Surround Sound Experts?

[tmjohansen]

Originally Posted by Ltrain

I was actually looking at the AVR-247 which is a little more cost effective for me and my income
Still gives u the 7.1 sound with a little less kick then the more superior 647.
Trust me I would go with the 647 if I could afford it

Ya, the 647 is a nice machine...but for $2000 +/- it is a little out of my price range also. You should look at the H/K website and see if they have anything going out of stock or a factory refurb. They have a large discount compared to a brand new model. I was at Nebraska Furniture Mart this weekend again and saw they are getting rid of the old models (ending in 45) and replacing them with the new ones (ending in 47). The closeout models are priced very favorably.

[Ltrain]

Originally Posted by tmjohansen

Ya, the 647 is a nice machine...but for $2000 +/- it is a little out of my price range also. You should look at the H/K website and see if they have anything going out of stock or a factory refurb. They have a large discount compared to a brand new model. I was at Nebraska Furniture Mart this weekend again and saw they are getting rid of the old models (ending in 45) and replacing them with the new ones (ending in 47). The closeout models are priced very favorably.

I will look into that. I might just get something cheap right now until I am ready to blow some serious cash on a real good setup.

[msb3079]

Originally Posted by tmjohansen

Ya, the 647 is a nice machine...but for $2000 +/- it is a little out of my price range also. You should look at the H/K website and see if they have anything going out of stock or a factory refurb. They have a large discount compared to a brand new model. I was at Nebraska Furniture Mart this weekend again and saw they are getting rid of the old models (ending in 45) and replacing them with the new ones (ending in 47). The closeout models are priced very favorably.

hahah HK is going from 45 to 47, Infiniti is going from 35 to 37.

but yeah... there actually used to be an online Harmon (H/K, Infinity, JBL) store that sold old models and refurbs.. REALLY good prices... i tried to find it yesterday and couldnt.
I can't imagine paying full price.......... back when I bought my AVR8000 is sold for $2,500, i paid around $1,100.... i loved (and miss) that discount.

[tmjohansen]

Originally Posted by msb3079

but yeah... there actually used to be an online Harmon (H/K, Infinity, JBL) store that sold old models and refurbs.. REALLY good prices... i tried to find it yesterday and couldnt.
I can't imagine paying full price.......... back when I bought my AVR8000 is sold for $2,500, i paid around $1,100.... i loved (and miss) that discount.

This is the store I was talking about: HarmanAudio.com - Audio & Video Equipment

All of the refurb models show a 'Z' after the model number. Some decent prices compared to the store. I believe you can get H/K, Infinity and JBL all on this site.

[Ltrain]

Originally Posted by tmjohansen

This is the store I was talking about: HarmanAudio.com - Audio & Video Equipment

All of the refurb models show a 'Z' after the model number. Some decent prices compared to the store. I believe you can get H/K, Infinity and JBL all on this site.

HAve you delat with them before because I am considering it. The prices look very tempting

[msb3079]

Originally Posted by tmjohansen

This is the store I was talking about: HarmanAudio.com - Audio & Video Equipment

All of the refurb models show a 'Z' after the model number. Some decent prices compared to the store. I believe you can get H/K, Infinity and JBL all on this site.

yep! thats the site.
def legit... direct from Harman.
anything on there is a great buy

[msb3079]

i also just noticed... that after all these years... they still have my flagship receiver (AVR8000) on the header of the site.
HK hasn't made a receiver as powerful/with that much amps of current since.
good thing.. so i don't have to spend more $$$

[msb3079]

o man.. i gotta stop looking.. my speakers are on there....

Harman Audio

and they still ahve teh Prelude towers that attach to the subs:



Harman Audio
Harman Audio

mannnn i used to be able to buy all this stuff for less than half the price there are asking of these discounted price. ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh

[msb3079]

i found the site.
if i only had the password.

Harman Audio - Accommodations

[tmjohansen]

Originally Posted by Ltrain

HAve you delat with them before because I am considering it. The prices look very tempting

I have not dealt with them because I had purchased the receiver before I did any real investigation on the internet. I must say...I wish I had found the site sooner. The 745-Z looks oh so tempting. I would assume you would be better going directly through Harmon than a 3rd party store.

[msb3079]

yep^^^^^^^^^^^

[Ltrain]

Quick question I see some of the receivers have HDMI in's and outs. What exactly is the purpose of these ports? Do u pass the hdmi from the TV to the receiver? I was just a little confused by this.

[tmjohansen]

Originally Posted by Ltrain

Quick question I see some of the receivers have HDMI in's and outs. What exactly is the purpose of these ports? Do u pass the hdmi from the TV to the receiver? I was just a little confused by this.

It is my understanding that you would run the HDMI from your accessory (PS3, Blu-Ray, etc) to the receivers HDMI Input. You then would need to run the HDMI from the HDMI output of the receiver to your TV's HDMI input. This will allow the 1080i/p to transfer through the receiver to your TV. Be aware though, that some receivers just pass the audio through the HDMI and some process it. The 645 and 745 H/K units actually process the signal. I am not 100% sure what the difference is with this though. Can anyone help further explain this?

[msb3079]

yeah basically, you run HDMI from all of your sources (ie. Blu-Ray player, PS3, HD cable box) run them all IN to the receiver... then you run one out into the TV. This way, you are never changing the input on the TV, only on the receiver. (which you would do anyway).... and of course you would turn the sound off on the tv.

the problem with some of the receivers... and sorry but i dont know specifics... is the some accept and upconvert differently. (video signal).
for example.. i think this is what i heard about the current HK line.... i think the low end models upconvert all video to 1080i (not p) and even 1080p is downgraded to interlaced.
then... i think the 6 and 7 series... will pass 1080p thru fine.. but do not upconvert the otehr signals... not even to 1080i.. i think they just keep them native.

i honestly am not positive tho... but i remember reading something like this somewhere... and honeslty, i could be opposite on my explanation.. but i know the final outcome was that none of them.. even the upcoming 747 outputs everything at a 1080p signal.
although... if all of your sources output at 1080p, i assume you would be fine.

[msb3079]

Originally Posted by tmjohansen

It is my understanding that you would run the HDMI from your accessory (PS3, Blu-Ray, etc) to the receivers HDMI Input. You then would need to run the HDMI from the HDMI output of the receiver to your TV's HDMI input. This will allow the 1080i/p to transfer through the receiver to your TV. Be aware though, that some receivers just pass the audio through the HDMI and some process it. The 645 and 745 H/K units actually process the signal. I am not 100% sure what the difference is with this though. Can anyone help further explain this?

i just re-read what you wrote after i responded... i'm not sure what you mean about the receiver not processing the audio thru HDMI....
my only guess is that the lower end receivers are strictly using HDMI for VIDEO switching (keep in mind the other problems i mentioned) and it's not even reading an audio signal (except maybe to pass thru to the tv)... which i could see.... meaning you would still need to run audio out from the different sources (ie. dig coax, optical).

not sure tho.