Harman Kardon TA10 Owners Manual - Page 3

into place. Now tune to any station, preferably one with a musical program. Defeat the AFC by tuning the function switch to the FM position, and tune slowly through the station from left to right. Notice that there are three points where the station sounds clean, interspersed with points of distorted sound. The middle clean-sounding point is the proper tuning position for the best tone quality with minimum noise and interference. Detune the station so that the sound is distorted. Turn the function switch to FM-AFC, and notice how the sound clears up. 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 (differing with respect to the turnover points and the degree of emphasis or deemphasis) 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: Actually, the tuning has been readjusted by the operation of the AFC circuit, which automatically retunes the electronic circuits to the center of the station channel. The AFC circuit of the Harman-Kardon Solo performs the further function of overcoming any tendency of the tuner to drift. In order to take maximum advantage of the benefits of AFC, it is suggested that fine tuning be done with the function switch in the FM position. When the switch is then turned to the FM-AFC position the 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 it has been reinserted. 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, CetraSoria, 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 OPERATING INSTRUCTIONS A full understanding of the relationship among the Solo's operating controls will assure you realization of the rich potential of this excellent instrument. The FUNCTION switch has five positions: AM, FM, FM-AFC, Auxiliary and Phono. Its use is to select the desired type of program. 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 over -cutting 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 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. Three 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 "0" is uncompensated. Position 1 provides somewhat less compensation than that required to match the Fletcher-Munson loudness contour curves. Position 2 provides compensation that approximates the suggested curves. Since hearing characteristics vary from person to person (some require more and others less compensation), the 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 3 to you.