Harman HK 990 User Manual

HK 990

Integrated ampliﬁer

Owner’s Manual

HK 990

Safety Instructions

Important Safety Instructions

1. read these instructions.

2. Keep these instructions.

3. heed all warnings.

4. follow all instructions.

5. do not use this apparatus near water.

6. clean only with a dry cloth.

7. do not block any ventilation openings. Install in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions.

8. do not install near any heat sources such as radiators, heat registers, stoves or other apparatus (including amplifiers) that produce heat.

9. do not defeat the safety purpose of the polarized or grounding-type plug. a polarized plug has two blades with one wider than the other. a grounding-type

plug has two blades and a third grounding prong. the wide blade or the third prong is provided for your safety. If the provided plug does not fit into your outlet,

consult an electrician for replacement of the obsolete outlet.

10. protect the power cord from being walked on or pinched, particularly at plugs, convenience receptacles and the point where they exit from the apparatus.

11. only use attachments/accessories specified by the manufacturer.

12. use only with the cart, stand, tripod, bracket or table specified by the manufacturer or sold with the apparatus.

When a cart is used, use caution when moving the cart/apparatus combination to avoid injury from tip-over.

13. unplug this apparatus during lightning storms or when unused for long periods of time.

14. refer all servicing to qualified service personnel. servicing is required when the apparatus has been damaged in any way, such as power supply cord or plug

is damaged, liquid has been spilled or objects have fallen into the apparatus, or the apparatus has been exposed to rain or moisture, does not operate normally

or has been dropped.

15. do not expose this apparatus to dripping or splashing and ensure that no objects filled with liquids, such as vases, are placed on the apparatus.

16. to completely disconnect this apparatus from the ac mains, disconnect the power supply cord plug from the ac receptacle.

17. the mains plug of the power supply cord shall remain readily operable.

18. do not expose batteries to excessive heat such as sunshine, fire or the like.

CAUTION

RISK OF ELECTRIC SHOCK

DO NOT OPEN

the lIghtnIng flash WIth an arroWhead symbol, WIthIn an eQuIlateral

trIangle, Is Intended to alert the user to the presence of unInsulated

“dangerous Voltage” WIthIn the product’s enclosure that may be of

suffIcIent magnItude to constItute a rIsK of electrIc shocK to persons.

WarnIng: to reduce the rIsK of fIre or electrIc shocK, do not eXpose thIs

apparatus to raIn or moIsture.

the eXclamatIon poInt WIthIn an eQuIlateral trIangle Is Intended to

alert the user to the presence of Important operatIng and maIntenance

(serVIcIng) InstructIons In the lIterature accompanyIng the product.

see marKIng on bacK of product.

this product incorporates copyright protection technology that is protected by u.s. patents and other intellectual property rights. use of this copyright protection technology must be

authorized by rovi corporation, and is intended for home and other limited viewing uses only unless otherwise authorized by rovi corporation. reverse engineering or disassembly is

prohibited.

In order to use the hrs-link feature in this product, use only the cable provided by the manufacturer to connect this product to another product. this cable uses ferrite sleeves to

suppress radiated interference. use of any cable not supplied by the manufacturer may void the user’s authority to operate the equipment.

HK 990

Introduction

Congratulations on your choice of the harman Kardon^®hK 990 Integrated ampliﬁer.

Accessory List

In order to obtain the best performance from this integrated ampliﬁer, please be sure to

read this owner’s manual and use your integrated ampliﬁer only in accordance with its

instructions.

•

owner’s manual

remote control + 4 aaa batteries

ezset microphone

power cord

In terms of raw power, the hK 990 is the most muscular ampliﬁer ever to carry the

harman Kardon name, more than capable of driving the most demanding loudspeaker

loads without breaking a sweat. but the hK 990’s awesome power is nothing if not highly

reﬁned, extending beyond watts and amps. With a choice of discrete optical or coaxial

inputs or an analog-only signal path, as well as fourth-generation real-time linear

smoothing (rls IV), 2.2-channel ezset/eQ^™room optimization, dual subwoofer outputs

and an audiophile-quality phono preamp section, the hK 990 offers a combination of

features you will ﬁnd irresistible. others, of course, may simply hunger for all that power.

We understand completely.

the special features of this unit include:

•

high-current capability to provide the instantaneous current necessary to drive and

control nearly any loudspeaker system precisely

•

ultrawide-bandwidth ampliﬁer design for improved transient accuracy and phase

linearity

•

low negative feedback for further improved dynamic accuracy

use of discrete electronic circuitry to provide the highest performance level

dual-path technology for pure analog or pure digital audio processing within the same

product

•

ezset/eQ room optimization for quick and accurate system setup, optimized for two

channels and two subwoofers

symmetric (balanced) Xlr analog inputs for lower noise levels and higher signal-to-

noise performance

rls IV digital-to-analog conversion technology, with dual conversion using two stereo

ad1955 high-grade dacs in dual mono conﬁguration

hrs link for harman Kardon cd players to lock themselves to the external clock of

the ampliﬁer for a jitter-free connection, similar to having cd playback inside the

ampliﬁer

•

dual differential input stages with their own high-voltage supply, resulting in high gain

and low noise as well as high channel separation

cascoded predriver stage to reduce high-frequency distortion, allowing crystal-clear

high frequencies, free from any harsh sound

thermaltracking mechanism usingthermaltrak^™output stage transistors that include

internal temperature sensors to bias the current of the output stage in real time

sophisticated electronic-protection circuitry to guard the ampliﬁer from short-circuit

or from damaged speakers and wires, without impairing sound quality, by using

current limiting or output relays

•

dc servo to ensure that the dc level of the ampliﬁer output will stay within a speciﬁed

limit at any condition

multiple protection circuits to switch the ampliﬁer off in case overcurrent, overvoltage,

overtemperature or dc protection is detected

dual toroidal transformers and up to 15,000μf of supply ﬁltering per channel for high

channel separation and tight bass control, even with low-impedance loads

•

dual-line dot-matrix display

record out available in both digital and analog domains (two analog outputs and one

coaxial digital output)

•

a/b speaker switching

Ir remote extension jacks for control of the ampliﬁer when placed in a cabinet

harman Kardon system remote for control of compatible harman Kardon cd players

and tuners

HK 990

Controls and Functions

)

Power indicator: this led will illuminate in amber when the unit is in the standby

With both speaker 1 and speaker 2 selectors in the off position, output is supplied only

to headphones. When using the automatic loudspeaker setup and calibration system

(ezset/eQ), plug the microphone in here.

mode to signal that the unit is ready to be turned on. When the unit is in operation, the

indicator will turn white.

System power control: press this button to turn on the hK 990; press it again to

Volume control: turn to raise or lower output volume.

turn the unit off (to standby). entering standby also saves all setup parameters.

Remote Sensor Window: the sensor behind this window receives infrared signals

Speaker 1/2 selectors: press to select speaker pair 1 or 2, or both, or neither

from the remote control. aim the remote at this area and do not block or cover it unless

an external remote sensor is installed.

(headphone output only).

Record Out selector: first press shows the record source presently selected in

Enter button: press to select a parameter for adjustment and to conﬁrm.

the display. pressing on the source selector 5 within a few seconds after pressing 4

changes the record source. exit this function by pressing 6 again, or wait for a few

seconds until exit takes place automatically.

Main Information Display: this display delivers messages and status indications

to help you operate the ampliﬁer.

Input Source selector: select input source for listening by pressing one of the

source buttons repeatedly to scroll through all the inputs either forwards or backwards,

until the display shows the desired source.

Input Setup button: press this button to enter/exit the Input setup mode. here you

can select the physical connection for each source (analog/digital, etc.) as well as gain,

bass/treble, etc. refer to the setup section of this manual.

Speaker Setup selector: press this button to enter the speaker setup menu, where

you can switch subwoofers on and off, select crossover frequency, run automatic speaker

setup (ezset/eQ), etc. refer to “setup Instructions” on page 12 in this manual.

in a menu.

Up/Down Arrow buttons: press to scroll through various options for adjustment

Left/Right Arrow buttons: press to increase/decrease a parameter or to select

between parameters after selecting a menu for adjustment with the up/down arrow

buttons.

)

Level Settings button: press to enter/exit the balance left/right adjustment for the

speakers as well as subwoofer level.

Headphone Jack/Setup Microphone input: plug in headphones if desired.

HK 990

Connections

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0 right speaker output, system 2.

I processor analog inputs. these inputs go directly to the power ampliﬁer section of

the hK 990, bypassing the Volume and tone control. here you can connect the front

channel pre out l+r signals from an external surround processor, to beneﬁt from

the superior power of the hK 990 and control volume from the processor. NOTE: only

use the processor input with a device that has its own volume control!

1 right speaker output, system 1.

2 rs-232 connector for possible future pc update, plus update switch.

3 Input jacks for one or two subwoofer signals from external surround processor.

J cd analog-input jacks. you can select either this input or the balanced input (D) as

analog input in the cd Input setup mode.

4 output jacks for two subwoofers.

5 digital coaxial output jack for digital recording. also permits digital recording of

K phono input for record player with moving magnet (high output and high impedance)

or high-output moving coil cartridge.

analog sources.

6 preampliﬁer output jacks.

L phono input for record player with moving coil (low output and low impedance)

7 analog output jacks for tape recording.

8 analog output jacks for cd-recorder analog recording.

cartridge.

M If your record player has a separate ground wire, attach it here to avoid hum noise.

9 auxiliary input jacks, suitable for analog signals from video games, video recorders,

N connect the trigger input (if available) on one or two subwoofers to these trigger on/

off output jacks. When you switch on the hK 990, it sends a trigger signal, which

switches on the subwoofer. When you switch off the hK 990, the subwoofer also

switches off.

etc.

A tV input jacks for analog-sound input from your tV.

B tape input jacks for analog tape replay.

O hrs (high-resolution synchronization) input. use the included hrs cable to connect

the hd 990 cd player (or other similarly equipped player) for optimum sound

quality.

P optical digital inputs (toslInK^™). connect any digital device with optical digital

output to one of these inputs. push the optical jack through the hinged door that

covers the input until it clicks into place.

C cdr input jacks for cd-recorder analog replay.

D balanced analog inputs (Xlr) for use with all signal sources that output balanced

signals. available via the cd Input function only, as an alternative to the unbalanced

rca jacks (input J). pin conﬁguration for the Xlr Inputs: pin 1 is ground, pin 2 is

plus/hot, pin 3 is minus/cold.

E left speaker output, system 2.

F left speaker output, system 1.

G ac power-cord connection.

H tuner analog-input jacks.

Q coaxial digital inputs. connect any digital device with coaxial digital output to one

of these inputs. usually, coaxial digital transmission is preferred to optical, given a

choice.

R remote In. to control your hK 990 with an external infrared remote sensor, connect

the wire from the remote sensor here.

S remote out. connect other harman Kardon devices (you may also experiment with

other brands) that you wish to control with the hK 990 remote control to this output.

HK 990

Connections

Connecting Other Components

1. make sure your ampliﬁer and other components are turned off.

2. connect each component’s output/play jacks to the corresponding input jacks on the

back of your ampliﬁer and, if available, the component’s input/record jacks to the

output jacks of the hK 990. use the white, black or gray plugs to connect left-channel

jacks; use the red plugs for right-channel jacks.

Wired Remote Control

to control your ampliﬁer with an external infrared remote sensor,connect the wire from the

remote sensor to the remote In jack on the back panel.or,if another stereo component has

a built-in infrared remote sensor and a remote out jack, it may be possible to connect this

jack to the remote In jack of your ampliﬁer. all harman Kardon products with remote In

and remote out jacks are compatible with one another, except for the citation 22, 24

and 25.

other manufacturers’ remote sensors and components may not be compatible, but it will

not hurt to experiment. a second wire may be used to connect your ampliﬁer’s remote

out jack to the remote input of another stereo component. continue this process to

include additional components (if compatible).

Connecting Speakers

3. for best performance, use high-quality speaker cables. however, ordinary copper wire

can be used if the gauge meets the following requirements:

Wire length

min. diameter

1/32" (1mm)

3/64" (1.25mm)

1/16" (1.6mm)

5/64–3/32" (2–2.5mm)

up to 8.2 feet (up to 2.5 meters)

up to 13.1 feet (up to 4 meters)

up to 19.7 feet (up to 6 meters)

above 19.7 feet (above 6 meters)

4. avoid rolling excess wire with or near signal interconnects.

IMPORTANT: When connecting two pairs of speakers, determine the impedance of each

pair by looking on the back of the speakers or in your owner’s manual, or by contacting

your dealer or manufacturer.

You can listen to two pairs of speakers at the same time ONLY if the impedance of

EACH speaker is NOT LESS THAN 8 ohms.

WARNING: do not play sets of speakers simultaneously except as recommended above.

ampliﬁer may overheat.

AC Power

plug the cord into a 120V ac wall outlet. the power indicator will light up to indicate

power on.to disconnect the power input completely, the main plug must be disconnected

from the mains.

HK 990

Remote Control

Independent Remote Control

System Off

Button

Device On/Off

Buttons

the system remote of the hK 990 can control the ampliﬁer, compatible tuners, cd players

and cd recorders. the remote In jack of units without an integrated Ir receiver must

be connected to the ampliﬁer’s remote control output jack so that the system remote

control can operate them.

Important notes:

System On

Buttons

•

to remote-control a tuner, cd recorder or cd player, the appropriate input (“tuner,”

“cdr” or “cd”) must have been selected with the source buttons of the remote

control (selecting on the front panel is not sufﬁcient).

•

note that dVd players cannot be controlled by the remote.

Time Button

Operating Conditions

Mode Button

Display Button

the control unit operates effectively within a distance of 23 feet (7 meters) and an angle

of 30° from the ampliﬁer. using the control near ﬂuorescent lights may shorten this

range, as will any dust or dirt that accumulates on the front of the remote control or

the remote-sensor area of the ampliﬁer. also, avoid blocking the line of sight between

ampliﬁer and remote.

Info/RDS Button

Numeric

Buttons

(0–9)

Band Button

FM Mode Button

Auto Button

Install the four supplied aaa batteries in the remote as shown. be certain to follow the (+)

and (–) polarity indicators that are on the top of the battery compartment.

Mem Button

Clear Button

Prog Button

Check Button

Speaker Setup

Button

Input Setup

Button

Arrow

Buttons

When you replace weak batteries, replace all at the same time. When the remote is to be

unused for an extended period, remove the batteries to prevent damage from corrosion.

EQ Preset

Button

Level Settings

Button

Enter Button

Instructions for Users on Removal and Disposal

of Used Batteries. Specification of Included

Battery Types.

Scroll /–

Volume /–

Buttons

these symbols shown on the product, the packaging or in

the manual or separate information sheet mean that the product itself, as well as the

batteries included or built into the product, should never be thrown away with general

household waste. take them to applicable collection points, where proper treatment,

recycling and recovery takes place, in accordance with national or local legislation, or

european directives 2002/96/ec and 2006/66/ec.

Pause Button

Mute Button

Select Button

correct handling of the product and batteries to be disposed helps save resources and

prevents possible negative effects on the environment or human health.

Button

Stop Button

Play Button

the batteries included with your equipment may be alkaline, carbon zinc/manganese

or lithium (button cells) type. all types should be disposed of according to the above

instructions.

| Button

Button

Repeat Button

to remove the batteries from your equipment or remote control, reverse the procedure

described in the owner’s manual for inserting batteries.

+10/–10

Buttons

Open/Close

Button

for products with a built-in battery that lasts for the lifetime of the product, removal

may not be possible for the user. In this case, recycling or recovery centers handle the

dismantling of the product and the removal of the battery. If, for any reason, it becomes

necessary to replace such a battery, this procedure must be performed by authorized

service centers.

Folder /–

Buttons

Random

Button

Repeat A/B

Button

HK 990

Remote Control

Select: When listening to a tuner, press this button to alternate between auto tune,

manual tune or preset tune.

HK 990 Remote Control Functions

Device On/Off: press these two buttons to switch on and off a (harman Kardon) device

selected with the mode button or selected by pressing its system on source button (in

both cases, the system on device button lights up).

Pause: When playing a cd, press this button to pause the disc momentarily. press again

to resume play.

Mute: press this button to silence the hK 990 momentarily. “muted” ﬂashes in the front-

panel display. press again to re-activate sound output.

System Off: press to switch off the entire system (the hK 990 and other harman Kardon

products that have a remote sensor or are connected to the remote jacks on the hK 990

back panel).

and

(Search buttons): press one of these buttons to search fast forward or

››

‹‹

backward on a cd or tape.you can hear intermittent sounds from the cd while searching.

System On: this group of nine buttons switches on the hK 990 as well as the (harman

Kardon) device labeled on the button (“amp,” “cd,” “tuner,” “cdr,” “tape”) that you

press. It also switches the remote’s frequencies to control the device indicated on the

active button and selects this device to be input to the hK 990. please note that while

to a number of remote functions are switched to control the device selected, some of

the ampliﬁer’s main functions always remain active, such as Volume. please refer to the

“remote function list” on page 10 for information on which functions can be remote

controlled for each type of device and which buttons always control the hK 990.

normal playback resumes when you release the button.

and

(Skip buttons): press one of these buttons to move to the next track or to

››|

|‹‹

the previous track on a cd or tape. repeatedly pressing one of the buttons skips more

tracks. on a cd, pressing skip forward while playing the last track skips to track 1, and

pressing skip back while playing track 1 skips to the last track.

Stop: press to stop play of a cd or tape.

Play: press to start playback of a cd or tape. If the cd drawer is open, the drawer closes

and play begins. pressing the play button again pauses play momentarily, same as the

pause button.

Mode: press to scroll through the nine system on buttons, each button lighting up in

turn. this feature allows you to control the device you select without changing the input

of the hK 990. note that a number of remote functions are always active for the hK 990

no matter which device you select with the mode button. refer to the “remote function

list” on page 10.

+10 and –10: When playing a cd, press the +10 button to skip 10 tracks forward and

the –10 button to skip 10 tracks backward from the track you are playing. another press

skips 10 more tracks. If there are fewer than 10 tracks to the end or start of the cd, the

last or ﬁrst track is played.

Info/RDS: press to select information for a cd player, such as cd-text if available on the

cd. selects rds function for a tuner.

Folder + and Folder – : When the system is playing a cd with mp3 ﬁles, press these

buttons to move to the next or the previous folder with mp3 material.

Time: press to select time information for a cd player or a cd recorder.

Display: press to switch the display brightness of the hK 990 and other hK units in steps

Repeat: When playing a cd, pressing this button once repeats the current track, shown

as “rep 1” in the cd player’s display. pressing once more repeats the entire cd, shown

as “rep all” in the cd player’s display. third press exits repeat play.

of “full” brightness, “reduced” brightness and “display off.”

Numeric Buttons (0–9): press to enter track numbers on cd or cdr units or to enter

preset numbers/frequency digits on a tuner. you may begin play of a cd with the numeric

buttons by entering the digits of the track directly. press “5” to initiate play from track 5,

“1” immediately followed by “4” to initiate play from track 14, “2” immediately followed

by “7” to initiate play from track 27, etc.

Repeat A-B: When playing a cd, press once to establish a starting point (shown as “rep

a” in the cd player’s display) and a second time to establish an end point (shown as “rep

a-b” in the cd player’s display).the audio between these two points is repeated as a loop

until you press the button a third time, returning to normal play.

Band: press to switch between frequency bands on a tuner.

Open/Close: press to open the cd drawer when it is closed and to close it when it is

open. the drawer may also be closed by pressing “play.”

FM Mode: press to switch between stereo and mono on a tuner.

Random: When playing a cd, press this button to play all tracks in random order.

Auto: press to switch between automatic and manual tuning on a tuner.

Mem: press to memorize a radio station in the preset memory of a tuner.

Clear: press to clear the memory of a cd/cdr or clear a preset from tuner station list.

Check: press to check the order of tracks programmed into a cd player’s memory.

Prog: press to begin the process of programming a cd player to play the tracks of a disc

in a speciﬁc order.

Speaker Setup: press to enter the hK 990 speaker setup functions. see “speaker

setup” on page 12 for explanation of the process.

Input Setup: press to enter the hK 990 Input setup functions. see “Input setup” on page

11 for explanation of the process.

ꢀ

Arrow Buttons

(

ꢀ ): press to navigate within the menus of the hK 990.

›‹ꢀ

EQ Preset: press to enter the hK 990 equalizer preset functions. see “eQ preset” on

page 13 for explanation of the eQ presets.

Level Settings: press to enter the hK 990 level setting functions. see “level settings”

on page 13 for explanation of the level-setting process.

Enter: press to conﬁrm a selection within an hK 990 setup procedure or to switch

between selections. see under each setup process for further explanations.

Scroll

: When listening to a tuner, press + to tune to higher-frequency stations

and – to tune to lower-frequency stations. also see the owner’s manual for your harman

Kardon tuner.

Volume

: press to adjust the hK 990 volume up or down.

+/-

HK 990

Remote Function List

Button name

HK 990

CD player

Tuner

CDR

Tape

TV, Processor, Phono, Aux

device on (selected device)

device off (selected device)

off

system off (all devices off)

off

amp

amp select

processor input select

cd input select

tuner input select

phono input select

tV input select

tape input select

aux input select

cdr input select

switch between devices

Info/rds

amp select

processor input select

cd input select

tuner input select

phono input select

tV input select

tape input select

aux input select

cdr input select

switch between devices

Info/rds

amp select

processor

processor input select

cd input select

tuner

tuner input select

phono

phono input select

tV input select

tape

tape input select

aux

aux input select

cdr

cdr input select

mode (no remote signal)

switch between devices

Info/rds

time

display

0–9

display

track select

preset select

band

track select

band

fm mode

auto

fm mode

auto

mem

clear

check

prog

speaker setup

Input setup

speaker setup

Input setup

menu navigation

speaker setup

Input setup

menu navigation

speaker setup

Input setup

menu navigation

speaker setup

Input setup

menu navigation

speaker setup

Input setup

menu navigation

speaker setup

Input setup

menu navigation

eQ preset

enter

eQ preset

enter

level settings

scroll + (repeating button)

Vol + (repeating button)

scroll – (repeating button)

Vol – (repeating button)

select

level settings

scroll +

Vol +

scroll –

Vol –

select

pause

mute

(repeating button)

search back

search fwd

skip back

stop

search back

search fwd

skip back

stop

search back

(repeating button)

search fwd

(repeating button)

skip back

|<<

stop

play

(repeating button)

skip fwd

+10

skip fwd

>>|

+10 (repeating button)

folder + (repeating button)

repeat

folder +

repeat

open / close

–10

repeat

open / close

–10 (repeating button)

folder – (repeating button)

rep a-b

folder –

rep a-b

random

rep a-b

random

This function list shows all functions of the HK 990 and external devices that can be controlled by the HK 990 remote.

HK 990

Setup Instructions

HK 990 – Setup

Input Type

here are the factory settings of the hK 990 stereo integrated ampliﬁer:

each input can be conﬁgured to the following connections on the rear panel:

•

source listen: cd

source record: cd

•

unbalanced analog

balanced analog

coaxial 1

processor input: analog unbalanced

cd input: analog unbalanced

tuner input: analog unbalanced

aux input: analog unbalanced

cdr input: digital coaxial 1

coaxial 2

optical 1

optical 2

hrs-link

digital

tape input: analog unbalanced

tV input: digital coaxial 2

tuner

•

unbalanced analog

coaxial 1

coaxial 2

optical 1

optical 2

phono (turntable) input: analog mm (moving magnet)

digital

Speaker 1 & 2 (front panel only)

When pressing the buttons speaker 1 or speaker 2, you will ﬁrst see the current status

setting; pressing one more time within ﬁve seconds on speaker 1 and/or speaker 2 will

turn the settings on or off. up to two speaker pairs can be connected and ampliﬁed at

the same time. note the minimum load warning above.

phono

•

moving magnet analog

moving coil analog

Source < and > (front panel only)

the source buttons can be used in two ways:

•

unbalanced analog

coaxial 1

•

directly, giving access to the playback source, switched with immediate effect.

coaxial 2

optical 1

after having entered the record out mode to select the source to be routed to the

record path.

digital

optical 2

Record Out (front panel only)

auX

When pressing the record out button, you will have access to the selection of the source

you would like to get directed to the record outputs. scroll through the list of record

sources – cd, tuner, auX, cdr, tape, tV and phono – with the < and > buttons until

the desired source appears in the display.

•

unbalanced analog

coaxial 1

coaxial 2

optical 1

digital

Whether the source is analog or digital, the hK 990 will deliver the record signal in both

domains simultaneously through both the analog (cdr and tape) and the digital (coaxial)

outputs. this means that any analog input can be recorded digitally without addition of

an external analog/digital converter.

optical 2

cdr

•

unbalanced analog

coaxial 1

Input Setup (front panel and remote control)

coaxial 2

optical 1

digital

each input of the hK 990 can be conﬁgured to match the system and your personal taste.

In the following you can read a description of the Input setup settings in detail, followed

by the options available for each input. pressing the Input setup button on the front panel

or the remote control enters and exits the Input setup menu.

optical 2

tape

•

unbalanced analog

coaxial 1

note that the selection and navigation through the setup menus is made using the up,

down, left and right arrow buttons and the enter button.

coaxial 2

optical 1

digital

optical 2

processor

•

unbalanced analog

the physical rear-panel connection that you have associated with each input in the

Input setup procedure also determines the recording-signal source when you select

that device in the record out menu.

HK 990

Setup Instructions

Audio Mode

Speaker Setup

the hK 990 can handle analog as well as digital signals. It can process any input in the

digital domain to equalize the signal and tailor the sound to the loudspeakers and room

acoustics, once either the ezset/eQ or the manual bass management has been set up

(see below).

When pressing the speaker setup button, a menu opens to offer a choice between

manual mode or ezset/eQ setup. below is a description of both options.

Manual Mode

you choose the method and the processing according to your preference within the Input

If you know your system and your room well and simply want to manage the low-

frequency response of your system without correcting the frequency response of

subwoofers and main speakers, select the manual mode. this is a basic bass manager

setup.

setup menu.

the ﬁve audio modes are as follows:

1. Direct Path: selection of the direct path is an analog-input-only option. It bypasses

all digital processing (adc, dsp and dac) to reduce the signal path to an absolute

minimum, consisting of volume control only. If you select an input to be associated

with a digital source, the direct path setting is not available, being an analog-only

option.

once manual mode has been selected, follow the steps below:

1. “Subwoofer 1 On/Off”: select “on” if a subwoofer is connected to the sub 1

output.

2. “Subwoofer 2 On/Off”: select “on” if a subwoofer is connected to the sub 2

2. DSP Path: selecting the dsp path opens access to the tone-control circuits. In this

mode, the analog signals are routed to the a/d converter, digital sound processor and

d/a converter path prior to volume adjustment.

output.

3. “Crossover Frequency”: If either sub1 or sub2 is on, you can select the crossover

frequency, where the main speakers’ lower frequency limit and the subwoofer’s

upper frequency limit is placed. the setting goes from 40 to 200hz in 10hz steps.

3. EQ1 LF (low-frequency correction): this mode should be selected once the

ezset/eQ setup has been carried out (see below). If selected before the ezset/eQ

setup, it will simply provide the same result as the dsp path, being a ﬂat response

with access to the tone controls. the eQ1 lf mode is the ﬁrst preset available after

the ezset/eQ calibration has been carried out. this preset processes the subwoofer

channels only, correcting the acoustics of the room in the low-frequency range while

keeping the response curve of the main speakers unchanged.

4. Save and Exit: to save the steps 1 to 3, press enter after each step.

EzSet/EQ Mode

If you want to beneﬁt from the hK 990’s advanced, automatic frequency correction and

setup system, select ezset/eQ mode. the process is described in detail below.

4. EQ2 LF+MF (low- and mid-frequency correction): this mode should be selected

once the ezset/eQ setup has been carried out (see below). If selected before the

ezset/eQ setup, it will simply provide the same result as the dsp path, being a ﬂat

response with access to tone controls. the eQ2 lf + mf mode is the second preset

available after the ezset/eQ calibration has been carried out. this preset is active for

the low- and mid-frequency responses of both the main speakers and the subwoofers

when it calibrates the system to the room. as a result, both the subwoofer and main

speaker response curves are modiﬁed to accommodate the system response to the

room. the response curve of the main speakers is corrected up to 1khz and kept

unaffected above this frequency, leaving the rest of the audio spectrum unaffected.

Setup Process

the setup process consists of the following steps:

1. “Subwoofer 1 On/Off”: select “on” if a subwoofer is connected to the sub 1

output.

2. “Subwoofer 2 On/Off”: select “on” if a subwoofer is connected to the sub 2

output.

3. “Crossover Frequency Automatic/Manual” (only if at least one subwoofer is

connected to the HK 990): select whether you want to set a crossover frequency

of your choice manually or let the hK 990’s algorithm measure your main speaker

limitations automatically.

5. EQ3 LF + MF + HF (low-, mid- and high-frequency correction): this mode should

be selected once the ezset/eQ setup has been carried out (see below). If selected

before the ezset/eQ setup, it will simply provide the same result as the dsp path,

being a ﬂat response with access to tone controls.the eQ3 lf + mf + hf mode is the

third preset available after the ezset/eQ calibration has been carried out. this preset

optimizes not only the main speaker and subwoofer responses to accommodate the

room acoustics, but also corrects the high-frequency response of the speaker at the

listening position by correcting off-axis response.

•

Manual Mode:

“crossover frequency”: select which crossover frequency you want for the

system, between 40 and 200hz in 10hz steps. When the frequency is adjusted,

you will be asked to follow the same steps as below in the automatic mode.

•

Automatic Mode:

please observe that all the ﬁve audio modes described above can be selected

a) “connect mic and place it at listening position”: following this message,

connect the supplied measuring microphone to the front-panel jack shared

with headphones. place it in your listening position, at the correct height, then

press enter. In order to read the complete message on the display, press the >

arrow button on the remote.

independently for all inputs.

Gain

the level of different sources may vary. to avoid annoying level changes when switching

between inputs, gain adjustment from –6db to +6db is an option for each Input. the

processor input has a different range (–24db to +6db), to accommodate the output

levels of most processors.

b) the systemgenerates two loud, brief frequency sweeps through the speakers.

Ifyou are notcomfortable with loud noise, use ear plugs orhavesomeone else

performthecalibration. the volume of the sweeps is pre-determined. you can

control this level by simply adjusting the volume with the Volume button on the

front panel or with the Volume buttons on the remote control. please note that

if you set the volume too low, the calibration does not function, and setting it

too loud may damage your loudspeakers. after calibration is performed, the

volume reverts to the level that you used previously.

Bass and Treble

bass and treble adjustment is accessible only when the audio mode is not direct (i.e., is

set to dsp, eQ 1, eQ 2 or eQ 3). When in this mode, you can adjust the bass and treble

from –10 to +10db below 100hz and above 10khz.

When the sweeps have been done, you may get an error message “mic or

speaker not detected” in the display. In this case, check the connection to

the microphone and/or increase the volume slightly; then press enter again.

If no error is found, the system will bring you to step 3. If you still get an error

message, you must switch off the ampliﬁer to exit the calibration menu.

HK 990

Setup Instructions

c) once the sweeps are performed without error, the display will show “filter

design, please wait…” during this process, the ﬁlter parameters are computed

and written into the dsp ﬂash memory. When this is done, the system goes to

step 4.

Near Field

the next sweeps measured in front of each speaker (steps 4 and 5) serve to correct the

on-axis response of the main speakers. by applying sweeps to each speaker, a correction

curve above 1khz is generated for each speaker. the curves are stored after step 7.

d) “place mic at 60cm in front of the left speaker” appears in the display. position

the microphone as prompted (60cm is about two feet), preferably at normal

listening height (you may use a photo tripod; there is a threaded hole at the

bottom of the microphone for this purpose). then press enter. a new sweep will

be generated. If it is unsuccessful, you will be asked to check the distance or

the volume of the system with this message in the display: “Wrong distance or

level, please check and press enter.” If successful, you will go to step 5.

BassQ

If at least one subwoofer is connected, the ﬁnal steps of the ezset/eQ process adjust

the low-frequency response of the system, taking into consideration the acoustics of the

room. the system can correct up to two subwoofers in its processing loop. using two

subwoofers offers the advantage of a more linear low-frequency characteristic, limiting

the node effects usually found in this frequency range.

the curves are stored after step 7.

e) “place mic at 60cm in front of the right speaker” appears in the display. again,

position the microphone as prompted (60cm or two feet), then press enter. a

new sweep will be generated. If it is unsuccessful, you will be asked to check

the distance or the volume of the system with this message in the display:

“Wrong distance or level, please check and press enter.” If successful, you will

go to step 6 if at least one subwoofer is connected, or to step 7 in a pure 2.0

system.

EQ Preset

the hK 990 provides direct access to the three sets of ﬁlters via the remote control

through the eQ preset button. use this button to toggle between these three modes:

1. bassQ (eQ1 lf)

2. bassQ + far field (eQ2 lf + mf)

3. bassQ + far field + near field (eQ3 lf + mf + hf)

f) there are two possibilities at this stage,depending on the number of subwoofers

selected in step 1 of the setup process:

It will also toggle through the direct and dsp paths, thus allowing ﬁve possible settings.

note that the eQ preset button is in fact a shortcut button for the audio mode function of

the Input setup described above.

•

One Subwoofer: the display shows this message: “place mic at listening

position, press enter.” after you do it, two sweeps are generated. If

successful, you will jump to step 7. If not, the following message is shown:

“sub not connected or incorrect level, please check and press enter.” check

the connection and/or adjust the subwoofer level and press enter again.

When successful, you will go to step 7.

the ezset/eQ measurements are stored in a ﬂash memory and are not lost even if the

ampliﬁer is disconnected from the ac mains.

•

Two Subwoofers: the display shows this message: “place mic at 1st

listening position, press enter.” place the microphone 90cm (about three

feet) to the left of your listening position. after pressing enter, four sweeps

are generated.then you will be asked to “place mic at 2nd listening position,

press enter.” now place the microphone 90cm to the right of your listening

position. after pressing enter, two sweeps are generated. If successful you

will jump to step 7. If not, the following message is shown: “sub 1 or 2

not connected or incorrect level, please check and press enter.” check the

connections and/or adjust the subwoofer levels and press enter again. When

successful, you will go to step 7.

Level Settings

the level settings menu permits adjusting the levels of the different activated speakers

and subwoofer(s) of the system. depending on what was adjusted during the speaker

setup process, sub1 and/or sub2 may or may not be activated.

the level settings menu adjustments are:

1. to adjust the balance between left and right speakers up to 12db for each side.

2. to adjust the subwoofer 1 level between + and – 6db (when on).

3. to adjust the subwoofer 2 level between + and – 6db (when on).

g) the setup procedure is now complete, and the display shows this message:

“eQ setup completed, unplug microphone, press enter to save eQ setup.” press

enter as prompted. the display shows: “saving system equalization.”

now the hK 990 goes back to the previous playback mode, and you can test the results

of the setup process by going through the various options, pressing the eQ preset button

repeatedly (see below).

EzSet/EQ Description

during the automatic ezset/eQ process, several frequency sweeps were made. here is a

brief explanation of their use.

Far Field

the ﬁrst sweeps that occur during step 2 are used to calibrate the speaker system (adjust

relative levels and delay, and determine the crossover frequency if “manual crossover

frequency” was not selected earlier).also, the low-frequency response of the speakers is

equalized by applying a correction curve (with a range of 20hz to 1khz). this is the curve

that is stored during the “filter design” phase.

HK 990

Operating Instructions

Listening to Your CD Player, Tape Deck, Tuner or

Other Source

1. press the power switch 2 to turn on the ampliﬁer. the power indicator lights white

and the protection circuitry checks for short circuits or other problems for a few

seconds before sound output.

2. press “speaker 1” to hear loudspeakers connected to the rear speaker 1 terminals.

press “speaker 2” to hear loudspeakers connected to the rear speaker 2 terminals.

press both to hear both speaker pairs at once. to listen to headphones only, press to

turn off any active speaker pair.

3. select desired source for listening by pressing the front-panel source selector (5)

up or down button repeatedly until the name of the source is shown in the main

Information display, or by pressing the desired system on button on the remote control.

please take the time to associate physical input jacks to source names; then press the

power button to place the ampliﬁer in standby to have it save your preferences.

4. begin playing the desired source.

5. adjust the volume control to the desired level.

With the Input setup, you may adjust bass and treble as well as balance if you have not

already done this during the setup process.

With the eQ preset you can select one, two or three stages of equalization, if you did

already perform the ezset/eQ setup automated adjusting process as described above.

Making a Recording

you may record any source to tape or to cdr or to both simultaneously. you may also

connect a second tape deck to the cdr inputs and outputs to record from tape to tape (in

either direction).

to select the desired source for recording (it can be a source different from the one being

listened to), press the record out button, followed by the source selector up or down

button on the front panel, repeatedly until the indicator for the name of the source to be

recorded is shown in the main Information display. all input signals, digital or analog, are

available for recording in both digital and analog form.this means that if you wish to copy

a vinyl record to a digital recorder, you simply start vinyl play, select “phono” as record

source and begin recording on your digital recorder. the built-in analog/digital converters

transform the analog phono signal to digital form.the reverse is also possible: if you have

connected a cd player to the hK 990 with a digital cable, its signal is available from the

analog recording outputs as well as the digital outputs.

NOTE: the record-output signal is taken directly from the program source and is

unaffected by the volume, bass, treble or balance controls.

Important Notes:

•

“record source” can be selected on the front panel only, not from the remote

control.

three-head cassette decks with monitoring function can be connected to tape or cdr

connectors, too, but their monitoring function cannot be used.

always turn the hK 990 to standby with the power button before unplugging the

power cord (or before switching off an external multiplug). this saves your current

setup in the memory, in addition to safely switching off the power-ampliﬁer section

of the hK 990.

HK 990

Troubleshooting

this unit is designed for trouble-free operation. most problems users encounter are due to operating errors. so if you have a problem, first check this list for a possible solution. If the

problem persists, consult your authorized harman Kardon service center.

If the problem is...

Make sure that...

no lights illuminate when power cord is plugged into ac outlet.

•

the unit is plugged into a live outlet.

no sound is heard.

•

speaker switches corresponding to the desired speakers are pressed.

correct source button has been pressed.

Volume is turned up.

speaker wires are connected properly.

hookup wires to source component are connected properly.

sound is not heard from the speaker system on one side.

•

the speaker wires and connection wires are connected correctly.

the balance setting is at 0.

When listening to stereo sound, the left and right sounds are reversed.

•

the speaker wires are connected correctly.

the wires between components are connected correctly.

Intermittent or continuous buzzing or hissing.

the remote control and front panel controls don’t appear to work.

humming noise when listening to lp.

•

the unit is away from fluorescent lights, tV, motors and other electrical

appliances.

•

you try disconnecting the ac line cord from the wall socket, waiting five

minutes and then reconnecting it.

•

ground wire from record player has been connected to ground terminal on

amplifier.

cable from record player is away from power cords and speaker cables.

howl or ringing when listening to lp.

•

record player is not too close to speakers.

record player is on stable surface.

low sound level when listening to lp.

•

cable from record player is connected to the phono jacks.

the mm Input has not inadvertently been used with an mc phono cartridge.

lp sound is distorted and too loud.

•

the mc Input has not inadvertently been used with an mm or mc high output

cartridge.

You can ﬁnd additional troubleshooting information in the FAQs link on the Support page at www.harmankardon.com.

HK 990

Specifications

continuous average power per channel (ftc),

150 watts @ <0.03% thd (8 ohms)

20hz – 20khz, both channels driven:

300 watts @ <0.3% thd (4 ohms)

dynamic power (1hf, 1khz tone burst):

220 watts (8 ohms)

440 watts (4 ohms)

high instantaneous current capability (hcc):

power bandwidth @ half-rated output, 8Ω:

frequency response @ 1W (+0/–3db):

200 amps

20hz – 100khz

5hz – 120khz

>200

damping factor (20hz – 20khz):

signal-to-noise ratio (reference rated power output, a-Wtd):

100db (tuner/cd)

75db (phono – mc)

Input sensitivity/impedance:

350mV/43k ohms (tuner/cd)

10mV/47k ohms (phono – mm)

1mV/100k ohms (phono – mc)

overload:

2.8V (tuner/cd)

85mV (phono – mm)

8.5mV (phono – mc)

tone control range, bass @ 100hz/treble @ 10khz:

power supply:

10db/ 10db

ac 120V, 60hz

1000W

power consumption:

standby power consumption:

dimensions (width x height x depth):

17-5/16" x 6-3/8" x 17-1/2"

(440mm x 160mm x 444mm)

Weight:

43.2 lb (19.6kg)

Depth includes Volume button and loudspeaker terminals.

harman consumer, Inc.

8500 balboa boulevard, northridge, ca 91329 usa

516.255.4545 (usa only)

made in p.r.c.

features, specifications and appearance are subject to change without notice.

harman Kardon is a trademark of harman International Industries, Incorporated,

registered in the united states and/or other countries. ezset/eQ is a trademark

of harman International Industries, Incorporated. thermaltrak is a trademark of

semiconductor components Industries, llc. toslInK is a trademark of toshiba

corporation.

part no. 950-0245-001 rev. b

www.harmankardon.com

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