Harman Kardon AVR 354 Owner's Manual

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Harman Kardon AVR 354 Owner's Manual Manual pdf 18 page image

18 18INTRODUCTION TO HOME THEATERThe AVR 354 may be the first multichannel surround sound receiveryou have owned. Although it has more connections and features than2-channel receivers, many of the principles are similar and the newconcepts are easy to understand. This introductory section will help youto familiarize yourself with the basic concepts, which will make setupand operation smoother.If you are already familiar with home theater, you may skip this sectionand proceed to the Connections section on page 19.Typical Home Theater SystemA home theater typically includes an audio/video receiver, which controlsthe system; a DVD player; a source component for television broad casts,which may be a cable box, a satellite dish receiver, an HDTV tuner orsimply an antenna connected to the TV; a video display (television);and loudspeakers.All of these components are connected using various types of cablesfor audio and video signals.Multichannel AudioThe main benefit of a home theater system is that several loudspeakersare used in various locations around the room to produce “surroundsound.” Surround sound immerses you in the musical or film presentationfor increased realism.The AVR 354 may have up to seven speakers connected directly to it(plus a subwoofer). Each main speaker is powered by its own amplifierchannel inside the receiver. When more than two speakers are used,it is called a multichannel system.• Front Left and Right – The main speakers are used the sameway as in a 2-channel system. However, you may notice that inmany surround modes, these speakers are used more for ambientsound while the main action, especially dialogue, is moved to thecenter speaker.• Center – The center speaker is usually placed above or below thevideo screen, and is used mostly for dialogue in movies and televisionprograms. This placement allows the dialogue to originate near theactors’ faces, for a more natural sound.• Surround Left and Right – The surround speakers are used toimprove directionality of ambient sounds. In addition, by using moreloudspeakers in the system, more dynamic soundtracks may beplayed without risk of overloading any one speaker.• Surround Back Left and Right – Additional surround speakers may beplaced behind the listening position, improving the precision with whichambient sounds may be placed and allowing for more realistic-soundingpans. By using more speakers in the system, the same sound levels maybe attained with less burden placed on any individual speaker.The surround back speakers may also be used with specializedsurround modes that are designed for use with 7.1-channel systems,such as Dolby Digital EX, Dolby Digital Plus, Dolby TrueHD, DTS-ES(Discrete and Matrix), DTS-HD High Resolution Audio, DTS-HD MasterAudio and Logic 7 (7.1 modes). However, the surround back speakersare optional. In fact, the AVR 354 enables you to set up a 5.1-channelsystem in your main listening area, and reassign the surround backchannels for use with a multizone system, in which you use thesurround back channels to power a pair of loudspeakers located inanother room.Many people expect the surround speakers to play as loudly as thefront speakers. Although all of the speakers in the system will becalibrated to sound equally loud at the listening position, most artistsuse the surround speakers for ambient effects only, and they programtheir materials to steer very little sound to these speakers.• Subwoofer – A subwoofer is a special-purpose speaker designedto play only the lowest frequencies (the bass). It may be used toaugment smaller, limited-range satellite speakers used for the otherchannels. In addition, many digital-format programs, such as moviesrecorded in Dolby Digital and other digital formats, may contain aspecial low-frequency effects (LFE) channel which is directed onlyto the subwoofer. The LFE channel packs the punch of a rumblingtrain or airplane, or the power of an explosion, adding realism andexcitement to your home theater. Many people use two subwoofers,placed on the left and right sides of the room, for additional powerand even distribution of the sound.Surround ModesThere are different theories as to the best way to present surroundsound and to distribute soundtrack information among the variousspeakers. A variety of algorithms have been developed in an effort toaccurately reproduce the way we hear sounds in the real world. Theresult is a rich variety of surround mode options. Some modes areselected automatically, depending on the signal being received fromthe source. In many cases, you may select a surround mode manually.Several companies have taken surround sound in slightly differingdirections. It is helpful to group the numerous surround modes:• Dolby Laboratories Modes – Dolby TrueHD, Dolby Digital Plus,Dolby Digital, Dolby Digital EX, Dolby Pro Logic II and IIx, Dolby VirtualSpeaker, Dolby Headphone• DTS Modes – DTS-HD, DTS-HD Master Audio, DTS, DTS-ES(Discrete and Matrix), DTS Neo:6, DTS 96/24• Harman International (the Harman Kardon parent company)Modes – Logic 7• Stereo Modes – Generic modes that expand upon conventional2-channel stereo, including 5- and 7-Channel StereoTable A12 in the appendix contains detailed explanations of thedifferences between the various mode groups, and the mode optionsavailable within each group. Digital modes, such as Dolby Digital andDTS, are only available with specially encoded programs, such as HDTV,DVDs and digital cable or satellite television. Other modes may be usedwith various digital and analog signals to create a different surroundpresentation, or to use a different number of speakers. Surround modeselection depends upon the number of speakers in your system, thematerials you are watching or listening to, and your personal tastes.Feel free to experiment.