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2 weeks ago I bought a used '78 Yamaha CR-620 receiver after reading the good reviews of owners. While I was waiting for delivery of the Yami I came across and purchased a '79 Harman Kardon HK670 receiver and Technics D2 turntable. Long story short the HK-670 outpreformed the CR-620 across the board. As I understand it the 670 was HK's top receiver from '79-'81 and it performs like it. I have read that this receiver, when new outpreformed the Citation series before it. Plus it cleaned up beautifully and has a gorgeous vintage moderm look.
From hearing and seeing this receiver I'm now a believer in quality vintage gear for music!
As it turns out I just swapped the Yami locally for a '79 HK-505 integrated amp from the same model run as the receiver. Now I have the 670 receiver and 505 integrated amp. The 505 has the same transformer, power supply, and amp as the 670 w/ the addition of pre in/power out. The 505 sound better though, than the 670 w/ a clearer, more detailed presentation, not that the 670 was bad at all. The sound of the HK670 receiver was the reason I aquired the HK505 amp. Both amps have been re-aligned so I'm guessing the 505 may have a better preamp, or maybe because the transformer doesn't have to feed the tuner section of the 670. I'm really not sure why.
Now I'm on the hunt for the matching HK-500 tuner. I'm assumig it has the same tuner section, or better, as the 670's which is impressive. I love the look of the HK670 receiver, and like the narrower 17" width of the 505/500 so it will fit on my small Target rack. I haven't had HK since my Citation 11 preamp that I bought new in '71 and gave to my bro in '76. Now I love these vintage Harman Kardon products again.
I'm keeping both the receiver and amp! Hopefully the tuner too.
Mike
Follow Ups:
I've had a similar experience. Was using a Yamaha CR-820 and never really liked the sound. Ended up (via eBay) with the hk500/505 combination -- love the sound! Nice balance, detail. Used with KEF 401/2 (hard to drive at 4ohm) and now with small JBL monitors - the hk has no problem with either pair. hk500 tuner sounds superb to me, especially as I bought it for around 30 bucks. I've seen other hk500 tuners lanquish with no bids at around $30-40 on eBay. highly recommended. Also, I noted a hk505 went for $154 recently.
Seems like many folks revere the earlier 430/730 receivers -- i don't know, I also own two 630s and find the hk505 far superior.
there were a series of posts on that amp, long ago. I searched it.
Reason is that someone I know got one given to him, but the Indian giver took it back. Son of my friend. Son ended up getting a 5.1 HK receiver, so he gave it back to friend's coworker.
The amp is pretty good, per review, but some felt it over bright and harsh sounding.
I have recently gotten a vintage old SS Denon PMA 300V amp, 55 w/ch, for a friend. Sounds very sweet, very cheeep. Better ones go a bit more.
On the contrary, the HK-670 and HK-505 are anything but bright. The Yamaha CR-620 I traded away was bright and thin. I've used this receiver and amp with JBL horn hoaded monitors and high end speakers and it just sound big, smooth and creamy, warm, musical, with good detail to be involving. It is really amazing how a high-end modern speakers compliments the vintage Harman Kardon units. They remind me of my AES/Cary tube amp, with not quite the refinement and soundstage of tubes, but still tube-like.
They sound just right for me and that is why I bought the integrated amp after having the receiver. I believe these late '70 early '80 amps is the end of HK great amps.
Mike
I never got over to help them analyze the unit before the kid bought the HK receiver. So, I never heard anything. Oh, well.
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