Harman Kardon AVR 7000 Owner's Manual

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18 SYSTEM CONFIGURATIONSystem ConfigurationWhen all audio, video and system connectionshave been made, there are a few configurationadjustments that must be made. A few minutesspent to correctly configure and calibrate theunit will greatly add to your listening experience.Speaker Selection and PlacementThe placement of speakers in a multichannelhome-theater system can have a noticeableimpact on the quality of sound reproduced.No matter which type or brand of speakers isused, the same model or brand of speakershould be used for the front left, center andfront right speakers. This creates a seamlessfront soundstage and eliminates the possibilityof distracting sonic disturbances that occurwhen a sound moves across mismatched frontchannel speakers.Speaker PlacementDepending on the type of center channelspeaker in use and your viewing device, placethe center speaker either directly above orbelow your TV, or in the center behind a perfo-rated front projection screen.Once the center channel speaker is installed,position the left front and right front speakersso that they are as far away from one anotheras the center channel speaker is from the pre-ferred listening position. Ideally, the front channelspeakers should be placed so that their tweetersare no more than 24" above or below thetweeter in the center channel speaker.Depending on the specifics of your roomacoustics and the type of speakers in use, youmay find that imaging is improved by movingthe front left and front right speakers slightlyforward of the center channel speaker. If possi-ble, adjust all front loudspeakers so that theyare aimed at ear height when you are seatedin the listening position.Using these guidelines, you’ll find that it takessome experimentation to find the correct loca-tion for the front speakers in your particularinstallation. Don’t be afraid to move thingsaround until the system sounds correct. Optimizeyour speakers so that audio transitions acrossthe front of the room sound smooth, and thatsounds from all speakers appear to arrive at thelistening position at the same time (withoutdelay from the center speaker compared to theleft and right speakers.)Surround speakers should be placed on the sidewalls of the room, at or slightly behind thelistening position. The center of the speakershould face into the room. The speakers shouldbe located so that the bottom of the cabinetis at least two feet higher than the listeners’ears when the listeners are seated in thedesired area.If side wall mounting is not practical, the speak-ers may be placed on a rear wall, behind thelistening position. Again, they should be locatedso that the bottom of the cabinet is at leasttwo feet higher than the listeners’ ears. Thespeakers should be no more than six feetbehind the rear of the seating area.Subwoofers produce nondirectional sound, sothey may be placed almost anywhere in aroom. Actual placement should be based onroom size and shape and the type of subwooferused. One method of finding the optimal loca-tion for a subwoofer is to begin by placing it inthe front of the room, about six inches from awall, or near the front corner of the room.Another method is to temporarily place thesubwoofer in the spot where you will normallysit, and then walk around the room until youfind a spot where the subwoofer sounds best.Place the subwoofer in that spot. You shouldalso follow the instructions of the subwoofer’smanufacturer, or you may wish to experimentwith the best location for a subwoofer in yourlistening room.Right FrontSpeakerLeft FrontSpeakerNo morethan 24"Center Front SpeakerAt least 2 feetAt least 6 inches from ceilingA) Front Channel Speaker Installation withDirect-View TV Sets or Rear-Screen ProjectorsCenter FrontSpeakerOptional Rear-Wall MountingTV or Projection ScreenRight FrontSpeakerLeft FrontSpeakerNo more than 6 feetwhen rear-mountedspeakers are usedB) The distance between the left and rightspeakers should be equal to the distancefrom the seating position to the viewingscreen. You may also experiment with plac-ing the left and right speakers slightly for-ward of the center speaker.