Harman/Kardon | The Biggest Secret in 70s Vintage Hi-Fi

There are still bargains out there in the vintage stereo world! Check out some of these lesser know deals in Harman/Kardon.
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[@AUTISTICLYCAN]

I'm a mid 60's old coot. i REMEMBER the late 1960's early 1970's when Harmon Kardon was IT! Most folk today don't know vintage Harmon Kardon's were top tier luxury items in their day. Upper crust doctors and lawyers sported Harmon Kardon's in their posh living rooms and offices serving well to do private clientele. Harmon Kardon was a luxury brand. I saw my first Harmon Kardon in an ever so posh showroom, replete with listening rooms and plush furniture. A posh place where one "interviewed speakers" before having them delivered. You rarely found high end Harmon Kardon at BEST Products & W Bell and never found them at K-MART or SEARS! Harmon Kardon has always been a rich man's secret pleasure.

[@Roger-r7s]

HK was always at the high end but also rather expensive, definitely not your entry level and budget, but good sounding nonetheless, gear. I think that because so many people were priced out back in the day, they probably dont consider a rebuilt refurbished vintage HK as an option

[@bigcity2085]

@@Roger-r7s That's the thing. you find a nice clean vintage, in my case I plopped down 319.00 plus frt.(1978 Onkyo TX-4500) Then, you eventually need the rebuild , and you are now doubled in price ...so best pick what you want and get it right. And keep it 'til ya die. You may not leave a good lookin' corpse, but you'll leave some decent tunes ..for somebody.

[@altokheim]

Harmon / Kardon was the untold secret of the 70s. I worked in a shop where we sold countless 330b/c, 430, & 730’s. Once people got past a rather plain look compared to the big nameplates of the day, they were hooked on the sound. I remember HK used to advertise how their receivers could pass a near perfect square wave, which traditional amplifiers didn't do as well. That was a large part of the robustness of the twin powered models

[@bigaldallas]

Have HK twin integrated A402. Left channel just went out for 3rd time after servicing 2017. Really?

[@bigcity2085]

In 1975, my college roommate had a nice Pioneer. Him and his friends all said the same thing : "Yeah it's nice, but it's not a Harmon Kardon". Never saw one in the flesh back then..and to this day. They've been "mystical' to me...just because of them. I have a 1978 Onkyo TX-4500. She'll do.

[@raygarafano3633]

HK too nerdy or' plain Jane' looking. Better lookin I guess than a black box.

[@raygarafano3633]

What is the real difference between a transformer w a heavier winding for the 2 amps than two windings for two amps? Ur still going to need two full wave rectifiers and fat Juicy electrolytic caps for smoothing out the a.c. ripple

[@avpro51]

As a student stereo expert in the early 70s I read Julian Hirsch’s review of the HK 930, with virtually no distortion rise at 20hHz, which was typical only of top McIntosh, Marantz, and Sony at that time. I later learned that their Ultra Wideband response was the result of high open loop gain and plenty of global negative feedback! But their units sounded punchy and dished out the current.

[@mikecampbell5856]

In 1984 my wife surprised me with a new 1983 Harman Kardon PM-650 integrated amplifier with a matching TU-610 tuner. They are still in my main system today. I have an HK-3370 receiver and have owned other H/K components and loved them all. The PM-650 has a frequency response of .5HZ to 140KHZ. It has been shown that if an amp only has a frequency response of 20HZ to 20KHZ, phase shift can occur at 40HZ and 10Khz. Wider is always better.

[@markfx12]

I took a drink every time you said 'Harman/Kardon'.😵‍💫 Thanks for the origin story!

[@dosstodd8014]

The H/K 730 is the sweet spot. I sold them back in the mid seventies and can tell the sound quality was unmatched by ANY other brand. And yes, the includes Marantz which we also sold.

[@davejaelynefeetham4593]

I always thought that another reason for twin powered receivers was that if one channel had a more demanding passage of program material such as a cymbal crash or instantaneous heavy deep bass, it did not rob the other channel of the current needed to reproduce those peaks. I guess it avoids robbing Peter to pay Paul. I have to say you are the first person I have heard put the word "and" between Harman/Kardon. We also just referred to them as "HK's".

[@peterpanx1]

Just what I was thinking about the twin powered amplification. A powerful tom (drum) in the left channel doesn't affect the power delivery in the right channel. This ,, even though on paper ,not more wattage per channel compared to a singel powered amp. In reality it's more powerful or dynamic.

[@kukko83]

Incidentally, my first vintage receiver was a Harman/Kardon 330C. Actually, it was my first receiver/amp period. My father bought it new in 1976 here in Finland, and it's still in the family. I grew up listening to it, and thought H/K was THE brand to have. My father's stories about how it was the best his money could by in '76, probably had something to do with it. It got moved into my room when I was a teen, and at some point I started to think that a modern amp would surely be better, right? Wrong! After convincing my dad to buy me some Yamaha AV receiver, I had the feeling that something isn't right. It came time for me to move to my own apartment, and I got rid of the Yamaha. I bought a new Harman/Kardon 2-channel amplifier, and was happy with it for a few years. When it came time to move to a new apartment, I sold the modern H/K and dug out the 330C. I was surprised how good it sounded, and nothing had ever been done to it. This was the beginning of my quest for vintage sound, that like yours, got out of hand and at the point where I had a total of fifteen vintage receivers, I had some explaining to do! At first, I naturally started looking for the H/K's. I went straight for the jugular, and bought a 930. After that a couple of 330Bs, and a couple of 430s. I thought they were the only ones that interested me, because that was the brand I was familiar with. Since then though, I think I've had a kind of falling out with H/K. My faith started faltering with the 330Bs. I just couldn't get into them. The design was clunky, I thought the sound disn't live up to the hype, and I felt them to be unreliable unlike the 330C I was used to. So I got rid of them. They were the pieces that got me started in diagnosing and repairing vintage receivers, so I have to give them that. The 930 was a rush buy, in a time I didn't know what I was buying. It has been somewhat molested, and I felt intimidated by it. I didn't have the confidence to start looking into it, so I put it on a back burner. I've since tried it a couple of times, and I think there is something there. The soundstage truly is bigger than any other unit I have had. I don't think I will part with it, but rather hone my skills some more, and try to tackle the issues at some point. I thought that another Twin Powered H/K would be the ticket, so I bought a 430. I powered it up, and didn't really feel anything. At this point I was manically collecting vintage receivers, so the 430 got sidelined a bit. At some point I stumbled upon another 430, that was in better cosmetical condition than the one I had. I bought it too, believing that I just had to like it because it was a Harman/Kardon! Turns out that I still didn't get what the hype was about. I tried them with speakers like AR-7x and 4xa, and couple of different modern ones. Still nothing. Compared to my other units, they sounded bland and unengaging. I sold both of them to one person, that was looking for them. I still have the 330C, and I won't ever part with it as it has the sentimental aspect attached to it, in addition to the fact that it still sounds good to me for what it is. And like I said, the 930 is some kind of special too. I've gone through most of the brands from the golden age of receivers, and found stuff that engages me more than the H/Ks. The funny thing is, in the beginning of my vintage journey, I thought that I could never get into Yamahas. They looked horrible to me, and the word "clinical sounding" was a negative. Turns out, after subjecting myself to the fabled "warm, tube like sound" with many other brands, I tried a Yamaha. I've been a fan ever since, and it was actually the looks that started growing on me at first. Now I think they are gorgeously clean looking, and sound fantastically uncoloured. Go figure.. Harman/Kardon still has a place in my heart, but I'm happy to leave it as someone elses own secret love.

[@bertroost1675]

A shop near me has a 330B. Your advice would be for me to not purchase it?

[@kukko83]

@@bertroost1675 It depends on so many things. Condition, price etc. And whether you yourself, like it or not. They sound good, but nothing special in my opinion. Also, although I generally like the aesthetics of vintage H/K's, the 330B just looks a bit weird to me.

[@FnDrBLUES]

My first component stereo included a 330C bought through AAFES/Air Base PX with a pair of Dynaco A25's and a DUAL 1019 turntable back in January 1971. I saved gig money and snow shoveling money buy them. I recently bought another restored 330C to rebuild my first system and was not disappointed. I also recently acquired a 730 HK, mind you I have had my Luxman L450 since purchasing it new back in 1981. Sound quality I thoroughly enjoy listening to all 3

[@kkoller8952]

Hi Kevin, I bought my first stereo system from Pacific Stereo back in 1973 when I was a freshman in HS. It consisted of a H/K 230A receiver, BSR turntable, and Audio Design speakers..... that little system was magical to my ears. During College I became a budding audiophile, eventually selling that system and was on my way to an upgrading path, trying to find that magical sound again. After going thru many components and systems and not finding that sound again, I got into vintage audio about 17 year ago! That's were I found that magic again, and even though I have many Marantz, Pioneer, and Sansui receivers none give me that magic more than my collection of H/K receivers, especially the Twin Powers! Another sleeper you might want to do a video on someday is mid to late 70s Technics receivers and amps. Keep these videos going.... these are good education for young audio enthusiasts who didn't live through the GoldeDesign! of audio ! Also FYI a Kenwood 9600 receiver has a dual mono dual power supply design!

[@DTM-Books]

I had a Harmon Kardon 330c for my office job and always loved it. The size was compact, but the sound was larger than life, very confident and strong. This was a decade ago, back when we could score vintage stereo equipment for the price of a sandwich. I believe I gave mine to family as a holiday gift (I owned at least three stereos at one point, going through that hardcore collector's phase that you describe so well). I would very much like to get another one, or possibly one of the larger "twin" models, once my finances are in better shape. Thanks for the excellent video, it's greatly appreciated.

[@michaelwright1602]

I used to drool over the HK gear as a kid, the local hi-fi shop used to sell them. I have never owned one, but will be looking. And then you said this... "I realized something that was going to change my life". The same thing happened to me when I purchased a 1969 Sansui 2000 stereo receiver. That purchase blew me away too, the sound was simply incredible, still is. And, it has sent me down a path I never saw coming, learning how to properly repair vintage audio gear. If you would have told me this two years ago, I would have laughed. Thirty three years as a truck driver, and I am looking to retire soon, and need something to keep me busy, and maybe bring in a few dollars.

[@martygillespie5486]

I’m so delighted to see this post. There are many vintage stereo channels that talk about Pioneer, Kenwood and all the “wattage” they offer. But Harmon Kardon is never mentioned. My first amp was an HK 930. 45 wpc, dual mono. Dual mono is almost a prerequisite for any audiophile grade electronics today, but at the time it was unprecedented. Wonderful sound. Balanced with a full midrange. This was in my youth when electronics were judged by specs not sound, and I didn’t know any better. I made the error of trading in the HK for a 105 wpc Yamaha receiver. BIG mistake. The Yamaha sounded thin and anemic compared to the HK. So glad you are bringing knowledge of this little mentioned brand to a wider audience.

[@len9518]

It's Harman-Kardon, not Harman and Kardon. I agree they were very high quality. Also, HK went back even further, way back to the 50's. You've got a lot to learn. I do like your thoughts on straight 2 channel stereo.

[@joanfrellburg4901]

It breaks my ears every time he said Harmon & Kardon. LOL Guess I'm old.

[@frankstephenson1746]

The 800 quads are my favourite. The 730 has better bottom push, but the character of a quad is just pure fun.

[@JerryPemberton]

I have the HK 730 and it is a wonder. It's rated at 45wpc, but I've seen people measure them at actual 55wpc. HK is known to have been quite conservative in their watts per channel measurements. But man, the sound is almost perfect with my KLH Model 23's.

[@j.patrickmoore9137]

Bought my 930 in 1973, my first receiver, still have it. Interestingly, it also has separate tone controls for each channel, a feature rarely mentioned, although I almost always run with the tone defeat button engaged. At one point, I picked up a floor demo of a Phase Linear 700 (350 watts/channel) and used the preamp-out jacks to drive it. What I noticed was that the noise floor of the Phade Linear was noticeably higher than the amp in the receiver. The lower noise is one aspect that really made the amplifier in the receiver sound so much clearer. Back in the early 70's, amplifier power ratings were really a "wild west" situation, with different types of ratings that could greatly inflate an amplifier's advertised watts. HK took the conservative route, not only RMS @ 20-20k, but @1-100k with the same THD. If I recall correctly, their advertising said that the 930 would have been rated at least 65 watts per channel by methods that competitors used. Sometimes I look back at the wattage wars of the 70's and chuckle a bit, inasmuch as the way that human hearing works, to produce twice the sound level, you need 10 times the power. So, to get twice the volume of a 30 watt amplifier, you need 300 watts. You would never know that by reading the advertising for stereo equipment back in the day. One thing that HK did that really sucked was their efforts at four channel systems, they ended up being quite unreliable, which was really unfortunate. I still recall their advertising for one of their cassette decks. They were touting the heads they used on their deck, more accurate sound than the ones that their competitors used, but the ones competitors used lasted a lot longer. Their take on it was, when the heads wear out, replace them.

[@larrydaniels8976]

I, too, had my 930 in 1973. It was a dear friend for many decades. It had it's demise in 2004 due to a sketchy power grid in So. Fla. How I wish that I still had it today. I was able to offer this receiver and the beautiful walnut case to the highest bidder on eBay, I'm sure it is in perfect shape today and is delivering silent power with the awesome unlimited bandwidth to it's lucky new owner. In '73, I also had a Techniques SL 1100A turntable matched with the system, another righteous buy. I sold this turntable and I have longed for it's return since. I do still have the speakers that brought the music to life in this trio of components. They sound more precious now than when I bought them (used) 52 years ago!

[@newriverratsam]

Well, cat's outta the bag now.🐱 My first REAL piece of audio equipment was in '78.....H/K 430. Over the years I went through a lot of components. About 3 years ago I found a pristine, one owner H/K 730. I'm pretty sure that's the last power source for my vinyl I'll ever need. Man, it's sweet!

[@johnnytoobad7785]

Your obsession with 70's-HiFi was a "healthy addiction" that lead to a very cool business. You're lucky you had an understanding soul-mate. My college roommate had a HK-1000k Cassette Deck that he loved.

[@lornemccauley6409]

I had a 630 for 20 + years. Nothing could touch it for power per "stated" wattage. I used the Pre-In-Out to test various power amps. It had no trouble keeping up with 100W power amps. Plus it sounded great. Smooth and clean. I've had 2 different HK integrated amps since and they both had issues and didn't sound good at all.

[@r2creatives]

my dad bought a harman kardon three thirty nocturne in 1970 when he returned from Vietnam. I took it over in the '80s when I was in my teens. It stayed with my dad when I moved out. A few years ago he ask me if I wanted it... of course I took it, had it serviced and now it sits in my office hooked to a turntable and still sounds amazing 50+ years later. Thanks for the video Kevin.

[@stevenjosephs9]

Nocturne ???

[@stevenjosephs9]

Black faceplate

[@r2creatives]

@@stevenjosephs9 yes

[@MrDoneboy]

Kevin, I'm 62 YO. Why am I remembering that Everything was better, in the 70's-80's...Especially Audio.

[@insolentstickleback3266]

I Picked up a 330b in 1998 I always thought it sounded fantastic, then I found a very nice 730 for $350.00. This 730 will slap the stink out of most of those "Popular," high power units. It is like the Rocky Balboa of receivers. Incredible sound, with more than enough power.

[@joeygonzo]

hell of a deal. Better sound signature than big amps like Adcom at that

[@robertbrown2395]

Factz. 😂

[@_Peremalfait]

I still have my hk350i receiver and an hk 720 turntable from the early 80s. They are still going strong. Picking up a Harmon/Kardon receiver for 30 dollars was a steal.

[@TheDesertRoseRanch]

It was a mid 70's H/K receiver that made me catch the audiophile fever. Been chasing my tail ever since.

[@scottdavis0801]

My 1st setup was Harmon Kardon 330b receiver, Epi M100 speakers, and a Pioneer Pl-50 turntable. Luscious sound!!!

[@psychrocklive]

I just picked up a H/K 230e and I cannot believe the power behind it. At just 15 watts per channel it runs almost all of my speakers great, including my Mach 1s (at moderate volumes). Really sweet sounding tiny receiver, with a cool design. Looking forward to hearing more of their stuff as I find it.

[@ethimself5064]

Ya, most people don't know now power works. And back in the day RMS ruled as well as lotsa head room.

[@TorontoJon]

One of my H/K units is a H/K 230e too with its cool design of the AM/FM tuner being visible on top and from the front. Plus, the green lighting of the tuner section is very cool. :)

[@envirogeekyyc]

Great little receiver, my wife’s first system. No problem filling up a studio apartment.

[@dogrady17]

1975. My first system. HK 330B paired with Advent speakers. Unbelievably good. HK is still going strong 49 years later.

[@zx7gp]

I just got a 430 for 100 bucks in beautiful shape. I am so impressed with the sound. Bumping my Sansui G G8000 out for awhile. Too fun to listen to.

[@t-mar9275]

When I seriously got into stereo equipment in the early 1970s Harman/Kardon was viewed (locally) as a gateway brand to true hi-fidelity. It was considered a step up from the popular, Japanese, consumer grade electronics but more affordable than brands such as Accuphase, Crown, McIntosh, Phase Linear, etc. They had a reputation as an innovator and provider of excellent value. Part of the appeal was that they were more exclusive than a Kenwood, Pioneer, Sony or Technics. Distribution was more limited, so you typically had to seek out a dealer, usually travelling to bigger cities. When you did, the dealers generally also carried more esoteric brands, so there was also the prestige by association factor. I bought my mother a 330A. which I've since inherited and it was still in good working order when I last tried it. Being an owner of a Citation 16 and Rabco ST-7, I'm looking foward to future H/K installments.

[@stevefoster2700]

Another great video Kevin. A bit of history...I believe Harman and Kardon invented the receiver. They took a tuner, a preamp, and an amp and said, "What if we put this all in one box?" One of my first "projects" was a 730 twin. DLucy was my guide through troubleshooting and a recap. Big shout out to him! I also modded the phono preamp to the RIAA curve from the CCIR that was in the original design. Information is out there for those interested. Since I now knew the unit so well, I picked up another 730 for some restoration and sold it. The buyer negotiated a bit less than my asking price. When he got home and heard the 730 on his system he sent me the balance of my price. He couldn't believe the punch compared to his Pioneer SX-950. The Twin Powered punch way above their rated wattage. And I do agree with you that the twin is not a tube sound. I've also picked up a 330c on your recommendation from another video and am enjoying it's smooth sound. Thanks again for the video. I have mixed feelings about your next H/K instalment. This was supposed to be a secret ;)

[@MarvinHartmann452]

Very interesting story. And yes, everyone have a story similar to this. The story of electronic equipment was also on point. I would have loved a story of the separate H/K because they had very good pieces, as you said, another time. It's true, they're very easy to work on.

[@zoomustard]

Great video. Had a 930 in the seventies and hands down was the best sounding receiver of the day. If it was 90 WPC, I'd probably still have it.

[@tallpaull9367]

Everything has improved, evolved and simplified to the point that we now have things like the Fosi V3 Mono amps. Small, simple, efficient, and sound great too

[@tedrubinstein2003]

Wow! I bought a 730 back in about 1977 and when comparing to to Pioneer, Technics, Marantz, and others the 730 always had the best clarity and defiantly best stereo separation out of all of them even though the Marantz had that soothe sound from what I remember. 20 years after I bought it, a channel got fuzzy, repaired it, fuzz came back a month later. I may have to take it to a better shop and get her revived.

[@timothywettlaufer8107]

I too bought my 730 in about 1977. Use it to this day.

[@rotaxtwin]

Interesting that you mentioned the 330B and it's capacitor coupled output as having a possible tube sound - I have said this myself recently. I recapped a 330B that a friend gave me and with the miniaturization of capacitors over the years I could have put a much larger value in place on the outputs, however I left it at the original values. I think the sound has a certain charm to it with a little bit of bottom-end roll off. Incidentally, all the original capacitors were in very good shape and the re-capping was largely unnecessary. This same friend gave me a non-functioning 730B and yes, it is a beast. It is beautiful to work on, the power amp modules slide out off connectors along with their heat sinks. These were the golden years of consumer electronics - quality wise anyway. They were not cheap.

[@jimpinkowski3394]

The best I ever had was a Harmon Kardon HK505 Integrated Amplifier, which is DC direct coupled for the lows and ultra high speed (1uS Slew rate) for diamond clarity in the highs! When an amp can go from 0V output to V-Max in just a microsecond, the sonic benefits are astonishing. And the direct DC coupled bass response can reach into the 0-10 Hz range which your subwoofer will absolutely love. Try one out with a Deutch Grammaphone 4D recording digitized at the mic to eliminate line loss and you'll swear your hearing a live performance!!! I would love to get my hands on another one!!!

[@bigcity2085]

My college roommate in 1975 had a nice Pioneer ...him and all his buddies had the same line about it. "Yeah, it's nice, but it's not a Harmon Kardon."(?) Never saw one. Now i have a 1978 Onkyo TX- 4500.(and a spare TX 2500mkII that my 92 yr. old painter mom uses in her studio). It's all ya need. Spent 319.00 for the 4500 and that again getting re-capped and dialed in. The 2500, 30 bucks, cleaned her up myself. She's pretty with her gold lights. I really like your show. Glad you're here. Thanks.

[@srtamplification]

The dual power supply goes far beyond the channel separation/isolation. If a two channels share the same power supply, you could have high low-frequency content on one channel that really draws on the power supply and sags the output of the other channel. By putting a beefy power supply on each channel, you prevent that from happening.

[@davidtester8358]

MY first receiver was a 330i 1983 and still to this day awesome untouchable all the way around until I went back to what I grew up on which was my older brothers vintage Sansui 551 but still have both Great to hear your vintage stories thank you! DT

[@jasonp.2234]

I picked up an HK 930 with the wood case a few months ago. My friend recapped the preamp section and adjusted voltages etc. and i must say that it is a wonderful unit. I drive a set Infinity 7 Kappa with it and it does a very good job on those power hungry speakers.

[@oransands]

My dad and I built the H/K Citation I/ II and III units. Incredible specs and sound. Sadly sold them to pay the mortgage during the recession.

[@CraigHollabaugh]

Ah, the origin story. You have very understanding wife. I, like you, love the HK gear I have. Thanks Skylabs with a special thank you to Mrs Skylabs. See ya next Sunday.

[@skylabsaudio]

Thank you kindly!

[@johndrx165]

I just bought a 430 twin that was in pretty good condition externally with most lights working, but rough internally. I cleaned it up, replaced the fuses and cleaned the switches/pots. I got sound through aux, but pops after a while. I had to buy new screws. I then bought the incandescent lights and quality re-cap kit. It is at my tech now. Looking forward to the finished product!

[@bigme75201]

My first vintage piece was a HK 330B, I was helping someone clean up move some stuff in their garage, and it was sitting there in a corner. I made an offer and they told me to take it. I cleaned it up and aside from a few burned out bulbs it works great and sounds great. Since then I've added a 730 Twin Power and it is like the 330's big hulking brother, it sounds fantastic and it gets loud and doesn't get sloppy at near ear bleeding volumes.

[@JerryPemberton]

Another under-the-radar amp/receiver to check out is the 1980s Nakamichi series of amps/receivers known as the Stasi series. Nakamichi licensed the Stasis designed from the now legendary Nelson Pass. Nakamichi that isn't cassette decks? Really? Yes! This series is incredible sounding.

[@dhpbear2]

The first Harmon/Kardon I was familiar with was an 'all-in-one' system including turntable, tuner and speakers, back in 1969. back then, I thought its price of $400.00 was outrageous! Granted I was 13 years old then.

[@rotaxtwin]

Yeah, that was a lot of money. I was given a tube AM/FM clock radio from a lady who says she was angry with her husband for buying it 1967 for $72.95 while she was in the hospital giving birth to their daughter. Said it was roughly the same as their monthly rent.

[@ericschwartzberg5083]

Great review of Harmon/Kardon receivers. Back in the 90s I owned Citation 2 amp CJ pv5 pre and Magnepan MG 2 bs. I miss that system. As a kid my first real receiver was A Sherwood s 7900a best sounding receiver I owned .I do not understand way Sherwood is overlooked by all collectors.

[@skylabsaudio]

Thanks for watching!

[@raymondgarafano8604]

I bought a great system in 81 but in March 23 I bought an sx650, that is what got me into vintage stereo, so impressed I bought the 750, 850- and 950. I was and am very impressed w Pioneer.

[@paulhackney3184]

love your videos. I know this is about Harman/Kardon but I purchased a Sherwood 7100a a couple of months ago at a garage sale for $25. Just hooked it up and wow it sounds fantastic with my hpm 100s. I did some research and you can still find these for a low price. This is a real sleeper. thanks again for you videos, vintage does sound better, much better!

[@williamdenton5716]

Hilarious !! When you talked about going thru a vintage audio buying phase, and having a living room full of Hi-Fi gear.... I'm currently moving into my 3rd house in 3 years because I ran out of room in the first 2 !! 😊 Vintage Speakers are HUGE !! I began with an MCS, then Carver, JVC, Kenwood, Yamaha, Technics, Pioneer.... Like you said, if I saw it, I bought it... lol

[@jeffbrooke4892]

Yes, Harmon Kardon made gear right up there with Fisher and Marantz and, dare say, McIntosh in the early 60s. Their tube gear is highly regarded today. And they made some very interesting solid state equipment too. I would like to hear your opinion on early Dynaco solid state., one of America's "gateway drugs" into getting high on hifi. Thanks for another great video and I look forward to watching more programs on Harmon Kardon!

[@MarvinHartmann452]

Yeah, that would be interesting. I know they're capacitor coupled, but I never had one.

[@pgrens]

Very similar story to mine. It was a Marantz 2220B that flipped the switch for me. I had started out with a black plastic Pioneer basic A/V unit with phono from the early/mid '90s (Best Buy grade), then a silver/gray plastic JVC that was a little better. Eventually I stumbled into the 2220B. What a revelation. The Pioneer and JVC produced sound, but the Marantz made it sound like music. Always wanted to have a go with one of those twin-powered H/K 430s. The power button on its own is just so cool. Cheers from Chicago

[@danniielle]

I've been a big fan of Harman Kardon for several decades now. I particularly like their 80s era equipment. The HK CD491 cassette deck is, in many people's opinion, myself included, one of the best cassette decks ever made by ANY manufacturer. I own one along with two Nakamichi decks and the HK is my main recording deck. I use the Naks mainly for playback. I also recently purchased a HK 590i stereo receiver and it is a superb piece of HiFi audio engineering,

[@garygraham2513]

In 1971 I was stationed at Fort Meade, Maryland and living in the barracks. The only place I could listen to music was at the base library. They had a Harman/Karden/Altec Lansing "suitcase" style player. I was stunned at how good that thing was. I tried really hard to get them to sell it to me... but they wouldn't. I regret that they wouldn't to this day!

[@Stevepsych22]

In the mid-70s when all of my friends and I were saving our bucks to buy a nice system, we all knew that the Harmon-Kardon's were the best receivers (330s) but could break down to buy one because of our vanity. We thought they were so ugly. They were pretty minimimalist in their appearance compared to the "bells and whistles" of the Marantz, Kenwood, Pioneer stereo receivers. So we knew they were great but couldn't stomach their looks. Now, were wiser and love 'em. I have two HKs. Thanks for the video

[@muffelbuffel7836]

My setup. HK330C, fully serviced and recaped by good EE (my friend). HP-LP filter sub - speaker/HK330C. The HK330C is really good, but I can promise that it really sounds top notch if it doesn't have to work with sub-bass frequencies. I have two subwoofers that take care of everything below 80 Hz, so the HK330C doesn't have to work with that. Speaker 8 Ohm, 92 dB sensitivity. Works really well. SPL is absolutely enough then. For ultimate "HighEnd". Measure with microphone and set FR. That in itself has nothing to do with the set up itself, but it made the absolute biggest difference. The FR in the sub-bass area was terrible, despite the good subwoofer. EQ makes the absolute biggest difference

[@strix-nebulosa]

When I was a teenager (70s), I had a Harman/Kardon 430. Fantasic receiver. Also, their name is Harman Kardon, no "and"

[@EfficientRVer]

I had a 330 as a teen, and you're right about the name. Another one that drives me crazy, is a friend who would say "Hewlett and Packard". Yes, there were guys with those two names, but no "and" in the brand name.

[@fujirama]

Great Vid again brother. smoothest voice... i am now hooked too on vintage Audio. aloha and mahalo from Honolulu

[@kevinfestner6126]

Shhhh, I have a secret about Lafayette receivers, the 9090 and the dB120. The former was built by setton, the latter by luxman. Keep it between us, these are still great bargains.

[@apathyfilms]

For a few years my main living room rig was a Harman Kardon 930 pushing a pair of Wharfedale Lintons. I loved the sound, but I knew the H/K and Lintons both leaned warm. So I used that 930 for partial trade on a Rega Elex-r, which I knew would be much more “energetic.” Well, it is much more energetic and honestly, the pairing is great. But not a day goes by that I don’t wish I’d kept that 930. Because I still miss that warm, delicious sweetness, and the red, glowing power switch. If you get a chance to buy a 930 - do it! I’ve owned vintage receivers from Pioneer, Kenwood and Sony. And heard them extensively from Marantz, Sansui, Technics, etc. That 930 is right at the top for best sounding. And for best looking, that’s personal. I think it has a Clockwork Orange mid-century modern vibe that I love. I even had the walnut cabinet with it that was in great condition. I am an IDIOT!!!

[@apathyfilms]

Not to say I regret the Rega Elex-r - quite opposite in fact. It is an exceptional integrated amp, and I like the fact that it has no built in DAC or anything else digital. I think it’s the last of its kind, a 100% UK built, fully analog, integrated amplifier that really could be future proof. They’re starting to be found for lower and lower prices, so when it hits your price, buy one. Its sound has changed my life.

[@kurtwolf5373]

I bought a brand new HK 330C in 1975. I still own it and adore it. It was eventually replaced with an n a d 3020. NAD WAS SOLD. The Harman kardon remains out of the system but often used as a backup when replacing some of my really high-end gear. Of all the components I've bought. Which include vtl monoblocks, octave audio tube amp and the sansui BA 5000, COMPLETELY refurbished and in mint condition. But I will never ever sell my HK 330c... My favorite piece of all time.

[@MrKeithsplace]

I still got my Vector Research VA-1400 integrated amp, wouldn’t trade or sell it at any price, it’s a beast. Clean and powerful, just keeps on astounding, when I’m serious about listening to music, it’s my go to. I even as a final check on studio, live mixes, or video’s with music, it’s the best test of a good mix, as you hear everything real world. That’s after headphones, studio monitors, decent PC speakers. When it sounds right through the VR and a selection of speakers, it’s right.

[@rottenanimal619]

I bought a Harman/Kardon 430 new in the late 70's. I still have it and it's like new.

[@MarkRDKing]

my girlfriend, my wife at the time...."she's the same person"😂😂😂made my day

[@blue-sc1se]

Twin power H/K receivers had the ability to reproduce a square wave perfectly. It is said that is the true measure of an amplifier's ability to deliver music harmonics, which contributes to true music reproduction. Also, those dual power supplies were able to easily reach peak power output throughout the entire frequency range, thus giving the performance of higher wattage rated competitors. At least that is what I remember from my time on the sales floor. I owned a 430 and later a 330i. Best sound for the money around.

[@luminiferous1960]

FYI - Square waves contain only odd order harmonics whereas voices and music generate even and odd harmonics. A test waveform which generates both even and odd harmonics is the periodic ramp waveform (aka the sawtooth waveform). The reproduction of excellent square waves with sharp rising and falling edges and no droop in between demonstrates the amplifier's wide frequency bandwidth with very little amplitude variation and phase shifting of the harmonics over that bandwidth, which is a necessary but not sufficient condition for the accurate reproduction of the higher harmonics in music and vocals. Another necessary condition is accurate linearity of the amplifier. Amplitude variations in the audio signal will exhibit a spread in the spectrum (spectral regrowth) as a result of nonlinearities in the amplifier. These new spectral components cause distortion (harmonic distortion and intermodulation distortion) and are generated by the nonlinearities of the amplifier. This is why the specifications and measurement of total harmonic distortion and intermodulation distortion are also important for assessing an amplifier's fidelity. Distortion is generally measured using sinusoidal waves. The most common parameter for distortion is total harmonic distortion plus noise (THD+N). It is usually measured by inputting a sine wave, notch filtering the output, and comparing the ratio between the output signal with and without the sine wave. A meaningful measurement of THD+N must include the bandwidth of the measurement. This measurement includes effects from ground loop power line hum, high-frequency interference, intermodulation distortion between these tones and the fundamental, and so on, in addition to harmonic distortion. For psychoacoustic measurements, a weighting curve is applied such as A-weighting or ITU-R BS.468, which is intended to accentuate what is most audible to the human ear, contributing to a more accurate measurement. A-weighting is a rough way to estimate the frequency sensitivity of every persons' ears since it doesn't take into account the nonlinear behavior of the ear. The loudness model proposed by Zwicker includes these complexities. The model is described in the German standard DIN45631. For a given input frequency and amplitude, THD+N is reciprocal to SINAD, provided that both measurements are made over the same bandwidth.

[@blue-sc1se]

@@luminiferous1960 Uuhh... Thanks, I think. Being neither an Audiophile or a tech, that was the best explanation I remembered from 40+ years ago.😁

[@don1165]

The 630 and the 930 were out in 1975 - earlier seventies -- then the 430 and 730 came out in 1976. (I bought a 430 new in Jan of 1978) The 430 was a good one - nice amp (though FM tuner was average) Nice look - a bit different. So just want to be clear -- this is two series (not one) The 630 and 930 first -- then the 430 and 730. Also I had no issue with the 430 -- pretty solid. (Light bulbs went out maybe) I moved on (and up a bit) with Tandberg- which I still have - but nothing wrong with these H-Ks

[@AlexAtArt]

I was going to post about the same thing. 730 replaced 930 as a new top-of-the-line receiver. People are still debating which one is better. I still have a 930, which I bought second-hand in the 80's. I was using it on a second system until recently, but now It would need servicing.

[@robertgriffin7569]

Always loved HK's quality of sound, even the spartan look was cool by me. l had one in HS in the 70's@ 25 watts per channel, cant recall the model anymore, that sounded really amazing, coupled to a technic's turntable..sl 23, l believe.. thru wharfdale mach 7's, when they first were offered, 1980 ish. Funny since then... l've had stuff rated at 100+ watts/ channel, with an equalizer in line that didnt sound much better. lol. Love your channel..thank you.. ✌️❤️😁

[@alsayre3]

Absolutely LOVE my 330A. Got it for $40, in brand new condition. She’s a real beaut. I’m a radio guy and this has an excellent tuner!

[@RonSiwicki]

The HK 630 and 930 passed the square wave test put on by an engineer from the distributor. Other brands do not have the bandwidth so the wave was distorted. HK was we considered the best fidelity of our brands we sold.

[@mikemagures4979]

I have a Harmon Karden 440VXI receiver that I bought new; I injoy that little guy as much today as I did the day I got it. I am looking at some vintage HK lately.

[@Willdo7474]

I'm working on repairing a 670 receiver right now. It will be my first repair job, both amp boards were out and I now have the left channel up and working! I'm waiting on some resistors to get the right changed going and I can't wait to get it all together.

[@armanddimeo6575]

I bought a H/K receiver in 1979. I can't remember the model number. It was decent sounding and sounded better than the Pioneer receiver I had previously. I would also not describe the sound as tube-like. It was a bit on the dry, analytical side but basically neutral. Unfortunately, the unit had some reliability issues. The H/K cassette deck I bought at the same time had even more reliability problems.

[@ForeverAnalog]

Great video. Vintage HKs are so great, especially the twin powered models!

[@SuperPanzon1]

I really enjoyed your vid on vintage HK amplifiers. My Dad was a avid audio file and had a vacuum tube HK amplifier with a separate tuner. The amplifier had a brushed copper face and a red power button. You had to wait for the tubes to power up. I don't know what year it was made. Knowing my Father I'm sure it was state of the art for its time. His setup at that time was an AR speaker, records were mono then and a Garrard turntable. The stylus was probably a Stanton. Thanks again

[@leonarddaneman810]

Harman/Kardon was one of the pioneers of receivers along with HH Scott, Fisher, and Marantz. The Twin Power line is remarkable. My only Harman/Kardon is their swan song, the Zed/Steve Mantz designed Citation, their smaller 5.1 (not the bar speakers, the amp). This 5-channel amp bridges into 300wpc. This was the END FOR HARMAN/KARDON, being bought out by Madrigal and the surprisingly-priced Citations conflicting with Proceed and other 'high-end' amplifiers in the lineup. It is on the level with a Parasound HALO, but at half the price. I bought the Citation 5.1 as a 'brick with a click' and spent $450 overhauling it. It was just too unique an amplifier to end up in the scrap bin.

[@drmbgls1]

I understand where you're coming from as far as small wattage amps. I just picked up a Scott R-306 15wt receiver for free and hooked it up to a pair of Jamo Cornet 35 speakers. I am so impressed with the sound coming out of this system. I can't turn it up halfway and it's loud, and pumps out a lot of bass.

[@stepheneson4107]

As I watched your excellent video, I asked myself "Where are they today?" I confess that other than seeing the brand in a few models of upscale cars, I hadn't kept track. They're not an independent subsidiary of Samsung, and have amassed a pretty impressive stable of brands under their umbrella: AKG, Crown, JBL, Mark levinson, dbx, Infinity, and a couple of others. That's pretty good company to be associated with!

[@rkmklz7562]

I had Hardin Kardin...the one with the kicker...made in the 1970s and 1980s...I had this receiver that is the one you are showing..it was powerful the kicker was fantastic...I turned it up it blew the speakers....I got new ones...what a sound it made.....two years ago I got the studio 7 and 8 party centera...they too have good sound like my old receiver did...Hardin Kardin is my favorite Brand

[@Sauersinger]

What hurts Harman Kardon are the looks that is it. All the big name 70's receivers are mostly popular due to their looks. They draw you in. And they of course sound great, but Marantz, Sansui, Pioneer are the big three because they are the best looking units out there.

[@Sunnbobb]

Really enjoyed this one. For a brief period in the 70's, I worked for Speaker Factory near Seattle, A knock off of Speakerlab. We sold Harmon Kardons. Now, I would love to hear a deep dive video on Phase Linear...

[@VB-bk1lh]

I've owned a 330C, and Twin Power 630 and 730 over the years, but my favorite was the 560, which put out 40wpc. It came out in 1978/79 or so. Its the one I'll likely never sell. Its been able to drive many speakers which so many others had trouble with and make them sound good doing it. I also own a Citation 17 preamp matched to a Citation 19 amp, at 100 wpc. Its been one of my main combos now for 30 years or so.

[@thechuckster1971]

I just bought a 430 twin power tonight. And am really liking the Harman Kardon. I picked this over a really nice sansui 2000 and I am confident I made the right choice. The sansui was cheaper. But further away.

[@williampalchak7574]

A 40+ year old HK amp has been the backbone of my system to this day. Even use it daily to drive the home theatre. Have the paired tuner as well. It's only ever needed some dashpot oil.

[@jaywillin]

I have aa 330c, it blows my Pioneer sx580 away, , and I actually like the looks, it's "McIntosh" green

[@johnsmallberries3476]

I have an HK 230e and I freaking LOVE that little receiver. I bought one on 12/26/78 and still have the receipt.

[@tracymitchell1811]

Still have my 1977 H/K Citation Receiver, clean TOTL. Still a pleasure to hear. Paired with Dahlquist 20i. If you have not heard this unit look one up, one of the most impressive Harman/Kardons ever produced. Only 750 units made with military spec parts.

[@1945d18]

330 A was my first receiver back in the 70s still have it and it’s my backup for my marantz. Fired it up yesterday and still sounds great.

[@ufarkingicehole]

The H/k citation line (1-24 to include 7.1) are FANTASTIC and hangs with "hi end" amps made today. Had the 730+ twin power and its fantastic as well

[@truckinforjesus]

Kevin! You're killing me man! Release this video AFTER I get a 730 😉 lol!

[@mikehartmann5187]

I had an all Harmon/Kardon system I purchased in the 1980’s. I had a T45 turntable. I sold that (and regretted it), a PM640 amp which I still own, but about 2 years ago, it developed a distortion issue and I believe it needs to be recapped. I still own the TU910 Tuner though I’m not using it at this time. And I had the CD391 tape deck. The tape deck, I loved it, but it didn’t love me. It broke 3 times and after the third time I sold it for parts. Despite the unreliable tape deck, I have a soft spot for Harmon Kardon of the old days. Personally, the styling of the ‘70’s gear doesn’t do anything for me. Thanks for the vid

[@spacemissing]

H/K is a 'magic brand', isn't it? As for secrets, it sort of was one even in the 1970s. My dad liked it before I knew what audio was, and my late teens were graced with the use of a 330B. I now own three of those. And I have a 630 that has been in storage for ages. I need to get it out and make it sing again. This is still my favourite "ordinary" name in electronics.

[@DougLucy]

Great video and good handling of the second and third generation of HK's solid state receivers. Thanks for the shout out.

[@skylabsaudio]

Hey Doug! Thanks for those excellent AK deep dives you did! Really appreciate it. I found out at age 50 its not Harman "and" Kardon... didn't even realise I was saying it, but some of the veiwers just love to let me know! Glad you were able to look passed it =)

[@davidwell686]

I've been trying to get a HK330C for a few years. Limited myself to CL and FBMP. Well..tonight was the night! $125.00 plus a set of Polk speakers. 1 hour drive and pick up in the morning. The only issue was no response for 2 hours from seller...then wham! He apologized for not responding due to work and said he had a lot of interest but I was the first guy. Should be a good weekend!!

[@goodun2974]

My dad had a tube type Harmon/Kardon integrated amp when I was a kid, using 7408 tubes (similar to 6V6's) for outputs. I recapped it around 1970-71when I was 12/13. Had a Garrard record changer with it; I listened to that system with headphones a lot (my folks wouldn't tolerate rock n roll through the speakers). Ive been repairing auio gear for over 50 years now; collectors should be aware that the classic solidstate receivers are known for noisy, intermittent switches and controls that don't clean up reliably.

[@thomasdix8453]

Great review, Kevin. Always loved H/K products.

[@markgoodrich1968]

In the late seventies I had a 430 with JBL 166 speakers. It sounded great with plenty of punch in the bass.

[@dirkbusche54]

Great video. My first excellent Receiver was in the mid70s the twin powered HK 630 for 990 Deutschmarks, feeding the JBL Decade 19 Loudspeakers. Thanks for remembering this audio adventure.

[@prestige2000rider]

That whole series was the very best of H/K . Their Citation 16/ A was one of the best power amplifiers you could buy at any price !

[@TheBaldBeaner]

Addiction you say? List of vintage gear- Speakers - Design Acoustics D-6 Dcm cx-27 Wharfdale e-50 Pioneer cs-77 Pioneer cs-88 Sansui sp-3500 Wharfdale 304 Lahti of an arbor U2 - baby speakers, very rare. Receivers - Marantz 2230 Pioneer sx-535 Harmon Kardon 330a Harmon Kardon 330b Harmon Kardon 330c Sony str-6036a Yamaha cr-420 Cassettes - Marantz SD-3000 Nakamichi bx-125 Akai Equalizers - Marantz - eq-140 Pioneer sg-540 Audiosource EQ Kenwood ge-1100 ADC soundshaper - ss-115 Realistic model 31 Marantz eq-130 - needs fixed Turntable - Thorsen 165c Dual - 1225

[@bradatherton9369]

My dad had the HK 430A that he handed down to my older brother. A couple years later someone down the street gave me a Marantz SR-2325 and that's when the competition really started. I can't believe the wall between our rooms is still standing...