Harman Kardon D200 Owners Manual - Page 3
Operating, Instructions, Record, Equalization, Organizing, Various, Controls
View all Harman Kardon D200 manuals
Add to My Manuals
Save this manual to your list of manuals |
Page 3 highlights
AFC will improve this careful tuning by a factor of 10 to 1. This procedure is especially recommended in those cases where a weak station is found close to a strong station. Under these conditions, the AFC may tend to reach for the strong station, and completely skip over the weak station. If the weak station is tuned with the AFC defeated, the AFC will lock it in, after the knob is released. *** • * OPERATING INSTRUCTIONS A full understanding of the relationship among the Recital's operating controls will assure you realization of the rich potential of this excellent instrument. The FUNCTION switch has six positions: AM, FM, Auxiliary and three phono equalizations. Its primary use is to select the desired type of program. A secondary purpose is to select a specific record equalization characteristic. RECORD EQUALIZATION In order to assure good reproduction of the wide range of frequencies in music and to make necessary adjustments for the limitations of the recording technique, record manufacturers have found it necessary to modify the actual frequency response of the music while it is being recorded. Thus, to avoid overcutting and consequent distortion, a measured and deliberate reduction is effected in low frequency response by selecting a "turnover frequency" and by recording attenuated response below that point. To assure optimum signal-to-noise at the high frequency end when the record is played at home, the highs are deliberately exaggerated during the recording process. A measured and deliberate boost is effected above a certain frequency. This combination of deliberate exaggeration at the low and high ends of the frequency response can be expressed in a"recording curve". When the record is played a mirror image of that curve should be available so that the ideal "flat" response may be achieved. Since several different recording curves have been used in the past (differingwith respect to the turnover points and the degree of emphasis or de emphasis) a choice of playback curves is provided in Harman-Kardon instruments. The three record equalization positions compensate for the characteristics of over 30 recording labels: LP: Most American long-playing records made before 1954 and some European LP's. Labels include: Columbia, London, Mercury, Oceanic, Remington, Tempo, Urania, Vanguard-Bach Guild, Vox, Westminster, RCA Victor (older), Atlantic, Decca, Polyphonic, Cetra-Soria, Esoteric, Haydn Society, MGM, Angel. RIAA: Most American records made after 1954, all records cut to standards of Audio Engineering Society, NAB, new RCA Victor Ortho, and newly standardized RIAA. Labels include RCA Victor (newer), Extended Play 45, Blue Note Jazz, Canyon, Capitol, Good Time Jazz, Mercury, some London, Bartok, Caedman, Capitol-Cetra, Philharmonic, EMS. EUR: Most European Long-playing, some American LP's and most 78 RPM discs. The LOUDNESS control is used to adjust the volume of any program. Its effect is selectively varied by the DYNAMIC CONTOUR Control. One of the limitations of human hearing is its tendency to lose sensitivity to the very low and very high pitched sounds, as the sound level is reduced. It is this characteristic (known as the Fletcher -Munson effect) which causes one to play music programs at high level in order to experience the fullness of tone available from fine modern recordings and identified with "live" listening. The Harman-Kardon Dynamic Loudness Contour Control compensates for the Fletcher -Munson effect, eliminating high reproduction level as a requisite for full enjoyment of reproduced music. Six positions of compensation are provided, to allow the selection of the one most suited to your hearing. Each position causes the loudness (Volume) control to perform with a different degree of compensation, the amount increasing with each clockwise setting. Position 1 is uncompensated. Position 2 and 3 provide somewhat less compensation than that required to match the Fletcher -Munson loudness contour curves. Position 4 matches the Fletcher -Munson curves. Position 5 and 6 provide greater amounts of compensation than the curves suggest. Since hearing characteristics vary from person to person (some require more and others less compensation), the great flexibility provided in these controls can be appreciated. In operation, the proper choice of contour is easily made, by switching through the several loudness contour positions and selecting the one which sounds best to you. Separate BASS and TREBLE controls are incorporated in the Recital, to provide the full range of adjustment required for satisfactory high fidelity performance. The TUNING and AFC DEFEAT control is used to tune inthe desired broadcast, and also serves to cut out the automatic frequency control at will. Notice the smooth counterweighted feel, found elsewhere only in the most expensive professional equipment. * *** ORGANIZING THE VARIOUS CONTROLS In general, every control on a well designed, honestly considered high fidelity instrument has a specific useful function, related to each of the other controls. Although this cannot be a full treatise on the subject, an explanatory note on the relationship of the various front panel controls will doubtless prove useful in organizing and clarifying them for the user. Beginning with the function selector, choose the type of program material you plan to listen to (tuner, phono, etc. ). Choose the correct record equalization