I just got a Harman Kardon 247 a couple of weeks ago and moved my Onkyo 605 to the bedroom. These are both good entry level receivers, but I think the Harman is a little better in some respects while Onkyo excels in others.
The Harman is easily more powerful although the Onkyo is rated considerably higher. I noticed it right off bat. I had to turn my sub down quite a bit plus it drives my speakers harder. The sound is warmer too...something that many prefer. I have no preference in that regard since I like the sound of my Onkyo just as much. My speakers are a little on the bright side so the warmness of the Harman was the first thing I noticed over the Onkyo, so if you like a warmer sound you will love Harman receivers.
They also look great. Onkyo receivers look good, but Harman's are just plain beautiful. I think that you will like the display a lot better too. My Harman also has pre-outs if I ever decide to go separates. One thing I noticed about the Onkyo is that its video capabilities are better as far upscaling to 720p, but I no longer have a need for that anyway.
Harman has had some bugs in recent generations of receivers, but they've managed to correct them with firmware updates. Fortunately for me I bought a reconditioned unit(I still get the full 1 year warranty) and I believe it has a newer firmware so I haven't experienced any major problems. One thing, and its nothing major, is that I can't do 24p with this receiver. Its capable, but apparently there is a newer firmware that corrects the bug that I'm experiencing. No biggie though.
One other thing that did irritate me quite a bit was the auto calibration. Harman doesn't use Audyssey like Onkyo. The calibration setup was accurate for speaker distance, but it set speaker levels up horribly. I had to manually set them to me liking. The Onkyo was much better with the calibration as it set everything up perfectly for me.
Overall I still give the Harman the edge just for its sheer looks and true power that doesn't distort even at insanely high levels. The newer models have a lot of the newer features if you need them. I have no problem recommending their receivers. There are certainly other options out there, but Harman should definitely be considered. I co-sign the 354 recommendation.
In comparison to Yamaha and Onkyo I think that all three companies make great receivers. All three have distinct sounds with the Yamaha being neutral, Onkyo having a slightly warm and aggressive(I think that's a good way to describe Onkyo), and the Harman being warm and a little laid back. I would suggest that you go to Best Buy or a local mom and pop shop(the better place) and listen to all three brands with speakers that you either own or plan to buy and see which you like with them.
|