Harman Kardon AVR2600 7.1 Channel Home Theater Receiver - Product Review

The Harman Kardon AVR2600 7.1 Channel Home Theater Receiver provides practical audio/video features, as well as good performance, in an affordable package. With built-in HDMI 3D pass-through compatibility, analog to HDMI video conversion and 1080p upscaling, on-board Dolby TrueHD, DTS-HD Master Audio decoders, iPod connectivity (via optional dock), and an automatic speaker setup system, the AVR2600 is worth consideration. After reading this review, also check out my Photo Profile and Video Performance Tests.

The features of the AVR2600 include:

1. The AVR2600 is a 7.1 channel home theater receiver delivering 65 Watts into each of 7 channels at .07% THD.

2. Audio Decoding: Dolby Digital Plus and TrueHD, DTS-HD, Dolby Digital 5.1/EX/Pro logic IIx, DTS 5.1/ES, 96/24, Neo:6.

3. Additional Audio Processing Options: Harman Kardon Logic7, Dolby Volume.

4. Audio Inputs (Analog): 6 Stereo Analog, 1 One set of 7.1 Channel Analog Audio inputs.

5. Audio Inputs (Digital - Excluding HDMI): 3 Digital Optical, 3 Digital Coaxial.

6. Audio Outputs (Excluding HDMI): 2 Sets - Analog Stereo, 1 Digital Coaxial, 1 Subwoofer Pre-out, 1 Headphone output.

7. Speaker connections options for Surround Back or Powered Zone 2 speakers provided.

8. Video Inputs: 4 HDMI ver 1.4a (3D pass through/Audio Return Channel capable), 2 Component, 5 Composite. One set of AV inputs mounted on front panel.

9. Video Ouputs: 1 HDMI, 1 Component Video, 2 Composite Video.

10. Analog to HDMI video conversion (480i to 480p) and upscaling from 480p to 1080p using Faroudja DCDi Cinema processing. HDMI pass-through of native 1080p and 3D signals.

11. Inclusion of Harman Kardon EzSet/EQ™ system automatic speaker setup system.

12. 40 Preset AM/FM Tuner. Sirius Satellite Radio via Optional Tuner/Antenna.

13. iPod/iPhone connectivity/control connectivity available via optional docking station (The Bridge III). Rear mounted docking port connection.

14. USB port for firmware updates.

15. Wireless remote and full color onscreen menu system.

16. User Manual and Full Color Quick Setup Guide.

The AVR2600 allows for the connection and operation of a 2nd Zone. This allows a second source signal to speakers or a separate audio system in another location. This is not the same as just connecting additional speakers and placing them in another room.

The Zone 2 function allows control of either the same, or separate, source than the one being listened to in the main room, in another location. For example, the user can be watching a Blu-ray Disc or DVD movie with surround sound in the main room, while someone else can listen to a CD player in another, at the same time. Both the Blu-ray Disc or DVD player and CD player are connected to the same Receiver, but are accessed and controlled separately using the same main Receiver.

3D Compatibility

The Harman Kardon AVR2600 is 3D Compatible. What this means is that this receiver will HDMI will detect 3D source signals automatically and pass them through to a 3D-enabled TV without further processing.

Hardware Used

The additional home theater hardware used in this review included:

Home Theater Receivers: Onkyo TX-SR705, Onkyo TX-NR708 (on review loan).

Blu-ray Disc Player: OPPO BDP-83 Universal Player (BD/DVD/CD/SACD/DVD-Audio)

DVD Player: OPPO DV-980H.

Loudspeaker/Subwoofer System 1 (7.1 channels): 2 Klipsch F-2's, 2 Klipsch B-3s, Klipsch C-2 Center , 2 Polk R300s, Klipsch Synergy Sub10.

Loudspeaker/Subwoofer System 2 (5.1 channels): EMP Tek E5Ci center channel speaker, four E5Bi compact bookshelf speakers for left and right main and surrounds, and an ES10i 100 watt powered subwoofer.

Loudspeaker/Subwoofer System 3 (5.1 channels): Pioneer SP-C21 center channel speaker, SP-BS41-LR bookshelf satellite speakers, and SW-8 Powered Subwoofer (on review loan)

TV/Monitors: A Westinghouse Digital LVM-37w3 1080p LCD Monitor.

DVDO EDGE Video Scaler used for baseline video upscaling comparisons.

Audio/Video connections made with Accell, Interconnect cables. 16 Gauge Speaker Wire used. High Speed HDMI Cables provided by Atlona for this review.

Level checks made using a Radio Shack Sound Level Meter

Software Used

2D Blu-ray Discs: Across The Universe, Avatar, Hairspray, Iron Man 1&2, Kick Ass, Percy Jackson and The Olympians: The Lightning Thief, Shakira - Oral Fixation Tour, Sherlock Holmes, The Expendables, The Dark Knight, Tropic Thunder, and Transporter 3

Standard DVDs used included scenes from the following: The Cave, House of the Flying Daggers, Kill Bill - Vol 1/2, Kingdom of Heaven (Director's Cut), Lord of Rings Trilogy, Master and Commander, Outlander, U571, and V For Vendetta.

CDs: Al Stewart - Sparks of Ancient Light, Beatles - LOVE, Blue Man Group - The Complex, Joshua Bell - Bernstein - West Side Story Suite, Eric Kunzel - 1812 Overture, HEART - Dreamboat Annie, Lisa Loeb - Firecracker, Nora Jones - Come Away With Me, Sade - Soldier of Love.

DVD-Audio discs included: Queen - Night At The Opera/The Game, Eagles - Hotel California, and Medeski, Martin, and Wood - Uninvisible, Sheila Nicholls - Wake.

SACD discs used included: Pink Floyd - Dark Side Of The Moon, Steely Dan - Gaucho, The Who - Tommy.

Audio Performance

The AVR2600 has a well-laid out rear connection panel, making it easy to connect components and speakers. Using both analog and digital audio sources, the AVR2600, in both 5.1, and 7.1 channel configurations, delivered an excellent surround image.

The AVR2600 is robust over long listening sessions. Harman Kardon is very conservative with its stated amplifier ratings. While many manufacturers tout high power output, often they are measured when only running one or two channels during the measuring process. On the other hand, Harman Kardon takes its output measured with all channels running.

This receiver also provides a clean signal via the direct 5.1 analog audio inputs from Blu-ray sources in addition to the HDMI and Digital Optical/Coaxial audio connection options. I fed both uncompressed two and multi-channel PCM signals from the OPPO BDP-83, as well as undecoded bitstream output via HDMI and Digital Optical/Coaxial to get a comparison between externally processed audio signals and the internal audio processing of the AVR2600.

Proceed to Page 2: Logic7, Zone2 Operation, Video Performance, and Final Take