Harman Kardon CDR2 Product Information

Advanced Technologies Featured in the

FL Series CD Changers, CDR 2 and DVD 5

Harman Kardon products have delivered unparalleled

performance, elegant design and ease of operation for

almost half a century. Our new lineup – FL Series CD

changers, the DVD 5 and the CDR 2 – incorporates some

of the most advanced digital technologies available to date.

FL Series CD Changers

(FL 8550 & FL 8370)

All CD changers are created equal, right?

Wrong! All CD players are NOT created equal. In fact, the most common reason people buy

CD players is that they want

“

CD-quality sound.

”

Consumers associate CD-quality sound with

being good, but that does not mean that all CD players perform the same. That

’

s like assuming

all cars perform the same. After all, any car gets you from point A to point B, regardless of the

manufacturer, yet everyone would agree that a Lexus offers a level of refinement, performance

and luxury not found in a Yugo.

CD players are no different. While one could argue that the CD is a constant, the signal path it

follows is not. The single most important factor in the final sound quality is the conversion of

the signal from digital to analog, otherwise known as the D/A (digital to analog) converter. It

’

s

here that the integrity of

“

CD-quality

”

sound can be degraded.

Harman Kardon has dedicated itself to building CD players that, simply put,

“

sound better.

”

We use some of the best D/A converters available. That means Burr-Brown 20-bit D/A

converters in both the FL 8550 and FL 8370. Couple that with HDCD

®

processing (more on

that below), and the FL Series CD players bring true meaning to the phrase

“

CD-quality

sound.

”

In addition, the FL 8550 and FL 8370 are both equipped with a coaxial digital output

for digital recording (using the new CDR 2 CD recorder). This coaxial output can also be used

to pass a DTS

®

stream from DTS-encoded CDs. However, the Burr-Brown D/A converters and

HDCD processors are only beneficial when an analog connection is used. Therefore, for peak

performance from your stereo CDs and HDCD discs, it is best to use the analog outputs/connections

of the CD player. (Note: When using a digital output connection, HDCD information from HDCD

discs will be passed intact to other equipment such as the CDR 2, or to receivers with HDCD

processing onboard, such as the Harman Kardon AVR 7000.)

What about chassis design?

Power supplies and electrical parts can cause a condition known as

“

stray magnetic radiation.

”

This condition can interfere with the integrity of digital-quality sound, thereby reducing fidelity

and accuracy (signal/noise ratio). Harman Kardon goes to great lengths to reduce stray

magnetic radiation by using specially engineered transformers and careful placement within

the changer

’

s chassis. This design dramatically reduces field radiation that would normally

interfere with the digital signal. This results in significantly increased signal-to-noise

figures with greater accuracy and detail.

Power for the digital revolution

™

.

®