Features
Controls
Connections
Features
Stereo Integrated Amplifier: The Harman/Kardon HK 990 is a powerful
stereo integrated amplifier rated at 150 watts of power per channel. The Harman/Kardon
HK 990 also boasts an impressive list of advanced performance features; such as
fourth-generation Real-Time Linear Smoothing (RLS IV), EzSet/EQ for room
optimization, dual subwoofer outputs, and a high-current, ultra-wide bandwidth
design for clear sound & more precise imaging. The HK 990 stereo integrated
amplifier offers six analog stereo audio inputs & four digital inputs to ensure
optimal compatibility with various audio signals.
High-Current, Ultra-Wide Bandwidth Design:
The 150-watt HK 990 stereo integrated amplifier outputs a cleaner, louder, &
more powerful sound thanks to its high-current, ultra-wide bandwidth
(10Hz-10khz) design. By
utilizing something called high-current capability (HCC), which provides the
instantaneous current necessary to precisely drive & control nearly any
loudspeaker system, the HK 990 can accommodate more headroom during dynamic
program peaks, influencing tighter bass & a superb transient response at any
volume level. The Ultra-wide bandwidth amplifier design offers improved
transient accuracy & phase linearity.
RLS IV: Real-Time Linear Smoothing (RLS IV)
is a feature that minimizes interference in digital-to-analog signals with two
high-grade stereo analog devices (AD) 1955 DACs. The result, is richly detailed
sound & noise level that remains in a non-audible frequency range with very high
jitter rejection. This way, you'll always experience sonic refinement & a
natural open sound stage - two benefits that should appeal to the most demanding
of audiophiles.
Low Negative Feedback Design: The Harman/Kardon HK 990 employs a low
negative feedback amplifier design for further improved dynamic accuracy,
immeasurable distortion level, & extreme stability.
Discrete Electronic Circuitry: Rather than employing inexpensive
integrated circuits, which reduce bandwidth & increase noise, the HK 990 uses
completely discrete (separate) electronic circuitry to provide the highest
performance level with improved linearity & less distortion.
Dual-Path Technology: Dual-path technology for pure
analog or pure digital audio processing within the same product.
Cascoded Pre-driver Stage: The Harman/Kardon HK 990's
cascoded pre-driver stage design considerably reduces high-frequency distortion,
allowing crystal-clear high frequencies, free from any harsh sound.
Dual Differential Input Stages: The Harman/Kardon HK 990
employs dual differential input stages with their own high-voltage supply,
resulting in high gain & low noise.
Dual Toroidal Transformers: Dual toroidal transformers & up to
16,000μF of supply filtering per channel will allow high channel separation &
tight bass control, even with a low-impedance load.
DC Servo: DC servo ensures that the DC level of the amplifier
output will stay within a specified limit at any condition.
ThermalTrak: The Harman/Kardon HK 990 stereo integrated amplifier
employs a thermal tracking mechanism with ThermalTrak output stage
transistors that include internal temperature sensors to bias the current of
the output stage in real time.
Electronic Protection Circuitry: Sophisticated electronic protection
circuitry guards the amplifier from short-circuiting or from damaged speakers &
wires, without impairing sound quality, by using current-limiting or output
relays.
Protection Circuits: Multiple protection circuits will
switch the amplifier off in case over-current, over-voltage, over-temperature,
or DC protection is detected.
Controls
Remote Control: The Harman/Kardon HK 990 stereo integrated amplifier
includes an IR remote control that can operate the amplifier wirelessly, as well
as compatible H/K tuners, CD players, & CD recorders.
Note: The Remote In Jack of components without an integrated IR
receiver must be connected to the amplifier's Remote Control Output jack, so
that the system remote control can operate.
Input Setup: Each input of the HD 990 integrated amplifier can be
configured & assigned to match your system's connection types.
EzSet/EQ II (Auto Setup): The Harman/Kardon HK 990
offers EzSet/EQ II's room-equalization & system-calibration technology for
simple setup. EzSet/EQ II simplifies system setup with the included Mic,
while ensuring the most optimal listening environment possible, in just minutes. EzSet/EQ II automatically adjusting sound to suit your specific room conditions,
including directing sound toward listeners in the ideal seated position. EzSet/EQ
II even sets speaker volume, speaker balance, & timing as well for your system's
2.2-channel surround-sound speakers. During the automatic EZSet/EQ II process,
several frequency sweeps were made. Here is a brief explanation of their use.
- Far Field: The Far Field sweep is used to calibrate your speaker
system (adjust relative levels, delays, and determine crossover frequency).
Also, the low-frequency response of the speakers are equalized by applying a
correction curve (with a range of 20Hz to 1kHz).
- Near Field: The Near Field sweep corrects the on-axis response of
your main speakers. By applying Near Field sweep to each speaker, a
correction curve above 1kHz is generated for each speaker.
- BassQ: If at least one subwoofer is connected, the BassQ adjusts
the low-frequency response of your system, taking into consideration the
acoustics of the room. The system can correct up to two subwoofers. Using
two subwoofers offers the advantage of a more linear low-frequency
characteristic, limiting the node effects usually found in this frequency
range.
Note: If you know your system and your room well & simply want to
manage the low-frequency response of your system without correcting the
frequency response of subwoofers and main speakers, select the Manual Mode.
Audio Mode: The Harman/Kardon HK 990 can handle both analog & digital
audio signals. It can process any input in the digital domain to equalize the
signal & tailor the sound to the loudspeakers & room acoustics. You can choose
from five Audio modes.
- Direct Path: Selection of the Direct Path is an analog input only
option. It bypasses all digital processing (ADC, DSP, DAC) to reduce the
signal path to an absolute minimum, consisting of volume control only.
- DSP Path: Selecting the DSP Path opens access to the tone-control
circuits. In this mode, the analog signals are routed to the A/D Converter,
Digital Sound Processor, and D/A Converter path prior to volume control.
- EQ1 LF (Low Frequency Correction): This mode can be selected once
the EzSet/EQ Setup has been run. The EQ1 LF mode is the first available
preset after the EzSet/EQ calibration has been carried out. This preset
processes the subwoofer channels only, correcting the acoustics of the room
in the low-frequency range while keeping the response curve of the main
speakers unchanged.
- EQ2 LF+MF (Low + Mid Frequency Correction): This mode can be
selected once the EzSet/EQ Setup has been run. The EQ2 LF+MF mode is the
second available preset after the EzSet/EQ calibration has been carried out.
This preset is active for the low & mid frequency response for both the main
speakers and the subwoofers when it calibrates the system to the room. As a
result, both the subwoofer and main speaker response curves are modified to
accommodate the system response to the room. The response curve of the main
speaker is corrected up to 1kHz and kept unaffected above this frequency
leaving the rest of the audio spectrum unaffected.
- EQ3 LF+MF+HF (Low + Mid + High Frequency Correction: This mode
can be selected once the EzSet/EQ Setup has been run. The EQ3 LF+MF+HF mode
is the third available preset after the EzSet/EQ calibration has been
carried out. This preset optimizes not only the main speaker and subwoofer
responses to accommodate the room acoustics, but also corrects the
high-frequency response of the speaker at the listening position by
correction off-axis response.
Note: All five Audio modes can be selected independently for all
inputs.
Gain Adjustment: The level of different inputs source may vary. To
avoid annoying level changes when switching between inputs. Gain Adjustment
(from -6 to +6dB) is an option for each audio input. The processor input has a
different range (-24 to +6dB) to accommodate the output levels of most
processors.
Bass & Treble: Bass & Treble adjustment is accessible only when the
Audio mode is not set to Direct Path. You can adjust the Bass (100Hz) &
Treble (10kHz) from -10 to +10 dB.
Level Settings: The Level Settings menu permits adjusting the levels
of the different speakers (+/-12dB) & subwoofer (+/-6dB) in your system.
Connections
Binding Post Speaker Terminals (A-B): The Harman/Kardon HK 990 integrated amplifier
is fitted with eight heavy-duty, color-coded, gold-plated binding post speaker terminals that allow for up to
10AWG speaker wire, pin-connectors, or single banana plugs. They are not 5-way binding posts because a plastic collar
prevents their use with spade lugs & they are positioned too far apart to be
used with dual banana plugs. The HK 990 provides A & B speaker outputs.
Note: You can listen to two pairs of speaker at the same time,
only if the impedance of each speaker is not less than 8 ohms.
HRS Link: The HK 990's high-resolution
synchronization link (HRS link) lets Harman/Kardon CD players (such as the
532HD990, sold separately) lock themselves to the external clock of the
amplifier to ensure a jitter-free connection. Similar to having the CD playback
inside the amplifier, the HRS link carries both the system & data clocks of the
amplifier, and the data stream from the CD player. As a cutting-edge feature
that's fairly standard in high-end professional audio equipment, the HK 990's
HRS link is designed to appease even the most discerning audiophiles.
Balanced XLR Inputs: When you're listening
to audio, you want to have as little signal disruption as possible. With the HK
990's symmetric XLR inputs, you get balanced connections designed to reject both external
noise (from power wiring, etc.) as well as internal crosstalk from adjacent
signal cables. In addition to discriminating against noise & crosstalk, the
balanced XLR inputs also allow 6 dB more signal level on the line; so ultimately
you'll get a higher signal-to-noise performance.
Unbalanced RCA Inputs/Outputs: The Harman/Kardon HK 990 integrated
amplifier features six gold-plated analog stereo audio inputs & two analog
recording outputs.
Digital Audio Inputs: The Harman/Kardon HK 990 offers four digital inputs (2 optical/2 coaxial)
& one coaxial
digital output for recording. The digital outputs are assignable.
Phono Input: The HK 990 is fitted with two high-quality phono inputs for connection of turntables with
an MM or MC cartridge.
2.2Ch Preamp Outputs: The Harman/Kardon integrated amplifier features 2.2-channel preamp outputs
that allow the use of external
power amplifiers.
Dual Subwoofer Inputs/Outputs: The HK 990 integrated amplifier provides dual subwoofer outputs to connect up to two powered
subwoofers. It also features two RCA input jacks to connected the subwoofer
outputs of an external surround processor.
Remote In/Outs: The stereo integrated amplifier has a 3.5mm minijack
input & output for use with an external IR receiver (input) & other compatible
components (output).
12V Triggers (for Sub): The HK 990 has two 3.5mm minijack outputs to
send a 12-Volt DC turn-on signal to two powered subwoofers that accept 12V
trigger.
RS232 Port: For future use only.
Headphone Output: When headphones are plugged into the full-size 1/4"
jack on the front panel, all the speakers are automatically muted.
