Harman/Kardon would rather make no amplifier at all than build one that is weak. Hence, their home cinema receivers traditionally had a tad fewer features and functions than the competition. In this way, a larger part of the budget could be spent on a good sound.
Harman Kardon AVR 3700
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Sound Quality - 80%80%
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Features - 80%80%
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Ease of Use - 85%85%
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Build Quality - 85%85%
SUMMARY
Harman Kardon AVR 3700 is a receiver that captivates with action films. But it does have its flaws.
Powerful audio.
Wifi.
AirPlay.
Slightly pompous bass.
Sluggish operation when streaming.
No phono input.
AVR 3700, by contrast, has the same level of functionality as its competitors. It has built-in wifi and network streaming through both DLNA and AirPlay.
The OSD menu is simple and easy to read, with slightly more color than the Pioneer.
What I do not like is the remote control button placement and functionality. For example, you have to press the "AVR" button to enter the setup menu. Pressing the "Menu" button and nothing happens ... This unit also reacts a bit slow when using the remote. It's very annoying when maneuvering in long lists of songs and artists on the network. There's an app for smart phones and tablets for that purpose, but it does not get better using it. You must use the virtual arrow keys to scroll through the music, instead of scrolling up and down with bars on the touch screen.
However, it is nice to note that the AVR 3700 has got a multichannel preamplifier, which its predecessor lacked. It is handy to have if you want to expand with more power later on.
Sound Quality
The sound effects are really massive and solid during the bombardment of Tony Stark’s home in ‘Iron Man 3‘. Although not quite the same amount of testosterone than with the Sony, but H/K has just as much gunpowder as Onkyo and Pioneer. It may sound a little sharp in the treble when the glass shatters and gunshots slams hard at high volume.
In the movie, the dialogue is crisper than with Onkyo and voices are reproduced with great fullness in the lower midrange and bass frequencies, which gives us a "larger-than-life" feel. The sound stage still generally feels a bit smaller hovering around us compared to Onkyo and Pioneer.
Over to the music. Piano sounds more rounded than the Onkyo and Pioneer and I would have liked a little more dynamics at the top. Bjørn Johan Muris and Tomine Harkets voices are a little tighter in the “Dele alla ord og tankar” on the Norwegian ‘Hoff Ensemble’s’ classic jazz album ‘Quiet Winter Night‘, both Onkyo and Pioneer separated them better. The bass is also rounder and more brusque with H/K.
It seems that the EZSet/EQ room correction is not as precise as that of the others, especially the subwoofer is more subdued with H/K. It sounds very heavy with rock and electronic music, but the lowest keys of a grand piano is not entirely natural .
Conclusion
Harman Kardon AVR 3700 really entertains when you watch action movies and listen to rock/metal and electronic music. Sound pressure and bas pressure is more important than being overly accurate when you want to be entertained. H/K AVR 3700 can be a bit aggressive in the harmonics of intense scenes and bass instruments like bass guitar and the lowest octaves of a grand piano is a bit pompous. But it never sounds boring!
Ease of use is fair, even if we do not like the remote. The "Menu" button should open the right menu - no one will understand that the menu system is accessed with the "AVR" button. The remote app gives a better overview. Streaming of music does not work well because it is hard to browse the music library. It may be solved with AirPlay.
GET IT ON eBay!
- FEATURES
- SPecIFICATIONS
- IN ThE bOX
• 125 watts per channel
• Eight HDMI inputs with 3D and Audio Return Channel including one on the front panel, and two HDMI outputs
• 7.2-channel surround sound
• Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD Master Audio decoding
• Multizone functionality • Built-in Wi-Fi and AirPlay audio streaming
• DLNA Certified® 1.5 connectivity
• High-definition user interface
• 4K video pass-through and scaling
• Full preamp outputs for use with external power amplifiers
• Complete Zone 2 audio system with remote control
• EzSet/EQ™ technology maximizes sonic performance
• Free downloadable control applications for smartphones and tablets with iOS software and Android application
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