Harman Kardon FL8550 User Manual

Harman Kardon  
FL8550  
Compact Disc Changer  
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Owners Manual  
Introduction  
1
®
Thank you for choosing the Harman  
Kardon FL8550 CD changer. The FL8550  
is an exceptionally well-engineered  
product that offers high performance  
and ease of use.  
If you have any questions about this  
product, its installation or operation,  
please contact your dealer, as they are  
your best source of local information.  
HDCD Decoding Provides Superior  
Reproduction of All CDs, Whether  
HDCD Encoded or Not. When HDCD  
Encoded Discs Are Played, Special  
Circuitry is Used to Reveal Detail  
and Fidelity Not Possible in  
Ordinary CDs  
Description and Features  
We ask that you take a few minutes to  
read through this Owners Manual to  
familiarize yourself with the controls and  
functions. This brief investment of time  
will yield dividends in the form of years  
of listening pleasure.  
Five-Disc CD Changer With  
Advanced Programming Features  
That Create Play Lists of Selected  
Tracks or Play Discs and Tracks in  
Random Order for Hours of  
Uninterrupted Play  
Digital Output for Direct Connection  
to Outboard Digital-to-Analog  
Converters  
Intro Search to Automatically Scan  
a Brief Portion of Each Track to  
Quickly Locate Your Favorite  
Selections  
Play Exchange Feature Allows Discs  
To Be Changed While Another Disc  
Is Playing  
Safety Information  
2
CAUTION: The FL8550 uses a Laser  
System. To prevent direct exposure to  
the laser beam, do not open the cabinet  
enclosure or defeat any of the safety  
mechanisms provided for your protec-  
tion. DO NOT STARE INTO THE LASER  
BEAM. To ensure proper use of this pro-  
duct, please read this Owners Manual  
carefully and retain it for future use.  
Should the unit require maintenance or  
repair, please contact your local Harman  
Kardon Service Station. Refer servicing to  
qualified personnel only.  
Make certain that proper space is pro-  
vided both above and below the unit  
for ventilation. If this product will be  
installed in a cabinet or other enclosed  
area, make certain that there is suffi-  
cient air movement within the cabinet.  
Important Safety Information  
Verify Line Voltage Before Use  
Your FL8550 has been designed for use  
with 120-volt AC current. Connection to  
a line voltage other than that for which it  
is intended can create a safety and fire  
hazard, and may damage the unit.  
Do not place the unit directly on a  
carpeted surface.  
Avoid installation in extremely hot or  
cold locations, or an area that is  
exposed to direct sunlight or heating  
equipment.  
If you have any questions about the  
voltage requirements for your specific  
model, or about the line voltage in your  
area, contact your selling dealer before  
plugging the unit into a wall outlet.  
Avoid moist or humid locations.  
Installation Location  
Do Not Use Extension Cords  
To assure proper operation, and to  
avoid the potential for safety hazards,  
place the unit on a firm and level sur-  
face. When placing the unit on a shelf,  
be certain that the shelf and any  
mounting hardware can support the  
weight of the product.  
We do not recommend that extension  
cords be used with this product. As with  
all electrical devices, do not run power  
cords under rugs or carpets or place  
heavy objects on them. Damaged power  
cords should be replaced immediately by  
an authorized service depot with cords  
meeting factory specifications.  
CAUTION  
RISK OF ELECTRIC SHOCK  
DO NOT OPEN  
Handle the AC Power Cord Gently  
When disconnecting the power cord from  
an AC outlet, always pull the plug; never  
pull the cord. If you do not intend to use  
the unit for any considerable length of  
time, disconnect the plug from the AC  
outlet.  
CAUTION: TO REDUCE THE RISK OF ELECTRIC SHOCK, DO NOT REMOVE  
COVER (OR BACK). NO USER-SERVICEABLE PARTS INSIDE. REFER  
SERVICING TO QUALIFIED SERVICE PERSONNEL.  
The lightning flash with arrowhead  
symbol, within an equilateral triangle, is  
intended to alert the user to the  
The exclamation point within an  
equilateral triangle is intended to  
alert the user to the presence of  
presence of uninsulated “dangerous voltage”  
within the product’s enclosure that may be of  
sufficient magnitude to constitute a risk of  
electric shock to persons.  
important operating and maintenance  
(servicing) instructions in the literature  
accompanying the appliance.  
Do Not Open the Cabinet  
There are no user-serviceable components  
inside this product. Opening the cabinet  
may present a shock hazard, and any  
modification to the product will void your  
guarantee. If water or any metal object  
such as a paper clip, wire or staple acci-  
dentally falls inside the unit, disconnect it  
from the AC power source immediately,  
and consult an authorized service station.  
WARNING: TO REDUCE THE RISK OF FIRE OR ELECTRIC SHOCK,  
DO NOT EXPOSE THIS APPLIANCE TO RAIN OR MOISTURE.  
CAUTION: TO PREVENT ELECTRIC SHOCK, MATCH WIDE  
BLADE OF PLUG TO WIDE SLOT, FULLY INSERT.  
ATTENTION: POUR EVITER LES CHOCS ELECTRIQUES, INRODUIRE LA  
LAME LA PLUS LARGE DE LA FICHE DANS LA BORNE CORRESPONDANTE DE  
LA PRISE ET POUSSER JUSQU'AU FOND.  
Safety Information  
3
Cleaning  
Reorient or relocate the receiving  
antenna.  
If you do not wish to save the packaging  
materials, please note that the carton  
and other sections of the shipping protec-  
tion are recyclable. Please respect the  
environment and discard those materials  
at a local recycling center.  
When the unit gets dirty, wipe it with a  
clean, soft, dry cloth. If necessary, wipe it  
with a soft cloth dampened with mild  
soapy water, then a fresh cloth with clean  
water. Wipe dry immediately with a dry  
cloth. NEVER use benzene, aerosol  
cleaners, thinner, alcohol or any other  
volatile cleaning agent. Do not use  
abrasive cleaners, as they may damage  
the finish of metal parts. Avoid spraying  
insecticide near the unit.  
Increase the separation between the  
equipment and receiver.  
Connect the equipment into an outlet  
on a circuit different from that to  
which the receiver is connected.  
Typographic Conventions  
Consult the dealer or an experienced  
radio/TV technician for help.  
In order to help you use this manual  
with the remote control, front panel  
controls, rear panel connections and  
front panel displays, certain conventions  
have been used.  
This device complies with Part 15 of the  
FCC Rules. Operation is subject to the  
following two conditions: (1) this device  
may not cause harmful interference, and  
(2) this device must accept interference  
received, including interference that may  
cause undesired operation.  
Moving the Unit  
Before moving the unit, be certain to dis-  
connect any interconnection cords with  
other components, and make certain  
that you disconnect the unit from the AC  
outlet.  
Example – (bold type) indicates a spe-  
cific remote control or front panel but-  
ton, or rear panel connection jack  
EXAMPLE – (OCR type) indicates a  
message that is visible on the front panel  
information display  
NOTE: Changes or modifications may  
cause this unit to fail to comply with  
Part 15 of the FCC Rules and may void  
the users authority to operate the  
equipment.  
Important Information for the User  
NOTE: This equipment has been tested  
and found to comply with the limits for  
a Class-B digital device, pursuant to Part  
15 of the FCC Rules. The limits are  
designed to provide reasonable protection  
against harmful interference in a  
residential installation. This equipment  
generates, uses and can radiate radio-  
frequency energy and, if not installed and  
used in accordance with the instructions,  
may cause harmful interference to radio  
communication. However, there is no  
guarantee that harmful interference will  
not occur in a particular installation.  
If this equipment does cause harmful  
interference to radio or television recep-  
tion, which can be determined by turning  
the equipment off and on, the user  
is encouraged to try to correct the inter-  
ference by one or more of the following  
measures:  
EXAMPLE – (bold type) indicates a lit  
indicator in the front panel information  
display  
Unpacking  
1 – (number in a square) indicates a  
specific front panel control  
The carton and shipping materials used  
to protect your new receiver during ship-  
ment were specially designed to cushion  
it from shock and vibration. We suggest  
that you save the carton and packing  
materials for use in shipping if you move,  
or should the unit ever need repair.  
a – (number in an oval) indicates a  
button or indicator on the remote  
¡ – (number in a circle) indicates a  
rear panel connection  
To minimize the size of the carton in  
storage, you may wish to flatten it. This  
is done by carefully slitting the tape  
seams on the bottom and collapsing the  
carton down to a more two-dimensional  
appearance. Other cardboard inserts may  
be stored in the same manner. Packing  
materials that cannot be collapsed  
should be saved along with the carton in  
a plastic bag.  
Front Panel Controls  
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Ô
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Ó
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@
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FL 8550  
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PROGRAM  
RANDOM  
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INTRO  
Search  
Random  
Disc Skip  
DISC  
TRACK  
MIN  
SEC  
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16 17 18 19 20  
ALL  
1
DISCS  
±
REPEAT 1A  
-B  
Open/Close  
Power  
Phones  
Phones Level  
Time  
Repeat  
Intro  
Clear  
Program  
1
2
3 4  
5
6 7 8 9 )  
!
1 Power Switch  
9 Clear Button  
) Program Button  
! Open/Close Button  
@ Random Button  
# Pause Button  
$ Play Button  
& Search Button  
2 Status Mode Indicator  
3 Headphones Jack  
4 Headphones Level Control  
5 CD Drawer  
* Disc Skip Button  
( Disc Select Buttons  
Ó HDCD Indicator  
Ô Information Display  
Remote Sensor  
6 Time Button  
7 Repeat Button  
% Stop Button  
8 Intro Button  
^ Skip Button  
Front Panel Controls  
5
1 Power Switch: Press this  
7 Repeat Button: Press this button  
once to constantly repeat the track  
currently being played. Press it a  
second time to repeat the entire disc.  
(See page 15 for more information.)  
$ Play Button: Press this button to  
start the playback of a CD. If the CD  
drawer is open, pressing this button  
will automatically close the drawer.  
switch to apply power to the FL8550.  
When the FL8550 is first connected  
to AC power, the Status Mode  
Indicator 2 will turn green, and  
the Information Display Ô will  
illuminate. Press the switch again  
to turn the unit off, and the Status  
Mode Indicator will turn amber,  
indicating that the unit is in a  
Standby mode. When the FL8550 is  
connected to a switched AC outlet,  
such as those found on the back of  
many audio products, it will return to  
the ON mode when power is applied  
to the switched outlet without any  
further press of the switch.  
% Stop Button: Press this button to  
stop the disc currently being played.  
(See page 11 for more information.)  
8 Intro Button: Press this button to  
put the FL8550 in the Intro Scan  
mode. When you press the button,  
the unit will play the first 10 seconds  
of each track on the disc, and then  
move to the next track. Press the but-  
ton again to defeat the function and  
continue full play of the current track.  
(See page 13 for more information.)  
^ Skip Button: Press either side of  
this button to move to the next track  
fl·  
, or to move back to the previous  
track on the disc being played.  
‡fi  
& Search Button: Press either side  
of this button to search forward  
or backwards through a disc to  
9 Clear Button: Press this button to  
remove tracks from a programmed  
sequence. Each press of the button  
will remove one track, starting with  
the last track programmed to play.  
(See page 14 for complete informa-  
tion on programming the FL8550.)  
locate a particular portion of the  
selection of the disc being played.  
2 Status Mode Indicator: When  
the FL8550 is in the ON mode, this  
indicator will glow green. When the  
unit is off, the indicator will glow  
amber, indicating that the unit is still  
connected to the AC mains supply.  
* Disc Skip Button: Press this  
button to change to the next disc. If  
a disc position is empty, the FL8550  
will automatically search for the next  
position that contains a disc.  
) Program Button: This button  
is used to program the playback  
of a disc in a particular order. (See  
page 14 for complete instructions  
on programming the FL8550.)  
3 Headphones Jack: Connect a  
set of standard headphones to this  
jack for private listening.  
( Disc Select Buttons: Press one  
of these buttons to select the disc in  
a specific position in the CD drawer.  
4 Headphones Level Control:  
Turn this knob to increase or  
! Open/Close Button: Press this  
button to open or close the disc  
drawer. DO NOT push the drawer to  
close it, or damage to the transport  
mechanism may result.  
Ó HDCD Indicator: This LED will  
light automatically when a CD with  
HDCD encoding is playing. No further  
action is needed to enjoy the benefits  
of HDCD.  
decrease the volume level for head-  
phones connected to the FL8550’s  
Headphones Jack 3. Note that  
changing this level will not change  
the sound level for the unit’s main  
output, as that remains constant.  
@ Random Button: Press this  
button to put a disc into play, and  
to have all of the tracks played in  
a random order. (See page 11 for  
more information.)  
Ô Information Display: This  
display provides details about the  
operation of the FL8550.  
5 CD Drawer: This drawer holds  
the discs that will be played. Press  
the Open/Close button ! a to  
open the drawer so that discs may  
be inserted.  
Remote Sensor: The sensor  
behind this window receives com-  
mands from the remote control. Keep  
this area clear if you wish to use the  
FL8550 with a remote control.  
# Pause Button: Press this button  
once to momentarily pause a disc.  
When the button is pressed again,  
the disc will resume play at the point  
it was paused.  
6 Time Button: Press this button  
to select the time display. In normal  
operation, the display will show the  
running time of the track being  
played. Press the button once to  
check the time remaining for the  
track in play. Press the button a third  
time to view the total play time  
remaining for the disc in play.  
Rear Panel Connections  
6
¡
™ £ ¢ ∞  
IN  
LEFT  
MODEL NO.: FL8550  
HARMAN KARDON  
NORTHRIDGE  
CAU TIO N  
RISK OF ELECTRIC SHOCK  
DO NOT OPEN  
CALIFORNIA, U.S.A.  
OUT  
RIGHT  
AVIS:  
RISQUE DE CHOC ELECTRIQUE NE PAS OUVRIR  
-
DIGITAL  
OUTPUT  
AUDIO  
OUTPUT  
REMOTE  
SERIAL NO.  
AC INPUT  
AC 117V / 60Hz  
20W  
THIS PRODUCT COMPLIES WITH  
DHHS RULES 21 CFR SUBCHAPTER  
JPART 1040.10 AT DATE OF  
MANUFACTURE.  
¡ AC Power Cord  
Coaxial Digital Output  
£ Remote Control Input  
Fixed Audio Outputs  
¢ Remote Control Output  
¡ AC Power Cord: Connect this  
plug to an AC outlet. If the outlet is  
switch controlled, make certain that  
the switch is in the ON position.  
£ Remote Control Input:  
¢ Remote Control Output:  
Connect the output of a remote  
infrared sensor or the remote control  
output of another compatible  
Harman Kardon product. This will  
enable the remote control system to  
operate even when the front panel  
Remote Sensor is blocked. It will  
also allow use of the FL8550 with  
optional, external control systems.  
Connect this jack to the input of  
another compatible Harman Kardon  
remote controlled device to have  
the remote sensor on the FL8550  
provide signals to other products.  
Coaxial Digital Output: Connect  
this jack to the coaxial digital input of  
an external digital-to-analog converter  
for direct access to the digital signals  
of the FL8550. DO NOT connect this  
jack to the standard audio inputs of  
any device.  
Fixed Audio Outputs: Connect  
these jacks to the CD audio inputs  
of your receiver, surround processor  
or preamplifier.  
Remote Control Functions  
7
a
a Open/Close Button  
b Disc Select Buttons  
c Numeric Buttons  
+
d
10 Button  
e Search Buttons  
f Skip Buttons  
g Stop Button  
DISC NO.  
2
OPEN/  
1
4
3
CLOSE  
REPEAT  
PROGRAM  
CLEAR  
h Play Button  
DISC  
SKIP  
b
c
p
o
i Random Button  
j Pause Button  
k Intro Button  
5
2
5
8
l Time Button  
1
3
6
9
m Clear Button  
n
m
l
k
n Program Button  
o Repeat Button  
p Disc Skip Button  
q Battery Compartment  
4
7
TIME  
+
10  
10  
INTRO  
d
e
f
SEARCH  
SKIP  
RANDOM  
j
i
h
g
FL8550  
q
Remote Control Functions  
8
a Open/Close Button: Press this  
button to open or close the disc  
drawer. The drawer may also be  
closed by pressing the Play button  
$ h. Do not push the drawer, as  
damage to the transport mechanism  
may result.  
e Search Buttons: Press these  
l Time Button: In normal  
buttons to search forward  
backwards through a disc to  
or  
operation, the display will show the  
running time of the track being  
played. Press the button once to  
check the time remaining for the  
track in play. Press the button again  
to view the total play time remaining  
for the disc in play.  
locate a particular portion of the  
selection being played.  
f Skip Buttons: Press one of these  
buttons to move to the next track  
or to move back to the previous track  
on the disc being played.  
fl· ,  
b Disc Select Buttons: Press one  
of these buttons to select the disc in  
a specific position in the CD drawer.  
‡fi  
m Clear Button: Press this  
button to remove tracks from a  
programmed sequence. Each  
press of the button will remove  
one track, starting with the last  
track programmed to play. (See  
page 13 for complete information  
on programming the FL8550.)  
g Stop Button: Press this button to  
stop the disc currently being played.  
c Numeric Buttons: Press these  
buttons to select a specific track on  
a disc. The FL8550 will immediately  
go to the track and begin to play it.  
For tracks 1 through 10 on a disc,  
you need only press the desired  
number. For tracks 10 and above,  
h Play Button: Press this button to  
start the playback of a CD. If the CD  
drawer is open, pressing this button  
will automatically close the drawer.  
n Program Button: This button  
is used to program the playback of  
a disc in a particular order. (See  
page 14 for complete instructions  
on programming the FL8550.)  
+
press the 10 button d to select  
i Random Button: Press this  
button to put a disc into play, and  
to have all of the tracks played in a  
random order. (See page 11 for  
more information.)  
the first digit of the track number,  
and then press the second digit  
from these numeric buttons. These  
buttons are also used to enter track  
numbers into the memory for pre-  
programmed play lists. (See page  
14 for complete information on  
programming the FL8550.)  
o Repeat Button: Press this button  
once to constantly repeat the track  
currently being played. Press it a sec-  
ond time to repeat the entire disc. (See  
page 15 for more information.)  
j Pause Button: Press this button  
once to momentarily pause a disc.  
When the button is pressed again,  
the disc will resume play at the point  
it was paused.  
+
d
10 Button: Press this button to  
select the first digit of a track number  
above 10. Each press of the button  
increases the first digit one increment.  
Press it once to start accessing tracks  
10 through 19, twice to start access-  
ing tracks 20 through 29, and so forth.  
For example, to select track 22, press  
p Disc Skip Button: Press this  
button to change to the next disc. If  
a disc position is empty, the FL8550  
will automatically search for the next  
position that contains a disc.  
k Intro Button: Press this button  
to put the FL8550 into the Intro Scan  
mode. When you press this button,  
the unit will play the first 15 seconds  
of each track on the disc, and then  
move to the next track. Press the but-  
ton again to defeat the function and  
continue full play of the current track.  
(See page 13 for more information.)  
+
the 10 button twice, and then press  
the 2 button c.  
Installation  
9
To prevent possible damage to your  
speakers and other components in your  
audio system, it is important that ALL  
components, including the FL8550 and  
receivers are turned off and unplugged  
from their AC power source when  
NOTE: When replacing batteries it is  
always a good idea to replace both at the  
same time. When the unit will not be  
used for an extended period of time, it is  
also a good idea to remove the batteries  
so that the potential for corrosion or  
damage is avoided.  
installing any new component.  
Connecting the FL8550 to your audio  
system is simple. Using standard RCA-  
to-RCA interconnect cords, connect the  
left and right Fixed Audio Output  
jacks on the rear panel to the CD  
input jacks on your receiver, surround  
processor or preamplifier.  
Connect the power to a non-switched AC  
wall outlet, or to the accessory outlet on  
the rear of another audio device in your  
system and you are ready to go!  
NOTE: When using the accessory outlet  
on another product to power the FL8550  
make certain that it has the ability to  
power a device that draws at least 20  
watts of current in addition to the  
requirements of other devices that may  
be plugged into the accessory outlets. If  
you use a “switched” outlet, it is impor-  
tant to remember that the host product  
must be turned on in order for the  
FL8550 to operate.  
If your system includes an optional,  
external digital-to-analog converter, or  
if you are using a receiver or other pro-  
cessor that has the capability to decode  
PCM digital input signals, connect the  
Coaxial Digital Output jack to  
the Datastream Digital input on the  
decoder. Make certain to use a coaxial-  
style interconnect cable, as standard  
audio cables will not perform as well.  
Install the two AA batteries supplied with  
the FL8550’s remote by turning the remote  
over so that you are holding the bottom  
side up. Press lightly on the embossed  
arrow on the cover, and gently slide the  
cover towards you in the direction of the  
arrow. Insert the batteries inside the com-  
partment, being careful to follow the +  
and polarity indications at the bottom  
of the compartment. Replace the cover by  
placing it on the remote and sliding it  
back towards the top of the remote.  
Operation  
10  
Note that each disc position has a  
number embossed in the plastic tray.  
This corresponds to the position this disc  
will occupy for playback and program-  
ming. To make it easier to identify each  
disc’s position, the disc position number  
for the holder space that is in the center  
of the disc tray will also appear in the  
Information Display when the disc  
drawer is open.  
running time. After five seconds, the dis-  
play will indicate the disc number that is  
in the play position, both by a flashing  
red line surrounding the discs icon and  
the wording in the display, such as  
disc 5. The total number of tracks on  
the disc will illuminate at the far right  
side of the display.  
Loading Discs  
To load a disc, first turn the FL8550 on  
using the Power Switch 1. Note that  
the Status Mode Indicator 2 will turn  
green and the Information Display Ô  
will illuminate. The word disc will flash  
in the Information Display, and the disc  
tray will automatically turn clockwise so  
that the FL8550 can sense which, if any, of  
the disc positions already have a disc.  
1
2
3
4
5
1
6
2
7
3
8
4
9
5
10  
DISC  
TRACK  
MIN  
SEC  
11 12  
To rotate the disc tray to another position,  
press the Disc Skip button * p. The  
tray will revolve clockwise to the next  
slot, and the Information Display will  
indicate the position number for the slot  
in the middle of the tray.  
To load a disc, first press the Open/Close  
button ! a, taking care to make cer-  
tain that the space in front of the drawer  
is not obstructed. Note that if the drawer is  
blocked when attempting to open it, it will  
automatically close within five seconds to  
protect the mechanism.  
To remove a disc from the player, press  
the Open/Close button ! a. The  
drawer will open, allowing the discs to be  
removed. Press the Disc Skip button *  
p to rotate the disc carousel tray to  
reach discs that may be covered. When a  
disc does not occupy a numbered tray,  
and the sensor detects no disc present,  
the disc number will drop from the  
display.  
To close the disc drawer, press the Open/  
Close button ! a. When the drawer  
closes, the disc that was last in the center  
position on the tray will be readied for  
play. Its number will appear in the  
Information Display, and a flashing red  
line will surround the icon for that disc.  
The icons for all other tray positions that  
have a disc will be surrounded with a  
blue line. If the center disc position is  
empty when the drawer is closed, the unit  
will search for the next position with a  
disc loaded, and place that spot in the  
ready mode.  
Load discs in the tray with the printed  
(label) side facing up towards you. Make  
certain that the disc is centered in the  
tray. Either 5" (12cm) or 3" (8cm) discs  
may be used. When a 3" (8cm) disc is  
played, it should be carefully centered  
within the smaller ridges on the tray. Only  
one CD may be placed in any position at  
a time. When a 3" (8cm) is played, DO  
NOT place a standard 5" (12cm) disc over  
the smaller disc.  
Upon placing a disc in the unoccupied  
tray, the disc number will reappear when  
detected by the sensor mechanism.  
Disc-Handling Notes  
When loading or unloading discs, it is  
best to hold them by the edges.  
Labeled surface  
While Compact Discs are very reliable,  
rough handling may damage them. Avoid  
scratching the bottom (non-printed) side  
of discs, or any handling that will leave  
fingerprints.  
The drawer may also be closed and the  
FL8550 put into play by pressing the Play  
button $ h. This will put the disc in  
the center position into the Play mode.  
To close the drawer and play a specific  
disc, press the Disc Select button (  
b corresponding to the tray position  
number for the disc you wish to play.  
Recorded surface  
To avoid damage to the disc and player,  
always seat discs so that they are centered  
in the tray.  
Do not lift the player while the disc tray  
is opening or closing, as this may cause  
the discs to unseat from the tray and  
possibly jam.  
When the disc drawer closes, the  
Information Display will briefly display  
the disc number, the total number of  
tracks on the disc and the disc’s total  
Operation  
11  
When a disc is in play, the Information  
Display will show a play indication ,  
To stop the disc, press the Stop button  
% g. When the stop button is pressed  
the display will again show the total  
number of tracks and total running time  
of the last disc to be played.  
Normal Play  
Once the discs have been loaded, they may and the icon for the disc position in use  
be played in a number of different ways.  
will flash. The track being played will  
show both as a large number in the  
middle of the display and as a smaller,  
flashing number at the right side of the  
display. The elapsed time of the track  
being played will appear in the display.  
As the disc plays, the track numbers will  
change, and the time will reset to  
To play all of the tracks on each disc  
in order, starting with the first track on  
the disc currently in the play position,  
and proceeding through each disc that  
has been loaded, press the Play button  
$ h.  
HDCD  
HDCD, which stands for High Definition  
Compatible Digital®, is a sophisticated  
process that enables the FL8550 to deliver  
outstanding digital-to-analog decoding  
no matter what type of CD is played.  
at the start of each new track.  
To momentarily pause the play of a disc,  
press the Pause button # j. Note  
To start play on a specific disc, press the  
Disc Select button ( b that corre-  
sponds to the desired disc’s position in  
the disc tray. If no disc is found in the  
selected position, the unit will search for  
the next disc.  
±
that a Pause indication will appear in  
When a disc with the HDCD logo is  
played, the FL8550 is able to take advan-  
tage of the special recording process that  
is used in the creation of HDCD discs.  
Although HDCD discs are playable on  
any CD player, when they are played on a  
unit such as the FL8550, the special cir-  
cuitry enables audio with extraordinary  
fidelity, stunning resolution and the  
highest possible overall quality. The  
HDCD process effectively cancels the  
additive and subtractive distortions that  
are present in other recordings.  
the display to remind you that the disc is  
paused. Press either the Play button $  
h or the Pause button # j to  
resume to normal play.  
To play the discs in the FL8550 in  
You may also directly select a specific  
track on the disc being played directly  
by entering the track number via the  
Numeric Controls c d. To play  
tracks one through ten, simply press the  
button c corresponding to the desired  
track. To select a track number above 10,  
random order while in the Play mode,  
press the Random button @ i.  
When the discs are at a stop, press the  
Random button @ i and then the  
Play button $ h. The indicator will  
light and the FL8550 will select a disc  
from those loaded, and then select a  
track to play. At the conclusion of the  
first track selection, another track will  
be selected. Playback will continue with  
each disc and track being randomly cho-  
sen by the FL8550’s microprocessor until  
all tracks on all discs have been played.  
+
first press the 10 button d until the  
digit of the track number is shown in the  
display. For example, press the button  
once for tracks 11 through 19, twice for  
20 through 29, and so forth. Once the first  
digit of the track number is selected, press  
the Numeric button c corresponding  
to the second digit within five seconds.  
The unit will pause briefly to find the  
track and then go into the play mode.  
No special adjustment is required to play  
an HDCD disc. Simply play the disc as  
you would with any other CD, and the  
FL8550 will automatically sense that it is  
an HDCD recording. An indicator will  
illuminate on the front panel to remind  
you that an HDCD disc is playing.  
It is important to note that the HDCD  
process is completely compatible with  
standard recordings. Indeed, the high-  
quality digital-to-analog circuitry that is  
part of HDCD enables you to enjoy many  
of the benefits of HDCD-encoded discs.  
Operation  
12  
Play Exchange  
Time Display  
Headphone Listening  
The FL8550’s Play Exchange feature  
allows you to change discs while the  
machine is playing. Using this feature,  
you can have uninterrupted play of an  
unlimited number of discs, since the  
drawer may be opened and discs changed  
while the machine is still in play.  
The FL8550’s time display is capable of  
showing a wide range of information  
about a CD.  
You may listen to the output of the  
FL8550 through headphones by plugging  
1
a set of standard headphones with a  
headphone plug into the front panel  
4"  
Headphones Jack 3. The volume of  
the headphone output may be adjusted  
with the Headphones Level Control  
4. Note that changing the headphone  
level will not change the volume for the  
main audio output. This is a fixed out-  
put, and it is changed using the volume  
control on your receiver, preamplifier or  
surround processor.  
In normal operation the display will  
show the total running time of the CD  
that is currently being played. Each time  
the track changes, the time display will  
To use the Play Exchange function, sim-  
ply press the Open/Close button !  
a at any time while the unit is in the  
Play mode. The disc drawer will open  
and two discs will be available for  
change. Replace either disc, or both, as  
desired. To reach the other two discs,  
press the Disc Skip button * p. You  
may now remove and change either of  
these two discs.  
reset to  
and begin to increase  
again as the disc plays.  
To view the time remaining on an indi-  
vidual track, press the Time button 6  
l once. The display will now show the  
time left in the track currently playing.  
To view the total time remaining to play  
on the disc, press the Time button 6  
l twice. In this time display mode the  
TRACK indication will show the tracks  
remaining, not the usual display of the  
track being played.  
When you have finished making any disc  
changes, press the Open/Close button  
! a. The drawer will close and play  
will continue with normal functions.  
Search Functions  
13  
The FL8550 is equipped with a variety of  
functions that make it easy to search for  
specific parts of any CD.  
Skip  
Intro Search  
To move from one track on a disc to  
another, press one of the Skip buttons  
^ f. Pressing the Forward Skip  
This feature lets you locate a track by  
playing the first 10 seconds of each track.  
When the Intro button 8 k is pressed,  
the unit will play only 10 seconds of each  
track, and then automatically move to  
the next track. When you have reached a  
track that you wish to listen to in its  
entirety, press the Intro button again to  
resume normal operation. When the  
Intro feature is activated, the INTRO  
indicator will illuminate in the  
Search  
button  
fl·  
will move you forwards  
If you wish to quickly scan through a  
disc to locate a particular passage or  
program, press the Search buttons  
& e. The Forward Search button  
through the disc, one track at a time,  
while pressing the Reverse Skip  
button  
track at a time.  
‡fi  
will move you back one  
plays the disc forward in high  
speed, while the Reverse Search  
button plays the disc backwards in  
The Skip buttons may be used when  
the FL8550 is either playing or stopped.  
If the unit is stopped, the Skip buttons  
may be used to locate the first track to  
be played. The Play button $ h must  
be pressed to begin play. If the Skip but-  
tons are used while the unit is already  
playing, the audio output will stop while  
the new track is located, and play will  
automatically resume after the Skip  
button is released.  
high speed. When the desired part of the  
disc is heard, release the Search button  
to resume normal play speed.  
Information Display Ô to remind  
you that Intro Search is in use.  
When the Intro button is pressed, the  
FL8550 will first play through the disc  
that is currently in the play position, and  
then move on to each disc position that  
is loaded.  
Programmed Play Operation  
14  
The FL8550’s advanced programming  
capability enables you to preset the order  
in which tracks play, repeat specific discs  
or tracks, repeat all discs and tracks,  
Press the Disc Select button ( b to  
choose the first disc to be programmed,  
and note that ALL will flash in the  
Information Display. To have all tracks  
Once a program list has been played,  
press the Play button $ h to begin  
listening to the sequence. After the entire  
program has been played, the FL8550 will  
stop. As long as the Stop button % g  
has not been pressed, and the PROGRAM  
indicator remains lit, you may repeat the  
programmed play sequence again by  
pressing the Play button $ h.  
and/or repeat any portion of a specific disc. on the disc play in order as the first pro-  
gram step, press the Program button )  
n. To select a single track on the disc,  
press the Numeric buttons c  
Programmed Play  
Programmed play allows you to program corresponding to the desired track. You  
up to 32 tracks or complete-disc play-  
through into the FL8550’s memory.  
To begin programming the FL8550,  
press the Program button ) n,  
followed by the Play button $ h.  
The PROGRAM indicator will light in  
the Information Display Ô.  
may also use the Skip buttons ^ f  
to select a track.  
Pressing the Stop button % g,  
opening the disc drawer by pressing the  
Open/Close button ! a or turning  
the FL8550 off will erase the program  
information from the units memory.  
When the disc and track are selected,  
press the Program button ) n. Note  
that the program step indication on the  
right side of the Information Display will  
change to P-02. You may now select  
Checking Program Contents  
You may now begin to enter the discs and another disc and/or track for the next  
tracks in the order in which you wish to  
have them play. Once the PROGRAM  
indicator is lit, P-01 will appear in the  
Information Display, replacing the track  
program step following the instruction  
shown above. When the program step is  
selected, press the Program button )  
n. Repeat this procedure for each pro-  
To check the contents of a program  
while the unit is stopped, press the Skip  
buttons ^ f and the Information  
Display will step through each of the  
programmed discs and tracks.  
time. This indicates that you are about to gram step until you have completed the  
program the first track.  
desired programming. Press the Stop  
button % g to complete a program  
sequence, or press Play $ h to begin  
immediate play of a program sequence.  
If the maximum of 32 program steps is  
reached, the program step indication at  
the right side of the Information Display  
will go out, and the disc and track that  
have been programmed as the first  
program step will be shown.  
Clearing Programs  
When the unit is stopped, but the PROGRAM  
indicator is still lit, you may clear the entire  
contents of a program by pressing the  
Clear button 9 m.  
Programmed Play Operation  
15  
Repeat Disc Play  
Press the Play button $ h, and the  
unit will play all tracks on all discs, start-  
ing with the disc that has been loaded in  
the play position. When all discs have  
played through, the sequence will repeat  
and the discs will continue to play until  
the Stop button % g is pressed.  
Repeat Play  
To repeat an entire disc, press the  
Repeat button 7 o twice so that the  
REPEAT 1 DISC indicator is lit. Press the  
Disc Select buttons ( b until the  
desired disc’s icon is surrounded by a red  
line and the disc number appears in the  
Information Display. The selected disc  
will play through to the end, and then  
continue to repeat until the Stop button  
% g is pressed.  
The FL8550’s programming system  
enables you to repeat either all of the  
tracks on all of the discs, a complete  
single disc or a single track.  
Repeat Track Play  
To repeat a single track, press the  
NOTE: You may cancel a repeat function  
any time by pressing the Repeat button  
7 o until the REPEAT indicators go  
out. The player will continue with normal  
play and then stop when the current disc  
is finished playing.  
Repeat button 7 o while the desired  
track is playing so that the REPEAT 1  
indicator is lit. The desired track may  
also be selected using the Disc Select  
buttons ( b and then the Skip but-  
tons ^ f. When the track is chosen,  
press the Repeat button 7 o and the  
Play button $ h. The track will play  
until the Stop button % g is pressed.  
Repeat All Discs  
To repeat all of the discs that have been  
loaded into the FL8550, press the Repeat  
button 7 o three times so that the  
REPEAT ALL DISCS indicators are lit.  
Troubleshooting Guide  
16  
Troubleshooting Guide  
SYMPTOM  
CAUSE  
SOLUTION  
No lights on front panel  
No AC power  
Make certain that the AC power cord is plugged into  
a live outlet.  
Remote does not appear  
to operate  
Main Power Switch turned off  
Weak batteries  
Blocked sensor  
Turn on Main Power Switch.  
• Install fresh batteries, observing polarity indications.  
Remove obstructions from the front panel sensor or  
connect a remote sensor to the Remote In jack  
on the rear panel.  
Front panel lights, but CD  
does not play  
Disc upside down  
Moisture inside unit  
Reload disc with label side facing up.  
Leave the unit turned ON for 30 minutes to allow  
moisture to evaporate.  
Play indicator lights, but  
no sound is heard  
Poor connections  
Make certain connections are secure and made  
to the correct (e.g., CD) input.  
Select CD source on receiver or preamp.  
Wrong source selected  
Sound skips or stutters  
during play  
Disc may be damaged  
Surface vibrations  
Try another disc.  
• Isolate the unit from vibration by placing it on a  
firm surface or move it further away from speakers.  
Sound is continually distorted  
• Incorrect input  
Make certain that the FL8550 is connected to a line-  
level audio input, NOT a digital audio or phono input.  
Technical Specifications  
17  
Signal Format  
Sampling Frequency  
HDCD Processing  
D/A Conversion  
44.1kHz  
PMD-100 (Pacific Microsonics)  
Dual 20 Bit (Burr Brown PCM1702 x 2)  
8 times  
Oversampling  
Discrete Analog Output Section  
Error Correction  
CIRC System  
20Hz – 20kHz +0, 0.5dB  
<0.01% @1kHz  
>100dB  
Frequency Response  
Total Harmonic Distortion (THD)  
Dynamic Range  
Signal-to-Noise Ratio  
Channel Separation  
Line-Output Level  
Digital Output  
>105dB  
80dB  
2.0V RMS  
Coax  
General  
Power Requirement  
Power Consumption  
120V/60Hz  
20 Watts  
Dimensions  
Width  
17.3" (440 mm)  
5.1" (129 mm)  
15.2" (386 mm)  
Height  
Depth  
Weight  
16.7 lbs (7.6 kg)  
Depth measurement includes knobs and buttons.  
Height measurement includes feet and chassis.  
All features and specifications are subject to change without notice.  
HDCD and High Definition Compatible Digital are registered trademarks of Pacific Microsonics, Inc.  
FL 8550  
Power  
Phones  
Phones Level  
Printed in China  
Part #1111-FL8550  
5100-855000-100  

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