Harman-Kardon AVR 240 Stereo Receiver User Manual


 
INSTALLATION AND CONNECTIONS 15
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 sound-
stage 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 is used in 5.1-channel operation,
the preferred location for surround speakers is on
the side walls of the room, at or slightly behind
the listening position. In a 6.1-channel system, a
back surround speaker is required, ideally placed
at the center of the room's rear wall, pointing
directly towards the front center channel speaker.
The center of the speaker should face you (see
below).
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.
It is appropriate to configure the AVR 240 for
either 5.1- or 7.1-channel operation, but not for
6.1 channels. When 6.1-channel program
material or a 6.1-channel processing mode is in
use, material for the surround back channel will
be outputted simultaneously through both the
Surround Back Left and Right Speaker
Outputs
O
. Connecting only one loudspeaker to
these speaker terminals will not only deprive you
of the benefits of 7.1-channel surround modes,
such as Logic 7, but will also interfere with the
functioning of EzSet+ speaker setup and calibra-
tion, as described on page 20. It may also put
undesirable strain on the surround back amplifier
circuits and power supplies.
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 instruc-
tions of the subwoofer’s manufacturer, or you
may wish to experiment with the best location for
a subwoofer in your listening room.
A) Front Channel Speaker Installation with
Direct-View TV Sets or Rear-Screen Projectors
At least 15 cm from celling
At least 60 cm
5.1-Channel System
6.1-Channel System
7.1-Channel System