[kaimaikid]

Has anyone had any experience with the Harman Kardon HK980 Integrated amp?


I am seriously considering ditching my Yamaha RX-A710 HT amp for a 2 channel high current integrated amp for mainly music which ranges from smooth jazz to hard rock.


The speakers I am running are Image 411's


The Yammy seems to lack it when it comes to great male vocalists likes of Jimmy Barnes, Eddie Vedder etc etc.


I know I could do better but am on a very tight budget and the HK980 seems to have bang for buck.


Any advice appreciated - cheers

 

[arnyk]



Quote:
Originally Posted by kaimaikid  /t/1421587/has-anyone-had-any-experience-with-the-harman-kardon-hk980-integrated-amp#post_22245076


Has anyone had any experience with the Harman Kardon HK980 Integrated amp?

I am seriously considering ditching my Yamaha RX-A710 HT amp for a 2 channel high current integrated amp for mainly music which ranges from smooth jazz to hard rock.

The speakers I am running are Image 411's

The Yammy seems to lack it when it comes to great male vocalists likes of Jimmy Barnes, Eddie Vedder etc etc.

I know I could do better but am on a very tight budget and the HK980 seems to have bang for buck.

Any advice appreciated - cheers

A different amp is probably not going to give you anything but a psychological advantage.


If the Image 400s are well-designed, they aren't stressing your amp.


If vocals lack punch and clarity, consider a subwoofer or room treatments.


Just because the Image 400s are floor standers, doesn't mean that they are handling deep bass as well as a good subwoofer would or that the deep bass they are now handling isn't affecting the lower midrange and upper bass. Your AVR has bass management which can give a strong sonic advantage if you explit it. Be sure to get a good subwoofer with at least a 12" driver.

 

[kaimaikid]

Thanks Arnold for the reply.


This is the speaker specs.


System type: 2.5-way, rear ported

HF driver: Morel 28mm soft dome

Bass/mid driver: Morel 14cm DPC cone

Bass driver: Morel 14cm DPC cone

Room response: 40Hz-22kHz

Sensitivity: 89dB/1 watt

Power rating: 140 watts

Impedance: 6 ohms nominal

Crossover: 280Hz and 2800Hz

Dimensions(cm): 87 x 16 x 22 (h x w x d)


I have noticed a big difference when they are bi-amped using the front and rear terminals, to me it sounds like the RX-A710 may be lacking some current - I believe the Yammy is 35amps vs the HK at 80 amps.


Its not bass that is the problem but rather a slight distortion as songs like Porcupine Tree - Even Less and Acoustic Alchemy - Mr Chow for example has very deep bass guitar and it handles that rather well, it seems to be a problem when I am playing hard rock where things are a little more cluttered as in a couple of lead guitars, male vocals, bass guitar, rhythm guitar and drums etc all happening at once that I notice it to be lacking punch almost as if I'm pushing the amp to its limits at mid volumes where as at low volumes it sounds ok.


It to me appears in the upper bass - lower mids where it is lacking or possibly distorting.


I do have a 10" sub (Polk Audio PSW110))

 

[arnyk]



Quote:
Originally Posted by kaimaikid  /t/1421587/has-anyone-had-any-experience-with-the-harman-kardon-hk980-integrated-amp#post_22246460


Thanks Arnold for the reply.

This is the speaker specs.

System type: 2.5-way, rear ported

HF driver: Morel 28mm soft dome

Bass/mid driver: Morel 14cm DPC cone

Bass driver: Morel 14cm DPC cone

Room response: 40Hz-22kHz

Sensitivity: 89dB/1 watt

Power rating: 140 watts

Impedance: 6 ohms nominal

Crossover: 280Hz and 2800Hz

Dimensions(cm): 87 x 16 x 22 (h x w x d)

Seems like nothing out of the ordinary as speaker loads go.

Quote:
I have noticed a big difference when they are bi-amped using the front and rear terminals, to me it sounds like the RX-A710 may be lacking some current - I believe the Yammy is 35amps vs the HK at 80 amps.

To put either of those numbers into perspective, delivering 140 watts into 6 ohms requires less than 7 amps peak. If we presumed a reactive load with a phase angle of 45 degrees, the peak current would still be under 10 amps. Therefore 35 amps is vast overkill.

Quote:
Its not bass that is the problem but rather a slight distortion as songs like Porcupine Tree - Even Less and Acoustic Alchemy - Mr Chow for example has very deep bass guitar and it handles that rather well, it seems to be a problem when I am playing hard rock where things are a little more cluttered as in a couple of lead guitars, male vocals, bass guitar, rhythm guitar and drums etc all happening at once that I notice it to be lacking punch almost as if I'm pushing the amp to its limits at mid volumes where as at low volumes it sounds ok.

Do you know the actual peak voltage that you are delivering to your speakers?

Quote:
It to me appears in the upper bass - lower mids where it is lacking or possibly distorting.

Are you sure that the amplifier is distorting, or is there a possibility that the problem is in your speakers or your ears?

Quote:
I do have a 10" sub (Polk Audio PSW110))

If you are using your receivers bass management, then the sub takes some load off. Your subwoofer is marginal if you like to play things loud.

 

[kaimaikid]

I have had a play with the equalizer settings in the amp, gone back to bi-amping and moved the speakers into a bit more free air which has improved things a lot so looks like a bit of fiddling may get things how I want them.


As for the distortion its probably my ears as I do suffer a little industrial deafness.