Discount Harman Kardon AVR520 Audio/Video Receiver

Buy Harman Kardon AVR520 Audio/Video Receiver

Harman Kardon AVR520 Audio/Video Receiver Product Description:

• High Current amplifier design
• S-Video inputs and outputs
• EzSet remote
• Multi- zone audio switching
• HDCD

Customer Reviews

Most helpful customer reviews

21 of 24 people found the following review helpful.
Harman/Kardon AVR-520
By A Customer
I am extremely pleased with the rich, clear sound of my 520 receiver. DVD with optical cable is absolutely great. I had limited experience in home theater. So the setup was one step at a time; first the Denon speakers, tried the FM (very good), the Phillips DVD870P came next with optical out, then the VCR. I made at least three trips for various cables and speaker wire. One call to Harman/Kardon tech support. The call was promptly answered by a support tech (Steve). Steve must have thought that I was the village idiot, but he was pleasant and helpful. The remote is backlighted, it can balance the home theater speakers automatically, the on screen display is easy to use and the unit controls numerous audio/video sources, tape deck, TV, dvd, games... plenty of hookups. Plus there is a second remote... for listening to another source in a different room.The more I play with it, the more I learn I can do with it, but mostly I enjoy listening to full spacious music without having to crank up the volume. I would not hesitate to recommend the AVR-520.

5 of 6 people found the following review helpful.
Awesome sound - would buy another
By A Customer
Don't be fooled here by reviewers that don't read the manual! This is an AWESOME amp! Using with JBL studio front, center and powered subwoofer, Audiosource 100 watt in-wall speakers. This amp powers them all with ease. I can't turn the amp volume all the way up, it's so loud, it hurts! Dolby 5.1 and DTS are immersive. Sure, the manual won't win a pulitzer, but it does the job. Common sense is also a must (lacking by some quick-to-complain reviewers here). Unit runs a bit hot, make sure you have sufficient ventilation. FM tuner may need an additional FM antenna, get the best one you can (Terk hi-end). Plenty of inputs to mix and match, which you can assign. A fourth input on front w/S-video, optical, etc. Have a Sony DVD 5.1/DTS player, mid-range stereo VCR, DD satellite receiver and older LD player. No problem with ANY of these and the HK. You may want to pick up analog to S-video converters so you won't have to change the input on your TV. Get the converters from RADIO SHACK ($...) - NOT THE MONSTER VERSION ($...), RS is obviously much cheaper. This makes all your inputs from RCA jacks S-video. Also - USE GOOD CABLES! Monster, Acoustical Research and some others. Not Radio Shack cables. Also use good speaker wire like Monster. YES - IT MAKES A DIFFERENCE! If you get a hum, you may need to plug the HK into it's own surge protector, check the manual. I like the remote, has a digital meter with speaker built-in to adjust your speakers! I have a large media room with 60" TV and this receiver delivers. Tested with MP3's, CD-R/W, VCD, movies like "Matrix"(the bullets whizz by!), "Gladiator", "Blade 2", "Saving Private Ryan", "Attack of the Clones" and others. Classy front looks great! This guy is heavy too, make sure you have a good cabinet to put it in.

5 of 6 people found the following review helpful.
5.1 never sounded better
By A Customer
For a semi-serious home theater enthusiast I have been extremely pleased with the AVR520. I switched to this reciever from an old Pioneer Elite VSX-97 and seriously consided another Pioneer Elite, Denon and Integra AVR's but found the sonic clarity unsurpassed by any of the other models. The receiver was easy to setup at the GUI was fairly easy to navigate. DVD's and CD's played on my Pioneer Elite DV F-07 DVD/CD Player have never looked or sounded better. The surround performance with this reciever is simply amazing. The Multi-room capability and the optional MP3 translator (allows MP3 playback from your computer through your reciever) are great additonal features.

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Compare Prices for JBL SCS150 6-Piece Home Theater Speaker System

Buy JBL SCS150 6-Piece Home Theater Speaker System

JBL SCS150 6-Piece Home Theater Speaker System Product Description:

• 5.1-channel surround-sound speaker system including 4 satellites, 1 center-channel speaker, and 1 subwoofer
• 150-watt powered, ported subwoofer with 10-inch driver
• Satellites and center channel: up to 100 watts power handling (with 8 ohms impedance)
• Video shielded to allow close, distortion-free placement on or near your television
• Includes all necessary mounting brackets and speaker cables

Product Description

The JBL SCS150SI is a 5.1 home theater speaker system that lets you enjoy music and videos with theater-like surround effects. This home theater speaker system includes 4 satellite speakers, one center channel speaker, and a subwoofer, giving you roaring sound effects with thumping bass. Incorporating 0.5-inch titanium-laminate dome tweeters, these JBL speakers provide smooth highs with a detailed sound quality. The dual 3-inch mid-range drivers of the JBL SCS150SI produce clear and distinct movie dialogues. With a frequency response ranging from 30 Hz to 20 kHz, these JBL speakers enable you to listen to a range of sounds.

Customer Reviews

Most helpful customer reviews

105 of 108 people found the following review helpful.
Great speakers with an incredible subwoofer
By Prerak Sanghvi
I bought my home theater system about a month ago, and I got these speakers as one of the components. I tried listening to several speaker systems at friends' houses and in stores before going for this set.

I didn't want to buy separate front, center and rear speakers since that often causes a problem of "unmatched speakers". In buying separate speakers, you need to take care and match the construction type, material of construction, etc of all the speakers. I didn't want that hassle and hence decided to go with a home-theater-speaker-system.

The four satellites in the system are all same with dual 3-inch woofers. This works well for the latest surround sound technologies like DTS, Dolby Digital 5.1, etc. The center speaker is also the same, but since it is to be used horizontally, there is a slight difference in the design of its outer casing.

All the speakers have 100 watts peak power, and they really sound loud (louder than I can tolerate in a 200 sq ft room) without much distortion. That is one of the important qualities of this speaker system - sound doesn't get distorted till really high volumes.

The speakers have good high frequency fidelity and have a very impressive capability for mid-range frequencies. The usual hole between the lowest frequency that satellites can play, and highest frequency that subwoofer can play is almost absent - an amazing feature for a speaker system in this price range.

The subwoofer accompanying this system is a 150 watts powered subwoofer, and believe me, there is no other subwoofer in this price range that can equal the thumping, thunderous, full, tight and rich bass of this subwoofer. The subwoofer is clearly the biggest selling point of this speaker system. The subwoofer has a selector for Auto On/Always On, which turns out to be a good power saver. It also has a knob to turn the bass up or down - which is also quite useful.

The system comes with all speaker cables you could need - three 30ft cables, and three 50ft cables! Also, it comes with wall mounting brackets for all 4 satellites (although front speakers are always better placed on stands - the JBL FS400 stands for this speaker system).

All in all, this speaker system rocks in every department of sound reproduction and I highly recommend it.

46 of 46 people found the following review helpful.
Surprisingly good speakers
By A Customer
Moving into a townhouse with a smaller living room, I was forced to give up my Yamaha NS-A638 bookshelf speakers, which I liked very much. After a great deal of research into smaller speaker systems, both online and in stores, I decided to buy the JBL SCS150.

The sound from the speakers is surprisingly crisp and clear, given the fact that engineering a speaker that is both small and good-sounding is very difficult. The subwoofer's bass output is fantastic also. As a test, I played the beginning of "Saving Private Ryan," the end of "Star Wars: Episode II-Attack of the Clones," and the beginning of "Toy Story 2" (all on DVD). The sound was a marked improvement over my old speakers and they were even better at picking up some of the subtle background effects in the rears, compared to my old speakers.

Of course, a person can pay more for speakers that are smaller (the satellites measure 16" high) or even better sounding, but the JBL package is a good balance of budget and sound. As a nice rounding touch, the box also includes ample speaker wire and wall-mounting brackets.

There are only a few negatives. First, some people may not like the dark gray/silver casing of the speakers. I thought I would hate it myself, but I am beginning to think it is rather elegant. The subwoofer's physical size is rather large, almost the size of a small end table. Finally, my biggest complaint is the rather weird footprint of the satellite speakers ... it is not entirely flat and the holes underneath are set towards the back, meaning that owners will have to take a bit of caution as they hunt for compatible stands for these speakers. JBL does make a set of stands for them, which can be purchased on their website.

Overall, I'd highly recommend this package for those who want to do home theater in a room, but must do it with budget and space in mind.

32 of 33 people found the following review helpful.
Excellent for Movies, but ...
By Amanda Richards
When it comes to movies, these speakers are amazing. Like being in a theatre all by yourself. You can hear every word clearly through the centre speaker, and the subwoofer can shake the house if you're not careful.

However, it is less than amazing for music, as it is deficient in the tweeter category, so your treble gets lost.

Movie buffs and gamers can rejoice - music fans won't be ecstatically happy.

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Price Comparisons for KLH SAT-5W 100-Watt Indoor/Outdoor Speakers (Antique White)

Buy KLH SAT-5W 100-Watt Indoor/Outdoor Speakers (Antique White)

KLH SAT-5W 100-Watt Indoor/Outdoor Speakers (Antique White) Product Description:

• 5" Moisture Resistant Fiber Cone Woofer
• 7/8" Liquid-Cooled Polycarbonate Tweeter
• Weatherized for use outdoors
• Magnetically Shielded to Prevent Video Distortion
• Includes Speaker Wire and Heavy Duty Brackets

Product Description

Wire your home for surround sound, or update your garage, patio or pool area with these high-tech, silvertone metal casing multi-purpose speakers from KLH Audio Systems. Weatherized for outdoor use as well as indoor use, they feature 5-1/4” polypropylene cone woofer with rubber surround and 5/8” liquid-cooled polycarbonate tweeters. Magnetically shielded to prevent video distortion. Handles amazing 100 watts of power per channel. Includes mounting brackets, hardware and speaker wire. 10-1/2Hx7Wx7D”.

Customer Reviews

Most helpful customer reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful.
EXCELLENT SOUND AND VALUE!
By CQ DX
I had obtained these KLH speakers locally on sale for about 45 dollars the pair. I have them permanently outside above my patio, mounted under the eave of my house where they are minimally exposed to the elements, except of course temperature. The sound is excellent, and they sound a lot more expensive than they are. Providing your 'source' is good quality (I use a CD player and Yamaha receiver), and your speaker wire is not too thin or long, you will be surprised with the way they sound, and how well made they are. After being outside a full winter, they sound just as good now as they did new! I highly recommend these speakers, especially for outdoor use.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful.
Speaking of a Great Speaker!
By Robbill
Great sound! we have these installed on the outside of our shop facing our inground pool! Nice small look and great big sound!! Bought a pair for my son's deck and he has enjoyed his as much as we have!

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