The best one in the market

None at this time

Well ..I posted long tima ago a reviw for this amazing equipment and the purpose now is not for a review. But I need to say again that this is the BEST equipment I ever heard. My setup is as follows: Martin Logal Ascent Speakers Krell CD Player CD-201 DAC MBL Gold Link III with 196Khz sampling. Amazing combo!!! I need somebody who can tell me from where I can download the BK Suite software since the guys at B&K don't want to give the software to me and my dealer ( Sound Advice in Miami, never heard of it!!!) Can somebody e-mail me the soft in a zip file, please or tell me from what site I can download the file? Thanks Lionel in Miami

Instructions could be a bit clearer.

This is one great piece of equipment. Not only does it have the power needed, but the clarity of the music is great. Not to mention when looking at movies the total realism. It has power to spare. As was mentioned I have found that it has features necessary. Only waiting for the upgrades that I keep hearing about. 150 Watts per channel is more than enough unless your''re at Dodger Stadium listening to a concert. I am sure that anyone purchasing this product will be more than satisfied.

Seemingly effortless power at high volumes. Looks. Build quality. Stereo mode is equal to high-end separates. Flexibility.

The "clicking" noise regardless if it is "good" or "bad." It''s irritating for sure. The sub outs. Difficult to set up first time (or until you CAREFULLY read the manual).

I''ve used this A/V Receiver now for about 16 months and have had ups and downs. Mostly the downs are attibutable to my own inattention to detail which is required during set up phases with the B&K. I was using the 307 for primarily video surround and had a pretty neat little "close field" stereo system in my office/library area. After a while, I said to hell with this and moved my Kindel speakers (what a great product, by the way, which proves that talent alone won''t make you successful in the audio equipment manufacturing business)into the great room where I have my video surround system. I have added some Rosinante Dulcineas to the system as the L/R primaries but won''t comment on that right now. What I can say is that after fiddling with the set up on the 307, it provides stellar performance, IMHO. Running the Kindels, a pair of Tannoy M2''s,some Advent in ceilings,and a Pioneer subwoofer (keep it to yourself), this thing cranks. Clean in the mid ranges, extended in the uppers and the bass comes out pretty darn good. Not a comparison to 3K + separates perhaps, but we''re talking convenience out the ying yang. Difficult remote as some folks state here? This remote is allowing me to run my Sony 9000ES DVD/SACD, VHS, RCA Sat HD Rec, and Mitsu 55" Rear Proj intuitively even if I did have to take some time to program it. What''s not to like about it. It''s slim and light and powerful and the batteries lasted a year before I replaced them. Video on my set up is all component input directly into the TV so the B&K is all audio there. Let''s just say I have had a number of friends walk away saying "I gotta get this."

I debated for months on whether to purchase the AVR307 or Denon 5800. The AVR307 sounds unbelievable. I didn''t find it difficult to setup or use. I''ve yet to hear any weakness or drawbacks.

Similar Products Used:

Denon 5800

Looks

Very very Difficult/Confused to setup. Yucky Remote.

I purchased this B&K AVR-307 to replaced the Marantz SR-18 EX. After one week of waiting for the B&K 307, finally when I got the Receiver and the setup is very difficult and confusing. Took me all day just try to setup this unit up. After one week of keep this unit at my home I decided to return it back and keep my current Marantz SR-18 EX. The only different B&K 307 to the Marantz SR 18 EX is that B&K 307 have the 7.1 channels and it can be upgrad for a future use. I was hope that B&K 307 will improve the sound over Marantz SR-18 EX connected to Vienna Acoustic Morzart, Maestro center, Hydn for rear and Rel-Q201E Sub but the Marantz is way a head of B&K 307. I hope this review will not offend anyone it''s just my opinion. I think B&K should simplify it alittle better with how to setup, and how to use the user manuel.

Similar Products Used:

Denon-5800, Pionner Elite line, Marantz SR-18 EX.

Powerful, chock-full of features, highly configurable

Its weaknesses aren''t very weak: no subwoofer out in direct mode (I know, purists like it that way); no Dolby II or DTS-ES but the receiver is easily upgraded through its RS-232 port and these likely will be released soon

The AVR 307 is hard to beat for the price. It combines the B&K Reference 30 pre/pro with 7 channels of 150 wpc power, and for not much more than the cost of the pre-pro itself, go figure. The feature set is full of all sorts of interesting things, including the ability to "notch" different frequencies to reduces room buzzes and weird resonances, a full analog bypass mode that sounds terrific, and the ability to set up speakers to adjust for variable distances from the listener to each speaker (I found that a half-foot adjustment made a big difference in the sound). Of course, setting up all these aspects can take a while. I would recommend using the video setup mode so that the menus are on the TV rather than on the receiver, which is hard to see. An SPL meter is essential to get the test tones balanced. I use the receiver about 80 percent for sound and 20 percent for video, with a Sony DVP-9000ES player, Kimber digital and analog cables, B&W CDM-NT7 main speakers and B&W center-channel speaker, and a Sunfire subwoofer. It has a startlingly clear and precise soundstage. Every instrument and voice is clear. I tested the Eric Clapton live at Hyde Park DVD, the Steely Dan Two Against Nature concert, and the Sade Lovers Live DVD. (Switching from Monster interconnects to Kimber interconnects made a big improvement.) Classical music is especially sweet, as the timbre of various instruments comes through clearly. I''ve driven five channels at 110 dB and the receiver doesn''t break a sweat. Hard to go louder without risking hearing problems. As an experiment, I borrowed a Bryston 4B amp (250 wpc stereo)and connected it to the receiver. I found it was hard to hear any difference in the sound. If anything, the B&K had more solid bass. This speaks volumes for the quality of the receiver''s sound. And the Bryston amp retailed for only a few hundred less than the receiver. Separates are nice, but the quality difference is slight and for devoted audiophiles to pursue. Some reviews have commented on the audible "click" heard when changing sources. This obviously is a mechanical switch in the receiver itself. No big deal. There is an audible buzz when no source is playing. B&K customer service told me it''s normal and is not audible when a source is played. Certainly I couldn''t hear it at a volume above 60 dB.

Similar Products Used:

Harman Kardon, Marantz, Bryston

See everyone elses review. (I do like it alot too!)

1) click changing modes (very annoying) 2) some noticeable bass weakness at times but I have a sub that I use to make up for it. 3) forgets its stored values sometimes 4) noice in the rears and hum that another reviewer pointed ou tin the 60Hz - 100Hz range. I took home three diff units and they ALL did the same. BK says it is normal. BS... My cheap Yamaha and Denons we quiet as could be. 5) has booted to a bad memory "error". Running Windows ME edition maybe??? 8=0

All of the stuff ERVERYONE else claims for strnghts. I onlt wanted to add my gripes 8=(

Similar Products Used:

Yamaha RXV1, 3090. Denon 5800

good looks, upgradability, made in USA, excellent bass management.

quality problems, excessivly bright, surround effect was not as enveloping as other products that I've used. poor tuner. The remote controll lacks trasnport buttons (can only navigate DVD menus *or* operate transport with the same buttons). If you blow a fuse, they're VERY difficult to replace (requires major surgurey - you may end up sending it in).

I brought this unit home and really tried to like it. I was looking to upgrade my Pioneer Elite VSX-297X. The system was overly bright with my Monitor Audio silver series speakers (which were recently replaced by M&K). I've read that it needs to break in but even after a week of being left on all day it was still bright. The center channel blew out (not a fuse but I did check the fuse and that's something you don;t want to do). I eventually returned it for a refund because the dealer had trouble getting a replacement (I've heard that there are supply and quality problems with B&K).

In the store, I was able to A/B this receiver against a Pioneer Elite VSX-39TX using the same source and speakers (they had a pretty nice switching system). The difference was slight but noticible. The highs were more open sounding with but slightly more unnatural sounding the B&K. I suppose that I'm somewhat plugging the Pioneer. It is indeed a fine unit and I'd probably select it over the B&K if I were shopping for receivers again. The Pioneer has an excellent remote (far superior to the Pronto - I've owned both).

Thought the remote that comes with the B&K is froma very good company and costs a lot if you have to buy it seperatly, you'll have to buy a new one anyway due to the lack of DVD transport buttons and menu navigation buttons (one or the other - this is indeed a problem once you get some time behind the wheel).

While I think this is a fine piece of equiptment, it didn't provide the surround effect and audio quality that I was looking for. I wouldn't go so far as to say what others have been saying that this gives you seperates like performance. I ended up purchasing seperates (Lexicon & Bryston).

Do your research on the upgrade path for older products. There are still people waiting for upgrades that have been promised for a long time.

This receiver is a much better value than most of the other flagship receivers out there. If a friend were to ask me which receiver I liked th best, I'd suggest this one and the Pioneer Elite VSX-39TX with an edge to the Pioneer for surround effect, better remote and price.

Similar Products Used:

Pioneer Elite VSX-29TX, Marantz SR-14EX, Lexicon MC-1 with Bryston 9B.

Presets, Crossover flexiblity, Upgrade path (we'll see), user friendly, sound, build quality.

Unasignable inputs, Remote, takes to long to come out of sleep (bootup), matrix music play back.

I've only used the 307 for a week, but I've used it constantly. Setup was straight forward, easy to use and make on the fly adjustments and they reset to defaults setting after power off. The 40 preset are more than enough, and once you get the hang are easy to save and recall. The bass management does as it says for the most, I think there is a bug with the mono mode. Need to play some more. Sound wise DD/DTS are great, crisp, fast, detailed, EX works fine, THX mode is also fine. In stereo 2 channel the sound is also excellent, the sound stage is limited, detial is nice. The EQ features are a nice touch and you can save your own setting under the presets. The dialog norm settings should be easier to get at. Where the 307 does not shine is in MATRIX surround processing of 2 channel sources, all it has is prologic, hopefuly B&K will upgrade to DPLII with the music/movie modes and/or DTS Neo.
I have used High End pre/pro's and seperate power amp and would compare any AVR to them on sound, but would on the user interface and features, this is where all AVR fail so far and why the B&K does not get 5 stars, there is much more it could do.

Similar Products Used:

Denon, Marantz

Excellent front end, beefy power amplification, equalization circuits, upgrade capabilities

Make sure you get the 2.05 software version

This is a great receiver and a very good deal. Essentially, this is the Reference 30 pre/pro with substantial 7 channel amplification thrown in for little additional cost. I had been using the Yamaha and was initially pleased but soon wearied of the DSP modes. As I spent more time listening to music (and not the stadium effects!!) I grew more dissatisfied with the Yamaha's musical reproduction. I initially added a lower end B&K 2140 as an outboard amp for the fronts, and was quite pleased with the improvement. I didn't, however, draw the obvious lesson. Rather I auditioned the Denon for two weeks; after which time it was clear the Denon was a better version of the Yamaha- nothing more, nothing less. My dealer kept urging the 307 but I resisted the thought of yet another receiver disappointment and reconciled myself to incrementally building a separates system. The 307 has made that unnecessary, but the upgradeability of the piece and B&K's extensive line of amps allow me that option over time.

Not that I feel any need for additional power; this thing cooks!! Specifically, I used the Gladiator soundtrack (tracks 3,5,9) and several Keith Johnson Reference Recordings on all 3 systems. At measured SPL's of 92-98 dB (at my listening position) the inadequacies of the Yamaha and Denon became very apparent. The B&K held steady with much less high gain graininess or shrillness- its real virtue is its ability to handle a broad mid-range of frequencies.

I was very pleased that the bass management features allowed me to extract better performance from my speakers (5 Sonus Faber Concertoes, 2 REL subwoofers), and the room eq circuitry includes a built-in signal generator (20-300 Hz) and associated notch filter that allowed me to finally get rid of a pesky bass bump in the 30 Hz area without buying a separate EQ.

The savings from not buying separates, a room eq, and expensive interconnects will allow me to purchase a better monitor a full year before I had planned. And I gave up very little sound quality in the process; my system now sounds better than those with similar speakers and much more expensive separates.

Similar Products Used:

Denon 5800, Yamaha RXV-1