Anyone know if the H/K AVR7200 is a good reciever and worth the $$$? I will be using Polk Audio LSi series speakers, they are rated at 4 ohms, I think???????? I need a receiver that will compliment the Polks and play real loud and sound real good. Thanks
Hawk
Posted on
After reading your post, I went to the harman/Kardon web site and looked at the 7200. Now, I think the 7200 is a very good receiver and in most instances, I would recommend it, but I was concerned about the impedence of your Polks. Both the specifications for the 7200 and the back of the receiver itself specify the speakers should be 8 ohms, not the 4 ohms of your Polks. therefore, I don't think it would be a good match,
There are very few receivers that can handle a 4 ohm load. Usually, that is a load presented by esoteric speakers and buyers for such speakers usually get separates. However, there is one line of receivers that can handle a 4 ohm load and it sounds great. That is NAD.
NAD is rated down to 2 ohms, so the 4 ohm load of the Polk LSi speakers would present no problem. The sound is great, too. As good as many separates IMO. If you are willing to spend the money for a 7200, you really should check out the NAD 762. It is cheaper and sounds better, I guarantee it. The NAD also has a bigger power supply and can generate 230 wpc into 4 ohms over 6 channels, if needed, so the ability to play loud should not be a problem. Check it out.
SimonM
Posted on
Nah, screw that... you guys dont know crap... how can you possible recommend something for sure having not even heard it... yes features are important but there is no way on earth anyone should make the mistake of comparing purely on specs alone... go do yourself a favour mate, audition a bunch of receivers, then make up your mind... The harman's have no problem with 4 Ohm loads trust me... ive listened to them and they positively out do a number of the competition when running these 'difficult' speakers... The NAD is ok but I'd go for the harman based purley on sound and the fact that Logic 7 out does any other matrix processing format on the planet.
Hawk
Posted on
Simon:
Last week we had a thread where someone inquired about running a Harman/Kardon with the Polk LSi speakers. I along with a couple of others, I recommended NAD due to the low impedence of the Polk speakers. A gentleman named Paul then checked out advice by contacting Polk's technical department. Their response, which he posted on this forum, was that due to the low impedence of the Polks, they only recommended four brands of receivers/amps to drive the LSi speakers:
1. NAD; 2. Rotel; 3. Adcom; and, 4. B & K.
So perhaps we know more than crap, after all. I certainly don't see H/K on the list.
Every manufacturer makes trade-offs and most mass market receiver manufacturers have long since given up trying to drive 4 ohm speakers like the Polk LSi. That does not mean that they are a bad receiver--they just don't handle 4 ohm speakers. And the ability to handle 4 ohm speakers is not a "feature." Instead, it defines the unit's operating capabilities. I have heard the 7200 and I like the sound very much, but you have to understand that one brand of receiver is not right for everybody, and certainly isn't right to ask it to perform outside of its operating envelope. To do so is only going to leave our friend unhappy when his receiver doesn't perform.