Harman Kardon AVR 3550HD Owner's Manual

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Harman Kardon AVR 3550HD Owner's Manual Manual pdf 17 page image

1717INTRODUCTION TO HOME THEATERThe AVR 3550HD may be the first multichannel surround sound receiveryou have owned. This introductory section will help you to familiarizeyourself with some basic concepts, which will make setup and operationsmoother.Typical Home Theater SystemA home theater typically includes an audio/video receiver, which controlsthe system; a disc player; a source component for television broad casts(cable box, satellite dish receiver, HDTV tuner or antenna connected tothe TV); a video display (television); and loudspeakers.Multichannel AudioThe main benefit of a home theater system is the placement of loud-speakers around the room to produce “surround sound.” Surroundsound immerses you in the presentation for increased realism.The AVR 3550HD may have up to seven speakers connected directly toit (plus a subwoofer). Each main speaker is powered by its own amplifierchannel inside the receiver. A system with more than two speakers iscalled a multichannel system.• Front Left and Right – The main speakers are used as in a2-channel system. In many surround modes, these speakers areused for ambient sound while the main action, especially dialogue,is moved to the center speaker.• Center – The center speaker is used for dialogue in movies andtelevision programs, allowing the dialogue to originate near the actors’faces, for a more natural sound.• Surround Left and Right – The surround speakers improve direc-tionality of ambient sounds. In addition, more loudspeakers playdynamic soundtracks without risk of overloading any one speaker.• Surround Back Left and Right – Additional surround speakers maybe placed behind the listening position, improving the precision ofambient sounds and allowing for more realistic pans.The surround back speakers are used with surround modes designedfor 7.1-channel systems, such as Dolby Digital EX, Dolby Digital Plus,Dolby TrueHD, DTS-ES (Discrete and Matrix), DTS-HD High ResolutionAudio, DTS-HD Master Audio and Logic 7 (7.1 modes). The surroundback speakers are optional, and the AVR 3550HD may be set up witha 5.1-channel system in the main listening area, and the surroundback channels reassigned to a multizone system, where the surroundback channels power loudspeakers located in another 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 designed to play only the lowestfrequencies (the bass). It augments smaller, limited-range satellitespeakers used for the other channels. Many digital-format programs,such as movies recorded in Dolby Digital, contain a low-frequencyeffects (LFE) channel which is directed to the subwoofer. The LFEchannel packs the punch of a rumbling train or airplane, or the powerof an explosion, adding realism and excitement to your home theater.Some people use two subwoofers, for additional power and evendistribution of the sound.Surround ModesThere are different theories as to the best way to present surroundsound and to distribute information to the speakers. A variety of algo-rithms have been developed in an effort to reproduce the way we hearsounds in the real world, resulting in a rich variety of options.Several companies have taken surround sound in different directions:• Dolby Laboratories – Dolby TrueHD, Dolby Digital Plus, Dolby Digital,Dolby Digital EX, Dolby Pro Logic II and IIx, Dolby Virtual Speaker,Dolby Headphone• DTS – DTS-HD High Resolution Audio™, DTS-HD Master Audio, DTS,DTS-ES (Discrete and Matrix), DTS Neo:6, DTS 96/24• Harman International (the Harman Kardon parent company) –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 themode groups and the mode options available within each group. Digitalmodes, such as Dolby Digital and DTS, are only available with speciallyencoded programs, such as HDTV, Blu-ray discs and digital cable orsatellite television. Other modes may be used with digital and analogsignals to create a different surround presentation, or to use a differentnumber of speakers. Surround Mode selection depends upon the num-ber of speakers in your system, the materials you are watching or listen-ing to, and your personal tastes.