Operating Notes; Important Notes; Setting Up The System; Using Headphones - AKG HEARO 999 AUDIOSPHERE User Instructions

Before setting up your system, please remember the following points:
1. Operating switches on or connecting the HEARO 999 AUDIOSPHERE to your audio source
may cause clicks which at high volume settings may affect your hearing. Therefore, be sure
to set the VOLUME control (6) on the HEARO to minimum before switching between dif-
ferent sources (tuner, turntable, CD player, etc.) or connecting the HEARO.
2. Listening over headphones at high volume levels, particularly over extended periods of
time, may damage your hearing.
1. Switch ON the audio source to which the HEARO 999 AUDIOSPHERE is connected.
2. Push the ON switch (1) to switch the HEARO 999 AUDIOSPHERE ON.
1. Check whether the green DIGITAL LED (2) is illuminated.
If the DIGITAL LED (2) is dark, the audio circuitry is connected to the LINE IN LEFT/RIGHT
analog inputs (14).
2. If the green DIGITAL LED (2) is illuminated, the audio circuitry is connected to the digital
inputs.
Push the DIGITAL switch (2) to activate the analog inputs. The DIGITAL LED (2) will extin-
guish.
3. Use the INPUT control (3) on the HEARO front panel to set the input level such that the
INPUT LED (4) next to the INPUT control (3) will flicker green in step with the input signal
or light green steadily, occasionally flashing red on extremely loud sounds. Turn the
INPUT control (3) CCW just enough to stop the INPUT LED (4) flashing red.
1. Check whether the green DIGITAL LED (2) is illuminated.
If the green DIGITAL LED (2) is illuminated, the audio circuitry is connected to the digital
inputs.
2. If the DIGITAL LED (2) is dark, push the DIGITAL switch (8) to activate the digital inputs.
The DIGITAL LED (2) will illuminate.
3. Check the setting of the DIGITAL IN switch (17).
If you connected your digital audio source to the COAXIAL jack (16), make sure the
DIGITAL IN switch (17) is OUT.
If you connected your digital audio source to the OPTICAL jack (18), make sure the
DIGITAL IN switch (17) is IN.
There is no need to set the input level for digital input signals. Therefore, the INPUT
control (3) is disabled as soon as you push the DIGITAL switch (2) IN.
If you connect an audio source to each of the two digital inputs, you can use the DIGITAL IN
switch (17) to toggle between the two audio sources. You can not, however, listen to both
audio sources simultaneously.
1. Connect the stereo jack plug on the cable of your stereo headphones to the PHONES
jack (5).
3. Use the VOLUME control (6) to set the volume of the headphones.
To listen to the unprocessed stereo signal,
1. Set the MODE selector (9) to "DIRECT".
This deactivates all audio processors. The appropriate LEDs and the STEREO LED (8) will
extinguish and the SURROUND (7), EARS (10), and SOUND (11) selectors are disabled.
1. Set the MODE selector (9) to "IVA-PHONES".
The IVA processor is active and the IVA LED illuminates.
2. Set the SURROUND selector (7) to "OFF". The STEREO LED (8) illuminates and you will
hear the IVA processed stereo signal.
3. Select the ear curve that works best for you.
Begin by setting the EARS selector (10) to "N" for the standard ear curve. Try the other
six ear curves to find the one that you feel provides the most natural sonic perspective.
(You may find that you do not always prefer the same ear curve!)
4. Use the SOUND selector (11) to select the optimum sound setting.
Each of the four sound settings ("NORM", "MUSIC", "VOICE", AND "MOVIE") provides
three "subsettings" ("close", "medium", "wide") that let you change the spacing of the
loudspeakers simulated by IVA processing.
5. If you wish to add a room simulation to the signal for a live concert type ambience, set
the SURROUND selector (7) to "CLUB" (small venue), "HALL" (medium size concert hall),
or "STADIUM".
Since room simulation requires highly complex computing operations, there will be a delay of
approximately 1 second as you switch from one room simulation to another.

4 Operating Notes

4.1 Important Notes

4.2 Setting Up the
System
4.2.1 Analog Audio
Sources
4.2.2 Digital Audio
Sources
Note:
Note:

4.3 Using Headphones

4.3.1 Stereo Mode
4.3.2 Stereo + IVA
Mode
Note: