System Installation
After unpacking the unit, and placing it on a solid surface capable of supporting its weight, you will need to make the connections to your audio and video equipment.
Audio Equipment Connections
We recommend that you use high-quality inter- connect cables when making connections to source equipment and recorders to preserve the integrity of the signals.
When making connections to audio source equipment or speakers it is always a good prac- tice to unplug the unit from the AC wall outlet. This prevents any possibility of accidentally sending audio or transient signals to the speak- ers that may damage them.
1.Connect the analog output of a CD player to the CD Inputs •.
NOTE: When the CD player has both fixed and variable audio outputs it is best to use the fixed output unless you find that the input to the receiver is so low that the sound is noisy, or so high that the signal is distorted.
2.Connect the analog Play/Out jacks of a cas- sette deck, MD, CD-R or other audio recorder to the Tape Input Jacks ¡. Connect the analog Record/In jacks on the recorder to the Tape Output Jacks ™ on the AVR 120.
3.Connect the output of any digital sources to the appropriate input connections on the AVR 120 rear panel. Note that the Optical and Coaxial Digital Inputs de#$ may be used with a Dolby Digital or DTS source or the output of a conventional CD or LD player’s PCM (S/P-DIF) output. To take advantage of the AVR 120’s built-in MP3-decoding capabili- ties, you may also connect the digital output of a computer or sound card to this input, provided that the signal from the computer is in the S/P-DIF format. Check your computer or sound card’s instructions to verify the type of output signal or use a transcoder such as the Harman Kardon DAL 150.
4.Connect the Optical Digital Output ª or Coaxial Digital Output ‚ on the rear panel of the AVR 120 to the matching digital input connec- tions on a CD-R or MiniDisc recorder.
5.Assemble the AM Loop Antenna supplied with the unit as shown below. Connect it to the AM and GND Screw Terminals ¢.
6.Connect the supplied FM antenna to the FM Antenna (75 ohm) Connection ¶. The FM antenna may also be an external roof antenna, an inside powered or wire lead antenna or a connection from a cable TV system. Note that if the antenna or connection uses 300-ohm twin- lead cable, you must use the 300-ohm-to-75- ohm adapter supplied with the unit to make the connection.
7.Connect the front, center and surround Speaker Outputs ›fi to the respective speakers.
To ensure that all the audio signals are carried to your speakers without loss of clarity or reso- lution, we suggest that you use high-quality speaker cable. Many brands of cable are avail- able and the choice of cable may be influenced by the distance between your speakers and the receiver, the type of speakers you use, personal preferences and other factors. Your dealer or installer is a valuable resource to consult in selecting the proper cable.
Regardless of the brand of cable selected, we recommend that you use a cable constructed of fine, multistrand copper with a gauge of 14 or smaller. Remember that in specifying cable, the lower the number, the thicker the cable.
Cable with a gauge of 16 may be used for short runs of less than ten feet. We do not recom- mend that you use cables with an AWG equiva- lent of 18 or higher due to the power loss and degradation in performance that will occur.
Cables that are run inside walls should have the appropriate markings to indicate listing with UL, CSA or other appropriate testing agency stan- dards. Questions about running cables inside walls should be referred to your installer or a licensed electrical contractor who is familiar with the NEC and/or the applicable local build- ing codes in your area.
When connecting wires to the speakers, be cer- tain to observe proper polarity. Remember to connect the “negative” or “black” wire to the same terminal on both the receiver and the
speaker. The AVR 120 is one of the first audio products with the latest CEA-recommended color-coding for speaker terminals. Accordingly, the positive (+) terminal, which was previously red, is now a specific color to assist you in mak- ing the correct connections. If your speakers have color-coded connections, match the termi- nal on the AVR 120 to the like terminal on your speakers. For existing speakers with a red termi- nal for the positive connection, the connections on the AVR 120 are as follows:
Left Front = White | Right Front = Red |
Center = Green | |
Left Surround = Blue | Right Surround = Grey |
NOTE: While most speaker manufacturers adhere to an industry convention of using black terminals for negative and red ones for positive, some manufacturers may vary from this config- uration. To ensure proper phase and optimal performance, consult the identification plate on your speaker or the speaker’s manual to verify polarity. If you do not know the polarity of your speaker, ask your dealer for advice before pro- ceeding, or consult the speaker’s manufacturer.
We also recommend that the length of cable used to connect speaker pairs be identical. For example, use the same length piece of cable to connect the front-left and front-right or surround-left and surround-right speakers, even if the speakers are a different distance from the AVR 120.
8.Connections to a subwoofer are normally made via a line-level audio connection from the Subwoofer Output ‹ to the line-level input of a subwoofer with a built-in amplifier. When a passive subwoofer is used, the connection first goes to a power amplifier, which will be con- nected to one or more subwoofer speakers. If you are using a powered subwoofer that does not have line-level input connections, follow the instructions furnished with the speaker for con- nection information.
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 to preserve signal quality.
1.Connect a VCR’s audio and video Play/Out jacks to the Video 1 Input Jacks £a on the rear panel. The Audio and Video Record/In jacks on the VCR should be connected to the Video 1 Out Jacks ∞· on the AVR 120.
