Harman Kardon HKS 4 Owners Manual - Page 3

Color-Coding System The HKS 4 and the HKTS 14 use the channel color-coding system established by the Consumer Electronics Association to make setting up your home theater speaker system as easy as possible. Your system includes a set of colored stickers that may be placed near the speaker terminals of each of the satellite speakers. In addition, the included speaker wires have colored bands at each end to assist you in connecting them correctly. Use the brown sticker and cable for the Surround Back Left speaker, and the tan sticker and cable for the Surround Back Right speaker. Although the wires included with your HKS 4 speakers are color-coded for the Surround Back Left and Right channels, they are interchangeable with the wires supplied with the HKTS 14 system. It doesn't matter which satellite speaker is used for any of the front or rear positions. (The center speaker and powered subwoofer of the HKTS 14 are already color-coded for you.) SPEAKER PLACEMENT Surround Speakers Side Surround Speakers Surround Back Speakers (7.1-Channel System) Surround Back Speakers (6.1-Channel System) (place at least 4 feet apart) 5 - 6 ft. When Used as Front Speakers Front speakers should be placed the same distance from each other as they are from the listening position. They should be placed at about the same height from the floor as the listeners' ears, or they may be angled toward the listeners. When Used as Surround Speakers For 5.1-channel applications, the two surround speakers should be placed slightly behind the listening position and, ideally, should face each other and be at a level higher than the listeners' ears. If that is not possible, they may be placed on a wall behind the listening position, facing forward. In 7.1-channel systems, place the side surround speakers slightly behind the listening position, as shown in the diagram to the left. The surround back speakers should be placed on the rear wall, facing forward, the same distance apart as the main front speakers. In 6.1-channel systems, you may use a pair of HKS 4 speakers for the surround back speakers in place of a single rear center speaker. Using two speakers will provide a more diffuse surround effect, and will also increase the total sound output for the surround back channel without overworking any individual speaker. Place the two speakers on the rear wall the same distance apart as each speaker is from the listener, but at least four feet apart. The surround back speakers in a 6.1- or 7.1-channel system should be placed at the same height as the surround speakers, about 5 to 6 feet above the floor. The surround speakers should not call attention to themselves. Experiment with their placement until you hear a diffuse, ambient sound accompanying the main-program material heard in the front speakers. SPEAKER PLACEMENT 3