Harmon Kardon AVR 147 ?

[tahitijack]

I'm thinking of replacing my 7 year old Yamaha RX-V959 reciever with a Harmon Kardon AVR 147.

While its still performing just fine the Yamaha lacks the features that would make my home theater more unified. The Yamy has just one optical in and no HDMI or DVI jacks. My hi def cable box is connected directly to my 50" plasma for video and audio so while the picture is great the audio from the plasma screen speakers is flat. The cable box has optical out jack but my dvd player's optical out is plugged into the only optical in on the Yamaha. The dvd player is connected directly to the plasma via HDMI while audio is fed to the Yamy by an optical cable. My goal is to move to a new reciever that has integrated in/out for HDMI and 5.1 audio form at least two sources (dvd and cable box). The wife is ok with this but last year we made the move to a custom whole house audio system, and 4 hi def flat panel LCD and Plasma screens in the great room, home theater, master bed room and master bath, a new subwoofer and dvd player in the home theater, cabnets and other odds and ends (over budget). Some of you get the picture.

I think the Harmon Kardon AVR 147 would solve my problems but my concerns are that its way less than the Yamy's 100 watts per channel. At 17' X 20' the home theater is not large. I hope all this make sence if more info is neede let me know. I'm trying to stay at about $400.

Any recommendations would be appreciated.

[L.J.]

You may want to step up to the 247. It's on sale at Best Buy for $425 (a little over budget) but will offer you far greater flexibility than the 147 adding 7.1 MC inputs and 7.1 preouts. I wouldn't worry about the stated WPC. From what I've read, the HK's have plenty of power.

You may also want to take a look at the Onkyo 604 & 605. You may be able to find the 604 for a little over $300. Last I heard, the 605 was available for PHONE preorder at JR.com for $399. The 605 has HDMI 1.3 and can decode the new HD audio formats. This should be available in a few weeks and may be worth the wait and will give you even greater flexibility. Only down side is that the 604/605 doesn't have any preouts.

[tahitijack]

Thanks. I purchased the HK 247 for $425 (thank you). I got it home and left it in the box while I pulled the old Yamaha out and during disconnection I noticed that it actually had 3 optical inputs. So, since i prefer to run video dircectly from the cable box and dvd player to the screen, I decided to keep the Yammy. It also prompted me to get the owners manual out and make a few adjustments that I had been thinking about. So the story ends with the Yammy still at work, save $425 and a better sounding system and a lesson learned....look carefully at what you have and you just may not need that upgrade.

[L.J.]

Thanks. I purchased the HK 247 for $425 (thank you). I got it home and left it in the box while I pulled the old Yamaha out and during disconnection I noticed that it actually had 3 optical inputs. So, since i prefer to run video dircectly from the cable box and dvd player to the screen, I decided to keep the Yammy. It also prompted me to get the owners manual out and make a few adjustments that I had been thinking about. So the story ends with the Yammy still at work, save $425 and a better sounding system and a lesson learned....look carefully at what you have and you just may not need that upgrade.

That's cool! Probably earned yourself some WAF points also

[pixelthis]

If your plasma has an optical out you can plug that into the yammy, you will get sound from whatever hdmi your switched to.
Save you a few cables, anyway

[musicman1999]

You could use your coax inputs.

bill

[tahitijack]

Thanks, Pix, I like your idea. Less wire and what ever is on the screen is in the speakers. I'll spin the thing around this week and have a look. Beautiful logic....