A fully featured CD player that handles a wide range of formats.
To most serious listeners, CD playback remains a mandatory ingredient of any home entertainment system. And as the Harman Kardon HD 990 proves, it should be. As an especially well-engineered CD player, the HD 990 possesses a full array of sophisticated sound technologies – including a high-resolution synchronization (HRS) link for jitter-free playback and Real-Time Linear Smoothing (RLS III) for spacious, richly detailed sound.
As both a high performer and outperformer compared to all Harman Kardon CD players before it, the HD 990 elevates the CD-listening experience – thanks in part to its two high-performance digital-to-analog converters, optimized for precision playback. It’s also quite versatile, as evidenced by its compatibility with most recordable or erasable disc formats, including CD-R, CD-RW and MP3 with ID3-tag support. Designed in part to accompany the powerful Harman Kardon 150-watt HK 990 stereo amplifier, the HD 990 can stand alone – or be a highly capable focal point of a more significant home entertainment system.
With a 24-bit/384kHz sample rate converter (SRC) and a 24-bit resolution enhancer to minimize noise levels and intermodulation distortion (IMD), the HD 990 is clearly an elite performer, delivering realistic playback.
A special high-resolution synchronization (HRS) link enables jitter-free clock synchronization and data transmission between HRS-link-enabled devices like the HD 990 CD player and a suitably equipped Harman Kardon power amplifier. The elimination of at least one stage of digital-to-analog conversion at the CD player’s output, and analog-to-digital conversion at the amplifier’s input, results in clear, enveloping sound. The HRS link is simple to set up using the supplied synchronization cable.
The HD 990 features an elegant, minimalist exterior design accented with rounded corners, a gloss-black top panel and a dark-graphite lower panel accented by soft, white illumination. This CD player is certain to stand out for more than its audio performance.
Two digital audio outputs – one coaxial and one optical – offer direct connection to your choice of external digital-to-analog converters, while two digital audio inputs (one coaxial and one optical) let you use the HD 990’s high-grade, audiophile digital-to-analog converters with other digital sources for enhanced audio quality.
The HD 990’s direct digital signal processing (DSP) mode is based on a 32-bit chip, thereby preventing playback jitter. Engineered to keep operational speeds running quickly and distortion to a minimum, the CD player’s internal DSP offers playback in its purest form.
Third-generation Real-Time Linear Smoothing (RLS III) helps minimize interference during digital-to-analog conversion through the use of two high-grade stereo Analog Devices (AD) 1955 DAC chips – one per channel. The result is richly detailed sound, a noise level that remains locked in the non-audible frequency range and a higher level of jitter rejection than the majority of CD players.
This all-purpose CD player can read most recordable and erasable discs, including such formats as CD-R, CD-RW and MP3 files with ID3-tag support. By ensuring easy playback from multiple CD formats, the CD player will stay compatible with your music library.
Designed with convenience in mind, the HD 990 lets you play tracks automatically in a pre-programmed or random order. And, via its full-function remote control, you can select tracks from anywhere without having to visit the control panel. A rear-panel infrared (IR) remote extension lets you program your CD player, even if it is hidden away in (for example) a hi-fi cabinet.
The HD 990’s two XLR outputs with dual, Diamond Class A stages provide balanced connections designed to reject external noise and crosstalk from signal cables. XLR outputs also carry more signal level that the RCA, line-level connections, delivering a higher signal-to-noise ratio.
