Harman-Kardon Optimal Speaker Placement for Enhanced Sound with Stereo Receivers

AVR

Place Your Speakers

Determine the locations for your system’s speakers according to their manufacturer’s directions and the layout of your listening room. Use the illustrations below as a guide for 7.1-channel and 5.1-channel systems.

To create the most realistic surround-sound environment possible, you should place your speakers in a circle with the listening position at its center. You should angle each speaker so it directly faces the listening position. Use the diagrams below as a guide.

TV	SUB
C
FL	FR

SL SR

Speaker Positioning for 5.1-Channel Systems

TV	SUB
C
FL	FR

SL SR

Place Your Speakers

NOTE: In a 7.1-channel system, you must choose to use either surround back speakers or front height speakers – you cannot use both simultaneously.

Placing the Left, Center and Right Speakers

Place the center speaker either on top of, below or mounted on the wall above or below the TV or video display screen. Place the front left and right speakers along the circle, about 30 degrees from the center speaker and angled toward the listener.

Place the front left, front right and center speakers at the same height, preferably at about the same height as the listener’s ears. The center speaker should be no more than 2 feet (0.6m) above or below the left/right speakers. If you’re using only two speakers with your AVR, place them in the front left and right positions.

Placing the Surround Speakers in a 5.1-Channel System

You should place the left and right surround speakers approximately 110 degrees from the center speaker, slightly behind and angled toward the listener. Alternatively, place them behind the listener, with each surround speaker facing the opposite-side front speaker. You should place the surround speakers 2 feet – 6 feet (0.6m – 1.8m) higher than the listener’s ears.

Placing the Surround Speakers in a 7.1-Channel System

In a 7.1-channel system, place the side surround speakers 90 degrees from the center speaker, directly to either side of the listening position. Place the surround back left and right speakers 150 degrees from the center speaker, directly facing the opposite-side front speaker. You should place all the surround speakers 2 feet – 6 feet (0.6m – 1.8m) higher than the listener’s ears.

Placing Front Height Speakers in a 7.1-Channel System

Your AVR includes Dolby Pro Logic IIz decoding, which uses the AVR’s Assigned Amp channels as front height channels. The addition of front height channels – an additional pair of speakers positioned above the front left and right speakers – produces a surround- sound experience with added depth and dimension by creating lifelike sound that comes at you from varying heights.

We recommend placing front height speakers at least 3 feet (0.9m) higher than the front left and front right speakers, and directly above or farther apart than the front left and right speakers. The higher and further apart you place the front height speakers, the more you should angle them down and in toward the listening position.

NOTE: Your receiver will sound its best when the same model or brand of loudspeaker is used for all positions.

ENGLISH

SBL	SBR
TV	SUB
C
FL	FR
FHL*	FHR*

SL SR

*FHL and FHR speakers should be at least 3 ft (0.9m) above the FL and FR speakers.

Speaker Positioning for 7.1-Channel Systems

(Top: with Surround Back Speakers; Bottom: with Front Height Speakers)

Placing the Subwoofer

Because a room’s shape and volume can have a dramatic effect on a subwoofer’s performance, it is best to experiment with placement so that you will find the location that produces the best results in your particular listening room. With that in mind, these rules will help you get started:

ssPlacing the subwoofer next to a wall generally will increase the amount of bass in the room.

ssPlacing the subwoofer in a corner generally will maximize the amount of bass in the room.

ssIn many rooms, placing the subwoofer along the same plane as the left and right speakers can produce the best integration between the sound of the subwoofer and that of the left and right speakers.

ssIn some rooms, the best performance could even result from placing the subwoofer behind the listening position.

A good way to determine the best location for the subwoofer is by temporarily placing it in the listening position and playing music with strong bass content. Move around to various locations in the room while the system is playing (putting your ears where the subwoofer would be placed), and listen until you find the location where the bass performance is best. Place the subwoofer in that location.

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