~

This is a great compromise between price and function, with a beautiful facade on top it.

Its a good fit for those couples who disagree on the usefulness and necessity of the home theater concept it combines gorgeous looks with a low price tag and good enough sound quality.

Side Note:

==========

I had a problem connecting one of my devices to the receiver I have a computer, xbox, playstation and a wii that I wanted to connect to the tv through the receiver.

For some reason that did not work: when I connected my xbox and my computer, I couldn't see the computer, when I connected the computer alone, it worked.

When I called customer support, I had to wait for over 30 minutes on the line until I arrived at an unhelpful fella that was not from the US and that all he could say is that I need to reset my receiver and that it should fix it. trying to reason with him did not work and I eventually gave up and connected the xbox directly to the TV.

This cost the receiver a star and that is why it is 3 stars and not 4.

Buy Harman Kardon AVR 1650 5.1-Channel, 95-Watt Audio/Video Receiver with HDMI v.1.4a, 3-D, Deep Color Now

This baby rocks. Hooked it to 2 pairs of Sony SS-F6000 in front and surround positions and a Sony SS-CN5000 in the center and now I'm looking forward to get evicted from my apartment complex ;) Sweet natural Harman response and super clean looks. The only missing feature is a tape2 monitor section for external EQ but I guess that's asking for a 2 decades return in time. But as long as you have analog inputs you can always overdose yourself with those nice altered frequency responses anyway, just not for the tuner, but I dont listen to the crap they air on the radio so I'm good so far. This one doesn't run hot as previous models I had (I even used to have a couple of 4" fans on top of my AVRII back in the day) so that's good news since I live in Florida and I don't need another heater in the living room, the one up in the sky is more than enough!! Do yourself a favour though and get a set of loudspeakers, not one of the little H/T sets they sell. Sure, loudspeakers are big but sound quality too. I just wonder how much nicer would this sound with Polks instead of the Sonys.

Read Best Reviews of Harman Kardon AVR 1650 5.1-Channel, 95-Watt Audio/Video Receiver with HDMI v.1.4a, 3-D, Deep Color Here

i have tried several surround sound receivers and ended up with a harman kardon avr247 and it sounded great. was way better than the denon and yamaha that i tried. the sound was amazing. it was time for an upgrade and of course i had to have a harman. went with the avr1650 and couldnt be happier. im using all polk speakers and the polk 10" powered sub and its just like being in a movie theatre. my room is 15x25 and it is awesome

Want Harman Kardon AVR 1650 5.1-Channel, 95-Watt Audio/Video Receiver with HDMI v.1.4a, 3-D, Deep Color Discount?

My old Sony surround amp did not successfully survive the move to the new house. Since I had a Harman Kardon stereo amp I decided to buy this amp for the surround sound system in my new media room. I am not disappointed. The entire system was very easy to hook up to my new 3-D plasma TV. Four HDMI inputs were just right for all of my components. The remote is clear and easy to use. The sound from my Bose speakers is crisp, clear and most of the time too loud for my wife. Bass thru the powered sub rocks the whole house.

The included microphone for balancing the entire system in the room worked great. When you set in the mid point of the room you hear all of the sounds from each speaker, perfectly balanced as you are supposed to. I did not want to set up a 7.1 system. 5.1 is fine with me.

For the money this is a very good amp.

Save 58% Off

My home system already had a receiver, just not Harmon Kardon sound quality, and just 2 HDMI ports [quite old as technology goes]. Speaker system is a simple 5.1 5 speaker with sub woofer.

Installation was easy for me. I unplugged old and took note of where all the cables went, and just re-plugged. I had an HDMI port extender, which I tossed as this receiver has 4 vs my old 2.

Sound is impressive to say the least.

Inputs: 4 HDMI to take care of all the sources. In my case TWC DVR cable box, AppleTV, and 2 DVD players.

3D: I wish I could test it! But I do not have a 3D TV. I have a quite nice 50" Panasonic Plasma TV set.

iPhone/iPod docking: yes, you can buy an additional docking station, but it's over $100! I'd say hold for future versions that will include AirPlay in receiver or just use a 3.5mm cable to plug in directly.

Overall: I'd say go for it if you're upgrading an already present system for more ports and better sound, especially if you have a 3D TV.