HARMAN-KARDON AVR 355 (01) PDF Document

To ensure proper operation and avoid potential safety hazards, follow these installation guidelines:

• Place the unit on a firm and level surface. Ensure the shelf and mounting hardware can support the product’s weight.

• Make certain that proper space is provided both above and below the unit for ventilation. If installed in a cabinet, ensure sufficient air movement.

• Do not place the unit directly on a carpeted surface.

• Avoid installation in extremely hot or cold locations, or areas exposed to direct sunlight or heating equipment.

• Avoid moist or humid locations.

• Do not obstruct the ventilation slots on top of the unit or place objects directly over them.

• Do not install this equipment in a confined space. Install it away from direct sunlight, heat sources, vibration, dust, moisture, and/or cold.

• Avoid installing this unit where foreign objects may fall onto it or where it may be exposed to liquid dripping or splashing. Do not place burning objects (like candles) or containers with liquid on top of the unit.

• Install the unit near an AC outlet where the power plug can be reached easily.

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.

1. Volume Control: Turn this knob clockwise to increase the volume, counterclockwise to decrease it. Adjusting the volume will automatically release the unit from a muted condition.

2. System Power Control: When the Main Power Switch on the rear panel is “ON,” press this button to turn the AVR on; press it again to turn the unit off (to Standby).

5. Navigation Buttons: Use these buttons to navigate the AVR’s menus and to operate the tuner.

6. OK Button: Press this button to select the currently highlighted item in the menus.

7. AVR Settings Button: Press this button to access the AVR’s main menu.

8. Info Settings Button: Press this button to directly access the AVR’s Setup Source submenu for the current source.

9. Resolution Button: Press this button, then use the Up/Down Navigation Buttons (5) to change the AVR’s video output resolution to 576i, 576p, 720p, 1080i, or 1080p. After selection, you must confirm the change.

10. Audio Effects: Press to directly access the Audio Effects submenu for tone and other controls.

11. Video Modes: Press for direct access to the Video Modes submenu to improve picture settings.

12. Source List Button: Press to open the on-screen Source Selection Menu. Scroll with the Navigation Buttons (5) and select with the OK Button (6).

15. Surround Modes: Press this button to select a surround sound mode. Use the navigation buttons to highlight a menu line (Auto Select, Virtual Surround, Stereo, Movie, Music, or Video Game), press OK, select the desired mode, and press OK again to engage it.

16. Back/Exit: Press this button to return to the previous menu or exit the menu system.

These indicators are multipurpose, showing either the speaker type selected for each channel or the incoming data-signal configuration. The indicators are composed of boxes:

• The center box lights when a “Small” speaker is selected.

• The two outer boxes light when “Large” speakers are selected.

• When no boxes are lit for a channel, no speaker has been selected for that position.

The letters inside each of the center boxes display active input channels. For standard analog inputs, only “L” and “R” will light. When a digital source is playing, the indicators will light to display the channels being received. When the letters flash, the digital input has been interrupted.

HDMI is a digital connection that can carry both high-definition video and audio signals. The version of HDMI on your source devices determines the connection process.

HDMI Input Connections:

• HDMI 1.0 sources: Carry digital video and PCM audio. Connect the HDMI output to one of the receiver’s HDMI Inputs. If the source has multichannel analog outputs (like some DVD-Audio players), connect them to the 8-Channel Direct Inputs. You may also need an additional coaxial or optical digital connection for 5.1 Dolby Digital or DTS audio.

• HDMI 1.1 sources: Carry multichannel digital audio from DVD-Audio players. A single HDMI connection to the receiver’s HDMI Inputs is sufficient for the main room.

• HDMI 1.2 (and higher) sources: Connect as you would for HDMI 1.1. A separate analog connection is not needed for SACD players.

• HDMI 1.3 sources: Connect as you would for HDMI 1.1. A separate analog connection is not needed for SACD, HD-DVD, or Blu-ray players.

HDMI Output Connections:

Connect the HDMI Output on the receiver to an HDMI input on your video display. The HARMAN-KARDON AVR 355’s video processing system converts all video input signals to an HDMI output, so only one connection is required between the AVR and your display.

1. Connect the analog output of a CD player to any of the analog audio inputs.

2. Connect the analog Play/Out jacks of a cassette deck or other audio recorder to the analog audio input jacks. Connect the recorder’s Record/In jacks to the audio output jacks on the AVR.

3. Connect the digital output of any digital sources (CD/DVD player, satellite receiver, etc.) to the Optical and Coaxial Digital Inputs.

4. Connect the Coaxial or Optical Digital Outputs on the AVR to a digital recorder.

5. Assemble and connect the AM Loop Antenna and connect the FM antenna.

6. Connect a VCR’s audio and video Play/Out jacks to the Video 2 and Analog 4 In jacks. Connect the VCR’s Record/In jacks to the Video 2 and Analog 4 Out jacks on the AVR.

7. If your DVD player and monitor have component video connections, connect the DVD player’s component outputs to the Video 1 Component Video Inputs on the AVR.

8. Connect the Component Video Output on the receiver to the component video inputs of your display device.

9. For temporary connections (e.g., camcorder, video game), use the Front Panel Inputs.

Front Speakers:

• Use the same model or brand for the front-left, center, and front-right speakers for a seamless soundstage.

• Place the center speaker directly above or below your TV.

• Position the left and right front speakers as far away from each other as the center speaker is from your listening position.

• Ideally, the front speakers’ tweeters should be no more than 60 cm above or below the center speaker’s tweeter.

• Keep front speakers at least 0.5 meters from your TV unless they are magnetically shielded.

Surround Speakers:

• 5.1-Channel System: The preferred location is on the side walls of the room, at or slightly behind the listening position.

• 6.1-Channel System: A back surround speaker should be placed at the center of the room’s rear wall, pointing towards the front center speaker.

• 7.1-Channel System: Both side surround and back surround speakers are required. The center of the speakers should face you.

Subwoofer:

Subwoofers produce largely nondirectional sound and can be placed almost anywhere. A good starting point is in the front of the room, about 15 cm from a wall, or near a front corner.

1. Plug the Power Cable into an unswitched AC outlet.

2. Press the Main Power Switch on the rear panel to the ON position. The Power Indicator will turn amber, indicating Standby mode.

3. Remove the protective plastic film from the main front-panel lens.

4. Install the four supplied AAA batteries in the remote control, observing polarity.

5. Turn the AVR on by pressing the System Power Control on the front panel, or the AVR Power ON Button or any of the Input Selectors on the remote. The Power Indicator will turn white.

EzSet/EQ automates the speaker configuration process for quicker, easier, and more precise calibration.

Step 1: Ensure your listening room has as little background noise as possible. Turn off fans, air conditioners, etc.

Step 2: Place the EzSet/EQ microphone at your usual listening position at ear level. A camera tripod can be useful for stable placement.

Step 3: Plug the EzSet/EQ microphone into the HARMAN-KARDON AVR 355’s Headphone Jack using the supplied adapter.

Step 4: Press the AVR Settings Button on the remote to bring up the Main Menu. Navigate to “Speaker Setup” and press OK. Select “Automatic Setup – EzSet/EQ” and press OK.

Step 5: A screen will appear reminding you to plug in the microphone. Ensure the cursor is on “Continue” and press the OK Button.

Step 6: Select your speaker configuration (5.1 or 7.1) that reflects the number of speakers installed.

Step 7: The process will begin. You will hear test signals circulate among all speakers as the system sets levels, distance, delay times, speaker “size,” and crossover points. The room should be kept silent during this process.

Step 8: When the EzSet/EQ process is finished, a screen will appear with the results. Press the OK Button. Unplug the microphone and store it in a safe place.

Manual setup is an alternative to the automatic EzSet/EQ process. From the main menu, navigate to Speaker Setup, then select Manual Setup.

1. Number of Speakers: Set each speaker group (Center, Surround L/R, Surround Back L/R) to ON if present, or OFF if not. The Front Left & Right speakers are always ON. For multiroom operation, you can set the surround back speakers to “Zone 2.”

2. Adjust Crossover Frequencies (Size): For each speaker group, select the crossover frequency (40Hz, 60Hz, 80Hz, 100Hz, 120Hz, 150Hz, or 200Hz) based on your speaker’s lowest reproducible frequency. If it’s below 40Hz, select “Large.” Specify the subwoofer’s transducer size (8, 10, 12, or 15 inches).

3. Sub Mode: If front speakers are set to a numeric crossover, this will be LFE. If front speakers are set to LARGE, you can choose L/R+LFE (sends all low-frequency info to the sub) or LFE (sends only the LFE channel info to the sub).

4. Adjust Speaker Distance: Enter the measured distance from each speaker to the primary listening position. The default unit is feet, but it can be changed to meters in the System Settings menu.

5. Setting Channel Output Levels (Level Adjust): This process ensures each speaker is heard at the listening position with equal loudness. You can use the internal test tone or external source material. Using a handheld SPL meter is recommended for accuracy. Navigate to the Level Adjust menu, activate the Test Tone (AUTO or MANUAL), and adjust the level for each channel between -10dB and +10dB until they sound equally loud or measure 75dB on an SPL meter.

The HARMAN-KARDON AVR 355 offers a variety of surround modes for different types of audio content. Here is a summary:

The HARMAN-KARDON AVR 355 can send one source to a second zone while a separate source is playing in the main room. Only analog audio sources are available to the multizone system.

Multiroom Setup:

1. After making audio and IR link connections, press the AVR button on the remote to access the main menu.

2. Navigate to the ZONE 2 menu line and press OK.

3. At the “Status” line, press OK to turn the system on.

4. Navigate to the “Source” line, press OK, and select the desired source for the remote zone from the list.

5. Navigate to the “Volume” line and use the navigation buttons to set the desired volume level for the remote zone.

Multiroom Operation:

To operate the system from the main room, use the Zone 2 menu. To operate it from the remote zone, use the included Zone 2 remote control (or slide the Zone Select Switch on the main remote to the “2” position). Press a Source Selector to choose an input for the remote zone. The volume and mute controls will only affect the remote zone. The multizone system can be turned on from standby by pressing the ON button while the Zone Select is set to Zone 2.

You can use the surround back left/right amplifier channels to power speakers in a remote zone, which configures the main room for 5.1-channel operation.

1. Access the main menu by pressing the AVR button.

2. Navigate to the Zone 2 menu line and press OK.

3. The “Surround Back Amps” line is used to assign the channels. Select the “Zone 2” setting when multizone listening is desired. If the multiroom system is not in use, this setting can be changed to “Main Room” to accommodate a 7.1-channel system.

Remember that with this setting, you will not be able to use 6.1/7.1-channel decoding modes, and the speakers for the remote zone must be connected to the Surround Back/Multiroom Speaker Outputs.

Press the Video Modes Button on the front panel or remote to access the Video Modes menu. From here you can make adjustments to improve the picture.

• Video Mode: Select a processing option to optimize the picture (Sports, Nature, Movie, Custom) or select Processor Off to pass the signal through without processing. “Custom” allows manual adjustment of Brightness, Contrast, Color, and Sharpness.

• Picture Adjust: Use this to change the aspect ratio of the image to fit your display screen (Auto Fit, Height Fit, Width Fit, Zoom 1x, Zoom 2x).

• Advanced Video Settings: Access this submenu to adjust settings like Noise Reduction, MPEG Noise Reduction, Cross Color Suppressor, and Film Mode Detect to correct for specific video artifacts or authoring errors.

Press the Audio Effects Button on the front panel or remote to access the Audio Effects menu. These settings affect each source independently.

• Tone Control: When On, the Treble and Bass controls are active. You can boost or cut high (Treble) and low (Bass) frequencies by up to 10dB.

• LFE Trim: Reduces the output to the separate subwoofer channel by up to 10dB if the level seems too loud for a particular source.

• Night Mode: Available with some Dolby Digital programs, this feature compresses the dynamic range to make loud passages quieter while keeping dialogue intelligible. You can select Off, Half, or Full compression.

1. Press the Radio Source Selector on the remote. Press it again to switch between AM and FM bands.

2. Use the navigation buttons to tune a station. The AVR defaults to automatic tuning, scanning to the next station with acceptable signal strength. To switch to manual tuning (stepping through single frequency increments), press the Menu button, highlight the Mode line, and press OK to toggle between automatic and manual modes.

3. To store a station as a preset (up to 30 total), tune to the desired station, press the OK Button, use the Numeric Keys to enter the desired preset number, and confirm with the OK Button.

4. To tune a preset station, use the navigation buttons or enter the preset number using the Numeric Keys.

1. Find the three-digit code(s) for your device type (e.g., TV, VCR) and brand in the separate setup-code guide.

2. Turn on the device you wish to program.

3. Press and hold the Input Selector on the remote for the device type (e.g., DVD, TV) for more than 3 seconds, until it lights up, then release it.

4. Point the remote at the device and enter the first three-digit code using the Numeric buttons.

5. If the device turns off, the correct code has been entered. Press the Input Selector again to confirm. The red light under the selector will flash three times.

6. If the device does not turn off, continue entering the other three-digit codes for that brand until the device turns off. Then, confirm by pressing the Input Selector.

7. Test all functions on the remote (volume, channel, transport) to ensure the device operates properly. If not all functions work, you may need to try a different code from the list.

Use this method if your device’s code is not listed or does not work correctly. This method works only with devices that have a remote-controlled Power function.

1. Turn on the product you wish to program.

2. Press and hold the Input Selector for the device type for more than 3 seconds until it lights up, then release it.

3. Point the remote towards the device and press and hold the ▲ button. The remote will send a series of power codes, indicated by the flashing red light under the Input Selector.

4. When the device turns off, immediately release the ▲ button.

5. Press the Input Selector again to confirm the code. The red light will flash three times.

6. Test all functions to ensure proper operation. If they do not work correctly, you may need to repeat the process or use the Direct Code Entry method.

The AVR 355 remote can learn codes from other IR remotes.

1. Place the front of the original remote and the AVR 355 remote “head-to-head,” about 2 to 4 cm apart.

2. On the AVR 355 remote, select the Input Selector button under which you wish to learn the new functions.

3. Press the Learn Button for 3 seconds. The selected Input Button will light up.

4. Within 25 seconds, press the button on the AVR 355 remote that you want to program. The Input Button will blink once.

5. Press and hold the corresponding button on the original remote. When the Input Button on the AVR 355 remote blinks 3 times, the code has been learned successfully.

6. Repeat steps 4 and 5 for each button you wish to program.

7. When finished, press the Learn button on the AVR 355 remote. The Input Button will blink 3 times and extinguish, indicating that Learn mode is off.

Activities allow you to send a sequence of up to 19 commands with a single button press.

1. To start, press the Activity button and one of the 0-9 numeric buttons (or the AVR Power On button) simultaneously. The latest selected Device LED will light red.

2. Enter the steps for the activity sequence by pressing the buttons for each command. Remember to press the appropriate Input Selector button before changing functions to another device.

3. When all steps have been entered, press the Activity button again to store the sequence. The red light under the Input Selector will blink three times and then turn off.

To execute the activity, press the Activity button, followed by the numeric button you programmed.

Resetting the remote will erase all commands, activities, and punch-through programming you have entered.

1. Press the TV Device Button and the “0” number Button simultaneously. The TV button will light up.

2. Press the “3” button three times.

3. After a few seconds, all the Device Buttons and the AVR Button will blink 3 times to indicate that the remote has been reset to the factory settings.

In the rare case of abnormal operation, a processor reset may solve the issue. This will erase all system memory, including tuner presets, output levels, delay times, and speaker configuration data.

1. First, put the unit in Standby by pressing the System Power Control button.

2. Next, press and hold the front panel OK button for five seconds.

The unit will turn on automatically and show the word “RESET” in the display. It will then revert to normal ON status. After the reset, you must re-establish all system configuration settings and tuner presets.