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HK 525 vs Denon 3803? (1 Viewer)

Doug Brewster

Second Unit
Joined
Jul 22, 2002
Messages
325
Dave Ma,

Change that last line to "to listen to music, you can't do better".

Rotel is also a good buy... Just more money.

Doug
 

Jonathan_D

Stunt Coordinator
Joined
Jan 22, 2003
Messages
142
Nope, I didn't get it from a press release. I got it directly off of HK's support site, the product information publication. However, on the back page of my owner's manual it has exactly the same specifications listed. In stereo mode its 85wpc 20hz - 20khz
 

Phil*K

Stunt Coordinator
Joined
Jan 23, 2003
Messages
170
Doug,

Actually, I'm sorry to hear about your bad experience. It does sound like your new receiver was dammaged in shipment. I've had that happen to me on occation and it is really a bummer esp when its something that you were really looking for. Good thing you got it from Costco, they really are a class outfit.

Phil
 

Doug Brewster

Second Unit
Joined
Jul 22, 2002
Messages
325
Phil,

Thank you for your kind words. As I said in the thread, it was a real disappointment.

The music in the 520 is a step-up from what I had before that, but the 525 was exactly what I wanted. I listened to Linda Ronstadt's "Lush Life" over and over. It was really amazing. Warm, smooth, inviting, detailed, and the bass was "real" - deep and clear. No mud, no over-emphasis.

The home theater was unbearable. I could really relate to your feelings re: ear pain. They was a passage of Aaron Neville's "Devotion" that, when heard in dts(my DVD player won't do DVD audio), nearly drove me from the room. A cymbal (?synthesized) would chime in. I was surprised that my Beagle didn't howl. The bass was just loud noise. The only really positive things were the placement of sounds - you could visualize things distinctly moving around, and the video - appeared a little brighter and truer. Initially I had very high expectations. :frowning:

So now I'm back to the 520. The music, particularly in 2 channel, is quite good and it's a pleasure to listen to music in my living room (since July, when I got the receiver). The home theater is also quite good and a major improvement over what I had before the 520 (which would be expected, having stepped up from DPL to DPLII, DD, dts, and Logic7). I bought the 520 for $599, then sold my old Denon for $200. It was well worth the difference and my brother-in-law is thrilled with the Denon. However, I can't help but think, "What if", about the 525. Costco no longer is carrying any HK (for now). Maybe they'll bring Denon aboard and I can try the 3803...;)

Doug
 

Doug Brewster

Second Unit
Joined
Jul 22, 2002
Messages
325
Mike,

Have an old HK 870 stereo amp (100 wpc - I'd tell you it was + or - 60 amps, but know how you feel about that :D).
The primary reason I haven't incorporated into the 520 is the WAF (wife approval factor) re: another big, heavy amplifier added to the rack in the living room. Believe me, I've teased her with the idea at least once a month. It led me to the 525.

Doug
 

Doug Brewster

Second Unit
Joined
Jul 22, 2002
Messages
325
Mike,

Thanks for the advise but:

Reasons why the the 870 remains out of the HT system

1) Happily married for 32 years.
2) She's not stupid (despite an intellectually weakness that caused her to marry and keeps her married to me).
3) Even if your line would work to persuade her to use it, she'd have me use it in the room that is it sits in because she thinks it's too much for the living room. Unfortunately, my Dad lives in the other room and this prevents me from getting a chance to enjoy it. (After all these years, it's still a struggle with my parent over how loud the music is...and it's MY house.)

She wants a new home entertainment center and I'm hoping to find one with enough room to fit the amp in... We'll see...

Bad as this all may seem, she didn't fight me on the 520 (though she didn't see it as necessary), provided only minimal resistance to upgrading to the 525 6 months later, and treats me with respect in all areas. I love my home theater, but it will need to be replaced eventually. My wife... Well, that isn't so easy. :)

Doug
 

Jamey F

Stunt Coordinator
Joined
Dec 20, 2002
Messages
200
Points taken, but when my wife told me she wanted the bigscreen out of the Den and into my Bonus room, I told her the deal was a new Sofa/loveseat to sit in (there is no furniture in there except a desk and chair), a new receiver (to add features I don't have), curtains (to block the sun light), and a new DVD changer to replace the CD player that broke. Why she went along with all that God only knows, but it worked. I've moved the TV, and purchased the new receiver and DVD changer. I'm heavily looking into curtains and sofas now. In fact, she stopped to look at a sofa today. I haven't been able to upgrade my stuff for almost 3 years (new baby), so I guess she knew I had the bug and this was a way we both could win.
 

Adil M

Supporting Actor
Joined
Nov 21, 2001
Messages
922
Not that it means everything, but
HK525 : 44 lbs
Onkyo 800 : 36 lbs
Onkyo 900 : 39 lbs
Denon 3803: 36 lbs
Denon 4802: 45 lbs
 

Todd smith

Supporting Actor
Joined
Apr 2, 2002
Messages
643
Doug or somebody,

Could you please go audition the 525 at CC to see if you got a lemon or if the 525 really is that bad at HT? I am ready to purchase the 525 as my first receiver, but would like to know that your experience was out of the norm and you happened to get a bad 525.

Or can somebody else who owns a 525 and is familiar with receivers tell me if the 525 does good at HT as well as music? I would like somebody who has owned a receivers to tell me how the HT is on the 525 because you have something to compare the HT 525 sound to. I could go audition it and think it sounds great, but not having much experience anything would probably sound good.
 

Chris Sherman

Second Unit
Joined
Nov 30, 1998
Messages
378
Go to Circuit City's website and read actual reviews from people who have purchased the 525. To circuit city's credit they post the reviews for all their products the good, the bad and the ugly. Some of the products have gotten horrible reviews . The 225 is not one of them . I think Doug's experience is an anomaly.
 

Doug Brewster

Second Unit
Joined
Jul 22, 2002
Messages
325
Todd and Chris,

I have seen enough good stuff about the 525 to believe that I either got a bad one (happens in all mass produced electronics and even more frequently if its mine), or that it was damaged in shipping. The music was so good that I have to believe the processor was messed up by "handling" in the shipping process. Even then, the placement of sound and the surround "image" was great. What was unbearable was the distortion and harshness.

My local CC hasn't had the 525, but there is another store here that carries them. Unfortunately, they are set up in a wide open kind of style and it's nearly impossible to tell anything in that kind of environment.

Doug
 

Dan_Diesel

Grip
Joined
Jan 21, 2003
Messages
20
Hey guys,

I picked up the Rotel 1055 :D today. But I just got home and it's 1:00AM so I didn't get a chance to test it yet. But I'll play around with it tomorrow and let you know which one I will keep the Rotel 1055 or the HK 525.
And here are the prices for the two pieces taxes in.

HK AVR 525 $1600CAD
Rotel RSX 1055 $1800CAD

Daniel
 

Jonathan_D

Stunt Coordinator
Joined
Jan 22, 2003
Messages
142
Darn, Dan ( ;) ),

That price for the 525 comes to $1,046.75 US. That's more than MSRP and a helluva lot more than the $650 to $700 street price you can get it for.

The Rotel comes to $1174 US which comes out less than the MSRP. Seems to me if that's your price range the choice, purely on economics, is a no brainer. :D
 

Dan_Diesel

Grip
Joined
Jan 21, 2003
Messages
20
Well just to let you guys know I returned the HK 525 and I'm going to stay with the Rotel RSX 1055. I'm new to HT and not to sure how to explain it but the 1055 just sounded more richer more full to me. For example the highs sounded a lot better to me when played at hight volumes they didn't seem to fall apart like they did with the HK 525. The song that I remember it happening the most to was Three Doors Down - Kryptonite at first when I had the HK I thought that it was simply the recording because I pulled it off of the net. But when I played it using the Rotel and I turned it up I didn't notice it and it just over all sound better to me.

In 6 months or so if I can afford it I might upgrade to the RSX 1065 :D I might do that if they do it for an extra $800CAD that would be a total of $2600CAD taxes in for the RSX 1065. That's not to bad I think. In the mean time I'm going to look at some separates like the RMB 1075 (I would love to have the RMB 1095 but it's an extra $1000USD :thumbsdown: ) and maybe the RSP 1066 or the RSP 1098 when it comes out in March. If you guys know of any other good surround preamp/processor in the same price range I wouldn't mind hearing about it.

Thanks again for all the great help guys. I think that I'm hooked on HT now ;) I never thought that I'd be spending so much on HT equipment.

Dan
 

Jason GT

Second Unit
Joined
Dec 12, 2002
Messages
452
Hey Dan,

Where did you get your Rotel? (I'm in Vancouver as well) -- just curious!

But sheesh, that decision would be a no-brainer, if it was one I was making :)

J
 

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