Harman-Kardon AVR 430 owner manual System Configuration, Speaker Placement, System Setup

SYSTEM CONFIGURATION

When all audio, video and system connections have been made, there are a few configuration adjustments that must be made. A few minutes spent to correctly configure and calibrate the unit will greatly add to your listening experience.

Speaker Selection and Placement

The placement of speakers in a multichannel home theater system can have a noticeable impact on the quality of sound reproduced.

No matter which type or brand of speakers is used, the same model or brand of speaker should be used for the left front, center and right front speakers. This creates a seamless front soundstage and eliminates the possibility of distracting sonic disturbances that occur when a sound moves across mismatched front-channel speakers.

Speaker Placement

Depending on the type of center channel speaker in use and your viewing device, place the center speaker either directly above or below your TV, or in the center behind a perforated front-projection screen.

Once the center channel speaker is installed, position the front left and front right speakers so that they are as far away from one another as the center channel speaker is from the preferred listening position. Ideally, the front channel speakers should be placed so that their tweeters are no more than 24" above or below the tweeter in the center channel speaker.

Depending on the specifics of your room acoustics and the type of speakers in use, you may find that imaging is improved by moving the left front and right front speakers slightly forward of the center channel speaker. If possible, adjust all front loudspeakers

so that they are aimed at ear height when you are seated in the listening position.

Using these guidelines, you’ll find that it takes some experimentation to find the correct location for the front speakers in your particular installation. Don’t be afraid to move things around until the system sounds correct. Optimize your speakers so that audio transitions across the front of the room sound smooth, and that sounds from all speakers appear to arrive at the listening posi- tion at the same time (without delay from the center speaker compared to the left and right speakers).

When the AVR 430 is used in 5.1-channel operation, the preferred location for surround speakers is on the side walls of the room, at or slightly behind the listen- ing position. In a 7.1-channel system, both side sur- round and back surround speakers are required. The center of the speaker should face into the room. The

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

B)Rear speaker mounting is an alternate location for 5.1 systems. It is required for 7.1 operation.

speakers should be located so that the bottom of the cabinet is at least two feet higher than the listeners’ ears when the listeners are seated in the desired area.

Rear surround speakers are required when a full 7.1- channel system is installed, and they may also be used in 5.1 channel systems as an alternative mount- ing position when it is not practical to place the main surround speakers on the sides of the room. Speakers

may be placed on a rear wall, behind the listening position. As with the side speakers, rear surrounds should be located so that the bottom of the cabinet is at least two feet higher than the listeners’ ears. The speakers should be no more than six feet behind the rear of the seating area.

If dipole-type speakers are used on either the side or rear walls of the room, please note that if there are arrows on the speakers they should face the front of the room for the side speakers, or towards the center of the wall for the rear speakers.

Subwoofers produce nondirectional sound, so they may be placed almost anywhere in a room. Actual placement should be based on room size and shape and the type of subwoofer used. One method of find- ing the optimal location for a subwoofer is to begin by placing it in the front of the room, about six inches from a wall, or near the front corner of the room. Another method is to temporarily place the subwoofer at your normal listening position, and then walk around the room until you find a spot where the sub- woofer sounds best. Place the subwoofer in that spot. You should also follow the instructions of the sub- woofer’s manufacturer, or you may wish to experi- ment with the best location for a subwoofer in your listening room.

System Setup

Once the speakers have been placed in the room and connected, the remaining steps in the setup process are to assign input and output connections, make any tone adjustments, select a surround mode, program the AVR 430’s bass management system for the type of speakers used in your system, calibrate the output levels and set the delay times used by the surround sound processor.

You are now ready to power up the AVR 430 to begin these final adjustments.

1.Make certain that the AC power cord is firmly inserted in to the AC Power Cord Jack ‹ and plug the cord into an unswitched AC outlet. To maintain the unit’s safety rating, DO NOT substitute the power cord for one with lower current capacity.

2.Press the Main Power Switch A located behind the Front Panel Control Door 9 in until it latches and the word “OFF” on the top of the switch disappears inside the front panel. Note that the illumination around the Standby/On Switch 1 will turn amber, indicating that the unit is in the Standby mode.

SYSTEM CONFIGURATION 19