Harman-Kardon AVR 5550 owner manual Speaker Selection, Speaker Placement

Installation and Connections

Speaker Selection

No matter which type or brand of speakers is used, the same model or brand of speaker should be used for the front-left, center and front-right 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

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

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 left-front and right-front 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 60cm above or below the tweeter in the center-channel speaker.

They should also be at least 0.5 meter from your TV set unless the speakers are magnetically shielded to avoid colourings on the TV screen. Note that most speakers are not shielded, even with complete surround sets only the Center speaker may be.

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 front-left and front-right 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.

When the AVR 5550 is used in 5.1-channel oper- ation, the preferred location for surround speak- ers is on the side walls of the room, at or slightly behind the listening position. In a 7.1-channel system, both side surround and back surround speakers are required. The center of the speaker should face you (see below).

Rear surround speakers are required when a full 7.1-channel system is installed, and they may also be used in 5.1 channel mode as an alterna- tive mounting position when it is not practical to place the main surround speakers at the sides of the room. Speakers may be placed on a rear wall, behind the listening position. As with the side speakers, the center of the rear surrounds should face you. The speakers should be no more than 2 meters behind the rear of the seating area.

Subwoofers produce largely 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 finding the optimal location for a subwoofer is to begin by placing it in the front of the room, about 15cm from a wall, or near the front corner of the room. Another method is to temporarily place the subwoofer in the spot where you will normally sit, and then walk around the room until you find a spot where the subwoofer sounds best. Place the subwoofer in that spot. You should also follow the instructions of the subwoofer’s manufacturer, or you may wish to experiment with the best location for a subwoofer in your listening room.

Center Front Speaker

No more than 60cm

Left Front	Right Front
Speaker	Speaker

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

			TV or Projection Screen
	Left Front		Center Front	Right Front
			Speaker
	Speaker			Speaker
than 2m	-mounted	are used
No more	when rear	speakers
			Optional Rear-Wall Mounting

B)The distance between the left and right

speakers should be equal to the distance from the seating position to the viewing screen. You may also experiment with placing the left and right speakers slightly forward of the center speaker.

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

INSTALLATION AND CONNECTIONS 19