Harman-Kardon AVR 430 owner manual System Configuration, Subwoofer

SYSTEM CONFIGURATION

When you have completed your selection for the front channel, press the ¤ Navigation Button o on the remote to move the cursor to CENTER.

Press the ‹/› Navigation Button o on the remote to select the option that best describes your sys- tem, based on the speaker definitions shown below.

When SMALL is selected, low-frequency center channel sounds will be sent only to the subwoofer out- put. If you choose this option and there is no subwoofer connected, you will not hear low-frequency sounds from the center channel.

When LARGE is selected, a full-range output will be sent to the center speaker output, and NO center channel signal will be sent to the subwoofer output.

NOTE: If you choose Logic 7 as the surround mode for the particular input source for which you are con- figuring your speakers, the AVR 430 will not make the LARGE option available for the center speaker. This is due to the requirements of Logic 7 processing, and does not indicate a problem with your receiver.

When NONE is selected, no signals will be sent to the center channel output. The receiver will operate in a “phantom” center channel mode and center channel information will be sent to the left and right front chan- nel outputs. When only front left and right speakers are used, with no center or surround speakers, VMAx is a good alternative mode.

When you have completed your selection for the cen- ter channel, press the ¤ Navigation Button o on the remote to move the cursor to SURROUND.

Press the ‹/› Navigation Button o on the remote to select the option that best describes the surround speakers in your system based on the speaker definitions shown on this page.

When SMALL is selected, low-frequency surround channel sounds will be sent to the subwoofer output only. If you choose this option and there is no sub- woofer connected, you will not hear any low-frequency sounds from the surround channels.

When LARGE is selected, a full-range output will be sent to the surround channel outputs, and NO sur- round channel signals will be sent to the subwoofer output.

When NONE is selected, surround sound informa- tion will be split between the front left and front right outputs. For optimal performance when no surround speakers are in use, the Dolby 3 Stereo mode should be used.

When you have completed your selections for the main surround channels, press the ¤ Navigation Button o on the remote to move the cursor to SURR BACK. This line serves two functions: It not only configures the setting for the surround back channels when they are present; it also tells the AVR 430’s processing system to configure the unit for either 5.1 or 6.1/7.1 operation.

Press the ‹/› Navigation Button o on the remote to select the option that best describes the speakers in use at the left and right back surround positions based on the definitions on this page:

When NONE is selected, the system will adjust so that only 5.1-channel surround processing/decoding modes are available and the surround back amplifier channels will not be used. When this is the case for your system, you may wish to take advantage of the availability of this amplifier channel pair for use in pow- ering a second set of speakers that have their source selected by the AVR 430’s multiroom control system. See page 36 for more information.

When SMALL is selected, the system will adjust so that the full complement of 6.1/7.1 surround processing/ decoding modes are available, and low-frequency information below the crossover point will be sent to the subwoofer output. If you choose this option and there is no subwoofer connected, you will not hear any low-frequency sounds from the surround back channels.

When LARGE is selected, the system will adjust so that the full complement of 6.1/7.1 surround process- ing/decoding modes are available, and a full-range signal will be sent to the surround back channels, with no low-frequency information sent to the subwoofer output.

When you have completed your selection for the back surround channels, press the ¤ Navigation Button o on the remote to move the cursor to

SUBWOOFER.

Press the ‹/› Navigation Button o on the remote to select the option that best describes your system.

The choices available for the subwoofer position will depend on the settings for the other speakers, particu- larly the front left/right positions.

If the front left/right speakers are set to SMALL, the subwoofer will automatically be set to SUB, which is the “on” position.

If the front left/right speakers are set to LARGE, three options are available:

•If no subwoofer is connected to the AVR 430, press the ‹/› Navigation Button o on the remote so that NONE appears in the on-screen menu. When this option is selected, all bass infor- mation will be routed to the front left/right “main” speakers.

•If a subwoofer is connected to the AVR 430, you have the option to have the front left/right “main” speakers reproduce bass frequencies at all times, and have the subwoofer operate only when the AVR 430 is being used with a digital source that contains a dedicated low-frequency effects, or LFE soundtrack. This allows you to use both your main and subwoofer speakers to take advantage of the special bass sounds created for some movies. Press ‹/› Navigation Button o on the remote so that SUB (LFE) appears in the on-screen menu.

•If a subwoofer is connected and you wish to use it for bass reproduction in conjunction with the main front left/right speakers, regardless of the type of program source or Surround mode you are listen- ing to, press the ‹/› Navigation Button o on the remote so that SUB L/R+LFE appears in the on-screen menu. When this option is select- ed, a full-range signal will be sent to the front left/right “main” speakers, and the subwoofer will receive LFE information and the bass frequencies under the selected crossover point.

When all initial speaker “size” settings have been made, you now have the option to take advantage of the AVR 430’s Quadruple Crossover system, which allows individual crossover settings to be made for each speaker grouping. The low-frequency crossover point is set by the design of your speakers. Depending on the design and driver complement of your speakers, it is defined as the frequency which is either the lowest possible frequency the speaker is capable of repro- ducing, or the frequency at which sound is sent to the speaker’s internal low-frequency driver, as opposed to the midrange driver.

Before making any changes to the settings for the crossover point, we suggest that you find the crossover point for the speakers in each of the four groupings, front left/right, center front, surround and surround back, by looking at the specifications page of each speaker’s owner’s manual, by getting that information from the manufacturer’s Web site, or by contacting your dealer or the manufacturer’s customer service department. You will need this figure to accurately configure the next group of settings.

24 SYSTEM CONFIGURATION