Hi-Fi: Harman Kardon HK 970 Amplifier – 53

I like to keep up with modern trends. I’ve had my iPod now for over a year, have a wireless network between my Mac and laptop, while my home theatre is a sophisticated installation with 6.1 speakers and a nice high-resolution projector. It’s all good fun, of course, but do you know what? I spend most of my inside leisure time listening to good, old fashioned two channel audio. It’s making a comeback – overseas hi-fi magazines are gleefully reporting that interest in things two-channel is definitely on the increase. While vinyl – that most ancient of music formats – is undergoing a renaissance that has confounded those who thought it dead as a dodo, especially after the emergence of the compact disc, MP3 and other formats.

So, I must admit to being quite curious when asked to review Harman Kardon’s HK 970 Integrated amplifier. I also thought it would be refreshing after the seemingly endless run of home theatre receivers I’ve reviewed lately. My first impressions were definitely positive; the carton needed a bit of elbow grease to lift, it had a decent remote control and the now distinctive-yet-comely Harman Kardon family styling.

It’s rated at 80wpc and the use of quality discrete components in the HK 970′s circuitry allow an extremely high current capability for those with low-impedance loudspeakers, while an unusually ultra-wide bandwidth of 10hz – 150 kHz is perfect for high-resolution audio sources such as SACD and DVD-Audio. It has five line level inputs as well as a decent moving magnet phono stage, a headphone output and pre-outs for those wanting to add an external power amp, while those wanting music in another room are catered for with a second set of speaker outputs.

On paper it looked like being a strong performer, so for a few weeks in September I had the job of putting the HK 970 through its paces. The CD player was my well-loved Jungson Moon Harbour 24/96 HDCD player, while cables were Nordost’s Super Flatline Mk2 for the speakers and Solar Wind interconnect.

Replacing my 250wpc amplifier with one that has only 80wpc may seem like trading in your V8 for a Toyota Avensis, but the high current capabilities of the HK 970 made the switch less painful than I’d expected and the sound quality was generally of a high order.

Playing Beck’s newie The Information showed the HK 970 to be informative and rhythmic – bass lines were easy to follow, while the bass in general was well extended and tight. Upper frequencies in songs such as ‘Soldier Jane’ were sweet and free from harshness. It’s a refined sound and, although not overly detailed, had a real swing to it that captured the fun of the music.

Prince’s funk trip has been a bit hit and miss over the years, but there is usually at least one gem on every CD that justifies the purchase. 3121 is his latest effort and here I found the HK gave an insightful portrayal of the Purple One’s groove. Vocals, once again, had a sweetness to them and the timbre of the analogue-sounding synths made for a fatigue-free listen.

I finished off with One Giant Leap, the world music epic of a few years ago and I thought the politeness of the HK 970 made the sound somewhat recessed, although the soulful vocal rendition and excellent rhythmic timing of the amplifier more than made up for this aspect of the performance on offer.

GARY PEARCE

Harman Kardon HK 970 Amplifier $999

Contact: harmankardon@soundgroup.co.nz

SPECIFICATIONS

- 80 watts per channel (8 Ohms)
- HCC – High instantaneous current capability
- Ultra-wide bandwidth
- Low negative feedback
- Discrete component circuitry
- Sophisticated electronic protection circuitry
- Pre-Out for external power amplifier
- Independent remote control
- Bass and treble control
- Source direct function
- Dimensions: 439 x 110 x 395mm (WxHxD)
- Weight: 10.35 kg

PROS

Solid, mature sound quality.
Built well and has a phono stage built in

CONS

A bit polite, but this can mean you’ll be able to listen for long periods of time

VERDICT

An all-rounder that will shine in most systems. Use a brighter source and speakers to bring the polite HK 970 out of its shell

Aesthetics: 90%
Performance: 88%
Features: 88%
Functionality: 90%
Price Value: 90%

Overall: 89%