Harman Kardon HK620 User manual

Integrated Amplifier
OWNERS MANUAL

Congratulations on your choice of the
Harman Kardon Integrated Amplifier.
In order to obtain the best performance
from this integrated amplifier, please be
sure to read this owner’s manual and
use your integrated amplifier only in
accordance with its instructions.
The special features of this unit include:
HCC (High Instantaneous
Current Capability)
The amplifier sections react rapidly to
musical transients, providing the
instantaneous Current necessary to
precisely drive and control nearly any
loudspeaker system.
Ultrawide Bandwidth
The bandwidth of this unit is
exceptionally wide and is independent
of negative feedback. This improves
transient accuracy and phase linearity.
HK620 INTEGRATED AMPLIFIER
Low Negative Feedback
This unit has been designed to have low
distortion and wide bandwidth without
high negative feedback. This further
improves its dynamic accuracy.
Discrete Component Circuitry
In order to achieve the above goals, all
discrete electronic circuitry has been
employed. No available integrated
circuits could provide this high level of
performance.
Sophisticated Electronic
Protection Circuitry
Harman Kardon’s unique protection
circuitry guards the amplifier from short-
circuited or damaged speakers and
wires, without impairing sound quality by
the use of current limiting or output
relays.
CAUTION
RISK OF ELECTRIC SHOCK
DO NOT OPEN
CAUTION: TO REDUCE THE RISK OF ELEC-
TRIC SHOCK, DO NOT REMOVE COVER {OR
BACK). NO USER-SERVICEABLE PARTS IN-
SIDE. REFER SERVICING TO QUALIFIED SERV-
ICE PERSONNEL.
WARNING: To REDUCE THE RISK OF FIRE
OR ELECTRIC SHOCK, DO NOT EXPOSE THIS
APPLIANCE TO RAIN OR MOISTURE.
age” within the product's enclosure
that may be of sufficient 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 im-
portant operating and maintenance
(servicing) instructions in the litera-
ture accompanying the appliance.
The lightning flash with arrowhead
symbol, within an equilateral triangle,
is intended to alert the user to the pres-
ence of uninsulated "dangerous volt-
CAUTION: To PREVENT ELECTRIC
SHOCK, MATCH WIDE BLADE OF PLUG TO
WIDE SLOT, FULLY INSERT.
ATTENTION: pour EviteR LES CHOCS
ELECTRIQUES, INTRODUIRE LA LAME LA
PLUS LARGE DE LA FICHE DANS LA BORNE
CORRESPONDANTE DE LA PRISE ET
POUSSER JUSQU’AU FOND.

Always Use at 120V AC*
This unit is designed for operation with
120V AC. Use only domestic AC outlets.
Never connect the unit to an outlet
supplying a higher voltage. This may
create a fire hazard.
Handle the Power Cord
Gently
Do not disconnect the plug from the AC
outlet by pulling the cord; always pull the
plug itself. Pulling the cord may damage it.
If you do not intend to use your unit for
any considerable length of time,
disconnect the plug from the AC outlet.
Do not place furniture or other heavy
objects on the cord, and try to avoid
dropping heavy objects upon it. Also do
not make a knot in the power cord. Not
only may the cord be damaged, it can
also cause a short circuit with a
consequent fire hazard.
*NOTE: Units sold in countries with 230
Volts AC are designed for 230 Volts.
Place of Installation
Place the unit on a firm and level
surface. Avoid installing your unit under
the following conditions:
@ Moist or humid places.
@ Places exposed to direct sunlight or
close to heating equipment.
@ Extremely cold locations.
™@ Places subject to excessive vibration
or dust.
M@ Poorly ventilated places.
Do not obstruct the ventilation slots on
the top surface of the unit by placing
objects over them.
Otherwise, the temperature inside the
unit may rise, possibly affecting its long-
term reliability.
In Case of Moving the Unit
Before moving the unit, be sure to pull
out the power cord from the AC outlet
and disconnect the interconnection
cords with other units.
GENERAL INSTRUCTIONS
Do Not Open the Cabinet
To prevent shock hazard, do not tamper
with internal components for inspection
or maintenance. Harman Kardon does
not guarantee against performance
degradation resulting from any
modification. If water, a hairpin or wire
accidentally enters the unit, immediately
extract the plug from the AC outlet to
prevent shock and consult an authorized
Harman Kardon service station. If you
use the unit under this condition, it may
cause a fire or shock hazard.
Cleaning
If the unit gets dirty, wipe it with a soft
dry cloth. If necessary, wipe it with a
soft cloth dampened with mild soapy
water and then with a dry cloth.
Never use benzene, thinner, alcohol or
other volatile agent, and avoid spraying
an insecticide near the unit.
Abnormal Smells
If you detect an abnormal smell or
smoke, immediately turn the amplifier off
and unplug the power cord. Contact your
dealer or nearest Harman Kardon
service center.
Packaging
Save all packing material. It is essential
for shipping should you move, or in the
event the unit ever needs repair.
Warranty and After-sale
Service (USA Customers Only)
@ Please find the warranty card
enclosed with this unit when you
purchased it.
M@ After reading the contents of the
warranty card, keep it in a safe place.
@ The warranty term is two years after
date of purchase.
@ If this unit does not appear to operate
normally, read this manual following
the instructions carefully and operate
the unit again.
@ If a problem persists even though you
have done according to the manual,
consult your authorized Harman
Kardon service station.
@ Repair within the warranty term is
made according to the conditions
specified in the warranty card.

Connecting Other
Components
1. Make sure your amplifier and other
components are turned off.
2. Connect each component's Output
jacks to the corresponding Input jacks
on the back of your amplifier. Use the
white, black or gray plugs to connect
Left channel jacks; use the red plugs
for Right jacks.
3. To use a 3-head tape deck that allows
monitoring of the actual recording
while it is in process, connect it to
TAPE 2 jacks.
For Customers with a Turntable:
To connect a turntable, an optional
Phono board must be installed. This
board can be set to MM or MC. With the
Phono board installed, however, you
cannot use the AUX input. If you want to
have the Phono board installed, consult
your authorized Harman Kardon service
center.
CONNECTIONS
Wired Remote Control
To contro! your amplifier with an external
infrared remote sensor, connect the wire
from the remote sensor to the REMOTE
IN jack on the back panel. Or, if another
stereo component has a built-in infrared
remote sensor and a Remote Output
jack, it may be possible to connect this
jack to the REMOTE IN jack of your
amplifier. All Harman Kardon products
with "Remote In" and "Remote Out"
jacks are compatible with one another,
except for the Citation 22, 24 and 25.
Other manufacturers’ remote sensors
and components may not be compatible,
but it will not hurt to experiment.
A second wire may be used to connect
your amplifiers REMOTE OUT jack to
the Remote Input of another stereo
component. Continue this process to
include additional components (if
compatible).
Connecting Speakers
1. For best performance, use high
quality speaker cables. However,
ordinary copper wire can be used if
the gauge meets the following
requirements:
Wire Length Gauge
Up to2.5 meter 18 AWG
Upto4meter 16AWG
Upto6meter 14AWG
Over 6 meter 10-12 AWG custom
speaker cable
2. Avoid coiling excess wire with or near
line level hook-up cords.
IMPORTANT: When connecting two
pairs of speakers, determine the
impedance of each pair by looking on
the back of the speakers, or in your
owner's manual, or by contacting your
dealer or manufacturer. Then refer to the
following chart to see if both sets may be
played simultaneously.
Ifimpedance Can both pairs
of the two be played
pairs is: simultaneously?
80/8Q YES
8Q/EQ NO
8Q/40. NO
6Q/6Q NO
6Q/4Q NO
4Q/4Q NO
WARNING: Do not play both sets of
speakers simultaneously except as
recommended above. Amplifier may
overheat.
AC Power
Plug the cord into a polarized wall
socket.
NOTE: The power does not shut off
completely by just turning the power off.
So power cord should be removed from
AC outlet when not in use for a
prolonged time.
AC Convenience Receptacles
(120 Volt units only)
Other stereo components may be
plugged into the back of your amplifier.
1. If a component is plugged into the
SWITCHED receptacle, power will be
supplied to that component only when
your amplifier is turned on.
2. If a component is plugged into the
UNSWITCHED receptacle, power will
be supplied whether your amplifier is
on or off.
NOTE: Do not connect any component
that requires more than 180 watts of
power. Check the owner’s manual or the
back of the component to find its power
requirement.

Cassette Tape Deck 2 Cassette Tape Deck 1 Speaker System 1
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Right channe! Left channel
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Video Player Tuner Compact Disc Player Speaker System 2

harman/kardon
HK 620
CONTROLS and FUNCTIONS
TapeliCopy CD Aux Tretle Balance
Power Switch
Press to turn the unit on and off.
Headphone Jack
Plug in headphones if desired. (With
both Speakers 1 and 2 switches in Off
position, output is supplied only to
headphones.)
Headphones 1 Speakers
@®O0O0O
Speakers Switches
Push in to select either of two sets of
speakers, or both, or neither
(headphone output only).
Function Selector Buttons
Select desired input source by pressing
the corresponding button.
i!
Tope2Mon Tuner Video
Bass Control
Turn to increase or decrease the
proportion of low frequency sound.
Treble Control
Turn to increase or decrease the
proportion of high frequency sound.
HOO
Balance Control
Turn to adjust relative output level of left
and right speakers.
Volume Control
Turn to raise or lower output volume.

INDICATORS and REMOTE CONTROL
Independent Remote Control
The keys on the remote control unit
w_ Volume function the same as the corresponding
buttons on the amplifier itself.
The remote control unit also includes
many keys that allow for easy control of
other Harman Kardon cassette tape
al C4
Seek-St Shift
2 a deck, CD player and tuner.
Indicates that the unit Indicates which function CIC) Please refer to the owner’s manual for
is switched on. is selected. 5 ch each unit for operating instructions.
ra ‘ C) Some of these units must be connected
pees a e aa to the amplifier's remote control output
‘ jacks so that the system remote control
can operate them.
” ape {Copy co Aux q w Tuning a
ina teeth
Headphones Speakers
Operating Conditions
1 2
O O ©) ToveSaien Torer Video CL] = 5 The control unit operates effectively
; 4 within a distance of 7 meters and an
: harman/kardon angle of 30° from the amplifier. Using the
i en ait control near fluorescent lights may
i } shorten this range, as will any dust or
& Remote Sensor i dirt that accumulates on the front of the
4 } remote control, or the remote sensor
% ; area of the amplifier. Also avoid blocking
Indicates that power Indicates that Tape 2 has the line of sight between amplifier and
cord is connected to an been selected. In this case, remote.
AC receptacle and that only the output of the tape
the unit is switched off. deck connected to the The control unit is powered by two AA
TAPE 2 jacks can be heard. batteries, included with your amplifier.
When you replace weak batteries,
replace both at the same time. When the
remote is to be unused for an extended
period, remove the batteries to prevent
damage from corrosion.

Listening to your CD player, tape
deck, tuner or other component
sound source
1. Turn Volume control to minimum level
and press the Power switch to turn on
the amplifier.
2. Set the Speakers switches to play
speakers 1, 2, both or neither (for
headphone use).
3. Press the Function selector button
corresponding to the component you
wish to hear.
4. Begin playing the desired
-components.
5. Adjust the Volume control to the
desired level.
6. Adjust Bass, Treble and Balance
controls as desired.
7. To turn off the Tape 1 selection, press
either Video, Tuner, CD or Aux
button. To turn off the Tape 2, press
Tape 2 again.
NOTE: If you have the optional Phono
board installed, press the AUX button to
listen to the turntable.
OPERATING INSTRUCTIONS
Making a Recording
When you select Video, Tuner, CD or
Aux as your sound source, recordings
may be made on tape deck 1 or 2, or
both simultaneously. When making
recordings on tape decks 1 and.2
simultaneously, you may listen directly to
the source, or you may monitor tape
deck 2. DO NOT monitor tape deck 1
during this procedure. Pressing Tape 1
will switch off the source.
If you wish to copy a tape, place it in
deck 1, and press the Tape 1 button on
your amplifier. You may then record the
tape using tape deck 2.
NOTE 1: To turn off the Tape 1
selection, press either Video, Tuner, CD
or Aux. To turn off the Tape 2, press
Tape 2 again.
NOTE 2: To use a 3-head tape deck that
allows monitoring of the actual recording
while it is in process, you must connect it
to TAPE 2 jacks. Pressing Tape 1 will
switch off the source.
NOTE 3: The record output signal is
carried directly from the program source
without being influenced by the Volume,
Bass, Treble or Balance control.

This unit is designed for trouble-free
operation; most problems users
encounter are due to operating errors.
So if you have a problem, first check this
list for a possible solution. If the problem
persists, consult your authorized
Harman Kardon service center.
TROUBLESHOOTING
if the problem is:
Make sure that:
No lights illuminate when power cord is
plugged into AC outlet.
Hf The unit is plugged into a live outlet.
No sound is heard.
Sound is not heard from the speaker system
on one side.
When listening to stereo sound, the left and
right sounds are reversed.
M™@ Press the Speakers switches corresponding to the desired speakers.
™@ Correct function button has been pressed.
@ Volume is turned up.
@ Speaker wires are connected properly.
@ Hook-up wires to source component are connected properly.
@ The speaker wires and connection wires are connected correctly.
Hf The balance control knob is set to the center.
M@ The speaker wires are connected correctly.
The wires between components are connected correctly.
Intermittent or continuous buzzing or hissing.
M@ The unit is away from fluorescent lights, TVs, motors and other electrical
appliances.
Cannot monitor a recording using Tape 1. Hi
This is not possible. Use Tape 2.
The remote control and front panel controls
don’t appear to work.
i Disconnect the AC line cord from the wall socket, wait 5 minutes and then
re-connect it.
Phono sound is too faint, has hum, ringing,
or “howl.”
@ Ground wire from turntable has been connected to ground terminal on amplifier.
B Cable from turntable is away from power cords and speaker cables.
Hi Turntable is away from speakers.
@ Turntable is on stable surface.
Note: The optional phono board is required to play a turntable.

SPECIFICATIONS
Continuous Average Power Per Channel (FTC) 8 Ohms: 40 Watts @<0.09% THD
20Hz - 20kHz, Both Channels Driven 4 Ohms: 60 Watts @<0.3% THD
Dynamic Power (IHF, 1kHz tone burst) 8 Ohms: 70 Watts
4 Ohms: 100 Watts
2 Ohms: 135 Watts
High Instantaneous Current Capability (HCC): +40 Amps
Power Bandwidth @ half-rated output, 8Q:
Frequency Response @ 1W (+0/-3dB):
<10Hz - 100kHz
0.5Hz - 100kHz
Damping Factor: 120
Signal-to-Noise Ratio (reference rated power Tuner/CD: 98dB
output, A-Wtd.) Option Phono (MM): 80dB
Option Phono (MC): 75dB
Input Sensitivity/Impedance Tuner/CD: 135mV/22kQ
Option Phono (MM):
2.2mV/47kQ, 125pf
Option Phono (MC): 120 nV/56 Ohms
Phono-Overload: Option Phono (MM): 100mV
Option Phono (MC): 5mvV
Tone Control Range, Bass @ 50Hz/Treble @ 10kHz: +10dB/+10dB
Power Supply:
AC120V, 60Hz (or AC230V, 50Hz)
Power Consumption:
160W (180W for 230V version)
Dimensions 17-3/8 x 4 x 14-1/8"
(Width x Height x Depth): 443 «x 104 x 359mm
Weight: 16.3lbs/7.4kg
All features and specifications are subject to change without notice.