HKTS 18
HOME THEATER SPEAKER SYSTEM
OWNER’S MANUAL
SAFETY INFORMATION
Read First! Important Safety Precautions!
13. Unplug this apparatus during lightning storms
or when unused for long periods of time.
19. Do not overload wall outlets, extension cords,
or integral convenience receptacles, as this can
result in a risk of fire or electric shock.
20. Never push objects of any kind into this product
through openings, as they may touch dangerous
voltage points or short-out parts that could result
in a fire or electric shock. Never spill liquid of any
kind on the product.
21. The apparatus shall not be exposed to dripping
or splashing, and no objects filled with liquids,
such as vases, shall be placed on the apparatus.
22. Do not attempt to service this product yourself,
as opening or removing covers may expose you
to dangerous voltage or other hazards. Refer all
servicing to qualified service personnel.
23. When replacement parts are required, be sure
the service technician has used replacement parts
specified by the manufacturer or that have the
same characteristics as the original part.
14. Refer all servicing to qualified service personnel.
Servicing is required when the apparatus has been
damaged in any way, such as power-supply cord
or plug is damaged, liquid has been spilled or
objects have fallen into the apparatus, the apparatus
has been exposed to rain or moisture, does not
operate normally, or has been dropped.
15. Do not use attachments not recommended
by the product manufacturer, as they may cause
hazards.
16. This product should be operated only from
the type of power source indicated on the marking
label. If you are not sure of the type of power
supply to your home, consult your product dealer
or local power company. For products intended
to operate from battery power, or other sources,
refer to the operating instructions.
17. If an outside antenna or cable system is
connected to the product, be sure the antenna or
cable system is grounded so as to provide some
protection against voltage surges and built-up static
charges. Article 810 of the National Electrical
Code, ANSI/NFPA 70, provides information with
regard to proper grounding of the mast and
supporting structure, grounding of the lead-in wire
to an antenna discharge unit, size of grounding
conductors, location of antenna-discharge unit,
connection to grounding electrodes, and require-
ments for the grounding electrode. See Figure A.
18. An outside antenna system should not be
located in the vicinity of overhead power lines or
other electric light or power circuits, or where it
can fall into such power lines or circuits. When
installing an outside antenna system, extreme care
should be taken to keep from touching such power
lines or circuits, as contact with them might be fatal.
Unauthorized substitutions may result in fire, electric
shock or other hazards.
24. Upon completion of any service or repairs to
this product, ask the service technician to perform
safety checks to determine that the product is in
proper operating condition.
1. Read these instructions.
2. Keep these instructions.
3. Heed all warnings.
4. Follow all instructions.
5. Do not use this apparatus near water.
6. Clean only with a dry cloth.
7. Do not block any ventilation openings. Install in
accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions.
8. Do not install near any heat sources such as
radiators, heat registers, stoves or other apparatus
(including amplifiers) that produce heat.
9. Do not defeat the safety purpose of the polarized
or grounding-type plug. A polarized plug has two
blades with one wider than the other. A grounding-
type plug has two blades and a third grounding
prong. The wide blade or the third prong is provided
for your safety. If the provided plug does not fit
into your outlet, consult an electrician for replacement
of the obsolete outlet.
25. The product should be mounted to a wall or
ceiling only as recommended by the manufacturer.
Figure A.
Example of Antenna Grounding as per
National ElectricalCode ANSI/NFPA 70
10. Protect the power cord from being walked on
or pinched, particularly at plugs, convenience
receptacles and the point where they exit from the
apparatus.
11. Only use attachments/accessories specified
by the manufacturer.
12. Use only with the cart, stand, tripod, bracket
or table specified by the manufacturer or sold with
the apparatus. When a cart is used, use
caution when moving the cart/apparatus
combination to avoid injury from tip-over.
SAFETY INFORMATION 3
INTRODUCTION
niences include a level control, an external
trigger input for automatic turn-on when
connected to a compatible product, a high-
cut (low-pass) filter switch and a phase
switch for fine-tuning bass response to suit
your listening environment and taste, and
audio-sense auto turn-on, which senses the
presence of an audio signal and automati-
cally switches the unit from Standby mode
to Active mode.
Introduction
Included
Thank you for purchasing the Harman Kardon®
HKTS 18, with which you’re about to begin
many years of listening enjoyment. The
HKTS 18 has been custom-designed to
provide all the excitement and power of the
cinema experience in your own living room.
One center
channel speaker
One powered subwoofer
To obtain maximum enjoyment from your
new home theater speaker system, we urge
you to take a few minutes to read through
this manual. This will ensure that connec-
tions to your receiver or preamp/processor
and amplifier or other external devices are
made properly. In addition, a few minutes
spent learning the functions of the controls
will enhance the HKTS 18’s performance.
Shelf stands and wall-mount brackets are
included for the satellite speakers, and
optional HTFS 2 floor stands are available
separately from your Harman Kardon dealer.
Harman Kardon invented the high-fidelity
receiver more than fifty years ago. With
state-of-the-art features and time-honored
circuit designs, the HKTS 18 is a perfect
complement to a Harman Kardon receiver
or any home theater system.
• Four satellites for left, right and surrounds, with
color-key stickers, mounted on shelf stands
• Four leatherette coasters
If you have any questions about this prod-
uct, its installation or its operation, please
contact your dealer, the best local source
of information, or visit our Web site at
I Complete home theater speaker
system
Four wall-mount brackets
Description and Features
I Identical dual-midrange configura-
tion for satellites and center provides
seamless pans
The HKTS 18 is a six-piece home theater
speaker system that includes a 10-inch,
200-watt, bass-reflex powered subwoofer;
four identical, two-way, dual-midrange
satellite speakers for use in the left and
right front and rear speaker positions; a
voice-matched, dedicated, dual-driver
center speaker; shelf stands and wall-mount
brackets for the four satellites; and all of
the speaker cables you need to connect
your speakers to your receiver or preamp/
processor and amplifier. The speaker cables
and speakers are all color-coded to con-
form to the CEA® standard, simplifying
setup, especially when the system is used
with a Harman Kardon receiver.
One 15' RCA cable for connection to
subwoofer (purple)
I Speakers are magnetically shielded
for placement near video monitors
I Fully color-coded cables and con-
nections simplify setup
One 15' mini-plug cable for use with external
trigger input (black)
I Both line- and speaker-level inputs
for use with most audio components
I Subwoofer input offers superior-
quality bass reproduction when used
with any digital audio system that
incorporates bass management or
programmable crossovers
I Auto turn-on using trigger input or
audio-sense
Three 20' speaker cables for connection to
front satellites (red and white) and to center
speaker (green)
The HKTS 18 subwoofer is easy to connect
to your system, since it’s equipped with a
subwoofer input for use with equipment that
has a dedicated subwoofer low-frequency
output. It also includes stereo speaker-level
inputs and outputs for connection to older
receivers and processors that do not have
a line-level subwoofer output. Other conve-
Two 40' speaker cables for connection from
receiver to rear satellites (gray and blue)
4 INTRODUCTION
SUB-TS18 SUBWOOFER AMPLIFIER PANEL CONTROLS AND CONNECTIONS
¡ Subwoofer-Level Control
™ High-Cut (Low-Pass) Filter Switch
£ External Trigger Input
∞ Phase Switch
ª Speaker-Level Inputs
‚ Master Power Switch
⁄ AC Power Cord
§ Line-Level Subwoofer (SUB) Input
¶ Line-Level Full-Range Inputs
• Speaker-Level Outputs
¢ Audio-Sense On/Off Switch
inefficiency and distortion. Engage this filter
when using the Speaker-Level Inputs ª,
or when using the Line-Level Full-Range
Inputs ¶, unless your receiver or processor
processes its line-level output using a low-
pass filter. The filter has no effect when the
SUB Input § is used.
or DC) is detected, the SUB-TS18 amplifier
will turn on, even when the audio-sense
feature has been activated by placing the
Audio-Sense On/Off Switch ¢ in the
AUTO position. The amplifier will remain
on for about 10–15 minutes without a
trigger signal.
¡ Subwoofer-Level Control: Volume
may be adjusted using the Subwoofer-
Level Control. Turn the control clockwise
to increase the SUB-TS18’s volume, or
counterclockwise to decrease it.
™ High-Cut (Low-Pass) Filter Switch:
Placing this switch in the ON position acti-
vates circuitry that cuts out all audio input
signals above 120Hz, allowing the SUB-TS18
to focus its power on reproducing the low-
frequency portion of the signal, avoiding
£ External Trigger Input: Use the sup-
plied mini-plug cable to connect the trigger
output of another product to this jack. When
a trigger signal between 3 and 30 volts (AC
¢ Audio-Sense On/Off Switch: When
placed in the AUTO position, and when the
Master Power Switch ‚ is turned on, the
SUB-TS18 will automatically turn itself on or
SUB-TS18 SUBWOOFER AMPLIFIER PANEL CONTROLS AND CONNECTIONS 5
SUB-TS18 SUBWOOFER AMPLIFIER PANEL CONTROLS AND CONNECTIONS
place itself in the Standby mode, depending on
whether it is receiving an audio signal. When
this switch is placed in the ON position, the
SUB-TS18 will remain on, whether or not it is
receiving an audio signal.
§ Line-Level Subwoofer (SUB) Input:
Connect the subwoofer output of a receiver
with digital surround sound decoding, such
as Dolby® Digital or DTS®, to this input. This
input bypasses the SUB-TS18’s internal
crossover circuitry, and should only be used
with a filtered signal. If your receiver does not
have digital decoding, you should use the
Line-Level Full-Range Inputs ¶ instead.
ª Speaker-Level Inputs: If your receiver
or amplifier does not have a line-level sub-
woofer output, connect these binding-post
terminals to the main left and right speaker
terminals of your receiver or amplifier.
Remember to maintain polarity by connecting
the (+) terminal on the receiver/amplifier to the
(+) terminal on the SUB-TS18 subwoofer, and
the (–) terminal on the receiver/amplifier to the
(–) terminal on the SUB-TS18 subwoofer.
An LED located on top of the SUB-TS18
indicates whether the SUB-TS18 is in the On
or Standby state when used with the Audio-
Sense On/Off Switch ¢ in the AUTO
position. The LED is lit blue to indicate that
the SUB-TS18 is receiving an audio signal
and is turned on, and the LED is lit amber to
indicate that no signal is being received and
the SUB-TS18 is in the Standby mode.
¶ Line-Level Full-Range Inputs: Connect
the line-level subwoofer output or preamp out-
put(s) of your receiver or amplifier to these
inputs. If your receiver does not have a sepa-
rate subwoofer output, use a Y-adapter (not
supplied) to bridge the receiver’s preamp out-
put to the main amp input for that channel,
and connect the long end of the adapter
to the corresponding line-level input on the
SUB-TS18. If your receiver has only a single
subwoofer output, you may connect it to
either the left or right line-level input on the
SUB-TS 18, and no Y-adapter is needed.
‚ Master Power Switch: Place this
switch in the “•” position to power-on the
SUB-TS18 subwoofer. The SUB-TS18 will
then be either in the Standby mode or com-
pletely on, depending on the position of the
Audio-Sense On/Off Switch ¢.
When the Audio-Sense On/Off Switch ¢
is in the ON position, the LED will be lit
blue, whether or not an audio signal is
present.
⁄ AC Power Cord: Make sure to plug this
cord into an active, unswitched electrical out-
let for proper operation of the SUB-TS18.
The cord should not be plugged into the
accessory outlets found on some audio
components.
When the Master Power Switch ‚ is
turned off, the LED goes dark, no matter
which position the Audio-Sense On/Off
Switch ¢ is in.
• Speaker-Level Outputs: If you are
using the Speaker-Level Inputs ª on the
SUB-TS18, you should connect these binding-
post terminals to your front left and right
speakers, remembering to maintain polarity
by connecting the (+) terminal on the
SUB-TS18 subwoofer to the (+) terminal
on the speaker, and the (–) terminal on the
SUB-TS18 subwoofer to the (–) terminal
on the speaker. If you are not using the
Speaker-Level Inputs ª, then connect
your front left and right speakers directly
to your receiver or amplifier. See pages 9
through 12 for further information on speaker
connections.
∞ Phase Switch: This switch determines
whether the SUB-TS18 subwoofer’s piston-
like action moves in and out in phase with
the main speakers. If the speakers were to
play out of phase, the sound waves pro-
duced by the subwoofer would be canceled
out, reducing bass response. This phenome-
non depends in part on the relative place-
ment of the speakers in the room. In most
cases, the Phase Switch ∞ should be left
in the NORMAL position. However, it
does no harm to experiment with the Phase
Switch ∞, and you may leave it in the
position that maximizes bass response.
6 SUB-TS18 SUBWOOFER AMPLIFIER PANEL CONTROLS AND CONNECTIONS
SPEAKER PLACEMENT
Color-Coding System
Video Screen
Center Speaker
The HKTS 18 uses the channel color-cod-
ing system established by the Consumer
Electronics Association to make setting up
your home theater speaker system as easy
as possible. Your system includes a set of
colored stickers that may be placed near
the speaker terminals of each of the four
satellite speakers according to the chart
below. It doesn’t matter which satellite
Front Right
Subwoofer
Front Left
Speaker
30°
Speaker
30°
110°
110°
150°
150°
speaker is used for any of the front or rear
positions. (The center speaker and powered
subwoofer are already color-coded for you.)
Side Surround
Right Speaker
Side Surround
Left Speaker
Speaker
Position
Sticker (or Terminal)
and Cable Color
Front Left
Front Right
Center
Surround Left
Surround Right Gray
Subwoofer (LFE) Purple
White
Red
Green
Blue
Alternate placement
for Side Surround
Left Speaker
Alternate placement
for Side Surround
Right Speaker
Before you begin to connect cables, it is
important to set up your speakers in their
correct locations in the room.
It is best to place the front left/right and
The subwoofer’s location is less critical,
since low-frequency sounds are omni-
directional. Placing the subwoofer close to a
wall or in a corner will reinforce the low fre-
quencies, and may create a “boomy” sound.
You may wish to experiment over time by
placing the subwoofer where the listener
normally sits and then walking around the
room until the low frequencies sound best.
Place the subwoofer in that spot.
center speakers as close to the same
height as possible, preferably about the
same height as the listener’s ears. In any
event, the center speaker should be no
more than two feet above or below the
left/right speakers.
Optimally, the speakers should be placed in
a circle with the listening position at its cen-
ter. The distance from the listening position
to the video display forms the radius of
the circle.
The side surround speakers should be
placed 110 degrees from the center
speaker; that is, slightly behind and angled
toward the listener. If this isn’t feasible, place
the surround speakers behind the listener,
with each surround speaker facing the
opposite-side front speaker. The surround
speakers may be placed a little higher than
the listener’s ears.
The speakers should be angled so that they
directly face the listening position. The cen-
ter speaker is placed either on top of or
below the video display screen.
The front left and right speakers are placed
along the circle, about 30 degrees from
the center speaker and angled toward
the listener.
SPEAKER PLACEMENT 7
MOUNTING OPTIONS
Satellites and Surrounds
The satellite speakers may be
placed on a shelf. Place each satel-
lite speaker on one of the supplied
coasters for added stability and to
protect your furniture.
The satellite speakers may
be wall-mounted using the
supplied brackets.
Wall-Mounting
Unscrew the bolt that attaches the black
shelf stand to the bottom of the speaker.
Store the stand and bolt in a safe place,
in case they are needed for a future
installation.
Wires to Speaker
Terminal Cover
Wall Plate
Insert the supplied bracket bolt up through
the bottom of the bracket and terminal
cover, and screw it into the threaded insert
on the underside of the speaker. The bolt
should be snug, but not so tight as to
prevent the bracket from pivoting.
Wall Plate
Wire
From
Wall
Plate
Overhead
View
Remove
Stand
Mount the wall-
bracket attachment
plate on the wall in
the desired loca-
tion. If possible,
The wall-mounted speaker may be pivoted
from side to side; however, the bracket is
not designed to be tilted up or down, and
attempting to tilt it will damage the bracket
and possibly the wall, which would not be
covered by your warranty.
openings on top: a round screw hole, and an
arc-shaped opening in front of it. The speaker
cable should be threaded through the arc-
shaped opening, not the screw hole.
15mm
or 1/2"
position the
Attach the bracket to the wall plate by inserting
the tab at the top of the wall plate into the
slot on top of the bracket and snapping the
bracket onto the wall plate.
speakers so that the mounting screws
(not included; use size #8) may be
installed directly into a wooden wall stud.
If that is not possible, use optional wall
anchors that are rated to support at least
25 pounds. The customer is responsible for
proper selection and use of mounting hard-
ware, available through hardware stores, to
Thread the cable through the round opening
in the terminal cover, and then insert the
speaker wires into the terminals on the
underside of the speaker, remembering to
Wall
properly and safely wall-mount the speakers. observe the correct polarity (see page 9).
Referring to the speaker connection instruc-
tions on pages 9 through 12, thread the
Place the terminal cover over the opening
on the underside of the speaker so that it
appropriate speaker cable through the open- fits flush against the speaker and covers the
ing in the bottom of the wall plate, and then
terminals, with its round opening exposing
through the back of the bracket, as shown in the threaded insert. The bracket fits through
23mm
or 3/4"
(M6–1.25P
or 1/4"–20)
the diagram above. The bracket has two
the round opening in the terminal cover.
8 MOUNTING OPTIONS
SPEAKER CONNECTIONS
has a purple SUB input jack. This system is
Speaker-Level Connection Guide
intended to help you ensure that the speaker
in each location is connected to the correct
terminals on your receiver or amplifier.
IMPORTANT NOTE: Before making speaker
connections, be certain that your receiver
or audio power amplifier is turned off and
preferably unplugged from its AC power
source. The SUB-TS18 subwoofer should
not be connected to an AC power source
until all speaker wire connections have
been made.
The (+) lead of the speaker wire is indicated
with a stripe and has the colored band cor-
responding to the speaker’s position. It is
important to connect all speakers identically:
(+) on the speaker to (+) on the amplifier
and (–) on the speaker to (–) on the ampli-
fier. Wiring “out of phase” results in thin
sound, weak bass and a poor stereo image.
Speakers and electronics terminals have
corresponding (+) and (–) terminals. Most
manufacturers of speakers and electronics,
including Harman Kardon, use red to denote
the (+) terminal and black for the (–)
terminal.
With the advent of multichannel surround
sound systems, connecting all of the speakers
in your system with the correct polarity
remains equally important in order to preserve
the proper ambience and directionality of the
program material.
To connect the supplied speaker wires to
the satellite and center speaker terminals
located on the bottom of each speaker,
press the red or black tab, insert the bare
end of the wire into the hole and release the
tab. Gently tug on the wire to make sure
that it is fully inserted.
For the best performance, Harman Kardon
recommends that the subwoofer be con-
nected using either the Line-Level
Subwoofer (SUB) Input § or the Line-
Level Full-Range Inputs ¶. However,
if the application requires the use of the
speaker-level connections for the subwoofer,
unscrew the binding-post collar until the
pass-through hole in the center post is visi-
ble under the collar. Insert the bare end of
the wire through this hole; then screw the
collar down until the connection is tight. The
hole in the center of each collar is intended
for use with banana-type connectors.
Newer Harman Kardon receivers conform to
the new CEA standard and therefore use a
color other than red or black for the (+) ter-
minal to indicate some speaker positions:
e.g., surround left. Although the HKTS 18
system has red and black collars on the
individual speaker terminals to denote the
positive and negative connections, your
system includes a colored band on the
positive lead at both ends of every speaker
cable and a matching colored sticker for
each of the four satellite speakers, conforming
to the chart on page 7. The center speaker
has a green (+) terminal, and the subwoofer
SPEAKER CONNECTIONS 9
SPEAKER CONNECTIONS
Dolby® Digital or DTS® (or Other
Digital Surround Mode) Connection
USE THIS INSTALLATION METHOD FOR
DOLBY DIGITAL, DTS OR OTHER DIGITAL
SURROUND PROCESSORS:
Center
Front
Left
–
Front
Right
–
+
+
–
+
SUB-TS18 Subwoofer
Use the line-level input jack marked SUB
§ for the low-frequency effects channel.
Connect this jack to the subwoofer output
or LFE output on your receiver or amplifier.
Connect each speaker to the corresponding
speaker terminals on your receiver or
amplifier.
LINE LEVEL IN
SUB
R
L
Make sure you’ve configured your surround
sound processor for “Subwoofer On.” The
front left, front right, center and surround
speakers should all be set to “Small.”
Front
Left
Front
Right
SUB/LFE
Out
When all connections have been made, plug
the AC power cord on the subwoofer into
an AC outlet.
Surround
Left
Surround
Right
Center
Surround
Right
Surround
Left
–
+
Receiver
–
+
10 SPEAKER CONNECTIONS
SPEAKER CONNECTIONS
®
Dolby Pro Logic
Center
Front
Front
Left
(Non-Digital) – Line Level
USE THIS INSTALLATION METHOD FOR
DOLBY PRO LOGIC APPLICATIONS (NOT
DOLBY DIGITAL, DTS OR OTHER DIGITAL
PROCESSING), WHERE THE RECEIVER/
PROCESSOR IS EQUIPPED WITH A
SUBWOOFER OUTPUT, OR A VOLUME-
CONTROLLED PREAMP (LINE-) LEVEL
OUTPUT:
–
+
Right
–
+
–
+
SUB-TS18
Subwoofer
Line-Level
R
L
Use the supplied RCA-type interconnect
cable to connect the line-level subwoofer
output on your receiver or amplifier to either
the left or right Line-Level Full-Range
Input ¶ on the SUB-TS18 subwoofer.
Use both the left and right inputs on the
subwoofer if your receiver or processor has
both left and right line-level outputs. In that
case, you will need to supply a second
interconnect cable.
Front
Left
Front
Right
SUB/LFE
Out
Surround
Left
Surround
Right
Center
If your receiver is equipped with line-level out-
puts but does not have a separate subwoofer
output, use a Y-adapter (not supplied) to
bridge the receiver’s preamp output to the
main amp input for that channel, and connect
the long end of the adapter to the corre-
sponding line-level input on the SUB-TS18.
Surround
Right
Surround
Left
–
+
Receiver
–
+
IMPORTANT: Do not use the SUB Input
§ on the subwoofer with Dolby Pro Logic
processors.
If your receiver/processor has a built-in low-
pass-crossover filter for the subwoofer out-
put, you may use the SUB Input § to
bypass the subwoofer’s internal crossover.
Connect each speaker to the corresponding
speaker terminals on your receiver or amplifier.
Make sure that you have configured your
surround sound processor for “Subwoofer
On.” The front left, front right, center and
surround speakers should all be set to
“Small.”
When all connections have been made, plug
the AC power cord on the subwoofer into
an AC outlet.
SPEAKER CONNECTIONS 11
SPEAKER CONNECTIONS
Dolby Pro Logic
(Non-Digital) – Speaker Level
Center
Front
Left
Front
Right
–
+
USE THIS INSTALLATION METHOD FOR
DOLBY PRO LOGIC APPLICATIONS (NOT
DOLBY DIGITAL, DTS OR OTHER DIGITAL
PROCESSING), WHERE THE RECEIVER/
PROCESSOR DOES NOT HAVE A SUB-
WOOFER OUTPUT, OR A VOLUME-
CONTROLLED PREAMP (LINE-) LEVEL
OUTPUT:
–
+
–
+
SUB-TS18
Subwoofer
Connect your receiver or amplifier’s front
left and right speaker terminals to the left
and right Speaker-Level Input ª termi-
nals on the SUB-TS18 subwoofer that are
marked “High Level In.” Connect the left and
right Speaker-Level Output • terminals
on the SUB-TS18 subwoofer that are
marked “High Level Out” to the correspond-
ing terminals on the back of your front left
and right speakers.
L
H
I
G
H
L
E
V
E
L
R
Connect your receiver or amplifier’s center
and surround left and right speaker termi-
nals to the corresponding terminals on the
back of your center and surround left and
right speakers.
Receiver
Front Left
Front Right
Center
When all connections have been made,
plug the AC power cord on the subwoofer
into an AC outlet.
Surround Left
Surround Right
Surround
Right
Surround
Left
–
+
–
+
12 SPEAKER CONNECTIONS
OPERATION
Volume
Additional Bass Adjustments
Move the Master Power Switch ‚
(marked Power) to the “ ” (On) position.
•
Volume can be adjusted using the Sub-
woofer-Level Control ¡, as shown.
Turn the control knob clockwise to
increase the volume of the subwoofer,
and counterclockwise to decrease the
subwoofer’s volume.
In addition to the volume adjustments described
previously, the SUB-TS18 subwoofer includes
a Phase Switch ∞ and a Filter Switch
™ that can be used to adjust the bass
response to suit your listening environment
or taste.
The SUB-TS18 subwoofer will automatically
turn itself on or go into Standby mode,
depending on whether or not a signal is
being sent to it by your receiver or surround
processor, and provided that the Audio-
Sense On/Off Switch ¢ is moved down
so that it is in the AUTO position.
In most situations, the Phase Switch ∞
should be left in the NORMAL position.
If you suspect that the subwoofer is playing
out of phase with the other speakers, which
would tend to diminish bass response, try
placing this switch in the REVERSE
position. There is no harm in experimenting,
and you may return the switch to the
NORMAL position at any time. If you
rearrange your room and reposition the
speakers, it would be a good idea to check
whether they are in phase by flipping this
switch.
Subwoofer
Level
When your receiver or amplifier is off, or is
not sending program material to the sub-
woofer, the subwoofer will be in Standby
mode and the LED indicator on the top
of the subwoofer will turn amber. When the
subwoofer senses an audio signal, it will auto-
matically turn itself on and the LED indicator
will turn blue. If the subwoofer does not
sense a signal after approximately 20 minutes,
it will automatically go into Standby mode.
MIN
MAX
Subwoofer
Level
MIN
MAX
When the Audio-Sense On/Off Switch ¢
is switched to the ON position, the sub-
woofer will remain on, whether or not pro-
gram material is playing, and the LED indica-
tor will remain lit blue.
The High-Cut (Low-Pass) Filter Switch
™ limits the frequencies of the audio signal
inputted to the subwoofer to the low fre-
quencies that the subwoofer reproduces
best. This allows the subwoofer to perform
more efficiently, and with superior bass
reproduction, minimizing distortion that might
occur if the subwoofer attempted to repro-
duce higher frequencies. This switch should
be left in the ON position, except:
If your receiver, processor or amplifier is
equipped with a compatible trigger output,
you may connect it to the SUB-TS18’s
External Trigger Input £. When you turn
on your component, if you have set it up cor-
rectly, it will send an electrical trigger signal
to the SUB-TS18, which will cause the
subwoofer to turn itself on, even when the
Audio-Sense On/Off Switch ¢ has been
placed in the AUTO position and no audio
signal is detected.
1. When the SUB Input § is being used,
in which case it has no effect, or
2. When the Speaker-Level Inputs ª
or the Line-Level Full-Range Inputs
¶ are being used with a crossover or
filter aboard the receiver or processor.
The trigger signal must be between 3 and 30
volts, although it may be an AC or DC signal,
and an AC signal may be 50Hz or 60Hz.
In these two circumstances, place the switch
in the OFF position.
If you’ll be away from home for an extended
period of time, or if the subwoofer will not be
used, switch the Master Power Switch ‚
to the OFF position.
OPERATION 13
TROUBLESHOOTING
SYMPTOM
SOLUTION
If there is no sound from • Check that receiver/amplifier is on and a source is playing.
any of the speakers:
• Check that the powered subwoofer is plugged in and its Master Power Switch ‚ is switched on to the “ ” position.
•
• Check all wires and connections between receiver/amplifier and speakers. Make sure all wires are connected.
Make sure none of the speaker wires are frayed, cut, punctured or touching other wires.
• Review proper operation of your receiver/amplifier.
If there is no sound coming • Check the “Balance” control on your receiver/amplifier.
from one speaker: • Check all wires and connections between receiver/amplifier and speakers. Make sure all wires are connected.
Make sure none of the speaker wires are frayed, cut, punctured or touching other wires.
•
In Dolby Digital or DTS mode, make sure that the receiver/processor is configured so that the speaker in question is enabled.
• Turn off all electronics and switch the speaker in question with one of the other speakers that is working correctly. Turn
everything back on, and determine whether the problem is in the same place (i.e., the speaker that was working previously
now has no sound, and the speaker that was not working now sounds fine), or whether it has moved (i.e., the speaker that
was not working still has no sound, and the speaker that was working is still fine). If the problem is in the same place, the
source of the problem is most likely with your receiver or amplifier, and you should consult the owner’s manual for that product
for further information. If the problem has followed the speaker, consult your dealer for further assistance or, if that is not
If there is no sound from • Check all wires and connections between receiver/amplifier and speaker. Make sure all wires are connected.
the center speaker:
Make sure none of the speaker wires are frayed, cut, punctured or touching other wires.
• If your receiver/processor is set in Dolby Pro Logic mode, make sure the center speaker is not in Phantom mode.
• If your receiver/processor is set in Dolby Digital or DTS mode, make sure the receiver/processor is configured so that
the center speaker is enabled.
If the system plays at low • Check all wires and connections between receiver/amplifier and speakers. Make sure all wires are connected.
volumes but shuts off as
volume is increased:
Make sure none of the speaker wires are frayed, cut, punctured or touching other wires.
• If more than one pair of main speakers is being used, check the minimum impedance requirements of your receiver/amplifier.
If there is low (or no) bass • Make sure the SUB Input § or Line-Level Inputs ¶ of the SUB-TS18 subwoofer and SUB or LFE output
output:
of your receiver or amplifier are properly connected by the RCA-type interconnect cable.
• If you are using the SUB-TS18’s Speaker-Level Inputs ª, check your speaker cables to make sure they are all
connected; that none of the wires are frayed, cut, punctured or touching other wires; and that you have maintained the
correct polarity by connecting positive terminals to positive terminals, and negative terminals to negative terminals.
• Make sure the subwoofer is plugged into an active electrical outlet and its Master Power Switch ‚ is
switched on to the “•” position.
• Check the speaker setup (bass management) settings in your A/V receiver or processor to make certain that the front,
center and surround speakers are configured for “Small,” and that the subwoofer is set for “Yes” or “On.”
If there is no sound from • Check all wires and connections between receiver/amplifier and speakers. Make sure all wires are connected. Make sure
the surround speakers:
none of the speaker wires are frayed, cut, punctured or touching other wires.
• Review proper operation of your receiver/processor and its surround sound features.
• Make sure the movie or TV show you are watching is recorded in a surround sound mode. If it is not, check to see
whether your receiver/processor has other surround modes you may use.
• In Dolby Digital or DTS mode, make sure your receiver/processor is configured so that the surround speakers are enabled.
• Review the operation of your DVD player and the jacket of your DVD to make sure that the DVD features the desired
Dolby Digital or DTS mode, and that you have properly selected that mode using both the DVD player’s menu
and the DVD disc’s menu.
14 TROUBLESHOOTING
HKTS 18 SPECIFICATIONS
HKTS 18 System
Frequency Response:
25Hz – 20kHz (–6dB)
CEN-TS18
Center
Recommended Power:
10 – 120 Watts
SUB-TS18
Subwoofer
Amplifier:
200 Watts, RMS
Bass:
10" (250mm) Woofer,
bass-reflex enclosure
Impedance:
8 Ohms nominal
SAT-TS18
Satellites
Recommended Power:
10 – 120 Watts
Sensitivity:
86dB @ 1 watt/1 meter
External Trigger Input Voltage:
3~30 Volts AC/DC
Tweeter:
One 3/4" (19mm) dome,
video-shielded
Impedance:
8 Ohms nominal
Dimensions (H x W x D):
18-7/8" x 13-3/8" x 13-3/8"
(479mm x 340mm x 340mm)
Sensitivity:
86dB @ 1 watt/1 meter
Midrange:
Dual 3" (75mm) drivers,
video-shielded
Weight:
35.1 lb (15.8kg)
Tweeter:
One 3/4" (19mm) dome,
video-shielded
Dimensions (H x W x D):
4" x 9-1/2" x 3-5/8"
(102mm x 241mm x 92mm)
Midrange:
Dual 3" (75mm) drivers,
video-shielded
Weight:
2.7 lb (1.2kg)
Dimensions (H x W x D):
9-9/16" x 3-15/16" x 3-5/8"
(243mm x 100mm x 92mm)
Weight:
2.8 lb (1.3kg)
Care and Cleaning
The loudspeaker enclosures may be cleaned by gently wiping with a soft cotton or microfiber cloth.
Do not use water or any liquid cleaners.
Features, specifications and appearance are subject to change without notice.
Harman Kardon is a trademark of Harman International Industries, Incorporated, registered in the United States and/or other countries.
Designed to Entertain is a trademark of Harman International Industries, Incorporated.
CEA is a registered trademark of the Consumer Electronics Association.
Dolby and Pro Logic are registered trademarks of Dolby Laboratories.
DTS is a registered trademark of DTS, Inc.
HKTS 18 SPECIFICATIONS 15
250 Crossways Park Drive, Woodbury, New York 11797
516.255.HKHK (4545) Fax: 516.682.3523
©2006 Harman International Industries, Incorporated.
All rights reserved.
®
®
Printed 10/06 Part No. 406-000-05504-E
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