Page 2 - Table of Contents; Typographical Conventions; connection jack; – (number in a square) indicates a specific front-panel control; Declaration of Conformity
Table of Contents Typographical Conventions In order to help you use this manual with the remote control, front-panel controls and rear-panelconnections, certain conventions have been used. EXAMPLE – (bold type) indicates a specific remote control or front-panel button, or rear-panel connection jack...
Page 3 - Introduction; Thank you for choosing Harman Kardon!; INTRODUCTION
Introduction Thank you for choosing Harman Kardon! With the purchase of a Harman Kardon AVR 255/AVR 355 you are about to begin many years oflistening enjoyment. Designed to provide all theexcitement and detail of movie soundtracks andevery nuance of musical selections, the AVR 255/AVR 355 are truly ...
Page 4 - Safety Information; Important Safety Instructions; SAFETY INFORMATION
Safety Information I Dolby True HD, Dolby Digital Plus, Dolby Digital EX and Dolby Pro Logic* II andIIx Decoding, and the full suite of DTS ® modes, including DTS-HD Master Audio,DTS-HD and DTS-ES ® 6.1 Discrete & Matrix and Neo:6 ® I Seven channels of high-current amplifi- cation with two chann...
Page 5 - WARNING; : To reduce the risk of fire or electric; IS; Installation Location; Avoid moist or humid locations.; Cleaning; Unpacking
Safety Information The lightning flash with arrowheadsymbol, 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 ofsufficient magnitude to constitute a risk ofelectric shock to persons. The exclamat...
Page 6 - Front Panel Controls; FRONT PANEL CONTROLS
Front Panel Controls 1234567 89)!@#$ %^&*(Ó Volume ControlSystem Power ControlPower IndicatorHeadphone JackMenu Navigation ButtonsOK ButtonAVR Button Info ButtonResolution ButtonAudio Effects ButtonVideo Modes ButtonSource List ButtonMain Information DisplaySpeaker/Channel Input Indicator Surrou...
Page 7 - KL
1 Volume Control: Turn this knob clockwise to increase the volume, counterclockwise todecrease the volume. If the AVR is muted,adjusting volume control will automaticallyrelease the unit from the silenced condition. 2 System Power Control: When the Main Power Switch on the rear panel is “ON,” press ...
Page 8 - Rear Panel Connections; Q P
Rear Panel Connections 0 Z Q P 7 T S Y 5 B 9 a 8 X L J e K g I W 4 V U D O F AE N G R C H M 1 2 3 b 6 c f d , ! # " $ % & ' ( ) * + AM AntennaFM AntennaAnalog 2 Audio INAnalog 2 Audio OUTSubwoofer OutputAnalog 5 Audio INAnalog 1 Audio INAnalog 4 Audio OUTBridge II Connector (Stereo Jack IN A...
Page 9 - REAR PANEL CONNECTIONS
Rear Panel Connections Digital Media Player (DMP) Connector (AVR 355 only): With the AVR turned off, connect the optional Harman Kardon to this proprietary connector, and dock your compatible Apple iPod. When the DigitalMedia Player source is selected, you may viewyour iPod’s control and navigation ...
Page 11 - Main Remote Control Functions; LKM N; MAIN REMOTE CONTROL FUNCTIONS
Main Remote Control Functions ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZa AVR Power OnAVR Power OffSource Selectors (The Bridge only on AVR 355)Audio Effects ButtonTransport ControlsMenu Navigation LKM N Sleep ButtonBackground Light Button (AVR 355 only)Main Tuning ButtonsLast ButtonNumeric KeysVideo Mode ButtonMen...
Page 12 - Power Indicator
12 MAIN REMOTE CONTROL FUNCTIONS Main Remote Control Functions The remote is capable of operating the AVR355/AVR 255 and most Harman Kardon CDchangers or players, CD Recorders and Tapedecks, using the control codes that are part ofthe remote. å AVR Power On: When the AVR 355/AVR 255 is in the Standb...
Page 13 - ZONE 2 REMOTE CONTROL FUNCTIONS; Zone 2 Remote Control Functions; (Zone 2 Remote Control only with AVR 355)
ZONE 2 REMOTE CONTROL FUNCTIONS 13 E N G L IS H Zone 2 Remote Control Functions (Zone 2 Remote Control only with AVR 355) A Power Off B AVR Settings C Back/Exit Button D Source Selectors E Menu Navigation Buttons F Volume Up/Down G Mute H Transport Controls I Sleep Button J Settings Info Button K Me...
Page 14 - mation Display
Zone 2 Remote Control Functions I Sleep Button: Press this button to place the unit in the Sleep mode. Each press of thebutton selects the amount of time that willremain before the unit will automatically go intothe Standby mode, as shown in the Main Infor- mation Display # , in the following order:...
Page 15 - Installation and Connections; INSTALLATION AND CONNECTIONS
After unpacking the unit, and placing it on a solidsurface capable of supporting its weight, you willneed to make the connections to your audio andvideo equipment. Audio Equipment Connections There are two formats for audio connections:digital and analog. Digital audio signals are ofhigher quality, ...
Page 17 - Video Equipment Connections
Installation and Connections 9. Connections to a subwoofer are normallymade via a line level audio connection from the Subwoofer Output to the line-level input of a subwoofer with a built-in amplifier. When apassive subwoofer is used, the connection firstgoes to a power amplifier, which will be con-...
Page 18 - System and Power Connections
Installation and Connections System and Power Connections The AVR is designed for flexible use with multi-room systems, external control components andpower amplifiers. Main Room Remote Control Extension If the receiver is placed behind a solid or smokedglass cabinet door, the obstruction may preven...
Page 19 - Speaker Selection; Surround Back Left; and; Right Speaker Outputs
E N G L IS H INSTALLATION AND CONNECTIONS 19 Installation and Connections Speaker Selection No matter which type or brand of speakers isused, the same model or brand of speakershould be used for the front-left, center andfront-right speakers. This creates a seamlessfront soundstage and eliminates th...
Page 20 - SYSTEM CONFIGURATION; System Configuration; First Turn On; Figure 1 – Main Menu; System Setup
20 SYSTEM CONFIGURATION System Configuration Subwoofers produce largely nondirectionalsound, so they may be placed almost anywherein a room. Actual placement should be based onroom size and shape and the type of subwooferused. One method of finding the optimallocation for a subwoofer is to begin by ...
Page 21 - Set Up Sources; Figure 2 – Setup Source Menu
System Configuration E N G L IS H SYSTEM CONFIGURATION 21 Audio and Video Input Selection Please see Table A1 in the appendix for the fac-tory default input assignments for each source.You may assign any available input to anysource using the Source Info menu, accessibleeither by pressing the AVR Se...
Page 22 - Figure 3 – Adjust Lip Sync; Speaker Setup; Figure 4; Figure 5
NOTE : When the display has a DVI input which is connected to the AVR using an HDMI-to-DVIadapter, if the display is not HDCP-compliant,the picture will be distorted. In that case, adifferent video connection must be used(component, composite or S-video). Resolution from Source: This line, which is ...
Page 23 - Figure 6; Cancel; Figure 8; OK Button
System Configuration Figure 6 Step 6: After you select “Continue”, the screen shown in Figure 6 will appear. Although the AVRmay be used with up to eight speakers, you mayhave elected not to install surround back speak-ers at this time, or you may have decided to usethe surround back speaker channel...
Page 24 - Manual Setup; Button to move; OK; Button to display the Speaker Setup; NOTE; : All of the speaker setup submenus
System Configuration Manual Setup The AVR 355/AVR 255 is flexibly designed to beused with almost any loudspeakers available. Theflexibility arises from the AVR 355/AVR 255’scapability tobe configured to match the charac-teristics of your particular speakers, and to com-pensate for the acoustic chara...
Page 25 - Number of Speakers; Figure 10 – Number of Speakers Menu; Adjust Crossover Frequencies Menu; Figure 11 – Adjust Crossover Frequencies Menu; Back; , not to press the Exit; Sub Mode; • If you set the front speakers to a numeric
System Configuration Number of Speakers Move the cursor to the Number of Speakers lineand press the SetButton. See Figure 10. Figure 10 – Number of Speakers Menu The Number of Speakers menu lists each of thespeaker groups. Program the correct setting for each group: ONwhen the speakers are present i...
Page 26 - Adjust Speaker Distance Menu; Figure 12 – Adjust Speaker Distance Menu; Figure 13 – Adjust Speaker Levels Menu
26 SYSTEM CONFIGURATION System Configuration Adjust Speaker Distance Menu As explained above in Step Two – MeasureSpeaker Distances, sometimes the speakers areplaced at different distances from the listening-position, which can muddy the sound, as soundsare heard earlier or later than desired. Even ...
Page 28 - Operation; OPERATION; Surround Mode Chart; MODE
Operation 28 OPERATION Surround Mode Chart MODE FEATURES DOLBY DIGITAL PLUS An enhanced version of Dolby Digital encoded more efficiently, Dolby Digital Plus has the capacity for additional discrete channelsand for streaming audio from the internet, all with enhanced audio quality. Source material m...
Page 29 - Wide
Surround Mode Chart MODE FEATURES DTS Neo:6 Cinema These two modes are available when any analog source is playing to create a six-channel DTS Neo:6 Music surround presentation from conventional Matrix-encoded and traditional Stereo sources. Selectthe Cinema version of Neo:6 when a program with any ...
Page 30 - S L E E P O F F
Operation Basic Operation Once you have completed the setup and configu-ration of the AVR, it is simple to operate andenjoy. The following instructions should befollowed for you to maximize your enjoyment ofyour new receiver: Turning the AVR On or Off • When using the AVR for the first time, you mus...
Page 31 - Controls and Use of Headphones; Surround Mode Selection
Operation HDMI-equipped multichannel discplayer: • Connect the player’s HDMI output to one ofthe AVR’s HDMI Inputs. No other connectionsare necessary. • Assign the HDMI Input to both the Audio andVideo Input From Source settings in the SourceInfo menu. HDMI-equipped multichannel disc playerthat does...
Page 32 - Surround Mode; Digital Audio Signals
Operation Note that when Dolby Digital 2.0 signals (e.g."D.D. 2.0" tracks from DVD), that are encodedwith Dolby Pro Logic information, are receivedvia any digital input, the Dolby Pro Logic IIMovie mode will be selected automatically (inaddition to the Dolby Digital mode) and willdecode a fu...
Page 33 - Speaker/Channel Input Indicators; Surround Modes; Dolby Surround Settings
Operation For DTS-ES materials, the incoming bitstreamwill be displayed as 3/3/.1 ES-ON. When a PCM signal is received, the PCMmessage, followed by the sampling rate of thesignal (32kHz, 44.1kHz, 48kHz or 96kHz), willappear in the front-panel display. In addition, the Speaker/Channel InputIndicators...
Page 34 - Tape Recording; Figure 16 - On Screen Display, iPod playing; Memory Backup
34 OPERATION Operation Night Mode Night mode is available with some Dolby Digitalprograms, if it has been encoded in the material.It compresses the peak sound levels, maintainingthe intelligibility of the dialogue and quieterpassages, while reducing the loudness of specialeffects and louder passages...
Page 35 - MULTIROOM OPERATION; Multiroom Operation; Multiroom
MULTIROOM OPERATION 35 Multiroom Operation Multiroom The AVR is fully equipped to operate as the con-trol center for a complete multiroom system thatis capable of sending one source to a secondzone in the house while separate source is lis-tened to in the main room. In addition to provid-ing for con...
Page 37 - ADVANCED FEATURES; Video Adjustments; Figure 19 – Video Modes Menu; Advanced Video Settings:; Figure 20 – Advanced Video Modes Menu
ADVANCED FEATURES 37 E N G L IS H Video Adjustments Video Adjustments The AVR 255/AVR 355 includes sophisticatedDCDi by Faroudja video processing that deliversenhanced video quality, even for older analogvideo source components, as well as upgradedon-screen displays. When upscaling videomaterials fr...
Page 38 - Figure 21 – Audio Effects Menu; Full; Advanced Features; Figure 22 – Systems Settings Screen; General AVR Settings; Volume Default; Audio Effects
Color: This control adjusts the hue of the colors in the picture, and may be set between 0 and100. Select a setting in which people andobjects on screen look natural. There is no“recommended” setting, and no harm inexperimenting. Sharpness: You may adjust the Sharpness setting from 0 to 100. We reco...
Page 40 - Tuner Operation; RDS Operation; TUNER OPERATION
Tuner Operation To select the built-in tuner: 1. Press the Source List Button on the frontpanel and use the K / L Buttons to scroll through the source list. The last-used band (AMor FM) will be active. 2. Press the Radio Source Selector on theremote. Press this button again to switch bands(AM or FM)...
Page 41 - Main Information Display
Tuner Operation • The Program Type ( PTY ) as shown in the list below. NOTE: Many stations do not transmit a specific PTY. The display will show NONE , when such a station is selected and PTY is active. • A “text” message (Radiotext, RT ) containing special information from the broadcast station.Not...
Page 42 - Code Readout; Programming the Remote; PROGRAMMING THE REMOTE
The AVR 255/AVR 355 is equipped with a pow-erful remote control that will control not only thereceiver’s functions, but also most popularbrands of audio and video equipment, includingCD players, TV sets, cable boxes, VCRs, satellitereceivers and other home-theater equipment.Once the AVR’s remote is ...
Page 43 - Erasing Learned Codes
Programming the Remote Example: One blink, followed by a one-secondpause, followed by six blinks, followed by a one-second pause, followed by four blinks indicatesthat the code has been set to 164. For future reference enter the Setup Codes forthe equipment in your system here: DVD ____________ CD _...
Page 44 - cy; Programmed Device Functions
Programming the Remote Activity Programming (Macros) Activities enable you to easily repeat frequentlyused combinations of commands with the pressof a single button on the AVR’s remote control.Once programmed, an Activity will send out up to19 different remote codes in a pre-determinedsequential ord...
Page 45 - Input Selector; Punch-Through Programming
Programming the Remote Notes on Using the AVRRemote With Other Devices. • Manufacturers may use different code sets forthe same product category. For that reason, it isimportant that you check to see if the code setyou have entered operates as many controls aspossible. If it appears that only a few ...
Page 46 - Function List AVR 355; FUNCTION LIST
No. BUTTON Name AVR AVR Zone 2 The Bridge FM AM DVD 01 AVR Power On AVR Power On AVR Power On AVR Power On AVR Power On AVR Power On AVR Power On 02 AVR Power Off AVR Power Off AVR Power Off AVR Power Off AVR Power Off AVR Power Off AVR Power Off 03 Device Power On Power On 04 Device Power Off Power...
Page 48 - Function List AVR 255
Function List AVR 255 4 3 2 1 5 12 15 16 17 21 22 23 24 41 44 45 46 47 48 49 51 52 53 54 55 58 50 35 36 37 38 27 29 28 31 30 33 32 34 42 43 39 40 25 26 18 19 20 13 14 6 7 8 10 11 9 48 FUNCTION LIST No. BUTTON Name AVR AVR Zone 2 FM AM DVD DVDR 01 AVR Power On AVR Power On AVR Power On AVR Power On A...
Page 50 - Troubleshooting Guide; Processor Reset; TROUBLESHOOTING GUIDE
Troubleshooting Guide Processor Reset In the rare case where the unit’s operation or thedisplays seem abnormal, the cause may involvethe erratic operation of the system’s memory ormicroprocessor. To correct this problem, first unplug the unit fromthe AC wall outlet and wait at least threeminutes. Af...
Page 51 - Technical Specifications; Audio Section; TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS
Technical Specifications Audio Section Stereo ModeContinuous Average Power (FTC) AVR 255: 65 Watts per channel, 20Hz - 20 kHzAVR 355: 70 Watts per channel, 20Hz - 20 kHz@ < 0.07% THD, both channels driven into 8 ohms 7 Channel Surround ModesPower Per Individual Channel, with all channels driven F...
Page 52 - Appendix – Default settings, worksheets, remote product codes; Table A1 – Recommended Source Component Connections; APPENDIX; APPENDIX – SETTINGS WORKSHEET; Table A2 – Source Setting Defaults
Appendix – Default settings, worksheets, remote product codes Table A1 – Recommended Source Component Connections Device Type AVR Source Digital Audio Connection Analog Audio Connection Video Connections Cable TV, satellite TV, HDTV CBL/SAT HDMI 2 Analog 1 HDMI 2 or other device that deliverstelevis...
Page 53 - Table A3 – Speaker/Channel Setting Defaults; Table A4 – Delay Setting Defaults
Table A3 – Speaker/Channel Setting Defaults Audio Input All Digital and 2-Channel Analog Audio Inputs 6-/8-Channel Analog Audio Inputs* Your Settings Left/Right Speakers ON ON Center Speaker ON ON Left/Right Surround Speakers ON ON Left/Right Surround Back Speakers ON ON Subwoofer ON ON Left/Right S...
Page 54 - Table A6 – Audio Effects Settings
54 APPENDIX APPENDIX – SETTINGS WORKSHEET Table A6 – Audio Effects Settings Default Cable/Sat DVD Media Server Radio TV Game AUX Tone Control Off Treble 0dB Bass 0dB LFE Trim Off Night Mode Off Table A7 – Video Modes Settings Default Cable/Sat DVD Media Server Radio TV Game AUX Video Mode Processor ...
Page 55 - Table A8 – Surround Modes
APPENDIX 55 E N G L IS H APPENDIX – SETTINGS WORKSHEET Table A8 – Surround Modes Default Cable/Sat DVD Media Server Radio TV Game AUX Auto Select Logic 7 Movie ornative digital format Virtual Surround Dolby VirtualSpeaker Reference Stereo 7 CH Stereo Movie Logic 7 Movie Music Logic 7 Music Game Logi...
Page 56 - Table A11 – Zone 2 Settings; Source Input
56 APPENDIX APPENDIX – SETTINGS WORKSHEET Table A11 – Zone 2 Settings Source Input Device Type (if changed) Your Settings Status Off Source Cable/Sat Volume -25dB Surround Back Amps Main Room