AVR 1550 Audio/VideoReceiverOWNER’S MANUAL

Power for the Digital Revolution™

®

2 TABLE OF CONTENTS

3 Introduction4 Safety Information4 Unpacking5 Front Panel Controls7 Front Panel Information Display8 Rear Panel Connections9 Remote Control Functions

11 Installation and Connections11 Audio Equipment Connections11 Video Equipment Connections12 SCART A/V Connections13 Speaker Selection and Placement14 System Configuration14 First Turn On14 Settings to be Made

With Each Input Used14 Input Setup14 Speaker Setup14 Surround Setup16 Making Settings independent of

selected Input16 Delay Settings17 Night Mode Settings17 Output Level Adjustment19 Operation19 Basic Operation19 Source Selection19 Controls and Use of Headphones20 Surround Mode Chart21 Surround Mode Selection21 Digital Audio Playback22 Selecting a Digital Source22 Digital Status Indicators22 Night Mode23 Tape Recording23 Output Level Trim Adjustment23 Display Brigthness23 Memory Backup24 Tuner Operation24 RDS Operation26 Function List27 Troubleshooting Guide27 Processor Reset28 Technical Specifications

Table of Contents

Typographical ConventionsIn order to help you use this manual with the remote control, front-panel controls and rear-panelconnections, certain conventions have been used.

EXAMPLE – (bold type) indicates a specific remote control or front-panel button, or rear-panel connection jack

EXAMPLE – (OCR type) indicates a message that is visible on the front-panel information display

1 – (number in a square) indicates a specific front-panel control

� – (number in a circle) indicates a rear-panel connection

0 – (number in an oval) indicates a button or indicator on the remote

A – (letter in a square) indicates an indicator in the front-panel display

Declaration of Conformity

We, Harman Consumer International2, route de Tours72500 Château-du-Loir,FRANCE

declare in own responsibility, that the product describedin this owner’s manual is in compliance with technicalstandards:

EN 55013/6.1990

EN 55020/12.1994

EN 60065:1993

EN 61000-3-2/4.1995

Carsten OlesenHarman Kardon Europe A/S

09/02

INTRODUCTION 3

Introduction

Thank you for choosing Harman Kardon!With the purchase of a Harman Kardon AVR 1550 you are about to begin many years oflistening enjoyment. The AVR 1550 has beencustom designed to provide all the excitementand detail of movie sound tracks and everynuance of musical selections. With onboardDolby* Digital and DTS† decoding, the AVR 1550delivers six discrete channels of audio that takeadvantage of the digital sound tracks from thelatest DVD and LD releases and Digital Televisionbroadcasts.

To obtain the maximum enjoyment from yournew receiver, we urge you to take the time toread through this manual. This will ensure thatconnections to speakers, source playback unitsand other external devices are made properly. Inaddition, a few minutes spent learning the func-tions of the various controls will enable you totake advantage of all the power the AVR 1550is able to deliver.

If you have any questions about this product, itsinstallation or its operation, please contact yourdealer. He is your best local source of informa-tion.

Description and FeaturesThe AVR 1550 is among the most versatile andmulti-featured A/V receivers available, incorpo-rating a wide range of listening options. In addi-tion to Dolby Digital and DTS decoding for digi-tal sources, a broad choice of analog surroundmodes are available for use with sources such as CD, VCR, TV broadcasts and the AVR’s ownFM/AM tuner.

In addition to providing a wide range of listeningoptions, the AVR 1550 is easy to configure sothat it provides the best results with your speakers and specific listening-room environment.

For the ultimate in flexibility, the AVR 1550features connections for three video devices,partially with both composite and S-Videoinputs.Two additional audio inputs are available, and atotal of two digital inputs make the AVR 1550capable of handling all the latest digital audiosources. A coax digital output is available fordirect connection to digital recorders.

The AVR 1550’s powerful amplifier usestraditional Harman Kardon high-current designtechnologies to meet the wide dynamic range ofany program selection.

Harman Kardon invented the high-fidelity receiv-er more than forty-seven years ago. With state-of-the-art circuitry and time-honored circuitdesigns, the AVR 1550 is one of the finestreceivers ever offered by Harman Kardon withinits price range.

■ Onboard Dolby Digital and DTSDecoding Using Crystal® ChipTechnology

■ Dolby Laboratory's latest ProLogic IIdecoding technology

■ Multiple Digital Inputs and Outputs

■ Front-Panel Inputs for Easy Connectionto Portable Devices and the LatestVideo Game Consoles

4 SAFETY INFORMATION

Safety Information

Important Safety Information

Verify Line Voltage Before UseYour AVR 1550 has been designed for use with220-240-Volt AC current. Connection to a linevoltage other than that for which it is intendedcan create a safety and fire hazard and maydamage the unit.

If you have any questions about the voltagerequirements for your specific model, or aboutthe line voltage in your area, contact your dealerbefore plugging the unit into a wall outlet.

Do Not Use Extension CordsTo avoid safety hazards, use only the power cordattached to your unit. We do not recommendthat extension cords be used with this product.As with all electrical devices, do not run powercords under rugs or carpets or place heavyobjects on them. Damaged power cords shouldbe replaced immediately by an authorizedservice depot with a cord meeting factoryspecifications.

Handle the AC Power Cord GentlyWhen disconnecting the power cord from an ACoutlet, always pull the plug, never pull the cord.If you do not intend to use the unit for any con-siderable length of time, disconnect the plugfrom the AC outlet.

Do Not Open the CabinetThere are no user-serviceable components insidethis product. Opening the cabinet may present ashock hazard, and any modification to theproduct will void your guarantee. If water or anymetal object such as a paper clip, wire or astaple accidentally falls inside the unit,disconnect it from the AC power sourceimmediately, and consult an authorized servicestation.

Installation Location■ To assure proper operation and to avoid the

potential for safety hazards, place the unit ona firm and level surface. When placing theunit on a shelf, be certain that the shelf andany mounting hardware can support theweight of the product.

■ Make certain that proper space is providedboth above and below the unit for ventilation.If this product will be installed in a cabinet orother enclosed area, make certain that thereis sufficient air movement within the cabinet.Under some circumstances a fan may berequired.

■ Do not place the unit directly on a carpetedsurface.

■ Avoid installation in extremely hot or coldlocations, or an area that is exposed to directsunlight or heating equipment.

■ Avoid moist or humid locations.

■ Do not obstruct the ventilation slots on thetop of the unit, or place objects directly overthem.

CleaningWhen the unit gets dirty, wipe it with a clean,soft, dry cloth. If necessary, wipe it with a softcloth dampened with mild soapy water, then afresh cloth with clean water. Wipe dryimmediately with a dry cloth. NEVER usebenzene, aerosol cleaners, thinner, alcohol or anyother volatile cleaning agent. Do not useabrasive cleaners, as they may damage the finishof metal parts. Avoid spraying insecticide nearthe unit.

Moving the UnitBefore moving the unit, be certain to disconnectany interconnection cords with othercomponents, and make certain that youdisconnect the unit from the AC outlet.

Unpacking

The carton and shipping materials used toprotect your new receiver during shipment werespecially designed to cushion it from shock andvibration. We suggest that you save the cartonand packing materials for use in shipping if youmove, or should the unit ever need repair.

To minimize the size of the carton in storage,you may wish to flatten it. This is done bycarefully slitting the tape seams on the bottomand collapsing the carton. Other cardboardinserts may be stored in the same manner.Packing materials that cannot be collapsedshould be saved along with the carton in aplastic bag.

If you do not wish to save the packagingmaterials, please note that the carton and othersections of the shipping protection arerecyclable. Please respect the environment anddiscard those materials at a local recyclingcenter.

FRONT PANEL CONTROLS 5

1 Main Power Switch: Press this button toapply power to the AVR 1550. When the switchis pressed in, the unit is placed in a Standbymode, as indicated by the orange LED 3 sur-rounding the System Power Control 2. Thisbutton MUST be pressed in to operate the unit.To turn the unit off completely and prevent theuse of the remote control, this switch should bepressed until it pops out from the front panelso that the word “OFF” may be read at the topof the switch.

NOTE: This switch is normally left in the “ON”position.

2 System Power Control: When the MainPower Switch 1 is “ON,” press this button toturn on the AVR 1550; press it again to turn theunit off (to Standby). Note that the PowerIndicator surrounding the switch 3 will turngreen when the unit is on.

3 Power Indicator: This LED will be illumi-nated in orange when the unit is in the Standbymode to signal that the unit is ready to beturned on. When the unit is in operation, theindicator will turn green.

4 Headphone Jack: This jack may be used tolisten to the AVR 1550’s output through a pairof headphones. Be certain that the headphoneshave a standard 6.3 mm stereo phone plug.Note that the speakers will automatically beturned off when the headphones are connected.

5 Remote Sensor Window: The sensorbehind this window receives infrared signalsfrom the remote control. Aim the remote at thisarea and do not block or cover it unless anexternal remote sensor is installed.

6 Tone Mode: Pressing this button activatesthe menu for setting the Bass and Treble controls.

Front Panel Controls

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Main Power SwitchSystem Power ControlPower IndicatorHeadphone JackRemote Sensor WindowTone ModeSurround Mode SelectorTuning

Tuner Band SelectorPreset Stations SelectorInput Source SelectorRDS Select ButtonChannel Select ButtonSpeaker Select ButtonVideo 3 input jacksTest Tone Selector

Selector ButtonsMain Information DisplayVolume ControlSet ButtonDigital Input SelectorDelay

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6 FRONT PANEL CONTROLS

Front Panel Controls

7 Surround Mode Selector: Press this but-ton to change the surround mode by scrollingthrough the list of available modes. Note thatDolby Digital and DTS modes can be selectedonly when a digital input is used (See page 20for more information about surround modes.)

8 Tuning Selector: Press the left side of thebutton to tune lower frequency stations and theright side of the button to tune higher frequencystations. When a station with a strong signal isreached, the TUNED indicator L will illuminatein the Main Information Display *(see page 24 for more information on tuningstations).

9 Tuner Band Selector: Pressing this buttonwill automatically switch the AVR to the Tunermode. Pressing it again will switch between theAM and FM frequency bands, holding it pressedfor some seconds will switch between stereoand mono receiving and between automatic andmanual tuning mode (See page 24 for moreinformation on the tuner).

) Preset Stations Selector: Press this but-ton to scroll up or down through the list of sta-tions that have been entered into the presetmemory. (See page 24 for more information ontuner programming.)

! Input Source Selector: Press this buttonto change the input by scrolling through the listof input sources.

@ RDS Select Button: Press this button to dis-play the various messages that are part of theRDS data system of the AVR 1550’s tuner. (Seepage 24 for more information on RDS).

# Channel Select Button: Press this buttonto begin the process of trimming the channeloutput levels using an external audio source.(For more information on output level trimadjustment, see page 23.)

$ Speaker Select Button: Press this buttonto begin the process of selecting the speakerpositions that are used in your listening room.(See page 14 for more information on setup andconfiguration.)

% Video 3 Input Jacks: These audio/videojacks may be used for temporary connection tovideo games or portable audio/video productssuch as camcorders and portable audio players.

^ Test Tone Selector: Press this button tobegin the process of adjusting the channel out-put levels using the internal test tone as a refer-ence. (For more information on output leveladjustment, see page 17.)

& Selector Buttons: When you are establish-ing the AVR 1550’s configuration settings, usethese buttons to select from the choices available,as shown in the Main Information Display *.

* Main Information Display: This displaydelivers messages and status indications to helpyou operate the receiver. (See pages 7–8 for acomplete explanation of the InformationDisplay.)

( Volume Control: Turn this knob clockwiseto increase the volume, counterclockwise todecrease the volume. If the AVR is muted,adjusting volume control will automaticallyrelease the unit from the silenced condition.

Ó Set Button: When making choices duringthe setup and configuration process, press thisbutton to enter the desired setting as shown inthe Main Information Display * into theAVR 1550’s memory. The set button may also beused to change the display brightness.(See page 23.)

Ô Digital Input Selector: When playing asource that has a digital output, press thisbutton to select between the Optical � andCoaxial � Digital inputs. (See pages 21-22 for more information on digital audio.)

Delay: Press this button to begin thesequence of steps required to enter delay timesettings. (See page 16 for more information ondelay times.)

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FRONT PANEL INFORMATION DISPLAY 7

Front Panel Information Display

Bitstream IndicatorsOptical Source IndicatorsDTS Mode IndicatorDolby Digital IndicatorCoaxial Digital Input IndicatorsDolby Pro Logic II IndicatorAnalog Input Indicator

Dolby 3 Stereo IndicatorRDS IndicatorDSP Mode IndicatorTraffic Program IndicatorTuned IndicatorMain Information DisplayNight Mode Indicator

Auto IndicatorSpeaker/Channel Input IndicatorsPreset Number/Sleep TimerPreset IndicatorSleep IndicatorMemory IndicatorStereo Indicator

A Bitstream™ Indicators: When the input is adigital source, one of these indicators will light todisplay the specific type of signal in use.

B Optical Source Indicators: These indica-tors light to show when a Optical Digital Inputhas been selected.

C DTS Mode Indicator: This indicator illumi-nates when the DTS mode is selected.

D Dolby Digital Indicator: This indicator illuminates when Dolby Digital mode is selected.

E Coaxial Digital Input Indicators: Theseindicators light to show when a Coaxial DigitalInput has been selected.

F Dolby Pro Logic II Indicator: This indica-tor lights when the Dolby Pro Logic II mode hasbeen selected.

G Analog Input Indicator: This indicator lightswhen an analog input source has been selected.

H Dolby 3 Stereo Indicator: This indicatorlights when the Dolby 3 Stereo Mode has beenselected. Only ST (Stereo) will light when"Surround Off" has been selected. Then allSurround Modes are turned off and the unit willplay in pure stereo mode.

I RDS Indicator: This indicator illuminateswhen the station tuned is transmitting RDS data.

J DSP Mode Indicator: This indicator lightswhen any of the surround modes created byDigital Signal Processing, or DSP are in use.These modes include Hall 1, Hall 2, Theater and5 Channel Stereo.

K Traffic Program Indicator: This indicatorilluminates if the RDS station tuned sometimestransmits traffic information (see page 24 formore information on RDS).

L Tuned Indicator: This indicator illuminateswhen a station is being received with sufficient sig-nal strength to provide acceptable listening quality.

M Main Information Display: This displayshows messages relating to the status, inputsource, surround mode, tuner, volume level orother aspects of unit’s operation.

N Night Mode Indicator: This indicatorlights when the AVR 1550 is in the Night mode,which preserves the dynamic range of digitalprogram material at low volume levels.

O Auto Indicator: This indicator illuminateswhen the tuner’s Auto mode is in use.

P Speaker/Channel Input Indicators: Theseindicators are multipurpose, indicating either thespeaker type selected for each channel or theincoming data-signal configuration. The left, cen-ter, right, right surround and left surround speakerindicators are composed of three boxes, while thesubwoofer is a single box. When the letters flash,the digital input has been interrupted. (See page18 and 27 for more information on the ChannelIndicators).

Q Preset Number/Sleep Timer: When thetuner is in use, these numbers indicate the spe-cific preset memory location in use. (See page 24for more information on preset stations.) Whenthe Sleep function is in use, these numbers showhow many minutes remain before the unit goesinto the Standby mode.

R Preset Indicator: This indicator lights whenthe tuner is in use to show that the PresetNumber/Sleep Timer Q is showing the sta-tion’s preset memory number. (See page 24 formore information on tuner presets.)

S Sleep Indicator: This indicator lights whenthe Sleep function is in use. The numbers in thePreset/Sleep Number Indicators will show theminutes remaining before the AVR 1550 goesinto the Standby mode. (See page 19 for moreinformation on the Sleep function.)

T Memory Indicator: This indicator flasheswhen entering presets and other informationinto the tuner’s memory.

U Stereo Indicator: This indicator illuminateswhen an FM station is being tuned in stereo.

8 REAR PANEL CONNECTIONS

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Rear Panel Connections

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Tape InputsTape OutputsVideo 1 Audio InputsAM AntennaVideo 1 Audio OutputsVideo 2 Audio InputsFM Antenna

CD InputsCoaxial Digital Audio OutputsCoaxial Digital InputsSubwoofer OutputVideo Monitor OutputsFront/Center Speaker OutputsSurround Speaker Outputs

TV Audio InputsOptical Digital InputsAC Power CordDVD Video InputsVideo 1 Video OutputsVideo 1 Video InputsVideo 2 Video Inputs

� Tape Inputs: Connect these jacks to thePLAY/OUT jacks of an audio recorder.

� Tape Outputs: Connect these jacks to theRECORD/INPUT jacks of an audio recorder.

� Video 1 Audio Inputs: Connect these jacksto the PLAY/OUT audio jacks on a VCR or othervideo source.

� AM Antenna: Connect the AM loop antennasupplied with the receiver to these terminals. If anexternal AM antenna is used, make connections tothe AM and GND terminals in accordance withthe instructions supplied with the antenna.

� Video 1 Audio Outputs: Connect thesejacks to the RECORD/INPUT audio jacks on a VCR or any other Audio recorder.

Video 2 Audio Inputs: Connect these jacksto the PLAY/OUT audio jacks on a VCR or othervideo source.

FM Antenna: Connect the supplied indoor oran optional external FM antenna to this terminal.

� CD Inputs: Connect these jacks to the ana-log output of a compact disc player or CDchanger.

� CoaxialDigital Audio Outputs: Connectthis jack to the matching digital input connectoron a digital recorder such as a CD-R or MiniDiscrecorder.

� Coaxial Digital Inputs: Connect the coaxdigital output from a DVD player. Do not connectthe RF digital output of an LD player to thesejacks.

Subwoofer Output: Connect this jack tothe line-level input of a powered subwoofer. Ifan external subwoofer amplifier is used, connectthis jack to the subwoofer amplifier input.

� Video Monitor Outputs: Connect thesejacks to the composite and/or S-Video input of aTV monitor or video projector to view the outputof any video source selected by the receiver’svideo switcher.

� Front/Center Speaker Outputs: Connectthese outputs to the matching + or – terminalson your front/center speakers. When makingspeaker connections, always make certain tomaintain correct polarity by connecting the red(+) terminals on the AVR 1550 to the red (+)terminals on the speaker and the black (–) ter-minals on the AVR 1550 to the black (–) termi-nals on the speakers. (See page 11 for moreinformation on speaker polarity.)

� Surround Speaker Outputs: Connectthese outputs to the matching + or – terminalson your left and right surround speakers. Whenmaking speaker connections always make cer-tain to maintain correct polarity by connecting

the red (+) terminals on the AVR 1550 to thered (+) terminals on the speakers and the black(–) terminals on the AVR 1550 to the black (–)terminals on the speakers. See page 11 for moreinformation on speaker polarity.

� TV Audio Inputs: Connect these jacks tothe Audio Out jacks on a TV or other videosource.

� Optical Digital Inputs: Connect the opti-cal digital output from a DVD player, HDTVreceiver, LD player, MD player or CD player tothese jacks. The signal may be either a DolbyDigital signal, a DTS signal or a standard PCMdigital source.

� AC Power Cord: Connect the AC plug to anunswitched AC wall output.

� DVD Video Inputs: Connect these jacks tothe composite or S-Video output jacks on a DVDplayer or other video source.

� Video 1 Video Outputs: Connect thesejacks to the RECORD/INPUT composite or S-Video jack on a VCR.

� Video 1 Video Inputs: Connect these jacksto the PLAY/OUT composite or S-Video jacks ona VCR or other video source.

� Video 2 Video Inputs: Connect these jacksto the PLAY/OUT composite jacks on a secondVCR or other video source.

REMOTE CONTROL FUNCTIONS 9

Remote Control Functions

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Power On ButtonIR Transmitter WindowMutePower Off ButtonInput SelectorsAVR SelectorAM/FM Tuner SelectTest ButtonSleep ButtonSurround Mode SelectorNight ModeChannel Select Button⁄ /¤ Buttons‹ ButtonEnter ButtonDigital Select/Direct ButtonNumeric KeysTuner ModeVolume Up/DownTuning Up/DownSpeaker SelectTransport Controls› ButtonRDS Select ButtonPreset Up/DownClear ButtonMemory ButtonDelay

NOTE: The function names shown here are eachbutton’s feature when used with the AVR. Mostbuttons have additional functions when usedwith other Harman Kardon devices.See page 26 for a list of these functions.

0 Power On Button: Press this button toturn on the power.

1 IR Transmitter Window: Point this window towards the AVR 1550 when pressingbuttons on the remote to make certain thatinfrared commands are properly received.

2 Mute: Press this button to momentarilysilence the AVR 1550 or TV set being controlled,depending on which device has been selected.

3 Power Off Button: Press this button toplace the AVR 1550 in the Standby mode.

4 Input Selectors: Pressing one of thesebuttons will perform three actions at the sametime. First, if the AVR is not turned on, this willpower up the unit. Next, it will select the sourceshown on the button as the input to the AVR.Finally, it will change the remote control so thatit controls the compatible Harman Kardon prod-uct selected. After pressing one of these buttonsyou must press the AVR Selector button 5

AVR 1550

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IMPORTANT NOTE: The AVR 1550’s remote isshipped from the factory to operate the AVR 1550 and most Harman Kardon CD or DVDplayers and cassette decks.Before using the remote, it is important toremember to press the Input Selector button4 that corresponds to the unit you wish tooperate.

It is also important to remember that many ofthe buttons on the remote take on differentfunctions, depending on the product selectedusing the Input Selectors. The descriptionsshown here primarily detail the functions of theremote when it is used to operate the AVR 1550. (See page 26 for information aboutalternate functions for the remote’s buttons.)

10 REMOTE CONTROL FUNCTIONS

Remote Control Functions

again to operate the AVR’s functions with theremote.

5 AVR Selector: Pressing this button willswitch the remote so that it will operate the AVR’sfunctions. If the AVR is in the Standby mode, it willalso turn the AVR on.

6 AM/FM Tuner Select: Press this button toselect the AVR’s tuner as the listening choice.Pressing this button when the tuner is in use willselect between the AM and FM bands.

7 Test Tone: Press this button to begin thesequence used to calibrate the AVR 1550’s outputlevels. (See page 17 for more information on calibrating the AVR 1550.)

8 Sleep Button: Press this button to placethe unit in the Sleep mode. After the time shownin the display, the AVR 1550 will automaticallygo into the Standby mode. Each press of thebutton changes the time until turn-off in the fol-lowing order:

Hold the button pressed for two seconds to turnoff the Sleep mode setting.Note that this button is also used to changechannels on your TV, VCR and SAT receiver whenselected.

9 Surround Mode Selector: Press thisbutton to begin the process of changingthe surround mode. After the button hasbeen pressed, use the ⁄/¤ buttons C toselect the desired surround mode (See page 21for more information).

A Night Mode: Press this button to activatethe Night mode. This mode is available only withDolby Digital encoded digital sources, and itpreserves dialog (center channel) intelligibilty atlow volume levels (See page 22 for moreinformation).

B Channel Select Button: This button isused to start the process of setting the AVR 1550’soutput levels with an external source. Once thisbutton is pressed, use the ⁄/¤ buttons C toselect the channel being adjusted, then press theEnter button E, followed by the ⁄/¤ buttonsagain, to change the level setting. (See page 23 formore information.)

C ⁄/¤ Buttons: These are multi-purposebuttons.They will be used most frequently to selecta surround mode.These buttons are also used toincrease or decrease output levels when config-uring the unit, to select speaker configuration orto select the digital inputs. They are also used toenter delay time settings after the Delay button� has been pressed.

D‹ Button: This button does not have afunction with the AVR 1550. When a DVD playeror TV is selected, it may be used to navigate themenus of those devices.

E Enter Button: This button is used to entersettings into the AVR 1550’s memory. It is alsoused in the setup procedures for delay time,speaker configuration and channel output leveladjustment.

F Digital Select/Direct: Press this button toassign one of the digital inputs �� to asource. (See page 22 for more information onusing digital inputs).In Tuner-mode, press this button when the tuneris in use to start the sequence for direct entry ofa station’s frequency. After pressing the buttonsimply press the proper Numeric Keys G toselect a station (See page 24 for more informa-tion on the tuner).

G Numeric Keys: These buttons serve as aten-button numeric keypad to enter tuner presetpositions. They are also used to select channelnumbers when TV, VCR or Sat receiver hasbeen selected on the remote, or to select tracknumbers on a compatible Harman Kardon CD,DVD or LD player.

H Tuner Mode: Press this button when thetuner is in use to select between automatic tun-ing and manual tuning. When the button ispressed so that the AUTO indicator O goesout, pressing the Tuning buttons J8 willmove the frequency up or down in single-stepincrements. When the FM band is in use and theAUTO indicator O is on, pressing this buttonwill change to monaural reception making evenweek stations audible. (See page 24 for moreinformation.)

I Volume Up/Down: Press these buttons toraise or lower the system volume.

J Tuning Up/Down: When the tuner is in use,these buttons will tune up or down through theselected frequency band. If the Tuner Mode but-ton H has been pressed or the Band button@ on the front panel was held pressed so thatthe AUTO indicator O is illuminated, pressingeither of the buttons will cause the tuner to seekthe next station with acceptable signal strengthfor quality reception. When the AUTO indicatorO is NOT illuminated, pressing these buttons willtune stations in single-step increments.(See page 24 for more information.)

K Speaker Select: Press this button tobegin the process of configuring the AVR 1550’s Bass Management System for usewith the type of speakers used in your system.Once the button has been pressed, use the⁄/¤ buttons C to select the channel youwish to set up. Press the Enter button E andthen select the speaker type (see page 14 formore information.)

L Transport Buttons: These buttons do nothave any functions for the AVR, but they may beused for the forward/reverse play operation of awide variety of compatible Harman Kardon CDor DVD players, and audio or video- cassetterecorders.

M › Button: This button does not have afunction with the AVR 1550. When a compatibleHarman Kardon DVD player or TV is selected, itmay be used to navigate the menus of thosedevices.

N RDS Select Button: Press this button todisplay the various messages that are part of theRDS data system of the AVR 1550’s tuner.(See page 24 for more information on RDS).

O Preset Up/Down: When the tuner is in use,press these buttons to scroll through the stationsprogrammed into the AVR 1550’s memory.

P Clear Button: Press this button to clearincorrect entries when using the remote to directly enter a radio station’s frequency.

Q Memory Button: Press this button to entera radio station into the AVR 1550’s presetmemory. After pressing the button the MEMORYindicator T will flash; you then have five sec-onds to enter a preset memory location usingthe Numeric Keys G. (See page 23 for moreinformation.)

� Delay/Prev Ch.: Press this button to beginthe process for setting the delay times used bythe AVR 1550 when processing surround sound.After pressing this button, the delay times areentered by pressing the Enter button E andthen using the ⁄/¤ buttons C to change thesetting. Press the Enter button again to com-plete the process. (See page 16 for more infor-mation.)

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INSTALLATION AND CONNECTIONS 11

Installation and Connections

After unpacking the unit, and placing it on a solidsurface capable of supporting its weight, you willneed to make the connections to your audio andvideo equipment.

Audio Equipment Connections

We recommend that you use high-quality inter-connect cables when making connections tosource equipment and recorders to preserve theintegrity of the signals.

When making connections to audio sourceequipment or speakers it is always a good prac-tice to unplug the unit from the AC wall outlet.This prevents any possibility of accidentally send-ing audio or transient signals to the speakersthat may damage them.

Important Note : In order to clearly identify allconnectors and simplify nstallation, as per thenew EIA/CEA-863 standard, all connections arecolour coded as follows:For Speakers and Audio In/Outputs: White (Left,speakers front) and Red (Right, speakers front).For Speakers: Green (Center), Blue (LeftSurround) and Grey (Right Surround).For Audio Output: Purple (Subwoofer).For Composite Video In/Outputs: Yellow.For Digital Audio In/Outputs: Orange.

1. Connect the analog output of a CD player tothe CD inputs �.

NOTE: When the CD player has both fixed andvariable audio outputs it is best to use the fixedoutput unless you find that the input to thereceiver is so low that the sound is noisy, or sohigh that the signal is distorted.

2. Connect the analog Play/Out jacks of a cas-sette deck, MD, CD-R or other audio recorder tothe Tape Input jacks �. Connect the analogRecord/In jacks on the recorder to the TapeOutput jacks � on the AVR 1550.

3. Connect the digital output of any digitaldevice to the appropriate input connections onthe AVR 1550 rear panel. Note that theOptical and Coaxial digital inputs �� maybe used with a Dolby Digital or DTS source orthe output of a conventional CD, MD or LDplayer’s PCM (S/P-DIF) output.

4. Connect the Coaxial Digital Outputs � onthe rear panel of the AVR to the matching digitalinput connections on a CD-R or MiniDisc recorder.

5. Assemble the AM Loop Antenna supplied withthe unit as shown below. Connect it to the AMand GND screw terminals �.

6. Connect the supplied FM antenna to the FM(75 ohm) connection . The FM antenna maybe an external roof antenna, an inside poweredor wire lead antenna or a connection from acable system. Note that if the antenna or con-nection uses 300-ohm twin-lead cable, you mustuse a 300-ohm-to-75-ohm adapter to make theconnection.

7. Connect the front, center and surround speak-er outputs �� to the respective speakers.

To assure that all the audio signals are carried toyour speakers without loss of clarity or resolu-tion, we suggest that you use high-qualityspeaker cable. Many brands of cable are avail-able and the choice of cable may be influencedby the distance between your speakers and thereceiver, the type of speakers you use, personalpreferences and other factors. Your dealer orinstaller is a valuable resource to consult inselecting the proper cable.

Regardless of the brand of cable selected, werecommend that you use a cable constructed offine, multistrand copper with an area greaterthan 2 mm2.

Cable with an area of 1.5 mm2 may be used forshort runs of less than 4 m. We do not recom-mend that you use cables with an area less than1mm2 due to the power loss and degradation inperformance that will occur.

Cables that are run inside walls should have theappropriate markings to indicate listing with UL,CSA or other appropriate testing agency stan-dards. Questions about running cables insidewalls should be referred to your installer or alicensed electrical contractor who is familiar withthe applicable local building codes in your area.

When connecting wires to the speakers, be cer-tain to observe proper polarity. Remember toconnect the “negative” or “black” wire to thesame terminal on both the receiver and thespeaker. Similarly, the “positive” or “red” wireshould be connected to the same terminals onthe AVR 1550 and speaker.

NOTE: While most speaker manufacturersadhere to an industry convention of using blackterminals for negative and red ones for positive,some manufacturers may vary from this configu-ration. To assure proper phase and optimal per-formance, consult the identification plate onyour speaker or the speaker’s manual to verifypolarity. If you do not know the polarity of yourspeaker, ask your dealer for advice before pro-ceeding, or consult the speaker’s manufacturer.

We also recommend that the length of cableused to connect speaker pairs be identical. Forexample, use the same length piece of cable toconnect the front-left and front-right or sur-round-left and surround-right speakers, even ifthe speakers have a different distance from theAVR 1550.

8. Connections to a subwoofer are normallymade via a line level audio connection from theSubwoofer Output to the line-level inputof a subwoofer with a built-in amplifier. When apassive subwoofer is used, the connection firstgoes to a power amplifier, which will be con-nected to one or more subwoofer speakers. Ifyou are using a powered subwoofer that doesnot have line-level input connections, follow theinstructions furnished with the speaker for con-nection information.

Note: Speaker sets with two front satellites anda passive subwoofer must be connected to thefront speaker outputs � only rather than to theSubwoofer Output .

Video Equipment Connections

Video equipment is connected in the same man-ner as audio components. Again, the use of high-quality interconnect cables is recommended topreserve signal quality. To ensure best video per-formance S-Video sources should be connectedto the AVR 1550 only with their S-Video In/Outputs, not with their composite video connec-tors too.

1. Connect a VCR’s audio and video Play/Outjacks to the Video 1 or Video 2 In jacks��� on the rear panel. The Audio andVideo Record/In jacks on the VCR should be con-nected to the Video 1 jacks �� on the AVR 1550.

2. Connect the analog audio and video outputsof a satellite receiver, cable TV converter or tele-vision set or any other video source to theVideo 2 � (if not in use) or Video 3 %

jacks.

3. Connect the video outputs of a DVD or laserdisc player to the DVD jacks �.

4. Connect the Video Monitor Out � jacks onthe receiver to the composite and S-Video inputof your television monitor or video projector.

Video Connection Note:• S-Video or Composite video signals may only

be viewed in their native formats and will notbe converted to the other format.

12 INSTALLATION AND CONNECTIONS

Installation and Connections

SCART A/V Connections

For the connections described above your videodevice needs RCA (cinch) connectors or/and S-Video connectors for all Audio and Video signals: Any normal video device (Not SVHS orHigh 8) for only playback needs 3 RCA jacks,VCRs for record and playback even 6 RCA jacks.Any S-Video device (SVHS, High 8) needs 2 RCA(Audio) and 1 S-Video jack (Video), if it’s a play-back unit, or 4 RCA (Audio In/Out) and 2 S-Video(Video In/Out) jacks, if it´s a recording VCR.

Many european video devices are equipped withRCA (Cinch) or S-Video jacks only partially, notwith all audio and video in/outputs needed asdescribed above, but with a so called Scart orEuro-AV connector (almost rectangular jack with21 pins, see drawings on this page).

In that case the following Scart to Cinch adaptersor cables are needed:

• Units for playback, such as satellite receivers,camcorders, DVD or LD players, need an adapterfrom Scart to 3 RCA plugs, see fig. 1 (normalvideo devices) or from Scart to 2 RCA+1 S-Video plugs, see fig. 4 (S-Video devices).

• HiFi VCRs need an adapter from Scart to 6 RCAplugs, see fig. 2 (normal video), or from Scart to4 Audio+2S-Video jacks, see fig. 5 (S-VideoVCR). Read carefully the instruction attached tothe adapter to find which of the six plugs isused for the record signal to the VCR (connectwith the AVR´s Out jacks) and for the playbacksignal from the VCR (connect with the AVR´s Injacks). Do not misconnect Audio and Video sig-nals. Don´t hesitate to consult your dealer, if youare uncertain.

• If you use only normal video devices the TVmonitor needs an adapter from 3 RCA plugs toScart (fig. 3) only. If also S-Video devices areused an adapter from 2 RCA+1S-Video plugs toScart is needed additionally (fig. 6), connectedto the SCART input on your TV that is providedfor S-Video.

Note that only the video plugs (the "yellow"cinch plug in fig. 3 and the S-Video plug in fig. 6)must be connected to the TV Monitor Output�, and the volume on the TV must be reduced tominimum.

Important Note for Adapter Cables:If the cinch connectors of the adapter you’ll useare labeled, connect the Audio and Video ”In”plugs with the corresponding Audio and Video”In” jacks on the AVR 1550 (and with a VCR con-nect the ”Out” plugs to the ”Out” jacks on theAVR). Note that with some adapter types it maybe just turned around: If no signal is audible/ visi-ble when the VCR is playing connect the “Out”plugs to the ”In” jacks on the AVR and turnedaround. If the adapter plugs are not labeled inthat way, pay attention to the signal flow direc-

Black

Yellow

Red

Figure 1:SCART/Cinch-Adapter for

playback;signal flow:

SCART → Cinch

Black

Red

Blue

Yellow

Green

White

Figure 2:SCART/Cinch-Adapter for

record and playback;signal flow:

SCART ↔ Cinch

Black

Yellow

Red

Figure 3:Cinch/SCART-Adapter for

playback;signal flow:

Cinch → SCART

Rot

Schwarz

S-Video In

Figure 4:SCART/S-Video Adapter

for playback;signal flow:

SCART → Cinch

Schwarz

Rot

Blau

Gelb

S-Video In

S-Video Out

Figure 5:SCART/S-Video Adapterfor record and playback;

signal flow:SCART ↔ Cinch

Rot

Schwarz

S-Video Out

Figure 6:SCART/S-Video Adapter

for playback;signal flow:

Cinch → SCART

Black

Yellow

Red

Black

Red

Blue1

Yellow

Green1

White

Black

Yellow

Red

Red

Black

S-Video In

Red

Black

S-Video Out

Black

Red

Blue1

Yellow

S-Video In

S-Video Out

1 Also other colours possible, e.g. brown and grey.

tions as shown in the diagrams above and in theinstruction attached to the adapter. If uncertain,don’t hesitate to consult your dealer.

Important Notes for S-Video connections:1. Only the S-Video In/Out of S-Video devicesmust be connected to the AVR, NOT both, nor-mal video and S-Video In/Outputs (except the TV,see item 2).

2. Like most common AV units the AVR 1550does not convert the Video signal to S-Video orvice versa. Thus both connections must be madefrom the AVR 1550 to the TV if both, Video and S-Video sources, are used, and the appropriateinput on the TV must be selected.

Important Note for the Use of SCART-Cinch Adapters:When video sources are connected to the TVdirectly with a SCART cable, specific control sig-nals apart from Audio/Video signals will be fedto the TV. These specific signals are: With allvideo sources, the signal for automatic inputselection that switches the TV automatically tothe appropriate input as soon as the videosource is started. And with DVD players, the sig-nals automatically turning the TV to 4:3/16:9format (with 16:9 TVs or 4:3 TVs with 16:9capability) and turning the RGB video decoder ofthe TV on or off, depending on the DVD player´ssetting. With any adapter cable, these controlsignals will be lost and the appropriate settingof the TV must be made manually.

INSTALLATION AND CONNECTIONS 13

Installation and Connections

Speaker Selection

No matter which type or brand of speakers isused, the same model or brand of speakershould be used at least for the front-left, centerand front-right speakers. This creates a seamlessfront soundstage and eliminates the possibilityof distracting sonic disturbances that occur whena sound moves across mismatched front-channelspeakers.

Speaker Placement

The placement of speakers in a multichannelhome-theater system can have a noticeableimpact on the quality of sound reproduced.

Depending on the type of center-channelspeaker in use and your viewing device, placethe center speaker either directly above or belowyour TV, or in the center behind a perforatedfront-projection screen.

Once the center-channel speaker is installed,position the left-front and right-front speakers sothat they are as far away from one another asthe center-channel speaker is from the preferredlistening position. Ideally, the front-channelspeakers should be placed so that their tweetersare no more than 60cm above or below thetweeter in the center-channel speaker.

They should also be at least 0.5 meter from yourTV set unless the speakers are magneticallyshielded to avoid colourings on the TV screen.Note that most speakers are not shielded, evenwith complete surround sets only the Centerspeaker may be.

Depending on the specifics of your roomacoustics and the type of speakers in use, youmay find that imaging is improved by moving thefront-left and front-right speakers slightlyforward of the center-channel speaker. Ifpossible, adjust all front loudspeakers so thatthey are aimed at ear height when you areseated in the listening position.

Using these guidelines, you’ll find that it takessome experimentation to find the correctlocation for the front speakers in your particularinstallation. Don’t be afraid to move thingsaround until the system sounds correct. Optimizeyour speakers so that audio transitions acrossthe front of the room sound smooth.

Surround speakers should be placed on the sidewalls of the room, at or slightly behind thelistening position. The center of the speakershould face you.

If side-wall mounting is not practical, thespeakers may be placed on a rear wall, behindthe listening position. The speakers should be nomore than two meters behind the rear of theseating area.

Subwoofers produce largely nondirectionalsound, so they may be placed almost anywherein a room. Actual placement should be based onroom size and shape and the type of subwooferused. One method of finding the optimallocation for a subwoofer is to begin by placing itin the front of the room, about 15cm from awall, or near the front corner of the room.Another method is to temporarily place thesubwoofer in the spot where you will normallysit, and then walk around the room until youfind a spot where the subwoofer sounds best.Place the subwoofer in that spot. You shouldalso follow the instructions of the subwoofer’smanufacturer, or you may wish to experimentwith the best location for a subwoofer in yourlistening room.

Right FrontSpeaker

Left FrontSpeaker

No more than 60cm

Center Front Speaker

A) Front Channel Speaker Installation withDirect-View TV Sets or Rear-Screen Projectors

Center FrontSpeaker

Optional Rear-Wall Mounting

TV or Projection Screen

Right FrontSpeaker

Left FrontSpeaker

No

mor

e th

an 2

mw

hen

rear

-mou

nted

spea

kers

are

use

d

B) The distance between the left and rightspeakers should be equal to the distance fromthe seating position to the viewing screen. You may also experiment with placing the leftand right speakers slightly forward of the centerspeaker.

14 SYSTEM CONFIGURATION

System Configuration

Once the speakers have been placed in theroom and connected, the remaining steps are toprogram the system configuration memories.With the AVR 1550 two kind of memories areused, those associated individually with theinput selected, e.g. surround modes, and othersworking independently from any input selectedlike speaker output levels, or delay times usedby the surround sound processor.

First Turn On

You are now ready to power up the AVR 1550 tobegin these final adjustments.

1. Plug the Power Cable � into an un-switched AC outlet.

2. Press the Main Power Switch 1 in until itlatches and the word “OFF” on the top of theswitch disappears inside the front panel. Notethat the Power Indicator 3 will turn orange,indicating that the unit is in the Standby mode.

3. Remove the protective plastic film from thefront-panel lens. If left in place, the film mayaffect the performance of your remote control.

4. Install the three supplied AAA batteries in theremote as shown. Be certain to follow the (+)and (–) polarity indicators that are on the bottom of the battery compartment.

5. Turn the AVR 1550 on either by pressing theSystem Power Control 2 or the InputSource Selector ! on the front panel, or viathe remote by pressing the AVR Selector 5or any of the Input Selectors 46 on theremote. The Power Indicator 3 will turn greento confirm that the unit is on, and the MainInformation Display * will also light up.

Settings to be Made With EachInput Used

The AVR 1550 features an advanced memorysystem that enables you to establish differentsettings for the speaker configuration, digitalinput and surround mode for each input source.This flexibility enables you to custom tailor theway in which you listen to each source and havethe AVR 1550 memorize them. This means, forexample, that you may associate different sur-round modes and analog or digital inputs withdifferent sources, or set different speaker config-urations with the resultant changes to the bassmanagement system or the use of the Centerspeaker. Once these settings are made, they willautomatically be recalled whenever you selectan input.

The default settings for the AVR 1550, as it isshipped from the factory, have all inputs set foran analog source (except for the DVD input,which has the Coaxial Digital Input 1 � asthe default), with stereo as the surround mode,the front left and right speakers set to “large”(with surround modes other speakers to”small”), and a subwoofer connected. Beforeusing the unit, you will probably want to changethese settings for most inputs so that they areproperly configured to reflect the use of digitalor analog inputs, the type of speakers installedand the surround mode associated with theinput. Remember, since the AVR 1550’s memorysystem keeps the settings for each input sepa-rate from the other inputs, you will need to makethese adjustments for each input used. However,once they are made, further adjustment is onlyrequired when system components are changed.

To make this process as quick and as easy aspossible, we suggest that with each of these set-tings to be made you step through each input.Once you have completed the settings for thefirst input, many settings may be duplicated forthe remaining inputs.

The items that follow will describe the individualsettings required for each input.

Input SetupThe first step in configuring the AVR 1550 is toselect an input. This may be done by pressingthe front panel Input Source Selector !until the desired input’s name appears momen-tarily in the Main Information Display M.The input may also be selected by pressing the appropriate Input Selector on the remote control 46.

The second step is to associate one of the digitalinputs with the selected input source (if this isneeded, otherwise the selected analog input willremain). Press the Digital Input Select buttonÔF on the front panel or the remote. Withinfive seconds, make your input selection using theSelector buttons on the front panel & or the⁄/¤ buttons C on the remote until thedesired digital or analog input is shown in theMain Information Display M. Then press theEnter button E to enter the new digital inputassignment.

After the setting has been made with one input,repeat as described above with all inputs in use.The digital input associated with the inputselected can also be changed at any time laterand the AVR 1550´s memory system will keepthe settings until they are changed again.

Speaker SetupThis setup tells the AVR 1550 which type ofspeakers are in use. This is important as itadjusts the settings that determine whichspeakers receive low frequency (bass) informa-tion and whether a Center speaker should beused or not, separately for each input used.For each of these settings use the LARGEsetting if the speakers for a particular positionare traditional full-range loudspeakers that arecapable of reproducing sounds below 100Hz.Use the SMALL setting for smaller,frequency-limited satellite speakers that do notreproduce sounds below 100Hz. Note thatwhen “small” front (left and right) speakers areused, a subwoofer is required to reproduce lowfrequency sounds. If you are in doubt as towhich category describes your speakers, consultthe specifications in the speakers’ owner’s manual, or ask your dealer. Remember that eachspeaker setup that differs from the default settings (see above) must be made individuallyfor each input in use.

It is best to select the Dolby Pro Logic II Moviemode for speaker setup. Then with the currentlyselected input all speaker settings will be copiedto other surround modes too (as far as possible)and need not be repeated with any other mode.

SYSTEM CONFIGURATION 15

With the AVR 1550 turned on, follow thesesteps to configure the speakers:

1. Put the AVR 1550 in the Dolby Pro Logic IIMovie mode by pressing the Surround ModeSelector button 7 on the front or 9 andthen the ⁄/¤ buttons C on the remote, untilDOLBYPROLOGICIIMOVIE

appears in the Main Information Display Mand the PRO LOGIC II indicator F lights.

2. Press the Speaker button K$ on theremote or front panel. The words FNTSPKRwill appear in the Main InformationDisplay M.

3. Press the Enter button E on the remotecontrol, or the Set button on the front Ó.

4. Press the ⁄/¤ buttons C on the remote orthe Selector buttons & on the front paneluntil either F-LARGE or F-SMALLappears, matching the type of speakers you haveat the left-front and right-front positions, asdescribed by the definitions shown in precedingsection.

When SMALL is selected, low frequency frontchannel sounds will be sent only to the subwooferoutput. Note that if you choose this option andthere is no subwoofer connected, you will nothear any low frequency sounds from the frontchannels. This setting is not available with stereomode to ensure purest sound by bypassing thecrossovers of the DSP´s.

When LARGE is selected, a full-range outputwill be sent to the front left and front right out-puts. Depending on the subwoofer configuration(see below), the front left and right bass informa-tion may also be directed to a subwoofer.

Important Note: When a speaker set with twofront satellites and a passive subwoofer is used,connected to the front speaker outputs �,the fronts must be set for LARGE.

5. When you have completed your selection forthe front channels, press the Enter button Eon the remote control, or the Set button on thefront Ó, and then press the ⁄/¤ buttons Con the remote or the Selector buttons & onthe front panel to change the display to CENSPKR.

6. Press the Enter button E on the remotecontrol, or the Set button on the front Óagain, and use the ⁄/¤ buttons C on theremote, or the Selector buttons & on thefront panel, to select the option that bestdescribes your system based on the Centerspeaker definitions shown in preceding section.

When SMALL is selected, low frequency cen-ter channel sounds will be sent to the Fronts, ifthey are set for LARGE and Sub is turned off.When Sub is on, low frequency center channelsounds will be sent to the subwoofer only.

When LARGE is selected, a full-range outputwill be sent to the center speaker output, andwith analog and digital surround modes (exceptwith the Pro Logic II Music mode) NO centerchannel signal will be sent to the subwoofer out-put.

When NONE is selected, no signal will be sentto the center channel output. The receiver willoperate in a “phantom” center channel modeand center channel information will be sent tothe left and right front channel outputs and itsbass will be sent to the subwoofer output too aslong as SUB L/R+LFE is selected in the SUB-WOOFER line in this menu (see below). Thismode is needed if no Center speaker is used.

7. When you have completed your selection forthe center channel, press the Enter button Eon the remote control, or the Set button on thefront Ó, and then press the ⁄/¤ buttons Con the remote or the Selector buttons & onthe front panel to change the display to SURSPKR.

8. Press the Enter button E on the remotecontrol, or the Set button on the front Óagain, and then use the ⁄/¤ buttons C on theremote or the Selector buttons & on the frontpanel to select the option that best describesyour system based on the Surround speakerdefinitions shown in preceding section.

When SMALL is selected, with all digital sur-round modes low frequency surround channelsounds will be sent to the Fronts, when Sub isturned off, or to the subwoofer output when Subis on. With the analog surround modes the rearbass feed depends on the mode selected andthe setting of the sub and front speakers.

When LARGE is selected, a full-range outputwill be sent to the surround channel outputs(with all analog and digital surround modes),and, except with Hall and Theater modes, NOsurround channel bass will be sent to the sub-woofer output.

When NONE is selected, surround soundinformation will be split between the front-leftand front-right outputs. Note that for optimalperformance when no surround speakers are inuse, the Dolby 3 Stereo mode should be usedinstead of Dolby Pro Logic.

9. When you have completed your selection forthe surround channel, press the Enter buttonE on the remote control, or the Set button onthe front Ó, and then press the ⁄/¤ buttonsC on the remote or the Selector buttons &on the front panel to change the display to S-W SPKR.

10. Press the Enter button E on the remotecontrol, or the Set button on the front Ó, andthen press the ⁄/¤ buttons C on the remoteor the Selector buttons & on the front panelto select the option that best describes yourSubwoofer system.

The choices available for the subwoofer positionwill depend on the settings for the other speak-ers, particularly the front left/right positions.

If the front left/right speakers are set toSMALL, the subwoofer will automatically beset to SUB, which is the “on” position.

If the front left/right speakers are set toLARGE, three options are available:

• If no subwoofer is connected to the AVR 1550,press the arrow buttons C& so thatNONE appears in the display. When thisoption is selected, all bass information will berouted to the front left/right “main” speakers.

• If a subwoofer is connected to the AVR 1550,you have the option to have the front left/right“main” speakers reproduce bass frequencies atall times, and have the subwoofer operate onlywhen the AVR 1550 is being used with a digitalsource that contains a dedicated Low FrequencyEffects, or LFE soundtrack. This allows you to useboth your main and subwoofer speakers to takeadvantage of the special bass created for certainmovies. To select that option press the arrowbuttons C& so that SUB (LFE) appearsin the display.

• If a subwoofer is connected and you wish touse it for bass reproduction in conjunction withthe main front left/right speakers, regardless ofthe type of program source or surround modeyou are listening to, press the arrow buttonsC& so that L/R+LFE appears in thedisplay. When this option is selected, a “com-plete” feed will be sent to the front left/right“main” speakers, and the subwoofer will receivethe front left and right bass frequencies underthe crossover frequency 80 Hz, additionally tothe LFE soundtrack (see above).

11. When all speaker selections have been madefor the input selected, Press the Enter buttonE on the remote control, or the Set button onthe front Ó twice or simply wait for three seconds until the display returns to the normalmode.

System Configuration

16 SYSTEM CONFIGURATION

System Configuration

To assist in making these settings, the icons inthe Speaker/Channel Input Indicators Pwill change as the speaker type is selected ateach position. When only the inner icon box is lit,the speaker is set for “small.” When the inner boxand the two outer boxes with circles inside themare lit, the speaker is set for “large." When noindicator appears at a speaker location, thatposition is set for “none” or “no” speaker.

As an example, in the Figure below, the left frontand right front speakers are set for “large,” thecenter, left surround and right surround speakersare set for small, and a subwoofer is set.

After the speaker setting has been made withone input, repeat as described above with allinputs you will use. In most cases, the speakertype will be the same and may be quickly enteredby entering the same data used for the originalinput. But with some music sources you mayprefer to listen to your surround system withoutusing a Center speaker, particularily when a smallCenter is in use with an audio performance notmatching perfectly with the main front speakers.With these sources selected the Center speakerwill then be turned off automatically (enterNONE for the Center setting), while its signal willbe fed to the left and right Fronts.

The speaker setting mode can also be changed atany time later, and the AVR 1550´s memory system will keep these settings for the inputselected, until they are changed again.

Surround SetupOnce the speaker setup has been completed, thenext setup step is to set the surround mode youwish to use with each input. Since surroundmodes are a matter of personal taste, feel free toselect any mode you wish – you may change itlater. The Surround Mode chart on page 20 mayhelp you select the mode best suited to the inputsource selected. However, to make it easier toestablish the initial parameters for the AVR 1550,it is best to select any Dolby Pro Logic II mode formost analog inputs and Dolby Digital for inputsconnected to digital sources. In the case of inputssuch as a CD Player, Tape Deck or Tuner, you maywish to set the mode to Stereo, if that is yourpreferred listening mode for standard stereosources, where it is unlikely that surround encod-ed material will be used.

To set the surround mode you wish to use withthe input selected, press the Surround ModeSelector button 7 on the front or 9 and the⁄/¤ buttons C on the remote until thedesired surround mode´s name appears in theMain Information Display M.

Note that Dolby Digital and DTS will only appearas choices when a digital input has been selected.

After the surround mode setting has been madewith the current input, repeat the setting with allinputs you will use. The surround mode can alsobe changed at any time later, and the AVR 1550´smemory system will keep the settings for theinput selected, until they are changed again.

Making Settings independent ofselected Input

After the settings described above have beenmade for all input sources in your system, the fol-lowing settings, made with any input, will remainin effect independent of the input selected.

Delay Settings Only for the Dolby Digital or Dolby Pro Logic IImodes, you will need to adjust the delay timesetting. Note that the delay time is notadjustable for any other modes.

Important Note: Once the delay time is setwith any input it will be effective with all otherinputs too. Moreover the surround delay timesetting must be made only for either the DolbyPro Logic II or the Dolby Digital mode. The othersetting will be set automatically.

Due to the different distances between the lis-tening position for the front channel speakersand the surround speakers, the amount of time ittakes for sound to reach your ears from the frontor surround speakers is different. You may com-pensate for this difference through the use of thedelay settings to adjust the timing for the specificspeaker placement and acoustic conditions inyour listening room or home theater.

The factory setting (see Surround Mode Chartpage 20) is appropriate for most rooms, butsome installations create an uncommon distancebetween the front and surround speakers thatmay cause the arrival of front channel sounds tobecome disconnected from surround channelsounds.

To resynchronize the front, center and surroundchannels, follow these steps:

1. Measure the distance from the listening/viewing position to the front speakers inmeters.

2. Measure the distance from the listening/viewing position to the surround speakers.

3. Subtract the distance to the surround speakersfrom the distance to the front speakers andmultiply the result by 3.

a. When setting the delay time for the DolbyDigital surround modes, the optimal delay timeis the result of that subtraction. For example, ifthe front speakers are 3 m away and the sur-round speakers are 1 m away, the optimaldelay time is figured as (3–1)x3=6. Thus, inthis example, the delay time for Dolby Digitalshould be set at six milliseconds.

b. When setting the delay time for any Dolby ProLogic II mode, take the result of the calculationabove and add 15 to obtain the optimal delaytime.For example, if the front speakers are 3 maway and the surround speakers are 1 m away,

L RC

SL SRLFE

SYSTEM CONFIGURATION 17

the optimal delay time is figured as(3–1) x 3+15=21. Thus, in this example, thePro Logic II delay should be set at twenty milliseconds.

NOTE: The DTS, 5CH Stereo, Hall and Theatermodes use a fixed, nonadjustable delay time.

The Dolby Digital Mode also includes a separatesetting for the center channel delay mode, sincethe discrete nature of these signals makes thelocation of the center channel speaker more criti-cal. To calculate the delay for the center channel,measure the distance from the preferred listeningposition in the center of the room to both thecenter channel speaker and either the left orright speaker.

If the distances are equal, no further adjustmentis required and the center delay should be leftzero. If the distance to the front speakers isgreater than the distance to the center speaker,you may wish to reposition the speakers by moving the front left and front right speakerscloser to the listening position or the centerspeaker further away from the listening position.

If repositioning of the speakers is not possible,adjust the center delay time, adding one milli-second of center channel delay for every 30 cmcloser to the listening position the center speakeris than the front speakers. For example, if thefront left and front right speakers are each 3 mfrom the listening position and the center chan-nel speaker is 2.4 m away, the delay is figured as300 cm –240 cm=60 cm, suggesting an optimalcenter delay of 2 milliseconds.

To set the delay time, follow these steps:

1. To make the delay settings for the DolbyDigital mode (this will include the Center delaysetting, and the surround delay for the Pro Logic II mode will be set automatically), pressthe Input Source Selector ! on the front or4 on the remote and select any input now thatis associated with a digital input and the DolbyDigital surround mode.

2. Press the Delay button � on the remoteor front panel. The words S DELAY appear inthe Main Information Display M.

3. Press the Enter button E on the remotecontrol, or the Set button on the front Ó.

4. Press the ⁄/¤ buttons C on the remote orthe Selector buttons & on the front panel untilthe desired rear delay time for the Dolby Digitalmode, calculated using the formula for DolbyDigital above (item a.), appears in the display.

5. Press the Enter button E on the remotecontrol, or the Set button on the front Ó toenter the setting into the AVR 1550’s memory.

6. Press the ⁄/¤ buttons C on the remoteonce, so that C DELAY appears in the MainInformation Display M.

7. Press the Enter button E on the remotecontrol, or the Set button on the front Ó.

8. Press the ⁄/¤ buttons C on the remoteuntil the desired delay time for the center chan-nel appears in the display.

9. Press the Enter button E on the remotecontrol, or the Set button on the front Ó toenter the setting into the AVR 1550’s memory.

You have now completed the delay time settingsfor all surround modes and inputs.

Night Mode SettingsThe Night mode is a feature of Dolby Digital thatuses special processing to preserve the dynamicrange and full intelligibility of a movie soundtrack while reducing the peak level. This preventsabruptly loud transitions from disturbing others,without reducing the sonic impact of a digitalsource. Note that the Night mode is only avail-able when the Dolby Digital surround mode isselected.

To adjust the Night mode setting press the InputSource Selector ! on the front or 4 on theremote and select an input that is associatedwith a digital input and the Dolby Digital sur-round mode.

Next press the Night button A on the remote.When the button is pressed, the words D-R(Dynamic Range) followed by the current setting(MID, MAX, OFF) will appear in the MainInformation Display M.Press the ⁄/¤ buttons C within five secondsto select the desired setting:

OFF: When OFF is shown in the display, theNight mode will not function.

MID: When MID is shown in the display, amild compression will be applied.

MAX: When MAX is shown in the display, amore severe compression algorithm will beapplied.

When you want to use the Night mode feature,we recommend that you select the MID settingas a starting point and change to the MAXsetting later, if desired.

When any Night mode is selected, the NIGHTMode Indicator N will illuminate. To confirmthe selection press the Enter button E on theremote control, or the Set button on the frontÓ or wait for some seconds until the displayreturns to the normal mode.

Output Level AdjustmentOutput level adjustment is a key part of the con-figuration process for any surround sound prod-uct. It is particularly important for a Dolby Digitalreceiver such as the AVR 1550, as correct outputswill ensure that you hear sound tracks with theproper directionality and intensity.

NOTE: Listeners are often confused about theoperation of the surround channels. While someassume that sound should always be comingfrom each speaker, most of the time there will belittle or no sound in the surround channels. Thisis because they are only used when a moviedirector or sound mixer specifically places soundthere to create ambiance, a special effect or tocontinue action from the front of the room tothe rear. When the output levels are properly setit is normal for surround speakers to operateonly occasionally. Artificially increasing the volume to the rear speakers may destroy theillusion of an enveloping sound field that duplicates the way you hear sound in a movietheater or concert hall.

IMPORTANT NOTE: The output level can beadjusted for each digital and analog surroundmode separately. This allows you to compensatefor level differences between speakers, that mayalso vary with the surround mode selected, or toincrease or decrease the level of certain speakersintentionally, depending on the surround modeselected. Note that adjustments made for anysurround mode are effective with all inputs associated with that surround mode.

Before beginning the output level adjustmentprocess, make certain that all speaker connec-tions have been properly made. The systemvolume should be turned down at first.

To adjust and calibrate the output levels, followthese steps. For accurate calibration, it is a goodidea to make these adjustments while seated inyour favorite listening position. As the adjust-ment must be made for each surround mode, it isbest to select any input associated with anyDolby Pro Logic II mode, make the adjustment forthat surround mode, then step through all inputsyou´re using (and thus through all surroundmodes associated with the inputs) and repeatthe adjustment when any surround modeappears that has not yet been adjusted.

1. Select any input associated with any Dolby Pro Logic II surround mode by pressing theInput Source Selector !4 until the Pro Logic II F in the display light up.

2. Press the Test Tone button 7^ on theremote. The words TESTFLwill appear in theMain Information Display M.

System Configuration

18 SYSTEM CONFIGURATION

System Configuration

3. The test noise will immediately begin to circu-late in the speakers in a clockwise rotation,pausing at each position for two seconds. As thetest noise rotates the speaker positions FL,CEN, FR, SR, SL (Front Left, Center, FrontRight, Surround Right, Surround Left) will beshown in the Main Information Display M.As an added assist, while the test noise is circu-lating, the proper channel position will also beindicated in the Speaker/Channel IndicatorsP by a blinking letter within the correct chan-nel. Turn up the volume now until you can hearthe noise clearly.

IMPORTANT NOTE: Because this test noise willhave a much lower level than normal music, thevolume must be lowered after the adjustmentfor all channels is made, BEFORE you turn thetest tone off.

NOTE: This is a good time to verify that thespeakers have been properly connected. As thetest noise circulates, listen to make certain thatthe sound comes from the speaker positionshown in the Main Information Display. If thesound from a speaker location does NOT matchthe position indicated in the display, turn theAVR 1550 off using the Main Power Switch1 and check the speaker wiring to make cer-tain that each speaker is connected to the cor-rect output terminal.

After checking for speaker placement, let thetest noise circulate again, and listen to seewhich channels sound louder than the others.Using the front left speaker as a reference, pressthe ⁄/¤ buttons C on the remote to bring allspeakers to the same volume level. Note thatwhen one of the ⁄/¤ buttons is pushed, thetest noise circulation will pause on the channelbeing adjusted to give you time to make theadjustment. When you release the button, the cir-culation will resume after five seconds.

Continue to adjust the individual speakers untilthey all have the same volume. Note that adjust-ments should be made with the ⁄/¤ buttonsC on the remote only, NOT the main volumecontrols.

NOTE: The subwoofer output level is notadjustable using the test tone. To change thesubwoofer level, follow the steps for OutputLevel Trim Adjustment on page 23.

When all channels have the same output level,turn the Volume (I down to about -40dB,otherwise the listening level may be too high assoon as the source’s music starts to play. After-wards press the Test Tone Selector ^7button again to turn the test tone off and com-plete the process.

IMPORTANT NOTE: The Output level adjust-ment made will be effective for the surroundmode currently selected, also when other inputsare selected using the same surround mode. Toadjust the output level with all other surroundmodes used, step through all inputs you´re usingby pressing the Source Selector buttons !on the front panel or the appropriate InputSelectors 4 on the remote. When the indica-tor for any surround mode for which the leveladjustment has not yet been made lights in theMain Information Display M, repeat thelevel adjustment described above. This will alsoallow you to compensate level differencesbetween speakers, that may be different witheach surround mode, or to increase or decreasethe level of certain speakers intentionally,depending on the surround mode selected.

Once the settings outlined on the previouspages have been made, the AVR 1550 is readyfor operation. While there are some additionalsettings to be made, these are best done afteryou have had an opportunity to listen to a vari-ety of sources and different kinds of programmaterial. These advanced settings are describedon page 23 of this manual. In addition, any ofthe settings made in the initial configuration ofthe unit may be changed at any time.As you add new or different sources or speakers,or if you wish to change a setting to betterreflect your listening taste, simply follow theinstructions for changing the settings for thatparameter as shown above. Note that any set-tings changed at any time, will be stored inmemory in the AVR 1550, also if it´s turned offcompletely, unless it will be reset (see page 27).The settings will either depend on the input(Speaker configuration, analog/digital inputselection, surround mode) or on the surroundmode selected (speaker output level), asdescribed on previous pages.Having completed the setup and configurationprocess for your AVR 1550, you are about toexperience the finest in music and home theaterlistening. Enjoy!

OPERATION 19

Operation

Basic Operation

Once you have completed the setup and configu-ration of the AVR 1550, it is simple to operateand enjoy. The following instructions should befollowed for you to maximize your enjoyment ofyour new receiver:

Turning the AVR 1550 On or Off• When using the AVR 1550 for the first time, youmust press the Main Power Switch 1 on thefront panel to turn the unit on. This places the unitin a Standby mode, as indicated by the orangecolor of the Power Indicator 3. Once the unitis in Standby, you may begin a listening session bypressing the System Power Control 2 or theSource button ! on the front panel or the AVRSelector 5. Note that the Power Indicator3 will turn green. This will turn the unit on andreturn it to the input source that was last used.The unit may also be turned on from Standby bypressing any of the Source Selector buttons onthe remote 456.

NOTE: After pressing one of the Input Selectorbuttons 4 to turn the unit on, press the AVRSelector 5 to have the remote control the AVRfunctions.

To turn the unit off at the end of a listening ses-sion, simply press the System Power Control2 on the front panel or the Power OffButton 3 on the remote.To switch off both the AVR 1550 and compatibleHarman Kardon DVD or CD Player, first press theInput Selector button 4 and after pressthe Power Off Button 3. After that pressthe AVR Selector Button 5, followed by thePower Off Button 3.

When the remote is used to turn the unit “off” itis actually placing the system in a Standby mode,as indicated by the orange color of the PowerIndicator 3.

When you will be away from home for anextended period of time it is always a good ideato completely turn the unit off with the frontpanel Main Power Switch 1.

NOTE: All preset memories may be lost if theunit is left turned off with the Main PowerSwitch 1 for more than two weeks.

Using the Sleep Timer• To program the AVR 1550 for automatic turn-off, press the Sleep Button 8 on the remote.Each press of the button will increase the timebefore shut down in the following sequence:

The sleep time will be displayed in the PresetNumber/Sleep Timer Indicator Q and it willcount down until the time has elapsed.

When the programmed sleep time has elapsed,the unit will automatically turn off (to Standbymode). Note that the front panel display will dimto one half brightness when the Sleep functionis programmed. To cancel the Sleep function,press and hold the Sleep Button 8 until theinformation display returns to normal brightnessand the Sleep indicator numbers return to "0" inthe Main Information Display M.

Source Selection

• To select a source, press any of the Source Selector buttons on the remote456.

NOTE: After pressing one of the Input Selectorbuttons 4 you must press the AVR Selector5 to have the remote control the AVR functions.

• The input source may also be changed bypressing the front-panel Input SourceSelector button !. Each press of the buttonwill move the input selection through the list ofavailable inputs.

• As the input is changed, the AVR 1550 willautomatically switch to the digital input (ifselected), surround mode and speaker configura-tion that were entered during the configurationprocess for that source.

• The front-panel Video 3 Inputs % may beused to connect a device such as a video gameor camcorder to your home entertainmentsystem on a temporary basis.

• As the input source is changed, the new inputname will appear in the Main InformationDisplay M.

• When a pure audio source (Tuner, CD, Tape) isselected, the last video input used remains rout-ed to the Video 1 Outputs � (except from itsown Video 1/2 source) and Video MonitorOutput �. This permits simultaneous viewingand listening to different sources.

• When a Video source is selected, its audio sig-nal will be fed to the speakers and the video sig-nal for that input will be routed to the appropriateMonitor Output jack � and will be viewable ona TV monitor connected to the AVR 1550.

Controls and Use of Headphones

• Adjust the volume to a comfortable level usingthe front panel Volume Control ( or remoteVolume Up/Down I buttons.

• To temporarily silence all speaker outputspress the Mute button 2. This will interruptthe output to all speakers and the headphonejack, but it will not affect any recording or dub-bing that may be in progress. Press the Mutebutton 2 again to return to normal operation.

• To set the output of the AVR 1550 so that theoutput is “flat,” with the Tone controls de-acti-vated, press the Tone Mode button 6 buttononce or twice so that the words Tone Outappear momentarily in the Main InformationDisplay M. To return the tone controls to anactive condition, press the Tone Mode 6 but-ton once or twice so that the words ToneIn momentarily appear in the MainInformation Display M.Once Tone In is shown in the Display,press the Set Button Ó on the front panel toselect the Bass Control. Adjustments can bemade with the Selector Buttons & on thefront panel. Pressing the Set button againselects the Treble Control. Make your adjust-ments with the Selector Buttons &.

• For private listening, plug the 6.3 mm stereophone plug from a pair of stereo headphonesinto the front panel Headphone Jack 4. Notethat when the headphone’s plug is connected,the word HEADPHONE will scroll onceacross the Main Information Display M andall speakers will be silenced. When the head-phone plug is removed, the audio feed to thespeakers will be restored.

90min

80min

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40min

30min

20min

10min OFF

20 OPERATION

Operation

Surround Mode Chart

MODE FEATURES DELAY TIME RANGE

DOLBY DIGITAL Available only with digital input sources encoded with Dolby Digital data. It provides Center: 0 ms – 5 msup to five separate main audio channels and a special dedicated Low Frequency Effects Initial Setting – 0 mschannel. Surround: 0 ms –15 ms

Initial Setting – 0 ms

DTS Available only with digital input sources encoded with DTS data. Available on special Delay time not adjustable DVD, LD and audio-only discs, DTS provides up to five separate main audio channels and a special dedicated low frequency channel.

DOLBY PRO LOGIC II Dolby Pro Logic II is the latest version of Dolby Laboratory's benchmark surround technology that Movie and Emulation:creates or decodes full range, discrete left, center, right, right surround and left surround channels 10 ms - 25 ms,from either matrix surround encoded programs and conventional stereo sources. The Dolby Initial Setting - 10 ms,ProLogic II Movie mode is optimized for movie soundtracks that are recorded with matrix Music:surround, by creating true rear left, center and right signals. The ProLogic II Music mode 0 ms - 15 ms,should be used with musical selections, that are recorded with matrix surround or with normal Initial Setting - 0 msstereo mode, creating discrete rear left and right signals. The ProLogic II Emulation mode creates compelling five-channel surround from conventional stereo recordings.

DOLBY 3 STEREO Uses the information contained in a surround encoded or two channel stereo program to No surround channels create center channel information. In addition, the information that is normally sent to the rear channel surround speakers is carefully mixed in with the front left and front right channels for increased realism. Use this mode when you have a center channel speaker but no surround speakers.

THEATER The THEATER mode creates a sound field that resembles the acoustic feeling Delay time not adjustable of a standard live performance theater, with stereo and even pure mono sources.

HALL 1 The two Hall modes create sound fields that resemble a small (HALL 1) or Delay time not adjustableHALL 2 medium sized (HALL 2) concert hall, with stereo and even pure mono sources.

5-Channel Stereo This mode takes advantage of multiple speakers to place a stereo signal at both the front and No delay is available for back of a room. Ideal for playing music in situations such as a party, it places the same signal this modeat the front-left and surround-left, and at the front-right and surround-right speakers. The centerchannel is fed a summed mono mix of the in-phase material of the left and right channels.

SURROUND This mode turns off all surround processing and presents the pure left and right No surround channels OFF (STEREO) channel presentation of two channel stereo programs.

OPERATION 21

Operation

Surround Mode Selection

One of the most important features of the AVR 1550 is its ability to reproduce a full multichannel surround sound field from digitalsources, analog matrix surround encoded programs and standard stereo or even monoprograms. In all, a total of eleven listeningmodes are available on the AVR 1550.

Selection of a surround mode is based on person-al taste, as well as the type of program sourcematerial being used. For example, motion pic-tures, CD’s or TV programs bearing the logo ofone of the major surround encoding processes,such as Dolby Surround should be played in eitherthe Dolby Pro Logic II Movie (with movies) orMusic (with music) surround mode.

When no rear speakers are in use, the Dolby 3Stereo mode should be selected with all surround recordings.

Note that when Dolby Digital 2.0 signals (e.g."D.D. 2.0" tracks from DVD), that are encodedwith Dolby Pro Logic information, are receivedvia any digital input, the Dolby Pro Logic IIMovie mode will be selected automatically (inaddition to the Dolby Digital mode) and willdecode a full range 5.1 channel surround soundeven from those recordings (see also "DolbyDigital" on page 22).

To create wide, enveloping sound field environments and defined pans and flyoverswith all analog stereo recordings select theDolby Pro Logic II Music or Emulation mode.

NOTE: Once a program has been encoded withmatrix surround information, it retains the sur-round information as long as the program isbroadcast in stereo. Thus, movies with surroundsound may be decoded via any of the analogsurround modes such as Dolby Pro Logic II,when they are broadcast via conventional TVstations, cable, pay TV and satellite transmission.In addition, a growing number of made-for-tele-vision programs, sports broadcasts, radio dramasand music CDs are also recorded in surroundsound. You may view a list of these programs atthe Dolby Laboratories Web site atwww.dolby.com.

Even when a program is not listed as carryingintentional surround information, you may findthat the Dolby Pro Logic II, Dolby 3 Stereomodes often deliver enveloping surround presentations through the use of the natural surround information present in all stereorecordings.

However, for stereo programs without any surround information the Theater, Hall and 5CHStereo modes should be tried (effective particu-larly with old ”extreme” stereo recordings) andfor mono programs, we suggest that you try theTheater or Hall modes.

Surround modes are selected using either thefront panel controls or the remote. To select asurround mode from the front panel, press theSurround Mode Selector 7 to scroll throughthe list of available modes. To select a surroundmode using the remote, press the SurroundMode Selector9, and then press the ⁄ /¤buttons C to change the mode. As you pressthe buttons, the Surround mode name willappear in the Main Information Display M,and an individual mode indicator will also lightup C D F H J. Regard that any time asurround mode is changed it remains associatedwith the input just selected until another choiceis made.

NOTE: The name of each Surround Mode willscroll through the Main Information DisplayM while the modes are being selected. To avoidexiting from the surround mode selectionprocess, be certain to push the ⁄ /¤ buttonsC while a mode name is still visible.

Note that the Dolby Digital or DTS modes mayonly be selected when a digital input is in use. Inaddition, when a digital source is present, theAVR 1550 will automatically select and switch tothe correct mode (Dolby Digital or DTS), regard-less of the mode that has been previously select-ed. For more information on selecting digitalsources, see the following section of this manual.

To listen to a program in traditional two channelstereo, using the front left and front right speak-ers only (plus the subwoofer if installed and con-figured), follow the instructions shown above forusing the remote until SURR OFF appearsin the Main Information Display M.

Digital Audio Playback

Digital audio is a major advancement over olderanalog matrix surround systems. It delivers five discrete channels: left front, center, right front,left surround and right surround. Each channelreproduces full frequency range (20Hz to 20kHz)and offers dramatically improved dynamic rangeand significant improvements to signal-to-noiseratios. In addition, digital systems have the capability to deliver an additional channel that isspecifically devoted to low frequency informa-tion. This is the “.1” channel referred to whenyou see these systems descibed as “5.1”.The bass channel is separate from the otherchannels, but since it is intentionally bandwidthlimited, sound designers have given it thatunique designation.

Dolby Digital Dolby Digital (originally known as AC-3®) is a standard part of DVD, and is available on specially encoded LD discs and satellite broad-casts and it is a part of the new high-definitiontelevision (HDTV) system.

Note that an optional, external RF demodulatoris required to use the AVR 1550 to listen to theDolby Digital sound tracks available on laserdiscs. Connect the RF output of the LD player tothe demodulator and then connect the digitaloutput of the demodulator to the Optical orCoaxial inputs �� of the AVR 1550.No demodulator is required for use with DVDplayers or DTS-encoded laser discs.

DTSDTS is another digital audio system that is capa-ble of delivering 5.1 audio. Although both DTSand Dolby Digital are digital, they use differentmethods of encoding the signals, and thus theyrequire different decoding circuits to convert thedigital signals back to analog.

DTS-encoded sound tracks are available onselect DVD and LD discs, as well as on specialaudio-only DTS CDs. You may use any LD, DVDor CD player equipped with a digital output toplay DTS-encoded special audio-only CDs withthe AVR 1550, but DTS-LDs can be played on LDplayers and DTS-DVDs on DVD players only. Allthat is required is to connect the player’s outputto either the Optical or Coaxial input on therear panel �� .

22 OPERATION

Operation

PCM Audio PlaybackPCM (Pulse Code Modulation) is the non- com-pressed digital audio system used for compactdiscs, Non-Dolby Digital/DTS Laserdiscs andsome special PCM encoded DVDs. The digital cir-cuits in the AVR 1550 are capable of high qualitydigital-to-analog decoding, and they may be con-nected directly to the digital audio output of yourCD/DVD or LD player (LD only for PCM or DTSprograms, for Dolby Digital laser discs an RFadapter is needed, see ”Dolby Digital” above).

Connections may be made to either the Opticalor Coaxial inputs �� on the rear panel.

To listen to a PCM digital source, first select theinput for the desired source (e.g., CD) to feed itsvideo signal (if any) to the TV monitor and toprovide its analog audio signal for recording.Next press the Digital Select button ÔFand then use the ⁄ /¤ buttons C on theremote, or the Selector buttons& on the frontpanel, until the desired choice appears in theMain Information Display M, then press theEnter button E on the remote control, or theSet button on the front Ó to confirm thechoice.

When a PCM source is playing, the PCM indica-tor A will light. During PCM playback you mayselect any surround mode as described on pages20 and 21 except Dolby Digital or DTS.

Selecting a Digital Source

To utilize either digital mode you must haveproperly connected a digital source to the AVR 1550. Connect the digital outputs fromDVD players, HDTV receivers, satellite systems orCD players to the Optical or Coaxial inputs onthe rear panel �� .

When playing a digital source such as DVD, firstselect its input using the remote or front panelcontrols as outlined in this manual in order tofeed its video signal (if any) to the TV monitorand to provide its analog audio signal forrecording. When the digital input appropriatewith the DVD player is not selected automatical-ly (due to the input settings made earlier duringthe system configuration, see page 14), selectthe digital source by pressing the Digital InputSelector button FÔ and then using the⁄/¤ buttons C on the remote or theSelector buttons& on the front panel tochoose any of the OPTICAL or COAXIAL inputs, as they appear in theMain Information Display M and DisplayIndicators BE. When the digital source isplaying, the AVR 1550 will automatically detectwhether it is a multichannel Dolby Digital, DTSsource or a conventional PCM signal, which isthe standard output from CD players.A Bitstream Indicator A will light in theMain Information Display * to confirm that

the digital signal is Dolby Digital, DTS or PCM.Note that a digital input (e.g. coaxial) remainsassociated with any analog input (e.g. DVD) assoon as it is selected, thus the digital input neednot be re-selected each time the appropriateinput choice (e.g. DVD) is made.

Digital Status Indicators

When a digital source is playing, the AVR 1550senses the type of bitstream data that is present.Using this information, the correct surroundmode will automatically be selected. For exam-ple, DTS bitstreams will cause the unit to switchto DTS decoding, and Dolby Digital bitstreamswill enable Dolby Digital decoding. When the unitsenses PCM data, from CDs and LDs and somemusic DVDs or certain tracks on normal DVDs, itwill allow the appropriate surround mode to beselected manually. Since the range of availablesurround modes depends on the type of digitaldata that is present, the AVR 1550 uses a varietyof indicators to let you know what type of signalis present. This will help you to understand thechoice of modes and the input channels recordedon the disc.

When a digital source is playing, a BitstreamIndicator A will light to show which type ofsignal is playing:

: When the DOLBY D indicator lights, aDolby Digital bitstream is being received.Depending on the audio track selected on thesource player and number of channels on thedisc, different surround modes are possible. Notethat only one channel without subwoofer, called”1.0” audio, or all five channels with subwoofer(”5.1” audio) or all steps between can berecorded on digitally surround encoded audiotracks (see NOTE below). With all those tracks,except ”2.0” audio, only the Dolby Digital modeis available. When the Dolby Digital signal is onlytwo channel (”2.0”) these two channels (l and r)often contain Pro Logic surround informations.With those tracks the AVR 1550 automaticallyswitches to the Dolby Pro Logic II Movie mode(in addition to the Dolby Digital mode). Whenthe D.D. 2.0 signal contains no Pro Logic infor-mation, the pure Dolby Digital mode will beselected automatically, but you may also selectany Pro Logic II mode (only Music or Emulationshould be used then).

DTS: When the DTS indicator lights, a DTS bitstream is being received. When the unit sensesthis type of data, only the DTS mode may beused.

PCM: When the PCM indicator lights, a standardPulse Code Modulation, or PCM, signal is beingreceived. This is the type of digital audio used byconventional compact disc and laser disc record-ings. When a PCM bitstream is present, all modesexcept Dolby Digital and DTS are available. Note

that the PCM signal format can be selected onthe DVD player with any audio track, even withDolby Digital tracks (but not with Dolby Digitaldecoding). So, if selected, even ”2.0” D.D. audiotracks can be played with all surround modes.

In addition to the Bitstream Indicators, theAVR 1550 features a set of unique channel inputindicators that tell you how many channels ofdigital information are being received and if thedigital signal is interrupted.

These indicators are the L/C/R/SL/SR/LFE lettersthat are inside the center boxes of theSpeaker/Channel Input Indicators P in thefront panel Main Information Display *.When a standard analog stereo or matrix surround signal is in use, only the “L” and “R”indicators will light, as analog signals have onlyleft and right channels, respectively, even surround recordings, carry surround informationon the left and right channels only.

Digital signals, however, may have one to sixseparate channels, depending on the programmaterial, the method of transmission and theway in which it was encoded. When a digital signal is playing, the letters in these indicatorswill light in response to the specific signal beingreceived. It is important to note that althoughDolby Digital, for example, is referred to as a“5.1” system, not all Dolby Digital DVD or audiotracks selected on DVD or other Dolby Digitalprograms are encoded for 5.1. Thus, it is some-times normal for a DVD with a Dolby Digitalsoundtrack to trigger e.g. only the “L” and “R”indicators.

Night Mode

A special feature of Dolby Digital is the Nightmode, which enables Dolby Digital input sourcesto be played back with full digital intelligibiltywhile reducing the maximum peak level and lift-ing the low levels by 1/4 to 1/3. This preventsabruptly loud transitions from disturbing otherswithout reducing the impact of the digitalsource. The Night mode is available only whenDolby Digital mode is selected.

The Night mode may be engaged when a DolbyDigital DVD is playing by pressing the NightButton A on the remote. Next, press the ⁄/¤

buttons C to select either the middle range orfull compression versions of the Night mode. Toturn the Night mode off, press the ⁄/¤ buttonsC until the message in the lower third of the video display and the Main InformationDisplay M reads D-ROFF.When the Night mode is active, the NightMode Indicator O will also illuminate.

OPERATION 23

Operation

IMPORTANT NOTES ON DIGITALPLAYBACK:1. When the digital playback source is stopped,or in a pause, fast forward or chapter searchmode, the digital audio data will momentarilystop, and the channel position letters inside theSpeaker/Channel Indicators P will flash.This is normal and does not indicate a problemwith either the AVR 1550 or the source machine.The AVR 1550 will return to digital playback assoon as the data is available and when themachine is in a standard play mode.

2.Although the AVR 1550 will decode virtually allDVD movies, CDs and HDTV sources, it is possiblethat some future digital sources may not be com-patible with the AVR 1550.

3. Note that not all digitally encoded programsand not all audio tracks on a DVD contain full5.1-channel audio. Consult the program guidethat accompanies the DVD or laser disc to deter-mine which type of audio has been recorded onthe disc. The AVR 1550 will automatically sensethe type of digital surround encoding used, indi-cate it in the Bitstream Indicators A andChannel Input Indicators P and adjust toaccommodate it.

4. When a Dolby Digital or DTS source is playing,you normally may not be able to select some ofthe analog surround modes such as Dolby ProLogic II, Dolby 3 Stereo, Hall, Theater or 5CHStereo, except with special audio tracks (see indication ”Dolby Digital” on previouspage) or data format selected (see ”PCM” onprevious page).

5. When a Dolby Digital or DTS source is playing,it is not possible to make an analog recordingusing the Tape � or Video 1 � record out-puts, if the source is connected to any digitalinput of the AVR 1550 only.

Tape Recording

In normal operation, the audio or video sourceselected for listening through the AVR 1550 issent to the record outputs. This means that anyprogram you are watching or listening to may berecorded simply by placing machines connectedto the outputs for Tape Outputs � or Video1 Outputs �� in the record mode.

When a digital audio recorder is connected tothe Coaxial Digital Audio Outputs �, youare able to record the digital signal using a CD-R, MiniDisc or other digital recording system.Note that all digital signals will be passedthrough to the coaxial digital output, no matterwhich kind of digital input was selected.

NOTES:• The digital outputs are active only when a digi-tal signal is present, and they do not convert ananalog input to a digital signal, or change the for-mat of the digital signal (e.g. Dolby Digital to

PCM or vice versa, but optical digital input signalsare converted to coaxial signals). In additon, thedigital recorder must be compatible with the out-put signal. For example, the PCM digital outputfrom a CD player may be recorded on a CD-R orMiniDisc, but Dolby Digital or DTS signals maynot.

Output Level Trim Adjustment

Normal output level adjustment for the AVR 1550 is established using the test tone, asoutlined on pages 17 and 18. In some cases,however, it may be desirable to adjust the out-put levels using program material such as a testdisc, or a selection you are familiar with.Additionally, the output level for the subwooferand those for the Stereo mode can only beadjusted using this procedure.

To adjust the output levels using program mate-rial, first select the surround mode for which youwant to trim the speakers (see NOTE below) byselecting the appropriate input, associated withthe desired surround mode, start your programmaterial source and set the reference volume forthe front left and front right channels using theVolume Control (I.

Once the reference level has been set, press theChannel Select button B# and note thatFL LEVELwill appear in the MainInformation Display M for five seconds. Tochange the level, first press the Enter buttonE on the remote control, or the Set button onthe front Ó, and then use the Selector but-tons & or the ⁄/¤ buttons C to raise orlower the level. DO NOT use the volume control,as this will alter the reference setting.

Once the change has been made, press theEnter button E on the remote control, or theSet button on the front Ó and then press theSelector buttons & or the ⁄/¤ buttons Cto select the next output channel location thatyou wish to adjust. To adjust the subwooferlevel, press the Selector buttons & or the⁄/¤ buttons C until SW LEVEL appearsin the Main Information Display M (onlyavailable if the subwoofer was selected duringthe speaker configuration, see page 14).

Press the Enter button E on the remote control, or the Set button on the front Ó whenthe name of the desired channel appears in theMain Information Display M and on-screendisplay, and follow the instructions shown aboveto adjust the level.

Repeat the procedure as needed until all channels requiring adjustment have been set.When all adjustments have been made press theEnter button E on the remote control, or theSet button on the front Ó twice, the AVR 1550will return to normal operation.

NOTE: The output levels may be separatelytrimmed for each digital and analog surroundmode. If you wish to have different trim levels for aspecific mode, select that mode and then followthe instructions in the steps shown above.

Changing the levels by the trim adjustment asdescribed above will automatically change thelevel settings shown during the Output LevelAdjustment (see page 17) correspondingly (andvice versa) and will remain in the AVR 1550´smemory system, even when the unit is turnedoff. With Stereo mode the adjustment proceduredescribed above is the only way to trim the out-put level.

Display Brightness

The AVR 1550’s front panel Main InformationDisplay * is set at a default brightness levelthat is sufficient for viewing in a normally litroom. However, in some home theater installa-tions, you may wish to occasionally lower thebrightness of the display, or turn it off completely.

The display brightness may be changed by pressing and holding the Set button Ó on thefront for three seconds until the message in theMain Information Display M reads VFDFULL. Within five seconds, press the frontpanel ‹ /› buttons & until the desired bright-ness display level is shown. At that point, pressthe Set button Ó again to enter the setting.

Memory Backup

This product is equipped with a memory backupsystem that preserves tuner presets and systemconfiguration information if the unit is turned offcompletely, accidentally unplugged or subjectedto a power outage. This memory will last forapproximately two weeks, after which time allinformation must be reentered.

24 OPERATION

Operation

Tuner Operation

The AVR 1550’s tuner is capable of tuning AM,FM and FM Stereo broadcast stations andreceiving RDS data. Stations may be tunedmanually, or they may be stored as favoritestation presets and recalled from a 30 positionmemory.

Station Selection1. Press the AM/FM Tuner Select button 6on the remote to select the tuner as an input.The tuner may be selected from the front panel by either pressing the Input Source Selector ! until the tuner is active or bypressing the Tuner Band Selector 9 at anytime.

2. Press the AM/FM Tuner Select button 6or Tuner Band Selector 9 again to switchbetween AM and FM so that the desired frequen-cy band is selected.

3. Press the Tuner Mode button H on theremote or hold the Band Selector 9 on thefront panel pressed for 3 seconds to select manual or automatic tuning.

When the AUTO indicator O is illuminated in theMain Information Display M the tuner willonly stop at those stations that have a strongenough signal to be received with acceptablequality.

When the AUTO indicator O is not illuminated,the tuner is in a manual mode and will stop ateach frequency increment in the selected band.

4. To select stations press any Tuning button 8J. When the AUTO indicator O is illumin-ated, press the button to cause the tuner tosearch for the next highest or lowest frequencystation that has an acceptable signal or hold thebutton pressed to tune more quickly and releaseit to start the auto search. In the Auto mode thetuner will play each station in stereo or monomode, just as the program is transmitted. If theAUTO indicator O is not illuminated, tap theTuning button 8J to advance one frequen-cy increment at a time, or press and hold it tolocate a specific station. When the TUNEDindicator L illuminates, the station is properlytuned and should be heard with clarity.

5. Stations may also be tuned directly by press-ing the Direct button F, and then pressingthe Numeric Keys G that correspond to thestation’s frequency. The desired station will auto-matically be tuned after the latest number isentered. If you press an incorrect button whileentering a direct frequency, press the Clearbutton P to start over.

NOTE: When the FM reception of a stereostation is weak, audio quality will be increasedby switching to Mono mode by pressing theTuner Mode button H on the remote or

holding the Band Selector 9 on the frontpanel pressed for 3 seconds until theSTEREO indicator U goes out.

Preset TuningUsing the remote, up to 30 stations may bestored in the AVR 1550’s memory for easy recallusing the front panel controls or the remote.

To enter a station into the memory, first tune thestation using the steps outlined above. Then:

1. Press the Memory button Q on theremote. Note that MEMORY indicator T willilluminate and flash in the Main InformationDisplay *.

2. Within five seconds, press the Numeric KeysG corresponding to the location where youwish to store this station’s frequency. Onceentered, the preset number will appear in thePreset Number/Sleep Time Display Q.

3. Repeat the process after tuning any additionalstations to be preset.

Recalling Preset Stations• To manually select a station previously enteredin the preset memory, press the Numeric KeysG that correspond to the desired station’smemory location.

• To manually tune through the list of storedpreset stations one by one, press the PresetStations Selector buttons )O on thefront panel or remote.

RDS Operation

The AVR 1550 is equipped with RDS (Radio DataSystem), which brings a wide range of informa-tion to FM radio. Now in use in many countries,RDS is a system for transmitting station callsigns or network information, a description ofstation program type, text messages about thestation or specifics of a musical selection, andthe correct time.

RDS TuningWhen an FM station is tuned in and it containsRDS data, the RDS Indicator I will illuminateand the AVR 1550 will automatically display thestation’s call sign or other program service in theMain Information Display M.

RDS Display OptionsIn normal RDS operation the display will indi-cate the station name, broadcast network orcall letters. Pressing the RDS button @Nenables you to cycle through the various datatypes in the following sequence:

• The station’s call letters (with some private sta-tions other information too).

• The station’s frequency.

• The Program Type (PTY) as shown in the listbelow.

• A “text” message (Radiotext, RT) containingspecial information from the broadcast station.Note that this message may scroll across the dis-play to permit messages longer than the eightpositions in the display. Depending on signalquality, it may take up to 30 seconds for the textmessage to appear; in that time, the wordTEXTwill flash in the Information Displaywhen RT is selected.

• The current time of day (CT). Note that it maytake up to two minutes for the time to appear,in that time the word TIMEwill flash in theinformation display when CT is selected.Please note that the accuracy of the time data isdependent on the radio station, not the AVR 1550.

Some RDS stations may not include some ofthese additional features. If the data requiredfor the selected mode is not being transmitted,the Main Information Display M will showa NO TYPE,NO TEXT or NO TIMEmessage after the individual time out.

In any FM mode the RDS function requires astrong enough signal for proper operation.If you receive a partial message, or the RDS Indicator I going on and off, try slowlyadjusting the antenna or tune to anotherstronger RDS station.

OPERATION 25

Operation

Program Search (PTY)An important feature of RDS is its capability ofencoding broadcasts with Program Type (PTY)codes that indicate the type of material beingbroadcast. The following list shows the abbrevia-tions used to indicate each PTY, along with anexplanation of the PTY:

• (RDS ONLY)

• (TRAFFIC)

• NEWS: News

• AFFAIRS: Current Affairs

• INFO: Infomation

• SPORT: Sports

• EDUCATE: Educational

• DRAMA: Drama

• CULTURE: Culture

• SCIENCE: Science

• VARIED: Varied Speech Programs

• POPM: Popular Music

• ROCKM: Rock Music

• M.O.R.M.: Middle-of-the-Road Music

• LIGHTM: Classical Music

• CLASSICS: Serious Classical Music

• OTHERM: Other Music

• WEATHER: Weather Information

• FINANCE: Financial Programs

• CHILDREN: Children’s Programs

• SOCIAL A: Social Affairs Programs

• RELIGION: Religious Broadcasts

• PHONE IN: Phone-In Programs

• TRAVEL: Travel and Touring

• LEISURE: Leisure and Hobby

• JAZZ: Jazz Music

• COUNTRY: Country Music

• NATIONAL: National Music

• OLDIES: Oldies Music

• FOLK M: Folk Music

• DOCUMENT: Documentary Programs

• TEST: Emergency Test

• ALARM: Emergency Broadcast Information

You may search for a specific Program Type(PTY) by following these steps:

1. Press the RDS button @N until the cur-rent PTY is shown in the Main InformationDisplay M.

2. While the PTY is shown, press the PresetUp/Down button )O or hold them pressedto scroll through the list of available PTY types,as shown above.

3. Press any of the Tuning Up/Down buttons8J, the tuner begins to scan the FM bandupwards or downwards for the first station thathas RDS data that matches the desired selec-tion, and acceptable signal strength for qualityreception.

4. The tuner will make up to one complete scanof the entire FM band for the next station thatmatches the desired PTY type and has accept-able reception quality. If no such station isfound, the display will read NONE for someseconds and the tuner will return to the last FMstation in use before the search.

NOTE: Many stations do not transmit a specificPTY. The display will show NONE, when such astation is selected and PTY is active.

NOTE: Some stations transmit constant trafficinformation. To identify as traffic station, theytransmit a specific traffic code constantly, whichcauses the TA Indicator K to light in the dis-play. These stations can be found by selectingTRAFFIC, the option in front of NEWS in the list.The AVR 1550 will find the appropriate station,even if it is not broadcasting traffic informationwhen the search is made.

Remote

The AVR 1550 is equipped with a powerfulremote control that will control not only thereceiver’s functions, but also compatible HarmanKardon CD and DVD players.

To switch between operating the AVR 1550 andcompatible Harman Kardon products, press theInput Selectors to select either the AVR 15505 or a different source 4. Some of theremote control functions will work no matter ifthe AVR 1550 or compatible Harman Kardon DVDplayer is selected. (See page 26). Pressing anotherinput source than DVD will change the AVR 1550's input to this source. After that pressthe AVR Input Selector button 5 again tobe able to control the AVR 1550.

26 FUNCTION LIST

Function List

1 2

3

7

11

15 16 17 18

19 20 21 22

23 24 25 26

27 28 29 30

31 32 33 34

35

36 37

38

39 40 41 42

43 44 45 46

47 48 49 50

51 52 53 54

55 56 57 58

12 13 14

8 9 10

4 5 6

AVR 1550

No. Button Name AVR Function DVD Function1 Power On Power On Power On2 Power Off Power Off Power Off3 AVR AVR Select AVR Select4 DVD DVD Select DVD Select5 CD CD Input Select6 TAPE Tape Input Select7 VID 1 Video 1 Select8 VID 2 Video 2 Select9 VID 3 Video 3 Select10 TV TV Input Select11 FM/AM Tuner Select12 Audio Audio Track Select13 Subtitle Subtitle Select14 On/Off Subtitle On/Off15 Play Play16 Pause Pause17 Stop Stop18 Status Status Select19 Tune Down Tune Down R. Search 20 Tune Up Tune Up F. Search21 Preset Down Preset Down Skip Previous22 Preset Up Preset Up Skip Next23 Slow Reverse Slow Reverse24 Slow Forward Slow Forward25 Step Reverse Step Reverse26 Step Forward Step Forward27 Repeat Repeat28 Random Random Play29 Tun-M/Check Tuner Mode Check30 Volume Up Volume Up Volume Up31 Speaker/Menu Speaker Adjust Menu32 Memory/Prog. Tuner Memory Program33 Enter Set Enter34 Volume Down Volume Down Volume Down35 ⁄ Move/Adjust Up Up36 ‹ Move/Adjust Left Left37 › Move/Adjust Right Right38 ¤ Move/Adjust Down Down39 Surround Select Surround Select40 Digital Digital Input Select/Direct41 Channel/Title Channel Trim Title42 Delay Delay Adjust Open/Close43 1 1 144 2 2 245 3 3 346 Test Test Tone47 4 4 448 5 5 549 6 6 650 Night Night Mode Select51 7 7 752 8 8 853 9 9 954 Sleep Sleep55 RDS RDS Setup Menu56 0 0 057 Clear Clear Clear58 Mute Mute

TROUBLESHOOTING GUIDE 27

Troubleshooting Guide

Processor Reset

In the rare case where the unit’s operation or thedisplays seem abnormal, the cause may involvethe erratic operation of the system’s memory ormicroprocessor.

To correct this problem, first unplug the unit fromthe AC wall outlet and wait at least three min-utes. After the pause, reconnect the AC powercord and check the unit’s operation. If the systemstill malfunctions, a system reset may clear theproblem.

To clear the AVR 1550’s entire system memoryincluding tuner presets, output level settings,delay times and speaker configuration data, firstput the unit in Standby by pressing the SystemPower Control button 2. Next, press theTone Mode 6 and the RDS @ buttons simul-taneously.

The unit will turn on automatically and displaythe RESET message in the MainInformation Display M. Note that once youhave cleared the memory in this manner, it is nec-essary to re-establish all system configurationsettings and tuner presets.

NOTE: Resetting the processor will erase anyconfiguration settings you have made for speak-ers, output levels, surround modes, digital inputassignments as well as the tuner presets. After areset the unit will be returned to the factory presets, and all settings for these items must bereentered.

If the system is still operating incorrectly, theremay have been an electronic discharge or severeAC line interference that has corrupted the memory or microprocessor.

If these steps do not solve the problem, consultan authorized Harman Kardon service depot.

SYMPTOM CAUSE SOLUTION

Unit does not function when • No AC Power • Make certain AC power cord is plugged Main Power Switch 1 is pushed into a live outlet

• Check to see if outlet is switch controlled

Display lights, but no sound • Intermittent input connections • Make certain that all input and speaker or picture connections are secure

• Mute is on • Press Mute button 2• Volume control is down • Turn up volume control

Sound is heard, but Front-Panel • Display brightness is turned off • Follow the instructions in the Display Brightness section Display does not light on page 23 so that the display is set to VFD FULL

No sound from any speaker; • Amplifier is in protection mode • Check speaker-wire connections for shorts at receiver light around Power switch 2 is red due to possible short and speaker ends

• Amplifier is in protection mode • Contact your local Harman Kardon service depotdue to internal problems

No sound from surround or • Incorrect surround mode • Select a mode other than Stereocenter speakers • Incorrect configuration • Check speaker mode

• Stereo or Mono program material • With (analog or digital) Dolby surround modes, the surround decoder may not create rear-channel information from non-encoded programs

• Speakers not properly connected • Check speaker-wire connections or use test toneto verify connections (see page 18)

Unit does not respond to • Weak batteries in remote • Change remote batteriesremote commands • Wrong device selected • Press the AVR selector 5

• Remote sensor 5 is obscured • Make certain front-panel sensor is visible to remote or connect remote sensor

Intermittent buzzing in tuner • Local interference • Move unit or antenna away from computers, fluorescent lights,motors or other electrical appliances

Letters flash in the Channel Indicator • Digital audio feed paused • Resume play for DVDDisplay P and Digital Audio stops • Check that Digital Signal is fed to the Digital Input selected

28 TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS

Technical Specifications

Audio SectionStereo Mode Continuous Average Power (FTC)

50 Watts per channel, 20Hz–20kHz,@ < 0.07% THD, both channels driven into 8 ohms

Five-Channel Surround Modes Power Per Individual Channel

Front L&R channels:40 Watts per channel,@ < 0.07% THD, 20Hz–20kHz into 8 ohms

Center channel:40 Watts, @ < 0.07% THD, 20Hz–20kHz into 8 ohms

Surround channels:40 Watts per channel,@ < 0.07% THD, 20Hz–20kHz into 8 ohms

Input Sensitivity/Impedance Linear (High Level) 200mV/47kohms

Signal-to-Noise Ratio (IHF-A) 90dB

Surround System Adjacent Channel Separation Analog Decoding 40dB (Pro Logic, etc.) Dolby Digital (AC-3) 55dB DTS 55dB

Frequency Response @ 1W (+0dB, –3dB) 10Hz–65kHz

High Instantaneous Current Capability (HCC) ±25 Amps

Transient Intermodulation Distortion (TIM) Unmeasurable

FM Tuner SectionFrequency Range 87.5–108MHzUsable Sensitivity IHF 1.3 µV/13.2dBfSignal-to-Noise Ratio Mono/Stereo: 70/65dB (DIN)Distortion Mono/Stereo: 0.15/0.3%Stereo Separation 35dB @ 1kHzSelectivity ±300kHz: 65dBImage Rejection 80dBIF Rejection 90dB

AM Tuner SectionFrequency Range 520–1611kHzSignal-to-Noise Ratio 45dBUsable Sensitivity Loop: 500µVDistortion 1kHz, 50% Mod: 0.8%Selectivity ±9kHz: 30dB

Video SectionVideo Format PAL/NTSCInput Level/Impedance 1Vp-p/75 ohmsOutput Level/Impedance 1Vp-p/75 ohmsVideo Frequency Response 10Hz–8MHz (–3dB)

GeneralPower Requirement AC 220-240V/50HzPower Consumption 72W idle, 580W maximum

(2 channels driven)

Dimensions (Max)Width 440mm Height 166mm Depth 435mm Weight 11 kg

Depth measurement includes knobs, buttons and terminal connections.Height measurement includes feet and chassis.All features and specifications are subject to change without notice.

Harman Kardon is a registered trademark, and Power for the digital revolution is atrademark, of Harman International Industries, Inc.

*Manufactured under license from Dolby Laboratories.“Dolby,” “Pro Logic II”, “AC-3” and the Double-D symbol are trademarks of Dolby Laboratories. Confidential Unpublished Works. ©1992–1999 Dolby Laboratories, Inc. All rights reserved.

†DTS and DTS Surround are trademarks of Digital Theater Systems, Inc.

††UltraStereo is a trademark of UltraStereo Corp.

Crystal is a registered trademark of Cirrus Logic Corp.

29

250 Crossways Park Drive, Woodbury, New York 11797 www.harmankardon.comHarman Consumer International:2, route de Tours, 72500 Château-du-Loir, France© 2002 Harman Kardon, Incorporated Part No.: 55498730