HK 8000 vs HK 7200 (1 Viewer)

I am interested in the HK avr 7200. While looking at prices, I saw an HK avr 8000. The site claimed this to be a new model. Yet when I went to HK's site the HK avr 8000 was listed as a "previous model".
Can anyone help out in this? Is the HK avr 8000 this latest model?
Thanks

The 7200 is the current HK Flagship receiver. The 8000 is their previous flagship. The 8000 has support for DD-EX and DTS-ES, but only has 5 channels of amplification (but 7ch pre-outs). The 8000 does have one really nice feature that no other HK receiver has, it can apply Logic 7 processing to 5.1 source materials, giving you 7channel reproduction from any 5.1 source. This feature has always been reserved for the higher end Lexicon Pre-pros and it's not clear whether or not this was intentional on the 8000 or a glitch which turned out great for owners.

The AVR 8000 only has 5 amplified channels and doesn't do DD-EX. It does have DTS-ES discrete though along with Logic 7, DTS Neo and DPL2. It came out 2 years ago with the HK 320 and 520. You can do 7.1 with an external amp. One advantage of the 8000 is the main ins where you can reassign the amps and it can do Logic 7 processing of 5.1 sources. I doubt if you'll find any new ones out there, most likely they're refurbished.

The 7200 came out last year and has built in 7.1 processing. It also has triple X-over bass management and bass mgr for analog sources such as DVD-Audio and SACD. Plus it does DD-EX as well as DTS-ES Discrete. The 7200 is still considered a current model and can be found for less than $1000 on sale.

If I had to choose between the two I'd opt for the 7200 because of the bass management features and the amplified 6th and 7th channels.

Thanks. Which would you consider between the HK avr 7200 or the Denon 3803?

HK 7200. Denon doesn't have the bass management features of the HK. Plus I think the HK sounds better with music.

I'd take the HK 7200 over the Denon anyday. Beautiful piece.

Would you take the HK 7200 over the Denon 5803?

Greg Thomas

"The AVR 8000 only has 5 amplified channels and doesn't do DD-EX."


It does do THX EX, which is basically the same thing, so in effect, it does do Dolby EX.



Thira, I can't really comment on the 7200 vs 3803, but I owned both the HK 8000 and the Denon 3802 (which are the immediate predacessors to the two models you are interested in), and the HK does sound better. As well it should because it really isn't a fair comparision. A better one would have been at least the 4802, if not the 5803. So I'm pretty sure the same will still hold true on the newer models.

The 3803's amp section can't even come close to touching the 7200's. However, I'd say the 3803's pre/pro section is better, especially on movies, while the HK will probably be more musical.