The new Harman Kardon AVR1700 - Page 22

With my HTPC, sometimes the 1700 will get in a funky state where it will continuously switch from multichannel 5.1 PCM (correct) to 3.1 48 kHz (or something like that, I don't remember exactly). Every 2 minutes or so the sound will cut out for a second or so during the switch. At first I thought the network stream was being interrupted but it was like clockwork. Anyway, turning off/on the 1700 fixes things. FWIW in my case it seems to happen after switching from radio (set to Logic 7 Movie) to Cable/Sat which is my HTPC (multichannel PCM). So maybe it has to do with switching inputs.

Anyway, just a quirk that seems to be easily workaroundable. Maybe HK can fix it in the software update.

Did Bestbuy discontinue this receiver? It is not in their website and it is not in their local store except for a floor model?

I ordered a 1700 today after reading this thread. I missed out on the BB deal. I bought this as a bedroom receiver to replace my AVR 247 because it heats up the entire bedroom after being powered on for a couple of hours.

I’m going to compare this against my Marantz NR1402 in the living room. If the 1700 works out, it will be my main receiver and I’ll put the Marantz in the bedroom. I’ll post some of my own opinions later this week.

Wow, so far I am impressed with the AVR 1700. I paid around $300 for mine, and IMO it’s worth every penny. You pick this thing up, and it’s light as can be…I couldn’t believe it.

I use a lot of different reference material for comparisons…both movies and music. For music, there is no question the 1700 sounds better and more “full” than my Marantz NR1402. And the Logic 7 surround mode is awesome as well for music, but I mostly prefer 2-CH stereo.

With movies it’s a lot punchier and lifelike than my Marantz. –Sorry, I’ve been around A/V for some time now, but I don’t really know all the technical jargon. All I know is that the few movies I watched and the hour or so of music I listened to sounded more rich and full than it did with my Marantz on the same 5.1 setup. It sounds like the old HK that I’m familiar with. Even after a few hours of use at moderate volume levels, the 1700 was barely warm to the touch.

Now for the negatives:
Bright power led when on – it’s blinding in a dimly lit room. The volume circle can be dimmed/turned off, but not the power LED. If it was the old soft blue that HK used to use it would be fine, but it’s bright white. Maybe take a blue marker to it? I don’t know what else to do about it…that or electrical tape to cover it.

-No option to change subwoofer crossover level? I see options for subwoofer size, but I don’t know how that correlates with crossover frequency. I'm assuming the "present" subwoofer size option is a bypass and just uses the subwoofer's built-in crossover?

-EzSet/EQ didn’t work properly. It got my crossover frequencies and channel levels down without a hitch, but the measured distances from each speaker to the listening position did not work at all. It left everything at zero. This was easily fixed with a manual adjustment though.

-I don’t see a way without going into the OSD to change the surround mode for whatever source you’re using. On my old AVR247, there were buttons on the remote for each different type of surround. Not the case here.

If you’ve used HK before, this IMO is about the easiest receiver I’ve ever set up. I have not connected it to my network as of yet, and I doubt I will.

Just wanted to share my opinions.

I saw this receiver on sale at BB and got a little excited. It was sold out rather quickly but after a few days of looking on their site it was back and available for pickup in store. So i ordered and went and bought. My first impression was that it was rather light compared to my previous HK's. I immediately had doubt at how good it could be.

I installed my Preference in ceiling speakers and hooked everything up. To my surprise the receiver rocked. It sounds great, very clean and crisp. The networking option and Airplay where a big seller. I have grown to leave system on at all times due to the passby feature not present.

All in all, I'm more than pleased with the receiver.

I am (well, I was until I purchased this AVR) a fan of Harman Kardon gear. This was my third one. It was supposed to replace an old but faithful HK AVR 235. The old one did not have any HDMI inputs or latest decoders. Otherwise I wouldn't have upgraded to AVR 1700.
I purchased it from a brick and mortar store. First feeling after unboxing the receiver is that it is too light. But I have heard that HK is moving towards green hardware, hence the lightness. I thought "well, if it sounds as well as the old AVR 235, this light weight is only a plus". Still, looking at the new AVR left me with an impression that it was some cheap imitation, not the real thing. It looked like an in-store fake i-phone or Bluray player. You know what I am talking about: the empty look-alike shells that stores put on the shelves for loss prevention. The amount I paid for the AVR 1700 told me otherwise - the price was right there on the receipt!
The remote control left me puzzled. No backlighting? It looked like a replica of a replica of my old AVR remote. The AVR back connections look ridiculously simple, almost bare. But after a closer look you notice that everything you would need in a base model AVR is there, except for one or two composite inputs, may be. Some source gear doesn't have HDMI outputs, but still has composite ones. One might argue that composite outputs are obsolete, but the AVR 1700 has analog video plugs, which are even older. But still, this is not a major loss. There are enough HDMI inputs here for a modest home theater installation.
After connecting it I decided to calibrate it. The AVR did an excellent job configuring itself. I connected my XBOX360 and an HD DVR.
The movies and TV broadcasts are fine, except for one very annoying feature. The AVR is supposed to sense what sort of signal it is receiving. It then decides which decoding algorithm to use, then it shows on from panel what the signal is going to be, for example 3/2/0.1 or something like that. This wouldn't be a problem, except my DirectTV receiver transmits a half a second long silence between commercials or TV programs. Now, the AVR itself takes 2 seconds to decide whether it is going to abandon PL 2 (most commercials are) in favor of DOLBY DIGITAL (most new DirectTV movies are - not Blurays though). So, these 2-3 seconds of silence while picture is already moving every 10-15 minutes with messages flickering on AVR front panel are annoying. Still, this is not a biggie. If you watch one long commercial-free movie on a premium channel - HBO for example - or a Bluray movie, this is not a problem at all.
Now for the most important part. Only 20% of my AVR use is video. The remaining 80% is music. Here is my setup. An XBOX360 is connected to a pretty fast PC which acts as storage for music and movies. The XBOX360 is connected to AVR via HDMI. My first attempts to play music are disappointing. Stereo mode sounds like my speakers have been downgraded to a "white van" brand. The lows are missing, the highs are there, but sound like a hornet's nest in a tin can. I switch to a five channel set up. Dolby sounds good, but highs are cut by 40% (I measured at 16kHz). I switch to PL 2. Now the highs are there (still sound unnatural), but the lows are MIA. I have to adjust my subwoofer to +5dB to get an illusion of adequate music. Then, after switching back to movies the extra subwoofer volume shakes the house like an earthquake. I have to remember to re-adjust my speakers every time I listen to music? What sort of upgrade is this?
After all this switching and adjusting I finally got fed up. A question popped up in my head. Is this really an upgrade? On paper (the receipt) it is. In actuality I got a receiver that pretends to be an HK, but most likely isn't (I mean it is sold by the same company, but designed and made god knows where!) I feel embarrassed having had bought it. It produces good treble in one mode, bass in another, cuts off dialog every 15 minutes.
If it cost a hundred bucks it would have been a decent buy for a basement or garage audio set up. But for an HK fan this was a clear and intentional deception. I understand the company needs to conserve costs, but at least some of these saving should be passed on to the consumer. Instead, I was fooled by this "beauty and sound" routine, thinking I will get a decent upgrade to my good old AVR 235 which by that time already had been sold for $79. I called the guy who bought it from me and begged him to sell it back to me for a hundred. He wouldn't hear of it. A smart man.
I came to my senses and returned AVR 1700 after 2 weeks. The brick and mortar store had a special on an elite VSX-53 for only $150 over this inglorious bastard of a receiver. The elite replacement didn't even pretend to be going green (very heavy). The sound was perfect with the same speakers and the sub, I couldn't believe how easy the setup was. One more detail. The elite receiver also did self calibration and found that three of my speakers (the most important ones - L, R and C) were out of phase. It wouldn't continue the calibration until I reversed the connections on those particular speakers. Why couldn't Harman Kardon AVR 1700 tell me this one "minor" detail? The wiring has not changed at all! The elite remote control actually made me proud. It looked and felt like a good remote should, like it was designed by Stephen Hawkins and simplified for all of us mortals by Mr. Neil deGrasse Tyson. This elite AVR had enough substance to pretend to be simple. The Harman Kardon AVR 1700 I wisely returned pretended to be something it will never be - its own much respected back in the days grandfather. I don't know how else to put it!
Anyway, if you want to upgrade your old Harman Kardon AVR just for the sake of upgrade - move on to other AVR makers. Harman Kardon has been too busy installing their best in BMWs, Land Rovers and Mercs. We are not their priority. Its time you grew up. HK isn't what it is used to be, unless all you do with it is watch Blurays all day long. I know I will get blasted by all the satisfied owners. I am happy that their experience was better than mine. Still, I couldn't keep it knowing full well that from an upgrade perspective this AVR 1700 is one step forward and two steps back. I can't imagine one reasonable person who in their right mind will.
Edited by grigorianvlad - 3/19/13 at 11:18am

HK's room correction is awful which may explain your results. Better to configure manually. That said, other brands do offer more these days.

Anyone had issues with low volume when using headphones? I normally listen at -30, but when I plug headphones in (good quality cans, BTW), I have to crank the volume up to almost 0 just to hear what's going on!

I had the same issue. You have to manually adjust the power on delay for the AVR - that's why it's not changing to the correct input.

I have this issue too. I have a WR7 remote and for some reason it inconsistently will not turn off the avr. Will a delay in my macro help this issue? Why does this happen?

Well I gave up.  After talking to HK Technical Support and exchanging the unit for another one (their only suggestion) I have had to accept the fact that the HDMI chipset in this receiver will not communicate with the older HDMI displays that I own.  Nothing would get rid of the handshake issues on this receiver and my displays.  There is an open box unit sitting at the Fry's in Plano, TX if anyone would like to pick one up at a discount.  I didn't even remove the plastic on the faceplate for this second one.

 

On to looking for a receiver that will work.

 

Laters,

Jeff

Why not update the firmware in your displays...

Just my $0.02...

HK "room correction" is not awful. Mine worked very nice in setting up my speakers and sub. It's not as sophisticated as some others but does a decent job.

 

 

Well I would love to do that but they are both already at the latest available.  I thought that perhaps my projector could be updated but it has the latest release on it.  I could also wait until there is a firmware update for the HK but as numerous people have found out, it is just easier to stick with component for the time being.

 

Laters,

Jeff

+1

I've been impressed with the system overall. I run iTunes via AppleTV and the sound quality has been very good in my estimation. I have to admit though, that you have to experiment with the mic position to get decent results when calibrating. The best results I achieved were by putting the mic on a camera tripod and positioning it at the height of my head and distance from the TV were I would normally be sitting. I removed all obstructions, like chairs, tables and such that would be in the line of site of any of the speakers (including sub) to the mic before conducting the test. I think the tripod works the best because if you set the mic on a chair or table or other more "solid" object, I think you run the threat of getting reflective acoustics. Since I've used this method, it pretty accurately detects speaker distances and frequency thresholds for the individual speakers.

BTY, I'm also curious about the "PRESENT" setting on the sub as opposed to the speaker size. Does PRESENT mean the crossover work is done through the sub?

I wonder if HK is using version II of EZSet/EQ like found on the 7550 which I recall being better. Perhaps MCode knows the answer.

Nope...

Just my $0.02...

Wow, these later posts have me really wondering if getting one of these for the "HK sound" is worth it.??? I came close to picking up an AVR 254 for $160 that I saw on craigslist. Then, I saw some 1700's in the $185-$220 range....so, I thought for a little bit more maybe I should go for a newer product? Now I'm thinking of going back to my original plan of finding a good price on a Denon AVR-1712, 1713, 2113CI, 2112CI or even a Onkyo TX-NR709...all with Audyssey MultEQ XT. However, I guess I will have to pay a little more.

Maybe at some point i will try both to see which I like?

I had one, I took it back shortly after I unboxed it. Save you're money and get a quality unit, something that's not available at best buy.. A lot of people emphasize a receivers room correction.. I don't use it and my setup sounds just fine. Well except the center speaker.. It's kind of junky.

Here's the thing...ALL ROOMS ARE DIFFERENT! He who has to equalize the least WINS...in terms of trying to get a balanced and accurate sound around the room. Many home systems are simply ok without proccessing....However have this conversation with a pro audio sound engineer that has to create great sound in different types of rooms, buildings, venues, etc. everyday and he will tell you that speaker placement and DSP are your friend.

In my room I already know that I will want some control over the sub as it will be in the corner. Also, my front can use a little tweeking and my surrounds are a bit close to the rear row vs. the front so.....I really want to see what a powerful advanced room correction tool like Audyssey MultEQ XTcan do. I have read posts over and over and over again about the success many have using some type of DSP unit and measuring software to flatten out the response of their system...ESPECIALLY the BASS.

Well, I've been playing with stereos for a long time, never had an issue with acoustics, or timing.. But hey if it works for you, then great!

He who has to equalize the least WINS!!! I'm sure MOST don't bother with advance DSP however.

Myself, I've spent more money in the last 20 years on car audio than home audio....so naturally I'm more DSP minded. Nevertheless, many home STEREO system do fine with just placing the speakers away from the walls. However, HT can be a challenge with 5-7 speakers and 1-2 subs....IMO level setting is a must as well as time alignement. Then, I think many systems can use some tweeking in the subbass more than anything else because of the room size. Even without fancy DSP software I can play with room placement, level, phase using the Chesky Jazz & Tests Volume 2 CD track # 44 Bass Resonance Test ..(.which is just a close miked upright bass walking solo) and set the bass so that it blends fairly well for most type of material....this has worked for me in the car as well as the home.

So, my thinking is.....why bother with the lower level Audessey products? I can tune a system using basic tools. Therfore, if I'm going to use it i woud rather get a unit with the XT ot XT32 software to see how effective all the R&D really is.

For those with Harmony Remote troubles with this receiver, here's a tip. Mine would not power off unless I pressed "help" and went through the menus until it would send the command again and finally power off. This is a pain to do each time.

Go back into the harmony remote software. Edit the power settings for the AVR-1700. It will ask if there's one button to power the AVR ON and OFF, or if there are two separate buttons. Select the option for two separate buttons. When it asks what button is used to power on the receiver, select "none". You don't need a power on command, because pressing an input button will power on the AVR and switch to that input.

Then when it asks what button is used to power off, use the option that says it requires more than one key sequence to power off. From the drop down menus, first select "Return", and then on the one below it, select "Power Off"

Update the remote and all should be good. It's working fine for me now.

I'd like to add to the above post. I have the WR7 remote and it would turn on my AVR consistently but turn off wouldn't be. I made sure that it was using the separate "off" button from the AVRs remote and this time I put a delay in my macro and added it as the last item turned off. This worked.

Now both on and off macros work beautifully.

Question for you, or anyone else who may see this. I'm in the middle of building my first home theater set up, and the 1700 is my receiver, paired, so far with just 2 front towers (Klipsch Icon 8"). I JUST ordered the sub today, the same one as you have (Klipsch RW-12D) as it's on sale on newegg for $300. I was looking at diagrams of the 1700, and pictures of the 12D, I'm not too sure how these will connect, it looks like the sub has 2 speaker cable channels marked "IN" as well as L and R in barrel plugs, while the receiver has one barrel marked sub out. I'm sure it's simple, but how does that work?

Thanks!

Run a single subwoofer cable from the S/W out on the AVR to the line in RCA connection on the subwoofer

On the sub in question the line in is split left and right, would I go in left?

perfect! thank you!

yes, the other option is a Y cable.

On the sub you can either use a Y split RCA cable or simply go to one channel. If you're using a single, non-split cable, I think most go on the right, but I don't think it really matters. You really don't need a Y split cable though, since the HK only has one channel out. Subs that typically have the right/left in also have right/left out, meaning the sub is doing the crossover work for the rest of your (2 channel) speakers. The AVR 1700 is now doing the crossover work, so you don't even really have to mess with the crossover on most subs unless you want to bypass the reciever's crossover processing.