Sony CDX-F5500 User Manual

FM/MW/LW Compact Disc Player

3-261-932-11 (1)

FM/MW/LW
Compact Disc Player

Operating Instructi on s
Bedienungsanleitung
Mode d’emploi
Istruzioni per l’uso
Gebruiksaanwijzing

Wichtig!
Bitte nehmen Sie sich etwa s Zeit, u m d en G eräte- Pass vollständig

auszufüllen. Dieser befindet sich au f der hinteren Umsc hlagseite dies er
Bedienungsanleitung.

Si dichiara che l’apparecchio è stato fabbricato in conformità all’art. 2, Comma 1 del D.M. 28.08.
1995 n. 548.

For installation and connections, see the supplied installati on/c onnec tions manual.
Zur Installation und zum Anschluss siehe die mitgelieferte Installations-/Ansch lussan leitung.
En ce qui concerne l’installation et les connexions, consulter le manuel d’installation/

raccordement fourni.
Per l’installazione e i collegamenti, fare rif er imento al manuale di istruzioni per

l’installazione e i collegamenti in dotazione.
Zie voor het monteren en aansluiten van het apparaat de bijgeleverde handleiding “Installatie

en aansluitingen”.

GB
DE
FR
IT
NL

CDX-F5500

© 2004 Sony Corporation

Welcome !

Thank you for purchas in g t hi s Sony Compact
Disc Player. You can enjoy its various f eat ures
even more with:

• MP3 file playback.

• CD-R/CD-RW which can have a session added
can be played (page 7).

• Discs recorded in Multi Session can be played,
depending on the rec ording method (p age 7).

• Optional CD/MD units (both changers and
players)*

•ID3 tag*2 version 1.0, 1.1, 2.2, 2.3 or 2. 4
information (displayed when an MP3 file is
played).

• CD TEXT in formation (d isplayed when a CD
TEXT disc*

• Supplied controller accessory
Card remote commander RM-X115

• Optional controller accessory
Rotary commander RM-X4S

*1 This unit works with Sony products only.
*2 ID3 tag is an MP3 file that contains information

*3 A CD TEXT disc is an audio CD that includes

1

.

3

is played).

about album name, artist name, track name, etc.
information such as the disc name, artist name,

and track names. This information is recorded on
the disc.

This label is located on the bottom of the
chassis.

2

Table of Contents

Location of controls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

Precautions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

Notes on discs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

About MP3 files . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

Getting Started

Resetting the unit. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

Detaching the front panel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

Setting the clock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

CD Player
CD/MD Unit (optional)

Playing a disc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

Display items. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

Playing tracks repeatedly

— Repeat Play . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13

Playing tracks in ra ndom order

— Shuffle Play . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13

Labelling a CD

— Disc Memo*. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14

Locating a di sc by name

— List-up* . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15

* Functions available with optional CD/MD unit

Radio

Storing stations automatically

— Best Tuning Memory (BTM). . . . . . . 15

Receiving the stored stations. . . . . . . . . . . . 16

Storing only the desired stations . . . . . . . . . 16

RDS

Overview of RDS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17

Automatic retuning for best reception results

— AF (Alternative Frequencies) . . . . . . 17

Receiving traffic an nouncements

— TA (Traffic Announcement)/TP

(Traffic Programme) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18

Presetting RDS stations with the AF and TA

setting. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19

Tuning in stations by programme type

— PTY (Programme types) . . . . . . . . . . 19

Setting the clock automatically

— CT (Clock Time). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20

Other Functions

Using the rotary commander. . . . . . . . . . . . 21

Adjusting the sound characteristics . . . . . . 22

Quickly attenuating the sound . . . . . . . . . . 22

Changing the sound and display

settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 3

Setting the equalizer (EQ3). . . . . . . . . . . . . 24

Setting the Dynamic Soundstage Organizer

(DSO). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24

Additional Information

Maintenance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25

Removing the unit. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26

Specifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27

Troubleshooting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28

Error displays/Messages. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29

3

Location of controls

Refer to the pages listed for details.

ATT

DSPL

SEL

–+

DISC REP SHUF BTM LIST

SOURCE MODE

OFF

1 2 3 4 5 6

a ATT (attenuate) button 22
b DSPL (dis play mode ch ange) butt on

10, 12, 14, 17

c Display window
d Z (eject) button (located on the front sid e

of the unit, behind the front panel) 11

e DSO button 24
f OPEN button 9, 11
g Volume +/– button
h Receptor for the card remote

commander

i SEL (select) button

To select items.

j SOURCE (Power on/Radio/CD/MD)

button

T o select the source.

k MODE button

To change the operation.

l OFF (Stop/Power off) button* 9, 11
m RESET button (located on t he fron t side of

the unit, behind the fr ont panel) 9

n Number buttons 23

Radio:
To store the des ir ed station on each num ber
button.
CD (MP3 files)/MD:

(1): DISC (ALBUM) – 11
(2): DISC (ALBUM) + 11
(3): REP 13
(4): SHUF 13

OPEN

DSO

SEEK

EQ3

AF/TA SENS PTY

CDX-F5500

o AF/TA button 17, 18, 19
p SENS/BTM button 15, 16, 19
q PTY (programme type)/LIST button

14, 15, 20

r EQ3 button 24
s SEEK +/– button

Radio:
To tune in stations automatically/find a
station manually.
CD (MP3 files)/MD:
To skip tracks/fast-forwar d, revers e a t rack.

* Warning when installing in a car without

an ACC (accessory) position on the
ignition switch

After turning off the ignition, be sure to press
and hold (OFF) on the unit until the display
disappears.

Otherwise, the display does not turn off and this
causes battery drain.

4

Card remote commander RM-X115

Selecting a disc and album with the
card remote commander

Disc and album can be skipped using the DISC
(ALBUM) (+/–) buttons on the card remote
commander.

DSPL MODE

+

PRESET

SOURCE

SEEK

–

PRESET

–

+

VOL

SEEK

ATTOFF

+

–

The corresponding buttons of the card
remote commander control the same
functions as those on this unit.

a DSPL button
b SOURCE button
c SEEK (–/+) buttons
d OFF button
e VOL (+/–) buttons
f MODE button
g PRESET (DISC/ALBUM) (+/–) buttons
h ATT button

Note

If the display disappears by pressing (OFF), it cannot
be operated with the card remote commander unless
(SOURCE) on the unit is pressed, or a disc is inserted
to activate the unit first.

Tip

For details on how to replace the battery, see
“Replacing the lithium battery” on page 25.

(With this unit)

To Press

Skip albums*
– Album selection

+ or – [once for e ach album]
To continuously skip
albums, press and hold
either button.

(With optional unit)

To Press

Skip discs
–Disc selection

+ or – [once for e ach disc]
To continuously skip disc s,
press once and pres s again
within 2 seconds (and hold)
either button.

Skip albums*
– Album selection

+ or – [hold for a moment]
and release
To continuously skip
albums, press (an d hold)
within 2 seconds of first
releasing the button.

* Available only when an MP3 file is played.

Skipping tracks continuous l y

Press once (SEEK) (+) o r ( SEEK) (–) on the
card remote commander, then press ag a in within
2 seconds and hold .

5

Precautions

Notes on discs

• If your car has been parked in direct sunl ight,
allow the unit to cool off before operating it.

• Power aerial will extend automatically while
the unit is operating.

If you have any questions or problems
concerning your unit that are not covered in this
manual, please co nsult your nearest Sony dealer.

Moisture condensation

On a rainy day or in a very damp area, moisture
condensation ma y occur inside the lenses and
display of the unit. Should this occur, the unit
will not operate properly. In such a case, remove
the disc and wait for about an hour until th e
moisture has evaporated.

To maintain high sound quality

Be careful not to splash juice or other soft drinks
onto the unit or discs.

• To keep a disc clean, do not touch its surface.
Handle the disc by its ed ge.

• Keep your discs in their cases or disc
magazines when not in use.

• Do not subject dis cs to heat/high tempe rature.
Avoid leaving them in a parked car or on a
dashboard/rear tray.

• Do not attach labels , or us e discs with sticky
ink/residue. Such discs may stop spinning
when used, caus in g a m alfunction, or may rui n
the disc.

• Do not use any discs wit h l abels or stickers
attached.
The following malfunctions may result from
using such discs:
– Inability to eject a disc (due to a label or

sticker peeling off and jamming the eject
mechanism).

– Inability to read audio data correctly (e.g.,

playback skippin g, or n o pl ayback) due to
heat shrinking of a sticker or label causing a
disc to warp.

• Discs with non-standard shapes (e.g., heart,
square, star) c annot be played on thi s unit.
Attempting to do so may damage the unit. Do
not use such discs.

• You cannot play 8 cm CDs .

6

• Before playing, cl ean the discs with a
commercially available cleaning cloth. Wipe
each disc from the centre out. Do not use
solvents such as ben zine, thinner , co mmercially
available cleaners, or antistatic spray intended
for analogue dis cs.

Music discs encoded with copyright
protection

This product is designe d t o pl ay back discs that
conform to the Compact Disc (CD) sta ndard.
Recently, various music discs enc oded with
copyright protection are marketed by some
record companies. Please be aware t hat among
those discs, there are some that do not conform to
the CD standard and ma y not be pl ayable by this
product.

Notes on CD-Rs (recordable CDs)/CD­RWs (rewritable CDs)

This unit can play the following discs:

Type of discs Label on the disc

Audio CD

About MP3 files

MP3 (MPEG 1 A udio Layer-3) is a sta ndard
technology and format for compressing a sound
sequence. Th e fi le i s comp ressed to a bout 1/ 10 of
its original size. Sounds outside the range of
human hearing are compressed while the sounds
we can hear are not compressed.

Notes on discs

You can play MP3 files recorded on CD-ROMs,
CD-Rs, and C D -RWs.
The disc must be in the ISO 9660*
level 2 format, or Joliet or Romeo in the
expansion format.
You can use a disc recorded in Multi Sessi on *

*1 ISO 9660 Format

The most common international standard for
the logical format of files and folders on a
CD-ROM.
There are several specification levels. In
Level 1, file names must be in the 8.3 format
(no more than 8 characters in the name, no
more than 3 characters in the extension
“.MP3”) and in capital letters. Fold er names
can be no longer than 8 char act ers. There can
be no more than 8 nested folder levels. Level
2 specifications allow file names up to 31
characters long.
Each folder can have up to 8 tree s.
For Joliet or Romeo in t he expansion format,
make sure of the contents of the writing
software, etc.

1

level 1 or

2

.

MP3 files

• Some CD-Rs/ C D -RWs (depending on the
equipment used for its recording or the
condition of the disc) may not play on this unit.

• You cannot play a CD -R/CD-RW that is not
finalized*.

• You can play MP3 files recor ded on CD­ROMs, CD-Rs, and CD-RWs.

• A CD-R/CD-RW to which a sess ion can be
added can be played.

* A process necessary for a recorded CD-R/CD-RW

disc to be played on the audio CD player.

*2 Multi Session

This is a recording method that enables
adding of data using the Track-At-Once
method. Conventional CDs begin at a CD
control area called the Lead-in and en d at an
area called Lead-out. A Multi Session CD is a
CD having multiple sessions, with each
segment from Lead -i n t o Lead-out regarded
as a single session.
CD-Extra: The format which records audio
(audio CD data) as tracks on session 1, and
records data as tr acks on session 2 .
Mixed CD: In this format , da ta is recorded as
track 1, and audio (audio CD data) is recorded
as track 2.

continue to next page t

7

Notes

• With formats other than ISO 9660 le v el 1 an d lev el 2,
folder names or file names may not be displayed
correctly.

• When naming, be sure to add the file extension
“.MP3” to the file name.

• If you put the extension “.MP3” to a file other than
MP3, the unit cannot recognize the file properly and
will generate random noise that could damage your
speakers.

• The following discs take a longer time to start
playback.
– a disc recorded with complicated tree structure.
– a disc recorded in Multi Session.
– a disc to which data can be added.

Cautions when playing a disc that is recorded in
Multi Session

• When the first track of the first session is audio CD
data:
Only audio CD data of the first track is played back.
Any data in subsequent session is skipped.

• When the first track of the first session is not audio
CD data:
– If an MP3 file is in the disc, only MP3 file(s) is

played back and other data is skipped. (Audio CD
data is not recognized.)

– If no MP3 file is in the disc, “NO MUSIC” is

displayed and nothing is played back. (Audio CD
data is not recognized.)

The playback order of the MP3 files

The playback order of the folders and files is as
follows:

1

Folder (album)

1

MP3 file (track)

2

2

3

3

4

5

6

6

7

5

4

7

8

8

9

Tree 1
(root)

Notes

• A folder that does not include an MP3 file is skipped.

• When you insert a disc with many trees, it takes a

longer time to start playback. We recommend that
you make only one or two trees for each disc.

• Maximum folder number: 150 (including root folder
and empty folders)

• The maximum number of MP3 files and folders that
can be contained in a disc: 300
When a file/folder name contains many characters,
this number may become less than 300.

Tip

To specify a desired playback order, before the folder
or file name, input the order by number (e.g., “01,”
“02”), then record contents onto a disc. (The order
differs depending on the writing software.)

Tree 2

Tree 3

Tree 4

Tree 5

8

Getting Started

Detaching the front panel

You can detach the front panel of this unit to
protect the unit from being stolen.

Resetting the unit

Before operating the unit for the first time, or
after replacing the car battery or changing the
connections, you must reset the unit.
Remove the front panel and press the RESET
button with a pointed object, such as a ballpoint
pen.

RESET button

Note

Pressing the RESET button will erase the clock setting
and some stored contents.

Caution alarm

If you turn the ignition switch to the OFF
position without removing the front panel, the
caution alarm will beep for a few seconds.
If you connect an op ti onal amplifier and do not
use the built-in amplifier, the beep sound will be
deactivated.

1 Press (OFF)*.

CD/MD playback o r ra di o reception stops
(the key illumination and display remain on).

* If your car has no ACC (accessory) position on

the ignition switch, be sure to turn the unit off by
pressing (OFF) until the display disappears to
avoid car battery drain.

2 Press (OPEN), then slide the front

panel to the right, and gently pull out
the left en d of the front p a n el.

1

2

Notes

• If you detach the panel while the unit is still turned

on, the power will turn off automatically to prevent
the speakers from being damaged.

• Do not drop or put excessive pressure on the front

panel and its display window.

• Do not subject the front panel to heat/high

temperature or moisture. Avoid leaving it in a parked
car or on a dashboard/rear tray.

Tip

When carrying the front panel with you, use the
supplied front panel case.

continue to next page t

9

Attaching the front panel

Place hole A of the front panel onto the spindle
B on the unit, then lightly push the left side in.

Press (SOURCE) on the unit (or insert a CD) to
operate the unit.

A

B

x

Setting the clock

The clock uses a 24-hour digital indica ti on.
Example: To set the clock to 10:08

1 Press (DSPL) for 2 seconds.

The hour indication flashes.

1Press the volume +/– button to set

the hour.

2Press (SEL).

The minute indi cation flashes.

3Press the volume +/– button to set

the minute.

2 Press (DSPL).

The clock starts. Aft er th e cl ock setting is
completed, the display retu rn s to normal play
mode.

Tip

You can set the clock automatically with the RDS
feature (page 20).

Note

Do not put anything on the inner surface of the front
panel.

10

CD Player
CD/MD Unit (optional)

In addition to playing a CD with this unit, you
can also control ext ernal CD/MD units.

Playing a disc

(With this unit)

1 Press (OPEN) and insert the d isc

(labelled side up).

2 Close the front panel.

Playback starts automatically.

If a disc is already inserted, pre ss (SOURCE)
repeatedly unti l “ C D ” appears to start playback.

To Press

Stop playba ck (OFF)
Eject the disc (OPEN) then Z
Skip tracks

–Automatic

Music Sensor

Fast-forward/
reverse
–Manual Search

Skip albums*
–Albums selection

* Available only when an MP3 file is played.

T o skip trac ks continuous ly, press (SEEK) (+) or
(SEEK) (–), then press again within 2 seconds
and hold.

(SEEK) (–/+)
(./>)
[once for each tr ack]

(SEEK) (–/+)
(m/M)
[hold to desired p o i nt ]

(1)(ALBUM–) or
(2)(ALBUM+)

Notes

• Before playing a track, this unit reads all track and

album information on the disc. Depending on the
track structure, it may take more than a minute
before playback begins. During this time, “READ” is
displayed. Play will automatically start when reading
is complete.

• Depending on the condition of the disc, it may not

play back (page 6, 7).

• While the first/last track on the disc is playing, if

(SEEK) (–) or (SEEK) (+) is pres se d, pl a ybac k ski ps
to the last/first track of the disc.

• When the last track on the disc is over, playback

restarts from the first track of the disc.

• If you play a high-bit rate MP3 file such as 320 kbps,

sound may be intermittent.

(With optional unit)

1 Press (SOURCE) repeatedly to select

“CD” or “MD (MS*

1

).”

2 Press (MODE) repeatedly until the

desired un it appears.

Playback starts.

To Press

Skip discs
–Disc selection

Skip albums*
–Albums selection

*1 MS: MG Memory Stick System-up Player MGS-X1
*2 Available only when an MP3 file is played.

Cautions wh en co nn ec tin g M GS- X1 an d M D un it ( s)

This unit recognizes MGS-X1 as an MD unit.

• When you want to play MGS-X1, press (SOURCE) to

select “MS” or “MD.” When “MS” appears in the
source display, MGS-X1 starts to play. When “MD”
appears in the source display, press (MODE) to
select “MS,” to start playback.

• When you want to play an MD unit, press (SOURCE)

to select “MD” or “MS.” If your desired MD unit
appears in the source display, it starts to play . If “MS”
or another MD unit appears in the source display,
press (MODE) to select your desired MD unit, to
start playback.

Note when playing back a disc with non-audio CD
data/MP3 file

If a disc with no MP3 files is inserted:
– in the case of this unit, “NO MUSIC” appears in the

display, and the display becomes the clock display
(CD playback stops).

– in the case of an optional MP3 compatible CD unit,

“NO MUSIC” appears in the display and playback of
the next disc starts.

– in the case of an optional CD unit, which is

incompatible with MP3, the disc will play back with
no sound.

Note

With optional unit connected, playback of the same
source will continue on to the optional CD/MD unit.

(1)(DISC–) or
(2)(DISC+)

[once for each disc]

2

(1)(ALBUM–) or
(2)(ALBUM+)

[hold to desired album]

11

Display items

When the disc/album/track changes, any
prerecorded title*
automatically displayed. (If the A.SCRL (Auto
Scroll) function is set to “ON,” names exceeding
8 characters will b e s crolled (page 23).)

Source

Displayable items

• Track number/
Elapsed playing time

•Disc name*

• Album (folder) name*

• Track (file) name*1*

•ID3 tag*

•Clock

To Press

Switch display item (DSPL)

*1 When pressing (DSPL), “NO NAME” indicates that

there is no Disc Memo (page 14) or prerecorded
name to display.

*2 Only for CD TEXT discs with the artist name.
*3 Only for MP3 files.

Only track name/artist name/album name in ID3
tag is displayed.
When pressing (DSPL), “NO ID3” indicates that
there is no ID3 tag to display.

1

of the new disc/album/track is

1

/Artist name*

3

2

3

3

Notes

• Some characters cannot be displayed.

• For some CD TEXT discs or ID3 tags with very

many characters, information may not scroll.

• This unit cannot display the artist name for each
track of a CD TEXT disc.

Notes on MP3

• ID3 tag applies only to version 1.0, 1.1, 2.2, 2.3 and

2.4.

• So me cha racter s and si gns cann ot be displayed
(appear as “ *”). The maximum number of
displayable characters for an album (folder) name/
track (file) is 64 (Romeo) or 32 (Joliet); ID3 tag
30 characters (1.0, 1.1, 2.2 and 2.3) or
126 characters (2.4).

• In the following cases, elapsed playing time may not
be displayed accurately.
– when an MP3 file of VBR (variable bit rate) is

played.

– during fast-forward/reverse.

Tips

• When the A.SCRL (Auto Scroll) function is set to
“OFF” and the disc/album/track is changed, the disc/
album/track name or ID3 tag does not scroll.

• When an MP3 file is played and the album is
changed, the new album number is displayed.

12

Playing tracks repeatedly

— Repeat Play

You can select:

• REP-TRACK — to repeat the current track.

•REP-ALBM*1 — to repeat the tracks in the
current album.

•REP-DISC*2 — to repeat the tracks in the
current disc.

*1 Available only when an MP3 file is played.
*2 Available only when one or more optional CD/MD

units are connected.

During playback, press (3) (REP)
repeatedly until the desired setting
appears in the display.

Repeat Play starts .

To return to normal play mode, select
“REP-OFF.”

Playing tracks in random
order

— Shuffle Play

You can select:

• SHUF-ALBM*1 — to play the tracks in the
current album in random order.

• SHUF-DISC — to play the tracks in the cu rrent
disc in random order.

• SHUF-CHGR*2 — to play the tracks in the
current optional CD (MD) unit in random
order.

• SHUF-ALL*3 — to play all the tracks in all
connected CD (MD) units (including this unit)
in random orde r.

*1 Available only when an MP3 file is played.
*2 Available only when one or more optional CD (MD)

units are connected.

*3 Available only when one or more optional CD units,

or two or more optional MD units are connected.

During playback, press (4) (SHUF)
repeatedly until the desired setting
appears in the display.

Shuffl e Play starts.

To return to normal play mode, select
“SHUF-OFF.”

Note

“SHUF-ALL” will not shuffle tracks between CD units
and MD units.

13

Labelling a CD

— Disc Memo (For a CD unit with the
CUSTOM FILE function)

You can label each dis c w i t h a custom name
(Disc Memo). You can enter up to 8 characters
for a disc. If you la bel a CD , you can locate the
disc by name (page 15).

1 Start playing the disc you want to label

in a CD unit with the CUSTOM FILE
function.

2 Press (PTY) (LIST) for 2 seconds.

The unit will repeat the disc during the
labelling procedure.

3 Enter the characters.

1 Press the volume +/– button to

select the desired character.

A y B y C ... y 0 y 1 y 2 ...

y + y – y

*(blank space)

2 Press (SEL ) after locating the

desired c haracter.

The next char acter flashes.

3 Repeat st eps 1 and 2 to enter the

entire name.

4 To return to normal play mode, press

(PTY) (LIST) for 2 seconds.

Tips

• Simply overwrite or enter “ ” to correct or erase a
character.

• You can label CDs on a unit without the CUSTOM
FILE function if that unit is connected along with a
CD unit that has the function. The Disc Memo will be
stored in the memory of the CD unit with the
CUSTOM FILE function.

Note

REP-TRACK/SHUF play is suspended until the name
edit is complete.

... y * y A

*

Viewing the Disc Memo

As a display item, the D is c Memo always takes
priority over any ori gina l CD TEXT information.

To Press

View (DSPL) during CD/CD

Tip

Other items can be displayed (page 12).

TEXT disc playbac k

Erasing the Disc Memo

1 Press (SOURCE) repeatedly to select

“CD.”

2 Press (MODE) repeatedly to select the

CD unit storing the Disc Memo.

3 Press (PTY) (LIST) for 2 seconds.
4 Press (DSPL) for 2 seconds.

The stored names will appear.

5 Press the volume +/– button

repeatedl y t o sele ct t he dis c name yo u
want to erase.

6 Press (SEL) for 2 seconds.

The name is erased.
Repeat steps 5 and 6 if you want to erase
other names.

7 Press (PTY) (LIST) for 2 seconds.

The unit returns to normal play mode.

Notes

• When the Disc Memo for a CD TEXT disc is erased,
the original CD TEXT infor mat ion is displ ayed.

• If you cannot find the Disc Memo you want to erase,
try selecting a different CD unit in step 2.

• If you have already erased all of the Disc Memo, the
unit returns to normal play mode in step 4.

14

Locating a disc by name

— List-up (For a CD unit with the CD TEXT/
CUSTOM FILE function, or an MD unit)

Y ou can use this function for discs that have been
assigned custom names*

2

discs*

.

*1 Locating a disc by its custom name: when you

assign a name for a CD (page 14) or an MD.

*2 Locating discs by the CD TEXT information: when

you play a CD TEXT disc on a CD unit with the CD

TEXT function.

1 During playback, press (PTY) (LIST).

The name assigned to the current disc appears
in the display.

2 Press (PTY) (LIST) repeatedly until

you find the desired disc.

3 Press (SEEK) (+) or (SEEK) (–) to play

the disc.

Notes

• Once a disc name has been displayed for 5
seconds, the display goes back to its normal
playback mode.

• If there are no discs in the magazine, “NO DISC”
appears in the display.

• If a disc has not been assigned a custom file, “NO
NAME” appears in the display.

• If the disc information has not been read by the unit,
“NOT READ” appears in the display. To load the
disc, first press the number button, then choose the
disc that has not been lo aded.

• The information appears only in upper case. There
are also some letters which cannot be displayed.

1

or for CD TEXT

Radio

The unit can store up to 6 stations per band
(FM1, FM2, FM3, MW, and LW).

Caution

When tuning in stations while driving, use Best
Tuning Memory to prevent accidents.

Storing stations
automatically

— Best Tuning Memory (BTM)

The unit selects the stations with the strongest
signals within the selected band, and stores them
in the order of their frequency.

1 Press (SOURCE) repeatedly to select

the radio.

2 Press (MODE) repeatedly to select the

band.

3 Press (SENS) (BTM) for 2 seconds.

The unit stores stat i ons in the order of thei r
frequencies on th e number buttons.
A beep sounds whe n th e setting is stored.

Notes

• If only a few stations can be received due to weak
signals, some number buttons will retain their former
settings.

• When a number is indicated in the display, the unit
starts storing stations from the one currently
displayed.

15

Receiving the stored stations

1 Press (SOURCE) repeatedly to select

the radio.

2 Press (MODE) repeatedly to select the

band.

3 Press the number button ((1) to (6))

on which the desired station is stored.

If FM stereo reception is poor

— Monaural Mode

During radio reception, press (SENS)
(BTM) repeatedly until “MONO-ON”
appears.

“MONO” indicator is displayed.

If preset tuning does not work

— Automatic tuning/Loc al Se ek Mode

Automatic tuning:

Press (SEEK) (+) or (SEEK) (–) to
search for the station.

Scanning stops when the unit receives a
station. Repeat the oper at io n unt il the desired
station is rece ived.

Local Seek Mode:

If the automatic tuning stops too
frequently, press (SENS) (BTM)
repeatedly until “LOCAL-ON” appears.

“LCL” indicator is displayed.

Only the stations with relatively strong
signals will be tuned in.

To cancel the local seek mode, press (SENS)
(BTM) twic e w hen receiving FM .

Note

When receiving MW or LW, to cancel the local seek
mode, press (SENS) (BTM) (“LOCAL-OFF” appears).

Tip

If you know the frequency of the station you want to
listen to, press and hold (SEEK) (+) or (SEEK) (–) to
locate the approximate frequency, then press
(SEEK) (+) or (SEEK) (–) repeatedly to fine adjust to
the desired frequency (manual tuning).

The sound improves, but become s monaura l
(“ST” disappears).

To return to normal radio reception mode, press
(SENS) (BTM) (“MONO-OFF” appears).

Tip

If FM broadcasts are difficult to hear, set DSO to
“OFF” (page 24).

Storing only the desired
stations

You can manually pre set the desired stati o ns on
any chosen number butto n.

1 Press (SOURCE) repeatedly to select

the radio.

2 Press (MODE) repeatedly to select the

band.

3 Press (SEEK) (+) or (SEEK) (–) to tune

in the station that you want to store.

4 Press the desired number button ((1)

to (6)) for 2 seconds until “MEM”
appears.

The number button indication appears in the
display.

Note

If you try to st or e a no t her s t at io n o n t he same n um be r
button, the previously stored station will be erased.

16

RDS

Overview of RDS

FM stations with Radio Data System (RDS)
service send in audible digital information along
with the regular radio programme sig nal. For
example, one of the following will be displayed
upon receiving a station with RDS capability.

Displayable items

• Radio band

• Function

Displayable ite m s

• Preset number/Station
name (frequency)

•Clock

• RDS data

To Press

Switch Clock/
Station name

RDS services

RDS data offers you other conveniences, such as:

• Automatic re tuning of a progra mme, helpfu l

during long-dis tance drives. — AF t page 17

• Receiving traffic announcem ents, even

when enjoying another programme/source.
— TA t page 18

• Selecting stations by the type of
programme. — PTY t page 19

• Automatic clock ti me setting.
— CT t page 20

Notes

• Depending on the country/region, not all of the RDS
functions are available.

• RDS will not work properly if the signal strength too
is weak or if the station you are tuned to is not
transmitting RDS data.

(DSPL)

Automatic retuning for best
reception results

— AF (Alternative Frequencies)

The AF function allows the radio to always tune
into the area’s strongest signal fo r the sta ti on you
are listening to.

Frequencies change automatically.

98.5 MHz

Station

1 Select an FM station (page 15).
2 Press (AF/TA) repeatedly until “AF-

ON” appears.

The unit starts sear ching for an alterna tive
frequency with a stronger signal in the same
network.
If “NO AF” flashes, the currently tuned
station does not ha ve an alternative frequenc y.

To cancel the AF function, select “A F, TA-OFF.”

Tips

• If “AF-ON” is selected, traffic announcements are
cancelled. To activate the traffic announcements
with the AF function, select “AF, TA-ON.”

• If you want to change the on/off setting while playing
a CD, press (AF/TA).

continue to next page t

96.0 MHz

102.5 MHz

17

For stations without alternative
frequencies

Press (SEEK) (+) or (SEEK) (–) while
the station name is flashing (within 8
seconds).

The unit starts searching for another
frequency with th e same PI (Programme
Identification) data (“PI SEEK” appears).
If the unit cannot find the same PI, the unit
returns to the previously selected frequenc y.

Staying with one regional programme

When the AF function is on: this unit’s factory
setting restricts reception to a specific region, so
you won’t be switched to another regional station
with a stronger frequency .

If you lea ve this region al programme’s receptio n
area or would like to take advantage of the whole
AF function, pre ss (SEL) and (AF/TA)
simultaneously until “REG-OFF” appears.

Note

This function does not work in the United Kingdom
and in some other areas.

Local Link function
(United Kingdom only)

This function enables you to select other local
stations in the area, even if they are not stored on
your number button s.

Receiving traffic
announcements

— TA (Traffic Announcement)/TP (Traffic
Programme)

By activating TA and TP, you can automatically
tune in an FM station broadcasting traffic
announcements. These settings function
regardless of the cur r ent FM programme/s ource,
CD/MD; the unit sw itches bac k t o the origin al
source when the bulletin is over.

Press (AF/TA) repeatedly until “TA-
ON” appears.

The unit starts searching for traffic
information stations.
“TP” indica tes re cept i on o f su ch st at ion s, and
“TA” flashes dur i ng an actual traffic
announcement. The unit will continue
searching for stations available with TP if
“NO TP” is indicated.

To cancel all traffic announcements, select “AF,
TA-OFF.”

To Press

Cancel current
announcement

(AF/TA)

1 Press the number button ((1) to (6))

that has a local station stored on it.

2 Within 5 seconds, press the number

button of the local station again.

3 Repeat this procedure until the

desired local station is rec ei ve d .

18

Tips

• If “TA-ON” is selected, the AF function is cancelled.
To activate the AF function with traffic
announcements, select “AF, TA-ON.”

• You can also cancel the current announcement by
pressing (SOURCE) or (MODE).

Presetting the volume of traffic
announcements

You can preset the volume level of the traffic
announcements so a s not to miss hearing them .

1 Press the volume +/– button to adjust

the desired volume level.

2 Press (AF/TA) for 2 seconds.

“TA” appears and the setting is stored.

Receiving emergency announcements

If either AF or TA is on, the unit will switch to
emergency announcements, if one comes in
while listening to an FM station or CD/MD.

Presetting RDS stations with
the AF and TA setting

When you preset RDS stations, the unit stores
each station’s AF/TA setting (on/off) as well as
its frequency. You can select a different setting
(for AF, TA, or both) for individual pres et
stations, or the same setting for all preset
stations. If you p rese t stati ons wi th “AF, TA-ON”
the unit automatically stores stations with the
strongest radio signal.

Presetting the same setting for all
preset stations

1 Select an FM band (page 15) .
2 Press (AF/TA) repeatedly to select

“AF-ON”, “TA-ON” or “AF, TA-ON.”

Note that select i ng “AF, TA-OFF” applies to
non-RDS stations as well as RDS stations.

3 Press (SENS) (BTM) until “BTM”

flashes.

Presetting different settings for each
preset station

1 Select an FM band, and tune in the

desired station (page 15).

2 Press (AF/TA) repeatedly to select

“AF-ON”, “TA-ON” or “AF, TA-ON.”

3 Press the desired number button ((1)

to (6)) until “MEM” appears.

Repeat from ste p 1 t o pr eset other stations.

Note

If you want to change the AF/TA setting while you are
playing a CD, press (AF/TA).

Tuning in stations by
programme type

— PTY (Programme types)

You can tune in a station by selecting the type of
programme you would like to listen to.

Programme types Display

News NEWS
Curren t Affairs AFFAIRS
Information INFO
Sports SPORT
Education EDUCATE
Drama DRAMA
Culture CULTURE
Science SCIENCE
Varied VARIED
Popular Music POP M
Rock Music ROCK M
Easy Listening EASY M
Light Classical LIGHT M
Classical CLASSICS
Other Music Type OTHER M
Weather WEATHER
Finance FINANCE
Children’s Programmes CHILDREN
Social Affairs SOCIAL A
Religion RELIGION
Phone In PHONE IN
Travel TRAVEL
Leisure LEISURE
Jazz Music JAZZ
Country Music COUNTRY
National Music NATION M
Oldies Music OLDIES
Folk Music FOLK M
Documentary DOCUMENT

Note

Y o u cann ot use this f unct ion i n some c ount ries/re gions
where no PTY data is available.

continue to next page t

19

1 Press (PTY) (LIST) during FM

reception.

The current programme type name appears if
the station is transmitting the PTY data.
“--------” appears if the received station is not
an RDS station, or if the RDS da ta is not
received.

2 Press (PTY) (LIST) repeatedly until the

desired programme type appears.

The programme t ypes appear in the order
shown in the table.
“NONE” appears if the programme type is
not specified in the RDS data.

3 Press (SEEK) (+) or (SEEK) (–).

The unit starts searching for a station
broadcasting the selected programme type.

Setting the clock
automatically

— CT (Clock Time)

The CT data from the RDS transmission sets the
clock automatically.

Selecting “CT-ON”

During radio reception, press (SEL)
and (2) simultaneously.

The clock is set.

After one second, the display returns to
normal radio reception mode.

To select “CT-OFF,” press (SEL) and (2)
simultaneously again.

Notes

• The CT function may not work even though an RDS
station is being received.

• There might be a difference between the time set by
the CT function and the actual time.

20

Other Functions

You can also control the unit (and optional CD/
MD units) with a rotary commander (optional).

Using the rotary commander

By rotating the control

SEEK/AMS
control

First, attach the appropriate label depending on
how you want to mount the rotary commander.
The rotary commander works by pressing
buttons and/or rotating controls.

SEL

DSPL

MODE

MODE

DSPL

SEL

By pressing buttons

(SEL)

(SOURCE)

Rotate the VOL control
to adjust the volume.

Press To

(ATT)

(DSPL)

(MODE)

(OFF)

(SOURCE) Change the source

(Radio/CD/MD*1)/Power on

(MODE) Change operation

(Radio band/CD unit*1/MD

1

unit*

)

(ATT) Attenu ate the sound

2

(OFF)*

Stop playback or ra di o
reception/Power off

(SEL) A djust and select
(DSPL) Change the display item

Rotate and release to:

– Skip tracks.

To continuously skip tracks , rotate onc e and
rotate again within 2 seconds and hold the
control.

– Tune in stations automatically.

Rotate, hold, and release to:

– Fast-forward/reverse a track.
– Find a station manually.

By pushing in and rotating the control

PRESET/DISC
control

OFF

Push in and rotate the control to:

– Receive preset stations.
– Change discs during CD ( M D ) p la yb ack*1.
– Change albums*3.

*1 Only if the corresponding optional equipment is

connected.

*2 If your car has no ACC (accessory) position on the

ignition key switch, after turning off the ignition, be
sure to press and hold (OFF) until the display
disappears.

*3 Available only when an MP3 file is played.

continue to next page t

21

When an MP3 fil e is played, you can select an
album using the rotary commander.

(With this unit)

To Do this

Skip albums
–Album selection

Push in and rota t e [once for
each album] the control.
To continuousl y skip
albums, push in and rotate
(and hold) the control.

(With optional unit)

To Do this

Skip discs
–Disc selection

Skip albums
–Album selection

Push in and rota t e [once for
each disc] the cont rol.
To continuously skip discs,
push in and rotate on ce and
rotate again within
2 seconds (a nd hold) the
control.

1To enter Al bum selection

mode, push in, then rotate
and hold the control.
Within 2 seconds,
proceed to step 2.

2Push in, then rotate

quickly and re peatedly , to
skip albums one by one.

Changing the operative direction

The operative direction of controls is factory-set
as shown below.

To increase

To decrease

If you need to mount the rotary commander on
the right hand side of the steering column, you
can reverse the operative direction.

Adjusting the sound
characteristics

You can adjust the balance, fader, low pass filter
and subwoofer volume.

1 Press (SEL) repeatedly until “BAL,”

“FAD,” “LPF” or “SUB” appears.

Each time you press ( SEL ), the item changes
as follows:

1

LOW*

t MID*1 t HI*1 t

BAL (left-right) t F AD (front-rear) t
LPF (low pass fi lter)*
SUB (subwoofer volume)*

*1 When EQ3 is activated (page 24) .
*2 When “SUB” is selected (pa ge 23).
*3 The cut off frequency is adjustable to 78 Hz,

125 Hz, or OFF.

*4 The volume level is adjustable between –10 to

+10 steps. (Below –10, “ATT” is displayed.)

2*3

t

2*4

2 Press the volume +/– button to adjust

the selected item.

Note

Adjust within 3 seconds after selecting the item.

Quickly attenuating the
sound

Press (ATT).

After “ATT-ON” momentarily appears,
“ATT” appears in th e di splay.

To restore the previous volume level, press
(ATT) again.

Tip

When the interface cable of a car telephone is
connected to the ATT lead, the unit decreases the
volume automatically when a telephone call comes in
(Telephone ATT function).

Press (SEL) for 2 seconds while
pushing the VOL control.

22

Changing the sound and
display settings

The following items can be set:

• REAR/SUB*1 — to switch the audio output
REAR or SUB.
– Select “RE A R ” to output to a power

amplifier.

– Select “SU B ” t o output to a subwoofer.

• CT (Clock Time) (page 20)

• A.SCRL (Auto Sc roll)*2 (page 12).

• M.DSPL (Motion Display) — to turn the
motion display on or off.
– Select “ON” to activate the motion display

(The moving pattern appears in the display).

– Select “OFF” to deactivate the motion

display.

•DEMO*1 — to turn the demonstration display
on or off.
– Select “ON” to activate the demonstration

display (The dem onstration starts about 10
seconds after the unit is turned off).

– Select “OF F ” to deactivate the

demonstration display.

•BEEP*3 — to turn the beeps on or off.

• DIM — to change the brightness of the display.
– Sele c t “ ON” to dim the display.
– Select “OF F ” to deactivate the Dimmer.

Switching the REAR/SUB*

1

Press (SEL) and then press the
volume + (REAR) or – (SUB) button.

After 3 seconds, the display returns to normal
play mode.

Selecting the desired item

Press (SEL) and the desired button
simultaneously.

(SEL) + (2): CT
(SEL) + (3): A.SCRL*

2

(SEL) + (4): M.DSPL
(SEL) + (4): DEMO*
(SEL) + (6): BEEP*

1

3

(SEL) + (DSPL): DIM

After the mode setting is completed, the display
returns to normal play mode.

To cancel the item, press (SEL) and the desired
button simultaneously again.

*1 When the unit is turned off.
*2 When CD or MD is played.
*3 The beep sound is output only when the built-in

amplifier is used.

23

Setting the equalizer (EQ3)

You can select an equalizer curve fo r 7 mu sic
types (XPLOD, VOCAL, CLUB, JAZZ, NEW
AGE, ROCK, CUSTOM, and OFF (equalizer
OFF)).
You can store a different equalizer settin g for
each source.

Selecting the equalizer curve

1 Press (SOURCE) to select a source

(Radio, CD or MD).

2 Press (EQ3) repeatedly to select the

desired equalizer curve.

Each time you press (EQ3), the item
changes.

To cancel the equalizing effect, select “OFF.”

Adjusting the equalizer curve

You can store and adjust the equalizer set t ings
for different tone ranges.

1 Press (SOURCE) to select a source

(Radio, CD or MD).

2 Press (EQ3) repeatedly to select the

desired equalizer curve.

3 Adj usting the equalizer curve.

1 Press (SEL) repeatedly to select the

desired t one range.

Each time you press (SEL), the tone range
changes.

LOW t MID t HI (t BAL t FAD t
LPF t SUB)

2 Press the volume +/– button

repeatedly to adjust to the desired
volume level.

The volume level is adjustable by 1 dB
steps from –10 dB t o + 10 dB.

Setting the Dynamic
Soundstage Organizer (DSO)

If your speakers are installed into the lowe r part
of the doors, the sound will come from below
and may not be clear.
The DSO (Dynamic Soundstage Organizer)
function creates a more ambie nt so und as if there
were speakers above the dashboard (virtual
speakers).
You can store the D SO setting for each source.

DSO mode and image of virtual speakers

*3

*2

*1

*4

*1 DSO-1
*2 DSO-2
*3 DSO-3
*4 DSO-OFF

1 Press (SOURCE) to select a source

(Radio, CD or MD).

2 Press (DSO) repeatedly until the

desired DSO setting appears.

Each time you pr es s (DSO), the DSO setting
changes.

To cancel the DSO function, select “DSO­OFF.” After 1 second, the display returns to
normal play mode.

Notes

• Depending on the type of car interior or type of
music, DSO may not have a desirable effect.

• If FM broadcasts are difficult to hear, set DSO to
“OFF”.

*3
*2
*1

*4

3 Repeat st ep 1 and 2 to adjust the

equalizer curve.

To restore t he factory-set equali zer curve,
press (SEL) for 2 seconds.
After 1 second, the display returns to
normal play mode.

Note

When EQ3 is set to “OFF,” you cannot adjust the
equalizer settings.

24

Additional Information

Maintenance

Fuse replacement

When replacing t he fuse, be sure to use on e
matching the amperage rating stated on the
original fuse. If the fuse blows, check the power
connection and replace the fuse. If the fuse blows
again after replacement, there may be an internal
malfunction. In su ch a case, consult your near es t
Sony dealer.

Fuse (10 A)

Warning

Never use a fuse with an amperage rating
exceeding the one supplied with the unit as this
could damage the u ni t.

Cleaning the connectors

The unit may not function properly if the
connectors between the unit and the front panel
are not clean. In order to prevent this, detach the
front panel (p age 9) and clean the connect ors
with a cotton swab dipped in alcohol . D o no t
apply too much force. Otherwise, t he connectors
may be damaged.

Replacing the lithium battery

Under normal conditions, battery will last
approximately 1 year . (The serv ic e lif e may be
shorter, depending on the conditions of use.)
When the battery becomes weak, the range of the
card remote commander becomes shorter.
Replace the battery with a new CR2025 lithium
battery. Use of any other battery may present a
risk of fire or explosion.

x

+ side up

Notes on lithium battery

• Keep the lithium battery out of the reach of

children. Should th e battery be swallowed,
immediately consult a doctor.

• Wipe the battery with a dry cloth to assure a

good contact.

• Be sure to observe the correct polarity w hen

installing the battery.

• Do not hold the battery with metallic tweezers,

otherwise a shor t-circuit may occur.

Main unit

Back of the front panel

Notes

• For safety, turn off the ignition before cleaning the
connectors, and remove the key from the ignition
switch.

• Never touch the connectors directly with your fingers
or with any metal device.

WARNING

Battery may explode if mistreated.
Do not recharge, disassemble, or dispose of
in fire.

25

Removing the unit

1 Remove the protection collar.

1 Detach the front panel (pag e 9).
2 Engage the release keys together

with the protection collar.

2 Remove the unit.

1Insert both releas e keys together

until they click.

Face the hook
inwards.

Orient the release
key correctly.

3 Pull out the rel ease keys to remove

the protection collar.

2Pull the rele ase keys to unseat the

unit.

3Slide the unit out of the mounting.

26

Specifications

CD Player section

Signal-to-noise ratio 120 dB
Frequency response 10 – 20,000 Hz
Wow and flutter Below measurable limit

Tuner section

FM

Tuning range 87.5 – 108.0 MHz
Aerial terminal External aerial connector
Intermediate frequency 10.7 MHz/450 kHz
Usable sensitivity 9 dBf
Selectivity 75 dB at 400 kHz
Signal-to-noise ratio 67 dB (stereo),

Harmonic distortion at 1 kHz

Separation 35 dB at 1 kHz
Frequency response 30 – 15,000 Hz

69 dB (mono)

0.5 % (stereo),

0.3 % (mono)

MW/LW

Tuning range MW: 531 – 1,602 kHz
Aerial terminal External aerial connector

Intermediate frequency 10.7 MHz/450 kHz
Sensitivity MW: 30 µV

LW: 153 – 279 kHz

LW: 40 µV

Power amplifier section

Outputs Speaker outputs
Speaker impedance 4 – 8 ohms

Maximum power output 50 W × 4 (at 4 ohms)

(sure seal connectors)

General

Outputs Audio output terminals

Inputs Telephone ATT control

Tone controls Low:

Power requirements 12 V DC car battery
Dimensions Approx. 178 × 50 × 181 mm
Mounting dimensions Approx. 182 × 53 × 161 mm
Mass Approx. 1.2 kg

Supplied accessories Card remote commander

Optional accessories Rotary commander

Optional equipment CD changer (10 discs)

Note

This unit cannot be connected to a digital preamplifier
or an equalizer which is Sony BUS system compatible.

Design and specifications are subject to change
without notice.

(front, rear/sub switchable)
Power aerial relay control
terminal
Power amplifier control
terminal

terminal
Remote controller input
terminal
BUS control input terminal
BUS audio input terminal
Aerial input termina l

±10 dB at 60 Hz (XPLOD)
Mid:
±10 dB at 1 kHz (XPLOD)
High:
±10 dB at 10 kHz (XPLOD)

(negative earth)
(w/h/d)
(w/h/d)

RM-X115
Parts for installation and
connections (1 set)
Front panel case (1)

RM-X4S
BUS cable (supplied with
an RCA pin cord)
RC-61 (1 m), RC-62 (2m)

CDX-757MX
CD chang er (6 discs)
CDX-T70MX, CDX-T69
MD chang er (6 discs)
MDX-66XLP
Source selector
XA-C30
AUX-IN Selector
XA-300

27

Troubleshooting

The following checklist will help you remedy
problems you may encounter with your unit.
Before going through the checklist below, check
the connect i on and operating procedures.

General

No sound.

• Press the volume + button to adjust the
volume.

• Cancel the ATT function.

• Set the fader contro l to the centre posi tion for
a 2-speaker syste m.

• You tried to play back M P3 files with an
optional CD unit which is incompatib le with
MP3.
t Play back with a Sony MP3 compatible

CD unit, such as the CDX-T70MX.

The contents of the memory have been
erased.

• The RESET button has been pressed.
t Store again into the memory.

• The power lead or battery has been
disconnected.

• The power connecting lea d is not connected
properly.

No beep sound.

• The beep sound is cancelled (page 23).

• An optional power amp lifier is connected
and you are not using the built-in amplifier.

The display disappears from/does not
appear in the display window.

• The display disappears if y ou press and hold
(OFF).
t Press and hold (OFF) again until the

display appears.

• Remove the front panel a nd clean the
connectors. For detail s, se e “Cle anin g the
connectors” on pag e 25.

Stored stations and correct time are erased.
The fuse has blown.
Makes noise when the ignition key is in the
ON, ACC, or OFF posit ion.

The leads are no t matched correctly w i t h the
car’s accessory power connect or.

No power is being supplied to the unit.

• Check the connect i on. If everything is in
order, check the fuse.

• The car does not have an ACC position.
t Press (SOURCE) (o r insert a disc) t o turn

on the unit.

The power is continuously supplied to the
unit.

The car does not have an ACC po sition.

The power aerial does not extend.

The power aerial does not have a relay box.

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CD/MD playback

A disc cannot be loaded.

• Another CD is already loaded.

• The CD has been forcibly inserted upside
down or in the wrong way.

Playback does not begin.

• Defective MD or dirty CD.

• CD-R/CD-RW that is not finalized.

• You tried to play back a CD-R/CD-RW not
designed for audio use.

• Some CD-Rs/CD-RWs may not pla y due to
its recording equipment or the disc
condition.

MP3 files cannot be played back.

• Recording was not performed according to
the ISO 9660 level 1 or lev el 2 forma t, or the
Joliet or Romeo in the expansion format.

• The file extens ion “.MP3” is not added to the
file name.

• Files are not store d i n MP3 format.

MP3 files take longer to play back than
others.

The following discs take a longer time to start
playback.
–a disc recorded with complicated t ree

structure.

–a disc recorded in Multi Session.
–a disc to which data can be added.

A disc is automatically ejected.

The ambient tempe ra t ur e exceeds 50°C.

The operation buttons do not function.
CD will not be ejected.

Press the RESET button.

The sound skips from vi br a tion.

• The unit is installed at an angle of mor e than
45°.

• The unit is not ins t al le d in a sturdy part of
the car.

The sound skips.

Dirty or defect ive disc.

Cannot turn off the “--------” indication.

You entered the name edit mode.
t Press (PTY) (LIST) for 2 se conds.

Radio reception

Preset tuning is not possible.

• Store the correct frequency in the memory.

• The broadcast signal is too weak.

The stations cannot be received.
The sound is hampered by noises.

• Connect a power aerial co nt rol l ead (bl ue) or
accessory power supply lead (red) to the
power supply lead of a car’s aerial booster.
(Only when your car has built-in FM/MW/
LW aerial in the rear/side glass.)

• Check the connect i o n of the car aerial.

• The auto aerial will not go up.
t C heck the connection of the power aerial

control lead.

• Check the frequency.

• When the DSO mode is on, the sound is
sometimes hampered by noises.
t Set the DSO mode to “OFF” (page 24).

Automatic tuning is not possible.

• The local seek mode is set to “ON.”
t S et the local seek mode to “OFF”

(page 16).

• The broadcast signal is too weak.
t Perform manual tuning.

The “ST” indication flashes.

• Tune in the frequency accura te l y.

• The broadcast signal is too weak.
t Set the monaural reception mode to

“ON” (page 16).

A programme broadcast in stereo is heard
in monaura l .

The unit is in monaural reception mode.
t Cancel monaural rece pt i on m ode

(page 16).

RDS

The SEEK starts after a few seconds of
listening.

The station is non-TP or ha s w eak signal.
t Press (AF/TA) repeatedly until “AF, TA -

OFF” appears.

No traffic announcements.

• Activate “TA.”

• The station does not broadcast any traffic
announcements des pi t e being TP.
t Tune in another station.

PTY displays “--------.”

• The current stati on is not an RDS statio n.

• RDS data has not been receiv ed.

Error displays/Messages

Error displays

(For this unit and optiona l CD/MD changers)

The following indica tions will flash for ab out
5 seconds , a nd an alarm sound will be heard.

BLANK*

ERROR*

FAILURE

HI TEMP

NO DISC

NO MAG

NO MUSIC

NOTREADY

OFFSET

RESET

1

No tracks have been recorded on an MD.*

2

t Play an MD with recorded tracks on it.

1

• A CD is dirty or inserted upside d own.*

2

t Clean or insert the CD correctly.

• A CD/MD cannot play because of some
problem.
t Insert another CD/MD.

The connection of speakers/amplifiers is
incorrect.
t See the installation guide manual of this

model to check the connection.

The ambient temp er at ure is more than 50°C.
t Wait until the temperature goes down

below 50°C.

No disc is inserted in the CD/MD unit.
t Insert discs in the CD/MD unit.

The disc magazine is not i nserted in the CD
unit.
t Insert the m agazine in the CD unit.

A CD which is not a music file is inserted in
the MP3 playable CD unit.
t Insert a music CD in the MP3 playable CD

unit.

The lid of the MD unit is open or the MDs are
not inserte d properly.
t Cl ose the lid or insert the M D s pr operly.

There may be an internal malfunction.
t Check the connection. If the error

indication remains on in the display,
consult your nearest Sony dealer.

The CD/MD unit ca nnot be operated because
of some problem.
t Press the RESET button on the unit.

continue to next page t

29

*1 When an error occurs during playback of a CD or

MD, the disc number of the CD or MD does not
appear in the display.

*2 The disc number of the disc causing the error

appears in the display.

If these solutions do not help improve the
situation, consult your nearest Sony dealer.

Messages

L.SEEK +/–

The local seek mode is on during automatic
tuning (page 16).

NO AF

There is no altenative frequency for the current
station.

“ ” or “ ”

You have reached the beginning or the end of
the disc and you cannot go any further.

30