Receivers

Harman/Kardon AVR 630

Build Quality: 91
• With holes at the top and sides, it's the best ventilated in the roundup
• It's nice to find a detachable power cord at this street price

Value: 95
• When you look at the specs and features on paper, the value proposition seems iffy
• When you look at the street price, your attitude changes dramatically

Features: 90
• There's no room EQ, component-out conversion, or digital interface for SACD and DVD-Audio
• You do get basic auto setup and Logic 7

Performance: 89
• Better dynamics than expected from a receiver that's rated at 75 watts per channel
• Turn it up all the way, and it doesn't turn nasty

Ergonomics: 90
• Few receivers are this easy to set up
• The EzSet routine doesn't require an SPL mic or meter

Overall Rating: 91
Pioneering use of remote-driven auto setup and competitive pricing make the AVR 630 easy to set up and easy to afford.