Surround Mode Selection, Dolby Digital

Operation

•To set the output of the AVR so that the output is “flat,” with the tone and balance controls de- activated, press the Tone Mode button 8 once or twice so that the words Tone Off appear momentarily in the Main Information Display

Ò. To return the tone controls to an active con- dition, press the Tone Mode 8 button once or twice so that the words Tone In momentarily appear in the Main Information Display Ò.

•For private listening, plug the 6.3 mm stereo phone plug from a pair of stereo headphones into the front panel Headphone Jack 4. Note that when the headphone’s plug is connected, the word DOLBY H:BP will scroll once across the Main Information Display Ò and all speakers will be silenced. When the headphone plug is removed, the audio feed to the speakers will be restored.

•When the headphones are in use, you may take advantage of the Dolby Headphone modes to bring added spaciousness to headphone listen- ing. Press the Dolby Mode Select Button M or the Surround Mode Group Selector 5 to cycle through the three Dolby Headphone modes to select the one that you prefer.

Surround Mode Selection

One of the most important features of the AVR 240 is its ability to reproduce a full multi- channel surround sound field from digital sources, analog matrix surround encoded programs and standard stereo or even mono programs.

Selection of a surround mode is based on person- al taste, as well as the type of program source material being used. For example, CDs, motion pictures or TV programs bearing the logo of one of the major surround-encoding processes, such as Dolby Surround should be played in either the Dolby Pro Logic II or IIx Movie (with movies) or Music (with music) surround mode, with any DTS NEO:6 mode or with Harman Kardon´s exclusive Logic 7 Movie Mode, to create a full range 5.1 channel or (with Logic 7 and DTS NEO:6) even

7.1channel surround signal from surround encoded programs, with a stereophonic left and right rear signal, just as it was recorded (e.g. sound being recorded from left rear side will be heard from that side only, for more details see chart on page 30-31).

Note that when Dolby Digital 2.0 signals (e.g. "D.D. 2.0" tracks from DVD), that are encoded with Dolby Pro Logic information, are received via any digital input, the Dolby Pro Logic II Movie mode will be selected automatically (in addition to the Dolby Digital mode) and will decode a full range 5.1 channel surround sound even from those recordings (see also "Dolby Digital" on page 33).

To create wide, enveloping sound field environ- ments and defined pans and flyovers with all analog stereo recordings select the Dolby Pro Logic II Music or Emulation mode or Harman

Kardon’s exclusive Logic 7 Music mode for a dramatic improvement in comparison to the Dolby Pro Logic (I) mode of former times.

NOTE: Once a program has been encoded with matrix surround information, it retains the sur- round information as long as the program is broadcast in stereo. Thus, movies with surround sound may be decoded via any of the analog sur- round modes such as Pro Logic II or IIx Cinema, Logic 7 Cinema or DTS Neo:6 Cinema, when they are broadcast via conventional TV stations, cable, pay-TV and satellite transmission. In addition, a growing number of made-for-television programs, sports broadcasts, radio dramas and music CDs are also recorded in surround sound. You may view a list of these programs at the Dolby Laboratories Web site at www.dolby.com.

Even when a program is not listed as carrying intentional surround information, you may find that the Dolby Pro Logic II or IIx Music, DTS NEO:6 Music or Logic 7 Music or Enhanced modes often deliver enveloping surround presentations through the use of the natural surround information present in all stereo recordings.

However, for stereo programs without any surround information the Theater, Hall and 5/7CH Stereo modes should be tried (effective particularly with old ”extreme” stereo recordings) and for mono programs, we suggest that you try the Theater or Hall modes. And when you use only two front channel speakers you should select Harman’s patented VMAx mode, delivering a virtually three dimensional sound space with two speakers only.

Surround modes are selected using either the front panel controls or the remote. To select a new surround mode from the front panel, first press the Surround Mode Group Selector Button 5 until the desired major surround mode group such as Dolby, DTS or Logic 7 is selected. Next, press the Surround Mode Selector Button 9 to choose the specific individual surround mode.

To select a surround mode using the remote con- trol, press the button for the major surround mode group that includes the mode you wish to choose from: Dolby M, DTS Surround N,

DTS Neo:6 , Logic 7 O, Stereo or DSP Surround A. The first press of the button will show the current mode from that group if it is already in use, or the first available mode if you are currently using another mode. To cycle through the available modes in that group press the button again until the desired mode appears in the Main Information Display Ò and the on-screen display.

To select from the DSP modes (Hall 1, Hall 2, Theater, VMAx Near or VMAx Far) press the Surround Mode Selector A repeatedly to scroll through the list of available modes.

As the surround modes change, a blue LED will light next to the current mode in the Surround Mode Indicators ( list on the front panel.

Note that the Dolby Digital or DTS modes may only be selected when a digital input is in use. In addition, when a digital source is present, the AVR will automatically select and switch to the correct mode (Dolby Digital or DTS), regardless of the mode that has been previously selected. For more information on selecting digital sources, see the following section of this manual.

When the 6-Channel/8-Channel direct inputs are in use there is no surround processing, as these inputs take the analog output signals from an optional, external DVD-Audio or SACD player, or another source device and carry them straight through to the volume control.

To listen to a program in traditional two-channel stereo, using the front left and front right speakers only (plus the subwoofer, if installed and configured), press the Stereo Button 5

until SURR OFF appears in the Main Information Display Ò.

Digital Audio Playback

Digital audio is a major advancement over older analog surround processing systems such as Dolby Pro Logic. It delivers five or six discrete channels: left front, center, right front, left surround and right surround and with DTS ES (see below) even surround back (with identical signals for left and right). Each channel repro- duces full frequency range (20Hz to 20kHz) and offers dramatically improved dynamic range and significant improvements to signal-to-noise ratios. In addition, digital systems have the capability to deliver an additional channel that is specifically devoted to low-frequency information. This is the “.1” channel referred to when you see these systems described as “5.1,” “6.1” or “7.1”. The bass channel is separate from the other channels, but since it is intentionally bandwidth-limited, sound designers have given it that unique 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 broadcasts and it is a part of the new high- definition television (HDTV) system.

Note that an optional, external RF demodulator is required to use the AVR to listen to the Dolby Digital sound tracks available on laser discs. Connect the RF output of the LD player to the demodulator and then connect the digital output of the demodulator to the Optical or Coaxial

inputs *Ó of the AVR.

No demodulator is required for use with DVD players or DTS-encoded laser discs.

OPERATION 33