AVR1550 Audio/VideoReceiver
OWNER’S MANUAL
®
™
Power for the Digital Revolution
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Introduction
Thank you for choosing Harman Kardon!
With the purchase of a Harman Kardon
AVR 1550 you are about to begin many years of
listening enjoyment. The AVR 1550 has been
custom designed to provide all the excitement
and detail of movie sound tracks and every
nuance of musical selections. With onboard
Dolby* Digital and DTS† decoding, the AVR 1550
delivers six discrete channels of audio that take
advantage of the digital sound tracks from the
latest DVD and LD releases and Digital Television
broadcasts.
In addition to providing a wide range of listening
options, the AVR 1550 is easy to configure so
that it provides the best results with your
speakers and specific listening-room
environment.
The AVR 1550’s powerful amplifier uses
traditional Harman Kardon high-current design
technologies to meet the wide dynamic range of
any 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 circuit
designs, the AVR 1550 is one of the finest
receivers ever offered by Harman Kardon within
its price range.
For the ultimate in flexibility, the AVR 1550
features connections for three video devices,
partially with both composite and S-Video
inputs.
Two additional audio inputs are available, and a
total of two digital inputs make the AVR 1550
capable of handling all the latest digital audio
sources. A coax digital output is available for
direct connection to digital recorders.
I Onboard Dolby Digital and DTS
Decoding Using Crystal® Chip
Technology
To obtain the maximum enjoyment from your
new receiver, we urge you to take the time to
read through this manual. This will ensure that
connections to speakers, source playback units
and other external devices are made properly. In
addition, a few minutes spent learning the func-
tions of the various controls will enable you to
take advantage of all the power the AVR 1550
is able to deliver.
I Dolby Laboratory's latest ProLogic II
decoding technology
I Multiple Digital Inputs and Outputs
I Front-Panel Inputs for Easy Connection
to Portable Devices and the Latest
Video Game Consoles
If you have any questions about this product, its
installation or its operation, please contact your
dealer. He is your best local source of informa-
tion.
Description and Features
The AVR 1550 is among the most versatile and
multi-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 surround
modes are available for use with sources such
as CD, VCR, TV broadcasts and the AVR’s own
FM/AM tuner.
INTRODUCTION 3
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Safety Information
Installation Location
Important Safety Information
Unpacking
I To assure proper operation and to avoid the
potential for safety hazards, place the unit on
a firm and level surface. When placing the
unit on a shelf, be certain that the shelf and
any mounting hardware can support the
weight of the product.
Verify Line Voltage Before Use
The carton and shipping materials used to
protect your new receiver during shipment 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.
Your AVR 1550 has been designed for use with
220-240-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.
I Make certain that proper space is provided
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 sufficient air movement within the cabinet.
Under some circumstances a fan may be
required.
If you have any questions about the voltage
requirements for your specific model, or about
the line voltage in your area, contact your dealer
before plugging the unit into a wall outlet.
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. 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.
Do Not Use Extension Cords
To avoid safety hazards, use only the power cord
attached to your unit. 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 a cord meeting factory
specifications.
I Do not place the unit directly on a carpeted
surface.
If you do not wish to save the packaging
materials, please note that the carton and other
sections of the shipping protection are
recyclable. Please respect the environment and
discard those materials at a local recycling
center.
I Avoid installation in extremely hot or cold
locations, or an area that is exposed to direct
sunlight or heating equipment.
I Avoid moist or humid locations.
I Do not obstruct the ventilation slots on the
top of the unit, or place objects directly over
them.
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 con-
siderable length of time, disconnect the plug
from the AC outlet.
Cleaning
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.
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 a
staple accidentally falls inside the unit,
disconnect it from the AC power source
immediately, and consult an authorized service
station.
Moving the Unit
Before moving the unit, be certain to disconnect
any interconnection cords with other
components, and make certain that you
disconnect the unit from the AC outlet.
4 SAFETY INFORMATION
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Front Panel Controls
ÔÓ
&
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(
1
2
3 4 5 6
8 9 ) ! @
%
7
Main Power Switch
System Power Control
Power Indicator
Headphone Jack
Remote Sensor Window
Tone Mode
Tuner Band Selector
Selector Buttons
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
)
!
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#
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^
&
*
(
Ó
Ô
Preset Stations Selector
Input Source Selector
RDS Select Button
Channel Select Button
Speaker Select Button
Video 3 input jacks
Test Tone Selector
Main Information Display
Volume Control
Set Button
Digital Input Selector
Delay
Surround Mode Selector
Tuning
1
Main Power Switch: Press this button to
2
System Power Control: When the Main
5
Remote Sensor Window: The sensor
apply power to the AVR 1550. When the switch
is pressed in, the unit is placed in a Standby
Power Switch
turn on the AVR 1550; press it again to turn the
unit off (to Standby). Note that the Power
Indicator surrounding the switch
1
is “ON,” press this button to
behind this window receives infrared signals
from the remote control. Aim the remote at this
area and do not block or cover it unless an
external remote sensor is installed.
mode, as indicated by the orange LED
3
sur-
. This
rounding the System Power Control
2
3
will turn
button MUST be pressed in to operate the unit.
To turn the unit off completely and prevent the
use of the remote control, this switch should be
pressed until it pops out from the front panel
so that the word “OFF” may be read at the top
of the switch.
green when the unit is on.
6
Tone Mode: Pressing this button activates
3
Power Indicator: This LED will be illumi-
the menu for setting the Bass and Treble
controls.
nated in orange when the unit is in the Standby
mode to signal that the unit is ready to be
turned on. When the unit is in operation, the
indicator will turn green.
NOTE: This switch is normally left in the “ON”
position.
4
Headphone Jack: This jack may be used to
listen to the AVR 1550’s output through a pair
of headphones. Be certain that the headphones
have a standard 6.3 mm stereo phone plug.
Note that the speakers will automatically be
turned off when the headphones are connected.
FRONT PANEL CONTROLS 5
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Front Panel Controls
7
Surround Mode Selector: Press this but-
#
Channel Select Button: Press this button
(
Volume Control: Turn this knob clockwise
ton to change the surround mode by scrolling
through the list of available modes. Note that
Dolby Digital and DTS modes can be selected
only when a digital input is used (See page 20
for more information about surround modes.)
to begin the process of trimming the channel
output levels using an external audio source.
(For more information on output level trim
adjustment, see page 23.)
to increase the volume, counterclockwise to
decrease the volume. If the AVR is muted,
adjusting volume control will automatically
release the unit from the silenced condition.
$
Speaker Select Button: Press this button
Ó
Set Button: When making choices during
8
Tuning Selector: Press the left side of the
to begin the process of selecting the speaker
positions that are used in your listening room.
(See page 14 for more information on setup and
configuration.)
the setup and configuration process, press this
button to enter the desired setting as shown in
button to tune lower frequency stations and the
right side of the button to tune higher frequency
stations. When a station with a strong signal is
reached, the TUNED indicator Lwill illuminate
in the Main Information Display
(see page 24 for more information on tuning
stations).
the Main Information Display
*
into the
AVR 1550’s memory. The set button may also be
used to change the display brightness.
(See page 23.)
%
Video 3 Input Jacks: These audio/video
*
jacks may be used for temporary connection to
video games or portable audio/video products
such as camcorders and portable audio players.
Ô
Digital Input Selector: When playing a
source that has a digital output, press this
button to select between the Optical
Coaxial Digital inputs. (See pages
21-22 for more information on digital audio.)
9
Tuner Band Selector: Pressing this button
F
and
^
Test Tone Selector: Press this button to
will automatically switch the AVR to the Tuner
mode. Pressing it again will switch between the
AM and FM frequency bands, holding it pressed
for some seconds will switch between stereo
and mono receiving and between automatic and
manual tuning mode (See page 24 for more
information on the tuner).
9
begin the process of adjusting the channel out-
put levels using the internal test tone as a refer-
ence. (For more information on output level
adjustment, see page 17.)
Delay: Press this button to begin the
sequence of steps required to enter delay time
settings. (See page 16 for more information on
delay times.)
&
Selector Buttons: When you are establish-
ing the AVR 1550’s configuration settings, use
these buttons to select from the choices available,
)
Preset Stations Selector: Press this but-
as shown in the Main Information Display
*.
ton to scroll up or down through the list of sta-
tions that have been entered into the preset
memory. (See page 24 for more information on
tuner programming.)
*
Main Information Display: This display
delivers messages and status indications to help
you operate the receiver. (See pages 7–8 for a
complete explanation of the Information
Display.)
!
Input Source Selector: Press this button
to change the input by scrolling through the list
of input sources.
@RDS Select Button: Press this button to dis-
play the various messages that are part of the
RDS data system of the AVR 1550’s tuner. (See
page 24 for more information on RDS).
6 FRONT PANEL CONTROLS
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Front Panel Information Display
A
B
C
D
E
F
G
H
I
J
K
L
M
N
O
P
Q
R
S
T
U
Bitstream Indicators
Optical Source Indicators
DTS Mode Indicator
Dolby Digital Indicator
Coaxial Digital Input Indicators
Dolby Pro Logic II Indicator
Analog Input Indicator
Dolby 3 Stereo Indicator
RDS Indicator
DSP Mode Indicator
Traffic Program Indicator
Tuned Indicator
Auto Indicator
Speaker/Channel Input Indicators
Preset Number/Sleep Timer
Preset Indicator
Sleep Indicator
Memory Indicator
Main Information Display
Night Mode Indicator
Stereo Indicator
A
Bitstream™ Indicators: When the input is a
J
DSP Mode Indicator: This indicator lights
Q
Preset Number/Sleep Timer: When the
digital source, one of these indicators will light to
display the specific type of signal in use.
when any of the surround modes created by
Digital Signal Processing, or DSP are in use.
These modes include Hall 1, Hall 2, Theater and
5 Channel Stereo.
tuner is in use, these numbers indicate the spe-
cific preset memory location in use. (See page 24
for more information on preset stations.) When
the Sleep function is in use, these numbers show
how many minutes remain before the unit goes
into the Standby mode.
B
Optical Source Indicators: These indica-
tors light to show when a Optical Digital Input
has been selected.
K
Traffic Program Indicator: This indicator
illuminates if the RDS station tuned sometimes
transmits traffic information (see page 24 for
more information on RDS).
C
DTS Mode Indicator: This indicator illumi-
R
Preset Indicator: This indicator lights when
the tuner is in use to show that the Preset
Number/Sleep Timer is showing the sta-
nates when the DTS mode is selected.
Q
D
Dolby Digital Indicator: This indicator
L
Tuned Indicator: This indicator illuminates
tion’s preset memory number. (See page 24 for
more information on tuner presets.)
illuminates when Dolby Digital mode is selected.
when a station is being received with sufficient sig-
nal strength to provide acceptable listening quality.
E
Coaxial Digital Input Indicators: These
S
Sleep Indicator: This indicator lights when
indicators light to show when a Coaxial Digital
Input has been selected.
M
Main Information Display: This display
the Sleep function is in use. The numbers in the
Preset/Sleep Number Indicators will show the
minutes remaining before the AVR 1550 goes
into the Standby mode. (See page 19 for more
information on the Sleep function.)
shows messages relating to the status, input
source, surround mode, tuner, volume level or
other aspects of unit’s operation.
F
Dolby Pro LogicII Indicator: This indica-
tor lights when the Dolby Pro Logic II mode has
been selected.
NNight Mode Indicator: This indicator
lights when the AVR 1550 is in the Night mode,
which preserves the dynamic range of digital
program material at low volume levels.
G
Analog Input Indicator: This indicator lights
TMemory Indicator: This indicator flashes
when entering presets and other information
into the tuner’s memory.
when an analog input source has been selected.
H
Dolby 3 Stereo Indicator: This indicator
O
Auto Indicator: This indicator illuminates
lights when the Dolby 3 Stereo Mode has been
selected. Only ST(Stereo) will light when
"Surround Off" has been selected. Then all
Surround Modes are turned off and the unit will
play in pure stereo mode.
U
Stereo Indicator: This indicator illuminates
when the tuner’s Auto mode is in use.
when an FM station is being tuned in stereo.
PSpeaker/Channel Input Indicators: These
indicators are multipurpose, indicating either the
speaker type selected for each channel or the
incoming data-signal configuration. The left, cen-
ter, right, right surround and left surround speaker
indicators are composed of three boxes, while the
subwoofer is a single box. When the letters flash,
the digital input has been interrupted. (See page
18 and 27 for more information on the Channel
Indicators).
I
RDS Indicator: This indicator illuminates
when the station tuned is transmitting RDS data.
FRONT PANEL INFORMATION DISPLAY 7
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Rear Panel Connections
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⁄
™
°
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§
›
‹
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fi
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
A
B
C
D
E
F
G
H
I
J
K
Tape Inputs
Tape Outputs
CD Inputs
Coaxial Digital Audio Outputs
Coaxial Digital Inputs
TV Audio Inputs
Optical Digital Inputs
AC Power Cord
DVD Video Inputs
Video 1 Video Outputs
Video 1 Video Inputs
Video 2 Video Inputs
Video 1 Audio Inputs
AM Antenna
Video 1 Audio Outputs
Video 2 Audio Inputs
FM Antenna
Subwoofer Output
Video Monitor Outputs
Front/Center Speaker Outputs
Surround Speaker Outputs
0
Tape Inputs: Connect these jacks to the
9
Coaxial Digital Inputs: Connect the coax
the red (+) terminals on the AVR 1550 to the
red (+) terminals on the speakers and the black
(–) terminals on the AVR 1550 to the black (–)
terminals on the speakers. See page 11 for more
information on speaker polarity.
PLAY/OUT jacks of an audio recorder.
digital output from a DVD player. Do not connect
the RF digital output of an LD player to these
jacks.
1
Tape Outputs: Connect these jacks to the
RECORD/INPUT jacks of an audio recorder.
A
Subwoofer Output: Connect this jack to
2
Video 1 Audio Inputs: Connect these jacks
the line-level input of a powered subwoofer. If
an external subwoofer amplifier is used, connect
this jack to the subwoofer amplifier input.
E
TV Audio Inputs: Connect these jacks to
to the PLAY/OUT audio jacks on a VCR or other
video source.
the Audio Out jacks on a TV or other video
source.
3
AM Antenna: Connect the AM loop antenna
B
Video Monitor Outputs: Connect these
F
Optical Digital Inputs: Connect the opti-
supplied with the receiver to these terminals. If an
external AM antenna is used, make connections to
the AM and GND terminals in accordance with
the instructions supplied with the antenna.
jacks to the composite and/or S-Video input of a
TV monitor or video projector to view the output
of any video source selected by the receiver’s
video switcher.
cal digital output from a DVD player, HDTV
receiver, LD player, MD player or CD player to
these jacks. The signal may be either a Dolby
Digital signal, a DTS signal or a standard PCM
digital source.
4
Video 1 Audio Outputs: Connect these
C
Front/Center Speaker Outputs: Connect
jacks to the RECORD/INPUT audio jacks on
a VCR or any other Audio recorder.
these outputs to the matching + or – terminals
on your front/center speakers. When making
speaker connections, always make certain to
maintain 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 more
information on speaker polarity.)
G
AC Power Cord: Connect the AC plug to an
unswitched AC wall output.
5
Video 2 Audio Inputs: Connect these jacks
H
DVD Video Inputs: Connect these jacks to
to the PLAY/OUT audio jacks on a VCR or other
video source.
the composite or S-Video output jacks on a DVD
player or other video source.
6
FM Antenna: Connect the supplied indoor or
I
Video 1 Video Outputs: Connect these
an optional external FM antenna to this terminal.
jacks to the RECORD/INPUT composite or
S-Video jack on a VCR.
7
CD Inputs: Connect these jacks to the ana-
log output of a compact disc player or CD
changer.
D
Surround Speaker Outputs: Connect
J
Video 1 Video Inputs: Connect these jacks
these outputs to the matching + or – terminals
on your left and right surround speakers. When
making speaker connections always make cer-
tain to maintain correct polarity by connecting
to the PLAY/OUT composite or S-Video jacks on
a VCR or other video source.
8
CoaxialDigital Audio Outputs: Connect
this jack to the matching digital input connector
on a digital recorder such as a CD-R or MiniDisc
recorder.
K
Video 2 Video Inputs: Connect these jacks
to the PLAY/OUT composite jacks on a second
VCR or other video source.
8 REAR PANEL CONNECTIONS
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Remote Control Functions
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
A
B
C
D
E
F
G
H
I
J
K
L
M
N
O
P
Q
R
Power On Button
IR Transmitter Window
Mute
Power Off Button
Input Selectors
AVR Selector
AM/FM Tuner Select
Test Button
Sleep Button
b
a
d
e
f
v
Surround Mode Selector
Night Mode
Channel Select Button
⁄ ¤
/
Buttons
g
t
‹
Button
Enter Button
Digital Select/Direct Button
Numeric Keys
Tuner Mode
y
s
Volume Up/Down
Tuning Up/Down
Speaker Select
r
o
Transport Controls
›
Button
`
m
RDS Select Button
Preset Up/Down
Clear Button
Memory Button
Delay
u
n
w
l
NOTE: The function names shown here are each
button’s feature when used with the AVR. Most
buttons have additional functions when used
with other Harman Kardon devices.
R
j
q
p
x
7
See page 26 for a list of these functions.
k
c
8
z
AVR 1550
IMPORTANT NOTE: The AVR 1550’s remote is
shipped from the factory to operate the
AVR 1550 and most Harman Kardon CD or DVD
players and cassette decks.
Before using the remote, it is important to
remember to press the Input Selector button
0
Power On Button: Press this button to
3
Power Off Button: Press this button to
4
that corresponds to the unit you wish to
turn on the power.
place the AVR 1550 in the Standby mode.
operate.
1
IR Transmitter Window: Point this
4
Input Selectors: Pressing one of these
It is also important to remember that many of
the buttons on the remote take on different
functions, depending on the product selected
using the Input Selectors. The descriptions
shown here primarily detail the functions of the
remote when it is used to operate the
window towards the AVR 1550 when pressing
buttons on the remote to make certain that
infrared commands are properly received.
buttons will perform three actions at the same
time. First, if the AVR is not turned on, this will
power up the unit. Next, it will select the source
shown on the button as the input to the AVR.
Finally, it will change the remote control so that
it controls the compatible Harman Kardon prod-
uct selected. After pressing one of these buttons
2
Mute: Press this button to momentarily
silence the AVR 1550 or TV set being controlled,
depending on which device has been selected.
AVR 1550. (See page 26 for information about
alternate functions for the remote’s buttons.)
you must press the AVR Selector button
5
REMOTE CONTROL FUNCTIONS 9
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Remote Control Functions
⁄ ¤
/
again to operate the AVR’s functions with the
remote.
C
Buttons: These are multi-purpose
K
Speaker Select: Press this button to
buttons.They will be used most frequently to select
a surround mode.These buttons are also used to
increase or decrease output levels when config-
uring the unit, to select speaker configuration or
to select the digital inputs. They are also used to
enter delay time settings after the Delay button
begin the process of configuring the
AVR 1550’s Bass Management System for use
with the type of speakers used in your system.
Once the button has been pressed, use the
⁄ ¤
5
AVR Selector: Pressing this button will
switch the remote so that it will operate the AVR’s
functions. If the AVR is in the Standby mode, it will
also turn the AVR on.
/
buttons
C
to select the channel you
wish to set up. Press the Enter button
E
and
R
has been pressed.
then select the speaker type (see page 14 for
more information.)
6
AM/FM Tuner Select: Press this button to
select the AVR’s tuner as the listening choice.
Pressing this button when the tuner is in use will
select between the AM and FM bands.
D
‹
Button: This button does not have a
function with the AVR 1550. When a DVD player
or TV is selected, it may be used to navigate the
menus of those devices.
L
Transport Buttons: These buttons do not
have any functions for the AVR, but they may be
used for the forward/reverse play operation of a
wide variety of compatible Harman Kardon CD
or DVD players, and audio or video- cassette
recorders.
7
Test Tone: Press this button to begin the
sequence used to calibrate the AVR 1550’s output
levels. (See page 17 for more information on
calibrating the AVR 1550.)
E
Enter Button: This button is used to enter
settings into the AVR 1550’s memory. It is also
used in the setup procedures for delay time,
speaker configuration and channel output level
adjustment.
M › Button: This button does not have a
function with the AVR 1550. When a compatible
Harman Kardon DVD player or TV is selected, it
may be used to navigate the menus of those
devices.
8
Sleep Button: Press this button to place
the unit in the Sleep mode. After the time shown
in the display, the AVR 1550 will automatically
go into the Standby mode. Each press of the
button changes the time until turn-off in the fol-
lowing order:
F
Digital Select/Direct: Press this button to
assign one of the digital inputs 9F to a
source. (See page 22 for more information on
using digital inputs).
In Tuner-mode, press this button when the tuner
is in use to start the sequence for direct entry of
a station’s frequency. After pressing the button
N
RDS Select Button: Press this button to
90
80
70
60
50
display the various messages that are part of the
RDS data system of the AVR 1550’s tuner.
(See page 24 for more information on RDS).
min
min
min
min
min
40
30
20
10
OFF
min
min
min
min
simply press the proper Numeric Keys
select a station (See page 24 for more informa-
tion on the tuner).
G
to
O
Preset Up/Down:When the tuner is in use,
Hold the button pressed for two seconds to turn
off the Sleep mode setting.
Note that this button is also used to change
channels on your TV, VCR and SAT receiver when
selected.
press these buttons to scroll through the stations
programmed into the AVR 1550’s memory.
G
Numeric Keys: These buttons serve as a
P
Clear Button: Press this button to clear
ten-button numeric keypad to enter tuner preset
positions. They are also used to select channel
numbers when TV, VCR or Sat receiver has
been selected on the remote, or to select track
numbers on a compatible Harman Kardon CD,
DVD or LD player.
incorrect entries when using the remote to
directly enter a radio station’s frequency.
9
Surround Mode Selector: Press this
button to begin the process of changing
the surround mode. After the button has
⁄ ¤
Q
Memory Button: Press this button to enter
a radio station into the AVR 1550’s preset
memory. After pressing the button the MEMORY
indicator
onds to enter a preset memory location using
the Numeric Keys
information.)
been pressed, use the
/
buttons
C
to
select the desired surround mode (See page 21
for more information).
T
will flash; you then have five sec-
H
Tuner Mode: Press this button when the
tuner is in use to select between automatic tun-
ing and manual tuning. When the button is
G. (See page 23 for more
A
Night Mode: Press this button to activate
the Night mode. This mode is available only with
Dolby Digital encoded digital sources, and it
preserves dialog (center channel) intelligibilty at
low volume levels (See page 22 for more
information).
pressed so that the AUTO indicator
out, pressing the Tuning buttons
O
goes
will
J
8
R
Delay/Prev Ch.: Press this button to begin
move the frequency up or down in single-step
increments. When the FM band is in use and the
the process for setting the delay times used by
the AVR 1550 when processing surround sound.
After pressing this button, the delay times are
AUTO indicator
O
is on, pressing this button
will change to monaural reception making even
week stations audible. (See page 24 for more
information.)
entered by pressing the Enter button
E
and
B
Channel Select Button: This button is
⁄ ¤
then using the
/
buttons
C
to change the
used to start the process of setting the AVR 1550’s
output levels with an external source. Once this
⁄ ¤
setting. Press the Enter button again to com-
plete the process. (See page 16 for more infor-
mation.)
button is pressed, use the
/
buttons
C
to
I
Volume Up/Down: Press these buttons to
select the channel being adjusted, then press the
Enter button
again, to change the level setting. (See page 23 for
more information.)
raise or lower the system volume.
⁄ ¤
/
E
, followed by the
buttons
J
Tuning Up/Down:When the tuner is in use,
these buttons will tune up or down through the
selected frequency band. If the Tuner Mode but-
ton
@
H
has been pressed or the Band button
on the front panel was held pressed so that
is illuminated, pressing
the AUTO indicator
O
either of the buttons will cause the tuner to seek
the next station with acceptable signal strength
for quality reception. When the AUTO indicator
O
is NOT illuminated, pressing these buttons will
tune stations in single-step increments.
(See page 24 for more information.)
10 REMOTE CONTROL FUNCTIONS
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Installation and Connections
After unpacking the unit, and placing it on a solid
surface capable of supporting its weight, you will
need to make the connections to your audio and
video equipment.
We also recommend that the length of cable
used to connect speaker pairs be identical. For
example, use the same length piece of cable to
connect the front-left and front-right or sur-
round-left and surround-right speakers, even if
the speakers have a different distance from the
AVR 1550.
Audio Equipment Connections
We recommend that you use high-quality inter-
connect cables when making connections to
source equipment and recorders to preserve the
integrity of the signals.
6. Connect the supplied FM antenna to the FM
(75 ohm) connection . The FM antenna may
8. Connections to a subwoofer are normally
made via a line level audio connection from the
6
be an external roof antenna, an inside powered
or wire lead antenna or a connection from a
cable system. Note that if the antenna or con-
nection uses 300-ohm twin-lead cable, you must
use a 300-ohm-to-75-ohm adapter to make the
connection.
Subwoofer Output
A
to the line-level input
of a subwoofer with a built-in amplifier. When a
passive subwoofer is used, the connection first
goes to a power amplifier, which will be con-
nected to one or more subwoofer speakers. If
you are using a powered subwoofer that does
not have line-level input connections, follow the
instructions furnished with the speaker for con-
nection information.
When making connections to audio source
equipment 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 speakers
that may damage them.
7. Connect the front, center and surround speak-
er outputs CD to the respective speakers.
Important Note : In order to clearly identify all
connectors and simplify nstallation, as per the
new EIA/CEA-863 standard, all connections are
colour coded as follows:
For Speakers and Audio In/Outputs: White (Left,
speakers front) and Red (Right, speakers front).
For Speakers: Green (Center), Blue (Left
Surround) and Grey (Right Surround).
To assure that all the audio signals are carried to
your speakers without loss of clarity or resolu-
tion, we suggest that you use high-quality
speaker cable. Many brands of cable are avail-
able and the choice of cable may be influenced
by the distance between your speakers and the
receiver, the type of speakers you use, personal
preferences and other factors. Your dealer or
installer is a valuable resource to consult in
selecting the proper cable.
Note: Speaker sets with two front satellites and
a passive subwoofer must be connected to the
front speaker outputs
C
only rather than to the
Subwoofer Output
A.
Video Equipment Connections
For Audio Output: Purple (Subwoofer).
For Composite Video In/Outputs: Yellow.
For Digital Audio In/Outputs: Orange.
Video equipment is connected in the same man-
ner as audio components. Again, the use of high-
quality interconnect cables is recommended to
preserve signal quality. To ensure best video per-
formance S-Video sources should be connected
to the AVR 1550 only with their S-Video In/
Outputs, not with their composite video connec-
tors too.
Regardless of the brand of cable selected, we
recommend that you use a cable constructed of
fine, multistrand copper with an area greater
than 2 mm2.
Cable with an area of 1.5 mm2 may be used for
short runs of less than 4 m. We do not recom-
mend that you use cables with an area less than
1mm2 due to the power loss and degradation in
performance that will occur.
1. Connect the analog output of a CD player to
the CD inputs
7.
NOTE: When the CD player has both fixed and
variable audio outputs it is best to use the fixed
output unless you find that the input to the
receiver is so low that the sound is noisy, or so
high that the signal is distorted.
1. Connect a VCR’s audio and video Play/Out
jacks to the Video 1 or Video 2 In jacks
25JK on the rear panel. The Audio and
Video Record/In jacks on the VCR should be con-
nected to the Video 1 jacks 4I on the
AVR 1550.
2. Connect the analog Play/Out jacks of a cas-
sette deck, MD, CD-R or other audio recorder to
Cables that are run inside walls should have the
appropriate markings to indicate listing with UL,
CSA or other appropriate testing agency stan-
dards. Questions about running cables inside
walls should be referred to your installer or a
licensed electrical contractor who is familiar with
the applicable local building codes in your area.
the Tape Input jacks
Record/In jacks on the recorder to the Tape
Output jacks on the AVR 1550.
0. Connect the analog
2. Connect the analog audio and video outputs
of a satellite receiver, cable TV converter or tele-
vision set or any other video source to the
1
3. Connect the digital output of any digital
device to the appropriate input connections on
the AVR 1550 rear panel. Note that the
Optical and Coaxial digital inputs 9F may
be used with a Dolby Digital or DTS source or
the output of a conventional CD, MD or LD
player’s PCM (S/P-DIF) output.
Video 2 5K (if not in use) or Video 3
%
jacks.
When connecting wires to the speakers, be cer-
tain to observe proper polarity. Remember to
connect the “negative” or “black” wire to the
same terminal on both the receiver and the
speaker. Similarly, the “positive” or “red” wire
should be connected to the same terminals on
the AVR 1550 and speaker.
3. Connect the video outputs of a DVD or laser
disc player to the DVD jacks
H
.
4. Connect the Video Monitor Out
B
jacks on
the receiver to the composite and S-Video input
of your television monitor or video projector.
4. Connect the Coaxial Digital Outputs
8
on
the rear panel of the AVR to the matching digital
input connections on a CD-R or MiniDisc recorder.
Video Connection Note:
NOTE: While most speaker manufacturers
• S-Video or Composite video signals may only
be viewed in their native formats and will not
be converted to the other format.
adhere to an industry convention of using black
terminals 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 on
your speaker or the speaker’s manual to verify
polarity. If you do not know the polarity of your
speaker, ask your dealer for advice before pro-
ceeding, or consult the speaker’s manufacturer.
5. Assemble the AM Loop Antenna supplied with
the unit as shown below. Connect it to the AM
and GND screw terminals
3.
INSTALLATION AND CONNECTIONS 11
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Installation and Connections
SCART A/V Connections
Black
Figure 1:
SCART/Cinch-Adapter for
playback;
Yellow
For the connections described above your video
device needs RCA (cinch) connectors or/and
S-Video connectors for all Audio and Video
signals: Any normal video device (Not SVHS or
High 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 it’s a play-
back unit, or 4 RCA (Audio In/Out) and 2 S-Video
(Video In/Out) jacks, if it´s a recording VCR.
Red
signal flow:
SCART ¡ Cinch
Black
Red
1
Blue
Yellow
Figure 2:
SCART/Cinch-Adapter for
record and playback;
signal flow:
1
Green
Many european video devices are equipped with
RCA (Cinch) or S-Video jacks only partially, not
with all audio and video in/outputs needed as
described above, but with a so called Scart or
Euro-AV connector (almost rectangular jack with
21 pins, see drawings on this page).
White
SCART ↔ Cinch
Black
Figure 3:
Cinch/SCART-Adapter for
playback;
Yellow
Red
In that case the following Scart to Cinch adapters
or cables are needed:
signal flow:
Cinch ¡ SCART
• Units for playback, such as satellite receivers,
camcorders, DVD or LD players, need an adapter
from Scart to 3 RCA plugs, see fig. 1 (normal
video devices) or from Scart to 2 RCA+1 S-
Video plugs, see fig. 4 (S-Video devices).
Red
Figure 4:
SCART/S-Video Adapter
for playback;
Black
S-Video In
signal flow:
SCART ¡ Cinch
• HiFi VCRs need an adapter from Scart to 6 RCA
plugs, see fig. 2 (normal video), or from Scart to
4 Audio+2S-Video jacks, see fig. 5 (S-Video
VCR). Read carefully the instruction attached to
the adapter to find which of the six plugs is
used for the record signal to the VCR (connect
with the AVR´s Out jacks) and for the playback
signal from the VCR (connect with the AVR´s In
jacks). Do not misconnect Audio and Video sig-
nals. Don´t hesitate to consult your dealer, if you
are uncertain.
Black
Red
1
Blue
Yellow
Figure 5:
SCART/S-Video Adapter
for record and playback;
signal flow:
S-Video In
S-VideoOut
SCART ↔ Cinch
Red
Figure 6:
SCART/S-Video Adapter
for playback;
Black
• If you use only normal video devices the TV
monitor needs an adapter from 3 RCA plugs to
Scart (fig. 3) only. If also S-Video devices are
used an adapter from 2 RCA+1S-Video plugs to
Scart is needed additionally (fig. 6), connected
to the SCART input on your TV that is provided
for S-Video.
S-Video Out
signal flow:
Cinch ¡ SCART
1 Also other colours possible, e.g. brown and grey.
Important Note for the Use of
SCART-Cinch Adapters:
tions as shown in the diagrams above and in the
instruction attached to the adapter. If uncertain,
don’t hesitate to consult your dealer.
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
When video sources are connected to the TV
directly with a SCART cable, specific control sig-
nals apart from Audio/Video signals will be fed
to the TV. These specific signals are: With all
video sources, the signal for automatic input
selection that switches the TV automatically to
the appropriate input as soon as the video
source is started. And with DVD players, the sig-
nals automatically turning the TV to 4:3/16:9
format (with 16:9 TVs or 4:3 TVs with 16:9
capability) and turning the RGB video decoder of
the TV on or off, depending on the DVD player´s
setting. With any adapter cable, these control
signals will be lost and the appropriate setting
of the TV must be made manually.
B, and the volume on the TV must be reduced to
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).
minimum.
Important Note for Adapter Cables:
If the cinch connectors of the adapter you’ll use
are labeled, connect the Audio and Video ”In”
plugs with the corresponding Audio and Video
”In” jacks on the AVR 1550 (and with a VCR con-
nect the ”Out” plugs to the ”Out” jacks on the
AVR). Note that with some adapter types it may
be just turned around: If no signal is audible/ visi-
ble when the VCR is playing connect the “Out”
plugs to the ”In” jacks on the AVR and turned
around. If the adapter plugs are not labeled in
that way, pay attention to the signal flow direc-
2. Like most common AV units the AVR 1550
does not convert the Video signal to S-Video or
vice versa. Thus both connections must be made
from the AVR 1550 to the TV if both, Video and
S-Video sources, are used, and the appropriate
input on the TV must be selected.
12 INSTALLATION AND CONNECTIONS
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Installation and Connections
Center Front Speaker
Depending on the specifics of your room
acoustics and the type of speakers in use, you
may find that imaging is improved by moving the
front-left and front-right speakers slightly
forward of the center-channel speaker. If
possible, adjust all front loudspeakers so that
they are aimed at ear height when you are
seated in the listening position.
Speaker Selection
No matter which type or brand of speakers is
used, the same model or brand of speaker
should be used at least for the front-left, center
and front-right speakers. This creates a seamless
front soundstage and eliminates the possibility
of distracting sonic disturbances that occur when
a sound moves across mismatched front-channel
speakers.
No more than
60cm
Left Front
Speaker
Right Front
Speaker
Using these guidelines, you’ll find that it takes
some experimentation to find the correct
location for the front speakers in your particular
installation. Don’t be afraid to move things
around until the system sounds correct. Optimize
your speakers so that audio transitions across
the front of the room sound smooth.
A) Front Channel Speaker Installation with
Direct-View TV Sets or Rear-Screen Projectors
Speaker Placement
The placement of speakers in a multichannel
home-theater system can have a noticeable
impact on the quality of sound reproduced.
TV or Projection Screen
Center Front
Speaker
Depending on the type of center-channel
speaker in use and your viewing device, place
the center speaker either directly above or below
your TV, or in the center behind a perforated
front-projection screen.
Left Front
Speaker
Right Front
Speaker
Surround speakers should be placed on the side
walls of the room, at or slightly behind the
listening position. The center of the speaker
should face you.
If side-wall mounting is not practical, the
speakers may be placed on a rear wall, behind
the listening position. The speakers should be no
more than two meters behind the rear of the
seating area.
Once the center-channel speaker is installed,
position the left-front and right-front speakers so
that they are as far away from one another as
the center-channel speaker is from the preferred
listening position. Ideally, the front-channel
speakers should be placed so that their tweeters
are no more than 60cm above or below the
tweeter in the center-channel speaker.
Subwoofers produce largely nondirectional
sound, so they may be placed almost anywhere
in a room. Actual placement should be based on
room size and shape and the type of subwoofer
used. One method of finding the optimal
location for a subwoofer is to begin by placing it
in the front of the room, about 15cm from a
wall, or near the front corner of the room.
Another method is to temporarily place the
subwoofer in the spot where you will normally
sit, and then walk around the room until you
find a spot where the subwoofer sounds best.
Place the subwoofer in that spot. You should
also follow the instructions of the subwoofer’s
manufacturer, or you may wish to experiment
with the best location for a subwoofer in your
listening room.
They should also be at least 0.5 meter from your
TV set unless the speakers are magnetically
shielded to avoid colourings on the TV screen.
Note that most speakers are not shielded, even
with complete surround sets only the Center
speaker may be.
Optional Rear-Wall Mounting
B) The distance between the left and right
speakers should be equal to the distance from
the seating position to the viewing screen.
You may also experiment with placing the left
and right speakers slightly forward of the center
speaker.
INSTALLATION AND CONNECTIONS 13
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System Configuration
Once the speakers have been placed in the
room and connected, the remaining steps are to
program the system configuration memories.
With the AVR 1550 two kind of memories are
used, those associated individually with the
input selected, e.g. surround modes, and others
working independently from any input selected
like speaker output levels, or delay times used
by the surround sound processor.
Input Setup
The first step in configuring the AVR 1550 is to
select an input. This may be done by pressing
the front panel Input Source Selector
until the desired input’s name appears momen-
tarily in the Main Information Display
The input may also be selected by pressing
the appropriate Input Selector on the
Settings to be Made With Each
Input Used
The AVR 1550 features an advanced memory
system that enables you to establish different
settings for the speaker configuration, digital
input and surround mode for each input source.
This flexibility enables you to custom tailor the
way in which you listen to each source and have
the AVR 1550 memorize them. This means, for
example, that you may associate different sur-
round modes and analog or digital inputs with
different sources, or set different speaker config-
urations with the resultant changes to the bass
management system or the use of the Center
speaker. Once these settings are made, they will
automatically be recalled whenever you select
an input.
!
M
.
remote control 46
.
The second step is to associate one of the digital
inputs with the selected input source (if this is
needed, otherwise the selected analog input will
remain). Press the Digital Input Select button
First Turn On
You are now ready to power up the AVR 1550 to
begin these final adjustments.
ÔF
on the front panel or the remote. Within
five seconds, make your input selection using the
Selector buttons on the front panel or the
⁄/¤ buttons on the remote until the
desired digital or analog input is shown in the
Main Information Display . Then press the
to enter the new digital input
1. Plug the Power Cable
G
into an un-
switched AC outlet.
&
2. Press the Main Power Switch
1
in until it
C
latches and the word “OFF” on the top of the
switch disappears inside the front panel. Note
The default settings for the AVR 1550, as it is
shipped from the factory, have all inputs set for
an analog source (except for the DVD input,
M
that the Power Indicator
3
will turn orange,
Enter button
assignment.
E
indicating that the unit is in the Standby mode.
which has the Coaxial Digital Input 1
9
as
3. Remove the protective plastic film from the
front-panel lens. If left in place, the film may
affect the performance of your remote control.
After the setting has been made with one input,
repeat as described above with all inputs in use.
The digital input associated with the input
selected can also be changed at any time later
and the AVR 1550´s memory system will keep
the settings until they are changed again.
the default), with stereo as the surround mode,
the front left and right speakers set to “large”
(with surround modes other speakers to
”small”), and a subwoofer connected. Before
using the unit, you will probably want to change
these settings for most inputs so that they are
properly configured to reflect the use of digital
or analog inputs, the type of speakers installed
and the surround mode associated with the
input. Remember, since the AVR 1550’s memory
system keeps the settings for each input sepa-
rate from the other inputs, you will need to make
these adjustments for each input used. However,
once they are made, further adjustment is only
required when system components are changed.
4. Install the three supplied AAA batteries in the
remote as shown. Be certain to follow the (+)
and (–) polarity indicators that are on the
bottom of the battery compartment.
Speaker Setup
This setup tells the AVR 1550 which type of
speakers are in use. This is important as it
adjusts the settings that determine which
speakers receive low frequency (bass) informa-
tion and whether a Center speaker should be
used or not, separately for each input used.
For each of these settings use the LARGE
setting if the speakers for a particular position
are traditional full-range loudspeakers that are
capable of reproducing sounds below 100Hz.
Use the SMALLsetting for smaller,
frequency-limited satellite speakers that do not
reproduce sounds below 100Hz. Note that
when “small” front (left and right) speakers are
used, a subwoofer is required to reproduce low
frequency sounds. If you are in doubt as to
which category describes your speakers, consult
the specifications in the speakers’ owner’s
manual, or ask your dealer. Remember that each
speaker setup that differs from the default
settings (see above) must be made individually
for each input in use.
5. Turn the AVR 1550 on either by pressing the
To make this process as quick and as easy as
possible, we suggest that with each of these set-
tings to be made you step through each input.
Once you have completed the settings for the
first input, many settings may be duplicated for
the remaining inputs.
System Power Control
Source Selector on the front panel, or via
the remote by pressing the AVR Selector
or any of the Input Selectors 46 on the
remote. The Power Indicator will turn green
to confirm that the unit is on, and the Main
Information Display will also light up.
2
or the Input
!
5
3
The items that follow will describe the individual
settings required for each input.
*
It is best to select the Dolby Pro Logic II Movie
mode for speaker setup. Then with the currently
selected input all speaker settings will be copied
to other surround modes too (as far as possible)
and need not be repeated with any other mode.
14 SYSTEM CONFIGURATION
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System Configuration
With the AVR 1550 turned on, follow these
steps to configure the speakers:
When SMALLis selected, low frequency cen-
ter channel sounds will be sent to the Fronts, if
they are set for LARGE and Sub is turned off.
When Sub is on, low frequency center channel
sounds will be sent to the subwoofer only.
9. When you have completed your selection for
the surround channel, press the Enter button
E
the front
on the remote control, or the Set button on
1. Put the AVR 1550 in the Dolby Pro Logic II
Movie mode by pressing the Surround Mode
⁄ ¤
Ó, and then press the
/
buttons
C
on the remote or the Selector buttons
&
Selector button
7
on the front or
9
and
on the front panel to change the display to
S-WSPKR.
⁄ ¤
then the
/
buttons
C
on the remote, until
When LARGEis selected, a full-range output
will be sent to the center speaker output, and
with analog and digital surround modes (except
with the Pro Logic II Music mode) NO center
channel signal will be sent to the subwoofer out-
put.
DOLBYPROLOGICIIMOVIE
appears in the Main Information Display
and the PRO LOGIC II indicator lights.
M
10. Press the Enter button
E
on the remote
F
control, or the Set button on the front
Ó, and
⁄ ¤
then press the
/
buttons
C
on the remote
2. Press the Speaker button on the
K
$
or the Selector buttons
&
on the front panel
remote or front panel. The words FNT
SPKRwill appear in the Main Information
to select the option that best describes your
Subwoofer system.
When NONEis selected, no signal will be sent
to the center channel output. The receiver will
operate in a “phantom” center channel mode
and center channel information will be sent to
the left and right front channel outputs and its
bass will be sent to the subwoofer output too as
long as SUB L/R+LFE is selected in the SUB-
WOOFER line in this menu (see below). This
mode is needed if no Center speaker is used.
Display
M.
The choices available for the subwoofer position
will depend on the settings for the other speak-
ers, particularly the front left/right positions.
3. Press the Enter button
E
on the remote
control, or the Set button on the front
Ó.
⁄ ¤
/
4. Press the
buttons
C
on the remote or
If the front left/right speakers are set to
SMALL, the subwoofer will automatically be
set to SUB, which is the “on” position.
the Selector buttons
&
on the front panel
until either F-LARGEor F-SMALL
appears, matching the type of speakers you have
at the left-front and right-front positions, as
described by the definitions shown in preceding
section.
If the front left/right speakers are set to
LARGE, three options are available:
7. When you have completed your selection for
the center channel, press the Enter button
E
on the remote control, or the Set button on the
• If no subwoofer is connected to the AVR 1550,
⁄ ¤
front
Ó
, and then press the
/
buttons
C
on
When SMALLis selected, low frequency front
channel sounds will be sent only to the subwoofer
output. Note that if you choose this option and
there is no subwoofer connected, you will not
hear any low frequency sounds from the front
channels.This setting is not available with stereo
mode to ensure purest sound by bypassing the
crossovers of the DSP´s.
press the arrow buttons
C
&
so that
on the remote or the Selector buttons
the front panel to change the display to
SURSPKR.
&
NONEappears in the display. When this
option is selected, all bass information will be
routed to the front left/right “main” speakers.
8. Press the Enter button
E
on the remote
• If a subwoofer is connected to the AVR 1550,
you have the option to have the front left/right
“main” speakers reproduce bass frequencies at
all times, and have the subwoofer operate only
when the AVR 1550 is being used with a digital
source that contains a dedicated Low Frequency
Effects, or LFE soundtrack. This allows you to use
both your main and subwoofer speakers to take
advantage of the special bass created for certain
movies. To select that option press the arrow
control, or the Set button on the front
Ó
C
⁄ ¤
/
again, and then use the
buttons
on the
remote or the Selector buttons
&
on the front
panel to select the option that best describes
your system based on the Surround speaker
definitions shown in preceding section.
When LARGEis selected, a full-range output
will 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.
When SMALLis selected, with all digital sur-
round modes low frequency surround channel
sounds will be sent to the Fronts, when Sub is
turned off, or to the subwoofer output when Sub
is on. With the analog surround modes the rear
bass feed depends on the mode selected and
the setting of the sub and front speakers.
Important Note: When a speaker set with two
front satellites and a passive subwoofer is used,
connected to the front speaker outputs
the fronts must be set for LARGE.
buttons
C
&
so that SUB(LFE) appears
in the display.
C,
• If a subwoofer is connected and you wish to
use it for bass reproduction in conjunction with
the main front left/right speakers, regardless of
the type of program source or surround mode
you are listening to, press the arrow buttons
5. When you have completed your selection for
the front channels, press the Enter button
When LARGEis selected, a full-range output
will be sent to the surround channel outputs
(with all analog and digital surround modes),
and, except with Hall and Theater modes, NO
surround channel bass will be sent to the sub-
woofer output.
E
on the remote control, or the Set button on the
⁄ ¤
front
Ó
, and then press the
/
buttons
C
on
C
&
so that L/R+LFEappears in the
on the remote or the Selector buttons
the front panel to change the display to
CENSPKR.
&
display. When this option is selected, a “com-
plete” feed will be sent to the front left/right
“main” speakers, and the subwoofer will receive
the front left and right bass frequencies under
the crossover frequency 80 Hz, additionally to
the LFE soundtrack (see above).
When NONEis selected, surround sound
information will be split between the front-left
and front-right outputs. Note that for optimal
performance when no surround speakers are in
use, the Dolby 3 Stereo mode should be used
instead of Dolby Pro Logic.
6. Press the Enter button
E
on the remote
control, or the Set button on the front
Ó
⁄ ¤
again, and use the
/
buttons
C
&
on the
remote, or the Selector buttons
on the
11. When all speaker selections have been made
for the input selected, Press the Enter button
front panel, to select the option that best
describes your system based on the Center
speaker definitions shown in preceding section.
E
on the remote control, or the Set button on
the front twice or simply wait for three
Ó
seconds until the display returns to the normal
mode.
SYSTEM CONFIGURATION 15
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System Configuration
To assist in making these settings, the icons in
Surround Setup
Making Settings independent of
selected Input
the Speaker/Channel Input Indicators
P
Once the speaker setup has been completed, the
next setup step is to set the surround mode you
wish to use with each input. Since surround
modes are a matter of personal taste, feel free to
select any mode you wish – you may change it
later. The Surround Mode chart on page 20 may
help you select the mode best suited to the input
source selected. However, to make it easier to
establish the initial parameters for the AVR 1550,
it is best to select any Dolby Pro Logic II mode for
most analog inputs and Dolby Digital for inputs
connected to digital sources. In the case of inputs
such as a CD Player, Tape Deck or Tuner, you may
wish to set the mode to Stereo, if that is your
preferred listening mode for standard stereo
sources, where it is unlikely that surround encod-
ed material will be used.
will change as the speaker type is selected at
each position. When only the inner icon box is lit,
the speaker is set for “small.” When the inner box
and the two outer boxes with circles inside them
are lit, the speaker is set for “large." When no
indicator appears at a speaker location, that
position is set for “none” or “no” speaker.
After the settings described above have been
made for all input sources in your system, the fol-
lowing settings, made with any input, will remain
in effect independent of the input selected.
Delay Settings
Only for the Dolby Digital or Dolby Pro Logic II
modes, you will need to adjust the delay time
setting. Note that the delay time is not
adjustable for any other modes.
As an example, in the Figure below, the left front
and right front speakers are set for “large,” the
center, left surround and right surround speakers
are set for small, and a subwoofer is set.
Important Note: Once the delay time is set
with any input it will be effective with all other
inputs too. Moreover the surround delay time
setting must be made only for either the Dolby
Pro Logic II or the Dolby Digital mode. The other
setting will be set automatically.
After the speaker setting has been made with
one input, repeat as described above with all
inputs you will use. In most cases, the speaker
type will be the same and may be quickly entered
by entering the same data used for the original
input. But with some music sources you may
prefer to listen to your surround system without
using a Center speaker, particularily when a small
Center is in use with an audio performance not
matching perfectly with the main front speakers.
With these sources selected the Center speaker
will then be turned off automatically (enter
NONE for the Center setting), while its signal will
be fed to the left and right Fronts.
To set the surround mode you wish to use with
the input selected, press the Surround Mode
Due to the different distances between the lis-
tening position for the front channel speakers
and the surround speakers, the amount of time it
takes for sound to reach your ears from the front
or surround speakers is different. You may com-
pensate for this difference through the use of the
delay settings to adjust the timing for the specific
speaker placement and acoustic conditions in
your listening room or home theater.
Selector button
⁄/¤ buttons
desired surround mode´s name appears in the
Main Information Display
7
on the front or
on the remote until the
9
and the
C
M.
Note that Dolby Digital and DTS will only appear
as choices when a digital input has been
selected.
The speaker setting mode can also be changed at
any time later, and the AVR 1550´s memory
system will keep these settings for the input
selected, until they are changed again.
After the surround mode setting has been made
with the current input, repeat the setting with all
inputs you will use. The surround mode can also
be changed at any time later, and the AVR 1550´s
memory system will keep the settings for the
input selected, until they are changed again.
The factory setting (see Surround Mode Chart
page 20) is appropriate for most rooms, but
some installations create an uncommon distance
between the front and surround speakers that
may cause the arrival of front channel sounds to
become disconnected from surround channel
sounds.
C
L
R
To resynchronize the front, center and surround
channels, follow these steps:
1. Measure the distance from the listening/
viewing position to the front speakers in
meters.
SL
SR
LFE
2. Measure the distance from the listening/
viewing position to the surround speakers.
3. Subtract the distance to the surround speakers
from the distance to the front speakers and
multiply the result by 3.
a. When setting the delay time for the Dolby
Digital surround modes, the optimal delay time
is the result of that subtraction. For example, if
the front speakers are 3 m away and the sur-
round speakers are 1 m away, the optimal
delay time is figured as (3–1)x3=6. Thus, in
this example, the delay time for Dolby Digital
should be set at six milliseconds.
b. When setting the delay time for any Dolby Pro
Logic II mode, take the result of the calculation
above and add 15 to obtain the optimal delay
time.
For example, if the front speakers are 3 m
away and the surround speakers are 1 m away,
16 SYSTEM CONFIGURATION
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System Configuration
⁄ ¤
the optimal delay time is figured as
(3–1)x3+15=21. Thus, in this example, the
Pro Logic II delay should be set at twenty
milliseconds.
6. Press the
once, so that CDELAYappears in the Main
Information Display
/
buttons
C
on the remote
Output Level Adjustment
Output level adjustment is a key part of the con-
figuration process for any surround sound prod-
uct. It is particularly important for a Dolby Digital
receiver such as the AVR 1550, as correct outputs
will ensure that you hear sound tracks with the
proper directionality and intensity.
M.
7. Press the Enter button
control, or the Set button on the front
E
on the remote
NOTE: The DTS, 5CH Stereo, Hall and Theater
modes use a fixed, nonadjustable delay time.
Ó.
⁄ ¤
/
8. Press the
buttons
C
on the remote
The Dolby Digital Mode also includes a separate
setting for the center channel delay mode, since
the discrete nature of these signals makes the
location of the center channel speaker more criti-
cal. To calculate the delay for the center channel,
measure the distance from the preferred listening
position in the center of the room to both the
center channel speaker and either the left or
right speaker.
until the desired delay time for the center chan-
nel appears in the display.
NOTE: Listeners are often confused about the
operation of the surround channels. While some
assume that sound should always be coming
from each speaker, most of the time there will be
little or no sound in the surround channels. This
is because they are only used when a movie
director or sound mixer specifically places sound
there to create ambiance, a special effect or to
continue action from the front of the room to
the rear. When the output levels are properly set
it is normal for surround speakers to operate
only occasionally. Artificially increasing the
volume to the rear speakers may destroy the
illusion of an enveloping sound field that
duplicates the way you hear sound in a movie
theater or concert hall.
9. Press the Enter button
control, or the Set button on the front
E
on the remote
to
Ó
enter the setting into the AVR 1550’s memory.
You have now completed the delay time settings
for all surround modes and inputs.
Night Mode Settings
If the distances are equal, no further adjustment
is required and the center delay should be left
zero. If the distance to the front speakers is
greater than the distance to the center speaker,
you may wish to reposition the speakers by
moving the front left and front right speakers
closer to the listening position or the center
speaker further away from the listening position.
The Night mode is a feature of Dolby Digital that
uses special processing to preserve the dynamic
range and full intelligibility of a movie sound
track while reducing the peak level. This prevents
abruptly loud transitions from disturbing others,
without reducing the sonic impact of a digital
source. Note that the Night mode is only avail-
able when the Dolby Digital surround mode is
selected.
IMPORTANT NOTE: The output level can be
adjusted for each digital and analog surround
mode separately. This allows you to compensate
for level differences between speakers, that may
also vary with the surround mode selected, or to
increase or decrease the level of certain speakers
intentionally, depending on the surround mode
selected. Note that adjustments made for any
surround mode are effective with all inputs
associated with that surround mode.
If repositioning of the speakers is not possible,
adjust the center delay time, adding one milli-
second of center channel delay for every 30 cm
closer to the listening position the center speaker
is than the front speakers. For example, if the
front left and front right speakers are each 3 m
from the listening position and the center chan-
nel speaker is 2.4 m away, the delay is figured as
300 cm –240 cm=60 cm, suggesting an optimal
center delay of 2 milliseconds.
To adjust the Night mode setting press the Input
Source Selector
!
on the front or
4
on the
remote and select an input that is associated
with a digital input and the Dolby Digital sur-
round mode.
Next press the Night button
A
on the remote.
When the button is pressed, the words D-R
(Dynamic Range) followed by the current setting
(MID, MAX, OFF) will appear in the Main
Before beginning the output level adjustment
process, make certain that all speaker connec-
tions have been properly made. The system
volume should be turned down at first.
Information Display
M.
C
To set the delay time, follow these steps:
⁄ ¤
Press the
/
buttons
within five seconds
1. To make the delay settings for the Dolby
Digital mode (this will include the Center delay
setting, and the surround delay for the
to select the desired setting:
To adjust and calibrate the output levels, follow
these steps. For accurate calibration, it is a good
idea to make these adjustments while seated in
your favorite listening position. As the adjust-
ment must be made for each surround mode, it is
best to select any input associated with any
Dolby Pro Logic II mode, make the adjustment for
that surround mode, then step through all inputs
you´re using (and thus through all surround
modes associated with the inputs) and repeat
the adjustment when any surround mode
OFF: When OFF is shown in the display, the
Night mode will not function.
Pro Logic II mode will be set automatically), press
the Input Source Selector
!
on the front or
MID: When MID is shown in the display, a
mild compression will be applied.
4
on the remote and select any input now that
is associated with a digital input and the Dolby
Digital surround mode.
MAX: When MAX is shown in the display, a
more severe compression algorithm will be
applied.
2. Press the Delay button
or front panel. The words SDELAYappear in
the Main Information Display
R
on the remote
When you want to use the Night mode feature,
we recommend that you select the MID setting
as a starting point and change to the MAX
setting later, if desired.
M.
3. Press the Enter button E on the remote
appears that has not yet been adjusted.
control, or the Set button on the front
Ó.
1. Select any input associated with any
Dolby Pro Logic II surround mode by pressing the
⁄ ¤
/
4. Press the
buttons
C
on the remote or
When any Night mode is selected, the NIGHT
the Selector buttons
&
on the front panel until
Mode Indicator
the selection press the Enter button
remote control, or the Set button on the front
or wait for some seconds until the display
returns to the normal mode.
N
will illuminate. To confirm
Input Source Selector
!
4
until the
the desired rear delay time for the Dolby Digital
mode, calculated using the formula for Dolby
Digital above (item a.), appears in the display.
E
on the
Pro Logic II in the display light up.
F
2. Press the Test Tone button
7
^
on the
Ó
remote. The words TESTFLwill appear in the
Main Information Display
5. Press the Enter button
control, or the Set button on the front
enter the setting into the AVR 1550’s memory.
E
on the remote
M.
Ó
to
SYSTEM CONFIGURATION 17
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System Configuration
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 the
test noise rotates the speaker positions FL,
CEN, FR, SR, SL(Front Left, Center, Front
Right, Surround Right, Surround Left) will be
After checking for speaker placement, let the
test noise circulate again, and listen to see
which channels sound louder than the others.
Using the front left speaker as a reference, press
⁄ ¤
Once the settings outlined on the previous
pages have been made, the AVR 1550 is ready
for operation. While there are some additional
settings to be made, these are best done after
you have had an opportunity to listen to a vari-
ety of sources and different kinds of program
material. These advanced settings are described
on page 23 of this manual. In addition, any of
the settings made in the initial configuration of
the 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 better
reflect your listening taste, simply follow the
instructions for changing the settings for that
parameter as shown above. Note that any set-
tings changed at any time, will be stored in
memory in the AVR 1550, also if it´s turned off
completely, unless it will be reset (see page 27).
The settings will either depend on the input
(Speaker configuration, analog/digital input
selection, surround mode) or on the surround
mode selected (speaker output level), as
described on previous pages.
the
/
buttons
C
on the remote to bring all
speakers to the same volume level. Note that
⁄ ¤
/
shown in the Main Information Display
M.
when one of the
buttons is pushed, the
As an added assist, while the test noise is circu-
lating, the proper channel position will also be
indicated in the Speaker/Channel Indicators
test noise circulation will pause on the channel
being adjusted to give you time to make the
adjustment. When you release the button, the cir-
culation will resume after five seconds.
P
by a blinking letter within the correct chan-
nel. Turn up the volume now until you can hear
the noise clearly.
Continue to adjust the individual speakers until
they all have the same volume. Note that adjust-
⁄ ¤
IMPORTANT NOTE: Because this test noise will
have a much lower level than normal music, the
volume must be lowered after the adjustment
for all channels is made, BEFORE you turn the
test tone off.
ments should be made with the
/
buttons
C
on the remote only, NOT the main volume
controls.
NOTE: The subwoofer output level is not
adjustable using the test tone. To change the
subwoofer level, follow the steps for Output
Level Trim Adjustment on page 23.
NOTE: This is a good time to verify that the
speakers have been properly connected. As the
test noise circulates, listen to make certain that
the sound comes from the speaker position
shown in the Main Information Display. If the
sound from a speaker location does NOT match
the position indicated in the display, turn the
AVR 1550 off using the Main Power Switch
1and check the speaker wiring to make cer-
tain that each speaker is connected to the cor-
rect output terminal.
When all channels have the same output level,
turn the Volume
(I
down to about -40dB,
Having completed the setup and configuration
process for your AVR 1550, you are about to
experience the finest in music and home theater
listening. Enjoy!
otherwise the listening level may be too high as
soon as the source’s music starts to play. After-
wards press the Test Tone Selector
^7
button 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 surround
mode currently selected, also when other inputs
are selected using the same surround mode. To
adjust the output level with all other surround
modes used, step through all inputs you´re using
by pressing the Source Selector buttons
!
on the front panel or the appropriate Input
Selectors
4
on the remote. When the indica-
tor for any surround mode for which the level
adjustment has not yet been made lights in the
Main Information Display
M, repeat the
level adjustment described above. This will also
allow you to compensate level differences
between speakers, that may be different with
each surround mode, or to increase or decrease
the level of certain speakers intentionally,
depending on the surround mode selected.
18 SYSTEM CONFIGURATION
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Operation
The sleep time will be displayed in the Preset
Number/Sleep Timer Indicator and it will
count down until the time has elapsed.
Basic Operation
Controls and Use of Headphones
Q
Once you have completed the setup and configu-
ration of the AVR 1550, it is simple to operate
and enjoy. The following instructions should be
followed for you to maximize your enjoyment of
your new receiver:
• Adjust the volume to a comfortable level using
the front panel Volume Control
Volume Up/Down buttons.
(
or remote
When the programmed sleep time has elapsed,
the unit will automatically turn off (to Standby
mode). Note that the front panel display will dim
to one half brightness when the Sleep function
is programmed. To cancel the Sleep function,
I
• To temporarily silence all speaker outputs
press the Mute button . This will interrupt
2
Turning the AVR 1550 On or Off
• When using the AVR 1550 for the first time, you
must press the Main Power Switch
front panel to turn the unit on. This places the unit
in a Standby mode, as indicated by the orange
the output to all speakers and the headphone
jack, but it will not affect any recording or dub-
bing that may be in progress. Press the Mute
press and hold the Sleep Button
8
until the
1
on the
information display returns to normal brightness
and the Sleep indicator numbers return to "0" in
button
2
again to return to normal operation.
the Main Information Display
M.
• To set the output of the AVR 1550 so that the
output is “flat,” with the Tone controls de-acti-
color of the Power Indicator
is in Standby, you may begin a listening session by
pressing the System Power Control or the
Source button on the front panel or the AVR
Selector . Note that the Power Indicator
will turn green. This will turn the unit on and
3. Once the unit
Source Selection
vated, press the Tone Mode button
6
button
2
once or twice so that the words ToneOut
appear momentarily in the Main Information
• To select a source, press any of the
Source Selector buttons on the remote
456
!
5
Display
M. To return the tone controls to an
.
3
active condition, press the Tone Mode
6
but-
return it to the input source that was last used.
The unit may also be turned on from Standby by
pressing any of the Source Selector buttons on
NOTE: After pressing one of the Input Selector
buttons you must press the AVR Selector
to have the remote control the AVR functions.
ton once or twice so that the words Tone
Inmomentarily appear in the Main
4
5
Information Display
Once ToneInis shown in the Display,
press the Set Button on the front panel to
select the Bass Control. Adjustments can be
made with the Selector Buttons on the
M.
the remote 456
.
• The input source may also be changed by
pressing the front-panel Input Source
NOTE: After pressing one of the Input Selector
Ó
buttons to turn the unit on, press the AVR
4
Selector button
!. Each press of the button
Selector
5
to have the remote control the AVR
&
will move the input selection through the list of
available inputs.
functions.
front panel. Pressing the Set button again
selects the Treble Control. Make your adjust-
To turn the unit off at the end of a listening ses-
sion, simply press the System Power Control
• As the input is changed, the AVR 1550 will
automatically switch to the digital input (if
selected), surround mode and speaker configura-
tion that were entered during the configuration
process for that source.
ments with the Selector Buttons
&.
2
on the front panel or the Power Off
• For private listening, plug the 6.3 mm stereo
phone plug from a pair of stereo headphones
Button on the remote.
3
To switch off both the AVR 1550 and compatible
Harman Kardon DVD or CD Player, first press the
Input Selector button
into the front panel Headphone Jack
4. Note
that when the headphone’s plug is connected,
the word HEADPHONEwill scroll once
• The front-panel Video 3 Inputs
%
may be
4
3
and after press
. After that press
, followed by the
used to connect a device such as a video game
or camcorder to your home entertainment
system on a temporary basis.
the Power Off Button
across the Main Information Display
M
and
the AVR Selector Button
Power Off Button
5
all speakers will be silenced. When the head-
phone plug is removed, the audio feed to the
speakers will be restored.
3
.
• As the input source is changed, the new input
name will appear in the Main Information
When the remote is used to turn the unit “off” it
is actually placing the system in a Standby mode,
as indicated by the orange color of the Power
Display
M.
Indicator
3.
• When a pure audio source (Tuner, CD, Tape) is
selected, the last video input used remains rout-
When you will be away from home for an
extended period of time it is always a good idea
to completely turn the unit off with the front
ed to the Video 1 Outputs
own Video 1/2 source) and Video Monitor
Output . This permits simultaneous viewing
I
(except from its
B
panel Main Power Switch
1.
and listening to different sources.
NOTE: All preset memories may be lost if the
unit is left turned off with the Main Power
• 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
Switch
1
for more than two weeks.
Using the Sleep Timer
• To program the AVR 1550 for automatic turn-
off, press the Sleep Button
Monitor Output jack
B
and will be viewable on
a TV monitor connected to the AVR 1550.
8
on the remote.
Each press of the button will increase the time
before shut down in the following sequence:
90
80
70
60
50
min
min
min
min
min
40
30
20
10
OFF
min
min
min
min
OPERATION 19
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Operation
Surround Mode Chart
MODE
FEATURES
DELAY TIME RANGE
DOLBY DIGITAL
Available only with digital input sources encoded with Dolby Digital data. It provides
up to five separate main audio channels and a special dedicated Low Frequency Effects
channel.
Center: 0 ms – 5 ms
Initial Setting – 0 ms
Surround: 0 ms –15 ms
Initial Setting – 0 ms
DTS
Available only with digital input sources encoded with DTS data. Available on special
DVD, LD and audio-only discs, DTS provides up to five separate main audio channels and
a special dedicated low frequency channel.
Delay time not adjustable
DOLBY PRO LOGIC II Dolby Pro Logic II is the latest version of Dolby Laboratory's benchmark surround technology that
creates or decodes full range, discrete left, center, right, right surround and left surround channels
from either matrix surround encoded programs and conventional stereo sources. The Dolby
ProLogic II Movie mode is optimized for movie soundtracks that are recorded with matrix
surround, by creating true rear left, center and right signals. The ProLogic II Music mode
should be used with musical selections, that are recorded with matrix surround or with normal
stereo mode, creating discrete rear left and right signals. The ProLogic II Emulation mode creates
compelling five-channel surround from conventional stereo recordings.
Movie and Emulation:
10 ms - 25 ms,
Initial Setting - 10 ms,
Music:
0 ms - 15 ms,
Initial Setting - 0 ms
DOLBY 3 STEREO
Uses the information contained in a surround encoded or two channel stereo program to
create center channel information. In addition, the information that is normally sent to the
rear channel surround speakers is carefully mixed in with the front left and front right
channels for increased realism. Use this mode when you have a center channel speaker
but no surround speakers.
No surround channels
THEATER
The THEATER mode creates a sound field that resembles the acoustic feeling
of a standard live performance theater, with stereo and even pure mono sources.
Delay time not adjustable
Delay time not adjustable
HALL 1
HALL 2
The two Hall modes create sound fields that resemble a small (HALL 1) or
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
back of a room. Ideal for playing music in situations such as a party, it places the same signal
at the front-left and surround-left, and at the front-right and surround-right speakers. The center
channel is fed a summed mono mix of the in-phase material of the left and right channels.
No delay is available for
this mode
SURROUND
OFF (STEREO)
This mode turns off all surround processing and presents the pure left and right
channel presentation of two channel stereo programs.
No surround channels
20 OPERATION
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Operation
Surround modes are selected using either the
front panel controls or the remote. To select a
surround mode from the front panel, press the
Dolby Digital
Surround Mode Selection
Dolby Digital (originally known as AC-3®) is
a standard part of DVD, and is available on
specially encoded LD discs and satellite broad-
casts and it is a part of the new high-definition
television (HDTV) system.
One of the most important features of the
AVR 1550 is its ability to reproduce a full
multichannel surround sound field from digital
sources, analog matrix surround encoded
programs and standard stereo or even mono
programs. In all, a total of eleven listening
modes are available on the AVR 1550.
Surround Mode Selector
7
to scroll through
the list of available modes. To select a surround
mode using the remote, press the Surround
⁄
Mode Selector
buttons
9
, and then press the
/
¤
Note that an optional, external RF demodulator
is required to use the AVR 1550 to listen to the
Dolby Digital sound tracks available on laser
discs. Connect the RF output of the LD player to
the demodulator and then connect the digital
output of the demodulator to the Optical or
Coaxial inputs 9F of the AVR 1550.
No demodulator is required for use with DVD
players or DTS-encoded laser discs.
C
to change the mode. As you press
the buttons, the Surround mode name will
Selection of a surround mode is based on person-
al taste, as well as the type of program source
material being used. For example, motion pic-
tures, CD’s or TV programs bearing the logo of
one of the major surround encoding processes,
such as Dolby Surround should be played in either
the Dolby Pro Logic II Movie (with movies) or
Music (with music) surround mode.
appear in the Main Information Display
M,
and an individual mode indicator will also light
up C D F H J. Regard that any time a
surround mode is changed it remains associated
with the input just selected until another choice
is made.
NOTE: The name of each Surround Mode will
scroll through the Main Information Display
DTS
When no rear speakers are in use, the Dolby 3
Stereo mode should be selected with all
surround recordings.
M
while the modes are being selected. To avoid
DTS is another digital audio system that is capa-
ble of delivering 5.1 audio. Although both DTS
and Dolby Digital are digital, they use different
methods of encoding the signals, and thus they
require different decoding circuits to convert the
digital signals back to analog.
exiting from the surround mode selection
⁄
process, be certain to push the
/
¤
buttons
C
while a mode name is still visible.
Note that when Dolby Digital 2.0 signals (e.g.
"D.D. 2.0" tracks from DVD), that are encoded
with Dolby Pro Logic information, are received
via any digital input, the Dolby Pro Logic II
Movie mode will be selected automatically (in
addition to the Dolby Digital mode) and will
decode a full range 5.1 channel surround sound
even from those recordings (see also "Dolby
Digital" on page 22).
Note that the Dolby Digital or DTS modes may
only be selected when a digital input is in use. In
addition, when a digital source is present, the
AVR 1550 will automatically select and switch to
the correct mode (Dolby Digital or DTS), regard-
less of the mode that has been previously select-
ed. For more information on selecting digital
DTS-encoded sound tracks are available on
select DVD and LD discs, as well as on special
audio-only DTS CDs. You may use any LD, DVD
or CD player equipped with a digital output to
play DTS-encoded special audio-only CDs with
the AVR 1550, but DTS-LDs can be played on LD
players and DTS-DVDs on DVD players only. All
that is required is to connect the player’s output
to either the Optical or Coaxial input on the
sources, see the following section of this manual.
To create wide, enveloping sound field
To listen to a program in traditional two channel
stereo, using the front left and front right speak-
ers only (plus the subwoofer if installed and con-
figured), follow the instructions shown above for
using the remote until SURROFFappears
environments and defined pans and flyovers
with all analog stereo recordings select the
Dolby Pro Logic II Music or Emulation mode.
rear panel 9F
.
NOTE: Once a program has been encoded with
matrix surround information, it retains the sur-
round information as long as the program is
broadcast in stereo. Thus, movies with surround
sound may be decoded via any of the analog
surround modes such as Dolby Pro Logic II,
when they are broadcast via conventional TV
stations, cable, pay TV and satellite transmission.
In addition, a growing number of made-for-tele-
vision programs, sports broadcasts, radio dramas
and music CDs are also recorded in surround
sound. You may view a list of these programs at
the Dolby Laboratories Web site at
in the Main Information Display
M.
Digital Audio Playback
Digital audio is a major advancement over older
analog matrix surround systems. It delivers five
discrete channels: left front, center, right front,
left surround and right surround. Each channel
reproduces full frequency range (20Hz to 20kHz)
and offers dramatically improved dynamic range
and significant improvements to signal-to-noise
ratios. In addition, digital systems have the
capability to deliver an additional channel that is
specifically devoted to low frequency informa-
tion. This is the “.1” channel referred to when
you see these systems descibed as “5.1”.
The bass channel is separate from the other
channels, but since it is intentionally bandwidth
limited, sound designers have given it that
unique designation.
Even when a program is not listed as carrying
intentional surround information, you may find
that the Dolby Pro Logic II, Dolby 3 Stereo
modes often deliver enveloping surround
presentations through the use of the natural
surround information present in all stereo
recordings.
However, for stereo programs without any
surround information the Theater, Hall and 5CH
Stereo modes should be tried (effective particu-
larly with old ”extreme” stereo recordings) and
for mono programs, we suggest that you try the
Theater or Hall modes.
OPERATION 21
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Operation
PCM Audio Playback
the digital signal is Dolby Digital, DTS or PCM.
Note that a digital input (e.g. coaxial) remains
associated with any analog input (e.g. DVD) as
soon as it is selected, thus the digital input need
not be re-selected each time the appropriate
input choice (e.g. DVD) is made.
that the PCM signal format can be selected on
the DVD player with any audio track, even with
Dolby Digital tracks (but not with Dolby Digital
decoding). So, if selected, even ”2.0” D.D. audio
tracks can be played with all surround modes.
PCM (Pulse Code Modulation) is the non- com-
pressed digital audio system used for compact
discs, Non-Dolby Digital/DTS Laserdiscs and
some special PCM encoded DVDs. The digital cir-
cuits in the AVR 1550 are capable of high quality
digital-to-analog decoding, and they may be con-
nected directly to the digital audio output of your
CD/DVD or LD player (LD only for PCM or DTS
programs, for Dolby Digital laser discs an RF
adapter is needed, see ”Dolby Digital” above).
In addition to the Bitstream Indicators, the
AVR 1550 features a set of unique channel input
indicators that tell you how many channels of
digital information are being received and if the
digital signal is interrupted.
Digital Status Indicators
When a digital source is playing, the AVR 1550
senses the type of bitstream data that is present.
Using this information, the correct surround
mode will automatically be selected. For exam-
ple, DTS bitstreams will cause the unit to switch
to DTS decoding, and Dolby Digital bitstreams
will enable Dolby Digital decoding. When the unit
senses PCM data, from CDs and LDs and some
music DVDs or certain tracks on normal DVDs, it
will allow the appropriate surround mode to be
selected manually. Since the range of available
surround modes depends on the type of digital
data that is present, the AVR 1550 uses a variety
of indicators to let you know what type of signal
is present. This will help you to understand the
choice of modes and the input channels recorded
on the disc.
These indicators are the L/C/R/SL/SR/LFE letters
that are inside the center boxes of the
Connections may be made to either the Optical
or Coaxial inputs 9F on the rear panel.
Speaker/Channel Input Indicators
P
in the
To listen to a PCM digital source, first select the
input for the desired source (e.g., CD) to feed its
video signal (if any) to the TV monitor and to
provide its analog audio signal for recording.
front panel Main Information Display
*.
When a standard analog stereo or matrix
surround signal is in use, only the “L” and “R”
indicators will light, as analog signals have only
left and right channels, respectively, even
surround recordings, carry surround information
on the left and right channels only.
Next press the Digital Select button
Ô
on the
on the front
F
and then use the
⁄
/
¤
buttons
C
&
remote, or the Selector buttons
panel, until the desired choice appears in the
Main Information Display , then press the
Enter button on the remote control, or the
Digital signals, however, may have one to six
separate channels, depending on the program
material, the method of transmission and the
way in which it was encoded. When a digital
signal is playing, the letters in these indicators
will light in response to the specific signal being
received. It is important to note that although
Dolby Digital, for example, is referred to as a
“5.1” system, not all Dolby Digital DVD or audio
tracks selected on DVD or other Dolby Digital
programs are encoded for 5.1. Thus, it is some-
times normal for a DVD with a Dolby Digital
soundtrack to trigger e.g. only the “L” and “R”
indicators.
M
E
Set button on the front
choice.
Ó
to confirm the
When a digital source is playing, a Bitstream
Indicator
signal is playing:
: When the DOLBY D indicator lights, a
A
will light to show which type of
When a PCM source is playing, the PCM indica-
tor will light. During PCM playback you may
A
select any surround mode as described on pages
20 and 21 except Dolby Digital or DTS.
Dolby Digital bitstream is being received.
Depending on the audio track selected on the
source player and number of channels on the
disc, different surround modes are possible. Note
that only one channel without subwoofer, called
”1.0” audio, or all five channels with subwoofer
(”5.1” audio) or all steps between can be
recorded on digitally surround encoded audio
tracks (see NOTE below). With all those tracks,
except ”2.0” audio, only the Dolby Digital mode
is available. When the Dolby Digital signal is only
two channel (”2.0”) these two channels (l and r)
often contain Pro Logic surround informations.
With those tracks the AVR 1550 automatically
switches to the Dolby Pro Logic II Movie mode
(in addition to the Dolby Digital mode). When
the D.D. 2.0 signal contains no Pro Logic infor-
mation, the pure Dolby Digital mode will be
selected automatically, but you may also select
any Pro Logic II mode (only Music or Emulation
should be used then).
Selecting a Digital Source
To utilize either digital mode you must have
properly connected a digital source to the
AVR 1550. Connect the digital outputs from
DVD players, HDTV receivers, satellite systems or
CD players to the Optical or Coaxial inputs on
Night Mode
the rear panel 9F
.
A special feature of Dolby Digital is the Night
mode, which enables Dolby Digital input sources
to be played back with full digital intelligibilty
while reducing the maximum peak level and lift-
ing the low levels by 1/4 to 1/3. This prevents
abruptly loud transitions from disturbing others
without reducing the impact of the digital
source. The Night mode is available only when
Dolby Digital mode is selected.
When playing a digital source such as DVD, first
select its input using the remote or front panel
controls as outlined in this manual in order to
feed its video signal (if any) to the TV monitor
and to provide its analog audio signal for
recording. When the digital input appropriate
with the DVD player is not selected automatical-
ly (due to the input settings made earlier during
the system configuration, see page 14), select
the digital source by pressing the Digital Input
The Night mode may be engaged when a Dolby
Digital DVD is playing by pressing the Night
⁄ ¤
Selector button
F
Ô
and then using the
on the remote or the
on the front panel to
Button
A
on the remote. Next, press the
/
⁄ ¤
/
buttons
C
buttons
C
to select either the middle range or
DTS:When the DTS indicator lights, a DTS
bitstream is being received. When the unit senses
this type of data, only the DTS mode may be
used.
Selector buttons
&
full compression versions of the Night mode. To
⁄ ¤
choose any of the OPTICALor
COAXIALinputs, as they appear in the
Main Information Display
Indicators BE. When the digital source is
playing, the AVR 1550 will automatically detect
whether it is a multichannel Dolby Digital, DTS
source or a conventional PCM signal, which is
the standard output from CD players.
turn the Night mode off, press the
/
buttons
C
until the message in the lower third of
the video display and the Main Information
Display reads D-ROFF.
When the Night mode is active, the Night
Mode Indicator will also illuminate.
M
and Display
M
PCM:When the PCM indicator lights, a standard
Pulse Code Modulation, or PCM, signal is being
received. This is the type of digital audio used by
conventional compact disc and laser disc record-
ings. When a PCM bitstream is present, all modes
except Dolby Digital and DTS are available. Note
O
A Bitstream Indicator
Main Information Display
A
will light in the
to confirm that
*
22 OPERATION
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Operation
IMPORTANT NOTES ON DIGITAL
PLAYBACK:
1. When the digital playback source is stopped,
or in a pause, fast forward or chapter search
mode, the digital audio data will momentarily
stop, and the channel position letters inside the
PCM or vice versa, but optical digital input signals
are converted to coaxial signals). In additon, the
digital recorder must be compatible with the out-
put signal. For example, the PCM digital output
from a CD player may be recorded on a CD-R or
MiniDisc, but Dolby Digital or DTS signals may
not.
Press the Enter button
control, or the Set button on the front
the name of the desired channel appears in the
Main Information Display and on-screen
display, and follow the instructions shown above
to adjust the level.
E
on the remote
Ó
when
M
Speaker/Channel Indicators
P
will flash.
Repeat the procedure as needed until all
channels requiring adjustment have been set.
When all adjustments have been made press the
This is normal and does not indicate a problem
with either the AVR 1550 or the source machine.
The AVR 1550 will return to digital playback as
soon as the data is available and when the
machine is in a standard play mode.
Output Level Trim Adjustment
Normal output level adjustment for the
AVR 1550 is established using the test tone, as
outlined on pages 17 and 18. In some cases,
however, it may be desirable to adjust the out-
put levels using program material such as a test
disc, or a selection you are familiar with.
Additionally, the output level for the subwoofer
and those for the Stereo mode can only be
adjusted using this procedure.
Enter button
Set button on the front
E
on the remote control, or the
twice, the AVR 1550
Ó
will return to normal operation.
2. Although the AVR 1550 will decode virtually all
DVD movies, CDs and HDTV sources, it is possible
that some future digital sources may not be com-
patible with the AVR 1550.
NOTE: The output levels may be separately
trimmed for each digital and analog surround
mode. If you wish to have different trim levels for a
specific mode, select that mode and then follow
the instructions in the steps shown above.
3. Note that not all digitally encoded programs
and not all audio tracks on a DVD contain full
5.1-channel audio. Consult the program guide
that accompanies the DVD or laser disc to deter-
mine which type of audio has been recorded on
the disc. The AVR 1550 will automatically sense
the type of digital surround encoding used, indi-
Changing the levels by the trim adjustment as
described above will automatically change the
level settings shown during the Output Level
Adjustment (see page 17) correspondingly (and
vice versa) and will remain in the AVR 1550´s
memory system, even when the unit is turned
off. With Stereo mode the adjustment procedure
described above is the only way to trim the out-
put level.
To adjust the output levels using program mate-
rial, first select the surround mode for which you
want to trim the speakers (see NOTE below) by
selecting the appropriate input, associated with
the desired surround mode, start your program
material source and set the reference volume for
the front left and front right channels using the
cate it in the Bitstream Indicators
A
and
Channel Input Indicators
P
and adjust to
accommodate it.
Volume Control
(I.
4. When a Dolby Digital or DTS source is playing,
you normally may not be able to select some of
the analog surround modes such as Dolby Pro
Logic II, Dolby 3 Stereo, Hall, Theater or 5CH
Stereo, except with special audio tracks
(see indication ”Dolby Digital” on previous
page) or data format selected (see ”PCM” on
previous page).
Once the reference level has been set, press the
Channel Select button and note that
FLLEVELwill appear in the Main
Information Display for five seconds. To
change the level, first press the Enter button
on the remote control, or the Set button on
B
#
Display Brightness
The AVR 1550’s front panel Main Information
M
Display
*
is set at a default brightness level
that is sufficient for viewing in a normally lit
room. However, in some home theater installa-
tions, you may wish to occasionally lower the
brightness of the display, or turn it off completely.
E
the front
tons
Ó
or the
, and then use the Selector but-
⁄ ¤
&
/
buttons
C
to raise or
5. When a Dolby Digital or DTS source is playing,
it is not possible to make an analog recording
lower the level. DO NOT use the volume control,
as this will alter the reference setting.
The display brightness may be changed by
using the Tape
1
or Video 1
4
record out-
pressing and holding the Set button
front for three seconds until the message in the
Main Information Display reads VFD
Ó
on the
Once the change has been made, press the
puts, if the source is connected to any digital
input of the AVR 1550 only.
Enter button
Set button on the front
Selector buttons or the
E
on the remote control, or the
M
Ó
and then press the
FULL. Within five seconds, press the front
⁄ ¤
Tape Recording
&
/
buttons
C
‹ ›
/
panel
buttons
&
until the desired bright-
to select the next output channel location that
you wish to adjust. To adjust the subwoofer
In normal operation, the audio or video source
selected for listening through the AVR 1550 is
sent to the record outputs. This means that any
program you are watching or listening to may be
recorded simply by placing machines connected
ness display level is shown. At that point, press
the Set button again to enter the setting.
Ó
level, press the Selector buttons
&
or the
⁄ ¤
/
buttons
C
until SWLEVELappears
(only
Memory Backup
in the Main Information Display
M
This product is equipped with a memory backup
system that preserves tuner presets and system
configuration information if the unit is turned off
completely, accidentally unplugged or subjected
to a power outage. This memory will last for
approximately two weeks, after which time all
information must be reentered.
available if the subwoofer was selected during
the speaker configuration, see page 14).
to the outputs for Tape Outputs
1
or Video
1 Outputs 4I in the record mode.
When a digital audio recorder is connected to
the Coaxial Digital Audio Outputs
8, you
are able to record the digital signal using a
CD-R, MiniDisc or other digital recording system.
Note that all digital signals will be passed
through to the coaxial digital output, no matter
which kind of digital input was selected.
NOTES:
• The digital outputs are active only when a digi-
tal signal is present, and they do not convert an
analog input to a digital signal, or change the for-
mat of the digital signal (e.g. Dolby Digital to
OPERATION 23
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Operation
holding the Band Selector
panel pressed for 3 seconds until the
9
on the front
Tuner Operation
RDS Operation
The AVR 1550’s tuner is capable of tuning AM,
FM and FM Stereo broadcast stations and
receiving RDS data. Stations may be tuned
manually, or they may be stored as favorite
station presets and recalled from a 30 position
memory.
The AVR 1550 is equipped with RDS (Radio Data
System), which brings a wide range of informa-
tion to FM radio. Now in use in many countries,
RDS is a system for transmitting station call
signs or network information, a description of
station program type, text messages about the
station or specifics of a musical selection, and
the correct time.
STEREOindicator
U
goes out.
Preset Tuning
Using the remote, up to 30 stations may be
stored in the AVR 1550’s memory for easy recall
using the front panel controls or the remote.
To enter a station into the memory, first tune the
station using the steps outlined above. Then:
Station Selection
1. Press the AM/FM Tuner Select button
on the remote to select the tuner as an input.
The tuner may be selected from the front
panel by either pressing the Input Source
6
RDS Tuning
When an FM station is tuned in and it contains
RDS data, the RDS Indicator
and the AVR 1550 will automatically display the
station’s call sign or other program service in the
1. Press the Memory button
remote. Note that MEMORYindicator
illuminate and flash in the Main Information
Display
Q
on the
T
will
I
will illuminate
Selector
!
until the tuner is active or by
*
.
pressing the Tuner Band Selector
9
at any
2. Within five seconds, press the Numeric Keys
corresponding to the location where you
wish to store this station’s frequency. Once
entered, the preset number will appear in the
time.
Main Information Display
M.
G
2. Press the AM/FM Tuner Select button
or Tuner Band Selector again to switch
between AM and FM so that the desired frequen-
cy band is selected.
6
RDS Display Options
In normal RDS operation the display will indi-
cate the station name, broadcast network or
call letters. Pressing the RDS button
enables you to cycle through the various data
types in the following sequence:
9
Preset Number/Sleep Time Display
Q.
@N
3. Repeat the process after tuning any additional
stations to be preset.
3. Press the Tuner Mode button
remote or hold the Band Selector
H
on the
on the
9
Recalling Preset Stations
• To manually select a station previously entered
in the preset memory, press the Numeric Keys
front panel pressed for 3 seconds to select
manual or automatic tuning.
• The station’s call letters (with some private sta-
tions other information too).
When the AUTO indicator
Main Information Display
O
is illuminated in the
the tuner will
G
that correspond to the desired station’s
• The station’s frequency.
M
memory location.
only stop at those stations that have a strong
enough signal to be received with acceptable
quality.
• The Program Type (PTY) as shown in the list
below.
• To manually tune through the list of stored
preset stations one by one, press the Preset
• A “text” message (Radiotext, RT) containing
special information from the broadcast station.
Note that this message may scroll across the dis-
play to permit messages longer than the eight
positions in the display. Depending on signal
quality, it may take up to 30 seconds for the text
message to appear; in that time, the word
TEXTwill flash in the Information Display
when RT is selected.
Stations Selector buttons
front panel or remote.
)
O
on the
When the AUTO indicator
the tuner is in a manual mode and will stop at
each frequency increment in the selected band.
O
is not illuminated,
4. To select stations press any Tuning button
. When the AUTO indicator is illumin-
8
J
O
ated, press the button to cause the tuner to
search for the next highest or lowest frequency
station that has an acceptable signal or hold the
button pressed to tune more quickly and release
it to start the auto search. In the Auto mode the
tuner will play each station in stereo or mono
mode, just as the program is transmitted. If the
• The current time of day (CT). Note that it may
take up to two minutes for the time to appear,
in that time the word TIMEwill flash in the
information display when CT is selected.
Please note that the accuracy of the time data is
dependent on the radio station, not the
AVR 1550.
AUTO indicator
O
J
is not illuminated, tap the
to advance one frequen-
Tuning button
8
cy increment at a time, or press and hold it to
locate a specific station. When the TUNED
Some RDS stations may not include some of
these additional features. If the data required
for the selected mode is not being transmitted,
indicator
L
illuminates, the station is properly
tuned and should be heard with clarity.
5. Stations may also be tuned directly by press-
the Main Information Display
M
will show
ing the Direct button
the Numeric Keys
F
, and then pressing
a NOTYPE, NOTEXTor NOTIME
message after the individual time out.
G
that correspond to the
station’s frequency. The desired station will auto-
matically be tuned after the latest number is
entered. If you press an incorrect button while
entering a direct frequency, press the Clear
In any FM mode the RDS function requires a
strong enough signal for proper operation.
If you receive a partial message, or the
RDS Indicator
I
going on and off, try slowly
button
P
to start over.
adjusting the antenna or tune to another
stronger RDS station.
NOTE: When the FM reception of a stereo
station is weak, audio quality will be increased
by switching to Mono mode by pressing the
Tuner Mode button
H
on the remote or
24 OPERATION
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Operation
Program Search (PTY)
• JAZZ: Jazz Music
Remote
An important feature of RDS is its capability of
encoding broadcasts with Program Type (PTY)
codes that indicate the type of material being
broadcast. The following list shows the abbrevia-
tions used to indicate each PTY, along with an
explanation of the PTY:
The AVR 1550 is equipped with a powerful
remote control that will control not only the
receiver’s functions, but also compatible Harman
Kardon CD and DVD players.
• COUNTRY: Country Music
• NATIONAL: National Music
• OLDIES: Oldies Music
To switch between operating the AVR 1550 and
compatible Harman Kardon products, press the
Input Selectors to select either the AVR 1550
• FOLK M: Folk Music
• (RDS ONLY)
• DOCUMENT: Documentary Programs
• TEST: Emergency Test
• (TRAFFIC)
5
or a different source
4. Some of the
remote control functions will work no matter if
the AVR 1550 or compatible Harman Kardon DVD
player is selected. (See page 26). Pressing another
input source than DVD will change the
AVR 1550's input to this source. After that press
the AVR Input Selector button
• NEWS: News
• ALARM: Emergency Broadcast Information
• AFFAIRS: Current Affairs
• INFO: Infomation
You may search for a specific Program Type
(PTY) by following these steps:
5
again to
• SPORT: Sports
be able to control the AVR 1550.
1. Press the RDS button
rent PTY is shown in the Main Information
Display
@
N
until the cur-
• EDUCATE: Educational
• DRAMA: Drama
M.
2. While the PTY is shown, press the Preset
Up/Down button or hold them pressed
)
O
• CULTURE: Culture
to scroll through the list of available PTY types,
as shown above.
• SCIENCE: Science
3. Press any of the Tuning Up/Down buttons
• VARIED: Varied Speech Programs
• POPM: Popular Music
8J, the tuner begins to scan the FM band
upwards or downwards for the first station that
has RDS data that matches the desired selec-
tion, and acceptable signal strength for quality
reception.
• ROCKM: Rock Music
• M.O.R.M.: Middle-of-the-Road Music
• LIGHTM: Classical Music
• CLASSICS: Serious Classical Music
• OTHERM: Other Music
4. The tuner will make up to one complete scan
of the entire FM band for the next station that
matches the desired PTY type and has accept-
able reception quality. If no such station is
found, the display will read NONEfor some
seconds and the tuner will return to the last FM
station in use before the search.
• WEATHER: Weather Information
• FINANCE: Financial Programs
• CHILDREN: Children’s Programs
• SOCIAL A: Social Affairs Programs
• RELIGION: Religious Broadcasts
• PHONE IN: Phone-In Programs
• TRAVEL: Travel and Touring
• LEISURE: Leisure and Hobby
NOTE: Many stations do not transmit a specific
PTY. The display will show NONE, when such a
station is selected and PTY is active.
NOTE: Some stations transmit constant traffic
information. To identify as traffic station, they
transmit a specific traffic code constantly, which
causes the TA Indicator
K
to light in the dis-
play. These stations can be found by selecting
TRAFFIC, the option in front of NEWS in the list.
The AVR 1550 will find the appropriate station,
even if it is not broadcasting traffic information
when the search is made.
OPERATION 25
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Function List
No.
1
Button Name
Power On
AVR Function
Power On
DVD Function
Power On
2
Power Off
Power Off
Power Off
3
4
AVR
DVD
AVR Select
DVD Select
AVR Select
DVD Select
1
2
5
6
7
8
CD
TAPE
VID 1
VID 2
VID 3
TV
FM/AM
Audio
Subtitle
On/Off
Play
Pause
Stop
Status
Tune Down
Tune Up
Preset Down
Preset Up
Slow Reverse
Slow Forward
Step Reverse
Step Forward
Repeat
Random
Tun-M/Check
Volume Up
Speaker/Menu
Memory/Prog.
Enter
Volume Down
CD Input Select
Tape Input Select
Video 1 Select
Video 2 Select
Video 3 Select
TV Input Select
Tuner Select
3
7
4
8
5
9
6
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
37
38
39
40
41
42
43
44
45
46
47
48
49
50
51
52
53
54
55
56
57
58
10
14
18
Audio Track Select
Subtitle Select
Subtitle On/Off
Play
Pause
Stop
Status Select
R. Search
F. Search
Skip Previous
Skip Next
Slow Reverse
Slow Forward
Step Reverse
Step Forward
Repeat
Random Play
Check
Volume Up
Menu
Program
Enter
Volume Down
Up
Left
Right
Down
11
15
12
16
13
17
19
23
27
31
20
24
28
32
21
25
29
33
22
26
30
34
Tune Down
Tune Up
Preset Down
Preset Up
35
38
Tuner Mode
Volume Up
Speaker Adjust
Tuner Memory
36
37
Set
Volume Down
Move/Adjust Up
Move/Adjust Left
Move/Adjust Right
Move/Adjust Down
Surround Select
Digital Input Select/Direct
Channel Trim
Delay Adjust
1
2
3
Test Tone
4
5
6
Night Mode Select
7
8
9
Sleep
RDS
0
Clear
Mute
39 40 41 42
43 44 45 46
47 48 49 50
51 52 53 54
55 56 57 58
⁄
‹
›
¤
Surround Select
Digital
Channel/Title
Delay
1
2
3
Test
4
Title
Open/Close
1
2
3
4
5
6
5
6
Night
7
8
7
8
9
AVR 1550
9
Sleep
RDS
0
Clear
Mute
Setup Menu
0
Clear
26 FUNCTION LIST
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Troubleshooting Guide
SYMPTOM
CAUSE
SOLUTION
Unit does not function when
• No AC Power
• Make certain AC power cord is plugged
into a live outlet
Main Power Switch
1
is pushed
• Check to see if outlet is switch controlled
Display lights, but no sound
or picture
• Intermittent input connections
• Make certain that all input and speaker
connections are secure
• Mute is on
• Press Mute button
2
• Volume control is down
• Turn up volume control
Sound is heard, but Front-Panel
Display does not light
• Display brightness is turned off
• Follow the instructions in the Display Brightness section
on page 23 so that the display is set to VFD FULL
No sound from any speaker;
light around Power switch
• Amplifier is in protection mode
due to possible short
• Check speaker-wire connections for shorts at receiver
and speaker ends
2
is red
• Amplifier is in protection mode
due to internal problems
• Contact your local Harman Kardon service depot
No sound from surround or
center speakers
• Incorrect surround mode
• Incorrect configuration
• Select a mode other than Stereo
• Check speaker mode
• Stereo or Mono program material
• With (analog or digital) Dolby surround modes, the surround
decoder may not create rear-channel
information from non-encoded programs
• Check speaker-wire connections or use test tone
to verify connections (see page 18)
• Speakers not properly connected
Unit does not respond to
remote commands
• Weak batteries in remote
• Wrong device selected
• Change remote batteries
• Press the AVR selector
5
• Remote sensor
5
is obscured
• Make certain front-panel sensor is visible to remote or
connect remote sensor
Intermittent buzzing in tuner
• Local interference
• Move unit or antenna away from computers, fluorescent lights,
motors or other electrical appliances
Letters flash in the Channel Indicator
Display and Digital Audio stops
• Digital audio feed paused
• Resume play for DVD
• Check that Digital Signal is fed to the Digital Input selected
P
To clear the AVR 1550’s entire system memory
including tuner presets, output level settings,
delay times and speaker configuration data, first
NOTE: Resetting the processor will erase any
configuration settings you have made for speak-
ers, output levels, surround modes, digital input
assignments as well as the tuner presets. After a
reset the unit will be returned to the factory
presets, and all settings for these items must be
reentered.
Processor Reset
In the rare case where the unit’s operation or the
displays seem abnormal, the cause may involve
the erratic operation of the system’s memory or
microprocessor.
put the unit in Standby by pressing the System
Power Control button
2. Next, press the
Tone Mode
6
and the RDS buttons simul-
@
taneously.
To correct this problem, first unplug the unit from
the AC wall outlet and wait at least three min-
utes. After the pause, reconnect the AC power
cord and check the unit’s operation. If the system
still malfunctions, a system reset may clear the
problem.
The unit will turn on automatically and display
the RESETmessage in the Main
If the system is still operating incorrectly, there
may have been an electronic discharge or severe
AC line interference that has corrupted the
memory or microprocessor.
Information Display
M. Note that once you
have cleared the memory in this manner, it is nec-
essary to re-establish all system configuration
settings and tuner presets.
If these steps do not solve the problem, consult
an authorized Harman Kardon service depot.
TROUBLESHOOTING GUIDE 27
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Technical Specifications
Audio Section
Stereo Mode
FM Tuner Section
Frequency Range
87.5–108MHz
IHF 1.3 µV/13.2dBf
Mono/Stereo: 70/65dB (DIN)
Mono/Stereo: 0.15/0.3%
35dB @ 1kHz
300kHz: 65dB
80dB
90dB
Continuous Average Power (FTC)
Usable Sensitivity
Signal-to-Noise Ratio
Distortion
Stereo Separation
Selectivity
50 Watts per channel, 20Hz–20kHz,
@ < 0.07% THD, both channels driven into 8 ohms
Five-Channel Surround Modes
Power Per Individual Channel
Image Rejection
IF Rejection
Front L&R channels:
40 Watts per channel,
@ < 0.07% THD, 20Hz–20kHz into 8 ohms
AM Tuner Section
Frequency Range
Signal-to-Noise Ratio
Usable Sensitivity
Distortion
520–1611kHz
45dB
Loop: 500µV
1kHz, 50% Mod: 0.8%
9kHz: 30dB
Center channel:
40 Watts, @ < 0.07% THD, 20Hz–20kHz into 8 ohms
Surround channels:
40 Watts per channel,
@ < 0.07% THD, 20Hz–20kHz into 8 ohms
Selectivity
Input Sensitivity/Impedance
Video Section
Video Format
Linear (High Level)
200mV/47kohms
90dB
PAL/NTSC
Signal-to-Noise Ratio (IHF-A)
Input Level/Impedance 1Vp-p/75 ohms
Output Level/Impedance 1Vp-p/75 ohms
Video Frequency
Surround System Adjacent Channel Separation
Analog Decoding
(Pro Logic, etc.)
Dolby Digital (AC-3)
DTS
40dB
Response
10Hz–8MHz (–3dB)
55dB
55dB
General
Power Requirement
Power Consumption
AC 220-240V/50Hz
72W idle, 580W maximum
(2 channels driven)
Frequency Response
@ 1W (+0dB, –3dB)
10Hz–65kHz
25 Amps
High Instantaneous
Current Capability (HCC)
Dimensions (Max)
Width
440mm
166mm
435mm
11 kg
Transient Intermodulation
Distortion (TIM)
Height
Depth
Weight
Unmeasurable
Depth measurement includes knobs, buttons and terminal connections.
Height measurement includes feet and chassis.
All features and specifications are subject to change without notice.
Harman Kardon is a registered trademark, and Power for the digital revolution is a
trademark, of Harman International Industries, Inc.
*Manufactured under license from Dolby Laboratories.
“Dolby,” “Pro Logic II”, “AC-3” and the Double-D symbol are
trademarks of Dolby Laboratories. Confidential Unpublished
Works. ©1992–1999 Dolby Laboratories, Inc. All rights reserved.
†
DTS and DTS Surround are trademarks of Digital Theater Systems, Inc.
††
UltraStereo is a trademark of UltraStereo Corp.
Crystal is a registered trademark of Cirrus Logic Corp.
28 TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS
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29
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250 Crossways Park Drive, Woodbury, New York 11797
Harman Consumer International:
2, route de Tours, 72500 Château-du-Loir, France
© 2002 Harman Kardon, Incorporated
Part No.: 55498730
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