What is going on here?

[eroom1369]

I have a Harman Kardon HK-3480 receiver, that I'm quite disappointed with. I'm using it as a bedroom 2 channel only set-up. I purchased this based on the good reviews, bang for the buck. This receiver is weak!! I don't know if there is something wrong with it or what. I have it hooked up to a set of JBL northridge floorstanders, and it will not push them. I have had this thing turned nearly all the way up, and it's sort of loud, but no where even close to as a loud as my old JVC rx-317 could go. I couldn't even turn that low end receiver past half, or my windows would be shaking. Could I be doing something wrong here or what? I don't get it. I'm using gold plated banana's with 12 gauge Monster Cable. I'm stunned.

[gonefishin]

Welcome to the world of today's HT receivers. I've been under whelmed by most offerings by Sony, Harmon Kardon, and Denon receivers. I'm sure the list would be larger if I had direct experience with some of the others.

If you've got this set-up for a 2 channel music listening set-up. I would suggest looking at some other budget performers such as NAD amplifiers. They're a nice sound decently built amplifier that can drive many loads. Now...as for CD players...after owning two NAD cd players...I would suggest you look at other places for your CD needs.

take care,

dan

[matt39]

Assuming everything is connected correctly the HK3480 should drive your speakers very well. If it's not doing so then there must be something wrong with it. I think either an exchange for a properly functioning unit or a warranty repair seems indicated. Good luck.

[thepogue]

there no way you should even come close to crankin' her all the way up...sounds like a problem!! If shes new...take her back........pronto!!

Peace, Pogue

[J*E*Cole]

Your receiver and speakers are both products of Harman Audio and should match almost perfectly. The fact that you couldn't turn your old receiver up past half is a testament to it's inferiority. I'll bet you can turn the HK up all the way or close with little or no distortion. Remember HK uses TRUE number ratings with regards to watts per channel and so on, so if your old receiver was say, 100 wpc and your new HK is only 65, well that's 65 TRUE watts, not like the 100 rated watts in this example.

[kexodusc]

Yeah, that H/K receiver by NO means should have any problem getting loud at even 1/2 the power and should easily out-muscle any JVC receivers by a good margin...

There's something wrong here...something VERY wrong...double check all connectioins, make sure the binding posts were wound shut and no plastic caps were in the banana plug holes (often there is)...if your these are all fine, then you just got a lemon - H/K's product quality has improved a lot in the last 2 or 3 years, you don't hear nearly as many issues as before, it happens to all manufacturers.

[shokhead]

Welcome to the world of today's HT receivers. I've been under whelmed by most offerings by Sony, Harmon Kardon, and Denon receivers. I'm sure the list would be larger if I had direct experience with some of the others.

If you've got this set-up for a 2 channel music listening set-up. I would suggest looking at some other budget performers such as NAD amplifiers. They're a nice sound decently built amplifier that can drive many loads. Now...as for CD players...after owning two NAD cd players...I would suggest you look at other places for your CD needs.

take care,

dan

I've been underwhelmed by most offerings by Sony,HK and Denon. I'm sure the list would be larger. Please,give us all a break. Geez. I know,BMW and MB are just like a VW bug to you. Give him a simple answer like recheck all connection and go through the menu again.

[Mr Peabody]

I agree that the solution is probably just an oversite of some kind. It sounds like possibly the volume may be turned low in the setup menu for the mains or maybe the speakers are hooked to the wrong set of connectors.

[shokhead]

Maybe even mute.

[Kursun]

I have a Harman Kardon HK-3480 receiver, that I'm quite disappointed with. I'm using it as a bedroom 2 channel only set-up. I purchased this based on the good reviews, bang for the buck. This receiver is weak!! I don't know if there is something wrong with it or what. I have it hooked up to a set of JBL northridge floorstanders, and it will not push them. I have had this thing turned nearly all the way up, and it's sort of loud, but no where even close to as a loud as my old JVC rx-317 could go. I couldn't even turn that low end receiver past half, or my windows would be shaking. Could I be doing something wrong here or what? I don't get it. I'm using gold plated banana's with 12 gauge Monster Cable. I'm stunned.

Don't judge an amplifier by the position of its volume control while producing a certain level of sound. Back in the old days most amplifiers produced their maximum sound with the volume control set to 12 o'clock. Now most amplifiers produce their maximum sound with its volume control set to max. It's just that the philosophy of how a volume control should act has changed.

It's not the position of the volume control but the cleanness of sound that counts.

[shokhead]

I never use the knob on my receiver.

[Mr Peabody]

Oh my gosh, the ole mute button. I was laying in bed one night listening to my headphones and I usually don't listen very loud because Sennheisers leak sound pretty bad but a good song came on and I hit volume up and nothing happened. After running a couple of troubleshooting senarios through my mind and ruling them out I, obviously without thinking, hit the mute button and those headphones went flying, instinct took over I guess and I could throw them off a lot quicker than finding the volume and turning it down. Nothing like a burst of full volume all at once.

The mute button is a good thought because some equipment have a variable mute where the muting can be from 100% up to only 50%. My TV mute button when hit once lowers the volume about half and again is total mute. My processor offers the variable mute.