HK AVR645 / 745 available sometime in June, mine is on order... official thread? - Page 52

Yes. A/V Sync delay is independent for each channel.

J&R sent a replacement unit for my faulty 745. It had been exhibiting random audio cutting out. This new one works without issues and the sound is impressive - exactly like the H/K fans have been saying all along.

J&R has had excellent customer service.

IslandHT

I recieved my 745 a few months back and LOVE IT !! Sound is AWSOME !!

Quick question though ;

We use it to upconvert our crappy 60$ toshiba dvd player and it works perfectly most the time but sometimes we get little green lines that shooting across the screen . I always figured it was just defects in teh disc. Does anybody else get these ?

Wont matter once we get a HD DVD player anyways =)

between fry's floor model avr 745 and a refurb onkyo 605, which one would you pick ? :-)

What is your ultimate goal - sound quality or the new hi-res codes? Do you have an HD DVD player or a Blu-ray player that can send the new hi-res audio formats via bitstream to the receiver? How many new format discs do you own and how many SD DVDs do you own?

If it were me, I would jump all over the Harman Kardon - it is built like a tank and offers sound quality with legacy formats that few can match at the $2000+ range, let alone the price you can pick the floor model up for. I should point out that both my HD DVD and Blu-ray players cannot pass the high rez audio formats via bitstream so having a receiver that has built-in decoding means nothing to me. I also own 600 SD DVDs and feel that the Harman would trounce the Onkyo for legacy DD and DTS playback.

thanks Mark, SQ is more important to me than codes, but I do plan on watching HD DVDs / BR primarly moving forward (just got a 1080p tv). I have a large open multi room living room (500 sqft), so this is seemingly tempting. The fry's floor model though had the door problem on it

So I went to pick up the 745, but didnt, sill not able to make up my mind. The unit would cost $600ish out of the door, and comes with nothing. No remote, no box, no microphone for calibriation, no paperwork, and certainly no wires. What do you think? Im leaning towards the 605 due to this, even though I would prefer the better SQ of HK745...

Buy it from the harman-audio refurb store on ebay instead. Same price, all the goodies.

So the remote/software/mike etc are must haves? I am sooo very tempted to go pick it up at frys for instant gratification ;-) Have it justified as a indian festival gift already!

Btw, I tried to find one on ebay but didnt see a unit listed...

No Brainer...605. Too many problems with the 745.

Hmmm..
Once Toshiba fixed their HDA2 firmware issues my 745 works fine..
Upscaling to 1080 looks superb using HDMI, my only regret is that would like more HDMI inputs..

Only thing that would bother me is the missing mic. If you can get the correct mic from HK for little cost, then I would go for it. If on the other hand, you can get a full refurb or new 745 for $700 or less, then I would go that way.

Would the remote be a non issue? I have the very basic harmony remote (686?), but would I be able to setup/use the unit with it? The mic is $35 from h/k so thats not that big an issue.... (Also, would the mic from other h/k units work?)

I use a URC MX-850 - it has the codes for Harmon receivers. I assume (bad on my part) that most universal remotes are going to have the codes available. I don't know if a different receivers mic is OK, I would not want to chance that (there are differences in mic's in general).

Can anyone speak to if the logictech 686 (the basic model) would be a good enough remote to configure and control the unit? I know that the logitech is prorammeable and typically controlling the unit is not a problem but rather the problem is with using the a-typical remote functions (finding them in the menu).


Anything else I need to watch out for the display unit?

I posted this in its own thread, but got no replies. I didn't post if here because I wanted an objective opinion, but after getting no hits I'll try it. Maybe next time I should do no research and just post a noob question - they seem to elicit responses...anyway, if anyone has any other ideas on comparable AVR's, or if you think I should stick with the Denon, please let me know:

Ok, I have a Denon 3802 that I must admit fits the bill for the most part (you don't know what you are missing until...). However, I really want the lossless audio. I have a 5.1 setup (can't fit my 7.1 in new house) using Pinnacle gold reference speakers and SVS B-12 sub.

I also have 1080i only on my Sammy's HDMI inputs so no need for 1080p pass thru on the AVR.

I'm going to sell my xbox HD DVD addon and get an A2 for the HDMI 5.1 audio.

I'm not going to be upgrading the tv for a few years.

The HK 745 at ~$800 really seems like the best deal out there. I like this AVR over my 3802 or the competition based on:

5.1 PCM over HDMI
EZ/EQ II setup (I have a RS SPL meter)
Better sound / more ooomph (never had a HK but looking forward to it based on all the reading over the years)
Price! HK Flagship....

So before I pull the trigger after my research, I though i'd check and see if anyone has anything that I overlooked. Another AVR (Onkyo 805?) or just stick with the Denon...

Thanks!

As you know, you are asking people who like (for the most part) the HK, so what do you think we will say? There are people who just like the sound signature of specific companies, be that Denon, Pioneer Elite, Onkyo, Yamah, whatever... I think you hit the nail on the head on the good parts of the 745:

5.1 PCM over HDMI
EZ/EQ II setup
Better sound / more ooomph
Price! HK Flagship....

I would add:
(2) independently EQed sub outputs - big plus to me, and the thing that tipped me over the edge into the 745 vs all other options.

Misc cool features: direct IR input - no sticky IR flasher stuck to front face, triggers, etc...

The downsides are:
1080i only (does not appear to be an issue for you now, and even in the future it will not be an issue if you get a different display that has a good de-interlacer in it).
Only two HDMI inputs (biggest potential downside to me is this one - you can get around it with a switcher, but more cost and complication)
Bugs - it has them - it is not 100% bullet proof or perfect, however that is true of every piece of equipment I own - all of them have at least one bug that is annoying me.

I have owned Denon, Pioneer Elite, Lexicon, and HK equipment. The high end Lexicons are the clear winner to me in all areas, but the cost is huge. The Denon was bullet proof, but left me wanting in sound quality. The Elite was OK - not bad at all, but again something was missing.

A lot of this is just personal preference. I think on any receiver the number one thing I would be looking at is -> good room correction/EQ. My room is fully treated, and EQ on vs EQ off is shocking for lack of a better term. Not even close what the EQ does for the sound, could not live without it.

I agree on the personal preference part, and I'm trying to keep my expectations reasonable. But I've heard alot about the EQ in the 745 and it appears by popular opinion to be better than the Audessey. I don't have anything in the 3802 so I'm hopeful to see an improvement, but we will see/hear.

One thing is guaranteed, is that when I tell my wife to listen to the improved sound, she will just roll her eyes and ask "and how much did it cost?".

You mention that your room is fully treated - I assume you mean with traps and such. Do you believe the improvement you see with the EQ is due to the optimal area being available, or would you expect a similar upgrade in room dynamics in a typical untreated room (like mine)?

Thanks for the fb, much appreciated.

I don't want to start some "mine is better than the other guys" thing, it seems so juvenile, but I have heard the Audessey stuff, and I personally prefer the HK Eqing.


Bonus on this one - compare MSRP vs actual paid... Oh, that did not convince her... why does that never work?


Lots of Linacoustic and bass traps. Honestly, I have no idea what the EQing can/will do for an untreated room, it would depend on the specifics of that room. Seems that it could not hurt, and you can always turn it off. I think you might be surprised (or perhaps not, but I was) at how much better DAC's in "non-audiophile" equipment have gotten in the past couple of years. Just that alone should be a step up in sound quality. Of course that is not limited to HK equipment.

Anyone :? :-)

The upscaler on the A2 is far better than that in the AVR. Try it once.

We have tried both but we still prefer the Faroujda in the 745..
However to get the max performance one must go deep into the 745 video setup pages not just the entry page..
Here HK provides access to the registry settings and they can/will make a very visual improvement.

Well, it seems that the refurb's have been hard to find as I've been watching ebay and any other source. Today one came online from the Harmon Audio store and I offered and it was accepted, so after I get it I'll post an impression on the above and overall sound.

If anyone else is still interested and Harmon Audio doesn't have anymore, Vanns.com has a clearance center 745 to be bought. I almost bought it yesterday...


Now that I have a 745 coming, I'd be interested if you believe there are static settings (then you could just post them ), or is every setup different.

Either way, looking forward to replacing the 3802 with the 745! Now I have to go sell my 3802, HD DVD AO, upconverting DVD player...

I've rigged my AVR645 up with an Octava 5X2 HDMI switch to tide me over til next year when I'll upgrade my receiver. What I think I'm trying to accomplish is hooking my HD-DVD (XA2), BD (PS3), and set top box (Comcast) through the 5X2, with one output going to my projector and the other output going to the HDMI 1 input to the 645.

So far so good. I have audio working through the AVR. But here is my question.

My HD DVD and BD decode at the player and then send audio to the AVR (1.1) through the 5X2 (1.3b). Is the AVR passing the true decode? The AVR reports 3/2/1 on the display or sometimes from PS3 games 3/4/1. I'm assuming this is the 5.1 or 7.1 decode, but if the source is set for True HD is it passing through or is it only DD+?

Just to add, I happened to get a PS3 on Friday and watched a BD movie last night. I selected 5.1 uncompressed which I thought would show up as PCM 96kHz but all that showed up on the AVR was PCM 44.1 and the same 3/2/1 or 3/4/1 shows up.

With the PS3, if a movie is playing you can tell what is being sent from the player. Have you tried that and what does it say?

I can try it out later today, how do I check?

While you have your blu-ray movie playing, just press the "select" key on the PS3 controller. Information about the data stream will pop up! You can see it change if you change the settings on the menu - for example going from Dolby digital 5.1 to uncompressed 5.1. you can see the data rate change.

DIY Guy> have you had any issues when connecting HDMI components where the screen washes out pink or red or purple due to YCC colorspace vs. RGB ?

I checked it out and found when the movie was set for DD 5.1 the output was DD 5.1 640Kbs and when switched to uncompressed the stream reported LPCM 5.1 6.83Mbs 48Khz. The 645 agrees.

In the PS3 for sound settings I used the HDMI manual setting to pick all of the decode choices the AVR would potentially process.

No, I haven't had any problems with shifting of the colorspace coordinates.