I really like the product. After a hard day at work doing essouchage jobs, it's feels good to enjoy the quality of this unit.

I have find the price a little bit to high.

I repair audio preamps for a living. I have listened to many. Expensive and less expensive. This preamp is a gem! If you know anything about electronics look at the schematic. It’s very good circuitry. A gorgeous power supply. Switching held to the back of the cabinet to keep signal path to a minimum. A seperate Mc phono preamp that is shielded. Phono cap loading from the front panel. A separate discreet headphone amplifier. None of this would mean anything if the unit didn’t sound wonderful. It does. Don’t pay any attention to reviewers wishing to gain cred by putting down products without pointing out the problems. My credentials? 50 years building audio.

If I had any area that could use improvement it would be high frequency extension on the phono. It could also be my cartridge!

I bought this unit several years ago off of ebay, as I am an electronics hobbyist. It was very lackluster until I started replacing the aging electrolytic capacitors with modern high quality ones. This unit now is the equal of many very expensive modern units. I have tried it with SE tube amps and PassLabs amps and would not hesitate to replace my Aleph P with it except for the lack of remote control.
If you're handy pick one up and go to town on it, you wont be dissapointed.

Solid build quality, tone control defeats, good solid (state) sound, phono section, very low used prices today.

Perhaps it can be a little sharp in the upper register when
played at high volume.

Hey, if you want good, clean, solid sound, but don't have the money for "audiophile" equipment, purchase the HK 825 and perhaps the matching 870 power amp and just listen to the music. I would think (subjectively) that the 825 would sound as good under most conditions as very good (expensive)audiophile preamps and sound much better than the new $2000
multi channel amps and receivers. I purchased an HK825/870 combo in 1987 and sold them a few years latter to some "music loving" friends who still own them and use them everyday. I still enjoy listening to music played through them. Four star sound, 5+ star value.

Similar Products Used:

HK Citation Eleven, Dynaco Pas 4, Lazarus Classic, McIntosh MX110, Audible Illusions 2D, Anthem Pre 1, and others.

none

too numerous

Just in case you browse past the other review, and stumble across this supposed "classic", a warning! I never thought I would hear of this thing again but way back in 1987 or 88 when my Counterpoint 5.1 had to go back for service, again,
my dealer lent me the 825, half as a joke. It was a P.O.S!
This other reviewer must have served in the Artillery as a loader, or something. It's a boat anchor. You have been warned! You have to give at least 1 star when you submit and it did function so, okay.

solid build, solid sound, solid performer, price is right

solid state

I read the other reviews on here and agree with most..I am pretty prejudiced against solid state, as i much prefer the tube sound, but i've found that good solid state stuff can sound very good driving a good tube amp...and this Preamp is a bright shining star for a hundred, 25 bucks! I am driving a Music Reference RM-9 with it and its doing an outstanding job.. very fast, good detail, good clarity, good depth, and imaging.. Quite a sweet rich sound... and with the RM-9, the sound is quite good and quite "tubey". i would not say it is as good as the top end Rotel preamp, but then it costs about 10X less, and the difference is definitely not remarkable,.. i suspect some users of the hk 825 may have gotten a hold of one that wasn't in top notch operating condition and did not have a very positive experience , but i have to say for the money it is awesome..

Similar Products Used:

Rotel 995

Well designed tone controls with by-pass. Discrete components. Selectors work at sources. Well constructed. Good match with solid state amps and low input imp. Alps volume pot. Very dinamic and quite musical.

Possibly components not state of the art. Not straigth line design.

Any piece of equipment, no matter how expensive or "high end" has been executed for a best match involving all the elements in the chain from connectors and cables to the main components from "front to back". That has been my approach and learning for over more than 15 years and the approach of professional reviewrs. The fact that Bill has a "Counterpoint pre-amp that went to have service" doe not entitles him for such a harsh judgement without showing us how was "his" evaluation process. I seriously disagree with Bill's judgment. After my evaluation I can conclude that the HK 825 is a good product and gives good performance when compared with equipment of more recent execution.
Harman Kardon should be commended in their consistency in producing good sounding equipment for over 50 years.
Those who want to consider the hk 825 should evaluate it in a context of optimized system integration.

Similar Products Used:

Dynaco Pas 4, Adcom GFP-565, Lynn Pre LK, Harman Kardon AVR 5 (pre section)

This unit must be from the time HK made HIGH-end gear, it's great!I bought it second hand for $100 as an upgrade from my HK 3250
receiver and the difference was huge, the 3250 sounded like some Yoko or my first Sony compared to the 825! 2 tape loops, 3 line inputs and 2 phono
inputs including a MM/MC switch. Major bummer for me that the phono section
doesn't work (probably the switch or relays is broken). Another setback was the volume control starting at around -50dB which doesn't allow me to play really soft on my high-sensitive speakers (94 dB/1W). All in all i'm gonna give the unit 5 stars because of the major difference it made in my system, i guess the next unit has to be pretty expensive to beat this one!