Operation - Harman Kardon HKSUB 12 Service Manual

HKSUB12

OPERATION

Power
Press the Master Power Switch ⁄
(marked Power) at the " • " (On) marking.
The HKSUB 12 subwoofer will automatically
turn on or go into Standby mode, depending
on whether or not a signal is being sent to it
by your receiver or surround processor, and
provided that the Music-Sense On/Off
Switch § is moved to the left so that it is
in the position.
When your receiver or amplifier is off, or is
not sending program material to the sub-
woofer, the subwoofer will be in Standby
mode and the LED Indicator ¶ on the
amp panel will turn red. When the subwoofer
senses an audio signal, it will automatically
turn on and the LED Indicator ¶ will turn
green. If the subwoofer does not sense a
signal after approximately fifteen minutes,
it will automatically go into Standby mode.
When the Music-Sense On/Off Switch §
is switched to the position, the sub-
woofer will remain on, whether or not pro-
gram material is playing.
When you are away from home for
an extended period of time, switch the
Master Power Switch ⁄ to the
position to prevent accidental activation of
the HKSUB 12.
Volume
Volume may be adjusted using the
Subwoofer Level Control ‚, as
shown. Turn the control knob clockwise
to increase the volume of the subwoofer,
and counterclockwise to decrease the
subwoofer's volume.
MIN MAX
MIN MAX
The Subwoofer Level Control ‚ adjusts
the volume of the subwoofer relative to the
rest of the system. Proper level adjustment
depends on several variables such as room
size, subwoofer placement, type of main
speakers and listener position. Adjust the
subwoofer level so that the volume of the
bass information is pleasing to you.
Additional Bass Adjustments
In addition to the volume adjustments
described above, the HKSUB 12 subwoofer
includes a Crossover Frequency Control
ª, a Filter Switch • and a Phase
Switch ∞ that can be used to adjust the
bass response to suit your listening environ-
ment or taste.
The Crossover Frequency Control ª
determines the highest frequency at which
the subwoofer reproduces sounds when the
Speaker-Level Inputs ¡ or Line-Level
Full-Range Inputs £ are used. Consult
the owner's manual for your main speakers
to determine the lowest frequency they are
capable of reproducing, and set this control
slightly above that frequency. For example, if
the specified frequency response for your
main speakers is 80Hz – 20kHz, then set
the Crossover Frequency Control ª
slightly to the left of the
on the HKSUB 12's amplifier panel.
The Crossover Frequency Control ª has
no effect when the SUB Input ¢ is in use,
or when the High-Cut (Low-Pass) Filter
Switch • is in the
position.
The High-Cut (Low-Pass) Filter Switch
• limits the frequencies of the audio signal
inputted to the subwoofer to the low
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harman/kardon
frequencies that the subwoofer reproduces
best. This allows the subwoofer to perform
more efficiently and with superior bass
reproduction, minimizing distortion that might
occur if the subwoofer attempted to repro-
duce higher frequencies. This switch should
be left in the
1. When the SUB Input ¢ is being used,
in which case it has no effect, or
2. When the Speaker-Level Inputs ¡ or
the Line-Level Full-Range Inputs £ are
being used with a crossover or filter aboard
the receiver or processor.
In these two circumstances, place the switch
in the position.
If your receiver or processor allows you to
select the crossover frequency for the main
speakers, choose the setting just above the
lowest frequency the main speakers are
capable of reproducing. This will send the
low-frequency portion of the signal to your
HKSUB 12, which is best able to reproduce
these frequencies with greatest efficiency
and minimal distortion. In this case, you may
use the SUB Input ¢ connection, or if
that is not compatible with your receiver or
processor, place the High-Cut (Low-Pass)
Filter Switch • in the
order to avoid filtering the signal twice, which
may lead to signal loss and distortion.
In most situations, the Phase Switch ∞
should be left in the
If you suspect that the subwoofer is playing
out of phase with the other speakers, which
would tend to diminish bass response, try
marking
placing this switch in the
position. There is no harm in experimenting,
and you may return the switch to the
position at any time.
If you rearrange your room and reposition
the speakers, it would be a good idea to
check whether they are in phase by
flipping this switch.
position, except:
position in
position.