Manuals

Tech Notes: Harman Kardon HK195 Speakers

Usage Guidelines | Connecting the Speakers | Troubleshooting

Usage Guidelines

Please read the following operating precautions before use:

To prevent the risk of electric shock, do not remove the cover (or back). There are no user-serviceable parts inside this unit.
Use only the AC power adapter designed specifically for the HK195 speakers.
The AC power adapter receives power as long as it is connected to the electrical outlet, even if the HK195 power switch is turned off. Always remove the AC power adapter from the electrical outlet before inspecting the adapter.
When disconnecting the AC power adapter from an electrical outlet, grasp and pull the adapter, not the cord.
If the HK195 speakers are not going to be used for a period of time, disconnect the AC power adapter from the electrical outlet.
Always disconnect the AC power adapter from the electrical outlet before making any speaker connections.
Place the HK195 speakers on a stable, level surface. Do not drop them, apply excessive force to the controls, or put heavy items on top of them.
If the HK195 speakers require cleaning, use a soft cloth. If necessary, use a damp cloth, but no solvents.
To protect the HK195 speakers, avoid microphone feedback, continuous output from electronic musical instruments, or distorted output from any signal source.
If the HK195 speakers are placed near a fluorescent light source or neon light fixtures, a hum in the speakers may be heard. Relocate the HK195 speakers farther from the fixtures to reduce or eliminate the noise.
Although the HK195 speakers are magnetically shielded, keep magnetic media (discs and tapes) at least 4 inches from them to avoid data loss.

Connecting the Speakers

To connect the speakers, follow these steps:

Position the speakers on each side of the monitor. Place the speaker with the controls on the right side of the monitor.
Connect the cable from the left speaker to the white jack on the back of the right speaker.
Connect the cable with the green plug from the right speaker to the green jack on the back of the computer.

Plug the black plug of the AC adapter into the black jack on the back of the right speaker, and then plug the AC adapter into into the electrical outlet.

NOTE: The subwoofer jack on the back of the right speaker can be used to connect the HK195 speakers to a powered subwoofer. No subwoofer is included with this system, and Dell does not support using subwoofers with Harman Kardon speakers.

Troubleshooting

Problem	Cause	Solution
No sound from both speakers	Transformer not plugged in or not firmly seated	Verify that AC Power transformer is firmly seated in an electrical outlet or power strip.
	Connected to a switched AC outlet or power strip that is turned off	Verify that AC Power transformer is firmly seated in an electrical outlet or power strip. Make certain that outlet or power strip is turned on.
	Transformer plug not firmly seated into jack on right speaker	Check connection of transformer to jack on right speaker.
	No connection to computer	Check that the speaker's connection to the computer is made to the sound card OUTPUT.
	Speaker system turned off	Turn speaker system on using volume control on right speaker.
	Volume control turned down	Turn up volume on right speaker.
	Volume control turned down or off within software	Turn up volume control slider in Microsoft^� Windows^� taskbar or the application program being used.
	Sound card failure	Plug speakers into the CD-ROM drive headphone jack (you may need to adjust the CD-ROM drive volume). If speakers work, the problem is not with the sound card. If speakers do not work, refer to sound card's troubleshooting documentation.
	Headphones plugged in	Unplug the headphones.
	Defective speakers	Contact Dell for further troubleshooting.
Does not play to sufficient volume	Volume control sliders in the application program being used are too low for a given volume setting on the speakers	Turn up software volume control sliders in application program being used.
No sound from right speaker	Speakers not fully connected to computer sound card	Check connection to computer.
No sound from left speaker	Left speaker not connected	Check left speaker's connection to right speaker.
Sound contains too much treble or bass	Incorrect setting for bass and treble controls	Adjust bass and treble controls so that dot on knobs is at 12 o’clock position.
Sound is distorted	Input source too high	Reduce input level from source using sound card control or volume control sliders in Windows taskbar.
No bass	Plug connected to subwoofer output, but no speaker connected	Unplug incorrect connection. NOTE: Dell does not support using subwoofers with Harman Kardon speakers.
No bass	Subwoofer connected but not turned on	Turn on subwoofer. NOTE: Dell does not support using subwoofers with Harman Kardon speakers.
Intermittent sound or crackling noises	Loose connections	Verify all connections.
Bass and treble levels do not change in headphones when controls are adjusted	This is normal	Bass and treble controls on the speakers do not affect headphone output.
The bass level does not change when an (optional) subwoofer is connected and in use and the bass control is changed on the right speaker	This is normal	Make adjustments to bass level on subwoofer. NOTE: Dell does not support using subwoofers with Harman Kardon speakers.