Optimus 744 User Manual

13-129 1.fm Page 1 Wednesday, Ju ly 14, 1999 6: 29 PM

Mini Stereo Component System

Cat. No. 13-1291

OWNER’S MANUAL

Please read before using this equipment.

Sys t em 744

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Warning: To prevent fire or shock haz­ard, do not expo se t his product to rain
or moisture.

CAUTION

RISK OF ELECTRIC SHOCK.

DO NOT OPEN.

CAUTION: TO REDUCE THE RISK OF
ELECTRIC SHOCK, DO NOT REMOVE
COVER OR BACK. NO US ER-SERVICE­ABLE PARTS INSIDE. REFER SERVIC­ING TO QUALIFIED PERSONNEL.

This sym bol is in te nd ed to a le rt yo u
to the pr e s en ce of uninsu la ted dan­gerous voltage within the product’s
enclos u re t h at m ig ht b e of s ufficient
magnitude to constitute a risk of
electric shock. Do not open the
product’s case.

This symbol is intended to inform
you that important operating and

!

maintenance instructions are in­cluded in th e l itera ture a ccomp an y­ing this product.

!

Note: Most material on compact discs

and prerecorded tapes i s copyrighted.
Unauthorized duplication of copyright­ed material is a violation of the copy­right laws of most countries and such
duplication may result in fines and/or
imprisonment. Note, however, that in
the United States, it is not a violation
of U.S. copyright laws for a consumer
to use an audio recording device to
duplicate musical recordings for non­commercial (personal) use.

Warning: This CD changer employs a
laser light beam. Only a qualified ser­vice person should remove the cover
or attempt to service this device, due
to possible eye injury.

THE FCC WANTS YOU
TO KNOW

This equipment complies with the lim­its for a Class B digital device as spec­ified in Part 15 of
limits provide reasonable protection
against radio and TV interference in a
residential area. However, your equip­ment might cause TV or radio interfer­ence even when it is operating
properly. To eliminate interference,
you can try one or more of the follow­ing corrective measures:

• Reorient or relocate the receiving
antenna

• Increase the distance between the
equipment and the radio or TV

• Use outlets on different electrical
circuits for the equipment and the
radio or TV

Consult your local RadioShack store if
the problem still exists.

You must use shielded interface ca­bles with this stereo system.

FCC Rules

. These

© 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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FEATURES

Your Optimus System 744 Mini Stereo
Component System offers all of the
features you need for excellent stereo
sound and entertainment in one at­tractive pack age. The system includes
a 21-disc CD changer, precision AM/
FM stereo tuner, and high-speed dual
cassette decks, as well as severa l o th­er special features. The supplied re­mote control lets you control the
system from across the room. The
supplied twin speakers let you imme­diately begin using your system.

The system’s auxiliary input jacks let
you connect an au xiliary audio source
to the system, such as a TV, VCR, or
camcorder, so you can use the sys­tem to listen to the audio source.

CD CHANGER

lets you load

21-Disc CD Changer

up to 21 5-inch CDs.

Audible Search

particular section of a CD by rapidly
playing it in either direction.

rammable Pla

Pro

gram and play up to 50 tracks from all
loaded CDs in any order.

—

helps you locate a

—

— lets you pro-

loaded CDs, or a programmed se­quence.

scans and

Music and Disc Scan

plays the first 10 seconds of each
track (music scan) or the first track
(disc scan) on each loaded CD, so
you can find a specific track.

Group Pla

each loaded CD to any of three music
groups, and play only thos e CDs as­signed to the selected group.

CD Case Holder

jewel cases, to safely store them and
help you remember where you load ed
CDs in the system.

back

— holds up to 21 CD

—

lets you assign

—

DUAL CASSETTE DECK

Multiple Source Recordin

you record onto a cass ette tape from
the CD changer, radio, or another cas­sette tape.

h-Speed Dubbing

Hi

copy at a high speed from one cas­sette deck to the other.

Consecutive Pla

each of two tapes, one after the other.

— plays one side

— lets

lets you

—

lets you set the sys-

—

Random P la

tem to randomly play at least 100
tracks from all loaded CDs.

Repeat Pla

repeat a single track on a CD, all
tracks on a single CD, all tracks on all

lets you automatically

—

Automatic Level Control (ALC)

automatically adjusts the recording
level.

—

Soft Cassette Tape E

opens the cassette com partment d oor
when you press the eject button, so
the tape does not pop out.

ect

—

slowly

3

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STEREO TUNER

Digital Sy nthesized Tu ning

nates tuning drift by locking the tuner
on the selected frequency.

Preset Tuning Memories

store and easily recall up to 24 of your
favorite AM and FM radio stations.

—

let you

—

elimi-

OTHER SPECIAL
FEATURES

Remote Control

most of the system’s functions from a
distance.

Two Backlit Displays

play your system’s indicators for easy
viewing in almost any lighting condi­tion.

Four Preset Graphic Equalizer Set­tings

provide you with common

—

sound settings for enhancing pop,
jazz, or classical music at the press of
a button. Or, you can select a flat set­ting for natural, unaltered music repro­duction.

lets you control

—

clearly dis-

—

Notes:

• The remote control requires two
AAA batteries (not supplied) for
power.

• You must remove all CDs from the
CD changer before you move t he
system.

We recommend you rec ord the serial
number of your system here. The
number is on the back of the system.

Serial Number: _________________

CDs that can be played on this chang­er have this mark on them:

Important:

CD changer, you must remove the CD
protection lock on the bottom of the
system. See “Removing the CD Pro­tection Lock” on Page 9.

Before you operate the

Rear Speaker Jacks

nect optional rear stereo speak ers, to
provide a simulated surround sound
effect.

Auxiliary Input Jack s

nect an additional audio source, such
as a TV, VCR, or turntable, to your
system.

4

let you con-

—

let yo u co n-

—

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CONTENTS

Preparation............................................................................................................ 7

Connecting Speakers....................................................................................... 7

Connecting the Front Speakers ................................................................ 7

Connecting Rear Speakers ...................................................................... 7

Choosing a Location for Your Speakers........................................................... 8

Connecting the Antennas................................................................................. 8

Connecting the AM Loop Antenna ............................................................ 8

Connecting the FM Antenna ..................................................................... 9

Removing the CD Protection Lock ................................................................... 9

Connecting an Additional Audio Source ........................................................ 10

Connecting Power.......................................................................................... 10

Resetting the CD Changer........................ ..... .. ..... .. ..... ..... .. ..... .. ..... ..... .. ..... .. . 10

Installing Batteries in the Remote Control ...................................................... 10

Connecting Headphones .. ............................................................................. 11

Listening Safely ...................................................................................... 11

Basic Operation.................................................................................................. 12

System Displays ............................................................................................ 12

Using the Remote Control .............................................................................. 12

Using the System........................................................................................... 12

Using Mute..................................................................................................... 13

Using the Preset Graphic Equalizer............................................................... 14

the Tuner .................................................................................................. 15

Usin

Manual Tuning ............................................................................................... 15

Automatic Tuning ........................................................................................... 16

Preset Tuning................................................................................................. 16

Storing Preset Stations ........................................................................... 16

Recalling a Preset Station ...................................................................... 17

the CD Changer ....................................................................................... 18

Usin

Loading CDs . ................................................................................................. 18

Removing CDs ............................................................................................... 20

Selecting and Playing a CD ........................................................................... 20

Displaying Information About CDs .......................................................... 22

Skip Play ................................................................................................. 22

Audible Search........................................................................................ 22

Random Play .......................................................................................... 23

Repeat Play ............................................................................................ 23

Random Repeat Play ...............................................................................24

Music Scan ............................................................................................. 24

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Disc Scan ................................................................................................ 25

Programmed Play ........................................................................................... 25

Programming and Playing a Sequence .................................................. 25

Reviewing the Programmed Sequence .................................................. 27

Clearing the Programmed Sequence .................................................... .. 27

Group File Play............................................................................................... 27

Assigning CDs to Groups ........................................................................ 27

Reviewing a Group Program ................................................................... 28

Playing a Group ...................................................................................... 29

Clearing a CD from a Group ............................................ .. ....... .......... .... 29

Clearing an Entire Group ........................................................................ 29

CD Care Tips.................................................................................................. 30

Using the Cassette Deck.................................................................................... 31

Loading and Playing a Cassette Tape............................................................ 31

Using Consecutive Play.................................................................................. 32

Recording....................................................................................................... 33

Dubbing (Copying) Cassette Tapes ........................................................ 33

Copying CDs to a Cassette Tape ............................................................ 34

Recording from the Tuner or Another Sound Source .............................. 35

Tape Tips........................................................................................................ 35

Recommended Tapes ............................................................................. 35

Storing Your Tapes . ................................................................................. 35

Erasing a Cassette Tape.......................................................................... 36

Preventing Accidental Erasure ................................................................ 36

Restoring Tape Tension and Sound Quality ............................................ 36

Troubleshooting.................................................................................................. 37

Care and Maintenance........................................................................................ 39

Cleaning the Tape-Handling Parts ................................................................. 40

Specifications...................................................................................................... 41

6

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PREPARATION

Cautions:

• Do not connect the system to AC
power until you complete the
speaker and antenna connec­tions.

If you want to connect front

Note:

speakers other than the supplied
ones, use speakers with an imped­ance of 8 ohms.

• Be sure to follow all the instruc­tions in the enclosed “Safety
Instructions” sheet.

CONNECTING
SPEAKERS

Cautions:

• Never operate the system without
first connecting speakers.

• To avoid damaging your system
and speakers, never let the
speaker wire’s bare ends touch
each other.

You can operate the system

Note:

without connecting optional rear
speakers.

Connecting the Front
Speakers

For the maximum bass response and
best overall performance, connect the
supplied front speakers t o the

SPEAKERS

the system so their polarities match
(black to negative, and red to posi­tive).

terminals on the back of

FRON T

(illus)

1. Flip open the pair of terminal
tabs marked

R

(+ and –) on the ba ck of the sys­tem, then insert the right front
speaker’s red wire into the red (+)
terminal and its black wire into the
black (–) terminal. Then push the
tabs in the opposite direction to
lock them.

2. Repeat Step 1 to connect the l eft
front speaker ’s wires to the termi­nals marked
(+ and –).

FRONT SPEAKERS

FRONT SPEAKERS L

Connecting Rear Speakers

For wider stereo response and a sim­ulated surround effect, you can con­nect optional rear stereo speakers to

REAR SPEAKERS

the
back of the system. Be sure to con­nect them accordin g to the proper po­larity (black to negative, and red to
positive).

terminals on the

7

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Note: Use only 8-watt speakers with
an impedance of 8 ohms. A selection
of speakers is available at your local
RadioShack store.

CHOOSING A LOCATION
FOR YOUR SPEAKERS

(show both front and stereo wide

speakers installed)

For the best sound quality, place the
front speakers on each side of the
system, at equal distances from the
system.

To increase the bass, place the front
speakers on the floor in t he corners of
your room or against the wall. Avoid
placing the speakers on thick carpet.
To decrease the bass, m ove the front
speakers slightly away from the cor­ners, pull them out from the wall, or
raise them 6 to 18 inches (15 to 45
cm) off the floor.

If you connected rear speakers to the
system, place them behind or to the
sides of your listening area.

CONNECTING THE
ANTENNAS

You can use the supplied indoor AM
loop antenna and FM antenna for
adequate reception in most areas.
For the best reception, you can con­nect an outdoor antenna. Your local
RadioShack store sells a complete
line of outdoor AM and FM ante nnas
and accessories.

Warning: Use extreme caution when
you install or remove an outdoor AM or
FM antenna. If the antenna starts to
fall, let it g o! It co uld cont act over head
power lines. If the antenna touches the
power line, contact with the antenna,
mast, cable, or guy wires can cause
electrocu tion and death . Call the power
company to remove the antenna. DO
NOT attempt to do so yourself.

Connecting the AM Loo p
Antenna

1. Assemble the supplied AM loop
antenna.

(show loop part of antenna

being inserted into base)

8

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2. Uncoil the loop antenna’s braided
wire.

3. Flip open the pair of terminal tabs
marked
the system, then insert the loop
antenna’s bare wires into the ter­minals. Then push t he tabs in the
opposite direction to lock them.

Notes:

• To avoid noise or interference, do
not place the loop ant enna near a
power source or speaker cord.

• For the best reception, install the
loop antenna away from any wall.

AM LOOP

on the back of

(illus)

Connecting the FM Antenna

(illus)

Extend and position the antenna’s
wire for the best reception.

REMOVING THE CD
PROTECTION LOCK

The system has a CD protection lock
under the system’ s base. Installed at
the factory, the CD protection lock se­cures the system’s CD changer to pro­tect it from damage during shipping.
To use the CD changer, you m ust re­move the CD protection lock.

(one combined illus for all

following steps)

To connect the supplied F M antenna,
flip open the pair of terminal tabs
marked
system, and insert the antenna’s bare
wires into the terminals. Then push
the tabs in the opposite direction to
lock them.

FM 300

on the back of the

W

Caution:

unplugged from the AC outlet before
you begin.

To remove the CD protection lock,
turn it in the direction of the arrow until
it stops, then pull it out to remove
it.

Note:

so you can use it to secure the system
if you move it.

Be sure the power cord is

Save the CD protection lock

9

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CONNECTING AN
ADDITIONAL AUDIO
SOURCE

If you have a VCR or other equipment,
such as a camcorder or a TV that has
line-level audio outputs, you c an play
the sound through your system. Use a
cable with two phono jacks to connect
the source’s left and right audio output
jacks to the
the back of the system.

VCR/AUX L

(illus)

and

R

jacks on

CONNECTING POWER

To connect power, after all o ther con­nections are made, plug your system’s
power cord into a standard AC outlet.
The STANDBY indicator (above the

BAND

button at the to p of the system)

lights.

RESETTING THE CD
CHANGER

If the CD changer does not work prop­erly, you might need to reset it by un­plugging the system’s power cord
from the AC outlet. Wait at least 10
seconds, then plug the power cord
back in.

Note:

If you unplug the system, it
saves all tuner memory settings for
about a week.

INSTALLING BATTERIES
IN THE REMOTE
CONTROL

The remote control requires two AA A
batteries (not supplied) for power. For
the best performance and longest life,
we recommend alkaline batteries,
such as RadioShack Cat. No. 23-555.

Caution:

of the required size and type.

Always use fresh batteries

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.

10

Your system’s power cord

(illus)

1. Remove the battery compartment
cover by sliding it in t he direction
of the arrow.

13-129 1.fm Page 11 Wednesday, J uly 14, 1999 6: 29 PM

2. Insert the batteries into the com­partment as indicated by the
polarity symbols (+ and –) ma rked
inside.

3. Replace the cover.

Caution: Always dispose of old bat­teries promptly and properly; do not
bury or burn them.

Notes:

• If you will not be using the remote
control for a month or more,
remove the batteries.

(illus)

Note : Connecting headphones auto­matically disconnects the system’s
speakers.

• If the remote control does not
work or has poor range, replace
both batteries.

CONNECTING
HEADPHONES

To listen without disturbing others, you
can connect a pair of stereo head­phones with a
plied) to the system. Your local
RadioShack store has a wide selec­tion of headphones.

To connect headphones, insert the
headphones’

PHONES

jack on the front of the sys-

tem.

1

4

-inch plug (not sup-

/

1

4

-inch plug into the

/

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 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.

11

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BASIC OPERATION

SYSTEM DISPLAYS

The system (upper) display shows in­formation about many of the system’s
functions. The CD (lower) display
shows information about t he system’s
CD functions.

(illus - show displays at initial

turn on)

USING THE REMOTE
CONTROL

To use the remote control, point it di­rectly at the infrared sensor (marked
REMOTE SENSOR ) on the right side
of the system display, then firmly
press the desired button.

does not have

CLEAR

and
has these buttons.

Caution:

or the remote sens or t o direct sunl ight
or strong lights, such as a spotlight,
will reduce its operating distance a nd
can make it inoperative.

MUTE, PROG., REPEAT

— only the remo te control

Exposing the remote control

USING THE SYSTEM

Important:

age, set the volume to its lowest level
before playing the radio, a CD, a cas­sette tape, or an additional audio
source.

1. To turn on the system, press

POWER

turns off, and the system’s last
selected settings appear.

To prevent hearing dam-

. The STANDBY indicator

(illus - call out STANDBY

indicator)

,

(illus)

Many of the system’s buttons also
have a corresponding button on the
remote control, and you can press ei­ther the system or remote control but­ton to control the function. The system

12

2. Press one of the

TOR

buttons (

VCR/AUX

or
want to listen to.

TUNER, TAPE, CD

) to choose what you

(illus)

INPUT SELEC-

,

13-129 1.fm Page 13 Wednesday, J uly 14, 1999 6: 29 PM

Notes:

• When you turn on the system, it
automatically selects the same
function that was selected when
you turned it off.

• If you choose another function

TA PE

(for example,

) while play­ing a CD, the system automati­cally stops playing the CD and
selects that function.

3. Start the selected audio source, if
necessary.

4. If you conne cted rear s tereo speak­ers to the

REAR SPEAKERS

jacks

on the back of the system, press

SURROUND

on the front of the sys­tem until it clicks in to turn on the
rear speakers. Press in

SURROUND

until it clicks out to resume normal
sound.

5. Repeatedly press

TROL

UP or

system (or

DOWN

on the remote control) to

VOLUME CON-

DOWN

VOLUME UP

on the

or

adjust the sound to a comfortable
listening level.

6. To turn off the system, press

POWER

. The STANDBY indicator

turns on and the system turns off.

Note: If you do not plan to use the
system for a long time, disconnect it
from the AC outlet. The system draws
a small amount of power even when it
is not turned on.

USING MUTE

To turn off the sound temporarily,
press

MUTE

and all information on the system dis­play flashes.

To resume listening, press
again.
tem display.

MUTE

on the remote control.

appears on the system display,

(illus)

MUTE

MUTE

disappears from the sys-

(illus)

13

13-129 1.fm Page 14 Wednesday, J uly 14, 1999 6: 29 PM

USING THE PRESET
GRAPHIC EQUALIZER

The system has preset graphic equal­izer settings to let you vary the bal­ance of sound produced over these
three frequencies:

• 100 Hz

•1 kHz

• 10 kHz

These settings are designed to give
you the best sound for jazz, pop, and

FLAT

classical music. The
vides an unaltered tone for all types of
music.

setting pro-

Each time you turn it on, the system
automatically uses the last selected
graphic equalizer setting. To change
the setting, press one of the

EQUALIZER
POPS

, or

FLAT

buttons (

) on the system. The in-

CLASSIC, JAZZ

GRAPHIC

dicator for that setting lights.

(illus)

14

,

13-129 1.fm Page 15 Wednesday, J uly 14, 1999 6: 29 PM

USING THE TUNER

1. If nece ssary, pr ess

2. Press
lected band (
frequency number, and

kHz

play.

3. Tune to AM or FM radio stations
using manual, automatic, or pre­set tuning.

Notes:

• You can use the remote control to
tune preset stations. However,
you cannot use the remote control
to directly enter a radio station’s
frequency number.

• When you turn on the system, it
tunes to the station that was play­ing when you last turned off the
system.

TUNER

appears on the system dis-

(illus)

POWER

. The currently se-

AM, FM1

, or

.

FM2

MHz

or

the reception should improve. To
return to stereo, press

AUTO

),

appears on the display .

FM MODE

.

MANUAL TUNING

Follow these steps to tune to both
strong and weak stations.

BAND

1. Repeatedly press
the desired band (

FM1

AM,

AUTO TUNING

2. If
the system display, press

MANU

TUNING

FM2

or

on the system.

disappears.

appears for FM).

(illus)

(illus)

to select

AM

appears for

appears on

AUTO/

AUTO

AUTO

•If
display and you receive an FM
broadcast in stereo,
appears.

• If FM stereo reception is noisy and

AUTO

play, press
tem.
sound is no longer in stereo, but

appears on the system

STEREO

appears on the system dis-

FM MODE

AUTO

disappears. The

on the sys-

also

15

13-129 1.fm Page 16 Wednesday, J uly 14, 1999 6: 29 PM

3. Repeatedly press
or UP on the system to tune

down or up the sel ected band. To
quickly tune down or up the band,
press and hold down the button.

TUNING DOWN

(illus)

AUTOMATIC TUNING

Follow these steps to tune to the next
higher or lower station with a strong
signal.

The tuner stops only on strong

Note:

stations using automatic tuning. To
tune both strong and weak stations,
use manual tuning.

BAND

1. Repeatedly press

the desired band (

FM2

).

2. Press

AUTO/MANU

AUTO TUNING

display.

(illus)

appears on the

to select

AM, FM1

on the system.

, or

The system automatically tunes t o
the next strong station.

PRESET TUNING

You can store a nd easily recall up to
24 of your favorite AM and FM radio
stations (8 AM and 16 FM) in the sys­tem’s me mo ry.

Storing Preset Stations

1. Tune to the band and station you
want to store.

2. Press

MEMORY

3. Within 5 seconds, press th e num­ber button (1–8) for the memory
location where you want to store
the station.
and
memory location number appear
on the display. The system stores
the station in that memory loca­tion.

MEMO

appears on the display .

PRESET

on the system.

(illus)

MEMORY

and the selected

disappears,

3. Press

ING UP

down or up the selected band.

16

TUNING DOWN

on the system to tune

or

TUN-

MEMORY

Note:

before you press the desired
memory number, press
the system again, then repeat this
step.

If

disappears

MEMO

on

13-129 1.fm Page 17 Wednesday, J uly 14, 1999 6: 29 PM

4. Repeat Steps 1–3 to store up to
eight stations each in

FM2

and

Notes:

• You cannot clear a station from
memory, but you can store a new
one in its place.

• When power is disconnected or
interrupted for more than a week,
the system loses all of its memory
settings.

.

AM, FM1

Recalling a Preset Station

,

1. Repeatedly press
system to select the desired band.

2. Press the number button (1–8) for
the desired memory location.

(illus)

The band, the frequency number

MHz

and
the memory location number
appear on the display.

kHz, PRESET

or

BAND

on the

,

and

17

13-129 1.fm Page 18 Wednesday, J uly 14, 1999 6: 29 PM

USING THE CD CHANGER

The system lets you load up to 21
CDs at once and gives you many op­tions to control the way it plays them.

Cautions:

• To help prevent dust from entering
the system, always keep the CD
changer’s door closed except
when loading or unloading CDs.

• Make sure to remove the caution
tag from the CD changer’s door
and the CD protection lock from
the system before you try to load
and play CDs. See “Removing the
CD Protection Lock” on Page 8.

• Do not load anything other than 5­inch CDs into the CD changer. Do
not load single 3-inch CDs or 3­inch CDs with any type of adapter
device. This could damage the CD
changer.

2. Press
changer’s door opens.

3. Before you load a CD, assign a
disc number (1–21) to it by repeat­edly pressing
or on the system until the
desired disc number appears
(under

DOOR OPEN

(illus)

DISC SELECTOR

DISC

) on the CD display.

(illus)

. The CD

LOADING CDS

Note:

groups, see “Selecting and P laying a
CD” on Page 20 and “Group File Play”
on Page 27 for more information.

18

If you want to assign CDs to

1. Press

POWER

on, then press
function.

to turn the system

CD

to select the CD

4. Remove the CD you want to load
from its jewel case. Then place
the case into the appropriate num­bered slot in the supplied CD box
holder. This helps you quickly find
which CD you assigned to which
disc number.

(illus)

g

13-129 1.fm Page 19 Wednesday, J uly 14, 1999 6: 29 PM

5. Press

EJECT/LOAD

on the front of
the system behind the CD
changer’s door.

OPEN

appears on
the CD display, and the selected
disc tray slides out.

(illus)

6. To load a CD, gently place it o nto
the disc tray, label side up.

(illus)

Warnin

s:

• To avoid personal injury, do not

allow young children to operate
the system unattended.

• To avoid personal injury and

damage to the CD changer and
CD when loading a CD, insert
your fingers and t he CD inside
the CD changer only as far as
necessary to load and unload it.

Cautions:

• Do not stop a disc t ray by ha nd
while it is moving. This will dam­age the CD changer .

• Never try to load or unload a
CD while a disc tray is moving.
This could damage the CD
changer and the CD.

• Do not load more than one CD
into the same disc tray. This
could damage the CD changer
and the CD.

• When you load a CD into a disc
tray, be sure it fits completely
inside the tray before you press

EJECT/LOAD

. Otherwise, the
CD could jam, resulting in dam­age to the CD changer and the
CD.

• Do not force a CD into a disc
tray. This could damage the CD
changer and the CD.

• Do not apply excessive force t o
the CD changer’s door when it
is open. This could damage t he
CD changer.

7. Press

EJECT/LOAD

CLOSE

.

ap­pears on the CD display, and the
disc tray slides inside the CD
changer.

8. Repeat Steps 3–7 to load more
CDs (up to 21).

19

13-129 1.fm Page 20 Wednesday, J uly 14, 1999 6: 29 PM

9. Press

10. Gently push the CD changer’s

DISC CHECK

the system. The system selects
each CD tray in the CD changer
and chec ks it for a CD. If ther e is
a CD in th e tray,
the CD display next to the disc
number. If there is no CD in the

--

tray,
play next to the disc number
instead.

Note:

tem checks only for the presence
of a CD in each tray in the CD
changer (not if the CD is defective
or loaded incorrectly).

door up until it clicks to close it.

appears on the CD dis-

During disc check, the sys-

on the front of

oo

(illus)

appears on

4. Gently remove the CD from the
disc tray, then press
The disc tray slides back inside
the CD changer.

5. Gently push the CD changer’s
door up to close it.

EJECT/LOAD

SELECTING AND
PLAYING A CD

1. If necessary, press
on the system.

2. To select the CD you want to play,
repeatedly press

or until the disc number

appears on the CD display.

(illus)

POWER

DISC SELECTOR

to turn

.

REMOVING CDS

1. Press
changer’s door opens.

2. With play stopped, repeatedly
press
until the disc number for the CD
you want to remove appears
(under

3. Press
of the CD door. The selected disc
tray slides out.

20

DOOR OPEN

DISC SELECTOR

DISC

) on the CD display.

EJECT/LOAD

on the inside

. The CD

or

3. Select the CD play mode.
NORMAL PLAY MODE

mode, the CD changer plays all
tracks of all loaded CDs. The sys­tem selects this mode automati­cally unless you change it. To
select this mode from another
mode, repeatedly press

MODE

on the system or

on the remote control until

DISC

appears on the CD display.

—

P. M O D E

In this

PLAY

ALL

13-129 1.fm Page 21 Wednesday, J uly 14, 1999 6: 29 PM

SINGLE DISC PLAY MODE — In
this mode, the CD changer plays
all tracks of a single loaded CD,

1 DISC

and

appears on the CD
display. Playback begins with the
first track of the selec ted CD and
continues to the end of the last
track on the CD. Select the single
play mode by repeatedly press-

PLAY MO DE

ing

P. MODE

1 DISC

until

on the remote control

on the system or

appears on the CD

display.
GROUP FILE PLAY MODE

this mode, the CD changer plays
all tracks of all CDs in a group file
you select (see “Group File Play”
on Page 27). Select group file
play mode by repeatedly pressing

PLAY MODE
MODE

on the remote control until

A

B C

on the system or

ALL DISC

and

appear

on the display.

4. Press

PLA Y/P AUSE

on the system
or on the remote control. A fter
a few seconds, appears on the
CD display, and the selected CD
begins to play from Track 1.

While a CD plays, the system dis­plays the following:

DISC

•

and the current disc

number

•

• The current track number

• Elapsed time for the current

track (in minutes and seconds)

—

In

• One of the following:
and

—

B CA

ALL DISC

if
the CD changer is set to play all
CDs you entered in a group file.

1 DISC

—

(if the CD changer

is set to play the current CD)

ALL DISC

—

(if the CD
changer is set to play all
loaded CDs)

Notes:

• If you select a disc number t hat
does not have a CD assigned to
it then press

nodISC

,

PLAY/PAUSE

or

appears on the
CD display for a few seconds.
Then the CD changer au tomat i­cally plays the next higher

P.

loaded CD (if any).

• A sudden shock o r jolt while a
CD is playing might suddenly
change the CD’s rotation spe ed
or make the CD changer skip
the current track. This might
momentarily mute o r distort the
sound. This is not a malfunc­tion.

• To temporarily stop play, press

PLAY/PAUSE

on the front of the
system or on the remote
control. disappears
and appears on the CD dis­play. To resume play, press

PLAY/PAUSE

5. To stop play, press

or again.

STOP

on
the system or on the remote
control.

21

13-129 1.fm Page 22 Wednesday, J uly 14, 1999 6: 29 PM

Displaying Info rmation About
CDs

The elapsed time of the current track
(in minutes and seconds) automa tical­ly appears on the CD display as a CD
plays. To display additional informa­tion about the current CD, repeatedly
press

TIME

press

TIME MODE

on the system or

on the remote control. As you

TIME MODE

or

TIME

, information

appears in the following order:

• Elapsed time of the entire CD (in
minutes and seconds)

• Remaining time for the current
track (in minutes and seconds)

• Remaining time for the entire CD
(in minutes and seconds)

The elapsed time s ince the f irst

Note:

track started and the elapsed time
since the CD started might not be the
same. Thi s is no r mal.

Skip Play

To skip backward or forward to a
track (while a CD is playing or
paused), repeatedly press

SEARCH

or on
the system or or on the re­mote control until the desired track
number appears. The CD changer
skips to the selected track, then plays
it.

To skip to a track on another CD
(while a CD is playing or paused), re­peatedly press

DISC SELECTOR

SKIP/

or

to select the CD’s number, then re-

peatedly press

SKIP/SEARCH

or on the sys­tem or or on the remote
control until the desired track number
appears. The CD change r skips to t he
selected track on the selected CD,
then plays it.

If you use skip play while a CD

Note:

is paused, the CD remains paused
when the CD changer sk ips to the se­lected track.

Audible Search

To se arch for a pa rt i cular secti on of a
track (while a CD is playing or
paused), press and hold down

SEARCH

or on
the system. The CD changer rapidly
plays the CD either backward or for­ward (like reviewing or cueing a cas­sette tape) and automatically re­duces the CD’s volume if the CD
was playing. When you hear the de­sired section, release

SKIP/SEARCH

or on the sys-

tem to resume normal play.

Notes:

• You cannot use or on
the remote control to do audible
search.

• If you use aud ible search while
a CD is paused, it remains
paused when you relea se

SEARCH

on the system.

SKIP/

SKIP/

or

22

13-129 1.fm Page 23 Wednesday, J uly 14, 1999 6: 29 PM

• If you reach the beginni ng of the
current CD while pressing and
holding down

SKIP/SEARCH

on the system, the CD
changer plays from Track 1 of the
current CD after you release the
button.

Random Play

During random play, the CD chang er
randomly selects and plays all tracks.

Notes:

• The CD changer can randomly
select and play at least 100 t rack s
during random play.

• You can select random play in any
CD play mode.

Follow these steps to play random
tracks.

1. Select the CD play mode you
want to use.

2. Press

RANDOM PLAY

tem or

RANDOM

control.

RANDOM

CD display, and the CD changer
automatic ally pl ays tr acks from the
selected C D(s) in random or der.

(illus)

on the sys-

on the remote

appears on the

(illus)

3. To skip to another track during
random play, press

SKIP/SEARCH

or on the
system or or on the
remote control once.

4. To cancel random play, press

RANDOM PLAY or RANDOM

RANDOM

disappears from the CD

again.

display, and the CD changer con­tinues to play CDs in the normal
play mode.

To cancel random play and stop
playing CDs, press

STOP

on
the system or on the remote
control.

RANDOM

disappears from
the CD display, and the CD
changer stops.

Repeat Play

You can repeat a selected track, all
tracks of a selected CD, a pro­grammed sequence (see “Pro­grammed Play” on Page 25), all tracks
on all loaded CDs, or all tracks in a
group file (see “Group File Play” on
Page 27).

23

play

g

p

g

13-129 1.fm Page 24 Wednesday, J uly 14, 1999 6: 29 PM

To select a repeat option, repeatedly

REPEAT

press
Depending on the mode the system is
set to, the system displays the follow­ing options each time you press

PEAT

:

Normal

REPEAT 1

•

REPEAT ALL DISC

•

ALL DISC

•
option and resume normal pl ay
mode.

Sin

REPEAT 1

•

on the remote control.

RE-

mode:

(track)

— Cancel repeat

le disc play mode:

(track)

• REPEAT 1 DISC
1 DISC

•
option and resume single disc
play mode.

Grou

file play mode:

REPEAT 1

•

— Cancel repeat

(track)

• REPEAT ALL DISC
ALL DISC

•
option and resume group file
play mode.

— Cancel repeat

To repeat a single track in a pro­grammed sequence, when

GRAM

repeatedly press
mote control until
pears on the CD display.

To repeat the e ntire programmed se­quence, when
the CD display, repeatedly press

PEAT

pears on the CD display.
To cancel repeat play at any time, re-

peatedly press
control until
the CD display.

appears on the CD display,

REPEAT

REPEAT 1

PROGRAM

REPEAT ALL

until

REPEAT

REPEAT

on the remote

disappears from

PRO-

on the re-

also ap-

appears on

RE-

also ap-

Random Repeat Play

You can set the system to randomly
repeat play of up to 200 tracks or
more by doing either of the following:

• During random play, press

REPEAT

• Select a repeat play option (see
“Repeat Play” on Page 23), then
press
tem or
control.

on the remote control.

RANDOM PLAY

RANDOM

on the sys-

on the remote

Pro

ram mode:

Music Scan

REPEAT 1

•

• REPEAT ALL PROGRAM
PROGRAM

•
and resume program mode
play.

24

(track)

— Cancel repeat

MUSIC SCAN

Press

M. SCAN

play the first 10 seconds of each
track. The track number flashes.
Press
to stop music scan.

on the remote control to

MUSIC SCAN

on the system or

M. SCAN

or

again

13-129 1.fm Page 25 Wednesday, J uly 14, 1999 6: 29 PM

PROGRAMMED PLAY

(Illus - show MUSIC SCAN key)

Notes:

• The play mode must be set to ALL
DISC or 1 DISC to use music
scan. See “Selecting and Playing
a CD” on Page 20.

• If you press

M.SCAN

scan starts with the next track on
the CD.

during normal play, music

MUSIC SCAN

or

Disc Scan

Press
play the first 10 seconds of the first
track on each loaded CD. The disc
number flashes. Press
again to stop disc scan.

Notes:

DISC SCAN

• The play mode must be set to ALL
DISC or 1 DISC to use disc scan.
See “Selecting and P laying a CD”
on Page 20.

• If you press
normal play, disc scan starts from
the first track on the next CD.

on the system to

DISC SCAN

(illus)

DISC SCAN

during

You can program up t o 50 selections
from all loaded CDs to play in any or­der you choose.

Note: You can store a selection more
than once in a programmed se­quence.

Programming and Playing a
Sequence

1. With play stopped, press
on the remote control.

PROGRAM

and
appear on the CD display.

2. Use the number keys on the
remote control to enter the disc
number for the CD that has the
tracks you want to program. Then,
within 4 seconds, press
the remote control.

Note: If the disc number you
entered disappears before you

DISC

press

3. Within 4 seconds, enter the first
track number you want to pro­gram. Then, within 4 seconds,

TRACK

press
trol.

and

(illus)

, repeat this step.

on the remote con-

PROG.

DISC 0

0P-01

DISC

on

25

13-129 1.fm Page 26 Wednesday, J uly 14, 1999 6: 29 PM

(illus)

The CD display shows the disc
number you entered in Step 2 and
the track number (next to

P

) you
entered in this step. The CD
changer programs your selection.

Note: If the track number you
entered disappears before you

TRACK

press

, repeat Steps 2–3.

4. Repeat Steps 2–3 to program
more selections.

Note: You must re-enter the disc
number in Step 2 even if you pro­gram more than one track from
the same disc.

5. To play the programmed
sequence, press

PLAY/PAUSE

on
the f ront of th e s yste m or on
the remote control. After a few
seconds, appears on the CD
display, and the first p rogrammed
track on the first programmed CD
begins to play.

To play the previous track or the
next track in the programmed
sequence, press

SKIP/SEARCH

or on the
system or or on the
remote control.

You can use audible search dur­ing programmed play by press­ing and holding down

SEARCH

SKIP/

or

on the system. You
cannot use or on the
remote control to do audible
search.

Note: When the CD changer
reaches the beginning of a track
during audible search, it pauses
there.

6. After the CD changer plays the
last track in the programmed
sequence, it stops automatically.
You can also press

STOP

the system or on the remote
control to stop the programmed
sequence.

Caution: Do not press

STOP

on the system or on the
remote control more than once.
Doing that clears the programmed
sequence.

Notes:

• If you programmed a non-existent
track (for example, Track 10 when
that CD has only nine tracks), the
CD changer skips the track and
plays the next programmed track.

• The programmed sequen ce stays
in memory after playback is over.
See “Clearing the Programmed
Sequence” on Page 27 for how to
clear the programmed sequence.

on

26

g

13-129 1.fm Page 27 Wednesday, J uly 14, 1999 6: 29 PM

Reviewing the Programmed
Sequence

To review the programmed sequence,

DISC CHECK

press
system next to the CD display.

The display shows the following pro­gramming information for each sel ec­tion in the sequence.

DISC

•

• The track number (under

•

and the selected CD’s disc

number

GRAM

)

P-

and the selection number. This
number shows the o rder in which
the selection plays within the
sequence.

on the front of the

(illus)

PRO-

• Turn off the system or unplug the
power cord from the AC outlet.

To clear part of a programmed
sequence, repeatedly press

CLEAR

system clears the displayed track
from the programmed sequence
each time you press

on the remote control. The

CLEAR

.

GROUP FILE PLAY

You can assign eac h loaded CD t o one
of three prese t groups, then sel ect and
play only those CDs that contain the
type of music you want to hear.

For example, if you have 7 classical
CDs, 5 pop CDs, and 9 jazz CDs, you
can group the classical CDs in group A,
the pop CDs in group B, and the jazz
CDs in group C. Then you can select
and play only the CDs in a specific
group.

(illus)

Clearing the Programmed
Sequence

The CD changer saves a programmed
sequence as long as power is sup­plied to the CD changer.

To clear all of a programmed se­quence, either:

•Press

STOP

on the remote control twice.

on the system or

Assigning CDs to Groups

You can assign CDs to a group while
you load them or after.

While Loadin

1. If necessary, press
the CD function.

2. Press
changer’s door opens.

3. Repeatedly press
the system or
remote control until
appears on the display.

CDs:

DOOR OPEN

P. MODE

CD

to select

. The CD

PLAY MODE

on the

on

B CA

27

g

13-129 1.fm Page 28 Wednesday, J uly 14, 1999 6: 29 PM

4. Repeatedly press

TOR

or on the system to

DISC SELEC-

enter the disc number for a CD
you want to assign to a group.

5. Press

EJECT/LOAD

of the CD door.

on the inside

OPEN

appears on
the CD display, and the selected
disc tray slides out.

(illus)

6. Load the CD into the disc tray,

7. Press

PERSONAL FILE A, B

, or
on the system for the group letter
you want to assign to the CD.
and the group letter you selected

A, b

(

, or C) briefly appears on the
CD display, and the disc tray
slides inside the CD c hanger. The
CD is now assigned to the group
letter you pressed.

8. Repeat Steps 4–7 to load and
group other CDs into the des ired
groups.

After Loadin

1. If necessary, press

CDs:

CD

to select

the CD function.

2. Repeatedly press
the system or

PLAY MODE

P. MODE

on the

F-

on

remote control until

A

B C

appears on the display.

3. Use the number keys on the
remote control to enter the disc
number for a CD you want to
assign to a group.

4. Within 3 seconds, press

SONAL FILE A

, B, or C on the sys-

PER-

tem for the group letter you want
to assign to the CD.
group letter you selected (

C

) briefly appears on the CD dis-

F-

and the

A, b

, or

play. The CD is now assigned to
the group letter you pressed.

If the disc number you

Note:

entered changes to the disc num­ber displayed before you pressed

PERSONAL FILE

a

button, repeat

Step 3.

C

5. Repeat Steps 3–4 to a ssign other
CDs into groups.

Reviewing a Group Program

When you finish entering CDs into
groups, you can review the CDs you
have grouped. To review a group,

PERSONAL FILE A, B

press
the system or repeatedly press
on the remote control until the letter
for the group you want to review is
highlighted. Then press
on the front of the system. As the sys­tem checks each disc numbe r, it dis-

oo

plays
group or

if the CD is a member of that

--

if the CD is not a member

of the group.

, or C on

A/B/C

DISC CHECK

28

13-129 1.fm Page 29 Wednesday, J uly 14, 1999 6: 29 PM

(illus)

Clearing a CD from a Group

Follow these steps to clear one or
more CDs from a group.

1. Press

DOOR OPEN

changer’s door opens.

. The CD

Playing a Group

1. Repeatedly press
the system or
remote control until
appears on the display.

2. Press

PERSONAL FILE A, B

on the system or repeatedly press

A/B/C

on the remote control until
the group letter for the group you
want to play is highlighted.

3. Press

PLAY/PAUSE

the system or on the remote
control. After a few seconds,
appears on the CD display, and
the first CD in the group you
selected begins to play from Track

1. The system plays all loaded
CDs in the group, then stops.

4. To stop play before all CDs play,

STOP

press

on the remote control.

PLAY MODE

P. MODE

on the

A

B C

, or

on the front of

on the system or

on

2. Repeatedly press

TOR

or until the disc number

DISC SELEC-

for the CD you want to remove
from the group appears on the CD
display.

3. Press

EJECT/LOAD

on the inside
of the CD door. The selected disc
tray slides out.

C

4. Press

EJECT/LOAD

again.

CLOSE

appears on the CD display, and
the disc tray slides inside the CD
changer. The CD you selected is
removed from the group.

Clearing an Entire Group

The CD changer saves a group as
long as power is supplied to the CD
changer. To clear a group, press

PERSONAL FILE A, B

tem or repeatedly press
remote control until the group letter for
the group you want to clear is high­lighted, then press
mote control.

, or C on the sys-

A/B/C

on the

CLEAR

on the re-

29

13-129 1.fm Page 30 Wednesday, J uly 14, 1999 6: 29 PM

CD CARE TIPS

Even though a CD is very durable, you
should handle it with care.

• Keep the CD inside the CD changer
or in its protective case or sleeve
when you are not playing it.

• Handle a CD by its edges to avoid
fingerprints that can prevent the
CD changer’s laser beam from
accurately reading the CD. Your
local RadioShack store sells a
suitable CD cleaner kit.

• Do not write on either side of the
CD, particularly the non-label
side. (Signals are read from the
non-label side).

• Keep the CD dry. A water drop
can act as a lens and affect the
laser beam’s focus.

• Never use chemicals such as
record cleaning sprays, anti-static
sprays or fluids, benzene or thin­ner to clean CDs. These chemi­cals will permanently damage the
plastic surface of the CD.

• If a CD skips when you try to
play it, the CD might be
scratched. Your local Ra­dioShack store sells a Scratch ’n
Fix kit (Cat. No. 42-127) that
might stop the skip. Also see
“Troubleshooting” on Page 37.

30

13-129 1.fm Page 31 Wednesday, J uly 14, 1999 6: 29 PM

USING THE CASSETTE DECK

The system has two cassette decks.
You can play tapes in TAPE 1, and
you can use TAPE 2 (RECORD/
PLAY) to play or record tapes.

To control a tape, use the con-

Note:

trol buttons under the deck where you
loaded it.

LOADING AND PLAYING
A CASSETTE TAPE

Before playing or recording any

Note:

cassette tape, take up any slack in the
tape by turning the cassette’s hub with
a pencil. If you do not rem ove excess
slack, the tape could bec ome tangled
in the record/playback mechanism.

(illus)

3. Press
compartment door opens.

4. Insert the cassette tape into the
door’s guides with its open edge
facing down, the side you want to
play facing you, and its full reel to
the left.

STOP/EJECT

(illus)

. The cassette

(illus show tape with pencil

thru hub)

Follow these steps to load and p lay a
cassette tape in either deck.

1. If necessary, press
on the system.

2. Press
function.
system display.

TAPE

TAPE

POWER

to select the tape

appears on the

to turn

(illus)

5. Gently close the cassette com­partment door.

6. Press

PLAY

. The tape pl ay s unt il it
reaches the end of the side, then
it automatical ly stops.

(illus)

31

13-129 1.fm Page 32 Wednesday, J uly 14, 1999 6: 29 PM

Notes:

• To temporarily stop playback,
press

PAUSE

. Press

PAUSE

again to continue playback.

(illus)

• To fast-forward or rewind the
tape , p r e s s
the ta pe, then press

REWIND

STOP/EJECT

. Press

to stop

FAS T- F

STOP/EJECT

or

when the tape reaches the
desired location.

(illus)

Caution: To avoid damaging the
tape, do not go directly from
rewind to fast-forward or from f ast­forward to rewind without first
pressing

7. Adjust
or

UME UP

STOP/EJECT

VOLUME CONTROL UP

DOWN

on the system or
or

.

DOWN

VOL-

on the
remote control to a comfortable
listening level, and select the
desired
ting (

FLAT

GRAPHIC EQUALIZER

CLASSIC, JAZZ, POPS

) on the system.

set-

, or

8. To stop the tape at any tim e dur­ing playback, press

STOP/EJECT

Press

STOP/EJECT

again to open
the cassette compartment and
remove the tape.

USING CONSECUTIVE
PLAY

You can set the tape player to play
one side of a tape in TAPE 1, then au­tomatically play one side of a tape in
TAPE 2.

1. If necessary, press
on the system.

TAPE

2. Press
function.
display.

3. Press
1 and TAPE 2. The cassette com­partment doors open.

4. Load the tape you want to hear
first into TAPE 1, then load the
other tape into TAPE 2 with their
open edges facing down, the
sides you want to hear facing you,
and their full reels to the left.

5. Gently close the cassette com­partment doors.

6. Press
in TAPE 1 plays.

7. While the tape in TAPE 1 is play­ing, press
on TAPE 2.

(illus - show buttons)

.

to select the tape

TAPE

appears on the

STOP/EJECT

PLAY

on TAPE 1. The tape

PAUSE

and then

POWER

to turn

on both TAPE

PLAY

32

13-129 1.fm Page 33 Wednesday, J uly 14, 1999 6: 29 PM

When the tape in TAPE 1 finishes
playing, the tape in TAPE 2 automati­cally begins playback. The system au­tomatically stops the tape in TAPE 2
when it reaches the end.

RECORDING

You can use the system to record onto
a cassette tape from:

• Another cassette tape

• The CD changer

• The tuner

• Another audio source

DOWN

PLAY

.

RECORD

on the

, wait

Caution:

Do not force down
This can damage the recording mech­anism.

Notes:

• Be sure the cassette’s erase-pro­tection tab is in place. See “Pre­venting Accidental Erasure” on
Page 36.

• The recording level is preset.
Adjusting

UP

or

VOLUME UP

VOLUME CONTROL

DOWN

on the system or

or
remote control does not adjust the
recording level.

• To prepare a blank tape for
recording, completely rewind the
tape, then press
about 8 seconds for the tape to
play past the tape leader, then

STOP/EJECT

press

• Pressing a
button (

FLAT

) on the system while record-

GRAPHIC EQUALIZER

CLASSIC, JAZZ, POPS

ing might cause a pop to be
recorded onto the tape.

Dubbing (Copying) Cassette
Tapes

You can use the cassette deck to copy
a tape from TAPE 1 to TAPE 2. You
can select be tween normal and high­speed dubbing, and you can monitor
the tape as you dub it.

1. Press
function.

.

system display.

2. Press
1 and TAPE 2. The cassette com­partment doors open.

3. Load the tape you want to copy
into TAPE 1.

4. Load a blank tape, or one you
want to record over, into TAPE 2.

5. Gently close the cassette com­partment doors.

6. Set the dubbing speed:

• To record in half the normal

TAPE

to select the tape

TAPE

appears on the

STOP/EJECT

recording time, press

DUBBING

on the system until it

clicks and stays in.

(illus - show button)

, or

on both TAPE

HI-SPEED

33

13-129 1.fm Page 34 Wednesday, J uly 14, 1999 6: 29 PM

Note: If you set the system to dub
at high speed, the sound you hear
will be distorted during dubbing.
This is norm a l.

• To record at normal speed for
better quality sound, press

HI-SPEED DUBBING

until it

clicks and pops out.

Caution: Do not change the dub­bing speed while dubbing. Doing
so might damage the tape or
cause a distorted recording.

7. Press
on TAPE 2.

PLAY

P AUSE

and then

PAUSE, RECORD

lock down on TAPE 2.

RECORD

(illus)

8. Press

PLAY

on TAPE 1.

PAUSE

TAPE 2 automatically releases
and recording starts.

To temporarily stop recording,
press

PAUSE

on TAPE 2. To
resume recording, press
again.

, and

on

PAUSE

Copying CDs to a Cassette
Tape

1. Press CD. CD appears on the sys­tem display.

2. Select the mode you want t o use
(see “Selecting and Play ing a CD”
on Page 20).

3. If you want to record a program of
CD selections, follow the steps in
“Programmed Play” on Page 25 or
“Group File Play” on Page 27 to
program the sequence.

4. Press

STOP/EJECT

The cassette compartment door
opens.

5. Load a blank tape, or one you
want to record over, into TAPE 2.
Then gently close the cassette
compartment door.

6. Press

SYNCHRO

play ,

RECORD

appears on the CD dis-

RECORD

down on TAPE 2, and the tape
records from the CD.

(illus)

on TAPE 2.

on TAPE 2.

and

PLAY

lock

9. To completely stop recording
before it automatically stops,
press

STOP/EJECT

on TAPE 2.

34

To temporarily stop recording,
press
resume recording, press

PAUSE

on TAPE 2. To

PAUSE

again.

7. To completely stop recording
before it automatically stops,

STOP/EJECT

press

on TAPE 2.

13-129 1.fm Page 35 Wednesday, J uly 14, 1999 6: 29 PM

Recording from the Tuner or
Another Sound Source

Caution:

the remote control while recording.
Doing so might cause a distorted re­cording.

Follow these steps to record from the
tuner or from an external audio source
connected to the system, such as a
turntable, VCR, or other audio equip­ment.

1. Load a blank tape, or one you

2. Press the source selection button

3. Press

Do not press any bu ttons on

want to record over, into TAPE 2.

TUNER

(
desired audio source.

RECORD

start the selected audio source (if
necessary). The tape records until
it reaches the end of the tape,
then it automatically stops.

To temporarily stop recording,
press
resume recording, press
again.

or

(illus)

PAUSE

VCR/AUX

on TAPE 2, then

on TAPE 2. To

) for the

PAUSE

TAPE TIPS

Recommended Tapes

Tape quality greatly affects the quality
of the recording. We recommend ex­tended-range or low noise Type I reg­ular length (60-minute or 90-minute)
normal-bias cassette tapes. We do not
recommend long-play cassette tapes
such as C-120s be ca use t hey are thin
and can easily tangle.

Storing Your Tapes

Follow these suggestions for storing
your cassette tapes.

• Keep them away from excessive
dust and dirt.

• Do not expose them to moisture
or high humidity.

• Keep them away from strong
magnetic fields that can be gener­ated by other electronic devices
(transformers, motors, and so on).

• Your local RadioShack store
offers a complete selection of tape
storage options.

4. T o completely sto p recording before
it automatically stops, stop the
selected audio source (if neces­sary), then press
TAPE 2. Press
to open the cassette compart ment
and remove the cassette tape.

STOP/EJECT

STOP/EJECT

on

again

35

13-129 1.fm Page 36 Wednesday, J uly 14, 1999 6: 29 PM

Erasing a Cassette Tape

To record over a cassette tape, select
an audio source with no audio playing,
then simply record as usual. The cas­sette deck records over the previous
recording. To erase the entire cassette
tape, let the tape recor d to the end.

You can quickly erase both sides of a
cassette tape using a bulk tape eras­er, available at your local Radi oShack
store.

Preventing Accidental
Erasure

Cassette tapes have two erase-pro­tection tabs
When a tab is in place, you can record
on that side. To protect a recording
from being accidentally recorded over,
use a screwdriver to remove one or
both of the cassette tape’s erase-pro­tection tabs. This prevents
from being pressed.

one for each side.

—

RECORD

nally covered by the erase-prot ection
tab.

(illus - show tape being placed

over open hole)

Caution:

tion tabs does not prevent a bulk eras­er from erasing a cassette tape.

Removing the erase-protec-

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.

(illus - show ‘S ide A Tab’)

If you later decide t o record on a tape
side after you have removed the
erase-protection tab for that side,
place a piece of strong plastic tape
over that side’s erase-prot ection hole.
Be sure you cover only the hol e origi-

36

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

gg

13-129 1.fm Page 37 Wednesday, J uly 14, 1999 6: 29 PM

TROUBLESHOOTING

If your system is not wo rking as i t should, these s uggestion s might help you elimi­nate the problem. If the system still does not operate normally, take it to your local
RadioShack store for assistance.

Problem Possible Cause Su

No power when

POWER

Power problem. Check the power cord

is press ed on system.
No power when

is press ed on re m ote.

POWER

Batteries in the remote
control are weak.

No sound. • Volume controls set

to minimum.

• Wrong function
selected.

• Audio source not
started.

MUTE

•

is pressed. • Press

• Speakers con­nected incorrectly.

estion

and AC outlet.
Replace the batteries

with fresh ones.

• Adjust

VOLUME
CONTROL
DOWN

tem, or

UP

VOLUME

DOWN

or

UP or

on the sys-

on

the remote control.

• Select another func­tion.

• Start the desired
audio source.

MUTE

on the

remote control.

• Check speaker con­nections.

Sound from one speaker
only .

No sound from rear ste­reo speakers.

Speakers connected in­correctly.

SURROUND

•

ON

to

not set

.

• Speakers con­nected incorrectly.

Remote does not work. Batteries in the remote

are weak.

Check all speaker con­nections.

•Set

SURROUND

system to

ON

.

• Check all speaker
connections.

Replace the batteries
with fresh ones.

on

37

13-129 1.fm Page 38 Wednesday, J uly 14, 1999 6: 29 PM

Problem Possible Cause Suggestion

CD changer does not
work.

CD

•

not selected.

• CD loaded incor­rectly.

•Press CD.

• Remove the CD and
reload it with the
label side up.

CD changer will not load
a CD.

CD mechanism is
jammed.

Unplug the system from
AC power, wait about 5
seconds, then plug the
system back into the AC
outlet.

Sound from CD skips. CD is dirty or damaged. Clean th e CD and reload

it, or try a new CD.

Multiple CDs loaded, but
one CD plays once then
stops.

System set to sin gle pla y
mode.

Set play mode to ALL
DISC. See “Selecting
and Playing a CD” on
Page 20.

Poor sound quality dur­ing cassette tape play­back.

Incorrect tape type. Use correct bias tape.

See “Recommended
Tapes” on Page 35.

38

13-129 1.fm Page 39 Wednesday, J uly 14, 1999 6: 29 PM

CARE AND MAINTENANCE

Your Optimus System 744 Mini Stereo Component S y stem is an example of supe­rior design and craftsmanship. The fo llowi ng su ggesti ons will help your care for the
system so you can enjoy it for years.

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

Use only fresh batteries of the required size and type for the remote con­trol. Always remove old or weak batteries. They can leak chemicals that
destroy electronic circuits.

Handle the system gently an d carefully. Dropping it can da mage circuit
boards and cases and can cause it to work improperly.

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

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

Wipe the system with a d amp cloth occasionally to keep it l ooking new.

CLEANER

Do not use harsh chemicals, cleaning solvents, or strong detergents to
clean it.

Modifying or tampering with the system’s internal component s can cause a mal­function and might invalidate the system’s warranty an d void your FCC authoriza­tion to operate it. If your s ystem is not performing as it should, ta ke it to your lo cal
RadioShack store for assistance.

39

13-129 1.fm Page 40 Wednesday, J uly 14, 1999 6: 29 PM

CLEANING THE TAPE–
HANDLING 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 cassette player’s perfor­mance. To prevent noise and poor
high-frequency response, clean the
cassette player’s tape-handling parts
after every 20 hours of use. Your local
RadioShack store sells a complete
line of cleaning kits.

Follow these steps to clean the tape­handling parts on your system’s cas­sette decks.

1. Turn off the system, then unplug
the power cord.

Note:

Unplugging the system
clears any programs in the CD
changer’s memory.

2. Press
sette decks. Both cassette com­partment doors open.

STOP/EJECT

on both cas-

Tape 1

(illus - split ex is t ing illus into 2
parts, and place top illus here)

Tape 2

(illus - split existing illus into 2

parts, and place bottom illus here)

5. When you finish cleaning, press

STOP/EJECT

decks, close both cassette com­partment doors, plug in the sys­tem, then press

on both cassette

POWER.

PLAY

3. Press
decks to expose the tape-handling
parts.

4. Use a cotton swab dipped in
denatured alcohol or tape head
cleaning solution to gently clean
the record/play heads, pinch roll­ers, capstans, tape guides, and
erase head.

40

on both cassette

13-129 1.fm Page 41 Wednesday, J uly 14, 1999 6: 29 PM

SPECIFICATIONS

AMPLIFIER

Frequency Response ..............................................................40 Hz–20 kHz ± 3 dB

RMS Output Power (1% THD into 8 Ohms at 80 Hz–15 kHz).......15 Watts/Channel

Input Sensitivity/Impedance (at 1 kHz, AUX IN)/

Output (15 W Volume Max).................................................... 350 mV/47 kOhm

TUNER (FM)

Frequency Range............................................................................87.5–108.0 MHz

Usable Sensitivity.............................................................................................20 dB

Signal-to-Noise Ratio........................................................................................50 dB

TUNER (AM)

Frequency Range..............................................................................530 –1720 kHz

Sensitivity .........................................................................................................58 dB

Signal-to-Noise Ratio........................................................................................45 dB

DUAL CASSETTE DECK

Frequency Response ..............................................................125 Hz–8 kHz ± 6 dB

Track Format ........................................................................... 4 Tracks, 2 Channels

Signal-to-Noise Ratio (Nominal).......................................................................45 dB

Wow and Flutter .......................................................................0.35% Max (WRMS)

Tape Speed ............................................................................................4.8 cm/Sec.

Normal Tape............................................................... 125 Hz –8 kH z ± 6 dB (PLAY)

CD CHANGER

CD Capacity ............................... .. ..... .. ..... ..... .. ..... .. ..... ..... ..... .... ..... .. ..... ..... .. .21 CDs

Frequency Response ..............................................................40 Hz–18 kHz ± 3 dB

Signal-to-Noise Ratio........................................................................................65 dB

Wow and Flutter ......................................................................Virtually undetectable

CD Used..........................................................................................5-inch (120 mm)

Sampling Frequency .... ................................................................................44.1 kHz

Optical Source......................................Non-Contact 3-Beam Semiconductor Laser

Number of Channels................................................................................... 2, Stereo

CD Rotation Speed......................................500–200 RPM (Constant Linear Model)

Signal Quantization ..........................................................................................16-bit

INFRARED REMOTE CONTROL

41

13-129 1.fm Page 42 Wednesday, J uly 14, 1999 6: 29 PM

Controls34 keys
Power Requirements3VDC (Two AAA Batteries)

GENERAL

Power Requirements120 V AC, 60 Hz
Power Consumption105 watts
Dimensions (HWD)15

1

x 11 x 12

4

/

1

2

/

Inches (39 x 28 x 32 cm)
Weight 22 lbs 6.5 oz (10 kg)

Specifications are typical; individual
units might vary. Specifications are
subject to change and improvement
without notice.

42

13-129 1.fm Page 43 Wednesday, J uly 14, 1999 6: 29 PM

NOTES

43

13-129 1.fm Page 44 Wednesday, J uly 14, 1999 6: 29 PM

RadioShack Limited Warranty

This product is warranted against defects for 90 days from date of purchase from
RadioShack co m pany-ow ne d s tor e s and authorized RadioShack fr an ch is ees and 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

6A6 Printed in China