I got my H/K back in December from Ubid for a great price of $350. I have to say that after some setting up, I am very pleased with this receiver. No hiss so on movies like Jurassic Park and StarShip Troopers I can get the full effect ( and this is still on VHS!!) Getting a DVD next week, hope this will be worth it. Only problem, I have to turn it up to 45-50 before I get the volume I want. Glad I didn't wait and get the AVR 65, bad reviews.

This receiver is of the cleanest I've heard... and I've heard some very nice systems- High-end Mac, Adcom, Yamaha, Dennon, etc. I got it refurbished from Ubid for $209.00... The refurbishers fixed the hum/buzz problems of earlier... I've got it hooked up to the JBL Music 2 and some Infinity SU-1s (no center channel yet) THE REMOTE SUCKS!!! But I'll be replacing that with the Harman Kardon/Microsoft one... Hooked up to the H/K FL8300 CD player with the RCAs it came with but I'll be hooking it up with a Transparent coaxial digital cable soon (I wonder if it will make much difference, cause it sounds awesome as is) 55 watts is plenty since I live in an apartment now, but I will sell this soon and get the H/K AVR85 when the situation arises for the warehouse I'll move into late this summer... But for now this system is more than perfect!!
Easy 5 stars for value...
5 stars for sound quality...
1 star for the remote...
4.5 stars for looks and button placement...

OVERALL=5 stars... can't count the remote against it cause, well, who really cares if it sounds this incredible?

My suggestion- don't be afraid to get a refurbished one cause it only means the old problems were fixed... And you can't beat saving over %80 on the retail price!!!

I want to add my voice to the chorus of praise for this receiver!
One note: Some of the reviews below complain about the "auto on/off" feature that seems to turn off the receiver after five minutes if there's no tv input. YOU CAN TURN THIS FEATURE OFF, FOLKS! Page 23 of your owner's manual tells you how.

Excellent receiver with plenty of power, available at various places for a bargain price!

This is a simple review of this receiver as much has already been said. Probably the least noise I have EVER heard from a reciever. I cranked it ALL THE WAY UP, with no souce material from my CD...and no noise! I also enjoy the fact that the volume control is very precise. You can really fine tune the volume desired. Some recivers go from low to LOUD in very little knob adjustment. I have read many complants about the remote. I find the remote works pretty good at playing my DVD, CD, TV and VCR + of course the receiver. Only complaint is you really have to aim the remote at the receiver to get it to work. This reciver is probably one of the BEST recivers made! Quite a boast I realize, but ya got to hear this thing!

I researched about the realiabilty of the Harman Kardon products and came across a site www.ubid.com where they sell thousands of refurbished
Harman Kardon products. That tells you something about the Company and
its product.

May be they are the poineers but they have one on the worst realibilty
and service charges in the industry.

When you buy a high end product you expect it to perform and last as well.

For the same reason I would give this product a Single Star and advice
people to consider reliability before picking up a receiver.

An absolutely frustrating experience. Had trouble with the electronics with this unit from the get go, the support was virtually nonexistant. Very cofusing remote and poor documentation. I'm sorry I purchased this dreadful AVR 55. I have had the unit for nine frustrating months and am about to drop it for a Denon 3300 which is in another league. One star if that!
other equipment
Paradigm Reference 40s front speakers
Paragigm Reference 20s rear speakers
Paradigm Reference CC center channel speaker
Paradigm PDR sub
NAD 6325 cassette deck
Sony CX-220 CD changer

Sri has been out to slam the reliability of HK products. He has posted his remarks throughout HK product pages. Unfortunately, Sri is attempting to weaaken the strong support of a classic reciever the HK 55 which has been around for several years and has PROVEN reliability compared to a revently launched product. I've has mine for several years. His sole basis for doubting HK reliability is because UBID sales HK products and some are refurbished. I feel bad that Sri can't even explain his initial premise for a strong dislike for HK products. Sri needs to understand that many people use these pages for collecting information about a product...for instance I would NEVER purchase an HK CD player based on user recommendations from audio review. Thank goodness for Audio Review in leading me towards the purchase of man fine products including the HK55. Lastly, anyone considering Sri's comments worthy of thought please go to UBID.COM, check out ALL of their products. UBID is a fine place to get great deals...even from manufacturers' other than HK.

good clean power,great center chanel dynamic range

To bright

If a recever can make country western sound good,it can't be all that bad. However I miss the throbbing of the warp engines benith my feet as thay wer with my carver,at 125wpc - or my technics,at 40wpc.So I take one point off for that lack of low end effect.The bass it does have is tight and warm.On the high end this recever is bright to the point of it sounding like fingernails on a black board!I have to take one point off for that paine.I do think it is a better over all sound + and value than the adcom add on suround a sound units sold at auctions, thay have no bass or treble controls,and the adcome has a center chanel hummmmmm ,with little center chanel bass.So I give the the H+Kavr 55 a strong *** points.

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carver

Ease of use; Power, clarity, and Value

some reliability issues

I recently upgraded from my old Sony Prologic receiver to the HK55 and I was blown away. At first I didn't think the 55watts would suffice, but the highcurrent amp makes all the difference. My HK powers my Paradigm Phantom fronts and ADP-70 rears, Bose VCS-10 center, and Velodyne VA8100X sub. This is where my only complaint is about this receiver in that I just purchased my sub to complete my DD speaker group. I am a college kid who has been saving and building my HT for about 2 years now and I was a little pissed when my HK wouldn't read that my sub was hooked up. The problem happens when I press the sub button on the receiver and "Yes" flashes and then reverts back to "no". I can't seem to get the receiver to register that the sub is hooked up. Sub works on my old receiver. Service is next step, if anyone has a fix, please email me. Otherwise I love it!

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upgraded from Sony Prologic receiver

Stero Sound (music listening!!!!!) , Build Quality

Remote is very clunky

Very clean sound for the price paid. This unit is factory refurbished, and didn't come with one dent or scratch. It is in perfect condition. I use this reciever for both music and movies, and it handles them both with ease. I'm still amazed at what 55 watts of CLEAN power can do. This is an absolute steal if you plan on using this receiver as a small component system in the bed room, or for a computer. I'm not to thrilled about the remote, but it gets the job done.

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none