Sony CD-XM850MP User Manual

FM/AM
Compact Disc
Player

3-251-114-11 (3)

Operating Instructi on s
Mode d’emploi
Manual de instrucciones

Owner’s Record

The model and serial numbers are located on the bot tom of the unit.
Record these numbers in the spa ce provided below.
Refer to these numbers whenever you call upon your Sony dealer regarding this produc t.

Model No. CDX-M850MP Serial No.

For installation and connections, see the supplied installation/connections manual.
En ce qui concerne l’installation et les connexions, consulter le manuel
d’installation/raccordement fourni.
Para obtener información sobre la instalación y las conexiones, consulte el ma nua l
de instalación/conexiones suministrado.

US
FR
ES

CDX-M850MP

© 2003 Sony Corporation

Warning

–
–

–

–

Welcome !

This equipment has been tested and found to
comply with the limits for a Class B digital
device, pursuant to Part 15 of the FCC Rules.
These limits are designed to provide reasonable
protection against harmful interference in a
residential installation. This equipment
generates, uses, and can radiate radio frequency
energy and, if not installed and used in
accordance with the instructions, may cause
harmful interference to radio communications.
However, there is no guarantee that interference
will not occur in a particular installation. If this
equipment does cause harmful interference to
radio or television reception, which can be
determined by turning the equipment off and on,
the user is encouraged to try to correct the
interference by one or more of the following
measures:

Reorient or relocate the receiving antenna.
Increase the separation between the equipment

and receiver.

Connect the equipment into an outlet on a
circuit different from that to which the receiver
is connected.

Consult the dealer or an experienced radio/TV
technician for help.

You are cautioned that any changes or
modifications not expressly approved in this
manual could void your authority to operate this
equipment.

Thank you for purchasing this Sony Compact
Disc Player. You can enjoy its various features
even mo re with:

• MP3 file playback.

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

• Discs recorded in Multi Session (CD-Extra,
Mixed CD, etc.) can be played, depending on
the recording method (page 8).

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

•ID3 tag*

1

.

2

version 1 information (displayed

when an MP3 file is played).

• CD TEXT information (displayed when a CD
TEXT disc*

3

is played).

• Supplied controller accessory

Card remote commander RM-X110

• Optional controller accessories

Wireless rotary commander RM-X6S
Wired rotary commander RM-X4S

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

about album name, artist name, track name, etc.

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

information such as the disc name, artist name,
and track names. This information is recorded on
the disc.

CAUTION

The use of optical instruments with this product
will increase eye hazard.

The “XM Ready” logo indicates that this product
will control a Sony XM tuner module (sold
separately).
Please see your nearest authorized Sony dealer
for details on the XM tuner module.
For instructions on XM tuner operation, please
refer to the XM tuner module’s included
instruction manual.

2

Table of Contents

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

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

Notes on discs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

About MP3 files . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8

Getting Started

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

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

CD Player
CD/MD Unit (optional)

Playing a disc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

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

Playing tracks repeatedly

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

Playing tracks in ra ndom order

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

Labeling 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

Storing station names

— Station Memo. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17

Tuning in a station through a list

— List-up . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18

Other Functions

Using the rotary commander. . . . . . . . . . . . 18

Adjusting the sound characteristics . . . . . . 20

Quickly attenuating the sound . . . . . . . . . . 2 0

Changing the sound and display settings

— Menu . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21

Setting the equalizer (EQ7). . . . . . . . . . . . . 22

Setting the Dynamic Soundstage Organizer

(DSO). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23

Selecting the display mode

and display image. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23

Connecting auxiliary audio equipment . . . . 2 4

Additional Information

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

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

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

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

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

3

Location of controls

Card remote commander RM-X110

2

5

MODE

+

DISC

SOURCE

–

DISC

+

VOL

OPEN/CLOSE

3

6

LIST

SEEK

ENTER

ATTOFF

+

SCRL

DSPL

REP SHUF

1

4

EQ7 DSO

MENU

–

SEEK

S

O

U

N

D

–

Refer to the pages listed for details.

a SCRL (scroll) button 12
b DSPL (display mode change) button

12, 14

c Number buttons

(1) REP 13
(2) SHUF 13

T o store stations/receive stored stations.

d EQ7 button 22
e MENU button

To display the me nus .

f SOURCE (Power on/Radio/CD/MD*

1

AUX*2) button
T o select the source.

g SEEK/AMS (</,) but tons

To skip tracks/fast-forward, reverse a track/
tune in stations automatically, find a station
manually/select a setting.

h SOUND button 20
i OFF (Stop/Power off) button

11, 21,

24

j VOL (+/–) bu ttons

To turn up or down the volume.

(DISC) (M):

to select upwards

+

(SEEK) (<):

to select
leftwards

In menu mode, the currently selectable button(s) of
these f our are indicated with a “ v” in the display.

Note

If the display disappears by pressing (OFF), it cannot

DISC

SOURCE

–

SEEK

–

DISC

(DISC) (m):

to select downwards

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

Refer to “Replacing the lithium battery” for deta ils on
how to replace the batteries (page 25).

k OPEN/CLOSE button 10, 11
l MODE button

To change the operation.

m DSO button 23
n LIST button 15, 18
o DISC/ALBUM (M/m) buttons

To receive preset stations/change the disc*
skip albums*

4

/select a menu .

p ENTER button

/

To ent er a se tting.

q A TT button 20

*1 When an optional MD unit is connected.
*2 Available only when an optional Sony portable

device is connected to AUX IN terminal of the unit.
You cannot connect any optional CD/MD units at
the same time.

*3 When an optional CD/MD unit is connected.
*4 Available only when an MP3 file is played.

(SEEK) (,):

+

SEEK

to select
rightwards

3

,

4

Main display side

Operation side

The buttons on the unit share the same
functions as those on the card remote
commander.

a OPEN button 10, 11
b Main display window
c IMAGE button 23
d qf Receptor for the car d re mo te

commander

e qs RESET button 9
f OFF (Stop/Power of f) button*

1

g SCRL (scroll) button
h DSPL (display mode change) button
i Sub display window
j SEEK/AMS (.m/M>) button
k MENU button
m LIST/CAT*
o

CLOSE (front panel close) button

2

button

10

CDX-M850MP

p SOURCE button
q MODE button
r VOL (–/+) button
s DSO button
t EQ7 button
u SOUND button
v DISC/ALBUM (+/–) buttons
w ENTER button
x Z (eject) button 11

continue to next page t

5

*1 Warning when installing in a car

without an ACC (accessory) position
on the ignition switch

After turning of f the ignition, be sure to
press and hold (OFF) on th e u nit un ti l the
display disappears.

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

*2 (CAT) is available only when the XM tuner is

connected.

Selecting a disc and album

Disc and album can be skipped using the DISC/
ALBUM (M/m) buttons.

(With this unit)

To Press

Skip albums*
–Album selection

M or m [once for each
album]
To continuo usly skip
albums, press and hold
either button.

Precautions

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

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

Caution

While driving, do not use the CUSTOM FILE
feature or any other functions which may divert
your attention fro m the road.

If you have any questions or prob le ms
concerning your unit that are not covered in this
manual, please co ns ult your nearest Sony deale r.

Moisture condensation

On a rainy day or in a very dam p area, moisture
condensation may 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 the
moisture has evaporated.

(With optional unit)

To Press

Skip discs
–Disc selection

Skip albums*
–Album selection

* Available only when an MP3 file is played.

M or m [once for each di sc]
To continuously skip discs,
press once and press again
within about 1 second (and
hold) either button.

M or m [hold for a moment]
and release.
To continuo usly skip
albums, press (and hold)
within about 1 second of
first releasing the button.

Skipping tracks continuo usly

Press once either SEEK/AMS (< or ,)
button, then press agai n w i thin about 1
second and hold .

To maintain high sound quality

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

6

Notes on discs

• T o kee p the dis c clean, do not touc h the surf ace.
Handle the disc by its edge.

• Keep your discs in the ir cases or disc
magazines when not in use.
Do not subject the discs to heat/high
temperature. Avoid leaving them in parked cars
or on dashboard s/ rear trays.

• Do not attach labels, or use discs with sticky
ink/residue. Such discs may stop spi nning
when used, causing a malfunction, or may ruin
the disc.

• Before playing, clean the discs with a
commercially available cle ani ng cloth. Wipe
each disc from the center out. Do not use
solvents such as benz ine, thinner , commerc ially
available cleaners, or antis ta t ic spray intended
for analog discs.

Music discs encoded with copyright
protection

This product is de si gned to play back di scs that
conform to the Compact Disc (CD) standard.
Recently, various music di scs encoded with
copyright protect io n ar e marketed by some
record companie s. Pl ea se be aware that am ong
those discs, th ere are so me that do not confo rm to
the CD standard and may not be playable 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

• Do not use any discs w i t h labels or stickers
attached.
The following malfunctions may result from
using such dis cs:
– 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 skipping, or no playback) due to
heat shrinking of a sticker or label causing a
disc to warp.

• Discs with non-standard shapes (e.g., heart,
square, star) cannot be played on this un i t.
Attempting to do so may damage the unit. Do
not use such discs.

• You cannot play 8 cm (3 in) CDs.

Audio CD

MP3 files

• Some CD-Rs/CD-RWs (depending on the
equipment use d 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 re corded on CD­ROMs, CD-Rs, and CD-RW s.

• A CD-R/CD-RW to which a session can be
added can be pl ayed.

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

disc to be played on the audio CD player.

7

About MP3 files

MP3 (MPEG 1 Audio Layer-3) is a standard
technology and fo rm at for compressing a sound
sequence. The file is compressed to about 1/10 of
its original size. Sounds outside the range of
human hearing are compressed while the sounds
we can hear are not co m pr essed.

Notes on discs

You can play MP3 files reco rded on CD-ROMs,
CD-Rs, and CD-RWs.
The disc must be in the ISO 9660*
level 2 format, or Joliet or Romeo in the
expansion format*

2

.

You can use a disc recorded in Multi Session*

1

ISO 9660 Format

*

The most common international standard for
the logical format of files and fold er s 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. Folder names
can be no longer than 8 characters. 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 trees.
For Joliet or Romeo in the expansion format,
make sure of the contents of the writing
software, etc.

2

*

Expansion format

Joliet: The maximum number of characters
for album (folder) names/track (file) names
that can be displayed is 32 each.
Romeo: The maximum number of characters
for album (folder) names/track (file) names
that can be displayed is 64 each.

3

*

Multi Session

This is a recording m ethod that enables
adding of data using the Track-At-Once
method. Conventional CDs begin at a CD
control area called the Lead-in and end at an
area called Lead-o ut. A Multi S essio n CD is a
CD having multiple sessions, with each
segment from Lead-in to Lead-out regarded
as a single sess ion.
CD-Extra: The format which records audio
(audio CD data) as tra cks on session 1, and
records data as tracks on session 2.
Mixed CD: In this format, data is recorded as
track 1, and audio (audio CD data) is recorded
as track 2.

1

level 1 or

3

Notes

• With formats other than ISO 9660 level 1 and level 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 prop er l y 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.

• If you play a high-bit rate MP3 file such as 320 kbps,
sound may be intermittent.

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 is played back.
Non-audio CD data/MP3 file information (track
number, time, etc.) is di splayed with no sound.

• 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) play

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.)

8

The playback order of the MP3 files

The playback order of the folders an d files is as
follows:

Folder (album)

1

1

MP3 file (track)

2

2

3

3

4

5

6

6

7

5

4

7

8

Getting Started

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.
Press the RESET button with a pointed object,
such as a ball-point pen.

RESET button

Resetting the unit during use in sub­display position

RESET button

8

9

Tree 1
(root)

Notes

• A folder th at do es no t in cl ud e an MP3 f i le i s ski pp e d.

• 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.

• The maximum number of trees which can be played
is 8.

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

Notes

• After resetting the unit in the closed position, be sure
to press (OPEN) on the unit once before operating
further. If a disc is in the unit, the disc will be ejected
automatically. Insert the disc again.

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

• After resetting the unit, press (OPEN/CLOSE) on the
card remote commander to make sure the front
panel opens and closes correctly once before
operating further.

9

Setting the clock

The clock uses a 12-hour digital indication.
Example: To set the clock to 10:08

1 Press (MENU), then press M or m

repeatedly until “Clock Adjust”
appears.

CD Player
CD/MD Unit (optional)

In additi on to playi ng a CD with this unit, you
can also control external CD/MD units.

Note

If you connect an optional CD unit with the CD TEXT
function, the CD TEXT information will appear in the
display when you play a CD TEXT disc.

1 Press (ENTER).

The hour indication flashes.

2 Press M or m to set the hour.
3 Press ,.

The minute indication flashes.

4 Press M or m to set the minute.

2 Press (ENTER).

The clock starts. Af ter the clock setting is
completed, the display return s to no rma l play
mode.

Tip

When Clock mode is set to on, the time is displayed
only when normal play mode is selected. (In the sub
display window, the time is always displayed.) (page

21).

Playing a disc

(With this unit)

1 Press (OPEN/CLOSE) or (OPEN) on the

unit and insert the disc (la bel ed side
up).

Playback starts automatically.

2 Press (OPEN/CLOSE) or (CLOSE) on

the unit to close the front panel.

If a disc is already inserted, press (SOURCE)
repeatedly until “CD” appears to start playback.

10

To Press

Stop playba ck (OFF)
Eject the disc (OPEN/CLOSE) or

(OPEN) then Z on the unit

Skip tracks
–Automatic

(SEEK) (</,)
[once for each tr ack]

Music Sensor

Fast-forward/
reverse

(SEEK) (</,)
[hold to desired p o i nt ]

–Manual Search
Skip albums*

–Album selection

(DISC) (M/m)
[hold to desired p o i nt ]

(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*
– Album selection

(DISC) (M/m)

2

(DISC) (M/m)
[hold to desired point]

* Available only when an MP3 file is played.

To skip tracks continuously, press < or ,,
then press again with i n about 1 secon d and hold.

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. Please wait for play to start automatically
when the reading is complete.

• Depending on the condition of the disc, it may not
play back (page 7, 8).

• While the first/last track on the disc is playing, if
< or , is pressed, playback skips 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.

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

• If you play a high-bit rate MP3 file such as 320 kbps,
sound may be intermittent.

*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.” If “MS” appears in the source
display, MGS-X1 starts to play. If “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.

Notes when pla ying ba ck a di sc with non-audi o CD
data/MP3 file

If a disc with non-audio CD data/MP3 file 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.

11

Display items

When the disc/album/track changes, any
prerecorded title*
automatically displayed (if the Auto Scroll
function is set to “on,” names exceeding 12
characters w il l b e scrolled (pag e 21)).

Music source

1

of the new disc/album/track is

MP3*2/MDLP display*2*

MP3: MP3 playback
LP2: LP2 playback
LP4: LP4 playback

Displayable items

• Disc name*4*

artist name

• Album name*1*

• T rack name*

• ID3 tag*1*

5

/

6

*

7

1

7

Clock

Notes

• Some characters cannot be displayed. Characters
and signs which cannot be displayed appear as “ x.”

• 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 o f a CD TEXT disc or an album.

Notes on MP3

• ID3 tag applies only to version 1.

• Some characters cannot be displayed. Characters

3

and signs which cannot be displayed appear as “ x.”
The maximum number of characters for album
(folder) names/track (file) names tha t can be
displayed is 64 each. ID3 tag is up to 30 characters.

• 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.

Tip

When A.Scroll (Auto Scroll) is set to off, and the disc/
track/album is changed, the disc/track/album name or
ID3 tag does not scroll.

Displayable
items

Track
number

Elapsed
playing time

• Disc number

•Album
number*

7

To Press

Switch display

(DSPL)

item
Scroll display item (SCRL)

*1 When pressing (DSPL), “NO Disc Name” or “NO

T rack Name” indicates that there is no disc name or
track name and “NO ID3 Tag” indicates that there is
no ID3 tag.

*2 “MP3”/“MDLP” appears in the display (below the

clock), depending on the REP, SHUF setting.

*3 Available only when an optional MD unit with the

MDLP function is connected, and an MDLP disc is
played.

*4 When pressing (DSPL), “NO Disc Name” or “NO

Track Name” indicates that there is no Disc Memo
(page 14) or prerecorded name to display.

*5 If the disc has been labeled by this unit using the

CUSTOM FILE function, Disc Memo is displayed
preferentially.

*6 Only for CD TEXT discs with the artist name.
*7 Available only when an MP3 file is played.

12

Playing tracks repeatedly

— Repeat Play

You can select:

• REP-Track — to repeat the current track.

•REP-Album*
current album.

•REP-Disc*
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 (1) (REP)
repeatedly until the desired setting
appears in the display.

Repeat Play starts .

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

1

— to repeat the tracks in the

2

— to repeat the tracks in the

Playing tracks in random
order

— Shuffle Play

You can select:

• SHUF-Album*
current optional CD un it w i th th e MP3 file
control function in random order.

• SHUF-Disc — to play the tracks on the current
disc in random order.

• SHUF-Changer*
current optional CD (MD) unit in random
order.

• SHUF-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 (2) (SHUF)
repeatedly until the desired setting
appears in the display.

Shuffl e Play starts.

To return to normal play mode, select “SHUF­off.”

Note

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

1

— to play the albums in the

2

— to play the tracks in the

3

— to play all the tra c k s in all the

13

Labeling a CD

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

You can label each disc wit 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 (MENU), then press M or m

repeatedly until “Name Edit” appears.

3 Press (ENTER).

4 Enter the characters.

1

1 Press M*

desired c haracter.

A t B t C ... t 0 t 1 t 2 ... t +

t – t

*1 For reverse order, press m.
*2 (blank space)

2 Press , after locating the desired

character.

If you press <, you can move back to the
left.

3 Repeat steps 1 and 2 to ente r the

entire name.

5 To return to normal play mode, press

(ENTER).

repeatedly to select the

... t *2 t A

*

Tips

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

• There is another way to start labeling a CD: Press
(LIST) for 2 seconds instead of performing steps 2
and 3. You can also complete the operation by
pressing (LIST) for 2 seconds instead of step 5.

• 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.

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

To find out about oth er items that can be displayed,
see 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 (MENU), th en press M or m

repeatedly until “Name Delete”
appears.

4 Press (ENTER).

The stored names will appear.

5 Press M or m repeatedly to select the

disc name you want to erase.

6 Press (ENTER) for 2 seconds.

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

7 Press (MENU) twice.

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 Press (LIST).

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

2 Press M or m repeatedly until you find

the desired disc.

3 Press (ENTER) to play the disc.

Note

Some letters cannot be displayed (exception: the
letters stored by Disc Memo).

1

or for CD TEXT

Radio

The unit can store up to 6 stations per band
(FM1, FM2, FM3, AM1, an d AM 2).

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 sta tions 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 (MENU), then press M or m

repeatedly until “BTM” appears.

4 Press (ENTER).

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.

Tip

Press M or m to receive the stations in the order they
are stored in the memory (Preset Search function).

If preset tuning does not work

Press (SEEK) (<) or (SEEK) (,) to
search for the station (automatic
tuning).

Scanning stops when the unit receives a
station. Repeat until the desired station is
received.

Tips

• If automatic tuning stops too frequently, turn on the
Local Seek to limit seek to stations with stronger
signals. See “Changing the sound and display
settings” on page 21.

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

If FM stereo reception is poor

Select monaural reception mode

See “Changing the s ound and display
settings” on page 21.
The sound improves, but bec om es monaural
(“ST” disappears).

Note

If interference occurs, this unit will automatically
narrow the reception frequency to eliminate noise (IF
Auto function). In such cases, some FM stereo
broadcasts may become monaural while in the stereo
reception mode.

Tips

• To always hear FM stereo broadcasts in stereo, you
can change the IF Auto setting and widen the
frequency signal reception. See “Changing the
sound and display settings” on page 21. Note that
some interference may occur in this setting.

• If FM broadcasts are difficult to hear, set DSO to off
(page 23).

Storing only the desired
stations

You can manually prese t the desired station s 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

Storing station names

— Station Memo

You can assign a name to ea ch r adio station and
store it in memory. The name of the station
currently tuned in appears in the display. Y ou can
assign a name usi ng up to 8 characters for a
station.

Storing the station names

1 Tune in a station whose name you

want to store.

2 Press (MENU), then press M or m

repeatedly until “Name Edit” appears.

3 Press (ENTER).

4 Enter the characte rs.

1

1 Press M*

desired character.

A t B t C ... t 0 t 1 t 2 ... t +

t – t

*1 For reverse order, press m.
*2 (blank space)

2 Press , aft er lo cat i ng th e desired

character.

repeatedly to select the

... t *2 t A

*

Erasing the station name

1 During radio reception, press (MENU),

then press M or m repeatedly until
“Name Delete” appears.

2 Press (ENTER).
3 Press M or m repeatedly to select the

station whose name you want to
erase.

4 Press (ENTER) for 2 secon d s.

The name is erased.
Repeat steps 3 to 4 if you want to erase other
names.

5 Press (MENU) twice.

The unit retu rns to normal radio receptio n
mode.

Note

If you have already erased all of the station names,
“NO Data” appears in step 4.

If you press <, you can move back to the
left.

3 Repeat steps 1 and 2 to enter the

entire name.

5 Press (ENTER).

Tips

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

name.

• There is another way to start storing station names:

Press (LIST) for 2 seconds instead of performing
steps 2 and 3. You can also complete the operation
by pressing (LIST) for 2 seconds instead of step 5.

17

Tuning in a station through a
list

— List-up

1 During radio reception, press (LIST)

momentarily.

The frequency or the na m e as si gned to the
current station appears in the display.

2 Press M or m repeatedly until you find

the desired station.

If no name is assign ed to the selected stat io n,
the frequency appears in the display.

3 Press (ENTER) to tune in the desired

station.

Other Functions

You can also control the uni t (an d optional CD/
MD units ) with a rota ry comman de r (optional).

Using the rotary commander

First, attach the app ro priate label depending on
how you want to mount the rot a ry commander.
The rotary commander works by pressing
buttons and/or rota ti ng controls.

SOUND

MODE

DSPL

By pressing buttons

(SOUND)

DSPL

MODE

SOUND

(ATT)

(MODE)

18

(SOURCE)

(DSPL)

Rotate the VOL control
to adjust the volume.

Press To

(SOURCE) Change source

(radio/CD/MD*

(OFF)

1

/AUX*2)/

Power on

(MODE) Change operati on

(radio band/CD unit/MD*
unit)

(ATT) Attenuate sound

3

(OFF)*

Stop playback or ra dio
reception/Power off

(SOUND) Adjust th e sound menu
(DSPL) Change the display item

(For 2 se c onds to scroll the
display item)

OFF

1

By rotating the control

SEEK/AMS
control

Rotate and release to:

– Skip tracks.
– 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

(With optional unit)

To Do this

Skip discs
–Disc selection

Push in and rotate [once for
each disc] the control.
To continuously skip disc s,
push in an d rotate once and
rotate again within about 1
second (and hold ) the
control.

Skip albums
– Album selection

Push in an d rotate the
control [hold for a moment ]
and release.
To continuously skip
albums, push in and rotate
again (and hold) wi th in
about 1 second of first
releasing the control.

Changing the operative direction

The operative directi on of controls is facto ry-set
as shown below.

To increase

Push in and rotate the control to:

– Receive preset station s .
– Change discs during CD (MD) pl ayback*
– Change albums*

*1 Only if the corresponding optional equipment is

connected.

*2 Available only when an optional Sony portable

device is connected to AUX IN terminal of the unit.
You cannot connect any optional CD/MD units at
the same time.

*3 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.

*4 Available only when an MP3 file is played.

4

.

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

(With this unit)

To Do this

Skip albums
–Album selection

Push in and rotate [once for
each album] t he control.
To continuously skip
albums, push in and rotate
(and hold) the co ntrol.

To decrease

If you need to mount the rotary commander on

1

the right hand side of the steering column, you

.

can reverse the operative direct io n.

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

19

Adjusting the sound
characteristics

Quickly attenuating the
sound

You can adjust the bass, treble, balance, fader,
and subwoofer volume.

1 Press (SOUND) repeatedly to select

the desired item.

Each time you press (SOUND), the item
changes as foll ows:

BASS (bass) t TREBLE (treble)
t BALANCE (left-right) t
FADER (front-rear)
SUB (subwoofer volume)

t

2 Adjust the level of a selected item by

pressing < or ,.

When adjusting with the rotary commander,
press (SOUND) and rotate the VOL control.

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

Note

Adjust within 3 seconds after selecting the item.

(With the rotary commander or the card
remote commander)

Press (ATT).

“ATT on” appears in the display momentarily.

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).

20

Changing the sound and
display settings

— Menu

The following items can be set:

Set up

• Clock Adjust (page 10)

• Beep — to turn the beeps on or off.

• AUX-A (page 24) — to turn the AUX source

display on or off.

Display

• Clock (Clock Information) — to display the

clock and the play mode at the same time (on).

• A.IMG (Auto Im age) (page 24) — to step

through the display images of one or all display
modes.

• Demo (Demonstration) — to turn the

Demonstration mode on or off.
– Select “on” to activate Demo display.
– Select “off” to deactivate the Demonstration

mode.

• Info (Display Inf o r m ation) — to displa y th e

display items (depending on the source, etc.) at
the bottom of the display wh ile a di spla y image
is displayed:
– Select “on” to display the display items, and

by pressing (DSPL), the display item will
change.

– Select “off” to not display any display items.

• Dimmer — to change the brightness of the

display.
– Select “Auto” to dim the display only w hen

you turn the lights on.
– Select “on” to dim the display.
– Select “off” to deactivate the Dimmer.

• Contrast* — to adjust the cont rast if the
indications on the display are not recognizable
because of the unit’s installatio n position.

• BlackOut — to blacken the display, while the
operation mode is on.
– Select “on” to black out the indications.

The indications will disappear, but the unit
will react if you press any button.

– Select “off” to brighten the display.

• A.Scroll (Aut o Scroll)
– Select “on” to scroll all automatically

displayed nam es exceeding 12 characters .

– When Auto scroll is set to off and the disc/

track/album is changed, the disc/track/album
name or ID3 tag does not scroll.

Sound

• HPF (High pass filter)
– to select the cut-off frequ ency to “78Hz,”

“125Hz,” or “off.”

• LPF (Low pass filter)
– to select the cut-off frequ ency to “78Hz,”

“125Hz,” or “off.”

• Loudness
– to enjoy bass and treble even at low volumes.

The bass and treble will be reinforced.

• AUX Level (page 24) — to adjust the volume
level of connected auxiliary equipment.

Play Mode

• Local on/off (Local seek mode) (page 16)
– Select “on” to only tune into stations with

stronger signal s.

• Mono on/off (Monaural mode) (page 16)
– Select “on” to hear FM stereo broadcast in

monaural. Select “off” to return to normal
mode.

• IF Auto/Wide (page 16)

1 Press (MENU).

To set Demo, press (OFF), then press
(MENU).

To set A.Scroll, pres s (MENU) du ri ng CD/
MD playback.

2 Press M or m repeatedly until the

desired item appears.

3 Press < or , to select the desi red

setting (Example: “on” or “off”).

4 Press (ENTER).

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

Note

The displayed item will differ depending on the source.

Tip

Y ou can easily switch among categories by pressing M
or m for 2 seconds.

* “Contrast” appears only in the sub display window.

You can adjust the contrast of the sub display
window only.

21

Setting the equalizer (EQ7)

You can select an equalizer cu rve for 7 music
types (Xplod, VOCAL, CLUB , JAZZ,
NEWAGE, ROCK, CUSTOM), and OFF
(equalizer off).
You can store and adjust th e equalizer settings
for frequency and level.
You can store the EQ7 setting for each source.

Selecting the equalizer curve

1 Press (SOURCE) to select a desired

source.

2 Press (EQ7) repeatedly to select a

desired equalizer curve.

Each time you press (EQ7), th e item
changes.

To cancel the equalizing effect, select “OFF.”
After 3 seconds, the display returns to the
normal play mode.

Adjusting the equalizer curve

1 Press (MENU).
2 Press M or m repeatedly until “EQ7

Tu ne” appears, then press (ENTER).

3 Press < or , to select the desired

equalizer curve , th en press (ENTER).

Each time you press < or ,, the item
changes.

4 Select the desired frequency and level.

1Press < or , to select the des ir ed

frequency.

Each time you pre ss < or ,, the
frequency changes as follows:

62Hz y 157Hz y 396Hz y 1.0kHz
y 2.5kHz y 6.3kHz y 16kHz

2Press M or m to adjust the desired

volume level.

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

22

To restore the facto ry-set equalizer c urve,
press (ENTER) for 2 secon d s.

5 Press (ENTER).

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

Setting the Dynamic
Soundstage Organizer (DSO)

Selecting the display mode
and display image

If your speakers are installed into the lower part
of the doors, the so und will come from bel ow
and may not be clear.
The DSO (Dynamic So undstage Organizer)
function creates a more ambient sound as if there
were speakers in the dashboard (virtual
speakers).
You can store the DSO sett i ng for each source.

1 Press (SOURCE) to select a desired

source.

2 Press (DSO) to select “1, 2, 3” or

“OFF”.

To cancel the DSO mode, select “DSO OFF.”
After 3 seconds, the display returns to the
normal play mode.

Notes

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

• If FM broadcasts are difficult to hear, set DSO to off.

You can select from 3 different di splay modes.
You can also select various display images in
Wa llpaper mode (1-2), Spectrum analyzer mode
(1-5) and Movie mode (1-3).

Note

The default setting of Auto Image mode is “A.IMG-All.”
After a few seconds of releasing (IMAGE), the unit
returns to Auto Image mode. If you want to display a
display image, set to “A.IMG-off” (page 24).

Selecting the display image

1 Press (SOURCE) to select a desired

source.

2 Press (IMAGE) on the unit repeatedly

to select the desired display image.

Example: Wallpaper mode

Each time you press (IMAGE), the display
image changes as follows:

Wallpaper mode 1-2 t Spectrum
analyzer mode 1-5 t Movie mode 1-3

t normal play mode

To cancel this mode, select normal pl ay mode.

continue to next page t

23

Selecting the Auto Image mode

Auto Image mode automatically steps (every 10
seconds) through the d ispla y image s of o ne or a ll
display modes as follows:

• A.IMG-All — to shuff le repeatedly the display
images in all display modes.

• A.IMG-Sa — to step repeatedly through the
display images of Spectrum analyzer mode.

• A.IMG-Movie — t o step repeatedly th rough
the display images of Movie mode.

1 Press (SOURCE) to select a desired

source.

2 Press (MENU).
3 Press M or m repeatedly until “A.IMG”

appears.

4 Press < or , repeatedly to select the

desired setting.

5 Press (ENTER).

T o cancel Auto Image mode, select “A.IMG-off.”

Tips

• During Auto Image mode, if you press (IMAGE), the
display image will change. After a few seconds of
releasing (IMAGE), this unit returns to the former
Auto Image setting.

• If you set Info mode to off, no display items will
appear (page 21).

Connecting auxiliary audi o
equipment

The unit’s AUX IN (external audio input)
terminal on this unit is also used as the BUS
AUDIO IN (audio input) terminal.
You can listen to the sound f ro m your car
speakers by connecting optional Sony portable
devices.

Note

If you connect an optional Sony CD/MD unit, you
cannot connect any portable devices and “AUX” will
not appear in the display as a source.

Selecting auxiliary equipment

Press (SOURCE) repeatedly to select
“AUX.”

Adjusting the volume level

You can adjust the volume for eac h connected
audio equipment.

1 Press (MENU).
2 Press M or m repeatedly to select

“AUX Level.”

3 Press (ENTER).
4 Press M or m repeatedly to select a

desired volume level.

The volume level is adjustable in 1 dB steps
from –6 dB to +6 dB.

5 Press (ENTER).

24

To deactivate auxiliary equipment in
the music source display

1 Press (OFF).

CD playback or radio r eception stops.

2 Press (MENU).
3 Press M or m repeatedly until “ AUX-A

on” appears.

4 Press , to select “AUX-A off.”
5 Press (MENU).

T o restore the ind i cation, sele ct “AUX-A on.”

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 nearest
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.

Replacing the lithium battery

Under normal conditions, batteries 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.

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 Engage the release keys together

with the protection collar.

Orient the release
key correctly.

2 Pull out the release keys to remove

the protection collar.

2 Remove the unit.

1 Insert both release keys together

until they click.

Face the hook
inwards.

2 Pull the release keys to unseat the

unit.

3 Slide the unit out of the mounting.

26

Specifications

AUDIO POWER SPECIFICATIONS

POWER OUTPUT AND TOTAL HARMONIC DISTORTION

23.2 watts per channel minimum continuous average power into 4 ohms,
4 channels driven from 20 Hz to 20 kHz with no more than 5% total
harmonic distortion.

CD Player section

Signal-to-noise ratio 90 dB
Frequency response 10 – 20,000 Hz
Wow and flutter Below measurable limi t

Tuner section

FM

Tuning range 87.5 – 107.9 MHz
Antenna terminal External antenna 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)

AM

Tuning range 530 – 1,710 kHz
Antenna terminal External antenna connector
Intermediate frequency 10.7 MHz/450 kHz
Sensitivity 30 µV

Power amplifier section

Outputs Speaker outputs
Speaker impedance 4 – 8 ohms

Maximum power output 52 W × 4 (at 4 ohms)

(sure seal connectors)

General

Outputs Audio outputs ( f ro nt/ rea r )

Inputs Telephone ATT control

Subwoofer output (mono)
Power antenna relay control
terminal
Power amplifier cont ro l
terminal

terminal
Illumination control
terminal
BUS control input
BUS audio input or AUX IN
terminal
Remote controller in put
terminal
Antenna input terminal

terminal

Tone controls Bass ±10 dB at 62 Hz
Loudness +8 dB at 100 Hz
Power requirements 12 V DC car battery
Dimensions Approx. 178 × 50 × 186 mm

Mounting dimensions Approx. 182 × 53 × 163 mm

Mass Approx. 1.5 kg (2 lb 10 oz)
Supplied accessori e s Parts for installation and

Optional accessories Wireless 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.

Treble ±10 dB at 16 kHz
+2 dB at 10 kHz
(negative ground)
(71/8 × 2 × 73/8 in)

(w/h/d)

1

(7

/4 × 21/8 × 61/2 in)

(w/h/d)

connections (1 set)
Front panel cover (1)
Card remote commander
RM-X110

RM-X6S
Wired rotary commander
RM-X4S
BUS cable (supplied with
an RCA pin cord)
RC-61 (1 m), RC-62 (2m)

CDX-757MX, CDX-656
CD chang er (6 discs)
CDX-T70MX, CDX-T69
MD chang er (6 discs)
MDX-66XLP
MG-MS System-up Player
MGS-X1
XM Satellite R adio
Receiver
XT-XM1
Source selector
XA-C30
AUX-IN Selector
XA-300

27

Troubleshooting

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

General

No sound.

•Press (VOL) (+) to adjust the v olume.

• Cancel the ATT function.

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

• You tr i ed t o pl ay back MP3 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-757MX.

The contents of the memory have been
erased.

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

• The power cord or battery has been
disconnected.

• The power connecting cord is not connected
properly.

No beep sound.

• The beep sound is canceled (page 21).

• 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 you press an d ho l d
(OFF).
t Press and hold (OFF) again until the

display appears.

• The indications wi ll not appear if you set
BlackOut to on.
t Set BlackOut to off (page 21).

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 wi th 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) to turn

on the unit.

The power is continuously supplied to the
unit.

The car does not have an ACC position.

The power antenna does not extend.

The power antenna does not have a relay box.

28

CD/MD playback

A disc cannot be loaded.

• Another CD is already loaded.

• The CD is forcibly inser te d 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 t ried to playback 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 ta ke a longer time to start
playback.
–a disc recorded with complicate d 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
(122°F).

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
60°.

• The unit is not installed in a sturdy pa rt of
the car.

The sound skips.

Dirty or defect ive disc.

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 ante nna control lead (b l ue)
or accessory power supply lead (red) to the
power supply lead of t he car’s antenna
booster. (Only if your car has a built-in FM /
AM antenna in th e rear/side glass. )

• Check the connect i on of the car antenna.

• The auto ant enna will not go up.
t Check the connection of the power

antenna control lead.

• Check the frequency.

• When the DSO mode is on, th e sound is
sometimes hampered by noises.
t S et the DSO mode to off (page 23).

Automatic tuning is not possible.

• The local seek mode is set to “on.”
t S et the local seek mode to “off” (page

21).

• 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 to the monaural re ception mode ( page

21).

A program broadcast in stereo is heard in
monaural.

• The unit is in monaur al reception mode.
t Cancel monaural reception mode (page

21).

Interference occurs during FM reception.

The wide mode is selected.
t Set the IF mode to “IF Auto” (page 21).

Error displays/Messages

Error displays

(For this unit and optional CD/MD changers)

The following indications will flash for about 5
seconds, and an a la rm sound will be heard.

1

Blank*

No tracks have been recorde d on an MD*2.
t Play an MD with recorded tracks on it.

1

Error*

• A CD is dirty or inserted up si de down*2.
t C lean or insert the CD correctly.

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

2

.

Failure*

3

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

model to check the connection.

FAILURE*

3

When the XM tuner is connected, storing an
XM radio channel into a preset failed.
t Be sure to receive the channel that you

want to store, then try it again.

High Temp

The ambient temp er at ure is more than 50°C
(122°F).
t Wait until the temperature goes down

below 50°C (122°F).

NO Disc*

1

No disc is inserted in the CD/MD unit.
t Insert discs in th e C D/MD unit.

NO Magazine

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

NO Music*

2

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.

Offset

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

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

Push Reset

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

*1 When the CD/MD changer is connected to the unit,

the disc number of the CD or MD appears in the
display .

*2 The disc number of the disc causing the error

appears in the display.

*3 “Failure” (small case) and “FAILURE” (upper case)

are different messages.

If these solution s do not help improve the
situation, consul t y our nearest Sony dealer.

Messages

Local Seek +/–

The Local Seek mode is on during automatic
tuning (page 16).

“” or “”

You have reached the beginning or the end o f
the disc and you ca nnot go any furt her.

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