The AVR 7200's seven-channel, high-current, ultrawide-bandwidth amplifier is the most powerful ever
The AVR 7200's seven-channel, high-current, ultrawide-bandwidth amplifier is the most powerful ever in a Harman Kardon receiver. A comprehensive bass management system with Triple Crossover selection makes certain that low-frequency sound goes to the right place no matter what type of speakers you own or input you use, including DVD-Audio or SACD. Multiroom options range from assignable rear-channel amplifiers to an A-BUS Ready port, which allows complete remote-room control and amplification with only one Cat. 5 wire connection. A preprogrammed remote with an LCD display and EzSet™, an RS-232 port and a complete range of surround processing options all contribute to the AVR 7200's spectacular music and home theater performance.
Summary: I have had the 7200 for several years now and it has been perfect. The sound for stereo became warmer and less harsh as it broke in over time.
Strengths: Power, features, flexibility
Weaknesses: none
Similar Products Used: Denon 3800, JVC, Panasonic, Onkyo, Pioneer
Summary: I have had this receiver now for well over a year and to be honest it is the best receiver i have listened to in my years of audio. When i first received it i could not believe how big it was. I opened the box and could not wait to set it up. I am running this receiver with Bose 701's up front, Bose VCS10 center channel, Bose 301's for surround and Bose AM5 for rear surround. I also am running a JBL PB10 subwoofer with this set up but just 4 days ago purchased a SVS 20-39 PCI and cant wait for it to arrive. I have a Pioneer Mini Disc player and Harman Kardon DVD22 and CDR31. All components are connected via Monster Cable which really brings more sound out of the system. I powered up the system and put U571 DVD on and i was blown away with how loud and clean this receiver was. I mean i did not even dial up alot of volume but it was so loud and the bass was mind boggling. I took my time and went through the set up portion to make sure everything was correct. In 2 channel stereo or 7 channel stereo this receiver gets it done. I invite friends over all the time just to let tem feel and wow about this receiver. If you are in the market for a receiver trust me you will not be disappointed with buying this beast. If you live in an apartment be careful because you will not be able to run this receiver full tilt without the police coming. A few years ago i had a friend that talked about Harman Kardon all the time and how good they were. Well i am convinced he was dead on and i thank him for opening my eyes. The 7300 is the new kid on the block and i dont know much about it but if you find one of these babies get it, its worth it.
Strengths: Strong power, maybe too much for some..
Bass management system is outstanding
Brings out the best in my Bose speakers for sure...
Weaknesses: none noted
Similar Products Used: Onkyo 575X
JVC 5010
Kenwood
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Summary: I've owned the HK AVR 7200 about four months now and couldn't be happier with my purchase. My previous set-up was only one step up from HTIB but since buying this unit the HT bug has realy bitten as has my bank manager!
If I have a problem with the 7200 it's only that it may posses too much power and dynamic range for an appartment dweller like me.
Case in point, take a reference DVD like Master and Commander. By the time you get the dialouge up to a reasonable level special effects like the cannons just rip through the room sounding almost as loud as the real thing. There are Dolby compression modes available on the 7200 but it's almost a sin to not let an amp like this breathe.
I read (though can hardly believe) that some listeners found this AVR to be bass "light". Well perhaps they play bass guitar in a roots reggae band through a stack of JBL 18"s or something cause this amp has enough bass power to shake my building.
I suspect the real problem here is the clarity of the HK's bass output. Lesser receivers with weaker power supplies will compress (crush) bass signals giving an impression of increased loudness but then you're realy hearing distortion not true bass amplification.
A sure test is to set your amp at comfortable listening levels and see how far the bass travels through your own home. I find that even on comparitively light settings I can still feel and hear the bass clearly in my bathroom!
Movies sound better than anything I've ever heard in my local cineplex and speaker matching is a breeze thanks to the excellent bass management capabilities of the unit. In fact even using speakers of varying impedance (L+R 4 ohms centre + surrounds 8 ohms) matching is seamless and transparent.
My Vishorn VT-88 towers have built in 10 subs so apart from a very low 80hz cut on the centre channel (bass guitars and cellos sounded a little "thrummy" and overbloomed with both the towers and the center outputing full frequency) I haven't realy had to do too much management. It's there if you nedd it especially if you use the more common sub-sattelite format.
As far as music is concerned. I'm a pro musician/composer/producer so perhaps a little less emotional about the whole subject of reproduction systems. All I can say is that, apart from a little softening of the excessive dryness and pinpoint imaging I hear in studio monitors, my own mixes sound almost identical on this set up as they do in the studio.
I find Dolby Pro Logic II best for TV matrix surround sources. For music I initially went with DTS neo6 which is very sparkling and has a big "Wow!" factor but I'm now being drawn to the more subtle character that Logic 7 offers. There's only a hair in it and, to be honest, both formats enhance stereo sources without the awfull processed gunge those Hall and Theatre modes output. I hate phoney sounding DSP and let's be frank, who needs it?
Basic stereo on this amp is far from basic on this unit. The amp soundstages superbly with both great depth and height. On a couple of occasions I've checked to see which DSP mode I've selected only to find I'm running pure stereo!!
Can't realy add much to that. The HK 7200 simply does what it's supposed to do. It amplifies 7 channels of source input at around 100 watts per channel simultaneously which, aside from some other behemoths like Arcam's AVR300 and Sony's upcoming RX-Z9, very few AVRs can truly accomplish.
This is near "separates" quality in one box and at a discounted price which is simply astonishing. I may never need another amplification device.
The updated 7300 (if it EVER comes out) offers composite to component upscaling but I'm going to be purchasing a Samsung DVDHD941 as soon as available so I'll be running that direct to my monitor's DVI input. So no great loss there. Plus the 7300's 2 grand (at least for now!)
Oh! the remote in itself is fine but universal use is compromised by a very short lock time in other modes (5 seconds if no commands input). A tad tricky after a beer or two!
I did experience the infamous volume spike once but it's never happened since.
Strengths: Excellent faithful sound repro.
Amazing value on remaining units.
Remote should lock into sub-modes indefinitely.
Weaknesses: No fans so it realy is a room heater.
Not a true weakness but it may be too powerful for small or neighbour sensitive installations (remember, early rock bands didn't have .7k watts to play with!)
A (true) fifty watt per channel unit may be a wiser choice.
Similar Products Used: Various pro and semi-pro power amplifiers.
Summary: That's $786 shipped brand new. Extremely finicky at first. Many of the settings would not take hold until the unit was unplugged. Before it sounded strained, undynamic, and slightly distorted. It turns out all the inputs were at max, which is why the volume wouldn't go above 0dB. The input DAC's are not fantastic, but the output DAC's are quite nice. Either use the direct 6/8 inputs or have it do the decoding for you. Don't input analog into it and then try to do bass management. The unit unfortunately does not have DTS 24/96, as some websites claimed. The bass management is pretty much as good as it gets in the hi-fi world. Stereo folddown from multichannel is the best I've ever seen. My Pioneer DV-655A PX drops the LFE channel in Dolby Digital, cancels all out of phase signal in the rear channels, and makes in phase rear information out of phase. Very weird. Other players and receivers do other strange things, since automatic fold down is a bit tricky. The Pioneer's Virtual Surround mode fixes this a little, but makes things too phazy, slightly suppressing in phase material and pushing diffuse material towards the sides. The HK doesn't quite have the tightness, control, neutrality, or smoothness of the Pioneer, but it gets the fold down right and pulls out more texturing to the mids and lows than the Pioneer does, giving it an ulta-cinematic quality. Imaging on DVD's is truly 3D, even with just two speakers, creating a physical presence in your listening room. I'm using NHT ST4's that are about 83dB/W. At the loudest I ever crank them, I still have 10-15dB on the volume setting left to turn it up. That's pretty amazing. My neighbors have started complaining for the first time ever. That's a good sign.
Strengths: Truly high current design. Biamping capability. Deep bass. Great imaging. Near perfect 2 channel fold down. HDCD. Front inputs can be switched to outputs for using the 7200 as an A/D converter. Toroidal power supply. Massive heat sinks. Heavy at 61 pounds.
Weaknesses: Tiny buttons on the remote. No included second room IR receiver. Poor radio reception. Can't upconvert video to component out. No on screen display through component outs. Quirky when it comes to enacting the settings you tell it. Hot. Heavy.
Summary: Bass is not lacking. This receiver's meant to be used with a subwoofer and who doesn't have subs in their HT setup these days anyway?
As for the other guy, who has florscent lights in their living rooms? You live in a science lab or what? Either that or you must have sat on your remote.
Like the other guy said about sound quality, It's the first receiver(literally) that i ACTUALLy want to hurry up, come home and listen to it. It makes my paradigms SING! This receiver really shines when decoding DTS signals OMG GLadiator!
Strengths: Power, soundquality, One of the few receivers with Toroid transformer, 7.1 capability. On board DAC that can decode MP3 streams or any Digital steams. Autodetect digital In.
Weaknesses: Needs excellent ventilation; gets extremely HOT. It draws/needs so much current, it reaches full power after 5 mins of initial cold turn on.
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