Speaker Selection; Speaker Placement - Harman Kardon AVR 132 Owner's Manual

Installation and Connections

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.

Speaker Placement

The placement of speakers in a multichannel
home-theater system can have a noticeable
impact on the quality of sound reproduced.
Depending on the type of center-channel speak-
er in use and your viewing device, place the cen-
ter speaker either directly above or below your
TV, or in the center behind a perforated front-
projection screen.
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.
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.
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 for-
ward 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.
Using these guidelines, you'll find that it takes
some experimentation to find the correct loca-
tion 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.
Surround speakers should be placed on the side
walls of the room, at or slightly behind the lis-
tening position. The center of the speaker should
face you.
If side-wall mounting is not practical, the speak-
ers may be placed on a rear wall, behind the lis-
tening position. The speakers should be no more
than two meters behind the rear of the seating
area.
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 loca-
tion 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.
Center Front Speaker
No more than
60cm
Left Front
Speaker
A) Front Channel Speaker Installation with
Direct-View TV Sets or Rear-Screen Projectors
5.1-Channel System
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 15
Right Front
Speaker