Harman-Kardon AVR 3550HD owner manual Advanced Functions, Audio Processing and Surround Sound

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ADVANCED FUNCTIONS

Much of the AVR 3550HD’s performance is handled automatically, with little intervention required on your part. The AVR 3550HD is capable of being customized to suit your system and your tastes. In this section we describe some of the more advanced adjustments available.

Audio Processing and Surround Sound

Audio signals output by sources are encoded in a variety of formats that can affect not only the quality of the sound but the number of speaker channels and the surround mode. You may also manually select a different surround mode, when available.

Analog Audio Signals

Analog audio signals usually consist of two channels – left and right. The AVR 3550HD offers three options for playback:

1.Analog Bypass Mode: The 2-channel signal is passed directly from the input to the volume control, without being digitized or undergoing any processing for bass management or surround sound. To select analog bypass mode:

a)The analog audio inputs for the source must be selected. If necessary, press the Info Button on the remote and use the /¤ Buttons to scroll to the Audio Input from source setting.

b)The tone controls must be disabled by setting Tone Control to Off. Press the Audio Effects Button to access the Tone Control setting.

c)The 2-channel Stereo mode must be selected. Press the Surround Modes Button to access the STEREO line of the Surround Modes submenu. Press the OK Button to select 2-channel Stereo.

When the Tone Control setting is Off, the front speakers will be set to Large automatically, indicated by double boxes in the Speaker/Channel Input Indicators. When the Tone Control setting is turned On, if you have set the front speaker crossover to a numeric setting, the front speakers will return to the Small setting, indicated by single boxes in the Speaker/ Channel Input Indicators.

2.DSP Surround Off Mode: The DSP Surround Off mode digitizes the incoming signal and applies the bass management settings, including speaker configuration, delay times and output levels. Select this mode when your front speakers are small, limited-range satellites and you are using a subwoofer. To select this mode, use a digital audio input, or turn the Tone Control setting off, and select 2-channel Stereo mode.

3.Analog Surround Modes: The AVR 3550HD is able to process

2-channel audio signals to produce multichannel surround sound, even when no surround sound has been encoded in the recording. Among the available modes are the Dolby Pro Logic II/IIx modes, the Dolby Virtual Speaker modes, the DTS Neo:6 modes, the Logic 7 modes, and the Stereo modes.

Digital Audio Signals

Digital audio signals offer greater capacity, which allows the encoding of center and surround channel information directly into the signal. The

result is improved sound quality and startling directionality, since each channel is reproduced discretely.

Even when only two channels are encoded, the digital signal allows for a higher sampling rate that delivers greater detail. High-resolution recordings sound extraordinarily distortion-free, especially at high frequencies.

Surround Modes

Surround mode selection is dependent upon the format of the incoming audio signal, as well as personal taste. Table A12 offers a brief descrip- tion of each mode and indicates the types of incoming signals or digital bitstreams the mode may be used with. Additional information about the Dolby and DTS modes is available on the companies’ Web sites: www.dolby.com and www.dtsonline.com.

When in doubt, check the jacket of your disc for more information on which surround modes are available. Usually, nonessential sections of the disc, such as trailers, extra materials or the disc menu, are only available in Dolby Digital 2.0 (2-channel) or PCM 2-channel mode. If the main title is playing and the letters in the Speaker/Channel Input Indicators are not lit for all speaker locations, look for an audio or language setup section in the disc’s menu. Also, make sure your player’s audio output is set to the original bitstream rather than just PCM. Stop play and check the player’s output setting.

For any incoming signal, only a limited number of surround modes are available. Although there is never a time when all of the AVR 3550HD’s surround modes are available, there is usually a wide variety of modes available for a given input.

Multichannel digital recordings are found in the 5.1-, 6.1- or 7.1-channel formats. The channels included in a 5.1-channel recording are front left, front right, center, surround left, surround right and LFE. The LFE channel is denoted as “.1” to represent the fact that it is limited to the low frequencies.

6.1-Channel recordings add a single surround back channel, and 7.1-channel recordings add surround back left and surround back right channels to the 5.1-channel configuration. New formats are available in 7.1-channel configurations. The AVR 3550HD is able to play the new audio formats, delivering a more exciting home theater experience.

NOTE: To use the 6.1- and 7.1-channel surround modes, the Surround Back channels must be enabled. See the Manual Setup section on page 42 for more information.

The Digital formats are Dolby Digital 2.0 (two channels only), Dolby Digital 5.1, Dolby Digital EX (6.1), Dolby Digital Plus (7.1), Dolby TrueHD (7.1), DTS-HD High-Resolution Audio (7.1), DTS-HD Master Audio (7.1), DTS 5.1, DTS-ES (6.1 Matrix and Discrete), DTS 96/24 (5.1), 2-channel PCM modes in 32kHz, 44.1kHz, 48kHz or 96kHz, and 5.1 or 7.1 multichannel PCM.

When a digital signal is received, the AVR 3550HD detects the encoding method and the number of channels, which is displayed briefly as three numbers, separated by slashes (e.g., “3/2/.1”).

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Contents AVR 3550HD Safety Information Important Safety InstructionsImportant Safety Information Do not place the unit directly on a carpeted surfaceTable of Contents Introduction Harman Kardon AVR 3550HD 7.1-Channel Audio/Video ReceiverThank you for choosing a Harman Kardon product Audio SectionSupplied Accessories Audio InputsAudio/Video Inputs Digital Audio InputsFRONT-PANEL Controls On When the AVR is turned on, this LED turns white Power Indicator This LED has three possible modesVolume Knob Turn this knob to raise or lower the volume REAR-PANEL Connections REAR-PANEL Connections REAR-PANEL Connections Main Remote Control Functions Main Remote Control Functions Main Remote Control Functions Zone 2 Remote Control Functions Zone 2 Remote Control Functions Introduction to Home Theater Surround ModesTypical Home Theater System Multichannel AudioConnecting Source Devices to the AVR ConnectionsSpeaker Connections SubwooferVideo Connections Digital VideoAnalog Video Hdmi cable runs are limited to about 10 feetAntennas FM antenna uses a 75-ohm F-connector. See FigureRS-232 Serial Port Speaker Placement Front Speaker PlacementPlacement of Surround Speakers in a 5.1-Channel System Placement of Surround Speakers in a 7.1-Channel SystemInstallation Step One Connect the SpeakersStep Two Connect the Subwoofer Step Three Connect the AntennasAudio Connections for non-HDMI sources Video Connections for non-HDMI sourcesChoose one digital audio connection Optical or Coaxial Hdmi Video Connect the player as shown in FigureConnect an Audio/Video Recorder PVD, DVR or TiVo Hdmi Video Connect the recorder as shown in FigureConnect an iPod Using Docking Station Connecting a Game Console, Camera or Other DeviceConnect a CD Player or Any Audio-Only Device Connect a Tape Deck or Any Audio-Only RecorderStep Six Plug in AC Power Step Five Connect the Video DisplayEnter a code from , above Step Seven Insert Batteries in RemoteSatisfactory code set that operates most functions Step Ten Install a Multizone System Optional LearningStep Eleven Turn On the AVR 3550HD Zone 2 Audio OutputsAVR Power On and Source Selectors Using the On-Screen Menu System Initial SetupConfigure the AVR 3550HD Using EzSet/EQ Technology Set Up Sources Select Cancel to return to the Speaker Setup menuChannel Direct Inputs Audio and Video Input SelectionHDMI-Equipped Multichannel Disc Player ‹ / › Buttons to delay the audio by up to 180ms. See Figure You are now ready to begin enjoying your new receiverOperation Source Selection Using the TunerXM Radio Operation Using Docking Station To store a channel in one of the 40 preset locationsPress the OK Button to store the new preset RecordingPress the Menu Button to view the slide-out menu Selecting a Surround ModeMusic Navigates the audio materials stored on the iPod CH Stereo plays the left-channel signal through the front Auto SELECT, Surr VIRTUAL, Surr STEREO, Surr MOVIE, SurrAnalog Audio Signals Digital Audio SignalsAdvanced Functions Audio Processing and Surround SoundDolby Surround Settings Indicates that no surround information is presentManual Setup Step Three Manual Setup MenuNight Mode Step Two Measure Speaker DistancesSub Mode Adjust Crossover Frequencies MenuNumber of Speakers Step Four Setting Channel Output Levels Manually Adjust Speaker Distance MenuVideo Adjustments Tone Control Determines whether the treble and bassHow to Adjust the Custom Picture Settings Brightness AdjustmentNature For programs shot outdoors, in a natural setting Sports For sporting eventsMultizone Operation System Settings General AVR SettingsOperating the Multizone System Menu AppearanceAdvanced Remote Control Functions Resetting the RemotePunch-Through Programming Activities MacrosProcessor Reset MemoryTroubleshooting Guide Appendix Default settings, worksheets, remote product codes Table A2 Source Setting DefaultsAppendix Table A1 Recommended Source Component ConnectionsTable A3 Speaker/Channel Setting Defaults Table A4 Delay Setting DefaultsTable A6 Audio Effects Settings Table A5 Source SettingsTable A7 Video Modes Settings Table A10 System Settings Table A9 Remote Control CodesTable A8 Surround Modes Table A11 Zone 2 Settings Table A12 Surround ModesMode Group Enveloping sound field is desired Experience TunerMovie Back channel 0 or .1, EX Analog 2-channel Tuner Music adds a surround back channel Analog 2-channel TunerSurround Mode Description Incoming Bitstream or Signal Rate used on DVD-Video discsPerformance Via Hdmi DTS-ES Matrix DTS StereoAppropriate when a subwoofer is used Channel StereoChannels Tuner PCM 32kHz, 44.1kHz or 48kHz Channel Stereo Analog Bypass41 42 Radio Table A13 Remote Control Function ListDMC1000 Power Off Table A13Button Name GameAiwa Table A16 Remote Control Product Codes AUX-VCR Table A15 Remote Control Product Codes AUX-HDTVTable A14 Table A16Table A18 Remote Control Product Codes DVD Table A17Table A20 Remote Control Product Codes Game Table A19 Remote Control Product Codes SATTable A21 Remote Control Product Codes CBL Table A22 Remote Control Product Codes Table A23 Remote Control Product CodesTable A24 Remote Control Product Codes AUX- TiVo Table A21General Power Requirement AC 120V/60Hz Power Consumption Channels driven Dimensions Product Shipping WidthProduct Shipping Weight 31.5 lb 14.3kg 36.7 lb 16.7kg Linear High-Level 200mV/47k ohms