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OPERATION  25

One of the most important features of the 
AVR 2500 is its ability to reproduce a full multi-
channel surround sound field from digital
sources, analog matrix surround encoded pro-
grams and standard stereo or even mono pro-
grams. In all, a total of fifteen listening modes
are available on the AVR 2500.

Selection of a surround mode is based on personal
taste, as well as the type of program source mate-
rial being used. For example, motion pictures, CD’s
or TV programs bearing the logo of one of the
major surround encoding processes, such as Dolby
Surround should be played in either the Dolby Pro
Logic II Movie (with movies) or Music (with
music) surround mode or with the Harman
Kardon´s exclusive Logic 7 Movie Mode, to create
a full range discrete 5.1 channel surround signal
from surround encoded programs with a stereo-
phonic left and right rear signal, just as it was
recorded in real life (e.g. sound being recorded
from left rear side will be heard from that side
only, for more details see chart on page 24).

When no rear speakers are in use, the Dolby 3
Stereo mode should be selected with all  sur-
round recordings.

Note that when Dolby Digital 2.0 signals (e.g.
"D.D. 2.0" tracks from DVD), that are encoded
with Dolby Pro Logic information, are received
via any digital input, the Dolby Pro Logic II Movie
mode will be selected automatically (in addition
to the Dolby Digital mode) and will decode a full
range 5.1 channel surround sound even from
those recordings (see also "Dolby Digital" on
page 26).

To create wide, enveloping sound field environ-
ments and defined pans and flyovers with all
analog stereo recordings select the Dolby Pro
Logic II Music or Emulation mode or Harman
Kardon’s exclusive Logic 7 Music mode for a dra-
matic improvement in comparison to the Dolby
Pro Logic (I) mode of former times.

NOTE: Once a program has been encoded with
matrix surround information, it retains the sur-
round information as long as the program is
broadcast in stereo. Thus, movies with surround
sound may be decoded via any of the analog sur-
round modes such as Dolby Pro Logic II or Logic 7,
when they are broadcast via conventional TV sta-
tions, cable, pay TV and satellite transmission. In
addition, a growing number of made-for-television
programs, sports broadcasts, radio dramas and
music CDs are also recorded in surround sound.
You may view a list of these programs at the Dolby
Laboratories Web site at www.dolby.com.

Even when a program is not listed as carrying
intentional surround information, you may find
that the Dolby Pro Logic II, Dolby 3 Stereo or Logic
7 modes often deliver enveloping surround pre-

sentations through the use of the natural surround
information present in all stereo recordings.

However, for stereo programs without any sur-
round information the Theater, Hall and 5CH
Stereo modes should be tried (effective particularly
with old ”extreme” stereo recordings) and for
mono programs, we suggest that you try the
Theater or Hall modes. And when you use only
two front channel speakers you should select
Harman’s patented VMAx mode, delivering a virtu-
ally three dimensional sound space with two
speakers only.

Surround modes are selected using either the
front panel controls or the remote. To select a
surround mode from the front panel, press the
Surround Mode Selector 7 to scroll through
the list of available modes. To select a surround
mode using the remote, press the Surround
Mode Selector

9, and then press the 

⁄

¤

buttons 

C to change the mode. As you press

the buttons, the Surround mode name will
appear in the Main Information Display M,
and an individual mode indicator will also light
up C D F H I J K. As the surround
mode changes, a green LED will light next to the
current mode in the Surround Mode
Indicators list ˆ on the front panel. Regard
that any time a surround mode is changed it
remains associated with the input just selected
until another choice is made.

NOTE: The name of each Surround Mode will
scroll through the Main Information Display
M while the modes are being selected. To avoid
exiting from the surround mode selection
process, be certain to push the 

⁄

¤

buttons

C while a mode name is still visible.

Note that the Dolby Digital or DTS modes may
only be selected when a digital input is in use. In
addition, when a digital source is present, the
AVR 2500 will automatically select and switch to
the correct mode (Dolby Digital or DTS), regard-
less of the mode that has been previously select-
ed. For more information on selecting digital
sources, see the following section of this manual.

To listen to a program in traditional two channel
stereo, using the front left and front right speak-
ers only (plus the subwoofer if installed and con-
figured), follow the instructions shown above for
using the remote until SURR OFF appears
in the Main Information Display M.

"Digital audio is a major advancement over older
analog matrix surround systems. It delivers five dis-
crete channels: left front, center, right front, left sur-
round and right surround. Each channel reproduces
full frequency range (20Hz to 20kHz) and offers
dramatically improved dynamic range and signifi-
cant improvements to signal-to-noise ratios. In

addition, digital systems have the capability to
deliver an additional channel that is specifically
devoted to low frequency information. This is the
“.1” channel referred to when you see these sys-
tems descibed as “5.1”. The bass channel is sepa-
rate from the other channels, but since it is inten-
tionally bandwidth limited, sound designers have
given it that unique designation.

Dolby Digital 
Dolby Digital (originally known as AC-3

®

) is 

a standard part of DVD, and is available on 
specially encoded LD discs and satellite broadcasts
and it is a part of the new high-definition television
(HDTV) system.

Note that an optional, external RF demodulator
is required to use the AVR 2500 to listen to the
Dolby Digital sound tracks available on laser
discs. Connect the RF output of the LD player to
the demodulator and then connect the digital
output of the demodulator to the Optical or
Coaxial inputs 

N9#$ of the AVR 2500.

No demodulator is required for use with DVD
players or DTS-encoded laser discs.

DTS
DTS is another digital audio system that is capa-
ble of delivering 5.1 audio. Although both DTS
and Dolby Digital are digital, they use different
methods of encoding the signals, and thus they
require different decoding circuits to convert the
digital signals back to analog.

DTS-encoded sound tracks are available on select
DVD and LD discs, as well as on special audio-
only DTS CDs. You may use any LD, DVD or CD
player equipped with a digital output to play
DTS-encoded special audio-only CDs with the
AVR 2500, but DTS-LDs can be played on LD
players and DTS-DVDs on DVD players only. All
that is required is to connect the player’s output
to either the Optical or Coaxial input on the
rear panel 

N9 or front panel #$.

In order to listen to DVDs encoded with DTS
sound tracks, the DVD player must be compatible
with the DTS signal as indicated by a DTS logo
on the player’s front panel. Note that early DVD
players may not be able to play DTS- encoded
DVDs. This does not indicate a problem with the
AVR 2500, as some players cannot pass the DTS
signal through to the digital outputs. If you are in
doubt as to the capability of your DVD player to
handle DTS DVDs, consult the player’s owner’s
manual.

Please note that some DVD players are shipped
with their output set for Dolby Digital only. To
insure that DTS data is being sent to the AVR,
please check the setup menu system on your
DVD player to make certain that DTS data output
is enabled.

26 OPERATION

PCM Audio Playback
PCM (Pulse Code Modulation) is the non- com-
pressed digital audio system used for compact
discs, Non-Dolby Digital/DTS Laserdiscs and some
special PCM encoded DVDs. The digital circuits in
the AVR 2500 are capable of high quality digital-
to-analog decoding, and they may be connected
directly to the digital audio output of your
CD/DVD or LD player (LD only for PCM or DTS
programs, for Dolby Digital laser discs an RF
adapter is needed, see ”Dolby Digital” above).

Connections may be made to either the Optical
or Coaxial inputs 

N9 on the rear panel or the

front panel Digital Inputs #$.

To listen to a PCM digital source, first select the
input for the desired source (e.g., CD) to feed its
video signal (if any) to the TV monitor and to
provide its analog audio signal for recording.
Next press the Digital Select button Ò

F

and then use the 

⁄

¤

buttons 

C on the

remote, or the Selector buttons 5 on the front
panel, until the desired choice appears in the
Main Information Display M, then press the
Set button Ó

E to confirm the choice.

When a PCM source is playing, the PCM indica-
tor A will light. During PCM playback you may
select any surround mode as described on pages
24 and 25 except Dolby Digital or DTS.

MP3 Audio Playback
The AVR 2500 is one of the few A/V receivers to
provide on-board decoding for the MP3 audio
format used on specific computer audio files and
by portable MP3 players/recorders. In addition,
some new CD and DVD players are capable of
playing back optical discs that are recorded with
MP3, rather than standard CD audio information.
By offering MP3 decoding, the AVR 2500 is able
to deliver more precise conversion of the digital
signals to an analog output, along with the ben-
efits of listening to the MP3 audio through the
AVR 2500’s high current amplifier and the speak-
ers from your surround system, rather than the
smaller speakers and low powered amplifiers typ-
ically used with computers.

To take advantage of the AVR 2500’s MP3 capa-
bilities, connect the digital (SPDIF) output of a
computer sound card able to feed the MP3 for-
mat to its digital output, or the digital (SPDIF)
output of MP3 compatible CD or DVD players or
of a portable MP3 player able to feed the MP3
format to its digital output, to either the rear
panel Digital Inputs

N9 or the front panel

Digital Inputs #$. When the digital MP3
signal is sensed, the MP3 Bitstream Indicator
A will light, and the audio will begin playing.

NOTES:
• The AVR 2500 is only capable of playing sig-
nals in the MP3 (MPEG 1/Layer 3) format. It is
not compatible with other computer audio
codecs.

• The MP 3 DSP mode found in the new 
AVR 2500 requires an MP3 SPDIF stream.
Presently, only a few units provide this but in the
coming generations of motherboards and operat-
ing system updates this will follow, since SPDIF is
the standard for audio & video hardware.

• The digital audio input signal may be either
optical or coaxial, but the signal must be in the
MP3 SPDIF format. Direct connection of USB or
serial data outputs is not possible, even though
the signals are in the MP3 format. If you have
any questions about the data output format from
your computer or a sound card, check with the
device’s Owner’s Manual or contact the manu-
facturer’s technical support area.

To utilize either digital mode you must have
properly connected a digital source to the
AVR 2500. Connect the digital outputs from DVD
players, HDTV receivers, satellite systems or CD
players to the Optical or Coaxial inputs on the
rear or front panel 

N9#$. In order to pro-

vide a backup signal and a source for analog
stereo recording, the analog outputs provided on
digital source equipment should also be connect-
ed to their appropriate inputs on the AVR 2500
rear panel (e.g., connect the analog stereo audio
output from a DVD to the DVD inputs 

5 on the

rear panel when you connect the source’s digital
outputs).

When playing a digital source such as DVD, first
select its input using the remote or front panel
controls as outlined in this manual in order to
feed its video signal (if any) to the TV monitor
and to provide its analog audio signal for record-
ing. When the digital input appropriate with the
DVD player is not selected automatically (due to
the input settings made earlier during the system
configuration, see page 18), select the digital
source by pressing the Digital Input Selector
button 

F Ò and then using the 

⁄

/

¤

buttons

C on the remote or the Selector buttons 5
on the front panel to choose any of the
OPTICAL

or COAXIAL inputs, as they

appear in the Main Information Display M
and Display Indicators BE. When the digital
source is playing, the AVR 2500 will automatical-
ly detect whether it is a multichannel Dolby
Digital, DTS source, MP3 or a conventional PCM
signal, which is the standard output from CD
players. A Bitstream Indicator A will light in
the Main Information Display Ú to confirm
that the digital signal is Dolby Digital, DTS, MP3
or PCM. Note that a digital input (e.g. coaxial)
remains associated with any analog input (e.g.
DVD) as soon as it is selected, thus the digital
input need not be re-selected each time the
appropriate input choice (e.g. DVD) is made.

When a digital source is playing, the AVR 2500
senses the type of bitstream data that is present.
Using this information, the correct surround mode
will automatically be selected. For example, DTS
bitstreams will cause the unit to switch to DTS
decoding, and Dolby Digital bitstreams will enable
Dolby Digital decoding. When the unit senses
PCM data, from CDs and LDs and some music
DVDs or certain tracks on normal DVDs, it will
allow the appropriate surround mode to be
selected manually. Since the range of available
surround modes depends on the type of digital
data that is present, the AVR 2500 uses a variety
of indicators to let you know what type of signal
is present. This will help you to understand the
choice of modes and the input channels recorded
on the disc.

When a digital source is playing, a Bitstream
Indicator A will light to show which type of
signal is playing:

: When the DOLBY D indicator lights, a

Dolby Digital bitstream is being received.
Depending on the audio track selected on the
source player and number of channels on the
disc, different surround modes are possible. Note
that only one channel without subwoofer, called
”1.0” audio, or all five channels with subwoofer
(”5.1” audio) or all steps between can be record-
ed on digitally surround encoded audio tracks
(see NOTE below). With all those tracks, except
”2.0” audio, only the Dolby Digital and VMAx
modes are available. When the Dolby Digital sig-
nal is only two channel (”2.0”) these two chan-
nels (l and r) often contain Pro Logic surround
informations. With those tracks the AVR2500
automatically switches to the Dolby Pro Logic II
Movie mode (in addition to the Dolby Digital
mode), but you may also select the Vmax mode.
When the D.D. 2.0 signal contains no Pro Logic
information, the pure Dolby Digital mode will be
selected automatically, but you may also select
any Pro Logic II mode (only Music or Emulation
should be used then) or any Vmax mode.

D T S

: When the DTS indicator lights, a DTS bit-

stream is being received. When the unit senses
this type of data, only the DTS mode may be used.

P C M

: When the PCM indicator lights, a standard

Pulse Code Modulation, or PCM, signal is being
received. This is the type of digital audio used by
conventional compact disc and laser disc record-
ings. When a PCM bitstream is present, all modes
except Dolby Digital and DTS are available. Note
that the PCM signal format can be selected on the
DVD player with any audio track, even with Dolby
Digital tracks (but not with Dolby Digital decod-
ing). So, if selected, even ”2.0” D.D. audio tracks
can be played with all surround modes, also with
the most effective Logic 7.

OPERATION 27

M P 3

: When the MP3 indicator lights, a compat-

ible MPEG 1/Layer 3 digital signal is being
received. This is the popular audio format used by
many computer programs for recording com-
pressed audio files. When an MP3 bitstream is 
present, the sound will automatically be played
in the stereo (surround off) mode. The surround
modes are not available during MP3 playback.

In addition to the Bitstream Indicators, the
AVR 2500 features a set of unique channel input
indicators that tell you how many channels of
digital information are being received and if the
digital signal is interrupted.

These indicators are the L/C/R/SL/SR/LFE letters
that are inside the center boxes of the
Speaker/Channel Input Indicators P in the
front panel Main Information Display Ú.
When a standard analog stereo or matrix sur-
round signal is in use, only the “L” and “R” indi-
cators will light, as analog signals have only left
and right channels, respectively, even surround
recordings, carry surround information on the left
and right channels only.

Digital signals, however, may have one to six sep-
arate channels, depending on the program mate-
rial, the method of transmission and the way in
which it was encoded. When a digital signal is
playing, the letters in these indicators will light in
response to the specific signal being received. It
is important to note that although Dolby Digital,
for example, is referred to as a “5.1” system, not
all Dolby Digital DVD or audio tracks selected on
DVD or other Dolby Digital programs are encod-
ed for 5.1. Thus, it is sometimes normal for a
DVD with a Dolby Digital soundtrack to trigger
e.g. only the “L” and “R” indicators.

NOTE: Many DVD discs are recorded with both
“5.1” and “2.0” versions of the same sound-
track, the ”2.0” version often is used with other
languages. When playing a DVD, always be cer-
tain to check the type of material on the disc.
Most discs show this information in the form of a
listing or icon on the back of the disc jacket.
When a disc does offer multiple soundtrack
choices you may have to make some adjustments
to your DVD player (usually with the “Audio
Select” button or in a menu screen on the disc)
to send a full 5.1 feed to the AVR 2500 or to
select the appropriate audio track and thus lan-
guage (”2.0” audio tracks can be played with all
Pro Logic II or Vmax modes, see "Dolby Digital"
on page 26). It is also possible for the type of
signal feed to change during the course of a DVD
playback. In some cases the previews of special
material will only be recorded in 2.0 audio, while
the main feature is available in 5.1 audio. As
long as your DVD player is set for 6-channel out-
put, the AVR 2500 will automatically sense
changes to the bitstream and channel count and
reflect them in these indicators.

The letters used by the Speaker/Channel Input
Indicators P also flash to indicate when a bit-
stream has been interrupted. This will happen
when a digital input source is selected before the
playback starts, or when a digital source such as
a DVD is put into a Pause mode. The flashing
indicators remind you that the playback has
stopped due to the absence of a digital signal
and not through any fault of the AVR. This is nor-
mal, and the digital playback will resume once
the playback is started again.

A special feature of Dolby Digital is the Night
mode, which enables Dolby Digital input sources
to be played back with full digital intelligibilty
while reducing the maximum peak level and lift-
ing the low levels by 

1

/

4

to 

1

/

3

. This prevents

abruptly loud transitions from disturbing others
without reducing the impact of the digital source.
The Night mode is available only when Dolby
Digital mode is selected.

The Night mode may be engaged when a Dolby
Digital DVD is playing by pressing the Night
Button 

A on the remote. Next, press the 

⁄

/

¤

buttons 

C to select either the middle range or

full compression versions of the Night mode. To
turn the Night mode off, press the 

⁄

/

¤

buttons

C until the message in the lower third of the
video display and the Main Information
Display M reads D-R OFF. When the Night
mode is active, the Night Mode Indicator O
will also illuminate.

The Night mode may also be selected to always be
on at either level of compression as soon as the
Dolby Digital mode is turned on using the options
in the Night Mode settings. See page 21 for infor-
mation on using this option.

IMPORTANT NOTES ON DIGITAL PLAYBACK:
1. When the digital playback source is stopped,
or in a pause, fast forward or chapter search
mode, the digital audio data will momentarily
stop, and the channel position letters inside the
Speaker/Channel Indicators P will flash.
This is normal and does not indicate a problem
with either the AVR 2500 or the source machine.
The AVR 2500 will return to digital playback as
soon as the data is available and when the
machine is in a standard play mode.

2. Although the AVR 2500 will decode virtually all
DVD movies, CDs and HDTV sources, it is possible
that some future digital sources may not be com-
patible with the AVR 2500.

3. Note that not all digitally encoded programs
and not all audio tracks on a DVD contain full
5.1-channel audio. Consult the program guide
that accompanies the DVD or laser disc to deter-
mine which type of audio has been recorded on
the disc. The AVR 2500 will automatically sense
the type of digital surround encoding used, indi-
cate it in the Bitstream Indicators A and

Channel Input Indicators P and adjust to
accommodate it.

4. When a Dolby Digital or DTS source is playing,
you normally may not be able to select some of
the analog surround modes such as Dolby Pro
Logic II, Dolby 3 Stereo, Hall, Theater, 5CH Stereo
or Logic 7, except with special audio tracks 
(see indication ”Dolby Digital” on previous page)
or data format selected (see ”PCM” on previous
page).

5. When a Dolby Digital or DTS source is playing,
it is not possible to make an analog recording
using the Tape

1 or Video 1 or Video 2

4Q record outputs, if the source is connected
to any digital input of the AVR2500 only. But the
analog two channel signal of that source, the
”Downmix” to Stereo or Dolby Surround, can be
recorded by connecting its analog audio outputs
to the appropriate analog inputs (e.g. DVD) of
the AVR 2500, even if the digital input of the
AVR 2500 remains selected. Additionally, the dig-
ital signals will be passed through to the Digital
Audio Outputs 

8.

In normal operation, the audio or video source
selected for listening through the AVR 2500 is
sent to the record outputs. This means that any
program you are watching or listening to may be
recorded simply by placing machines connected
to the outputs for Tape Outputs

1 or Video 1

or 2 Outputs

4Q in the record mode.

When a digital audio recorder is connected to
any of the Digital Audio Outputs

8, you are

able to record the digital signal using a CD-R,
MiniDisc or other digital recording system.
Note that all digital signals will be passed
through to both, coaxial and optical, digital out-
puts simultanously, no matter which kind of digi-
tal input was selected.

NOTES:
• The digital outputs are active only when a digital
signal is present, and they do not convert an ana-
log input to a digital signal, or change the format
of the digital signal (e.g. Dolby Digital to PCM or
vice versa, but coaxial digital signals are converted
to optical signals and vice versa). In additon, the
digital recorder must be compatible with the out-
put signal. For example, the PCM digital output
from a CD player may be recorded on a CD-R or
MiniDisc, but Dolby Digital or DTS signals may not.

• To make an analog recording of a Dolby Digital
or DTS source is not possible, if the source is con-
nected to a digital input of the AVR 2500 only.
But the analog two channel signal of that source
can be recorded (see item 5, ”Important Notes
on Digital Playback” above).

28 OPERATION

Normal output level adjustment for the 
AVR 2500 is established using the test tone, as
outlined on pages 21 and 22. In some cases,
however, it may be desirable to adjust the output
levels using program material such as a test disc,
or a selection you are familiar with. Additionally,
the output level for the subwoofer and those for
the Stereo and VMAx modes can only be adjust-
ed using this procedure.

To adjust the output levels using program materi-
al, first select the surround mode for which you
want to trim the speakers (see NOTE below) by
selecting the appropriate input, associated with
the desired surround mode, start your program
material source and set the reference volume for
the front left and front right channels using the
Volume Control (

".

Once the reference level has been set, press the
Channel Select button 

CÛ and note that

FL LEVEL

will appear in the Main

Information Display M for five seconds. To
change the level, first press the Set button 

E

Ó , and then use the Selector buttons 5 or
the 

⁄

¤

buttons 

C to raise or lower the

level. DO NOT use the volume control, as this
will alter the reference setting.

Once the change has been made, press the Set
button 

E Ó and then press the Selector but-

tons 5 or the 

⁄

/

¤

buttons 

C to select the

next output channel location that you wish to
adjust. To adjust the subwoofer level, press the
Selector buttons 5 or the 

⁄

/

¤

buttons 

C

until SW LEVEL appears in the Main
Information Display M (only available if the
subwoofer was selected during the speaker con-
figuration, see page 18).

Press the Set button 

E Ó when the name of

the desired channel appears in the Main
Information Display M and on-screen display,
and follow the instructions shown above to
adjust the level.

Repeat the procedure as needed until all chan-
nels requiring adjustment have been set. When
all adjustments have been made press the Set
button

E Ó twice, the AVR 2500 will return

to normal operation.

NOTE: The output levels may be separately
trimmed for each digital and analog surround
mode. If you wish to have different trim levels for a
specific mode, select that mode and then follow the
instructions in the steps shown above.

Changing the levels by the trim adjustment as
described above will automatically change the
level settings shown during the Output Level
Adjustment (see page 21) correspondingly (and

vice versa) and will remain in the AVR 2500´s
memory system, even when the unit is turned off.
With Stereo and Vmax modes the adjustment
procedure described above is the only way to
trim the output level (e.g. to match the Vmax
level with other modes).

The AVR 2500’s front panel Main Information
Display Ú is set at a default brightness level
that is sufficient for viewing in a normally lit
room. However, in some home theater installa-
tions, you may wish to occasionally lower the
brightness of the display, or turn it off completely.

The display brightness may be changed by press-
ing and holding the Set button Ó on the front
for three seconds until the message in the Main
Information Display M reads V F D
F U L L

. Within five seconds, press the front

panel 

‹

/

›

buttons 5 until the desired brightness

display level is shown. At that point, press the
Set button Ó again to enter the setting.

This product is equipped with a memory backup
system that preserves tuner presets and system
configuration information if the unit is turned off
completely, accidentally unplugged or subjected
to a power outage. This memory will last for
approximately two weeks, after which time all
information must be reentered.