Advanced Technologies Featured in the
FL Series CD Changers, CDR 2 and DVD 5
Harman Kardon products have delivered unparalleled
performance, elegant design and ease of operation for
almost half a century. Our new lineup – FL Series CD
changers, the DVD 5 and the CDR 2 – incorporates some
of the most advanced digital technologies available to date.
FL Series CD Changers
(FL 8550 & FL 8370)
All CD changers are created equal, right?
Wrong! All CD players are NOT created equal. In fact, the most common reason people buy
CD players is that they want “CD-quality sound.” Consumers associate CD-quality sound with
being good, but that does not mean that all CD players perform the same. That’s like assuming
all cars perform the same. After all, any car gets you from point A to point B, regardless of the
manufacturer, yet everyone would agree that a Lexus offers a level of refinement, performance
and luxury not found in a Yugo.
CD players are no different. While one could argue that the CD is a constant, the signal path it
follows is not. The single most important factor in the final sound quality is the conversion of
the signal from digital to analog, otherwise known as the D/A (digital to analog) converter. It’s
here that the integrity of “CD-quality” sound can be degraded.
Harman Kardon has dedicated itself to building CD players that, simply put, “sound better.”
We use some of the best D/A converters available. That means Burr-Brown 20-bit D/A
converters in both the FL 8550 and FL 8370. Couple that with HDCD
®
processing (more on
that below), and the FL Series CD players bring true meaning to the phrase “CD-quality
sound.” In addition, the FL 8550 and FL 8370 are both equipped with a coaxial digital output
for digital recording (using the new CDR 2 CD recorder). This coaxial output can also be used
to pass a DTS
®
stream from DTS-encoded CDs. However, the Burr-Brown D/A converters and
HDCD processors are only beneficial when an analog connection is used. Therefore, for peak
performance from your stereo CDs and HDCD discs, it is best to use the analog outputs/connections
of the CD player. (Note: When using a digital output connection, HDCD information from HDCD
discs will be passed intact to other equipment such as the CDR 2, or to receivers with HDCD
processing onboard, such as the Harman Kardon AVR 7000.)
What about chassis design?
Power supplies and electrical parts can cause a condition known as “stray magnetic radiation.”
This condition can interfere with the integrity of digital-quality sound, thereby reducing fidelity
and accuracy (signal/noise ratio). Harman Kardon goes to great lengths to reduce stray
magnetic radiation by using specially engineered transformers and careful placement within
the changer’s chassis. This design dramatically reduces field radiation that would normally
interfere with the digital signal. This results in significantly increased signal-to-noise
figures with greater accuracy and detail.
Power for the digital revolution
™
.
®
