Introduction To Home Theater - Harman Kardon AVR 245 Owner's Manual

INTRODUCTION TO HOME THEATER

The AVR 245 may be the first multichannel surround sound receiver you
have owned. Although it has more connections and features than two-
channel receivers, many of the principles are similar and the new con-
cepts are easy to understand. This introductory section will help you to
familiarize yourself with the basic concepts, which will make setup and
operation smoother.
If you are already familiar with home theater, you may skip this section
and proceed to the Connections section on page 16.
Typical Home Theater System
A home theater typically includes your audio/video receiver, which controls
the system; a DVD player; a source component for television broadcasts,
which may be a cable box, a satellite dish receiver, an HDTV tuner or
simply an antenna connected to the TV; a video display (television);
and loudspeakers.
All of these components are connected using various types of cables for
audio and video signals.
Multichannel Audio
The main benefit of a home theater system is that several loudspeakers
are used in various locations around the room to produce "surround
sound." Surround sound immerses you in the musical or film presentation
for increased realism.
The AVR 245 may have up to seven speakers connected directly to it
(plus a subwoofer). Each main speaker is powered by its own amplifier
channel inside the receiver. When more than two speakers are used, it is
called a multichannel system.
• Front Left and Right – The main speakers are used the same way
as in a two-channel system. However, you may notice that in many
surround modes, these speakers are used more for ambient sound
while the main action, especially dialogue, is moved to the center
speaker.
• Center – The center speaker is usually placed above or below the
video screen, and is used mostly for dialogue in movies and television
programs. This placement allows the dialogue to originate near the
actors' faces, for a more natural sound.
• Surround Left and Right – The surround speakers are used to
improve directionality of ambient sounds. In addition, by using more
loudspeakers in the system, more dynamic soundtracks may be
played without risk of overloading any one speaker.
• Surround Back Left and Right – Additional surround speakers may
be placed behind the listening position, improving the precision with
which ambient sounds may be placed and allowing for more realistic-
sounding pans. By using more speakers in the system, the same
sound levels may be attained with less burden placed on any individ-
ual speaker.
The surround back speakers may also be used with specialized sur-
round modes that are designed for use with 7.1-channel systems,
such as Dolby Digital EX, DTS-ES (Discrete and Matrix) and Logic 7
(7.1 modes). However, the surround back speakers are optional. In
fact, the AVR 245 enables you to set up a 5.1-channel system in
your main listening area, and reassign the surround back channels for
use with a multiroom system, in which you use the surround back
channels to power a pair of loudspeakers located in another room.
Many people expect the surround speakers to play as loudly as the
front speakers. Although all of the speakers in the system will be cali-
brated to sound equally loud at the listening position, most artists use
the surround speaker for ambient effects only, and they program their
materials to steer very little sound to these speakers.
• Subwoofer – A subwoofer is a special-purpose speaker designed
to play only the lowest frequencies (the bass). It may be used to
augment smaller, limited-range satellite speakers used for the other
channels. In addition, many digital-format programs, such as movies
recorded in Dolby Digital, contain a special low-frequency effects
(LFE) channel which is directed only to the subwoofer. The LFE chan-
nel packs the punch of a rumbling train or airplane, or the power of
an explosion, adding realism and excitement to your home theater.
Many people use two subwoofers, placed on the left and right sides
of the room, for additional power and even distribution of the sound.
Surround Modes
There are different theories as to the best way to present surround
sound and to distribute soundtrack information among the various
speakers. A variety of algorithms have been developed in an effort to
accurately reproduce the way we hear sounds in the real world. The
result is a rich variety of surround mode options. Some modes are
selected automatically, depending on the signal being received from the
source. In many cases, you may select a surround mode manually.
Several companies have taken surround sound in slightly differing direc-
tions. It is helpful to group the numerous surround modes either by their
brand name, or by using a generic name:
• Dolby Laboratories, Inc. Modes – Dolby Digital, Dolby Digital EX,
Dolby Pro Logic II and IIx, Dolby Virtual Speaker, Dolby Headphone
• DTS Modes – DTS, DTS-ES (Discrete and Matrix), DTS Neo:6,
DTS 96/24
• Harman International (Harman Kardon's Parent Company) –
Logic 7
• DSP Modes – Generic modes that include Hall 1, Hall 2 and Theater
• Stereo Modes – Generic modes that expand upon conventional two-
channel stereo, including DSP Surround Off, Analog Bypass Surround
Off and 5- and 7-Channel Stereo
Table 4 on pages 45–47 contains detailed explanations of the differ-
ences between the various mode groups, and the mode options avail-
able within each group. Digital modes, such as Dolby Digital and DTS,
are only available with specially encoded programs, such as HDTV, DVDs
and digital cable or satellite television. Other modes may be used with
various digital and analog signals to create a different surround presen-
tation, or to use a different number of speakers. Surround mode selec-
tion depends upon the number of speakers in your system, the materi-
als you are watching or listening to, and your personal tastes. Feel free
to experiment.
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