Harman Kardon HK-3490

[shailenderb]

Can someone who has used this give me some idea about its overall performance and quality. I would like to pair it with tower speakers. I have 3 or 4 pairs and have to decide which one to use with it.

What is the best price to pay?

Since there is no JBL store in Chennai, I called their Bangalore store and got a quote for Rs. 30K. When I called their Hyderabad store, a girl told me it cannot be less than Rs. 50K. Obviously one of them is totally ignorant and wrong, most probably the Hyderabad girl. This is also available for around Rs. 20K on Shop Your World and also on eBay.in.

I am also ready to take a used piece, if it comes at a good price.

Regds / Shailender

 

[afj]

i owned the hk 3490. i wasnt a big fan of it. its good in some parts and no so good in others. the bass is really tight and excellent sound separation. highs are bright and screechy, the lower mids are muddy. all in all it doesnt put it all together very well. would suggest the likes of the marantz, nad, cambridge. what speakers do you have

 

[shailenderb]

i owned the hk 3490. i wasnt a big fan of it. its good in some parts and no so good in others. the bass is really tight and excellent sound separation. highs are bright and screechy, the lower mids are muddy. all in all it doesnt put it all together very well. would suggest the likes of the marantz, nad, cambridge. what speakers do you have

Thanks for the info. Let me drop it. I have Marantz, Pioneer, JBL and LG - all towers with more than 150 rms power at 8 ohms each.

Regds / Shailender

 

[denom]

Totally agree with the HK3480/90 being rubbish! Extensively heard both & did not like them at all. 1 more irritating about these 'Stereo Receivers' is that you have to crank the vol to -40 to hear anything at all & then towards -10 & less to get any punch. Heavy monsters with all the cool blue light gimmicks but all show no go!
Plus that V-Max!!! Don't get me started on that!

Recently heard a HK6550 amp & man is that a proper amp or what!!! Ancient in today's world but its got balls!

 

[akd]

Totally agree with the HK3480/90 being rubbish! Extensively heard both & did not like them at all. 1 more irritating about these 'Stereo Receivers' is that you have to crank the vol to -40 to hear anything at all & then towards -10 & less to get any punch. Heavy monsters with all the cool blue light gimmicks but all show no go!
Plus that V-Max!!! Don't get me started on that!

Recently heard a HK6550 amp & man is that a proper amp or what!!! Ancient in today's world but its got balls!

I really wonder how easy it is to term something "rubbish", anyway everyone is master of his/her own opinion and it does change...

I have been using HK 3490 with JBL ES80, mainly in vinyl with Project Debut III and sometimes ACDs with CA Azur 650C

application: private listening, digitization of vinyls

what I have found about HK 3490:

the test LPs are MAN MACHINE (KRAFWERK), TUBULAR BELLS (MIKE OLDFIELD) and HUM KISISE KUM NAHEEN (Panchamda)

#its phono stage compares well with the CA 640P (which I sometimes use) but lacks in detail but honestly I don't have a pair of ears to distinguish them
#Bass is deep and not prolonged
#High range is resolved without any distortion
#Instrumental imaging is superb
#a level of -25 dB (with 640P) or -18dB (w/o 640P) is enough to rock the whole house, my observation is if someone needs to play it at -10 dB either its misplaced or something is wrong in that set up
#Technically comparable with most of the mid range amps
#it costs nearly 30K, I got some discount, surely most of you all get the same

but most importantly I trust my ears and they say even at -18 dB sound is so clear and smooth that one will not notice how much power he is pumping

so I am very very satisfied with the whole set up

if you are interested about the performance of CA 650C+HK3490+JBL ES80, then will definitely write................

 

[afj]

I really wonder how easy it is to term something "rubbish", anyway everyone is master of his/her own opinion and it does change...

I have been using HK 3490 with JBL ES80, mainly in vinyl with Project Debut III and sometimes ACDs with CA Azur 650C

application: private listening, digitization of vinyls

what I have found about HK 3490:

the test LPs are MAN MACHINE (KRAFWERK), TUBULAR BELLS (MIKE OLDFIELD) and HUM KISISE KUM NAHEEN (Panchamda)

#its phono stage compares well with the CA 640P (which I sometimes use) but lacks in detail but honestly I don't have a pair of ears to distinguish them
#Bass is deep and not prolonged
#High range is resolved without any distortion
#Instrumental imaging is superb
#a level of -25 dB (with 640P) or -18dB (w/o 640P) is enough to rock the whole house, my observation is if someone needs to play it at -10 dB either its misplaced or something is wrong in that set up
#Technically comparable with most of the mid range amps
#it costs nearly 30K, I got some discount, surely most of you all get the same

but most importantly I trust my ears and they say even at -18 dB sound is so clear and smooth that one will not notice how much power he is pumping

so I am very very satisfied with the whole set up

if you are interested about the performance of CA 650C+HK3490+JBL ES80, then will definitely write................

what other setups have you listened to / comparing the es series to. the es series is one of the muddiest speakers i;ve listened to and the bass is boomy

 

[akd]

what other setups have you listened to / comparing the es series to. the es series is one of the muddiest speakers i;ve listened to and the bass is boomy

well quite a few (probably lesser than you) and never came to any conclusion like you, may be my ears and senses are a touch insensitive, lets not debate over a pair of speakers or an amplifier, most of these (MARANTZ, HARMAN KARDON, DENON, POLK, CA etc.) gears are designed to deliver and each one of them has their own characteristics, if you don't like some of them you need to get along with others

 

[S.P.KRISHNA]

HKs in general pump more bass even at minus levels thereby killing the highs and mids at which frequencies one will get real listening enjoyment. I do not prefer and advise to spend on these amps.

Regards

 

[denom]

Akd,

There is no harm in posting ones views on the gear in question, reference to context, the HK3490 in this thread.
I posted mine & you posted yours. Obviously what I did not like you liked, so there.
What I cannot understand is why take it so personally???
Based on opinions shared only does the OP get a feel on the discussed product. What he does after taking in the views shared here in his business. He may or may not buy it & most probably will have an audition of the discussed product & decide whether it works for him or not.
That to me is what having discussions on various gears on this forum is all about,

Am sorry if you still feel hurt by my views.

 

[akd]

Akd,

There is no harm in posting ones views on the gear in question, reference to context, the HK3490 in this thread.
I posted mine & you posted yours. Obviously what I did not like you liked, so there.
What I cannot understand is why take it so personally???
Based on opinions shared only does the OP get a feel on the discussed product. What he does after taking in the views shared here in his business. He may or may not buy it & most probably will have an audition of the discussed product & decide whether it works for him or not.
That to me is what having discussions on various gears on this forum is all about,

Am sorry if you still feel hurt by my views.

no issue bro, neither I have taken it personally nor you should feel sorry, we all are expressing our listening experience which is supposed to help others thinking of buying some, but failed to understand how such one liner can help someone judging an specialized equipment, please keep it up, I have honestly written what I have heard and I have no special feeling for Harman Kardon

my only suggestion is please listen to them and others and then whichever sounds best to your ears go for it as its not all about brands but its about how it reaches your heart through your ears