Harman Kardon
FL8550
Compact Disc Changer
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Owner’s 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 Owner’s 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 Owner’s 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 user’s 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
(
&
%
#
Ó
*
^
$
@
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FL 8550
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PROGRAM
RANDOM
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INTRO
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DISC
TRACK
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SEC
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ALL
1
DISCS
±
fl
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 disc’s 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 fl,
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 unit’s 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
|