Harman/Kardon CP 35 Home Theater System At A Glance & Ratings

At A Glance: Harman/Kardon HKTS 14 / HKS 4 Speaker System

Subwoofer: SUB-TS14
Connections: Speaker- and line-level inputs, LFE input
Enclosure Type: Vented
Woofer (size in inches, type): 12, paper
Power Rating (watts): 200
Crossover Bypass: Yes
Available Finishes: Silver
Dimensions (H x W x D, inches): 20.5 x 14.5 x 14.5
Weight (pounds): 48
Price: $649 for 5.1 system

These listings are based on the manufacturer's stated specs; the HT Labs box below indicates the gear's performance on our test bench.

Speaker: SAT-TS14
Type: Two-way, satellite
Tweeter (size in inches, type): 0.75, dome
Woofer (size in inches, type): 3, paper (2)
Nominal Impedance (ohms): 8
Recommended Amp Power (watts): 10–120
Available Finishes: Silver
Dimensions (H x W x D, inches): 9.56 x 3.94 x 3.63
Weight (pounds): 2.2
Price: $649 for 5.1 system

Speaker: CEN-TS14
Type: Two-way, center
Tweeter (size in inches, type): 0.75, dome
Woofer (size in inches, type): 3, paper (2)
Nominal Impedance (ohms): 8
Recommended Amp Power (watts): 10–120
Available Finishes: Silver
Dimensions (H x W x D, inches): 4 x 9.5 x 3.63
Weight (pounds): 2.2
Price: $649 for 5.1 system

Speaker: HKS 4
Type: Two-way, satellite
Tweeter (size in inches, type): 0.75, dome
Woofer (size in inches, type): 3, paper (2)
Nominal Impedance (ohms): 8
Recommended Amp Power (watts): 10–120
Available Finishes: Silver
Dimensions (H x W x D, inches): 9.56 x 3.94 x 3.63
Weight (pounds): 2.6
Price: $149 per pair

At A Glance: Harman/Kardon AVR 335 Receiver

Features
Processing Modes: Dolby: Digital 5.1, EX, Pro Logic II and IIx, Virtual Speaker, 3 Stereo, Headphone DTS: DTS, ES Matrix and Discrete, Neo:6 Other: Logic 7, VMAx
THX Certification: No
Audio D/A Converter: 24-bit/192-kilohertz
Number of Amp Channels: 7
Power Rating
(watts per channel): 55
Frequency Response: 10 Hz–130 kHz, +0/–3 dB
Dimensions
(H x W x D, inches): 6.6 x 17.3 x 15
Weight (pounds): 31
Price $799

Connections
Inputs:
Video: component video (2), S-video (5), composite video (5)
Audio: optical digital (4), coaxial digital (4), 7.1-channel analog (1), stereo analog (7), preamp outs (8)
Outputs:
Video: component video (1), S-video (3), composite video (3),
Audio: optical digital (1), coaxial digital (1), stereo analog (3)
Additional:
AM/FM tuner (1/1), multiroom audio outs (2), multiroom IR input (1), remote control in/out (1/1)

These listings are based on the manufacturer's stated specs; the HT Labs box below indicates the gear's performance on our test bench.

At A Glance: Harman/Kardon DVD 31 DVD Player

Features
Compatible Playback Formats: DVD-Audio, DVD, DVD-R/-RW, DVD+R/+RW, CD, CD-R/-RW, videoCD, MP3/WMA, JPEG/Kodak PictureCD
Possible Playback Resolutions: 480p/480i
Built-in Decoding: DVD-Audio/MLP
Video D/A Converter: 10-bit/27 MHz–54 MHz
Audio D/A Converter: 24-bit/192-kHz
Bass Management for
Analog Audio Outs: Yes
Dimensions (H x W x D, inches): 1.94 x 17.3 x 12
Weight (pounds): 7.3
Price: $349

Connections
Inputs:
Video: none
Audio: none
Outputs:
Video: component video (1), S-video (1), composite video (1)
Audio: optical digital (1), coaxial digital (1), 5.1-channel analog (1), stereo analog (1)
Additional:
Remote control in/out (1/1)

Ratings: Harman/Kardon CP 35 Home Theater System

Build Quality: 93
• An attractive aesthetic, with informative front-panel displays that sport an attractive blue backlighting
• The speakers feel sturdy
• The RCP 2's design is top-heavy

Value: 85
• Pricier than most HTIBs but competitively priced versus separately sold components
• Harman/Kardon also offers less expensive prepackaged systems: the $1,399 CP 25 and $1,199 CP 15

Features: 92
• The receiver has HD-capable component video switching and A/V sync delay
• The remote has learning and macro capabilities
• The DVD-Audio player has bass management but no test tones

Performance: 80
• The speaker system is the weak link: Finding a good blend is a challenge, and the subwoofer's bass isn't as prodigious as its size may lead you to believe
• The DVD player has solid detail and film-based processing

Ergonomics: 84
• EzSet+ is simple to use, but you may want to fine-tune the settings
• Limited ability to change the receiver settings via the front panel
• You'll need to experiment with the speakers' placement and crossovers

Overall Rating: 85
Flexibility is the CP 35's greatest strength. Unlike many HTIBs, this home theater system features four distinct Harman/Kardon products, which provides more choices in how you set up and use the gear. With choice comes greater complexity, though, so be prepared to work a little harder.

General Information
CP 35 Home Theater System, $1,899
Harman/Kardon
(516) 255-4545
www.harmankardon.com
Dealer Locator Code HAR

COMPANY INFO
Harman/Kardon
(516) 255-4545
ARTICLE CONTENTS

X