Avr 1550

8/11/2019 Avr 1550

1/30

AVR1550 Audio/VideoReceiverOWNERS MANUAL

Power for the Digital Revolution

loaded from www.Manualslib.commanuals search engine
http://www.manualslib.com/http://www.manualslib.com/

8/11/2019 Avr 1550

2/30

2 TABLE OF CONTENTS

3 Introduction4 Safety Information4 Unpacking5 Front Panel Controls7 Front Panel Information Display8 Rear Panel Connections

9 Remote Control Functions11 Installation and Connections11 Audio Equipment Connections11 Video Equipment Connections12 SCART A/V Connections13 Speaker Selection and Placement14 System Configuration14 First Turn On14 Settings to be Made

With Each Input Used14 Input Setup14 Speaker Setup14 Surround Setup16 Making Settings independent of

selected Input

16 Delay Settings17 Night Mode Settings17 Output Level Adjustment19 Operation19 Basic Operation19 Source Selection19 Controls and Use of Headphones20 Surround Mode Chart21 Surround Mode Selection21 Digital Audio Playback22 Selecting a Digital Source22 Digital Status Indicators22 Night Mode23 Tape Recording23 Output Level Trim Adjustment

23 Display Brigthness23 Memory Backup24 Tuner Operation24 RDS Operation26 Function List27 Troubleshooting Guide27 Processor Reset28 Technical Specifications

Table of Contents

Typographical ConventionsIn order to help you use this manual with the remote control, front-panel controls and rear-panelconnections, certain conventions have been used.

EXAMPLE (bold type) indicates a specific remote control or front-panel button, or rear-panel

connection jackEXAMPLE (OCR type) indicates a message that is visible on the front-panel information display

1 (number in a square) indicates a specific front-panel control

(number in a circle) indicates a rear-panel connection

0 (number in an oval) indicates a button or indicator on the remote

A (letter in a square) indicates an indicator in the front-panel display

Declaration of Conformity

We,Harman Consumer International2, route de Tours72500 Chteau-du-Loir,FRANCE

declare in own responsibility, that the product describedin this owners manual is in compliance with technicalstandards:

EN 55013/6.1990

EN 55020/12.1994

EN 60065:1993

EN 61000-3-2/4.1995

Carsten OlesenHarman Kardon Europe A/S

09/02


8/11/2019 Avr 1550

3/30

INTRODUCTION 3

Introduction

Thank you for choosing Harman Kardon!With the purchase of a Harman KardonAVR 1550 you are about to begin many years oflistening enjoyment.The AVR 1550 has beencustom designed to provide all the excitementand detail of movie sound tracks and every

nuance of musical selections.With onboardDolby* Digital and DTS decoding, the AVR 1550delivers six discrete channels of audio that takeadvantage of the digital sound tracks from thelatest DVD and LD releases and Digital Televisionbroadcasts.

To obtain the maximum enjoyment from yournew receiver, we urge you to take the time toread through this manual. This will ensure thatconnections to speakers, source playback unitsand other external devices are made properly. Inaddition, a few minutes spent learning the func-tions of the various controls will enable you totake advantage of all the power the AVR 1550is able to deliver.

If you have any questions about this product, itsinstallation or its operation, please contact yourdealer. He is your best local source of informa-tion.

Description and FeaturesThe AVR 1550 is among the most versatile andmulti-featured A/V receivers available, incorpo-rating a wide range of listening options. In addi-tion to Dolby Digital and DTS decoding for digi-tal sources, a broad choice of analog surroundmodes are available for use with sources suchas CD,VCR, TV broadcasts and the AVRs ownFM/AM tuner.

In addition to providing a wide range of listeningoptions, the AVR 1550 is easy to configure sothat it provides the best results with yourspeakers and specific listening-roomenvironment.

For the ultimate in flexibility, the AVR 1550

features connections for three video devices,partially with both composite and S-Videoinputs.Two additional audio inputs are available, and atotal of two digital inputs make the AVR 1550capable of handling all the latest digital audiosources.A coax digital output is available fordirect connection to digital recorders.

The AVR 1550s powerful amplifier usestraditional Harman Kardon high-current designtechnologies to meet the wide dynamic range ofany program selection.

Harman Kardon invented the high-fidelity receiv-er more than forty-seven years ago.With state-

of-the-art circuitry and time-honored circuitdesigns, the AVR 1550 is one of the finestreceivers ever offered by Harman Kardon withinits price range.

Onboard Dolby Digital and DTSDecoding Using Crystal ChipTechnology

Dolby Laboratory's latest ProLogic IIdecoding technology

Multiple Digital Inputs and Outputs

Front-Panel Inputs for Easy Connectionto Portable Devices and the LatestVideo Game Consoles


8/11/2019 Avr 1550

4/30

4 SAFETY INFORMATION

Safety Information

Important Safety Information

Verify Line Voltage Before UseYour AVR 1550 has been designed for use with220-240-Volt AC current. Connection to a linevoltage other than that for which it is intendedcan create a safety and fire hazard and may

damage the unit.

If you have any questions about the voltagerequirements for your specific model, or aboutthe line voltage in your area, contact your dealerbefore plugging the unit into a wall outlet.

Do Not Use Extension CordsTo avoid safety hazards, use only the power cordattached to your unit.We do not recommendthat extension cords be used with this product.As with all electrical devices, do not run powercords under rugs or carpets or place heavyobjects on them. Damaged power cords shouldbe replaced immediately by an authorizedservice depot with a cord meeting factoryspecifications.

Handle the AC Power Cord GentlyWhen disconnecting the power cord from an ACoutlet, always pull the plug, never pull the cord.If you do not intend to use the unit for any con-siderable length of time, disconnect the plugfrom the AC outlet.

Do Not Open the CabinetThere are no user-serviceable components insidethis product. Opening the cabinet may present ashock hazard, and any modification to theproduct will void your guarantee. If water or anymetal object such as a paper clip, wire or a

staple accidentally falls inside the unit,disconnect it from the AC power sourceimmediately, and consult an authorized servicestation.

Installation Location To assure proper operation and to avoid the

potential for safety hazards, place the unit ona firm and level surface. When placing theunit on a shelf, be certain that the shelf andany mounting hardware can support the

weight of the product.Make certain that proper space is provided

both above and below the unit for ventilation.If this product will be installed in a cabinet orother enclosed area, make certain that thereis sufficient air movement within the cabinet.Under some circumstances a fan may berequired.

Do not place the unit directly on a carpetedsurface.

Avoid installation in extremely hot or coldlocations, or an area that is exposed to directsunlight or heating equipment.

Avoid moist or humid locations.

Do not obstruct the ventilation slots on thetop of the unit, or place objects directly overthem.

CleaningWhen the unit gets dirty, wipe it with a clean,soft, dry cloth. If necessary, wipe it with a softcloth dampened with mild soapy water, then afresh cloth with clean water. Wipe dryimmediately with a dry cloth. NEVER usebenzene, aerosol cleaners, thinner, alcohol or anyother volatile cleaning agent. Do not useabrasive cleaners, as they may damage the finishof metal parts.Avoid spraying insecticide nearthe unit.

Moving the UnitBefore moving the unit, be certain to disconnectany interconnection cords with othercomponents, and make certain that youdisconnect the unit from the AC outlet.

Unpacking

The carton and shipping materials used toprotect your new receiver during shipment werespecially designed to cushion it from shock andvibration.We suggest that you save the cartonand packing materials for use in shipping if you

move, or should the unit ever need repair.

To minimize the size of the carton in storage,you may wish to flatten it. This is done bycarefully slitting the tape seams on the bottomand collapsing the carton. Other cardboardinserts may be stored in the same manner.Packing materials that cannot be collapsedshould be saved along with the carton in aplastic bag.

If you do not wish to save the packagingmaterials, please note that the carton and othersections of the shipping protection arerecyclable. Please respect the environment anddiscard those materials at a local recyclingcenter.


8/11/2019 Avr 1550

5/30

FRONT PANEL CONTROLS 5

1 Main Power Switch: Press this button toapply power to the AVR 1550.When the switchis pressed in, the unit is placed in a Standbymode, as indicated by the orange LED3 sur-rounding the System Power Control2. Thisbutton MUST be pressed in to operate the unit.To turn the unit off completely and prevent theuse of the remote control, this switch should bepressed until it pops out from the front panel

so that the word OFF may be read at the topof the switch.

NOTE: This switch is normally left in the ONposition.

2 System Power Control: When the MainPower Switch 1 is ON, press this button toturn on the AVR 1550; press it again to turn theunit off (to Standby). Note that thePowerIndicator surrounding the switch3 will turngreen when the unit is on.

3 Power Indicator: This LED will be illumi-nated in orange when the unit is in the Standby

mode to signal that the unit is ready to beturned on.When the unit is in operation, theindicator will turn green.

4 Headphone Jack: This jack may be used tolisten to the AVR 1550s output through a pairof headphones. Be certain that the headphoneshave a standard 6.3 mm stereo phone plug.Note that the speakers will automatically beturned off when the headphones are connected.

5 Remote Sensor Window: The sensorbehind this window receives infrared signalsfrom the remote control.Aim the remote at thisarea and do not block or cover it unless anexternal remote sensor is installed.

6 Tone Mode: Pressing this button activatesthe menu for setting the Bass and Treblecontrols.

Front Panel Controls

12345678

9)!@#$%^

&*(

Main Power SwitchSystem Power ControlPower IndicatorHeadphone JackRemote Sensor WindowTone ModeSurround Mode SelectorTuning

Tuner Band SelectorPreset Stations SelectorInput Source SelectorRDS Select ButtonChannel Select ButtonSpeaker Select ButtonVideo 3 input jacksTest Tone Selector

Selector ButtonsMain Information DisplayVolume ControlSet ButtonDigital Input SelectorDelay

4

1

3 5 7 8 9 ) ! @ %

(

2

6

&$^ # *


8/11/2019 Avr 1550

6/30

6 FRONT PANEL CONTROLS

Front Panel Controls

7 Surround Mode Selector: Press this but-ton to change the surround mode by scrollingthrough the list of available modes. Note thatDolby Digital and DTS modes can be selectedonly when a digital input is used (See page 20for more information about surround modes.)

8 Tuning Selector: Press the left side of thebutton to tune lower frequency stations and theright side of the button to tune higher frequencystations.When a station with a strong signal isreached, the TUNED indicator L will illuminatein the Main Information Display *(see page 24 for more information on tuningstations).

9 Tuner Band Selector: Pressing this buttonwill automatically switch the AVR to the Tunermode. Pressing it again will switch between theAM and FM frequency bands, holding it pressedfor some seconds will switch between stereoand mono receiving and between automatic and

manual tuning mode (See page 24 for moreinformation on the tuner).

) Preset Stations Selector: Press this but-ton to scroll up or down through the list of sta-tions that have been entered into the presetmemory. (See page 24 for more information ontuner programming.)

! Input Source Selector: Press this buttonto change the input by scrolling through the listof input sources.

@ RDS Select Button: Press this button to dis-play the various messages that are part of theRDS data system of the AVR 1550s tuner. (See

page 24 for more information on RDS).

# Channel Select Button: Press this buttonto begin the process of trimming the channeloutput levels using an external audio source.(For more information on output level trimadjustment, see page 23.)

$ Speaker Select Button: Press this button

to begin the process of selecting the speakerpositions that are used in your listening room.(See page 14 for more information on setup andconfiguration.)

% Video 3 Input Jacks: These audio/videojacks may be used for temporary connection tovideo games or portable audio/video productssuch as camcorders and portable audio players.

^ Test Tone Selector: Press this button tobegin the process of adjusting the channel out-put levels using the internal test tone as a refer-ence. (For more information on output leveladjustment, see page 17.)

& Selector Buttons: When you are establish-ing the AVR 1550s configuration settings, usethese buttons to select from the choices available,as shown in the Main Information Display *.

* Main Information Display: This displaydelivers messages and status indications to helpyou operate the receiver. (See pages 78 for acomplete explanation of the InformationDisplay.)

( Volume Control: Turn this knob clockwiseto increase the volume, counterclockwise todecrease the volume. If the AVR is muted,adjusting volume control will automaticallyrelease the unit from the silenced condition.

Set Button: When making choices during

the setup and configuration process, press thisbutton to enter the desired setting as shown inthe Main Information Display * into theAVR 1550s memory. The set button may also beused to change the display brightness.(See page 23.)

Digital Input Selector: When playing asource that has a digital output, press thisbutton to select between the Optical andCoaxial Digital inputs. (See pages21-22 for more information on digital audio.)

Delay: Press this button to begin thesequence of steps required to enter delay timesettings. (See page 16 for more information ondelay times.)


8/11/2019 Avr 1550

7/30

ABCDEFG

HIJKLMN

OPQRSTU

FRONT PANEL INFORMATION DISPLAY 7

Front Panel Information Display

Bitstream IndicatorsOptical Source IndicatorsDTS Mode IndicatorDolby Digital IndicatorCoaxial Digital Input IndicatorsDolby Pro Logic II IndicatorAnalog Input Indicator

Dolby 3 Stereo IndicatorRDS IndicatorDSP Mode IndicatorTraffic Program IndicatorTuned IndicatorMain Information DisplayNight Mode Indicator

Auto IndicatorSpeaker/Channel Input IndicatorsPreset Number/Sleep TimerPreset IndicatorSleep IndicatorMemory IndicatorStereo Indicator

A Bitstream Indicators:When the input is adigital source, one of these indicators will light todisplay the specific type of signal in use.

B Optical Source Indicators: These indica-tors light to show when a Optical Digital Inputhas been selected.

C DTS Mode Indicator: This indicator illumi-nates when the DTS mode is selected.

D Dolby Digital Indicator: This indicatorilluminates when Dolby Digital mode is selected.

E Coaxial Digital Input Indicators: Theseindicators light to show when a Coaxial DigitalInput has been selected.

F Dolby Pro Logic II Indicator:This indica-tor lights when the Dolby Pro Logic II mode hasbeen selected.

GAnalog Input Indicator:This indicator lightswhen an analog input source has been selected.

H Dolby 3 Stereo Indicator: This indicatorlights when the Dolby 3 Stereo Mode has been

selected. OnlyST (Stereo) will light when"Surround Off" has been selected.Then allSurround Modes are turned off and the unit willplay in pure stereo mode.

I RDS Indicator: This indicator illuminateswhen the station tuned is transmitting RDS data.

J DSP Mode Indicator: This indicator lightswhen any of the surround modes created byDigital Signal Processing, or DSP are in use.These modes include Hall 1, Hall 2, Theater and5 Channel Stereo.

K Traffic Program Indicator: This indicatorilluminates if the RDS station tuned sometimestransmits traffic information (see page 24 for

more information on RDS).

L Tuned Indicator: This indicator illuminateswhen a station is being received with sufficient sig-nal strength to provide acceptable listening quality.

M Main Information Display: This displayshows messages relating to the status, inputsource, surround mode, tuner, volume level orother aspects of units operation.

N Night Mode Indicator: This indicatorlights when the AVR 1550 is in the Night mode,which preserves the dynamic range of digitalprogram material at low volume levels.

O Auto Indicator: This indicator illuminates

when the tuners Auto mode is in use.

P Speaker/Channel Input Indicators:Theseindicators are multipurpose, indicating either thespeaker type selected for each channel or theincoming data-signal configuration.The left, cen-ter, right, right surround and left surround speakerindicators are composed of three boxes, while thesubwoofer is a single box. When the letters flash,the digital input has been interrupted. (See page18 and 27 for more information on the ChannelIndicators).

Q Preset Number/Sleep Timer: When thetuner is in use, these numbers indicate the spe-cific preset memory location in use. (See page 24for more information on preset stations.) Whenthe Sleep function is in use, these numbers showhow many minutes remain before the unit goesinto the Standby mode.

R Preset Indicator: This indicator lights when

the tuner is in use to show that the PresetNumber/Sleep Timer Q is showing the sta-tions preset memory number. (See page 24 formore information on tuner presets.)

S Sleep Indicator: This indicator lights whenthe Sleep function is in use. The numbers in thePreset/Sleep Number Indicators will show theminutes remaining before the AVR 1550 goesinto the Standby mode. (See page 19 for moreinformation on the Sleep function.)

T Memory Indicator: This indicator flasheswhen entering presets and other informationinto the tuners memory.

U Stereo Indicator: This indicator illuminateswhen an FM station is being tuned in stereo.


8/11/2019 Avr 1550

8/30

8 REAR PANEL CONNECTIONS

fi

a

b

fl

Rear Panel Connections

Tape InputsTape OutputsVideo 1 Audio InputsAM AntennaVideo 1 Audio OutputsVideo 2 Audio InputsFM Antenna

CD InputsCoaxial Digital Audio OutputsCoaxial Digital InputsSubwoofer OutputVideo Monitor OutputsFront/Center Speaker OutputsSurround Speaker Outputs

TV Audio InputsOptical Digital InputsAC Power CordDVD Video InputsVideo 1 Video OutputsVideo 1 Video InputsVideo 2 Video Inputs

Tape Inputs: Connect these jacks to thePLAY/OUTjacks of an audio recorder.

Tape Outputs: Connect these jacks to theRECORD/INPUTjacks of an audio recorder.

Video 1 Audio Inputs: Connect these jacks

to the PLAY/OUT audio jacks on a VCR or othervideo source.

AM Antenna: Connect theAM loop antennasupplied with the receiver to these terminals. If anexternal AM antenna is used, make connections tothe AM and GND terminals in accordance withthe instructions supplied with the antenna.

Video 1 Audio Outputs: Connect thesejacks to the RECORD/INPUT audio jacks ona VCR or any other Audio recorder.

Video 2 Audio Inputs: Connect these jacksto the PLAY/OUT audio jacks on a VCR or othervideo source.

FM Antenna: Connect the supplied indoor oran optional external FM antenna to this terminal.

CD Inputs: Connect these jacks to the ana-log output of a compact disc player or CDchanger.

CoaxialDigital Audio Outputs: Connectthis jack to the matching digital input connectoron a digital recorder such as a CD-R or MiniDiscrecorder.

Coaxial Digital Inputs: Connect the coaxdigital output from a DVD player. Do not connectthe RF digital output of an LD player to thesejacks.

Subwoofer Output: Connect this jack to

the line-level input of a powered subwoofer. Ifan external subwoofer amplifier is used, connectthis jack to the subwoofer amplifier input.

Video Monitor Outputs: Connect thesejacks to the composite and/or S-Video input of aTV monitor or video projector to view the outputof any video source selected by the receiversvideo switcher.

Front/Center Speaker Outputs: Connectthese outputs to the matching + or terminalson your front/center speakers. When makingspeaker connections, always make certain tomaintain correct polarity by connecting the red(+) terminals on the AVR 1550 to the red (+)

terminals on the speaker and the black () ter-minals on the AVR 1550 to the black () termi-nals on the speakers. (See page 11 for moreinformation on speaker polarity.)

Surround Speaker Outputs: Connectthese outputs to the matching + or terminalson your left and right surround speakers. Whenmaking speaker connections always make cer-tain to maintain correct polarity by connecting

the red (+) terminals on the AVR 1550 to thered (+) terminals on the speakers and the black() terminals on the AVR 1550 to the black ()terminals on the speakers. See page 11 for moreinformation on speaker polarity.

TV Audio Inputs: Connect these jacks tothe Audio Out jacks on a TV or other videosource.

Optical Digital Inputs: Connect the opti-cal digital output from a DVD player, HDTVreceiver, LD player, MD player or CD player tothese jacks.The signal may be either a DolbyDigital signal, a DTS signal or a standard PCMdigital source.

AC Power Cord: Connect the AC plug to anunswitched AC wall output.

DVD Video Inputs: Connect these jacks tothe composite or S-Video output jacks on a DVDplayer or other video source.

Video 1 Video Outputs: Connect thesejacks to the RECORD/INPUT composite orS-Video jack on a VCR.

Video 1 Video Inputs: Connect these jacksto the PLAY/OUT composite or S-Video jacks ona VCR or other video source.

Video 2 Video Inputs: Connect these jacksto the PLAY/OUT composite jacks on a secondVCR or other video source.


8/11/2019 Avr 1550

9/30

REMOTE CONTROL FUNCTIONS 9

Remote Control Functions

0123456789ABCDEFGHIJK

LMNOPQ

Power On ButtonIR Transmitter WindowMutePower Off ButtonInput SelectorsAVR Selector

AM/FM Tuner SelectTest ButtonSleep ButtonSurround Mode SelectorNight ModeChannel Select Button / Buttons ButtonEnter ButtonDigital Select/Direct ButtonNumeric KeysTuner ModeVolume Up/DownTuning Up/DownSpeaker Select

Transport Controls ButtonRDS Select ButtonPreset Up/DownClear ButtonMemory ButtonDelay

NOTE: The function names shown here are eachbuttons feature when used with the AVR. Mostbuttons have additional functions when usedwith other Harman Kardon devices.See page 26 for a list of these functions.

0 Power On Button: Press this button toturn on the power.

1 IR Transmitter Window: Point thiswindow towards the AVR 1550 when pressingbuttons on the remote to make certain thatinfrared commands are properly received.

2 Mute: Press this button to momentarilysilence the AVR 1550 or TV set being controlled,depending on which device has been selected.

3 Power Off Button: Press this button toplace the AVR 1550 in the Standby mode.

4 Input Selectors: Pressing one of thesebuttons will perform three actions at the sametime. First, if the AVR is not turned on, this willpower up the unit. Next, it will select the sourceshown on the button as the input to the AVR.Finally, it will change the remote control so thatit controls the compatible Harman Kardon prod-uct selected.After pressing one of these buttonsyou must press the AVR Selector button5

AVR 1550

a

b

f

g

7

j

m

n

o

s

r

u

v

w

`

p

d

e

t

q

x

y

l

c

k

8

z

IMPORTANT NOTE: The AVR 1550s remote isshipped from the factory to operate theAVR 1550 and most Harman Kardon CD or DVDplayers and cassette decks.Before using the remote, it is important to

remember to press the Input Selector button4 that corresponds to the unit you wish tooperate.

It is also important to remember that many ofthe buttons on the remote take on differentfunctions, depending on the product selectedusing the Input Selectors.The descriptionsshown here primarily detail the functions of theremote when it is used to operate theAVR 1550. (See page 26 for information aboutalternate functions for the remotes buttons.)


8/11/2019 Avr 1550

10/30

10 REMOTE CONTROL FUNCTIONS

Remote Control Functions

again to operate the AVRs functions with theremote.

5 AVR Selector: Pressing this button willswitch the remote so that it will operate the AVRsfunctions. If the AVR is in the Standby mode, it willalso turn the AVR on.

6 AM/FM Tuner Select: Press this button toselect the AVRs tuner as the listening choice.Pressing this button when the tuner is in use willselect between the AM and FM bands.

7 Test Tone: Press this button to begin thesequence used to calibrate the AVR 1550s outputlevels. (See page 17 for more information oncalibrating the AVR 1550.)

8Sleep Button: Press this button to placethe unit in the Sleep mode. After the time shownin the display, the AVR 1550 will automaticallygo into the Standby mode. Each press of thebutton changes the time until turn-off in the fol-

lowing order:

Hold the button pressed for two seconds to turnoff the Sleep mode setting.Note that this button is also used to changechannels on your TV, VCR and SAT receiver whenselected.

9 Surround Mode Selector: Press thisbutton to begin the process of changingthe surround mode. After the button hasbeen pressed, use the / buttonsC to

select the desired surround mode (See page 21for more information).

A Night Mode: Press this button to activatethe Night mode. This mode is available only withDolby Digital encoded digital sources, and itpreserves dialog (center channel) intelligibilty atlow volume levels (See page 22 for moreinformation).

B Channel Select Button: This button isused to start the process of setting the AVR 1550soutput levels with an external source. Once thisbutton is pressed, use the/ buttonsC toselect the channel being adjusted, then press theEnter buttonE, followed by the / buttons

again, to change the level setting. (See page 23 formore information.)

C/ Buttons:These are multi-purposebuttons.They will be used most frequently to selecta surround mode.These buttons are also used toincrease or decrease output levels when config-uring the unit, to select speaker configuration orto select the digital inputs.They are also used to

enter delay time settings after the Delay button has been pressed.

D Button: This button does not have afunction with theAVR 1550.When a DVD playeror TV is selected, it may be used to navigate themenus of those devices.

E Enter Button: This button is used to entersettings into the AVR 1550s memory. It is alsoused in the setup procedures for delay time,speaker configuration and channel output leveladjustment.

F Digital Select/Direct: Press this button toassign one of the digital inputs to asource. (See page 22 for more information onusing digital inputs).In Tuner-mode, press this button when the tuneris in use to start the sequence for direct entry ofa stations frequency. After pressing the buttonsimply press the proper Numeric KeysG toselect a station (See page 24 for more informa-tion on the tuner).

G Numeric Keys: These buttons serve as aten-button numeric keypad to enter tuner presetpositions.They are also used to select channelnumbers when TV, VCR or Sat receiver hasbeen selected on the remote, or to select tracknumbers on a compatible Harman Kardon CD,DVD or LD player.

H Tuner Mode: Press this button when thetuner is in use to select between automatic tun-ing and manual tuning.When the button ispressed so that the AUTO indicator O goesout, pressing the Tuning buttonsJ8 willmove the frequency up or down in single-stepincrements.When the FM band is in use and theAUTO indicator O is on, pressing this buttonwill change to monaural reception making evenweek stations audible. (See page 24 for moreinformation.)

I Volume Up/Down: Press these buttons toraise or lower the system volume.

J Tuning Up/Down:When the tuner is in use,these buttons will tune up or down through theselected frequency band. If the Tuner Mode but-tonH has been pressed or the Band button@ on the front panel was held pressed so thatthe AUTO indicator O is illuminated, pressingeither of the buttons will cause the tuner to seekthe next station with acceptable signal strengthfor quality reception. When theAUTO indicatorO is NOT illuminated, pressing these buttons willtune stations in single-step increments.(See page 24 for more information.)

K Speaker Select: Press this button tobegin the process of configuring theAVR 1550s Bass Management System for usewith the type of speakers used in your system.Once the button has been pressed, use the/ buttonsC to select the channel you

wish to set up. Press the Enter buttonE

andthen select the speaker type (see page 14 formore information.)

L Transport Buttons: These buttons do nothave any functions for the AVR, but they may beused for the forward/reverse play operation of awide variety of compatible Harman Kardon CDor DVD players, and audio or video- cassetterecorders.

M Button:This button does not have afunction with the AVR 1550. When a compatibleHarman Kardon DVD player or TV is selected, itmay be used to navigate the menus of thosedevices.

N RDS Select Button: Press this button todisplay the various messages that are part of theRDS data system of the AVR 1550s tuner.(See page 24 for more information on RDS).

O Preset Up/Down: When the tuner is in use,press these buttons to scroll through the stationsprogrammed into the AVR 1550s memory.

P Clear Button: Press this button to clearincorrect entries when using the remote todirectly enter a radio stations frequency.

QMemory Button: Press this button to entera radio station into the AVR 1550s presetmemory.After pressing the button theMEMORY

indicatorT will flash; you then have five sec-onds to enter a preset memory location usingthe Numeric KeysG. (See page 23 for moreinformation.)

Delay/Prev Ch.: Press this button to beginthe process for setting the delay times used bythe AVR 1550 when processing surround sound.After pressing this button, the delay times areentered by pressing the Enter buttonE andthen using the / buttonsC to change thesetting. Press the Enter button again to com-plete the process. (See page 16 for more infor-mation.)

90min

80min

70min

60min

50min

40min

30min

20min

10min

OFF


8/11/2019 Avr 1550

11/30

INSTALLATION AND CONNECTIONS 11

Installation and Connections

After unpacking the unit, and placing it on a solidsurface capable of supporting its weight, you willneed to make the connections to your audio andvideo equipment.

Audio Equipment Connections

We recommend that you use high-quality inter-connect cables when making connections tosource equipment and recorders to preserve theintegrity of the signals.

When making connections to audio sourceequipment or speakers it is always a good prac-tice to unplug the unit from the AC wall outlet.This prevents any possibility of accidentally send-ing audio or transient signals to the speakersthat may damage them.

Important Note : In order to clearly identify allconnectors and simplify nstallation, as per thenew EIA/CEA-863 standard, all connections arecolour coded as follows:

For Speakers and Audio In/Outputs: White (Left,speakers front) and Red (Right, speakers front).For Speakers: Green (Center), Blue (LeftSurround) and Grey (Right Surround).For Audio Output: Purple (Subwoofer).For Composite Video In/Outputs: Yellow.For Digital Audio In/Outputs: Orange.

1. Connect the analog output of a CD player tothe CD inputs.

NOTE: When the CD player has both fixed andvariable audio outputs it is best to use the fixedoutput unless you find that the input to thereceiver is so low that the sound is noisy, or sohigh that the signal is distorted.

2. Connect the analog Play/Out jacks of a cas-sette deck, MD, CD-R or other audio recorder tothe Tape Inputjacks. Connect the analogRecord/In jacks on the recorder to the TapeOutputjacks on the AVR 1550.

3. Connect the digital output of any digitaldevice to the appropriate input connections onthe AVR 1550 rear panel. Note that theOptical and Coaxial digital inputsmaybe used with a Dolby Digital or DTS source orthe output of a conventional CD, MD or LDplayers PCM (S/P-DIF) output.

4. Connect the Coaxial Digital Outputs on

the rear panel of the AVR to the matching digitalinput connections on a CD-R or MiniDisc recorder.

5. Assemble the AM Loop Antenna supplied withthe unit as shown below. Connect it to the AMand GND screw terminals.

6. Connect the supplied FM antenna to theFM(75 ohm) connection. The FM antenna maybe an external roof antenna, an inside poweredor wire lead antenna or a connection from acable system. Note that if the antenna or con-nection uses 300-ohm twin-lead cable, you mustuse a 300-ohm-to-75-ohm adapter to make theconnection.

7. Connect the front, center and surround speak-er outputs to the respective speakers.

To assure that all the audio signals are carried toyour speakers without loss of clarity or resolu-tion, we suggest that you use high-qualityspeaker cable. Many brands of cable are avail-able and the choice of cable may be influencedby the distance between your speakers and thereceiver, the type of speakers you use, personalpreferences and other factors.Your dealer orinstaller is a valuable resource to consult inselecting the proper cable.

Regardless of the brand of cable selected,werecommend that you use a cable constructed offine, multistrand copper with an area greaterthan 2 mm2.

Cable with an area of 1.5 mm2 may be used forshort runs of less than 4 m.We do not recom-mend that you use cables with an area less than1mm2 due to the power loss and degradation inperformance that will occur.

Cables that are run inside walls should have theappropriate markings to indicate listing with UL,CSA or other appropriate testing agency stan-dards. Questions about running cables insidewalls should be referred to your installer or alicensed electrical contractor who is familiar withthe applicable local building codes in your area.

When connecting wires to the speakers, be cer-tain to observe proper polarity. Remember toconnect the negative or black wire to thesame terminal on both the receiver and thespeaker. Similarly, the positive or red wireshould be connected to the same terminals onthe AVR 1550 and speaker.

NOTE: While most speaker manufacturersadhere to an industry convention of using blackterminals for negative and red ones for positive,some manufacturers may vary from this configu-ration. To assure proper phase and optimal per-formance, consult the identification plate onyour speaker or the speakers manual to verifypolarity. If you do not know the polarity of yourspeaker, ask your dealer for advice before pro-ceeding, or consult the speakers manufacturer.

We also recommend that the length of cableused to connect speaker pairs be identical. Forexample, use the same length piece of cable toconnect the front-left and front-right or sur-round-left and surround-right speakers, even ifthe speakers have a different distance from the

AVR 1550.8. Connections to a subwoofer are normallymade via a line level audio connection from theSubwoofer Output to the line-level inputof a subwoofer with a built-in amplifier.When apassive subwoofer is used, the connection firstgoes to a power amplifier, which will be con-nected to one or more subwoofer speakers. Ifyou are using a powered subwoofer that doesnot have line-level input connections, follow theinstructions furnished with the speaker for con-nection information.

Note: Speaker sets with two front satellites anda passive subwoofer must be connected to the

front speaker outputs only rather than to theSubwoofer Output.

Video Equipment Connections

Video equipment is connected in the same man-ner as audio components.Again, the use of high-quality interconnect cables is recommended topreserve signal quality. To ensure best video per-formance S-Video sources should be connectedto the AVR 1550 only with their S-Video In/Outputs, not with their composite video connec-tors too.

1. Connect a VCRs audio and video Play/Outjacks to the Video 1 or Video 2 Injacks

on the rear panel. The Audio andVideo Record/In jacks on the VCR should be con-nected to the Video 1jacks on theAVR 1550.

2. Connect the analog audio and video outputsof a satellite receiver, cable TV converter or tele-vision set or any other video source to theVideo 2 (if not in use) or Video 3 %jacks.

3. Connect the video outputs of a DVD or laserdisc player to the DVDjacks.

4. Connect the Video Monitor Outjacks onthe receiver to the composite and S-Video input

of your television monitor or video projector.Video Connection Note: S-Video or Composite video signals may only

be viewed in their native formats and will notbe converted to the other format.


8/11/2019 Avr 1550

12/30

12 INSTALLATION AND CONNECTIONS


SCART A/V Connections

For the connections described above your videodevice needs RCA (cinch) connectors or/andS-Video connectors for all Audio and Videosignals: Any normal video device (Not SVHS orHigh 8) for only playback needs 3 RCA jacks,

VCRs for record and playback even 6 RCA jacks.Any S-Video device (SVHS, High 8) needs 2 RCA(Audio) and 1 S-Video jack (Video), if its a play-back unit, or 4 RCA (Audio In/Out) and 2 S-Video(Video In/Out) jacks, if its a recording VCR.

Many european video devices are equipped withRCA (Cinch) or S-Video jacks only partially, notwith all audio and video in/outputs needed asdescribed above, but with a so called Scart orEuro-AV connector (almost rectangular jack with21 pins, see drawings on this page).

In that case the following Scart to Cinch adaptersor cables are needed:

Units for playback, such as satellite receivers,camcorders, DVD or LD players, need an adapterfrom Scart to 3 RCA plugs, see fig. 1 (normalvideo devices) or from Scart to 2 RCA+1 S-Video plugs, see fig. 4 (S-Video devices).

HiFi VCRs need an adapter from Scart to 6 RCAplugs, see fig. 2 (normal video), or from Scart to4 Audio+2S-Video jacks, see fig. 5 (S-VideoVCR). Read carefully the instruction attached tothe adapter to find which of the six plugs isused for the record signal to the VCR (connectwith the AVRs Out jacks) and for the playbacksignal from the VCR (connect with the AVRs Injacks). Do not misconnect Audio and Video sig-nals. Dont hesitate to consult your dealer, if you

are uncertain.

If you use only normal video devices the TVmonitor needs an adapter from 3 RCA plugs toScart (fig. 3) only. If also S-Video devices areused an adapter from 2 RCA+1S-Video plugs toScart is needed additionally (fig. 6), connectedto the SCART input on your TV that is providedfor S-Video.

Note that only the video plugs (the "yellow"cinch plug in fig. 3 and the S-Video plug in fig.6)must be connected to the TV Monitor Output, and the volume on the TV must be reduced tominimum.

Important Note for Adapter Cables:If the cinch connectors of the adapter youll useare labeled, connect the Audio and Video Inplugs with the corresponding Audio and VideoIn jacks on the AVR 1550 (and with a VCR con-nect the Out plugs to the Out jacks on theAVR). Note that with some adapter types it maybe just turned around: If no signal is audible/ visi-ble when the VCR is playing connect the Outplugs to the In jacks on the AVR and turnedaround. If the adapter plugs are not labeled inthat way, pay attention to the signal flow direc-

Black

Yellow

Red

Figure 1:SCART/Cinch-Adapter for

playback;signal flow:

SCART Cinch

BlackRed

Blue

Yellow

Green

White

Figure 2:SCART/Cinch-Adapter for

record and playback;signal flow:

SCART Cinch

Black

Yellow

Red

Figure 3:Cinch/SCART-Adapter for

playback;signal flow:

Cinch SCART

RotSchwarz

S-Video In

Figure 4:SCART/S-Video Adapter

for playback;signal flow:

SCART Cinch

Schwarz

Rot

Blau

Gelb

S-Video In

S-Video Out

Figure 5:SCART/S-Video Adapterfor record and playback;

signal flow:SCART Cinch

Rot

Schwarz

S-Video Out

Figure 6:SCART/S-Video Adapter

for playback;signal flow:

Cinch SCART

Black

Yellow

Red

BlackRed

Blue1

Yellow

Green1

White

Black

Yellow

Red

RedBlack

S-Video In

RedBlack

S-Video Out

Black

Red

Blue1

Yellow

S-Video In

S-Video Out

1Also other colours possible, e.g. brown and grey.

tions as shown in the diagrams above and in theinstruction attached to the adapter. If uncertain,dont hesitate to consult your dealer.

Important Notes for S-Video connections:1. Only the S-Video In/Out of S-Video devices

must be connected to the AVR, NOT both,nor-mal video and S-Video In/Outputs (except the TV,see item 2).

2. Like most common AV units the AVR 1550does not convert the Video signal to S-Video orvice versa.Thus both connections must be madefrom the AVR 1550 to the TV if both, Video andS-Video sources, are used, and the appropriateinput on the TV must be selected.

Important Note for the Use ofSCART-Cinch Adapters:When video sources are connected to the TVdirectly with a SCART cable, specific control sig-nals apart from Audio/Video signals will be fedto the TV. These specific signals are:With all

video sources, the signal for automatic inputselection that switches the TV automatically tothe appropriate input as soon as the videosource is started.And with DVD players, the sig-nals automatically turning the TV to 4:3/16:9format (with 16:9 TVs or 4:3 TVs with 16:9capability) and turning the RGB video decoder ofthe TV on or off, depending on the DVD playerssetting. With any adapter cable, these controlsignals will be lost and the appropriate settingof the TV must be made manually.


8/11/2019 Avr 1550

13/30

INSTALLATION AND CONNECTIONS 13


Speaker Selection

No matter which type or brand of speakers isused, the same model or brand of speakershould be used at least for the front-left, centerand front-right speakers.This creates a seamlessfront soundstage and eliminates the possibility

of distracting sonic disturbances that occur whena sound moves across mismatched front-channelspeakers.

Speaker Placement

The placement of speakers in a multichannelhome-theater system can have a noticeableimpact on the quality of sound reproduced.

Depending on the type of center-channelspeaker in use and your viewing device, placethe center speaker either directly above or belowyour TV, or in the center behind a perforatedfront-projection screen.

Once the center-channel speaker is installed,position the left-front and right-front speakers sothat they are as far away from one another asthe center-channel speaker is from the preferredlistening position. Ideally, the front-channelspeakers should be placed so that their tweetersare no more than 60cm above or below thetweeter in the center-channel speaker.

They should also be at least 0.5 meter from yourTV set unless the speakers are magneticallyshielded to avoid colourings on the TV screen.Note that most speakers are not shielded, evenwith complete surround sets only the Centerspeaker may be.

Depending on the specifics of your roomacoustics and the type of speakers in use, youmay find that imaging is improved by moving thefront-left and front-right speakers slightlyforward of the center-channel speaker. Ifpossible, adjust all front loudspeakers so that

they are aimed at ear height when you areseated in the listening position.

Using these guidelines, youll find that it takessome experimentation to find the correctlocation for the front speakers in your particularinstallation. Dont be afraid to move thingsaround until the system sounds correct. Optimizeyour speakers so that audio transitions acrossthe front of the room sound smooth.

Surround speakers should be placed on the sidewalls of the room,at or slightly behind thelistening position. The center of the speakershould face you.

If side-wall mounting is not practical, thespeakers may be placed on a rear wall, behindthe listening position. The speakers should be nomore than two meters behind the rear of theseating area.

Subwoofers produce largely nondirectionalsound, so they may be placed almost anywherein a room. Actual placement should be based onroom size and shape and the type of subwooferused. One method of finding the optimallocation for a subwoofer is to begin by placing itin the front of the room, about 15cm from awall, or near the front corner of the room.Another method is to temporarily place thesubwoofer in the spot where you will normally

sit, 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 subwoofersmanufacturer, or you may wish to experimentwith the best location for a subwoofer in yourlistening room.

Right FrontSpeaker

Left FrontSpeaker

No more than60cm

Center Front Speaker

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

Center FrontSpeaker

Optional Rear-Wall Mounting

TV or Projection Screen

Right FrontSpeaker

Left FrontSpeaker

Nomorethan2m

whenrear-mounted

speakersareused

B) The distance between the left and rightspeakers should be equal to the distance fromthe seating position to the viewing screen.

You may also experiment with placing the leftand right speakers slightly forward of the center

speaker.


8/11/2019 Avr 1550

14/30

14 SYSTEM CONFIGURATION

System Configuration

Once the speakers have been placed in theroom and connected, the remaining steps are toprogram the system configuration memories.With the AVR 1550 two kind of memories areused, those associated individually with theinput selected, e.g. surround modes, and others

working independently from any input selectedlike speaker output levels, or delay times usedby the surround sound processor.

First Turn On

You are now ready to power up the AVR 1550 tobegin these final adjustments.

1. Plug the Power Cable into an un-switched AC outlet.

2. Press the Main Power Switch 1 in until itlatches and the word OFF on the top of theswitch disappears inside the front panel. Notethat the Power Indicator 3 will turn orange,indicating that the unit is in the Standby mode.

3. Remove the protective plastic film from thefront-panel lens. If left in place, the film mayaffect the performance of your remote control.

4. Install the three supplied AAA batteries in theremote as shown. Be certain to follow the (+)and () polarity indicators that are on thebottom of the battery compartment.

5. Turn the AVR 1550 on either by pressing theSystem Power Control 2 or the InputSource Selector ! on the front panel, or viathe remote by pressing the AVR Selector5or any of the Input Selectors46 on theremote.The Power Indicator 3 will turn greento confirm that the unit is on, and theMainInformation Display * will also light up.

Settings to be Made With EachInput Used

The AVR 1550 features an advanced memorysystem that enables you to establish differentsettings for the speaker configuration, digitalinput and surround mode for each input source.

This flexibility enables you to custom tailor theway in which you listen to each source and havethe AVR 1550 memorize them.This means, forexample, that you may associate different sur-round modes and analog or digital inputs withdifferent sources, or set different speaker config-urations with the resultant changes to the bassmanagement system or the use of the Centerspeaker. Once these settings are made, they willautomatically be recalled whenever you selectan input.

The default settings for the AVR 1550, as it isshipped from the factory, have all inputs set foran analog source (except for the DVD input,

which has the Coaxial Digital Input 1 asthe default), with stereo as the surround mode,the front left and right speakers set to large(with surround modes other speakers tosmall), and a subwoofer connected. Beforeusing the unit, you will probably want to changethese settings for most inputs so that they areproperly configured to reflect the use of digitalor analog inputs, the type of speakers installedand the surround mode associated with theinput. Remember, since the AVR 1550s memorysystem keeps the settings for each input sepa-rate from the other inputs, you will need to makethese adjustments for each input used. However,once they are made, further adjustment is only

required when system components are changed.

To make this process as quick and as easy aspossible, we suggest that with each of these set-tings to be made you step through each input.Once you have completed the settings for thefirst input, many settings may be duplicated forthe remaining inputs.

The items that follow will describe the individualsettings required for each input.

Input SetupThe first step in configuring the AVR 1550 is toselect an input. This may be done by pressingthe front panel Input Source Selector !until the desired inputs name appears momen-tarily in the Main Information Display M.

The input may also be selected by pressingthe appropriate Input Selector on theremote control46.

The second step is to associate one of the digitalinputs with the selected input source (if this isneeded, otherwise the selected analog input willremain). Press the Digital Input Select buttonF on the front panel or the remote.Withinfive seconds, make your input selection using theSelector buttons on the front panel & or the/ buttonsC on the remote until thedesired digital or analog input is shown in theMain Information Display M. Then press theEnter buttonE to enter the new digital inputassignment.

After the setting has been made with one input,repeat as described above with all inputs in use.The digital input associated with the inputselected can also be changed at any time laterand the AVR 1550s memory system will keepthe settings until they are changed again.

Speaker SetupThis setup tells the AVR 1550 which type ofspeakers are in use.This is important as itadjusts the settings that determine whichspeakers receive low frequency (bass) informa-tion and whether a Center speaker should beused or not, separately for each input used.

For each of these settings use theLARGE

setting if the speakers for a particular positionare traditional full-range loudspeakers that arecapable of reproducing sounds below 100Hz.Use the SMALL setting for smaller,frequency-limited satellite speakers that do notreproduce sounds below 100Hz. Note thatwhen small front (left and right) speakers areused, a subwoofer is required to reproduce lowfrequency sounds. If you are in doubt as towhich category describes your speakers, consultthe specifications in the speakers ownersmanual, or ask your dealer. Remember that eachspeaker setup that differs from the defaultsettings (see above) must be made individually

for each input in use.It is best to select the Dolby Pro Logic II Moviemode for speaker setup.Then with the currentlyselected input all speaker settings will be copiedto other surround modes too (as far as possible)and need not be repeated with any other mode.


8/11/2019 Avr 1550

15/30

SYSTEM CONFIGURATION 15

With the AVR 1550 turned on, follow thesesteps to configure the speakers:

1. Put the AVR 1550 in the Dolby Pro Logic IIMovie mode by pressing the Surround ModeSelector button 7 on the front or9 andthen the / buttonsC on the remote, until

DOLBYPROLOGICII MOVIEappears in the Main Information Display Mand the PRO LOGIC II indicator F lights.

2. Press the Speaker buttonK$ on theremote or front panel.The wordsFNTSPKRwill appear in the Main InformationDisplay M.

3. Press the Enter buttonE on the remotecontrol, or theSet button on the front.

4. Press the / buttonsC on the remote orthe Selector buttons & on the front paneluntil either F-LARGE or F-SMALLappears, matching the type of speakers you have

at the left-front and right-front positions, asdescribed by the definitions shown in precedingsection.

When SMALL is selected, low frequency frontchannel sounds will be sent only to the subwooferoutput. Note that if you choose this option andthere is no subwoofer connected, you will nothear any low frequency sounds from the frontchannels.This setting is not available with stereomode to ensure purest sound by bypassing thecrossovers of the DSPs.

When LARGE is selected,a full-range outputwill be sent to the front left and front right out-puts. Depending on the subwoofer configuration

(see below), the front left and right bass informa-tion may also be directed to a subwoofer.

Important Note: When a speaker set with twofront satellites and a passive subwoofer is used,connected to the front speaker outputs,the fronts must be set forLARGE.

5. When you have completed your selection forthe front channels, press theEnter buttonEon the remote control, or theSet button on thefront , and then press the / buttonsCon the remote or the Selector buttons & onthe front panel to change the display toCENSPKR.

6. Press the Enter buttonE on the remotecontrol, or theSet button on the frontagain, and use the / buttonsC on theremote, or the Selector buttons & on thefront panel, to select the option that bestdescribes your system based on the Centerspeaker definitions shown in preceding section.

When SMALL is selected, low frequency cen-ter channel sounds will be sent to the Fronts, ifthey are set for LARGE and Sub is turned off.When Sub is on, low frequency center channelsounds will be sent to the subwoofer only.

WhenLARGE is selected, a full-range output

will be sent to the center speaker output,andwith analog and digital surround modes (exceptwith the Pro Logic II Music mode) NO centerchannel signal will be sent to the subwoofer out-put.

When NONE is selected, no signal will be sentto the center channel output. The receiver willoperate in a phantom center channel modeand center channel information will be sent tothe left and right front channel outputs and itsbass will be sent to the subwoofer output too aslong as SUB L/R+LFE is selected in the SUB-WOOFER line in this menu (see below). Thismode is needed if no Center speaker is used.

7. When you have completed your selection forthe center channel, press theEnter buttonEon the remote control, or theSet button on thefront , and then press the / buttonsCon the remote or the Selector buttons & onthe front panel to change the display toSURSPKR.

8. Press the Enter buttonE on the remotecontrol, or theSet button on the frontagain,and then use the / buttonsC on theremote or the Selector buttons & on the frontpanel to select the option that best describesyour system based on the Surround speakerdefinitions shown in preceding section.

When SMALL is selected, with all digital sur-round modes low frequency surround channelsounds will be sent to the Fronts, when Sub isturned off, or to the subwoofer output when Subis on. With the analog surround modes the rearbass feed depends on the mode selected andthe setting of the sub and front speakers.

When LARGE is selected, a full-range outputwill be sent to the surround channel outputs(with all analog and digital surround modes),and, except with Hall and Theater modes, NOsurround channel bass will be sent to the sub-woofer output.

When NONE is selected, surround soundinformation will be split between the front-leftand front-right outputs. Note that for optimalperformance when no surround speakers are inuse, the Dolby 3 Stereo mode should be usedinstead of Dolby Pro Logic.

9. When you have completed your selection forthe surround channel, press theEnter buttonE on the remote control, or theSet button onthe front , and then press the / buttonsC on the remote or the Selector buttons&on the front panel to change the display toS-WSPKR

.10. Press the Enter buttonE on the remotecontrol, or theSet button on the front, andthen press the / buttonsC on the remoteor the Selector buttons & on the front panelto select the option that best describes yourSubwoofer system.

The choices available for the subwoofer positionwill depend on the settings for the other speak-ers, particularly the front left/right positions.

If the front left/right speakers are set toSMALL, the subwoofer will automatically beset toSUB, which is the on position.

If the front left/right speakers are set toLARGE, three options are available:

If no subwoofer is connected to the AVR 1550,press the arrow buttonsC& so thatNONE appears in the display.When thisoption is selected, all bass information will berouted to the front left/right main speakers.

If a subwoofer is connected to the AVR 1550,you have the option to have the front left/rightmain speakers reproduce bass frequencies atall times, and have the subwoofer operate onlywhen the AVR 1550 is being used with a digitalsource that contains a dedicated Low FrequencyEffects, or LFE soundtrack. This allows you to use

both your main and subwoofer speakers to takeadvantage of the special bass created for certainmovies.To select that option press the arrowbuttonsC& so thatSUB (LFE) appearsin the display.

If a subwoofer is connected and you wish touse it for bass reproduction in conjunction withthe main front left/right speakers, regardless ofthe type of program source or surround modeyou are listening to, press the arrow buttonsC& so thatL/R+LFEappears in thedisplay.When this option is selected, a com-plete feed will be sent to the front left/rightmain speakers, and the subwoofer will receive

the front left and right bass frequencies underthe crossover frequency 80 Hz, additionally tothe LFE soundtrack (see above).

11. When all speaker selections have been madefor the input selected, Press theEnter buttonE on the remote control, or theSet button onthe front twice or simply wait for threeseconds until the display returns to the normalmode.



8/11/2019 Avr 1550

16/30



To assist in making these settings, the icons inthe Speaker/Channel Input Indicators Pwill change as the speaker type is selected ateach position. When only the inner icon box is lit,the speaker is set for small. When the inner boxand the two outer boxes with circles inside them

are lit, the speaker is set for large." When noindicator appears at a speaker location, thatposition is set for none or no speaker.

As an example, in the Figure below, the left frontand right front speakers are set for large, thecenter, left surround and right surround speakersare set for small, and a subwoofer is set.

After the speaker setting has been made withone input, repeat as described above with allinputs you will use. In most cases, the speakertype will be the same and may be quickly enteredby entering the same data used for the originalinput. But with some music sources you mayprefer to listen to your surround system without

using a Center speaker, particularily when a smallCenter is in use with an audio performance notmatching perfectly with the main front speakers.With these sources selected the Center speakerwill then be turned off automatically (enterNONE for the Center setting),while its signal willbe fed to the left and right Fronts.

The speaker setting mode can also be changed atany time later, and the AVR 1550s memorysystem will keep these settings for the inputselected, until they are changed again.

Surround SetupOnce the speaker setup has been completed, thenext setup step is to set the surround mode youwish to use with each input. Since surroundmodes are a matter of personal taste, feel free toselect any mode you wish you may change it

later. The Surround Mode chart on page 20 mayhelp you select the mode best suited to the inputsource selected. However, to make it easier toestablish the initial parameters for the AVR 1550,it is best to select any Dolby Pro Logic II mode formost analog inputs and Dolby Digital for inputsconnected to digital sources. In the case of inputssuch as a CD Player,Tape Deck or Tuner, you maywish to set the mode to Stereo, if that is yourpreferred listening mode for standard stereosources, where it is unlikely that surround encod-ed material will be used.

To set the surround mode you wish to use withthe input selected, press theSurround ModeSelector button 7 on the front or9 and the/ buttonsC on the remote until thedesired surround modes name appears in theMain Information Display M.

Note that Dolby Digital and DTS will only appearas choices when a digital input has beenselected.

After the surround mode setting has been madewith the current input, repeat the setting with allinputs you will use. The surround mode can alsobe changed at any time later, and the AVR 1550smemory system will keep the settings for theinput selected, until they are changed again.

Making Settings independent ofselected Input

After the settings described above have beenmade for all input sources in your system, the fol-lowing settings, made with any input, will remainin effect independent of the input selected.

Delay SettingsOnly for the Dolby Digital or Dolby Pro Logic IImodes, you will need to adjust the delay timesetting. Note that the delay time is notadjustable for any other modes.

Important Note: Once the delay time is setwith any input it will be effective with all otherinputs too. Moreover the surround delay timesetting must be made only for either the DolbyPro Logic II or the Dolby Digital mode.The othersetting will be set automatically.

Due to the different distances between the lis-tening position for the front channel speakers

and the surround speakers, the amount of time ittakes for sound to reach your ears from the frontor surround speakers is different.You may com-pensate for this difference through the use of thedelay settings to adjust the timing for the specificspeaker placement and acoustic conditions inyour listening room or home theater.

The factory setting (see Surround Mode Chartpage 20) is appropriate for most rooms, butsome installations create an uncommon distancebetween the front and surround speakers thatmay cause the arrival of front channel sounds tobecome disconnected from surround channelsounds.

To resynchronize the front, center and surroundchannels, follow these steps:

1. Measure the distance from the listening/viewing position to the front speakers inmeters.

2. Measure the distance from the listening/viewing position to the sur round speakers.

3. Subtract the distance to the surround speakersfrom the distance to the front speakers andmultiply the result by 3.

a. When setting the delay time for the DolbyDigital surround modes, the optimal delay timeis the result of that subtraction. For example, ifthe front speakers are 3 m away and the sur-round speakers are 1 m away, the optimaldelay time is figured as (31)x3=6. Thus, inthis example, the delay time for Dolby Digitalshould be set at six milliseconds.

b.When setting the delay time for any Dolby ProLogic II mode, take the result of the calculationabove and add 15 to obtain the optimal delaytime.For example, if the front speakers are 3 maway and the surround speakers are 1 m away,

L R

C

SL SRLFE


8/11/2019 Avr 1550

17/30

SYSTEM CONFIGURATION 17

the optimal delay time is figured as(31)x 3+15=21. Thus, in this example, thePro Logic II delay should be set at twentymilliseconds.

NOTE: The DTS, 5CH Stereo,Hall and Theatermodes use a fixed, nonadjustable delay time.

The Dolby Digital Mode also includes a separatesetting for the center channel delay mode, sincethe discrete nature of these signals makes thelocation of the center channel speaker more criti-cal. To calculate the delay for the center channel,measure the distance from the preferred listeningposition in the center of the room to both thecenter channel speaker and either the left orright speaker.

If the distances are equal, no further adjustmentis required and the center delay should be leftzero. If the distance to the front speakers isgreater than the distance to the center speaker,you may wish to reposition the speakers by

moving the front left and front right speakerscloser to the listening position or the centerspeaker further away from the listening position.

If repositioning of the speakers is not possible,adjust the center delay time, adding one milli-second of center channel delay for every 30 cmcloser to the listening position the center speakeris than the front speakers. For example, if thefront left and front right speakers are each 3 mfrom the listening position and the center chan-nel speaker is 2.4 m away, the delay is figured as300 cm 240 cm=60 cm, suggesting an optimalcenter delay of 2 milliseconds.

To set the delay time, follow these steps:

1. To make the delay settings for the DolbyDigital mode (this will include the Center delaysetting, and the surround delay for thePro Logic II mode will be set automatically), pressthe Input Source Selector ! on the front or4 on the remote and select any input now thatis associated with a digital input and the DolbyDigital surround mode.

2. Press the Delay button on the remoteor front panel. The wordsS DELAY appear inthe Main Information Display M.

3. Press the Enter buttonE on the remote

control, or theSet button on the front.4. Press the / buttonsC on the remote orthe Selector buttons& on the front panel untilthe desired rear delay time for the Dolby Digitalmode, calculated using the formula for DolbyDigital above (item a.), appears in the display.

5. Press the Enter buttonE on the remotecontrol, or theSet button on the front toenter the setting into the AVR 1550s memory.

6. Press the / buttonsC on the remoteonce, so thatCDELAYappears in the MainInformation DisplayM.

7. Press the Enter buttonE on the remotecontrol, or theSet button on the front.

8. Press the

/

buttonsC on the remoteuntil the desired delay time for the center chan-nel appears in the display.

9. Press the Enter buttonE on the remotecontrol, or theSet button on the front toenter the setting into the AVR 1550s memory.

You have now completed the delay time settingsfor all surround modes and inputs.

Night Mode SettingsThe Night mode is a feature of Dolby Digital thatuses special processing to preserve the dynamicrange and full intelligibility of a movie soundtrack while reducing the peak level.This preventsabruptly loud transitions from disturbing others,without reducing the sonic impact of a digitalsource. Note that the Night mode is only avail-able when the Dolby Digital surround mode isselected.

To adjust the Night mode setting press the InputSource Selector ! on the front or4 on theremote and select an input that is associatedwith a digital input and the Dolby Digital sur-round mode.

Next press the Night buttonA on the remote.When the button is pressed, the wordsD-R(Dynamic Range) followed by the current setting(MID, MAX, OFF) will appear in the Main

Information Display M.Press the / buttonsC within five secondsto select the desired setting:

OFF: When OFF is shown in the display, theNight mode will not function.

MID: When MID is shown in the display, amild compression will be applied.

MAX: When MAX is shown in the display, amore severe compression algorithm will beapplied.

When you want to use the Night mode feature,we recommend that you select the MID settingas a starting point and change to the MAX

setting later, if desired.

When any Night mode is selected, the NIGHTMode Indicator N will illuminate.To confirmthe selection press the Enter buttonE on theremote control, or the Set button on the front or wait for some seconds until the displayreturns to the normal mode.

Output Level AdjustmentOutput level adjustment is a key part of the con-figuration process for any surround sound prod-uct. It is particularly important for a Dolby Digitalreceiver such as the AVR 1550, as correct outputswill ensure that you hear sound tracks with the

proper directionality and intensity.NOTE: Listeners are often confused about theoperation of the surround channels. While someassume that sound should always be comingfrom each speaker, most of the time there will belittle or no sound in the surround channels. Thisis because they are only used when a moviedirector or sound mixer specifically places soundthere to create ambiance, a special effect or tocontinue action from the front of the room tothe rear. When the output levels are properly setit is normal for surround speakers to operateonly occasionally. Artificially increasing thevolume to the rear speakers may destroy theillusion of an enveloping sound field that

duplicates the way you hear sound in a movietheater or concert hall.

IMPORTANT NOTE: The output level can beadjusted for each digital and analog surroundmode separately.This allows you to compensatefor level differences between speakers, that mayalso vary with the surround mode selected, or toincrease or decrease the level of certain speakersintentionally, depending on the surround modeselected. Note that adjustments made for anysurround mode are effective with all inputsassociated with that surround mode.

Before beginning the output level adjustment

process, make certain that all speaker connec-tions have been properly made.The systemvolume should be turned down at first.

To adjust and calibrate the output levels, followthese steps. For accurate calibration, it is a goodidea to make these adjustments while seated inyour favorite listening position. As the adjust-ment must be made for each surround mode, it isbest to select any input associated with anyDolby Pro Logic II mode, make the adjustment forthat surround mode, then step through all inputsyoure using (and thus through all surroundmodes associated with the inputs) and repeatthe adjustment when any surround modeappears that has not yet been adjusted.

1. Select any input associated with anyDolby Pro Logic II surround mode by pressing theInput Source Selector !4 until thePro Logic II F in the display light up.

2. Press the Test Tone button7^ on theremote.The wordsTESTFLwill appear in theMain Information Display M.



8/11/2019 Avr 1550

18/30



3. The test noise will immediately begin to circu-late in the speakers in a clockwise rotation,pausing at each position for two seconds. As thetest noise rotates the speaker positionsFL,CEN,FR,SR,SL (Front Left, Center, FrontRight, Surround Right, Surround Left) will be

shown in the Main Information DisplayM

.As an added assist, while the test noise is circu-lating, the proper channel position will also beindicated in the Speaker/Channel IndicatorsP by a blinking letter within the correct chan-nel. Turn up the volume now until you can hearthe noise clearly.

IMPORTANT NOTE: Because this test noise willhave a much lower level than normal music, thevolume must be lowered after the adjustmentfor all channels is made, BEFORE you turn thetest tone off.

NOTE: This is a good time to verify that thespeakers have been properly connected.As the

test noise circulates, listen to make certain thatthe sound comes from the speaker positionshown in the Main Information Display. If thesound from a speaker location does NOT matchthe position indicated in the display, turn theAVR 1550 off using the Main Power Switch1 and check the speaker wiring to make cer-tain that each speaker is connected to the cor-rect output terminal.

After checking for speaker placement, let thetest noise circulate again, and listen to seewhich channels sound louder than the others.Using the front left speaker as a reference, pressthe / buttonsC on the remote to bring allspeakers to the same volume level. Note that

when one of the/

buttons is pushed, thetest noise circulation will pause on the channelbeing adjusted to give you time to make theadjustment.When you release the button, the cir-culation will resume after five seconds.

Continue to adjust the individual speakers untilthey all have the same volume. Note that adjust-ments should be made with the / buttonsC on the remote only, NOT the main volumecontrols.

NOTE: The subwoofer output level is notadjustable using the test tone.To change thesubwoofer level, follow the steps for OutputLevel Trim Adjustment on page 23.

When all channels have the same output level,turn the Volume (I down to about -40dB,otherwise the listening level may be too high assoon as the sources music starts to play.After-wards press the Test Tone Selector ^7button again to turn the test tone off and com-plete the process.

IMPORTANT NOTE: The Output level adjust-ment made will be effective for the surroundmode currently selected, also when other inputsare selected using the same surround mode. Toadjust the output level with all other surroundmodes used, step through all inputs youre usingby pressing the Source Selector buttons !

on the front panel or the appropriate InputSelectors4 on the remote.When the indica-tor for any surround mode for which the leveladjustment has not yet been made lights in theMain Information Display M, repeat thelevel adjustment described above.This will alsoallow you to compensate level differencesbetween speakers, that may be different witheach surround mode, or to increase or decreasethe level of certain speakers intentionally,depending on the surround mode selected.

Once the settings outlined on the previouspages have been made, the AVR 1550 is readyfor operation.While there are some additionalsettings to be made, these are best done afteryou have had an opportunity to listen to a vari-ety of sources and different kinds of programmaterial. These advanced settings are describedon page 23 of this manual. In addition, any ofthe settings made in the initial configuration ofthe unit may be changed at any time.As you add new or different sources or speakers,or if you wish to change a setting to betterreflect your listening taste, simply follow theinstructions for changing the settings for thatparameter as shown above. Note that any set-tings changed at any time,will be stored inmemory in the AVR 1550, also if its turned offcompletely, unless it will be reset (see page 27).The settings will either depend on the input(Speaker configuration, analog/digital inputselection, surround mode) or on the surroundmode selected (speaker output level), asdescribed on previous pages.Having completed the setup and configurationprocess for your AVR 1550, you are about toexperience the finest in music and home theaterlistening. Enjoy!


8/11/2019 Avr 1550

19/30

OPERATION 19

Operation

Basic Operation

Once you have completed the setup and configu-ration of the AVR 1550, it is simple to operateand enjoy.The following instructions should befollowed for you to maximize your enjoyment ofyour new receiver:

Turning the AVR 1550 On or Off When using the AVR 1550 for the first time, youmust press the Main Power Switch 1 on thefront panel to turn the unit on.This places the unitin a Standby mode, as indicated by the orangecolor of the Power Indicator 3. Once the unitis in Standby, you may begin a listening session bypressing the System Power Control 2 or theSource button ! on the front panel or theAVRSelector5. Note that thePower Indicator3 will turn green.This will turn the unit on andreturn it to the input source that was last used.The unit may also be turned on from Standby bypressing any of the Source Selector buttons on

the remote456.

NOTE: After pressing one of the Input Selectorbuttons4 to turn the unit on,press theAVRSelector5 to have the remote control the AVRfunctions.

To turn the unit off at the end of a listening ses-sion, simply press the System Power Control2 on the front panel or the Power OffButton3 on the remote.To switch off both the AVR 1550 and compatibleHarman Kardon DVD or CD Player, first press theInput Selector button4 and after pressthe Power Off Button3. After that pressthe AVR Selector Button5, followed by the

Power Off Button3.

When the remote is used to turn the unit off itis actually placing the system in a Standby mode,as indicated by the orange color of the PowerIndicator3.

When you will be away from home for anextended period of time it is always a good ideato completely turn the unit off with the frontpanel Main Power Switch 1.

NOTE: All preset memories may be lost if theunit is left turned off with the Main PowerSwitch 1 for more than two weeks.

Using the Sleep Timer To program the AVR 1550 for automatic turn-off, press theSleep Button8 on the remote.Each press of the button will increase the timebefore shut down in the following sequence:

The sleep time will be displayed in the PresetNumber/Sleep Timer Indicator Q and it willcount down until the time has elapsed.

When the programmed sleep time has elapsed,the unit will automatically turn off (to Standbymode). Note that the front panel display will dim

to one half brightness when the Sleep functionis programmed.To cancel the Sleep function,press and hold the Sleep Button8 until theinformation display returns to normal brightnessand the Sleep indicator numbers return to "0" inthe Main Information Display M.

Source Selection

To select a source, press any of theSource Selector buttons on the remote456.

NOTE: After pressing one of the Input Selectorbuttons4 you must press the AVR Selector5 to have the remote control the AVR functions.

The input source may also be changed bypressing the front-panel Input SourceSelector button !. Each press of the buttonwill move the input selection through the list ofavailable inputs.

As the input is changed, the AVR 1550 willautomatically switch to the digital input (ifselected), surround mode and speaker configura-tion that were entered during the configurationprocess for that source.

The front-panel Video 3 Inputs % may beused to connect a device such as a video gameor camcorder to your home entertainment

system on a temporary basis.

As the input source is changed, the new inputname will appear in the Main InformationDisplay M.

When a pure audio source (Tuner, CD,Tape) isselected, the last video input used remains rout-ed to the Video 1 Outputs (except from itsown Video 1/2 source) and Video MonitorOutput. This permits simultaneous viewingand listening to different sources.

When a Video source is selected, its audio sig-nal will be fed to the speakers and the video sig-nal for that input will be routed to the appropriate

Monitor Outputjack and will be viewable ona TV monitor connected to the AVR 1550.

Controls and Use of Headphones

Adjust the volume to a comfortable level usingthe front panel Volume Control ( or remoteVolume Up/DownI buttons.

To temporarily silence all speaker outputs

press the Mute button2. This will interruptthe output to all speakers and the headphonejack, but it will not affect any recording or dub-bing that may be in progress. Press the Mutebutton2 again to return to normal operation.

To set the output of the AVR 1550 so that theoutput is flat, with the Tone controls de-acti-vated, press the Tone Mode button 6 buttononce or twice so that the wordsToneOutappear momentarily in the Main InformationDisplay M. To return the tone controls to anactive condition, press the Tone Mode 6 but-ton once or twice so that the wordsToneIn momentarily appear in the MainInformation Display M.Once Tone In is shown in the Display,press the Set Button on the front panel toselect the Bass Control.Adjustments can bemade with the Selector Buttons & on thefront panel. Pressing the Set button againselects the Treble Control. Make your adjust-ments with the Selector Buttons &.

For private listening, plug the 6.3 mm stereophone plug from a pair of stereo headphonesinto the front panel Headphone Jack4. Notethat when the headphones plug is connected,the wordHEADPHONEwill scroll onceacross the Main Information Display M andall speakers will be silenced.When the head-

phone plug is removed, the audio feed to thespeakers will be restored.

90min

80min

70min

60min

50min

40min

30min

20min

10min

OFF


8/11/2019 Avr 1550

20/30

20 OPERATION

Operation

Surround Mode Chart

MODE FEATURES DELAY TIME RANGE

DOLBY DIGITAL Available only with digital input sources encoded with Dolby Digital data. It provides Center:0 ms 5 msup to five separate main audio channels and a special dedicated Low Frequency Effects Initial Setting 0 mschannel. Surround: 0 ms 15 ms

Initial Setting 0 ms

DTS Available only with digital input sources encoded with DTS data.Avai lable on special Delay t ime not adjustableDVD, LD and audio-only discs, DTS provides up to five separate main audio channels anda special dedicated low frequency channel.

DOLBY PRO LOGIC II Dolby Pro Logic II is the latest version of Dolby Laboratory's benchmark surround technology that Movie and Emulation:creates or decodes full range, discrete left, center, right, right surround and left surround channels 10 ms - 25 ms,from either matrix surround encoded programs and conventional stereo sources. The Dolby Initial Setting - 10 ms,ProLogic II Movie mode is optimized for movie soundtracks that are recorded with matrix Music:surround, by creating true rear left, center and right signals.The ProLogic II Music mode 0 ms - 15 ms,should be used with musical selections, that are recorded with matrix surround or with normal Initial Setting - 0 msstereo mode, creating discrete rear left and right signals.The ProLogic II Emulation mode createscompelling five-channel surround from conventional stereo recordings.

DOLBY 3 STEREO Uses the information contained in a surround encoded or two channel stereo program to No surround channelscreate center channel information. In addition, the information that is normally sent to therear channel surround speakers is carefully mixed in with the front left and front rightchannels for increased realism. Use this mode when you have a center channel speakerbut no surround speakers.

THEATER The THEATER mode creates a sound field that resembles the acoustic feeling Delay time not adjustableof a standard live performance theater, with stereo and even pure mono sources.

HALL 1 The two Hall modes create sound fields that resemble a small (HALL 1) or Delay time not adjustableHALL 2 medium sized (HALL 2) concert hall, with stereo and even pure mono sources.

5-Channel Stereo This mode takes advantage of multiple speakers to place a stereo signal at both the front and No delay is available forback of a room. Ideal for playing music in situations such as a party, it places the same signal this mode

at the front-left and surround-left, and at the front-right and surround-right speakers. The centerchannel is fed a summed mono mix of the in-phase material of the left and right channels.

SURROUND This mode turns off all surround processing and presents the pure left and right No surround channelsOFF (STEREO) channel presentation of two channel stereo programs.


8/11/2019 Avr 1550

21/30

OPERATION 21

Operation

Surround Mode Selection

One of the most important features of theAVR 1550 is its ability to reproduce a fullmultichannel surround sound field from digitalsources, analog matrix surround encodedprograms and standard stereo or even mono

programs. In all, a total of eleven listeningmodes are available on the AVR 1550.

Selection of a surround mode is based on person-al taste,as well as the type of program sourcematerial being used. For example, motion pic-tures, CDs or TV programs bearing the logo ofone of the major surround encoding processes,such as Dolby Surround should be played in eitherthe Dolby Pro Logic II Movie (with movies) orMusic (with music) surround mode.

When no rear speakers are in use, the Dolby 3Stereo mode should be selected with allsurround recordings.

Note that when Dolby Digital 2.0 signals (e.g."D.D. 2.0" tracks from DVD), that are encodedwith Dolby Pro Logic information, are receivedvia any digital input, the Dolby Pro Logic IIMovie mode will be selected automatically (inaddition to the Dolby Digital mode) and willdecode a full range 5.1 channel surround soundeven from those recordings (see also "DolbyDigital" on page 22).

To create wide, enveloping sound fieldenvironments and defined pans and flyoverswith all analog stereo recordings select theDolby Pro Logic II Music or Emulation

Date post:	02-Jun-2018
Category:	Documents
Upload:	aleluja
View:	220 times
Download:	0 times

Avr 1550

Documents