Harman Kardon HK6900 - HK6800 and HK6900 Features; Advanced Circuitry and Design; Functional Capabilities

HK6800 and HK6900 Features
Thank you for choosing a Harman Kardon
integrated amplifier. This is a superb piece
of high fidelity equipment that has been
meticulously designed to provide you with
thousands of hours of enjoyment.
This manual describes the features and
capabilities of your new integrated amplifier.
In addition, it describes the proper method
for connecting your integrated amplifier
to your system. Please read this owner’s
manual and use your integrated amplifier
only in accordance with its instructions.
Keep the manual in a safe place for future
reference.
Discrete circuitry
Rather than employing simple integrated circuits in the
amplifier section, the HK6800 and HK6900 use completely
discrete (separate) electronic components for greatly
improved linearity and less distortion.
HCC (High-instantaneous Current Capability)
While repoducing dynamic music signals, the in¬
stantaneous impedances of nearly all loudspeakers
drop to less than a third of the nominal rating. These
low instantaneous impedances typically require three
to six times more current from the amplifier than a
nominal 8 ohm resistive load requires. The HK6800
and HK6900 integrated amplifiers can provide
respectively 70 and 90 amperes of instantaneous
current, which ensures that your speakers will be able
to continually reproduce the entire dynamic range.
Ultrawide bandwidth
Unlike ordinary integrated amplifiers, the HK6800
and HK6900 can reproduce musical frequencies ranging
from less than 10Hz to more than 100kHz. This ultrawide
bandwidth improves the accuracy of reproduction of
transient signals and ensures phase linearity.
Low negative feedback
This design philosophy is used by the world’s most
exclusive amplifiers. It requires the highest quality internal
components, and results in an extremely stable amplifier
with unmeasureable TIM distortion and absolutely
outstanding imaging characteristics.
Main direct
The MAIN DIRECT switch routes the source signal
directly to the input of the amplifier, bypassing all tone
controls and other preamplifier circuitry. The signal is
therefore attenuated only by the high-quality volume
control, resulting in very pure sound quality.
Tone defeat
The TONE DEFEAT switch causes the source
signal to completely bypass the tone control circuitry.
This results in unaltered, completely accurate musical
reproduction.
Video preamplifier switch
In keeping with Harman Kardon’s emphasis on quality,
the HK6800 and HK6900 incorporate a switch that enables
you to turn off the internal video preamplifier for the purest
possible sound quality.
Electronic function switching
The controls on the front panel of the HK6800 and
HK6900 switch input and output connections electronically
through the use of high fidelity electronic analog switches.
Harman Kardon’s simple and elegant electronic design
makes possible complex component configurations. In
addition, this all-electronic circuitry ensures that the
switches will function quietly and reliably for the life of
the unit.
High voltage/high current design
Harman Kardon has designed the HK6800 and
HK6900 to be able to handle low impedances and unstable
speaker loads that would destroy less rugged amplifiers.
While the HK6800 and HK6900 can easily manage these
loads, the unit can be set to provide higher voltage and
even more power into higher impedance loudspeakers,
allowing you to use the unit to full capacity.
Phase-correct loudness contour
Harman Kardon’s exclusive Phase-correct loudness
circuitry provides a special fixed equalization curve that
compensates for the ear’s decreased sensitivity at low
volumes. This special circuitry is unusual in that it corrects
for midrange phase errors inherent in low frequency
loudness equalization. The result of this correction is that
low frequencies sound clear and natural, with no coloration
or degradation of stereo imaging.
Active/passive phono section with MM and MC inputs
A switch on the front panel of the HK6800 and HK6900
sets up the gain and input impedance of your amplifier’s
internal circuitry to match the type of cartridge being used
on your turntable. The HK6800 and HK6900 provide you
with both a passive (unamplified) phono section for use
with standard moving magnet phono cartridges, and an
active (amplified) phono section for use with moving coil
(low output) phono cartridges. You can connect both
moving coil and moving magnet cartridge inputs and use
the switch on the front panel to select between them.
Pre-out connectors
The PRE-OUT connectors on the rear panel allow you
to use the preamplifier section independently. You could
connect your HK6800/HK6900 to an external power
amplifier and use your HK6800/HK6900 as a preamplifier
only. Or you could connect an external amplifier to your
HK6800/HK6900 and simultaneously use the power
amplifier section of your HK6800/HK6900.
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