Harman Kardon PM665
The Harman Kardon PM665 is a dual-mono integrated amplifier that deserves more recognition than it gets. Built on the design of the PM660, the PM665 added a built-in MC head amp for the Japanese domestic market — a distinction that makes it a somewhat unusual entry in Harman Kardon's catalog. The record on production years is genuinely conflicted: some sources place it at 1980–1981, others at 1987, and the original price is similarly split between ¥89,000 (Japan) and $450. I've seen both figures cited but haven't found a source that reconciles them, so take those dates and prices as approximate.
What's not in dispute is the engineering. The PM665 uses dual-mono construction with a large 360VA toroidal transformer and 37,600 µF of total capacitance, giving it a commanding presence — it weighs 10.0 kg. The phono stage has its own dedicated power supply, which is a big part of why owners consistently single it out. The amplifier is a DC design with a FET input stage, and it's direct-coupled at the output. Power is rated at 65W per channel into 8 ohms (20Hz–20kHz, <0.02% THD), though other sources list 105W or 60W/90W into 8/4 ohms; the 65W figure is the most consistently corroborated. Frequency response extends from 1Hz to 150kHz, and the damping factor is 100. Inputs cover phono (MM/MC), tuner, and two aux pairs, with two tape outputs and two pairs of speaker outputs. Dimensions are 440 × 127 × 265 mm.
Owner commentary on forums like Audiokarma is uniformly enthusiastic — "a real sleeper," "very dynamic, punchy, and detailed," with a phono preamp that's "one of the best I've heard." HiFI-Stereo (February 1988, p.121) listed the PM665 Vxi variant as a 150-W/ch integrated amplifier with inputs for A/V, aux, tuner, CD player, and phono, noting the digital-direct and line-straight switches. The "Vxi" suffix appears to denote a later version with additional features, and a separate PM665V variant added a volume remote. Beyond that, the record is thin — no service history, no known failure modes, no current market pricing. What survives is the reputation: a heavy, well-built amplifier whose phono stage punches well above its class.
eBay Listings
As an eBay Partner, we earn from qualifying purchases. This helps support our independent vintage technology research.
Related Models
- Harman Kardon 730 (1973-1979)
- Harman Kardon A-401
- Harman Kardon A 402
- Harman Kardon A660
- Harman Kardon Citation 16
- Eico 3150 (1967)
- Fisher CUSTOM-ELECTRA-I (K-14/K-15) (1957)
- Fisher CUSTOM-ELECTRA IV (E33/E44) (1960)
- Akai AM-2400 (1978)
- Akai AM-2600 (1977)