Optimus 740 User Manual

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Mini Stereo Component System

Cat. No. 13-1287

OWNER’S MANUAL

Please read before using this equipment.

SYSTEM 740

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CAUTION

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FEATURES

Your Optimus System 740 Mini Stereo
Component System offers, in one
compact package, all of the versatile
features that you need for excellent
stereo sound and entertainment.

The System 740 includes an AM/FM
stereo tuner, a dual cassette re corder
with auto-stop, speakers, and a 3­band frequency equalizer.

Its features include:

Auto-Stop

— to protect the tape and
tape-handling parts, automatically
stops the cassette tape when it finish­es.

Multiple Source Recordin

— lets
you record from the radio, another
cassette tape, or an external audio
source.

Automatic Level Control (ALC)

—
automatically adjusts the recording
level.

Consecutive Tape Pla

— plays one

side each of two tapes, back to back.

Normal or Hi

h-Speed Dubbin

—
lets you copy tapes at normal or twice
the normal speed.

3-Band Frequenc

Equa lizer

— lets
you adjust the sound to your prefer­ence and your room’s unique acous­tics.

E-Bass Control

— boosts low tones

for an emphasized bass sound.

Auxiliar

Input Jacks

— let you hear
an external audio source through your
system.

Supplied Spe akers

— let you imme-

diately begin listening to your system.

Warnin

: To prevent fire or shock
hazard, do not expose this prod uct to
rain or moisture.

RISK OF ELECTRIC SHOCK.

DO NOT OPEN.

CAUTION

ELECTRIC SHOCK, DO NOT REMOVE
COVER OR BACK. NO USER-SERVICE­ABLE PARTS INSIDE. REFER SERVIC­ING TO QUALIFIED PERSONNEL.

!

: TO REDUCE THE RISK OF

This symbol is intended to alert
you to the presence of uninsu­lated dan
the product’s enclosure that
mi
to constitute a risk of electric
shock. Do not open the prod­uct’s case.

This symbol is intended to in­form you that important operat­in

and maintenance instruc­tions are included in the litera­ture accompanyin

erous voltage within

ht be of sufficient magnitude

!

this product.

© 1996 Tandy Corporation.

Optimus is a registered trademark used by Tandy Corporation.

RadioShack is a trademark used by Tandy Corporation.

All Rights Reserv ed .

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CONTENTS

Connections ......................................................................................................... 4

Connecting the Speakers . ............................................................................... 4

Connecting an Auxilia ry Audio S ourc e ................................. ....... ............ ........ 4

Connecting an External Antenna .................................................................... 4

Connecting Power ........................................................................................... 5

Using Headphones ......................................................................................... 5

Listening Safely ........................................................................................ 5

Basic Operation ................................................................................................... 6

Turning On/Off the System ............................................................................. 6

Adjusting the Balance ..................................................................................... 6

Using the Frequency Equalizer ....................................................................... 6

Using E-Bass .................................................................................................. 7

Using the Mute Button .................................................................................... 7

Radio Operation ................................................................................................... 8

Cassette Pla

Loading a Cassette Tape ............................................................................. ... 9

Playing a Cassette Tape ................................................................................. 9

Recording on a Cassette Ta pe ...................................................................... 11

Tape Care Tips .............................................................................................. 13

an Auxiliary Audio Source ..................................................................... 14

Usin

Listening to an Auxiliary Audio Source ......................................................... 14

Recording from an Aux iliary Audio S our c e ....... .... ... .. .. . .... .. . .... .. . .... . .. .... . .. .... 14

Care and Maintenance ...................................................................................... 15

The FCC Wants You to Know ....................................................................... 16

Cleaning the Tape-Handling Parts ................................................................ 16

Specifications .................................................................................................... 17

er Operation .................................................................................. 9

Normal Play .............................................................................................. 9

Fast Forward/Rewind ............................................................................. 10

Consecutive Play .................................................................................... 10

Recording from the Radio ....................................................................... 11

Dubbing a Cassette Tape ............................................................... ..... ... 12

Preventing Accidental Erasure ............................................................... 13

Erasing a Cassette Tape ........................................................................ 13

Restoring Tape Tension and Sound Quality ........................................... 13

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CONNECTIONS

Caution:

tions to the System 740 before you
connect it to power.

Complete all other connec-

CONNECTING THE
SPEAKERS

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1. Insert the right speaker wire’s plug
into the
speaker jack on the back of the
System 740.

2. Insert the left speaker wire’s plug
into the
speaker jack on the back of the
System 740.

4 OHM SPK R

4 OHM SPK L

(right)

(left)

CONNECTING AN
AUXILIARY AUDIO
SOURCE

To connect an auxiliary audio source,
such as a TV, CD p layer, or cassette
deck, plug the audio source’s left and
right LINE OUT audio wires into the

AUX L

(left) and

jacks on the back of the System 740.

AUX R

(right) input

See “Using an Auxiliary Audio Source”
on Page 14 for how to operate a n ex­ternal audio source with the System

740.

CONNECTING AN
EXTERNAL ANTENNA

Your System 740 has two antennas.
The AM antenna is built-in, and the
FM antenna is in the powe r cord. For
improved reception, you can attach an
FM or TV antenna (not supplied) to
the 75-ohm or 300-ohm terminals on
the back of the system. Before you in­stall an external antenna, be sure to
disconnect the built-in FM antenna by
loosening the upper right antenna ter­minal and sliding out the U-shaped
connector. Then follow the instruc­tions supplied with the antenna.

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If you have an outside VHF TV anten­na, you can use a signal splitter to
connect this system and a TV to the
same antenna. Your local RadioShack
store has a wide selection of antennas
and connectors.

CONNECTING POWER

To connect power, after making all
other connections, plug your system’s
power cord into a standard AC outlet.

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Caution:

has a polarized plug (one blade is wid­er than the other). If you have difficulty
inserting the plug into the outlet, do
not force it. Turn the plug over and try
again.

Your system’s power cord

USING HEADPHONES

To listen without disturbing others, you
can connect a p air o f
reo headphones (not supplied) to the
System 740. Your local RadioShack
store has a wide selection of stereo
headphones.

1

/8-inch plug ste-

To connect headphones, plug the
headphones’

PHONES

tem 740.

Note:

Connecting headphones auto­matically disconnects the System
740’s speakers.

1

/8-inch plug into the

jack on the front of the Sys-

Listening Safely

To protect your hearing, follow these
guidelines when you use headphones.

• Set the volume to the lowest set­ting before you begin listening.
After you begin listening, adjust
the volume to a comfortable listen­ing level.

• Do not listen at extremely high
volume levels. Extended high­volume listening can lead to per­manent hearing loss.

• Once you set the volume, do not
increase it. Over time your ears
adapt to the volume level, so a
volume level that does not cause
discomfort might still damage your
hearing.

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BASIC OPERATION

TURNING ON/OFF THE
SYSTEM

POWER

Press
The POWER indicator lights.

to turn on the system.

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To turn off the system, press
again. The POWER indicator turns off.

POWER

ADJUSTING THE
BALANCE

To adjust the soun d balance between
the left and right speakers, turn

ANCE

toward L (left) or R (right).

BAL-

USING THE FREQUENCY
EQUALIZER

You can use
to customize the sound you hear
through the speakers.

Each of the three controls l ets you ad­just the level in a specific frequency
range. Slide the control up to boost, or
down to reduce the level. If you set the
control to the center position (
frequency is unaltered.

LOW

(100 Hz) — Adjusts the frequen­cies in the low bass range (low organ
notes and bass drums). Reduces rum­ble or other low-frequency noise.

FREQUENCY EQUALIZER

0

), the

MID

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6

(1 kHz) — Adjusts the range of
frequencies where the ear is most
sensitive (vocals).

HIGH

(6 kHz) — Adjusts high­frequency sounds (cymbals, flutes,
and violins).

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USING E-BASS

Press
bass effects. The E-BASS indicator
lights.

E-BASS

once for enhanced

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Press
sound. The E-BASS indicator turns
off.

E-BASS

again for normal bass

USING THE MUTE
BUTTON

The MUTE button lets y ou temporarily
turn off the sound.

MUTE

Press
MUTE indicator lights. Press
again to restore the sound. The MUTE
indicator turns off .

to turn off the sound. The

MUTE

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RADIO OPERATION

1. Press
tor lights.

2. Set

3. Adjust

BAND

tion.

TUNER

. The TUNER indica-

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to AM or FM.

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TUNING

to the desired sta-

REO indicator lights when you
receive an FM broadcast in st e­reo.

• If FM stereo reception is weak,

MODE

set
STEREO indicator turns off and
the sound is mono, but the
reception should improve.

4. Adjust

BASS
IZER

VOLUME, BALANCE, E-

, and

for the desired sound.

MONO

to

FREQUENCY EQUAL-

. The FM

Notes:

• Your System 740 has a built-in

AM antenna, a nd the AC power
cord serves as an FM antenna.
For the best AM reception,
move the system. For the best
FM reception, fully uncoil the
power cord or connect an exter­nal FM antenna (see “Connect­ing an External Antenna” on
Page 4).

• If FM reception is strong, set

MODE

the stereo signal. The FM STE -

8

to

STEREO

to enhance

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CASSETTE PLAYER OPERATION

You can play a casset te tape in e ither
cassette deck, and record tapes in
TAPE 1.

LOADING A CASSETTE
TAPE

Take up any slack in the tape

Note:

by turning the cassette’s hub with a
pencil. If you do not remove excess
slack, the tape might become tangled
in the record/playback mechanism.
Avoid touching the tape.

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play facing you, the exposed tape
edge facing down, and the full reel
to the left.

3. Close the door.

PLAYING A CASSETTE
TAPE

Normal Play

1. Press
lights.

TAPE

. The TAPE indicator

1. Press
cassette compartment door.

STOP/EJECT

to open the

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2. Insert the cassette tape into the
tape guides on the compartment
door, with the side you want to

2. Load a cassette tape.

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3. Press

PLAY

. The tape player plays
the cassette tape until it reaches
the end, then it automatically
stops.

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Press

Note:

rarily stop the cassette p layer. To
resume play, press

4. Adjust

ANCE
IZER

VOLUME, E-BASS, BAL-

, and

for the desired sound.

5. To manually stop play, press

STOP/EJECT

again to open the cassette com­partment and remove the tape.

Fast Forward/ Re wind

Press
ward or rewind the cassette. To stop
fast-forward or rewind before the end
of the tape, press

FAST-F

PAUSE

FREQUENCY EQUAL-

. Press

REWIND

or

STOP/EJECT

to tempo-

PAUSE

again.

STOP/EJECT

to fast-for-

.

Consecutive Play

The System 740 can play the first side
of a cassette loaded in TAPE 2, then
the first side of a cassette loaded in
TAPE 1.

1. Load the cassette you want to
play first into TAPE 2 and the one
you want to play second into
TAPE 1.

1.

PLA Y

on TAPE 2.

PAUSE

STOP/EJECT

and

PLAY

on TAPE

on both

2. Press

3. Press

The cassette in TAPE 2 plays until it
reaches the end of the side. Then
TAPE 2 stops, and TAPE 1 plays until
it reaches the end of the side.

To manually stop consecutive play be­fore the tape player automatically
stops, press
decks.

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RECORDING ON A
CASSETTE TAPE

The System 740 can record from the
radio or dub (copy) another tape. It
can also record from an auxiliary au­dio source (see “Recording from an
Auxiliary Au d io S o ur c e” on P ag e 14).

Notes:

VOLUME, E-BASS, BAL-

•The

ANCE

, and

IZER

settings do not affect your
recording. The system automati­cally adjusts those levels.

• Before recording, be sure the
erase-protection tabs are in place
on the cassette tape you are
recording onto (see “Preventing
Accidental Erasure” on Page 1 3).

• Tape quality greatly affects the
quality of the recording. We rec­ommend regular length (60- or 90­minute) cassette tapes. We do not
recommend long-play cassette
tapes such as C-120s because
they are thin and can easily tan­gle. For low-noise, wide-range
recordings, use normal-bias tape.

FREQUENCY EQUAL-

4. Adjust

TUNING

to the station you

want to record.

Note:

Som etimes AM broadca sts
produce a hum or whistling sou nd
that you hear while listening to a
recording of them. To reduce or
eliminate this sound, set

CUT

on the back of the system to
the position that gives you the
best quality recording.

5. Press

PAUSE

then

RECORD

When the selection you want
plays on the radio, release
to start recording.

6. To stop recording, press

EJECT

.

BEAT

.

PAUSE

STOP/

Recording from the Radio

1. Load a blank tape (or one you
want to record over) into TAPE 1.

2. Press

3. Set

BAND

TUNER

.

to FM or AM.

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Dubbing a Cassette Tape

You can dub at the tape’s normal play­ing speed or at twice the normal
speed.

1. Load the cassette you want to
copy into TAPE 2 with the side
you want to record facing you.

2. Load a blank cassette (or one y ou
want to record over) i nto TAPE 1
with the side you want to record
on facing you.

3. Press

4. Set

TAPE

.

DUBBING

to

HIGH

to dub at

twice the normal speed, or to

NORMAL

to dub at normal speed.

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Notes:

• To skip an unwanted section
during normal-speed dubbing,

PAUSE

press

on TAPE 1 while
the unwanted section plays. To
resume dubbing, press

PAUSE

again.

• To temporarily stop recording,
press

PAUSE

decks. Press

on both tape

PAUSE

again to

resume recording.

• To monitor the tape while it is
dubbing, adjust

VOLUME

to a
comfortable listening level. If
you monitor the tape while high­speed dubbing, you h ear a dis­torted sound.

7. Dubbing stops automatically when
the cassette in TAPE 1 reaches its
end. If the cassette in TAPE 2
continues to play, press

EJECT

.

STOP/

Normal speed dubbing pro-

Note:

duces the best quality recording.

5. Press
TAPE 1.

PAUSE

RECORD

then

RECORD

and

PLAY

down.

PLAY

6. Press

on TAPE 2. TAPE 1
automatically releases
and dubbing begins from TAPE 2
to TAPE 1.

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on

lock

PAUSE

To stop dubbing before TAPE 1
stops automatically, press

EJECT

on both TAPE 1 and TAPE

STOP/

2.

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TAPE CARE TIPS

Preventing Accidental
Erasure

Cassette tapes have two erase-pro­tection tabs — one for each side. To
protect a recording from being acci­dentally recorded over or erased, use
a screwdriver to remove one or both of
the cassette tape’s erase-protection
tabs.

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If you want to record on a tape side af­ter you have removed the erase-pro­tection tab, place a piece of strong
plastic tape over that side’s erase-pro­tection hole.

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Notes:

• Removing the erase-protection
tabs does not prevent a bulk
eraser from erasing a cassette
tape.

Erasing a Cassette Tape

If you no longer want a recording, you
can record over it or erase it.

To erase a previously recorded sec­tion of a tape, simply record over it.

To erase the entire cassette tape,
record silence by pressing
recording with no tape in TAPE 2.

To quickly erase a tape, use a bulk
tape eraser (such as Cat. No. 44-232,
not supplied).

TA PE

and

Resto r ing Tape Tension and
Sound Quality

After you play a cassette tape several
times, the tape might become tightly
wound on the reels. This can cause
playback sound quality to deteriorate.

To restore the sound qu ality, fast-for­ward the tape from the beginning to
the end of one side, then completely
rewind it. Then loosen the t ape reels
by gently tapping each side of the cas­sette’s outer shell on a flat surface.

• Be sure you cover only the hole
originally covered by the erase­protection tab.

Caution:

the cassette when tapping it. Do not
touch the exposed tape or allow any
sharp objects near the cassette.

Be careful not to damage

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USING AN AUXILIARY AUDIO SOURCE

If you connected an auxiliary audio
source, such as a TV, VCR, a CD
player, or an external cassette deck,
you can use your System 740 to listen
to or record from that source. (See
“Connecting an Auxiliary Audio
Source” on Page 4.)

LISTENING TO AN
AUXILIARY AUDIO
SOURCE

1. Turn

2. Press

VOLUME

that the audio source’s volume
control (if it has one) is also set to
its lowest le v el.

AUX

lights.

MIN

to

. The AUX indicator

, and be sure

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RECORDING FROM AN
AUXILIARY AUDIO
SOURCE

1. Turn

2. Press

3. Insert a cassette tape into TAPE

4. Begin play on the audio s ource as

5. Press

6. To stop the tape at an y time dur-

VOLUME

that the audio source’s volume
control (if it has one) is also set to
its lowest level.

AUX

lights.

1.

instructed in its owner’s manual.

RECORD

ing.

To pause the tape during

Note:

recording, press
resume recording, press
again.

ing recording, press

MIN

to

. The AUX indicator

, and be sure

to begin record-

PAUSE

STOP/EJECT

. To

PAUSE

.

3. Operate the audio so urce accord­ing to its owner’s manual.

4. Adjust the System 740’s

E-BASS, BALANCE
QUENCY EQUALIZER

desired sound.

14

VOLUME

, and

for the

FRE-

7. Stop play on the audio source as
instructed in its owner’s manual.

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CARE AND MAINTENANCE

Your Optimus System 740 Mini Stereo Comp onent S ys tem is an example of supe­rior design an d craft smans hi p. The follow ing sugg estio ns will h elp you c are for the
system so you can enjoy it for years.

Keep the system dry. If it gets wet, wipe it dry imm ediately. Liquids
might contain minerals that can corrode the electronic circuits.

Use and store the system only in normal temperature environments.
Temperature extremes can shorten the life of electronic devices and
distort or melt plastic parts.

Handle the system gently and carefully. Dropping it can dama ge the
circuit boards and can cause the system to work improperly.

Keep the system away from dust and dirt, which can cause prema­ture wear of parts.

Wipe the system with a damp cloth occasionally to keep it looking

CLEANER

new. Do not use harsh chemicals, cleaning solvents, or strong deter­gents to clean the system.

Modifying or tampering with the system’s internal component s can cause a mal­function and might invalidate its warrant y and v oi d your F CC aut horizat ion to oper­ate it. If your system is not performing as it should, take it to your local RadioShack
store for assistance.

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Tape 1

Tape 2

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THE FCC WANTS YOU
TO KNOW

Your system might cause TV or radio
interference even when it is operat ing
properly. To determine whether your
system is causing the interference,
turn off your system. If the interfer­ence goes away, your system is c aus­ing the interference. Try to eliminate
the interference by:

• Moving your system away from
the receiver

• Connecting your system to an out­let that is on a different electrical
circuit from the receiver

• Contacting your local RadioShack
store for help

If you cannot eliminate the interfer­ence, the FCC requires that you stop
using your system.

2. Open the cassette compartment
doors on TAPE 1 and TAPE 2.

3. Press

4. Use a cotton swab dipped in

PLAY

on TAPE 1 and TAPE
2 to expose the tape-handling
parts.

denatured alcohol or tape head
cleaning solution to clean the
record/play heads, pinch rollers,
capstans, tape guides, and erase
head.

CLEANING THE TAPE­HANDLING PARTS

Dirt, dust or particles of the tape’s
coating can accumulate on the tape
heads and other parts that the tape
touches. This can greatly reduce the
performance of the System 740. U se
the following cleaning procedure after
every 20 hours of tape p layer opera­tion.

1. Disconnect power.

16

5. When you finish cleaning, press

STOP/EJECT

TAPE 2, close the cassette com­partment doors, and reconnect
power.

Your local RadioShack store sells a
complete line of cassette de ck clean­ing supplies.

on TAPE 1 and

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SPECIFICATIONS

RADIO FM AM

Frequency Range 88–108 MHz 530–1710 kHz
IF Rejection 60 dB 60 dB
Image Rejection 20 dB 30 dB
Selectivity 25 dB 20 dB
Signal-to-Noise (S/N) Ratio 60 dB 30 dB
Stereo Separation 22 dB
Usable Sensitivity 6 µV 1300 µV/m

CASSETTE PLAYER

Cassette Mechanism ............................................................................... Auto-Stop

Tape Speed . ................................................................................................. 1

Wow and Flutter ............................................................................................ 0.35%

Signal-to-Noise Ratio ...................................................................................... 40 dB

7

/8 ips

Separation ...................................................................................................... 40 dB

Frequency Response (±3 dB) ............................................................. 100–8000 Hz

GENERAL

Power Requirements ...................................................................... 120V AC 60 Hz

Speaker Size ................................................................................... 5-Inch Speaker

Speaker Output Impedance . ........................................................................ 4 Ohms

Headphones (Stereo) Impedance ....................................................... 16–32 Ohms

Power Output .................................... ................................... 1.5 Watts per Channel

Dimensions (HWD)

5

Main Unit .................................... 9

Speaker .......... ........................ ..... 9

/8 ¥ 105/8 ¥ 91/4 Inches (244 ¥ 270 ¥ 235 mm)

5

/8 ¥ 71/16 ¥ 91/4 Inches (244 ¥ 180 ¥ 235 mm)

Weight .................................................................................................13 lb (5.9 kg)

Specifications are typical; individual units m ight vary. Specifications are subj ect to
change and improvement without notice.

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NOTES

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RadioShack Limited Warranty

This product is warranted against defects for 90 days from date of purchase from
RadioShack company - o w ne d s tor e s and author i ze d R a dioShac k franchisee s an d de al ­ers. Within this period, we will repair it without charge for parts and labor. Simply

your Rad ioShack sales slip

ranty does not cover transportation costs. Nor does it cover a product subjected to mis­use or accidental damage.
EXCEPT AS PROVIDED HEREIN, RadioShack MAKES NO EXPRESS WARRANTIES
AND ANY IMPLIED WARRANTIES ARE LIMITED IN DURATION TO THE DURATION
OF THE WRITTEN LIMITED WARRANTIES CONTAINED HEREIN. Some states do
not permit limitation or exclusion of implied warranties; therefore, the aforesaid limita­tion(s) or exclusion(s) may not apply to the purchaser.

This warran ty gives you speci fic legal right s and you may als o have other rig hts which vary from
state to state.

as proof of purchase date to any RadioShack store. War-

We Service What We Sell

bring

10/95

RadioShack

A Division of Tandy Corporation

Fort Worth, Texas 76102

9A6 Printed in Hong Kong