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JohnRice
- John Rice
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- Joined: June 2000
- Location: Colorado
- Post Count: 7,502
Re: Entry level Harman Kardon, Onky, Denon receievers - are they as good?
You're asking if they sound as good as the high end models? No, they don't. Still, you get a LOT for your money in those models, though they are quite basic.
They flutter behind you, your possible pasts.
Some bright-eyed and crazy, some frightened and lost.
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RAF
- Robert A. Fowkes
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- Post Count: 6,808
Re: Entry level Harman Kardon, Onky, Denon receievers - are they as good?
The "entry level" models from these companies are lower priced not only because they offer fewer inputs and outputs but also reflect the fact that they use weaker amps and the processing circuits don't have the audio and video capabilities of their more expensive brethren.
That said, I agree with John that you can get very nice sound and features for less money with these units as either a "starter," "dorm," "second" or call it what you will system. They exist for a reason and they offer a lot more at their price points than the "no-name" brands found on the shelves of some department and discount stores.
The key to figuring out which point in a manufacturer's line best fits your needs (and budget) is to know where the price:performance ratio gets higher than you can either hear/see or afford. This point, of course, will be different for each of us. In some ways it's a bit like the car industry. There's a wide range of choices between basic transportation and the luxury models - but all of them should at least do the job of getting you from Point A to Point B.
RAF [
Demented
Video
Dude since 1997]
[Computer Maven since 1956]
["PITA" since 1942] CLICK HERE to visit My HT HTF Rules and Regulations
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RAF
- Robert A. Fowkes
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Re: Entry level Harman Kardon, Onky, Denon receievers - are they as good?
Most manufacturers have several different "lines" of equipment targeted at different consumer price points. As is obvious, you tend to get what you pay for. I remember years ago when SONY was considered to be the TV to get - but that came with a caveat. Yes, their XBR line (I'm talking about the '80s here) was top of the line, but just because you purchased a TV with the SONY name on it didn't make it automatically a reliable and quality unit. The lower end of the SONY line was fraught with problems and the consumer had to know to look not just at the name, but at the model number.
That said, I've generally found that the Denon line doesn't appear to offer questionable components in their lower price categories. Fewer features and, of course, not the same overall performance, but still something that fits the bill (literally) where applicable. I've seen some of these units in action and the do the job that they were intended for nicely. Just don't expect a $500 receiver to be comparable to a $7500 pre/pro in audio and video performance.
RAF [
Demented
Video
Dude since 1997]
[Computer Maven since 1956]
["PITA" since 1942] CLICK HERE to visit My HT HTF Rules and Regulations
