Harman-Kardon AVR 445 - Manual (Page 22)

22 INSTALLATION AND CONNECTIONS
Installation and Connections
Note: The 6.1-channel configuration is not
recommended for the AVR 445. We strongly
recommend a 7.1-channel installation as
described below. When 6.1-channel materials are
played through a 7.1-channel system, the same
surround back channel information is played
through both the left and right surround back
speakers.
If you are only able to install a single surround
back speaker at this time, you will not be able to
run the full EzSet/EQ 7.1-channel calibration
procedure. In that case, we suggest you install all
of your speakers except the surround back
speaker, and run the EzSet/EQ procedure for a
5.1-channel system (see page 28). After EzSet/EQ
has finished, connect the single surround back
speaker to the left Surround Back Speaker
Outputs
F. Then follow the instructions
starting on page 30 to manually configure your
surround back speaker.
We recommend that you consider adding a sec-
ond surround back speaker as soon as possible.
Rear surround speakers are required when a full
7.1-channel system is installed, and they may
also be used in 5.1 channel mode as an alterna-
tive mounting position when it is not practical to
place the main surround speakers at the sides of
the room. Speakers may be placed on a rear wall,
behind the listening position. As with the side
speakers, the center of the rear surrounds should
face you. The speakers should be no more than
2 meters behind the rear of the seating area.
The additional Surround Back Left/Right speakers
are placed at about 150 degrees on the circle,
pointing inward, toward the listening area. The
easiest way to visualize the placement of these
speakers is to place the surround back left
speaker directly opposite the right front speaker
and to place the surround back right speaker
directly opposite the left front speaker.
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 location
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.
For more information on subwoofer placement,
as well as a variety of topics relating to audio
and home theater, visit the Technology section of
our Web site at www.harmankardon.com. Links
are provided there to informative white papers
written by the acoustic and electronics experts at
Harman Kardon and at our parent company,
Harman International Industries, Inc.
Notes on speaker placement:
1. The limitations of your listening room, includ-
ing the placement of walls and furniture, may
make it difficult to follow the speaker placement
suggestions shown above. Depending on the
specific layout of the room, here are some ways
to compensate for unusual conditions:
• Try to follow the suggested placement, but
move the speakers within a meter from the
preferred locations.
• Regardless of where they are placed, always try
to make certain that the main surround
speakers are the same distance from the front
speakers. (For example, try not to have the
right surround speaker further back into the
room than the left surround speaker.)
• If it is not possible to wall-mount or place
speakers on a shelf, consider the use of
optional floor stands, available for many
speakers.
2. When using ceiling-mounted in-wall speakers,
follow the same guidelines shown for
conventional floorstanding or shelf-mounted
speakers.
3. When you have reassigned the surround back
channels for use in a multiroom system, follow
the speaker placement instructions for a
5.1-channel system for your main listening area
(see page 21).
A) Front Channel Speaker Installation with
Direct-View TV Sets or Rear-Screen Projectors
At least 15 cm from celling
At least 60 cm
5.1-Channel System
6.1-Channel System
7.1-Channel System
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