Sony MDS-S50 User Manual

4-230-403-13(2)

MiniDisc De ck

Operating Instructions Owner’s Record

The model and serial numbers are locatedon th e rear of the unit. Recordthe serial number in the spaceprovided below. Referto them wheneveryou call upon your Sony dealer regarding this product.

Model No.____________ Serial No.____________

MDS-S50

WARNING

To prevent fire or shock hazard, do not expose the unit to rain or moisture.

The following caution label is located inside the unit.

IN NO EVENT SHALL SELLER BE LIABLE FOR ANY DIRECT, INCIDENTAL OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES OF ANY NATURE, OR LOSSES OR EXPENSES RESULTING FROM ANY DEFECTIVE PRODUCT OR THE USE OF ANY PRODUCT.

To preventfire, do not Coverthe ventilationof the apparatuswith news papers,table-cloths, curtains,etc. And don’tplace lighted candles on the apparatus.To preventfire or shock hazard, do not place vases on the apparatus.

Don’t throw a battery, dispose it as the injurious wastes.

For customers in the U.S.A.

This applianceis classified as a CLASS 1 LASER product. The CLASS 1 LASER PRODUCT MARKING is located on the rear exterior.

CAUTION

You are cautioned that any changes or modification not expresslyapproved inthis manualcould void your authorityto operate this equipment.

INFORMATION

This equipment has been testedand found to comply withthe limits fora Class B digital device, pursuantto Part15of the FCC Rules. Theselimits are designed to provide reasonable protection against harmful interference in a residentialinstallation. This equipment generates, uses,and can radiate radio frequency energy and, if not installed and used in accordance withth e instructions, may cause harmful interferenceto radio communications. However, there is no guarantee that interference willnot occur in a particularinstallation. If this equipment does cause harmful interference to radio or television reception, whichcan be determinedby turningthe equipmentoff and on, the user is encouraged to try to correct the interference by one or more of the following measures: — R eorient or r elocate the receiving antenna. — Increase theseparationbetween theequipment and

receiver.

— Connect the equipment into an outlet on a circuit

different fromthat to which the receiveris connected.

— Consult the dealer or an experienced radio/TV

technician for help.

ENERGY STAR

registeredmark. As an

ENERGY STAR

Sony Corporation has determined thatthis product meets the

ENERGY STAR

energy efficiency.

is a U.S.

Partner,

guidelinesfor

For customers in Canada

This Class B digital apparatuscomplies With Canadian ICES-003.

CAUTION

TO PREVENT ELECTRIC SHOCK, DO NOT USE THIS POLARIZED AC PLUG WITH AN EXTENSION CORD, RECEPTACLE OR OTHER OUTLET UNLESS THE BLADES CAN B E FULLY INSERTED TO PREVENT BLADE EXPOSURE.

About this manual

Controlsin these instructions are thoseon the deck; This symbol is intendedto alert the user to the presence of uninsulated “dangerous voltage”within the product’senclosure that may be of sufficientmagnitude to constitute a risk of electric shock to persons.

This symbol is intendedto alert the user to the presenceof important operating and maintenance (servicing) instructions in the literature accompanying the appliance.

these may, however, be substituted by controls on the

supplied remote that are similarly named, or, when

different, appear in the instructions within

parentheses.

Example: Turn AMS clockwise(or press >

repeatedly).

Table of Contents

Parts Identif ication

Main unit.................................................4

Remote control........................................5

Getting Star ted

Hooking up the audio components .........6

Recording to MDs

Recording to an MD................................ 8

Notes on recording ..................................9

Recording tips

— Recording for l ong times/Marking track numbers/Smart Space/Adjusting the recording level/Checking the remaining recordable time/

Input monitor....................................9

Startingrecording with six seconds of

prestoredaudiodata

— Time Machine Recording ..........13

Synchro-recording with the audio

component of your choice

— Music Synchro-recording ..........14

Synchro-recording with a Sony CD player

— CD Synchro-recording...............14

Playing MDs

Loading an MD.....................................16

PlayinganMD

— Normal Play/Shuffle Play/

Repeat Play.....................................16

Creatingyour own program

— Program Play .............................18

Editing Recorded MDs

Erasing recordings

— Erase Function........................... 19

Dividingrecordedtracks

— Dividing Function ..................... 21

Combining recorded tracks

— Combine Function..................... 22

Moving recordedtracks

— Move Function .......................... 23

Naming a track or MD

— Name Function .......................... 23

Changing the recorded level after

recording — S.F EDIT ................... 26

Undoing the last edit — UNDO ...........28

Other Functions

Fading in and fading out....................... 28

Fallingasleeptomusic

— Sleep Timer ............................... 29

Additional Information

Precautions............................................ 30

Note on MDs ........................................ 30

System limitations ................................ 30

Troubleshooting.................................... 32

Self-diagnosis function......................... 33

Display messages.................................. 33

Setup menu table .................................. 34

Specifications........................................ 34

Using the beeps (Except for North

American model)............................ 35

Parts Identification

The items are arranged in alphabeticalorder. Refer to the pages indicated in parentheses( ) for details.

Main unit

AMS qf (8) (10) (12) (13) (24) CLEAR qd (18) (24) Display qg (8) (17) INPUT qj (8) LEVEL/DISPLAY/CHAR 2 (8)

(12) (24) MD insertionslot 5 (16) MD/LP indicator 3 (10) (17) MENU/NO 7 (10) (18) (20)

PHONE LEVEL w; (17) PHONES jack ql (17) PLAY MODE4 (16) REC MODE qk (9) Remote sensor qh (7) YES 8 (10) (18) (20)

BUTTON DESCRIPTIONS

?/1 (power)/STANDBYindicator

1 (8) (16)

Z (eject) 6 (8) (17) NX (play/pause) 9 (8) (16) x (stop) 0 (8) (16) m (go back)/M (go forward)

qa (17) (18) (24)

z (recording) qs (8)

Remo te co n trol

Parts Identification

AyB qs (16) CD PLAYER . (go back)/> (go forward) ql

(15)

CD-SYNCHRO STANDBY/START/STOP 7 (14)

(15) CLEAR 6 (18) (24) DISPLAY ws (8) (12) FADER 3 (28) INPUT wf (8) Letter/number buttons 5 (17)(25) LEVEL +/– qa (12) MENU/NO w; (10) (18) (20) MUSIC SYNC 8 (14) NAME EDIT/SELECT wa (24) PLAY MODE 2 (16) REC MODE wg (9) REPEAT qd (16) SCROLL wd (17) T.REC qj (13) YES 4 (10) (18) (20)

BUTTON DESCRIPTIONS

?/1 (power) 1 (8) (16) X (pause) 9 (8) (16) x (stop) 0 (8) (16) m (fast reverse)/M (fastforward)qf (17) (18)

(24) . (go back)/> (go forward) qg (8) (10) (16)

(25) (26)

z (recording)qh (8) N (play) qk (16) Z (eject) wh (8) (17)

Getting Started

Hooking up the audio components

(Except for North American model)

AC power cordPC LINK

to a wall outlet

Amplifier, etc.

CD player, DBS tuner, etc.

Required cords

A Audio connecting cords (2) (supplied)

When connectingan audio connectingcord, be sure to match the color-codedpins to the appropriate jacks: white (left)to white and red (right) to red.

White (L) White (L)

Red (R) Red (R)

B Optical cables (supplied)

• When connectingan optical cable, take the caps off

the connectors and insertthe cable plugs straight in until theyclick into place.

• Do not bend or tie the optical cables.

1) Digital equipmentwith a DIGITAL OUT connector only

Hookup considerations

• Turn off the power of all components before

making any connections.

• Do not connect any AC power cord until all the

connections are completed.

• Be sure the connections are firm toprevent hum

and noise.

Jacks (connectors) for connecting audio components

Connect To the

Amplifiers ANALOG IN/OUT jacks CD players or

DBS tuners

DIGITAL OPTICAL IN connector

Setting the voltage selector (only on models supplied wi th a voltage selector)

Checkthatthe voltageselectoron the rear panel of the deck is set to the local power line voltage. If not, set the selector to the correct position using a screwdriver before connecting the AC power cord to a wall outlet.

Other connections

To connect a PC

C PC connecting kit (not supplied)

Use the PC connecting kit to connect aP C to the MD deck.By connecting the MDdeck to aPC,you willbe able to select and play MD tracks and do various editingo perations on the PC. For details, refer to the manual suppliedwith the PC connecting kit.

To connect the AC power cord

Connect the AC power cord of the deck to a wall outlet.

Note

If you use a timer, connect the AC power cord to the outlet of the timer.

Notes

• Do not leaveth e r emote in an extremely hot or

humid place.

• Do notdrop any foreign object into the remote

casing, particularlywhen replacing the batteries.

• Do not usea new battery with an old one.

• Do not expose the remote sensor to direct sunlight or

lightingapparatus. Doingso may cause a malfunction.

• If you don’t use the remote for an extended period of

time, remove the batteries to avoid possible damage from battery leakage and corrosion.

Demonstration mode

When you turn on the MD deck and there is no MD in the deck, demonstration mode is activated automatically after about ten minutes. To deactivate demonstration mode, press any buttonon the deck or on the remote.

Tip

To turn off demonstration mode, press x and CLEAR simultaneouslyw hen there is no MD in the deck. “DemoOff” appears in the display. To turn on demonstration modeagain, perform the same procedure described above. “DemoOn” appears in the display.

Getting Started

Inserting batteries into the remote

Insert two R6 (size-AA) batteries into the battery compartment with the + and – properly oriented to the markings. When using the remote, point it at the remote sensor on the deck.

Tip

When the remoteno longer operates thedeck, replace both batteries with new ones.

Recording to MDs

Recording to an MD

If the M D has bee n partially recorded, recordingstarts after the recorded tracks.

1 Turn on the amplifierand program

source, and select the source on the amplifier.

2 Press ?/1 to turn on the deck.

The STANDBY indicator turns off.

3 Load a recordable MD into the slot

(page 16).

4 Press INPUT repeatedly to select the

input jacks (connector) connected to the program source.

When the source is connected to the

DIGITAL OPTICAL IN connector

ANALOG IN jacks A-IN

5 If necessary, locatethepointonthe MD

to start recording from.

If you want to record to a new MD or start recording from the end of the recorded portion, skip this step and go to step 6.

To record over from the beginning of an existing MD track:

./> repeatedly) until the number of the track to be recorded over appears.

Torecord over from the middle of an MD

Turn AMS (or press ./>

track:

repeatedly)until the number of the track to be recorded over appears, then press NX (or N)tostartplay.PressNX (or X)at the point you want to start recordingfrom.

6 Press z.

The deck changes to recording pause.

7 If necessary , adjust the recording level.

For details, see “Adjusting the recording level” on page 12.

8 Press NX (or press N or X).

Recording starts. The MD deck is recording over existing track(s). “Tr” flashes in the display during recording. The indication stops flashing when the deck reaches the end of the recorded portion.

Set INPUT to

D-IN

Turn AMS (or press

9 Start playing the programsource.

Operations you may want to do during recording

To Pre ss

Stop recording x Pause recording NX (or X) Resume recording after

pausing Eject the MD Z after stopping recording

1) The track number increases by one.

To change the display while recording

PressLEVEL/DISPLAY/CHAR (or DISPLAY) repeatedly to change the display.

Each press of the buttonchangesthe display cyclically as follows:

Track number and recorded time of the current track t Remaining recordable time on the MD t Level of the input signal t Track name

2) Time shownin the display differs depending on

3) “No Name” appears when the track has no name.

Note

You cannotrecord overexistingmaterialwhen Shuffle Play (page16) or Program Play (page16) has been selected. “Impossible” appears in the display at this time.

the setting of REC MODE.

NX (or press N or X)

Notes on recording

After recording

Press Z to remove the M D or press ?/1 (power) to turn off the unit.

“TOC” lights up, or either “TOC” or “STANDBY” starts flashing. The TOC is updated and recording is completed.

Before pulling out the power cord

MD recordingiscompleted when the MD Table of Contents (TOC) is updated. The TOC is updatedwhen you eject the MD or press ?/1 to turn off the unit. Do not pull out the power cord beforeupdatingthe TOC (while “TOC” is lit) or while updating the TOC (while “TOC” or “STANDBY” is flashing) to ensure a complete recording.

Converting digital sampling rates automatically

A built-insampling rate converterautomatically converts the sampling frequency of various digital sources to th e 44.1 kHz sampling rate of the MD deck. This allows you to monitor and record sources such as 32- or 48-kHz DAT tape or satellite broadcasts, as well as the CDs and MDs.

To prevent accidental erasure of the recorded material

To protect an MD recording, slide the recordprotect tab in the direction of the a rrow (see illustration below) to open the slot. To enable re-recording, close the slot.

Record-protect tab

Slideinthedirection of arrow

Recording tips

— Recording for long times/Marking tracknumbers/Smart Space/Adjusting the recording level/Checking the remaining recordable time/Input monitor

Recordi ng for long times

Inaddition to normalstereorecording,this deck has two long time recording modes: LP2 and LP4. When recording in LP2 Stereo mode, you can record 2 times the normal recordable time, andinLP4Stereomode, you can record 4 times the normal recordable time. In a d dition, the recordable time for monaural recording is approximately double the stereo recording time. LP4 Stereo mode (4 mode) achieves a long stereo recording time by use of a special compression system. When placing emphasis on sound quality, Stereo recordingor LP2 Stereorecording (2 recordingmode)is recommended.

Note

MDs recorded in MD LP (LP2 or LP4 Stereo)mode cannotbe played backon a deck thatdoes not support MD LP mode. In addition, you cannot perform S.F Edit for MDs recorded in MD LP mode.

1 Do steps 1 to 4 of “Recording to MDs”

on page 8.

2 Press REC MODE repeatedly to select

the recording mode you want to record in.

To record in Set REC MODE to

Stereo Blank (No indicator) LP2 Stereo LP2 LP4 Stereo LP4 Monaural MONO

3 Do steps 5 to 9 of “Recording to MDs”

on page 8.

× long time recording

× long time

continued

Recording to MDs

Recording tips (continued)

Tips

• DuringrecordingtoanMDinLP2orLP4Stereo

mode,the MDLP indicatorlightsup whenyou press z in step 3 above.

• The deck is set at the factory to add “LP:” at the

beginning of a track name automatically.This indicationis displayed when the track is playedo n a deckthatdoes not support long-time recording. To turnoff this function,do the following procedure.

1 Whilethedeckis stoppedor playing,

press MENU/NO twice.

“Setup Menu” appears in the display.

2 Turn AMS (or press ./> repeatedly)

until“LPstamp On” (factory setting) appears, then press AMS or YES.

3 Turn AMS (or press ./> repeatedly)

to select “LPstamp Off”, and then press AMS or YES.

4 Press MENU/NO.

To add “LP:” automatically again, select “LPstamp On” in step 3 above.

Notes

• The recorded "LP:"is a confirmation stampthat is

displayedt o indicatethat the track cannot be played backon a deck thatdoes not support MD LP mode. It is not displayed on decks that suppor t MD LP mode.

• If "LPstamp:On" is set, "LP:" isrecorded as part of

the track name, so the number of characters thatcan be inputin a singleMD is reduced. Furthermore, "LP:" is automatically copied if the track name is copied or if the track is divided by using the Divide function.

• MDsrecordedinMDLP(LP2orLP4Stereo)mode

shouldbe played back on a deck that supports MD LP mode. These MDs cannot be played back on other decks.

• Even if you press REC MODE during recording or

recording pause, youcannot change the recording mode.

• Even if you press REC MODE repeatedly to select

MONO, themonitor signal duringrecording does not become monaural.

Marking track numbers while recording

— Manual /Automatic Track Marking

You can m ark track numbers either manually or automatically while recording. By marking track numbers at specific points, you can quickly locate the points later or edit the MD easily.

Marking track numbers manually (Manual Track Marking)

While recording, press z at the p oint where you want to add a track number.

Marking track numbers automatically (Automatic Track Marking)

When recording from a C D player or MD deck connectedto a DIGITAL IN connector, the deck marks track numbers in the same sequence as the source. When recording from other sources connectedto the DIGITAL IN connector or a source connectedto the ANALOG IN jacks, do the procedure below to mark track numbers automatically. However, you cannot mark track numbersautomatically if thesoundsource to be recordedis noisy (e.g., tapes or radio programs).

1 While the deck is stopped, press MENU/

NO twi ce.

“Setup Menu” appears in the display.

2 Turn AMS (or press ./>

repeatedly) until“T.Mark Lsync” appears, then press AMS or YES.

3 Turn AMS (or press ./>

repeatedly) to select the setting, then press AMS or YES.

To Select

Turn on Automatic Track Marking

Turnoff Automatic Track Marking

T.Mark Lsync (factory setting)

T.Mark Off

4 Press MENU/NO.

When you set AutomaticTrackM arking to on, “L.SYNC” lights up. The deck marks a track number whenever

the input signal level drops to –50 dB

(the triggerlevel for Automatic Track Marking) or below for at least 1.5 seconds.

1) Factory setting

To change the trigger level for Automatic Track Marking

Do the procedure below to change the signal level that triggers Automatic Track Marking.

1 While the deck is stopped, press MENU/

NO twice.

“Setup Menu” appears in the display.

2 TurnAMS (or press ./>

repeatedly) until “LS(T)” appears, then press AMS or YES.

3 TurnAMS (or press ./>

repeatedly)to select the level,then press AMS or YES.

You can set the level at any value between –72 dB and 0 dB, in 2 dB increments.

4 Press MENU/NO.

Tips for automatic track marking

• When recording from a CD player or an MD deck

connected to the DIGITAL IN connector, the entire material might be recorded as a single track in the following cases:

— When you consecutively record the same track

two or more times usings ingle-track repeat play.

— When you consecutively recordtwo or more

trackswith the same track number butfrom differentCDs or MDs.

— When you record tracks from certain CD or

multi-disc players.

• A track number might not be marked for tracks less

than 4 seconds long (in Stereo mode, Monaural mode, and LP2 Stereo mode) or 8 secondslong (in LP4 Stereo mode) during recording.

• When recordingfrom a component connected to the

ANALOG IN jackswith “T.Ma rk Off” selectedo r when recording from a DAT deck or DBS tuner connected to the DIGITAL IN connector, the entire material may be recorded as a single track.

• When recording from a DAT deck or D BS tuner

connected to the DIGITAL IN connector, the deck will mark a track number whenever the sampling frequency of the input signalchanges, regardless of the track marking parameter setting(“T.Mark Lsync” or “T.Mark Off”).

Tip

You can mark track numbers even after recordinghas finished.See “Dividing recorded tracks”on page 21.

Erasing blank portions automatically (Smart Space/ Auto Cut)

The Smart Space function lets you make the blank spaces between tracks 3 seconds long automatically. Ifthe Sm art Space function is on and there is no sound input for about 3 seconds or more (but less than 30 seconds) while recording, the MD deck replaces this silence with a blank of about 3 seconds and continues recording.

No sound input for less than 30 seconds

Off

Replaced with a blank of 3 seconds and recording continues

Auto Cut: When th e Smart Space function is on, if there is no sound input for 30 seconds or more, the MD deck replaces this silence with a blank of about 3 secondsand enters recording pause.

No sound input for 30 seconds or more

Off

Replaced with a blank of 3 seconds and recording pauses

continued

Recording to MDs

+ 25 hidden pages