ARCAM AVR300 Handbook

AVR300HANDBOOK/MANUEL/HANDBUCH/HANDLEIDING

Arcam AVR300 surround sound receiver Ampli-tuner audiovidéo Arcam AVR300 Arcam AVR300 Surround-Sound-Empfänger Arcam AVR300 surroundsound-ontvanger

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RISQUE DE CHOC ELECTRIQUE

NE PAS OUVRIR

ATTENTION

CAUTION

RISK OF ELECTRIC

SHOCK DO NOT OPEN

CAUTION: To reduce the risk of electric shock, do not remove cover (or back). No user serviceable parts inside. Refer servicing to qualied service personnel.

WARNING: To reduce the risk of re or electric shock, do not expose this apparatus to rain or moisture.

The lightning ash 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 sufcient magnitude to constitute a risk of electric shock to persons.

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.

CAUTION: In Canada and the USA, to prevent electric shock, match the wide blade of the plug to the wide slot in the socket and insert the plug fully into the socket.

Safety guidelines

Important safety instructions

This product is designed and manufactured to meet strict quality and safety standards. However, you should be aware of the following installation and operation precautions:

1. Take heed of warnings and instructions

You should read all the safety and operating instructions before operating this appliance. Retain this handbook for future reference and adhere to all warnings in the handbook or on the appliance.

2. Water and moisture

The presence of electricity near water can be dangerous. Do not use the appliance near water – for example next to a bathtub, washbowl, kitchen sink, in a wet basement or near a swimming pool, etc.

3. Object or liquid entry

Take care that objects do not fall and liquids are not spilled into the enclosure through any openings. Liquid lled objects such as vases should not be placed on the equipment.

4. Ventilation

Do not place the equipment on a bed, sofa, rug or similar soft surface, or in an enclosed bookcase or cabinet, since ventilation may be impeded. We recommend a minimum distance of 50mm (2 inches) around the sides and top of the appliance to provide adequate ventilation.

5. Heat

Locate the appliance away from naked ames or heat producing equipment such as radiators, stoves or other appliances (including other ampliers) that produce heat.

6. Climate

The appliance has been designed for use in moderate climates.

7. Racks and stands

Only use a rack or stand that is recommended for use with audio equipment. If the equipment is on a portable rack it should be moved with great care, to avoid overturning the combination.

8. Cleaning

Unplug the unit from the mains supply before cleaning. The case should normally only require a wipe with a soft,

damp, lint-free cloth. Do not use paint thinners or other chemical solvents for cleaning.

We do not advise the use of furniture cleaning sprays or polishes as they can cause indelible white marks if the unit is subsequently wiped with a damp cloth.

9. Power sources

Only connect the appliance to a power supply of the type described in the operating instructions or as marked on the appliance.

10. Power-cord protection

Power supply cords should be routed so that they are not likely to be walked on or pinched by items placed upon or against them, paying particular attention to cords and plugs, and the point where they exit from the appliance.

11. Grounding

Ensure that the grounding means of the appliance is not defeated.

12. Power lines

Locate any outdoor antenna/aerial away from power lines.

13. Non-use periods

If the unit has a stand-by function, a small amount of current will continue to ow into the equipment in this mode. Unplug the power cord of the appliance from the outlet if left unused for a long period of time.

14. Abnormal smell

If an abnormal smell or smoke is detected from the appliance, turn the power off immediately and unplug the unit from the wall outlet. Contact your dealer immediately.

15. Servicing

You should not attempt to service the appliance beyond that described in this handbook. All other servicing should be referred to qualied service personnel.

16. Damage requiring service

The appliance should be serviced by qualied service personnel when:

A. the power-supply cord or the plug has been damaged,

B. objects have fallen, or liquid has spilled into the

appliance, or C. the appliance has been exposed to rain, or D. the appliance does not appear to operate normally or

exhibits a marked change in performance, or E. the appliance has been dropped or the enclosure

damaged.

Safety compliance

This product has been designed to meet the IEC 60065 international electrical safety standard.

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Contents

Safety guidelines......................................E-2

Important safety instructions ............................E-2

Safety compliance ...........................................E-2

Before you start!...................................... E-4

Installation ..............................................E-6

Positioning the unit ..........................................E-6

Notes on installing the AVR300.......................... E-6

Audio connections............................................E-7

Video connections............................................ E-8

Connecting loudspeakers .................................. E-9

Zone 2 connections.......................................... E-9

Connecting the AM and FM antennas................ E-10

Control connections ....................................... E-10

Connecting to a power supply ......................... E-10

Conguring the AVR300 ......................... E-11

Set-up mode................................................. E-11

The ‘Basic’ Set-up Menus................................ E-12

The ‘Advanced’ Set-up Menus.......................... E-16

Saving Settings and Exit Set-up ...................... E-17

Remote control.......................................E-18

Operating your AVR300..........................E-19

Switching on/off............................................ E-19

Volume control .............................................. E-19

Front panel display ........................................ E-19

Input selection .............................................. E-20

Stereo Direct ................................................ E-20

Zone 2 ......................................................... E-20

Headphones.................................................. E-20

Effects/FX..................................................... E-21

Mode ........................................................... E-21

Treble/Bass................................................... E-21

Remote control buttons .................................. E-21

Using the tuner ............................................. E-22

Using the Main Menu...................................... E-23

Using Zone 2 ............................................... E-24

Surround modes.....................................E-25

Introduction.................................................. E-25

Digital multi-channel sources .......................... E-25

Two-channel source modes ............................. E-26

Multi-channel source modes............................ E-26

DSP Effects Modes......................................... E-27

Speaker positioning ...............................E-27

Bi-wiring and bi-amping loudspeakers... E-28

Before you start – important information! ......... E-28

Bi-wiring your loudspeakers ............................ E-28

Bi-amping your system .................................. E-28

Troubleshooting.....................................E-30

IR Remote Codes....................................E-32

SCART connections.................................E-34

Technical specications..........................E-35

Guarantee ..............................................E-36

Worldwide Guarantee..................................... E-36

On line registration ........................................ E-36

Appendix: Serial programming interface E-37

Introduction.................................................. E-37

Command Specications................................. E-38

The small print:

Manufactured under licence from Dolby Laboratories, Inc. ‘Dolby’, ‘Pro Logic’, ‘Surround EX’ and the double-D symbol are trademarks of Dolby Laboratories. Confidential unpublished works. Copyright © 1992–1999 Dolby Laboratories, Inc. All rights reserved.

Manufactured under license from Digital Theater Systems, Inc. U.S. Pat. No’s. 5,451,942; 5,956,674; 5,974,380; 5,978,762; 6,226,616; 6,487,535 and other U.S. and world-wide patents issued and pending. “DTS”, “DTS-ES”, “Neo:6”, and “DTS 96/24” are trademarks of Digital Theater Systems, Inc. Copyright © 1996, 2003 Digital Theater Systems, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

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Before you start!

Introduction

The AVR300 is a high quality and high performance home cinema processor and multi-channel audio amplier built to Arcam’s traditional high quality design and manufacturing standards. It combines high resolution digital processing with high performance audio and video components to bring you an unrivalled home entertainment centre.

In addition to the built-in tuner, the AVR300 allows switching and volume control of seven analogue and six digital sources, making it an ideal companion for both home cinema and two-channel stereo systems. Since many of these source components are also capable of outputting high quality video signals, the AVR300 includes broadcast quality video switching for composite, S-video, component and most RGB video signals. There are inputs and outputs for both tape and VCR, as well as a digital output. DVDAudio or SACD can be connected via the multi-channel input. Control of the AVR300 is either by front panel control buttons, IR remote control or an RS232 port (which also can be used to upload future software enhancements).

As well as providing the audio and video being used in the main listening area, the AVR300 allows the same, or a different, source to be routed to a second area (called ‘Zone 2’), such as the kitchen, bedroom, lounge, etc. Zone 2 can have full remote control over the source selection and volume in that area.

The customised installation of the AVR300 in a listening room is an important process which requires care at every stage. For this reason, the installation information is very comprehensive and should be followed carefully.

Using this handbook

Thank you for purchasing the Arcam AVR300 Surround Sound Receiver. This handbook has been designed to give you all the information you need to install, connect, set up

and use the Arcam AVR300 Surround Sound Receiver. The remote control handset supplied with the equipment is also described.

It may be that the AVR300 has been installed and set up as part of your Hi-Fi installation by a qualied Arcam dealer. In this case, you may wish to skip the sections of this handbook dealing with installation and setting up the unit and move directly to the section detailing the operation of your unit.

Safety

Safety guidelines are set out on page 2 of this handbook. Many of these items are common sense precautions but, for your own safety, and to ensure that you do

not damage the unit, we recommend that you read them. This is a class 1 product and requires an earth connection.

What’s in the box?

Please conrm that the following items are in the box when you receive it:

Arcam AVR300 surround-sound receiver — the model number is shown on the right of the front

panel of the player;

Arcam CR-80 remote control with 2 ‘AAA’ batteries — the remote control model number is shown

on the front at the bottom of the remote control;

FM ribbon and AM loop antennae;

Mains power lead appropriate for the mains supply in your area;

Product registration card and envelope.

If any of these items are missing or incorrect, please contact your Arcam dealer immediately.

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Before making connections

Before connecting your equipment it is important to think about the following points, as these will affect your choice of connections and subsequent use of the system.

Audio

Wherever possible, connect both analogue and digital outputs of digital sources. This enables use of a digital input for the main zone with the corresponding analogue input used for recording onto an analogue tape deck or VCR, or for the Zone 2 output.

Video

The AVR300 allows for conversion between different video formats. This means that the AVR300 can convert between composite, S-video and component, if required.

For example, if you are watching a composite input from a VCR, you may view it from the S-video or Component/RGB video outputs of the AVR300. This allows you to use a single (typically high-quality Component/RGB) connection between the AVR300 and your display device.

However, neither the record loops nor Zone 2 work from the video converter. This means that to record a S-video or composite signal, a S -video or composite signal (respectively) must be supplied; to view video in Zone 2, a composite signal is required.

The video quality hierarchy is as follows:

Component/RGB – highest

S-video – middle

Composite – lowest

If all the video inputs are connected simultaneously from one device, e.g., a DVD player, the AVR300 will select automatically the best format available.

Zone 2

A line-level signal from the stereo analogue audio together with the composite video inputs are available for Zone 2. The analogue inputs from source components are required because the AVR300 provides no analogue-to-digital, DSP processing or digital-to-analogue conversion; the composite video connections are required since the AVR300 does not perform video format conversion for Zone 2.

For these reasons, we recommend that source devices that have a digital connection are also connected to the analogue inputs. High quality YUV/RGB and S-video sources should also have their composite outputs connected to the AVR300 for use in Zone 2.

Inserting the batteries into the remote control

The remote control requires 2 ‘AAA’ batteries to operate. To insert the batteries into the remote control, please follow these instructions:

1. Open the battery compartment cover on the back of the remote control.

2. Insert two AAA batteries into the battery compartment, following the polarity indications given inside the compartment itself.

3. Close the cover.

Notes on inserting the remote control batteries

Incorrect use of batteries can result in hazards such as leakage and

bursting.

Do not mix old and new batteries together.

Do not use different kinds of battery together—although they may look

similar, different batteries may have different voltages.

Ensure that the plus (+) and minus (—) ends of each battery match the

indications in the battery compartment.

Remove batteries from equipment that is not going to be used for a month

or more.

When disposing of used batteries, please comply with governmental (or

other) regulations that apply in your country or area.

Using the remote control

Please keep in mind the following when using the remote control:

Ensure that there are no obstacles between the remote control and the

remote sensor on the AVR300. The remote has a range of about 7 metres. (If the remote sensor is obscured, the remote control input jack on the rear panel is available. Please contact your dealer for further information.)

Remote operation may become unreliable if strong sunlight or  uorescent

light is shining on the remote sensor of the AVR300.

Replace the batteries when you notice a reduction in the operating range of

the remote control.





A. Open the cover of the remote control

battery compartment

B. Insert the batteries into the remote

control





C. Close the cover of the remote control

battery compartment

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Installation

Positioning the unit

Place the receiver on a level,  rm surface.

Avoid placing the unit in direct sunlight or near sources of heat or damp.

Do not place the unit on top of a power ampli er or other source of heat.

Ensure adequate ventilation. Do not place the unit in an enclosed space such as a bookcase

or closed cabinet unless there is good provision for ventilation. The receiver is designed to run warm during normal operation.

Make sure the IR receiver in the centre of the front panel display is unobstructed, otherwise

this will impair the use of the remote control. If line-of-sight is impractical, an infrared remote repeater can be used with the rear panel IR connector.

Do not place your record deck on top of this unit or any other unit which is mains supplied.

Record decks are very sensitive to the noise generated by mains power supplies which will be heard as ‘hum’ if the record deck is too close.

Do not place any other component or item on top of the AVR300 as this may obstruct the ventilation holes, causing the AVR300 to run hot. (The unit placed on top of the AVR300 would become hot, too.)

Notes on installing the AVR300

The inputs are named to make it easier to reference when connecting source components to the AVR300 (e.g., a DVD or VCR), but all inputs have the same circuitry. This means that there is no reason why you should not connect a different device from that labelled to any of the inputs. For example, if you had two DVD players and the AV input was not being used, then the second DVD player could be connected to the AV input.

Cables

We recommend the use of high quality screened analogue, digital and video cables, since inferior quality cables will degrade the overall quality of your system. Use only cables that are designed for the particular application as other cables will have different impedance characteristics that will degrade the performance of your system (for example, do not use cabling intended for audio use to carry video signals). All cables should be kept as short as is practically possible.

Video and digital connections must be made with cables that are designed for this purpose, i.e., coaxial cable with a 75Ω impedance. If substandard cables are used you may suffer from poor picture quality such as ghost images and/or grainy picture quality (snow).

Speaker cables should be kept short to ensure ef cient power transmission and avoid audible distortion. It is good practice when connecting your equipment to ensure that the mains power supply cabling is

kept as far away as possible from your audio and video cables, as this will provide the best sound and picture quality. Failure to do so may result in unwanted noise in the audio and video signals.

TAPE

CD DVD-A IN

OUTPUTS

AUDIO VIDEO DIGITAL IN

REMOTE

RS232 CONTROL

FR FL CEN RS LS RSB LSB

OUT

VCR

OUT

PVR

SAT

DVD

MON OUT

ZONE2

VIDEO

OUT

DIGITAL

OUT

DVD

SAT

PVR

TAPE

OUT

RSB

CEN

LSB

SUB

RSB

CEN

LSB

SUB

ZONE

LOCAL

OUT

1/RGB 2/S-VID

12V TRIGGER (Z1 & Z2)

VIDEO TRIGGER

INLET

DVD

OUT

SAT

GND

HIGH QUALITY VIDEO IN

(USA) 10K

(EU) 9K

AM STEP

GROUND LIFT

GROUND

230

SPEAKER

IMPEDANCE

The AVR300 rear panel

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Audio connections

Wherever possible, connect both the analogue and digital outputs of digital sources. This enables use of a digital input for the main zone and the corresponding analogue input for recording onto an analogue tape deck or VCR, and for the Zone 2 output if used.

Take care to place the audio cables as far from any power supply cabling as is practically possible to reduce hum and other noise problems.

Analogue audio connections

STEREO INPUTS

VCR, 4 PVR, 5 AV,

SAT,

DVD, br TAPE IN,

CD.

Connect the left and right outputs of your source equipment to the left and right inputs.

Connection of record decks:

The AVR300 is not  tted with a phono pre-ampli er. If you wish to connect a record deck to the AVR300, then you will need an external pre-ampli er. Please contact your dealer for further information and recommendations on the best option for your system.

MULTI-CHANNEL DVD-A/SACD INPUTS

RIGHT, 9 LEFT, bk RIGHT SURROUND, bl LEFT SURROUND,

CENTRE, bp SUB.

Connect the audio outputs of your DVD-Audio or SACD player to these input sockets.

RS BACK, and bn LS BACK. These are available for formats requiring eight channels. Currently no formats are available requiring these connections, which are provided for future compatibility.

The multi-channel input is intended for use with sources that decode the surround channels internally, such as DVD-A or SACD players.

The AVR300 switches these analogue inputs directly to the analogue outputs via its own volume control circuit. This direct path maintains the best possible sound quality for DVD-A and SACD sources; it has the side-effect that there is no bass-management for DVD-A or SACD players. In this case, the bass-management functionality of the player itself should be used.

STEREO OUTPUTS

VCR OUT, 3 PVR OUT, bq TAPE OUT. Connect the left and right audio outputs sockets to the left and right input sockets of your cassette deck, VCR or PVR (usually labelled ‘RECORD IN’). The VCR/PVR connections may also be used for a second or third cassette deck.

Digital audio connections

INPUTS

CD, cm DVD, cn AV, co SAT, cp PVR, cq TAPE. Connect the digital ouputs of your available source equipment to these inputs. If required, each of these six digital inputs can be allocated to a different audio input from that

indicated by the input label, through the ‘Digital Settings’ page of the Set-up menu. This means that, for example, if you wish to use an optical connection for your DVD player, the optical connection for the SAT, PVR, or TAPE can be used and the audio from that digital input assigned to the DVD button.

OUTPUTS

bt ck

DIGITAL OUT.

Two digital output connections are available: optical and coaxial. The two connections carry the same information at all times and both may be used simultaneously. Connect the digital outputs to your digital recording devices such as a CD-R, digital VCR or MiniDisc player.

When a digital source is selected, the digital output will send an exact copy of the incoming digital signal. For example, for a 5.1 digital source, the digital output will also be in 5.1 format.

When an analogue source is selected, the digital output will be muted.

Analogue pre-ampli er outputs

The pre-ampli er outputs are used to send signals to external power ampli ers. This may be either for ‘bi-amping’ speakers or for use with a more powerful external ampli er (such as the Arcam P7 seven-channel ampli er). Note that if you wish to bi-amplify speakers, you must use an ampli er with the same gain as the AVR300 (31dB), otherwise the bass and the treble will become unbalanced. Please contact your dealer if you require more information on bi-amping your speakers.

All these analogue outputs are buffered and are at line level.

RIGHT, cp LEFT, dk CENTRE. Connect these to the equivalent front channel inputs of your power ampli er.

SUB. Subwoofer output. Connect this to the input of your active subwoofer, if you have one.

L SURR. Surround left output. Connect this output to the surround left power ampli er input.

R SURR. Surround right output. Connect this output to the surround right power ampli er input.

LS BACK, ct RS BACK Surround back left and right outputs (only used in 7.1 channel systems). Connect these outputs to the inputs of your LS back and RS back ampli ers.

AUDIO

OUT

VCR

OUT

PVR

SAT

DVD









 





DVD-A IN

RSB

CEN

LSB

SUB

DIGITAL IN

DIGITAL

OUT

DVD

SAT

PVR

TAPE

 





 





OUTPUTS

RSB

CEN

LSB

SUB









 





TAPE

OUT







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Video connections

The AVR300 allows for conversion between different video formats. This means that the AVR300 can convert between composite, S-video and component, if required.

The record loops do not work from the video converter. This means that to record a S-video or composite signal, a S -video or composite signal (respectively) must be supplied.

Composite/S-video video connections

dm dn

MONITOR OUT. Two video output connectors are provided, one for S -Video and one for composite video. The outputs carry the same information at all times (and both may be used simultaneously, if required). Connect one of these outputs to the video input of your display device.

VCR IN, ds PVR IN, dt AV, ek SAT, el DVD. Connect the composite video outputs of your source equipment to these inputs. The choice of connection to use (S-video or composite) depends on where the signal is to be routed to: if the signal is to be used in Zone 2, then a composite connection is required; if the signal is to be used for recording (routed to a VCR, for example), then the connection type must match the connection to the recording device (i.e., if the recording device requires a S-video signal, then a S-video connection from the source equipment must be used). If both connections are made, the signal from the S-video input will be used for the main zone if no Component/RGB signal is supplied.

VCR OUT, dr PVR OUT. Connect one of the S-video or composite video outputs to the video input of your VCR or PVR. The connection used must match the video type of the source you wish to record (as described above). For example: if you wish to record a S-video signal from your satellite receiver on your VCR, the connection to the VCR must also use S-video.

High quality (Component) video connections

These inputs are suitable for connection to component (YUV/YCrCb) or RGB outputs. These signals are usually available from a DVD player, set-top box or games console and offer the best possible picture quality.

Note that the high-quality component video connections operate independently of the composite/S-video connections.

Generally, the component video standard is used in North America/NTSC regions, while RGB is used in Europe.

AV, eo DVD, ep SAT INPUTS. Connect the video outputs of your high-quality video sources to these inputs.

HIGH QUALITY VIDEO OUT. Connect these sockets to the component video inputs of your display device.

Important notes about HQ-video inputs and outputs

In the ‘Video Settings’ set-up menu, each of these three high-quality component video inputs can be allocated individually to any of the other inputs, e.g., the input labelled “DVD” does not have to be used for DVD, but can be used for something else. See page 14 for further details.

You cannot mix component and RGB sources. Selection of component or RGB can be made in the Set-up menu ‘General Settings’ page (see page 10).

The high-quality component video inputs have suf cient bandwidth for line-doubled NTSC (525/60) or PAL (625/50) video (“progressive scan”) and also US HDTV video signals. However, when used with such signals the OSD is not overlaid on the picture but is output at standard interlaced NTSC or PAL (525 or 625 line) rate on a solid background.

When using the HQ-video inputs, the composite and S-video outputs will be muted. This is because the processing for the on-screen display would create invalid video signals on these outputs.

SCART RGB 4-WIRE CONNECTION

(SCART refers to the multipole A/V connector used commonly on European A/V equipment.) Some video projectors and most European TV sets require the use of a 4-wire RGB connection, where

the ‘sync’ signal is separate from RGB. In this case, you need to use the composite video MONITOR

OUT

for the sync information. A cable is available from your dealer to make this 4-wire RGB connection (refer to the table of SCART connections at the back of the manual). Note that use of this feature requires (in addition to the RGB connections) a composite video connection between the source and the AVR300, in order to supply the additional synchronisation signal.

Note that most SCART TV inputs will require the SCART RGB status line to be controlled before the RGB signal will be displayed. The RGB trigger output will control this signal when connected to the SCART socket using a cable of the type given on page 32. These cables are available from your dealer.

The AVR300 does not support either 5-wire RGB HV or 3-wire RGB sync-on-green connections.

VIDEO

OUT

VCR

OUT

PVR

SAT

DVD

MON OUT

ZONE2

VIDEO

OUT



    



  

DVD

OUT

SAT

HIGH QUALITY VIDEO IN



 

The following video conversions are possible:

To: From:

Composite S-video Component/

RGB

Composite Yes Yes Yes

S-video Yes Yes Yes

Component/ RGB

No No Yes

Note that conversion between RGB and Component video (or vice-versa) is not supported by the AVR300.

When you connect

your devices to these connectors, take care to follow the letter/colour coding for each input. No damage will occur if connected incorrectly, but unusually coloured or unstable pictures will result.

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Connecting loudspeakers

The red and black terminals on the back of the AVR300 are used to make the connections to the loudspeakers. The speakers should be connected to the loudspeaker terminals, refering to the labels on the rear-panel.

When connecting the speaker terminals of the ampli er with the terminals on the speakers make sure that like polarities are matched (i.e., match “+” with “+” (usually red) and “–” with “–” (usually black)). Mismatching of polarities will result in a weak central sound, unclear orientation of the instruments and the sense of direction of the stereo being impaired.

There are two options for connecting the speaker cable to the ampli er:

Using bare wire ended leads:

1. Strip back the insulation on the wire to reveal about 2cm of conductor (the metal inside the cable).

2. If the conductor is stranded, twist the strands together tightly to avoid loose strands making contact with the adjacent terminals or the back panel.

3. Loosen the terminal by turning it anti-clockwise

4. Insert the twisted wire through the hole in the terminal.

5. Tighten by turning clockwise.

When making connections with stranded bare ended wires, take great care that no individual strands of wire come into contact with the adjacent terminals or with the back panel. If this should happen, it will cause a short circuit on the output of the ampli er and could damage the ampli er.

Using spade terminals:

1. Loosen the terminal by turning it anti-clockwise

2. Insert the spade connector under the terminal.

3. Tighten by turning clockwise.

Speaker impedance

Before connecting loudspeakers to your AVR300 you must set the impedance switch on the rear to the correct position (never adjust this switch with the power on or you may damage your speakers). If your loudspeakers are rated at 6Ω or lower set the switch to the 4Ω position; if your loudspeakers are rated higher than 6Ω, set the switch to the 8Ω position. This unit should only be used with loudspeakers with an impedance rating above 4Ω.

Note that failure to set this switch correctly for your speakers may cause the ampli er to shut down due to overheating.

Zone 2 connections

The AVR300 allows independent routing and control of analogue audio and composite video to a second room such as a kitchen, bedroom or lounge. This second room is known as ‘Zone 2’.

For Zone 2, the AVR300 outputs a line-level audio signal taken from the stereo analogue audio, and a composite video signal taken from the composite video input (for a given source). The analogue inputs are required because there is no analogue-to-digital, DSP processing or digital-to-analogue conversion available for Zone 2 signals. As the AVR300 does not convert video formats for Zone 2, a composite video signal must also be connected from the source.

For these reasons, we recommend that source devices that have a digital connection are also connected via the analogue inputs. High quality YUV/RGB and S-video sources should also have their composite video outputs connected to the AVR300 for use in Zone 2.

NOTE: As a composite input is required for Zone 2, it may not be possible to run your DVD player in progressive scan mode and to use Zone 2 at the same time, unless your DVD player can output both progressive scan and composite signals simutaneously.

ZONE 2 OUT.

This is the audio output for Zone 2. Connect these to a line level input on your Zone 2 ampli er.

ZONE 2 VIDEO OUT (Composite video connection).

This is the video output for Zone 2. Connect to your Zone 2 video display using 75Ω low loss coaxial cable.

IN ZONE 2.

This allows the AVR300 to be controlled remotely from Zone 2 via infrared remote control. See the panel for connection information.

MON OUT

ZONE2

VIDEO

OUT

ZONE





REMOTE

ZONE

LOCAL

OUT

12V TRIGGER (Z1 & Z2)



  

Zone 2 remote controller connection. A receiver compatible with this connector fk is

available from Xantech (part no. 291-10). Please contact a Xantech registered dealer for this part, as ARCAM does not stock them. See www.xantech.com for more information.

The 3.5mm jack plug for this connector is wired as follows:

3.5mm stereo jack Function Tip Signal Ring 0V

Sleeve 12V,

30mA current-limited

This follows the Xantech standard for IR transmission over wire.

SPEAKER

IMPEDANCE

The speaker connectors on the rear-panel are labelled as follows:

FL - Front Left FR - Front Right CEN - Centre RS - Right Surround LS - Left Surround RSB - Right Surr. Back LSB - Left Surr. Back

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Connecting the AM and FM antennas

FM antenna

An FM antenna is required to receive VHF radio signals. Although a FM ribbon antenna is supplied as an accessory to the AVR300, for optimal FM radio reception

a roof- or loft-mounted aerial is advised as this will give superior reception. (It is recommended that any roof-top antenna is  tted by an experienced contractor as a contractor will be able to align your antenna to the nearest FM transmitter.)

In some areas cable radio may be available or, in an apartment building, a distributed antenna system may be installed. In either of these cases you should have sockets in your home marked FM or VHF (do not use those marked TV), which should be connected to the FM in socket fr of the AVR300.

If you wish to use the supplied FM ribbon cable, mount this as high up as possible on a wall with the ‘T’elements positioned horizontally. Try each usable wall of the room to see which gives best reception and use tacks or adhesive tape to secure the aerial in a T shape (note that no tacks should come into contact with the internal wire of the aerial). When assembled (see box, right), the plug on the ribbon cable should be connected to the FM in socket fr of the AVR300.

AM antenna

An AM antenna is required to receive AM/medium wave radio signals. An AM loop antenna is supplied as an accessory with the AVR300. This should be attached to

the AM antenna inputs fq with one end connected to AM and the other to Ground (it does not matter which way round this antenna is  tted). Rotate the antenna to discover which position gives the best reception.

In areas of weak reception, or when the AVR300 is in use inside a steel framed building (such as an apartment building), you can use a wire between 3 and 5 metres long to strengthen reception. Mount this high up outside the building (if possible) and connect one end of this wire to the AM antenna input in addition to the loop aerial supplied (do not disconnect the AM loop antenna).

AM STEP SIZE

The AM tuning ‘step size’ needs to be set according to your location. This is done using the switch on the rear panel fs: set it to 10kHz if you are in North America or 9kHz anywhere else. Note that this should be set correctly even if you do not intend to use AM reception as it also alters some FM tuner settings for use in North America.

Control connections

(REMOTE) OUT. This outputs any remote control signal that is received by either the front panel or from one of the remote control connections. It allows remote control of source components; control is possible by either connecting this output to the devices to be controlled via the 3.5mm IR jack socket (Arcam units only) or by using an IR emitter stuck to the centre of the IR sensor window on the source component (such as a Xantech 283MW mini emitter).

IN LOCAL. Use with a local IR receiver when the AVR300 front panel IR receiver is obstructed.

IN ZONE 2. This allows the AVR300 to be controlled remotely from Zone 2 via infrared remote control (see section ‘Zone 2 connections’ above for further details).

RS232 CONTROL Use with control devices having an RS232 serial port (for example, Crestron and AMX touch screen controllers). This connection is also used for upgrading control software. See the sections at the end of this manual for control and programming information.

Trigger outputs

There are three trigger output sockets on the AVR300, each of which is a 3.5mm stereo jack with two contacts, ‘tip’ and ‘ring’. See the tables for technical information on the trigger outputs.

12V TRIGGER. This can be used for turning on and off automatically power amps or source equipment for the main zone and Zone 2. The trigger lead is wired as shown in the panel.

VIDEO TRIGGER 1, fl VIDEO TRIGGER 2. These trigger outputs have different functions depending on how the ‘Video Status’ has been set in the ‘General Settings’ menu. See page 10 for full details.

Connecting to a power supply

POWER INLET. The AVR300 has a dual voltage power supply that can be switched between 120V and 230V AC. As supplied, this switch should be set correctly for your local supply.

GROUND LIFT switch. In complex set-ups that include satellite inputs or radio antennas, grounding the unit may increase the level of background hum or buzz in the loudspeakers. If this occurs, set the

GROUND LIFT switch to lift the signal ground from the chassis ground.

DO NOT REMOVE the safety earth from the mains cable under any circumstances.

Mains lead

The appliance is normally supplied with a moulded mains plug already  tted to the lead. Check that the plug supplied with the unit  ts your supply. If your mains plug is different, consult your Arcam dealer.

If for any reason the plug needs to be removed, it must be disposed of immediately and securely, as it is a potential shock hazard when inserted into the mains socket. Should you require a new mains lead, contact your Arcam dealer.

Plugging in

Push the plug (IEC line socket) of the power cable supplied with the unit into the power input socket (fo) in the back of the unit. Make sure it is pushed in  rmly.

Put the plug on the other end of the cable into your power supply socket and switch the socket on.

REMOTE

RS232 CONTROL

ZONE

LOCAL

OUT

1/RGB 2/S-VID

12V

TRIGGER

(Z1 & Z2)

  

  



Connection Function Voltage Tip Main zone on On = 12V, 30mA

Off = 0V

Ring Zone 2 on On = 12V, 30mA

Off = 0V

Sleeve Ground 0V

INLET

GROUND LIFT

GROUND

230

GND

(USA) 10K

(EU) 9K

AM STEP

Connecting the plug to the FM ribbon cable:

1) loosen the two screws on the plug;

2) insert the spade connectors of the ribbon cable under the screws;

3) re-tighten the screws onto the connectors.

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Con guring the AVR300

The AVR300 ‘Set-up Menu’ has six ‘Basic’ and  ve ‘Advanced’ menu screens that take you through the con guration process. The ‘Basic’ menus enable you to match your AVR300 to your speakers; the ‘Advanced’ menus allow you to optimise the operation of your system. Screen shots of these menus are shown in shaded boxes on the following pages.

The best way to set up the AVR300 is using the on-screen display (OSD). To view the OSD for the initial set up, use the composite video output to connect to your TV. This is because the high quality video output has several display modes and may be incompatible with your high quality display device in its default con guration.

Set-up mode

To enter the Set-up menus press and hold the MENU button on the remote control or on the front panel, for at least two seconds. The ‘Set-up Menu Index’ is displayed on your display device.

Set-up Menu Index

The Set-up menu index page is the  rst page that is displayed when the Set-up menu is entered. This page allows you access to the six ‘Basic’ and  ve ‘Advanced’ menus.

Navigating the Set-up menu

... BY USING THE REMOTE CONTROL

The Set-up menu can be navigated by using the cursor (arrow) keys on the remote control. This is by far the easiest method.

1. To enter the Set-up menu, press and hold the MENU button (which is located immediately under the navigation buttons) for at least two seconds, until the Index page appears. (Pressing the menu button for just a short time will take you to ‘Main Menu Screen 1’. If this happens, the Main Menu can be closed by pressing MENU for a second time.)

2. When the menu heading is highlighted, using the3and4 keys will navigate between menu pages. Using this method to navigate between pages the  rst time the unit is being con gured will help to ensure that no pages are missed out.

3. Use the 5 and 6 keys to navigate up and down the menu lines.

4. To change the setting for a particular menu item, highlight the item then use the

keys to

cycle through the options for that item.

5. Once you have set all the menu items on a page to have values that are appropriate for your system, move the menu highlight to the top of the screen (the menu heading) and press4 to move to the next menu page.

6. At any time, press the MENU button to return to the main Set-up menu index screen.

7. To save the changes you have made, return to the Set-up menu index page and highlight the ‘Save Set-up’ item at the bottom of the screen. Press the OK button to save the settings. Press

OK again to exit the Set-up menu.

In addition to the above method of moving from page to page using the

keys, each menu page can be accessed directly from the Set-up menu index page. This is achieved by using the cursor keys to move the menu highlight to the desired page on the Index page, then pressing OK.

... BY USING THE BUTTONS ON THE FRONT PANEL OF THE AVR300

The AVR300 front panel controls can be used to con gure the options. Follow the instructions given for using the remote control, in this case using the EFFECT/6 button for ‘down’, the MODE/5 button for ‘up’ and the volume control for left and right.

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The ‘Basic’ Set-up Menus

1 – General Settings:

Max Volume: This limits the maximum volume setting the system can be turned

up to. This is a useful feature to prevent accidental overdriving of low powerhandling speakers, for example.

Max On Volume: Limits the maximum volume the system operates at when it is

 rst switched on. The system comes on at the ‘Max On Volume’ if the last used (possibly very loud) volume exceeds this value.

Delay units: Controls whether the delay settings for the speakers in surround

modes are speci ed in Imperial or Metric measurements from the listening position, or in terms of time. Either enter the time delay to each channel if calculating the delay in milliseconds, or select between Imperial or Metric measurements and allow the AVR300 to calculate the time delay automatically. Imperial is measured in feet and Metric is measured more precisely in 0.1m (10cm) increments (1 foot is approximately 0.3 metres).

Note that changing the units resets all distances/times to zero. It is therefore important to choose the units (Time, Imperial or Metric) before set up.

OSD Mode: Controls how the on-screen display is viewed.

MIXED: the OSD will appear on top of the existing video picture

FULL PAGE: the OSD is displayed in white on a full screen black background.

On video signals that have a sync rate of greater than the normal interlaced rate (i.e., progressive scan, frame-scaled video, HDTV) the OSD will automatically go into Full Page mode (black background) so that the control menu can be accessed. Any pop-up displays (such as the volume bar, source selection information, etc) will be switched off.

Video Status: The video status control is intended for use with SCART connections, but may  nd

use for other purposes. It is possible to use a SCART connection between the AVR300 and your television even though the AVR300 does not have a SCART socket; a pin-out for a SCART lead suitable for this purpose is given on page 32. We suggest the ‘SQART’ cables manufactured by QED (www.qed.co.uk); please ask your dealer for details.

This setting controls the two video triggers fl fm on the rear panel and is used to inform the AVR300 which type of video connection is present between it and your TV, in order that the AVR300 can set the control lines correctly for SCART connections. Note that if you do not wish to use the video triggers or a SCART connection, then it does not matter which value this item has.

This item has four settings: COMPOSITE, S-VIDEO, RGB and SCRN CTRL.

COMPOSITE: This mode is used to indicate to your TV that composite video is being sent. It uses

the trigger labelled 1/RGB fl (which should be connected to the RGB SCART input on your TV), as shown. Select this option if you are using the composite video output of the AVR300. The 2/S-VIDEO trigger is not active in this mode.

S-VIDEO: This mode is used to

indicate to your TV that S-video is being sent. It uses the trigger labelled

2/S-VIDEO

, as shown. Select this option if you are using the S-video output of the AVR300. Note that, if this option is selected, the connection labelled ‘S-video SCART’ (or similar) must be used on the TV, as not all SCART connectors are wired for S-video. The 1/RGB trigger is not active in this mode.

RGB: This mode is used to indicate to

your TV that RGB video is being sent. It uses the trigger labelled 1/RGB, as shown. Select this option if you are using the RGB output of the AVR300. If this option is selected, the connection labelled ‘RGB SCART’ (or similar) must be used on the TV, as not all SCART connectors are wired for RGB. The 2/S-VIDEO trigger is not active in this mode.

SCRN CTRL: The two video triggers on

the rear panel have the same signal for all outputs. This will be +12V when any video source is selected, otherwise 0V. This can be used (for example) to unfurl projector screens automatically when a video source is selected.

1/RGB trigger output with COMPOSITE selected:

Connector Function Voltage

Tip RGB mode select 0V Ring RGB/composite SCART input

select (CVBS status) Aspect ratio 4:3/16:9

Video present, aspect 4:3 = 12V Video present, aspect 16:9 = 6V No video signal = 0V

Sleeve Ground 0V

2/S-VIDEO trigger output with S-VIDEO selected:

Connector Function Voltage

Tip Video source trigger Any video source selected = 12V

No video source selected = 0V

Ring S-video SCART input select

(CVBS status) Aspect ratio 4:3/16:9

Aspect 4:3 = 12V Aspect 16:9 = 6V No video signal = 0V

Sleeve Ground 0V

1/RGB trigger output with RGB selected:

Connector Function Voltage

Tip RGB mode select RGB video = 1V (into a 75ohm

load)

Ring RGB/composite SCART input

select (CVBS status) Aspect ratio 4:3/16:9

Video present, aspect 4:3 = 12V Video present, aspect 16:9 = 6V No video signal = 0V

Sleeve Ground 0V

1/RGB and 2/S-VIDEO trigger outputs with SCRN CTRL selected:

Connector Function Voltage

Tip Main zone on trigger Main zone turned on = 12V

Main zone turned off = 0V

Ring Main zone on trigger Main zone turned on = 12V

Main zone turned off = 0V

Sleeve Ground 0V

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HQ Video: Choose between RGB or YUV; if you have a YUV display, set this item to YUV, otherwise

set it to RGB. This setting controls the routing of the HQ-video within the AVR300, either as 3-wire YUV or 4wire RGB signals (with the synchronisation signal on composite for RGB). In addition, it controls the operation of the S-video/composite-to-HQ video converter. When set to YUV, incoming composite and S-video signals are converted to YUV; in RGB mode, the iincoming signals are converted to RGB, with the synchronisation signal on the composite output.

2 – Speaker Sizes

The size and number of loudspeakers are de ned on this page. Auto Set-up: Allows the setting of ‘standard con gurations’ as in the table below:

Speaker Con g. 1 Con g. 2 Con g. 3 Custom

Front L/R Small Large Large Small/Large

Centre Small Small Small Small/Large/None

Surr L/R Small Small Large Small/Large/None

Surr Back L/R Small Small Small Small/None

Sub-woofer Present None Present Present/None

5.1 Rears Both Both Both Surr L/R/ Sur Back L/R/ Both

The Custom setting allows you to choose any combination of speakers to suit your system. Note that the centre and rear speakers cannot be set to ‘large’ if the front speakers are set to ‘small’.

5.1 Rears de nes how the speakers in a full ‘7.1’ installation handle 5.1 decoded sources.

SURR L/R redirects 5.1 surround signal to the surround left and right speakers. No signal will be

directed to the surround back left or right speakers.

SURR BACK L/R redirects 5.1 surround signal to the surround back left and right speakers. No

signal will be directed to the surround left or right speakers.

BOTH redirects the 5.1 surround signal to both pairs of speakers with the signal to each set

reduced by 3dB.

A note on speaker sizes: A Large speaker is one that is capable of handling a full range signal (i.e., 20Hz–20kHz). A Small speaker is one that is not capable of reproducing a deep bass signal (i.e., below 100Hz),

for example a satellite speaker.

None indicates that there is no speaker connected to that channel.

3 – Subwoofer Settings

If no subwoofer was selected in the previous speaker menus then some of the items on this page will not be adjustable. Cross-over Freq.: This setting de nes the frequency at which bass redirection begins.

Frequencies below this level are redirected from ‘small’ speakers to the Fronts or to the subwoofer; frequencies above this level are not redirected. The value for this setting depends on your speakers, environment and taste, and is best determined by experimentation.

The adjustment can be made in increments of 10Hz between 40Hz and 130Hz. Stereo Mode: Select between Large, Large+Sub or Sat+Sub.

If you have con gured your system to have a subwoofer, then you have the  exibility to choose how bass information is distributed between the front left/right speakers and the subwoofer when listening to stereo sources. Choose the option which gives you the most solid even sounding bass (for best results test with a set-up disc or live program material).

LARGE: Pure stereo information — all audio is sent to the front left and right speakers. Use this

setting if you have large front speakers. Note that this option will override the setting con gured on the “Speaker Sizes” menu page.

LARGE+SUB: Pure stereo is fed to left and right and extracted bass is sent to the subwoofer. In

this case the low frequency information is, effectively, duplicated.

SAT+SUB: Use this setting if you have ‘Small’ satellite left and right speakers. Full bass

management is used in analogue stereo so that analogue sources are fed to the DSP where the bass is  ltered off left and right and redirected to the subwoofer.

Note that the above three Stereo Mode settings pass the audio through the DSP, which may degrade the sound quality slightly. This can be avoided for the ‘Large’ setting by pressing the DIRECT button to bypass the DSP processing.

DTS LFE Gain: DTS soundtracks typically have the LFE track recorded 10dB lower than the main audio tracks. It is, therefore, necessary to compensate for this by raising the LFE output level by 10dB, and setting the DTS LFE gain to ‘Normal’ activates this compensation. Some DTS soundtracks have been recorded with the LFE signal at the same levels as the main audio, however, and therefore require no gain compensation. For these disks set the DTS LFE gain to -10dB.

NORMAL: This increases the LFE signal by 10dB and is the recommended setting for the AVR300.

-10DB: This allows the LFE to pass directly to the output with no gain adjustment.

Unfortunately, there is no rule for determining which discs are recorded using which method. As a general guide, however, it is only early DTS music discs that require the -10dB setting.

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Sub Stereo: This setting allows the volume level of the subwoofer to be adjusted for when the

subwoofer is being used with 2-channel (stereo) sources. The subwoofer level for stereo music often needs to be set at a lower level than that for cinema use; use this trim setting, with a stereo source, to reduce the subwoofer output in stereo playback to an acceptable level. The level required depends on various factors such as speakers, the types and styles of music to be played and personal taste.

DVD-A Sub Level: This setting allows compensation for subwoofer level gain from external decoders or sources (such as DVD-A players).

When decoding digital inputs, the AVR300 follows the convention for products of this type and sets the subwoofer level 10dB higher than that of the other channels. Source products such as DVD-audio players do not follow this pattern, however, setting the subwoofer level to be the same as the other channels. This means that switching from material that has been decoded by the AVR300 to that decoded externally may mean that the subwoofer sounds very quiet. This setting provides for the removal of that difference by allowing the subwoofer level of the DVD-A (multi-channel) input to be raised by 10dB.

NORMAL: No gain compensation. This allows the DVD-A sub level to pass directly to the output

with no gain adjustment.

+10DB: This increases the DVD-A (multi-channel input) sub level by 10dB

If you are using the AVR300 in combination with the multi-channel analogue outputs of an Arcam DVD-A player, then this item should be set to ‘+10dB’.

4 – Speaker Delay Settings

The relative positioning of speakers within a room may mean that sound from some

speakers arrives at the listener later than sound from others. By altering the delay settings for the different speakers, this difference in arrival time can be reduced or eliminated.

When setting the delay, it should be imagined that the listener is sitting in a circle of the speakers; the delay indicates the distance of the speaker from the listener.

The speaker distance control can be used to set automatically the appropriate time delays required for all the speakers in your system. To use this, measure from the usual listening position to the front of each individual speaker in the system and enter this value in the appropriate place. The measurements can be entered either in feet or metres, as selected from the ‘General Settings’ menu page.

An alternative to using the speaker distance control is to enter the delays manually in milliseconds.

Note that the delay adjustment is not a substitute for proper speaker placement, but can help to ensure accurate and correct signal arrival times from all the channels to the primary listening position.

No measurement can be entered for a speaker that is not selected in the previous ‘Speaker Sizes’ menu.

Note: Only enter these delay settings once you have speci ed which delay units (i.e., Time, Imperial or Metric) you will be using. The delay settings will be lost if the units are changed. If the delay units are set to Time, then enter the delay in milliseconds for each channel.

ont left

Surr

left

Surr right

Surr back

left

Sub

woofer

ont

right

Centre

e.g. 3m

(9ft)

e.g. 4m

(12ft)

e.g. 2m

(6ft)

Surr back

left

Surr back right

Distance measurements for 5.1 [and 7.1]

speaker delay settings

+ 32 hidden pages