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Bronze Member Username: LytalbayrePost Number: 16 Registered: Oct-04 | Well, I posted here last weekend. I was having trouble with my HK AVR630. I bought the thing refurbished directly from HK, so luckily I had the warranty and all that. Anyway, aftef 1 day of use, the damn thing just started to shut off all by itself!! I was very disheartened. I tried moving it to a more ventilated area, unplugging all the speakers, but nothing seemed to work. Harman Kardon suggested reseting the unit... which I suprised none of you suggested... but that's okay because it didn't work either. They also suggested plugging the unit directly into the wall vs. into my Monster HTS1000 power strip.... to no avail. At least the customer service is good! They sent a pre-paid shipping label to me to use to returnt he receiver. They will send out a new (new or used, i don't know) unit to me as soon as they receive the old unit.... So, I should be getting a new receiver by mid next week. This is my first experience with HK, and I must say I have mixed feelings. Their product didn't seem all that to me for the day that it was working, and then it broke, .... but their customer support seems top notch. I guess it's an even trade-off. Thanks all for listening, and keep your fingers crossed that the unit I get next week doesn't crap out on me! |
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Silver Member Username: BleustarPensacola, Florida Post Number: 175 Registered: Jul-04 | A refurbished product had problems to begin with. Granted, they are supposedly corrected before you receive the unit, but you are still starting with a unit that has had some internal problem. I have heard many people who are fine purchasing refurbished products. For me, I would never want the potential grief. And yes HK does have prompt customer service which is important. |
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Silver Member Username: PetergalbraithRimouski, Quebec Canada Post Number: 216 Registered: Feb-04 | I got an h/k refurb, and have had no major problem. For me, it was worth the savings. |
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Bronze Member Username: Tier0605Tucson, AZ USA Post Number: 12 Registered: Oct-04 | My H/K refurb avr525 came in today and has already shut itself off 3 times...... |
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Bronze Member Username: LytalbayrePost Number: 17 Registered: Oct-04 | That sucks for you! Did you buy direct with warranty and such? That's the only saving grace for my situation, otherwise I would have been PO'd! BIG TIME! |
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Silver Member Username: PetergalbraithRimouski, Quebec Canada Post Number: 218 Registered: Feb-04 | If he just got it today he'll surely be able to return or exchange it. |
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Bronze Member Username: Tier0605Tucson, AZ USA Post Number: 13 Registered: Oct-04 | Yeah, I sent H/K the return request email that they ask you to and then they contact you directly. Apparently, thats the way this works - so I am just waiting for a call. I realize that out of every i dont know maybe 10 refurbished items, 1 will probably not work. It just sucks when you get that one! Oh well....the waiting begins... |
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Bronze Member Username: SinkdrainPost Number: 26 Registered: Aug-04 | Oh boy, now I'm afraid! I just purchased an H/K 330 refurbished from H/K direct. I hope mine is OK!?! I do know that when I went to circuit city to audition their H/K receivers they kept shutting off. On the other hand, a very large amount of people on this forum post great things about their H/K receivers. |
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mizzmo Unregistered guest | H/k's must have very sensitive voltage sensors, mine will shut off sometimes when I turn on the TV or a light. It doesn't seem to matter what serge protector you have. |
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Bronze Member Username: Tier0605Tucson, AZ USA Post Number: 14 Registered: Oct-04 | Well, my replacement unit gets here on friday i think. If it has the same problem, then I am done with H/K. The old one that I returned was terrible - it would last 15 secodns before it would shut off regardless of any of the surrounding conditions and/or if speakers were hooked to it or not. |
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Bronze Member Username: SinkdrainPost Number: 29 Registered: Aug-04 | Please let us know how your replacement works out. My AVR 330 arrives on monday. I'd love to see apost saying all is well : ) |
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Bronze Member Username: LytalbayrePost Number: 26 Registered: Oct-04 | My replacement will be here Thursday as well. I will update you all on functionality. I agree. If this HK doesn't work, I probobly wont come back. |
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mauimusicman Unregistered guest | Never ever buy refurb gear. I sold audio for over a decade and never seen a single piece of refurb last. I like to use the analogy of your car's 50,000 mile warranty. You take it in at 49,950 miles with a problem. The dealer "fixes" the problem. Yeah, sure he does. At 50,200 miles the problem re-appears (imagine that?) Then your dealer is happy to fix it (right this time at your expense) Avoid refurbs like herpes sores. Both will give you long term problems. |
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Silver Member Username: PetergalbraithRimouski, Quebec Canada Post Number: 249 Registered: Feb-04 | Got mine in February and works fine. Less than half the price of a new one in Canada... |
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Bronze Member Username: SinkdrainPost Number: 30 Registered: Aug-04 | A lot of my electronics are refurbished and I have not had a single problem yet. We shall see on on monday if my record remains unblemished. |
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Bronze Member Username: Tier0605Tucson, AZ USA Post Number: 15 Registered: Oct-04 | I got my replacement AR525 this afternoon at about 2pm. I turned it on without hooking the receiver to anything and went back to work, came back at about 6pm and it was still on and had not gone into PROTECT mode. I just hooked it to the electronics and the 2 front speakers(havent hooked center or srrounds yet) and am leaving it on for the rest of the evening and see how it does. Keeping fingers crossed - so far, so good. |
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Bronze Member Username: SinkdrainPost Number: 35 Registered: Aug-04 | that's good news. It seems like they sent out your replacement pretty fast. |
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Bronze Member Username: Tier0605Tucson, AZ USA Post Number: 16 Registered: Oct-04 | yeah, the customer service was very good and i couldnt have asked for it any faster. So we shall see....it seemed ok this morning as well. |
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New member Username: JasonMoss Bluff, Louisiana Post Number: 7 Registered: Dec-03 | I also bought an H/K refurb AVR630. Have had it now for about a week and no problems. Had it on for about 3 or 4 hours today playing different CD's during my daughters birthday party and had no ill effeects. So far so good. jason |
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Bronze Member Username: LytalbayrePost Number: 27 Registered: Oct-04 | I'm the original poster.... I got my replacement AVR-630 last Friday.... and right out of the box it kept shutting down automatically again. God *&%$! Not to mention this thing was missing it's antennas and looked like it had been used a full 30 days or more before returned!!! I am thinking it could be something on my side, since the same problem on two receivers in a row... but I've troubleshooted in every way I know how and even set-up other receivers to the same outlet and they seem to work just fine. So, I'm gonna send it back and ask for a refund. The thing that is pretty dang crappy is that I will have to pay for return shipping on refunds! Can you believe that crappola!! even after I've waited weeks and gotten two defective units.... They should be doin' everything possible to appease me otherwise I'll do what I'm doing right now and say "I will never ever endorse HK products" Actually, the main lesson I've learned is to avoid refurbs.... but I must admit I've developed a disliking for HK because of this. To make myself feel better, I ordered a Pioneer Elite TX54 and got it shipped overnight. Hopefully that baby will be here Monday!! Yes!!! You all have to know I'm sick and tired of waiting for a receiver! That's my story, and I'm stickin' to it! Sucks, eh? |
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Silver Member Username: BleustarPensacola, Florida Post Number: 185 Registered: Jul-04 | I got my replacement AVR-630 last Friday.... and right out of the box it kept shutting down automatically again. God *&%$! Not to mention this thing was missing it's antennas and looked like it had been used a full 30 days or more before returned!!! Yeah, that is why several of us don't recommend refurbished equipment. It is too big of a gamble for the potential grief you have just lived through. You should be happy with the Elite. However, HK does make quality equipment and you should know that their track record is very good. |
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Bronze Member Username: SinkdrainPost Number: 42 Registered: Aug-04 | well my refurbished H/K is scheduled to arrive on monday- probably just as your elite shows up! I'm hoping all is well. However, I must say- I feel a lot better about purchasing the refurb knowing that H/K direct will answer my emails and send replacements or refunds in a timely manner. Mark- thats a real shame the H/K didnt work out. I'm sure the elite will be excellent! |
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Bronze Member Username: Tier0605Tucson, AZ USA Post Number: 18 Registered: Oct-04 | 5th day today on my replacement H/K AVR525 - so far so good. I still have my fingers crossed. The problem when the first receiver shuts down and you have to ask for a replacement is that you are always worried and wondering about the second one when it arrives- "is it going to shut down now? ok, its running for 4 hours, maybe it will shut down now?" - that kinda stuff. As good as this one has been running for 4+ days, i am constantly worried about when the problem will resurface and its annoying the crap out of me. In the future, if the first piece of equipment from one company does not work, no way am I waiting for a second one; I will just find a different company, so I have peace of mind. |
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edster922 Unregistered guest | any updates on refurb HK receivers from previous posters? I was looking at getting a refurb HK AVR330 but now am a little spooked. |
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Bronze Member Username: SinkdrainPost Number: 58 Registered: Aug-04 | edster922 dont be spooked. My refurb was purchased 3 weeks ago and mine is absolutely perfect in every way. I got my 330 from HK direct on ebay for $350. I am very satisfied. They come with a full factory warranty and the company is quick to return emails and send replacements if need be. Its a win win situation! I bought my refurb based on many posts describing good experiences with HK direct |
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Bronze Member Username: Tier0605Tucson, AZ USA Post Number: 24 Registered: Oct-04 | Coming up on 2 weeks with my replacement unit AVR525 and so far so good. The receiver (when working) is top notch.... |
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edster922 Unregistered guest | sinkdraiN, nice to hear that. So how do you like the HK's performance? I keep reading that its relatively low (on paper) RMS rating is deceptive and that it sounds louder than many receivers rated at 100 watts RMS. Is this urban myth, or have you found it to be true? |
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Bronze Member Username: SinkdrainPost Number: 61 Registered: Aug-04 | Oh yes, my HK is very powerful. I would have returned it otherwise. I have not heard any signs of clipping or distortion at high levels...and let me tell you, I really crank it! If I turned it any louder I'd go deaf from both the music and from my wife yelling at me when she comes home to find the dishes and windows broken. : ) I am loving the HK AVR 330. It makes my Athena speakers seem "fatter." I hear a lot of depth and detail in the music. My system definately has more "giddy up" at the high levels than my brother's Dennon rated at 100w. He agrees. |
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New member Username: BlitzschnellQubecCanada Post Number: 6 Registered: Oct-04 | sinkdraiN, What other receiver did you try so far with your athena? I have a H/K 330 with as-f2 in front b2 for rear and c1 as center. I dont know if it is my room or my speaker placement but I find the whole thing a bit too bright particulary voice in DVD. Sound seem to have a better balance at higher volume ~ -20 dB and Up. I tried the athena with a arcam avr-200 and I can tell you that these speaker has a greater potential than what I could pump out with my H/K. |
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Bronze Member Username: SinkdrainPost Number: 63 Registered: Aug-04 | Hugo, I tried Pioneer, HK, Yamaha, and Dennon with my Athenas. I have AS-B2s up front, AS-C1 for the center, and S.5s in the rear. I think all this comes down to personal preferences. I find this combination "soothing" and "warm." I found Dennon, Yamaha, and JVC to be very bright. At first I took it for clarity but I could not listen to music for very long because my ears would tire fast. The pioneer was better in this respect and the Harman Kardon was even better. I can listen to music for long periods of time on the HK because it has a smooth sound to my ears. The Athenas give my receiver a slight kick. Slightly more so than the Polks I tried. My main concern is sound quality of music performance so that may be why I have not noticed a brightness in the voices on my DVDs. I also have not tried Arcam, NAD, or Marantz. Then again...brightness is in the ears of the beholder : ) |
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edster922 Unregistered guest | sinkdraiN, how was setting up your HK? I keep hearing complaints about how byzantine their manual and setup procedure is, and also a lot of gripes about the remote control being extremely counterintuitive especially when used with other components. I can accept a complicated setup since hopefully you only have to do that once, but if the remote's as much a day-to-day pain in the butt as some reviewers have said, that's much more worrisome. |
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Bronze Member Username: SinkdrainPost Number: 64 Registered: Aug-04 | Interesting question. I was worried about that as well when I was searching. First, the manual is one of the best I have seen. Its very easy to follow. Everything is color coded and they even have a "quick start guide" if you are too excited to read the manual and want to get things started right away. The guide has about 7 steps and your up and running. Thats what I did. I pushed play in about 20 minutes, sat back with my favorite CD, and enjoyed pushing buttons to tweak the settings with the manual in hand. Every receiver is tricky to set up. The H/K manual makes this receiver easier than most! In fact, I learned a lot about my other components from reading the manual. I knew going into it that reviewers thought the remote was too busy, etc. I was curious how that would work out. Just remember that reviewers only have the remotes for a short amount of time so quick, easy, and intuitive is very important to them. Now that I own it, I haven't even thought about it. There is a button for EVERY function on the reciever. Nothing is missing. It works everytime (my last remote for my JVC had to be aimed perfectly). For the short amount of time I have had the reciver I am completely comfortable with the remote. My wife hates the fact that I am always playing with it during TV shows (surround on/off, modes, channel levels, etc...). When you read the reviews they seem overwhelmed by the remote. When I first saw it I was too. After an hour of fooling with it I got very used to it and welcomed the large amount of buttons and functions. I would have loved to have the whole remote back lit so I could view it in the dark. However, I really dont look at it anymore anyway...I kinda memorized where all the major buttons are. ...Once, I even caught my wife switching to the DVD setting! She, of course denies this and claims that I already set it. I know better : ) Hope this helps |
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Silver Member Username: KanoPost Number: 114 Registered: Oct-04 | how was setting up your HK? I keep hearing complaints about how byzantine their manual and setup procedure is, and also a lot of gripes about the remote control being extremely counterintuitive especially when used with other components. I can accept a complicated setup since hopefully you only have to do that once, but if the remote's as much a day-to-day pain in the butt as some reviewers have said, that's much more worrisome. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Totally not true, the manual is very well done, easy to read. check it out for yourself. http://www.harmankardon.com/product_detail.aspx?Region=USA&Country=US&Language=E NG&cat=REC&prod=AVR%20330&sType=C click on AVR 330 Owner's Guide The remote control is excellent, you have to make sure you set up all the inputs with the On screen display, which lets you name them and assign video and audio inputs. I can switch between DVD and Xbox with a touch of a button, switching both audio and video. Speaker levels and settings are easily accessed with easy to find buttons in the centre. Only complaint I've heard is that the light button is not conveniently placed for finding in the dark. Also that it should be lit. I agree they should move the button down one place, putting it in the bottem right corner, but lighting it always would drain the 4 AAAs too quickly. It does have a glow-in-the-dark shade to the button, but that doesn't help in dark projector rooms. |