Sony MDX-C6500X Operating Manual

3-044-893-11 (1)

FM/AM
MiniDisc Player

Operating Instructions
Manual de instrucciones

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For installation and connections, see the supplied installation/connections
manual.

Para obtener información sobre la instalación y las conexiones, consulte el manual
de instalación/conexiones suministrado.

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MDX-C6500X

© 2000 Sony Corporation

Welcome !

Precautions

Thank you for purchasing the Sony MiniDisc
Player. This unit lets you enjoy a variety of
features using the following controller
accessories:

Optional accessories

Rotary commander RM-X4S
Card remote commander RM-X91

In addition to the MD playback and radio
operations, you can expand your system by
connecting optional CD/MD units*1.
When you operate this unit or a connected
optional CD unit with the CD TEXT function,
the CD TEXT information will appear in the
display when you play a CD TEXT disc*2.

*1You can connect MD changers, CD changers, MD

players, or CD players.

2

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.

• If your car was parked in direct sunlight
resulting in a considerable rise in
temperature inside the car, allow the unit to
cool off before operating it.

• If no power is being supplied to the unit,
check the connections first. If everything is in
order, check the fuse.

•If your car is equipped with a power aerial, it
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 consult your nearest Sony
dealer.

Moisture Condensation

On a rainy day or in a very damp area,
moisture may condense on the lenses inside
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.

To maintain high quality sound

If you have drink holders near your audio
equipment, be careful not to splash juice or
other soft drinks onto the unit and MD. Sugary
residues on the unit or MD may contaminate
the lenses inside the unit, reduce the sound
quality, or prevent sound reproduction
altogether.

2

Notes on MDs

Since the disc itself is housed in a cartridge,
free from accidental contact with your fingers
and dust, MDs can withstand a certain degree
of the rough handling. However, dirt or dust
on the surface of the cartridge or a warped
cartridge may cause a malfunction. Observe
the following for best results.

Never touch the surface of the disc itself by
deliberately opening the shutter on the
cartridge.
When you eject the MD, the shutter may be
open. In such a case, close the shutter
immediately.

Do not expose the MD to direct sunlight or
heat sources such as hot air-ducts. Do not leave
it in a car parked in direct sunlight where there
can a considerable rise in temperature.
Make sure the MD is not left on the dashboard
or rear tray of a car, etc. where the temperature
can also be excessive.

Notes on attaching labels

Be sure to attach labels on cartridges correctly,
as failing to do so may cause the MD to
become stuck in the unit.

•Attach the label in a suitable position.

•Remove old labels before putting new ones

on.

•Replace labels that are beginning to peel

away from the MD.

Cleaning

Wipe the surface of the cartridge from time to
time with a soft dry cloth.

3

Table of Contents

Location of controls ............................................. 5

Getting Started

Resetting the unit ................................................. 7

Detaching the front panel ................................... 7

Turning the unit on/off ....................................... 8

How to use the menu .......................................... 8

Setting the clock ................................................... 8

MD Player
CD/MD Unit (optional)

Listening to an MD .............................................. 9

Playing tracks repeatedly

— Repeat Play ............................................... 11

Playing tracks in random order

— Shuffle Play ............................................... 11

Labelling a CD

— Disc Memo* .............................................. 12

Locating a disc by name

— List-up* ..................................................... 13

Selecting specific tracks for playback

— Bank* ......................................................... 14

* Functions available with optional CD/MD unit

Radio

Memorising stations automatically

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

Memorising only the desired stations............. 15

Receiving the memorised stations ................... 16

Storing the station names — Station Memo ... 17

Locating a station by name — List-up ............ 18

Other Functions

Labeling the rotary commander ...................... 18

Using the rotary commander ........................... 19

Adjusting the sound characteristics ................ 20

Attenuating the sound ...................................... 20

Changing the sound and display settings ...... 21

Boosting the bass sound

— D-bass ........................................................ 21

Additional Information

Maintenance........................................................ 22

Dismounting the unit ........................................ 23

Specifications ...................................................... 24

Troubleshooting guide ...................................... 25

4

Location of controls

S

+

MENU

SOUND

OFF

C

I

D

SOURCE

P

R

S

T

-

-

D

I

S

C

DSPL

-

P

R

S

T

+

LIST

-

SEEK/AMS

ENTER

–

MODE

Refer to the pages listed for details.

1 Volume control dial
2 MENU button 8, 10, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16,

17, 21

3 DISC/PRST +/– (cursor up/down) buttons

8, 10, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 21
During CD/MD playback:

Disc change 11, 13

During radio reception:

Preset stations select 16, 18

4

Z (eject) button (located on the front
side of the unit behind the front panel)
9

5 DSPL (display mode change) button

9, 10, 12, 17

6 LIST button 12, 17

List-up 13, 18

7 SOURCE (TUNER/CD/MD) button

8, 9, 10, 13, 15, 16

8 Display window
9 OPEN button 7, 9, 22
q; D-BASS button 21
qa SOUND button 20
qs Reset button (located on the front side

of the unit behind the front panel) 7

qd OFF button* 7, 8, 9
qf SEEK/AMS –/+ (cursor left/right) buttons

8, 10, 12, 14, 16, 17, 20, 21

Automatic Music Sensor 10, 14
Manual Search 10
Seek 15, 16

OPEN

D-BASS

REP SHUF

1 2 3 4 56

MDX-C6500X

qg Frequency select switch (located on the

bottom of the unit)

The AM (FM) tuning interval is factory-set
to the 10 k (200 k) position. Make sure that
the 9 k (50 k) position is selected.

qh MODE button

During CD or MD playback:

CD/MD unit select 9, 13

During radio reception:

BAND select 15, 16

qj ENTER button 8, 10, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16,

17, 18, 21

qk Receptor for the card remote

commander

ql Number buttons

During radio reception:

Preset number select 15, 16

During CD/MD playback:

(1) REP 11
(2) SHUF 11

* Warning when installing in a car

without ACC (accessory) position on
the ignition key switch

Be sure to press (OFF) on the unit for two
seconds to turn off the clock display after
turning off the engine.

When you press (OFF) only momentarily,
the clock display does not turn off and this
causes battery wear.

5

Location of controls

Card remote commander RM-X91

DISC

SOURCE

DISC

OPEN/CLOSE

ENTER

VOLATT

OFF

MENU LIST

SEEK SEEK

SOUND

DSPL MODE

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

1 OFF button
2 MENU button
3 SOURCE button
4 SEEK/AMS buttons
5 SOUND button
6 DSPL button
7 ATT button
8 LIST button
9 DISC/PRST buttons
q; ENTER button
qa MODE button
qs VOL buttons

Replacing the lithium battery

When the battery becomes weak, the range of
the card remote commander becomes shorter.
Replace the battery with a new CR2025 lithium
battery.

x

+ side up

6

Notes on lithium battery

•Keep the lithium battery out of the reach of
children. Should the 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 when
installing the battery.

•Do not hold the battery with metallic
tweezers, otherwise a short-circuit may
occur.

WARNING

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

Getting Started

Attaching the front panel

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

Resetting the unit

Before operating the unit for the first time or
after replacing the car battery, 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 memorised functions.

Detaching the front panel

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

1 Press (OFF).
2 Press (OPEN), then slide the front panel

to the right side, and pull out the left
side of the front panel.

1

2

Notes

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

• Be sure not to drop the panel when detaching it
from the unit.

• 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.

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

A

B

x

Notes

• Be careful not to attach the front panel upside
down.

• Do not press the front panel too hard against the
unit when attaching it.

• Do not press too hard or put excessive pressure
on the display window of the front panel.

• Do not expose the front panel to direct sunlight
or heat sources such as hot air ducts, and do not
leave it in a humid place. Never leave it on the
dashboard of a car parked in direct sunlight or
where there may be a considerable rise in
temperature.

Caution alarm

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

7

Turning the unit on/off

Setting the clock

Turning on the unit

Press (SOURCE) or insert an MD in the unit.
For details on operation, refer to page 9 (MD/
CD) and page 15 (radio).

Turning off the unit

Press (OFF) to stop MD/CD playback or FM/
AM reception (the key illumination and
display remain on).
Press (OFF) for two seconds to completely
turn the unit off.

Note

If your car has no ACC position on the ignition key
switch, be sure to turn the unit off by pressing
(OFF) for two seconds to avoid car battery wear.

How to use the menu

This unit is operated by selecting items from a
menu.
To select, first enter the menu mode and
choose up/down ((+)/(–) of (DISC/PRST)), or
choose left/right ((–)/(+) of (SEEK/AMS)).

(DISC/PRST)

(+): to select upwards

The clock uses a 12-hour digital indication.

Example: To set the clock to 10:08

1 Press (MENU), then press either side of

(DISC/PRST) repeatedly until “CLOCK”

appears.

1 Press (ENTER).

The hour indication flashes.

2 Press either side of (DISC/PRST) to set

the hour.

3 Press the (+) side of (SEEK/AMS).

(SEEK/AMS)

8

SOURCE

(–): to select
leftwards

(–): to select downwards

(+): to select
rightwards

SOURCE

The minute indication flashes.

4 Press either side of (DISC/PRST) to set

the minute.

2 Press (ENTER).

The clock starts.

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

Note

In the initial setting, the clock indication appears
while the unit is turned off.
When the D.INFO mode is set to ON, the time is
always displayed (page 21).

MD Player
CD/MD Unit (optional)

When the last track on the MD is
over

The track number indication returns to “1,”
and playback restarts from the first track of the
MD.

In addition to playing an MD with this unit
alone, you can also control external CD/MD
units.
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.

Listening to an MD

(with this unit only)

1 Press (OPEN) and insert the MD.

Labelled side up

Z

2 Close the front panel.

Playback starts automatically.

If an MD is already inserted, press (SOURCE)
repeatedly until “MD” appears to start
playback.

To Press

Stop playback (OFF)
Eject the MD (OPEN) then Z

Playing a CD or MD
(with an optional CD/MD unit)

1 Press (SOURCE) repeatedly to select

“CD” or “MD.”

2 Press (MODE) until the desired unit

appears.

CD/MD playback starts.

All the discs in the current CD/MD unit is
played from the top.

Changing the display item

Each time you press (DSPL) during MD, CD,
or CD TEXT disc playback, the item changes as
follows:

Disc number*1/Track number/

Elapsed playback time

Disc name*

V

V

2

/Artist name*

V

Track name*

3

4

The title of the MD* and the track title will
appear in the display window, then the
playing time will appear.

MD indication

Elapsed playing timeTrack number

* Only if these titles are prerecorded on the MD.

*1While an optional CD/MD unit is connected.

2

*

If you have not labelled the CD or CD TEXT disc
(“Labelling a CD” on page 12), or if there is no
disc name prerecorded on the MD, “DISC” and
“NO NAME” appear in the display.

3

If you play a CD TEXT disc, the artist name

*

appears in the display after the disc name. (Only
for CD TEXT discs with the artist name.)

4

If the track name of a CD TEXT disc or MD is not

*

prerecorded, “TRACK” and “NO NAME” appear
in the display.

9

After you select the desired item, the display
will automatically change to the Motion
Display mode after a few seconds.
In the Motion Display mode, all the items are
scrolled in the display one by one in order.

Note

If you use personalised labels, they will always take
priority over the original CD TEXT information
when such information is displayed.

Tip

The Motion Display mode can be turned off. (See
“Changing the sound and display settings” on
page 20.)

Automatically scrolling a disc name

— Auto Scroll

If the disc name, artist name, or track name on
an MD or a CD TEXT disc exceeds 8 characters
and the Auto Scroll function is on, information
automatically scrolls across the display as
follows:

• The disc name appears when the disc has
changed (if the disc name is selected as the
display item).

• The track name appears when the track has
changed (if the track name is selected as the
display item).

• The disc or track name appears depending on
the setting when you press (SOURCE) to select
an MD or CD TEXT disc.

If you press (DSPL) to change the display
item, the disc or track name of the MD or CD
TEXT disc is scrolled automatically whether
you set the function on or off.

Locating a specific track

— Automatic Music Sensor (AMS)

During playback, press either side of
(SEEK/AMS) momentarily for each track
you want to skip.

To locate
preceding
tracks

SOURCE

To locate
succeeding
tracks

Locating a specific point in a track

— Manual Search

During playback, press and hold either
side of (SEEK/AMS). Release when you
have found the desired point.

To search
backward

Note

If “
display, you have reached the beginning or the
end of the disc and you cannot go any further.

” or “ ” appears in the

SOURCE

To search
forward

1 During playback, press (MENU).
2 Press either side of (DISC/PRST)

repeatedly until “A.SCRL-OFF” appears.

3 Press the (+) side of (SEEK/AMS) to select

“A.SCRL-ON.”

4 Press (ENTER).

To cancel Auto Scroll, select “A.SCRL-OFF” in
step 3.

Note

For some CD TEXT discs with very many characters,
the following cases may happen:
— Some of the characters are not displayed.
— Auto Scroll does not work.

10

Locating a disc

— Disc Selection

When an optional CD/MD unit is
connected, press either side of
(DISC/PRST) to select the desired disc.

The desired disc in the current optional
CD/MD unit begins playback.

Playing tracks repeatedly

— Repeat Play

The MD in the main unit will automatically
repeat itself when it reaches the end. As repeat
play, you can select:

•REP-1 – to repeat a track.

•REP-2 – to repeat a disc in the optional CD/

MD unit.

During playback, press (1) (REP)
repeatedly until the desired setting
appears in the display.

B REP-1 B REP-2*

REP-OFF b

* “REP-2” is only available when you connect

one or more optional MD units, or when you
connect two or more optional CD units.

PTY

DSPL

LIST

-

SEEK/AMS

ENTER

MODE

REP SHUF

1 2 3 4 56

Playing tracks in random
order — Shuffle Play

You can select:

•SHUF-1 – to play the tracks on the current
disc in random order.

•SHUF-2 – to play the tracks in the current
optional CD/MD unit in random order.

•SHUF-ALL – to play all the tracks in all the
optional CD/MD units in random order.

During playback, press (2) (SHUF)
repeatedly until the desired setting
appears in the display.

B SHUF-1 B SHUF-2* B SHUF-ALL*

SHUF-OFF b

* “SHUF-2” and “SHUF-ALL” are only available

when you connect one or more optional MD
units, or when you connect two or more
optional CD units.

PTY

DSPL

LIST

-

SEEK/AMS

ENTER

MODE

Shuffle Play starts.

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

REP SHUF

1 2 3 4 56

Repeat Play starts.

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

11

Labelling a CD — Disc Memo

(For a CD unit with the custom file function)

You can label each disc with a personalised
name. You can enter up to 8 characters for a
disc. If you label a CD, you can locate the disc
by name (page 13) and select the specific tracks
for playback (page 14).

5 To return to normal CD play mode, press

(ENTER).

Tips

• To erase or correct a name, enter “_” (under-bar)
for each character.

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

1 Start playing the disc you want to label.
2 Press (MENU), then press either side of

(DISC/PRST) repeatedly until “NAME
EDIT” appears.

3 Press (ENTER).

Name edit mode

4 Enter the characters.

1 Press the (+) side of (DISC/PRST)

repeatedly to select the desired
characters.
(A t B t C t ··· Z t 0 t 1 t 2 t

··· 9 t + t – t * t / t \ t > t <
t . t _ )

If you press the (–) side of (DISC/PRST)
repeatedly, the characters will appear in
reverse order.
If you want to put a blank space
between characters, select “_” (under­bar).

Displaying the disc memo

Press (DSPL) during CD or CD TEXT disc
playback.

Each time you press (DSPL) during CD or
CD TEXT disc playback, the item changes
as follows:

V

1

Disc number*

Elapsed playback time

*1While an optional CD unit is connected.

2

*

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.

/Track number/

V

Disc memo name

V

Track name*

2

2 Press the (+) side of (SEEK/AMS) after

locating the desired character.

The next character flashes.

If you press the (–) side of (SEEK/AMS),
the previous character flashes.

3 Repeat steps 1 and 2 to enter the

entire name.

12

Erasing the disc memo

1 Press (SOURCE) repeatedly to select

“CD.”

2 Press (MODE) repeatedly to select the CD

unit.

3 Press (MENU), then press either side of

(DISC/PRST) repeatedly until “NAME
DEL” appears.

4 Press (ENTER).
5 Press either side of (DISC/PRST)

repeatedly to select the disc name you
want to erase.

6 Press (ENTER) for two 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 CD play mode.

Note

When a personalised label is erased, the original
CD TEXT information will appear in the display.

Locating a disc by name

— List-up (For a CD unit with the custom
file function or an MD unit)

You can use this function for discs that have
been assigned a custom name. For more
information on disc memo names, refer to
“Labelling a CD” (page 12).

1 Press (LIST).

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

When you assign a disc memo name to a
CD TEXT disc, it takes priority over the
original CD TEXT information.

2 Press either side of (DISC/PRST)

repeatedly until you find the desired
disc.

3 Press (ENTER) to play the disc.

Notes

• After a disc name has been displayed for five

seconds, the display returns to normal play
mode.

• The track names are not displayed during MD or

CD TEXT disc playback.

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

appears in the display.

• If a disc has not been assigned a custom file,

“********” appears in the display.

• Some letters cannot be displayed during MD or

CD TEXT disc playback.

13

Selecting specific tracks
for playback

— Bank
(For a CD unit with the custom file function)

If you label the disc, you can set the unit to
skip or play the tracks of your choice.

1 Start playing the disc you want to label.

Playing specific tracks only

You can select:

•“BANK-ON” — to play the tracks with the
“PLAY” setting.

•“BANK-INV” (Inverse) — to play the tracks
with the “SKIP” setting.

1 During playback, press (MENU), then

press either side of (DISC/PRST)
repeatedly until “BANK-ON,” “BANK­INV,” or “BANK-OFF” appears.

2 Press (MENU), then press either side of

(DISC/PRST) repeatedly until “BANK SEL”
appears.

3 Press (ENTER).

Bank edit mode

4 Label the tracks.

1 Press either side of (SEEK/AMS)

repeatedly to select the track you want
to label.

2 Press (ENTER) repeatedly to select

“PLAY” or “SKIP.”

5 Repeat step 4 to set “PLAY” or “SKIP” for

all the tracks.

6 Press (MENU) twice.

The unit returns to normal CD play mode.

Notes

• You can set “PLAY” and “SKIP” for up to 24
tracks.

• You cannot set “SKIP” for all the tracks on a CD.

2 Press the (+) side of (SEEK/AMS)

repeatedly until the desired setting
appears.

B BANK-ON B BANK-INV

BANK-OFF b

3 Press (ENTER).

Playback starts from the track following the
current one.

To return to normal play mode, select “BANK­OFF” in step 2.

14

Radio

Memorising stations
automatically

— Best Tuning Memory (BTM)

The unit selects the stations with the strongest
signals and memorises them in the order of
their frequencies. You can store up to 6 stations
on each band (FM1, FM2, FM3, AM1, and
AM2).

Caution

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

1 Press (SOURCE) repeatedly to select the

tuner.

Each time you press (SOURCE), the source
changes as follows:

B Tuner B CD* B MD

* If the corresponding optional equipment is

not connected, this item will not appear.

2 Press (MODE) repeatedly to select the

band.

Each time you press (MODE), the band
changes as follows:

B FM1 B FM2 B FM3

AM2 b AM1b

Memorising only the
desired stations

You can preset up to 18 FM stations (6 each for
FM1, FM2, and FM3), up to 12 AM stations (6
each for AM1 and AM2) in the order of your
choice.

1 Press (SOURCE) repeatedly to select the

tuner.

2 Press (MODE) repeatedly to select the

band.

3 Press either side of (SEEK/AMS) to tune

in the station that you want to store on
the number button.

4 Press the desired number button ((1) to

(6)) for two seconds until “MEM”
appears.

The number button indication appears in
the display.

Note

If you try to store another station on the same
number button, the previously stored station will
be erased.

3 Press (MENU), then press either side of

(DISC/PRST) repeatedly until “BTM”

appears.

4 Press (ENTER).

The unit stores stations in the order of their
frequencies on the number buttons.
A beep sounds when the setting is stored.

Notes

• The unit does not store stations with weak

signals. If only a few stations can be received,
some number buttons will retain their former
setting.

• When a number is indicated in the display, the

unit starts storing stations from the one currently
displayed.

• If an MD is not in the unit, only the tuner band

appears even if you press (SOURCE).

15

Receiving the memorised
stations

1 Press (SOURCE) repeatedly to select the

tuner.

2 Press (MODE) repeatedly to select the

band.

If FM stereo reception is poor

— Monaural Mode

1 During radio reception, press (MENU),

then press either side of (DISC/PRST)
repeatedly until “MONO-OFF” appears.

2 Press the (+) side of (SEEK/AMS) until

“MONO-ON” appears.

The sound improves, but becomes
monaural (“ST” disappears).

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

which the desired station is stored.

Tip

Press either side of (DISC/PRST) to receive the
stations in the order they are stored in the
memory (Preset Search Function).

If you cannot tune in a preset
station

Press either side of (SEEK/AMS) to search
for the station (automatic tuning).

Scanning stops when the unit receives a
station. Press either side of (SEEK/AMS)
repeatedly until the desired station is
received.

Note

If the automatic tuning stops too frequently, press
(MENU), then press either side of (DISC/PRST)
repeatedly until “LOCAL” (local seek mode) is
displayed. Then press the (+) side of (SEEK/AMS) to
select “LOCAL-ON.” Press (ENTER).
Only the stations with relatively strong signals will
be tuned in.

Tips

• When you select the “LOCAL-ON” setting,
“L.SEEK” appears while the unit is searching for
a station.

• If you know the frequency of the station you
want to listen to, press and hold either side of
(SEEK/AMS) until the desired frequency appears
(manual tuning).

3 Press (ENTER).

To return to normal mode, select “MONO­OFF” in step 2.

Automatical reception frequency
adjustment
— IF AUTO function

If interference occurs, the “IF AUTO” function
of this unit will automatically avoid noise and
narrow the reception frequency. In such cases,
some FM stereo broadcasts may become
monaural. If you would like to hear such
broadcasts in stereo, manually switch to the
“WIDE” setting.

1 During radio reception, press (MENU),

then press either side of (DISC/PRST)
repeatedly until “IF AUTO” appears.

2 Press the (+) side of (SEEK/AMS) until

“WIDE"” appears.

3 Press (ENTER).

Note

When you widen the frequency signal reception
setting (“WIDE” mode), some interference may
occur.

16

Storing the station names

— Station Memo

You can assign a name to each radio station
and store it in memory. The name of the
station currently tuned in appears in the
display. You can assign a name of 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 either side of

(DISC/PRST) repeatedly until “NAME
EDIT” appears.

Tips

• To erase or correct a name, enter “_” (under-bar)
for each character.

• There is another way to start storing station
names. Press (LIST) for two seconds instead of
steps 2 and 3. You can also complete the
operation by pressing (LIST) for two seconds
instead of step 5.

Displaying the station name

Press (DSPL) during radio reception.

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

B Station name* B Frequency

3 Press (ENTER).

4 Enter the characters.

1 Press the (+) side of (DISC/PRST)

repeatedly to select the desired
characters.
(A t B t C t ··· Z t 0 t 1 t 2 t

··· 9 t + t – t * t / t \ t > t <
t . t _ )

If you press the (–) side of (DISC/PRST)
repeatedly, the characters appear in the
reverse order.
If you want to put a blank space
between characters, select “_” (under­bar).

2 Press the (+) side of (SEEK/AMS) after

locating the desired character.

The next character flashes.

* If the station name of a station is not stored,

“NO NAME” appears in the display for one
second.

Erasing the station name

1 Tune in a station whose name you want

to erase.

2 Press (MENU), then press either side of

(DISC/PRST) repeatedly until “NAME
DEL” appears.

3 Press (ENTER).
4 Press (ENTER) for two seconds.

The name is erased.
Repeat steps 1 through 4 if you want to
erase other names.

5 Press (MENU) twice.

The unit returns to the normal radio
reception mode.

Note

When you erase all of the station names, “NO
NAME” appears in step 4.

If you press the (–) side of (SEEK/AMS),
the previous character flashes.

3 Repeat steps 1 and 2 to enter the

entire name.

5 To return to the normal radio reception,

press (ENTER).

17

Locating a station by
name — List-up

Other Functions

1 Press (LIST) momentarily.

The name assigned to the station currently
tuned appears in the display.

2 Press either side of (DISC/PRST)

repeatedly until you find the desired
station.

When no name is assigned to the selected
station, the frequency appears in the
display.

3 Press (ENTER) to tune in the desired

station.

Note

Once the station name or frequency has been
displayed for five seconds, the display goes back to
its normal mode.

You can also control the unit with a rotary
commander.

Labeling the rotary
commander

Depending on how you mount the rotary
commander, attach the appropriate label as
shown in the illustration below.

SOUND

MODE

DSPL

DSPL

MODE

SOUND

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Using the rotary
commander

The rotary commander works by pressing
buttons and/or rotating controls.
You can also control an optional CD/MD unit
with the rotary commander.

By pressing buttons
(the SOURCE and MODE buttons)

(SOURCE)

(MODE)

Each time you press (SOURCE), the
source changes as follows:

Tuner t CD* t MD

* If the corresponding optional equipment is

not connected, this item will not appear.

By rotating the control
(the SEEK/AMS control)

Rotate the control momentarily and
release it to:

•Locate a specific track on a disc. Rotate
and hold the control until you locate the
specific point in a track, then release it to
start playback.

•Tune in stations automatically. Rotate and
hold the control to find a specific station.

By pushing in and rotating the
control (the PRESET/DISC control)

Pressing (MODE) changes the operation
in the following ways:

• Tuner: FM1 t FM2 t FM3 t AM1 t AM2

• CD unit*: CD1 t CD2 t …

• MD unit*: MD1 t MD2 t …

* If the corresponding optional equipment is

not connected, these items will not appear.

Push in and rotate the control to:

•Receive the stations memorised on the
number buttons.

•Change the disc.

19

Other operations

Rotate the VOL control to
adjust the volume.

Press (ATT) to
attenuate the
sound.

Tip

You can also change the operative direction of
these controls with the unit (see “Changing the
sound and display settings” on page 21).

OFF

Press (OFF) to
turn off the unit.

Press (SOUND) to
adjust the volume and
sound menu.

Press (DSPL) to display
the memorised names.

Tip

If your car has no ACC (accessory) position on the
ignition key switch, be sure to press (OFF) for two
seconds to turn off the clock indication after
turning off the engine.

Changing the operative direction

The operative direction of controls is factory­set as shown below.

To increase

Adjusting the sound
characteristics

You can adjust the bass, treble, balance, and
fader.
You can store the bass and treble levels
independently for each source.

1 Select the item you want to adjust by

pressing (SOUND) repeatedly.

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

BAS (bass) t TRE (treble) t BAL (left-right)
t FAD (front-rear)

2 Adjust the selected item by pressing

either side of (SEEK/AMS).

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

Note

Adjust within three seconds after selecting the
item.

Attenuating the sound

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.

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

20

Press (ATT) on the rotary commander or
card remote commander.

“ATT-ON” flashes 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).

Changing the sound and
display settings

The following items can be set:

SET (setting)

•CLOCK (page 8)

•BEEP — to turn on or off the beeps.

•RM (Rotary Commander) — to change the
operative direction of the controls of the
rotary commander.
— Select “NORM” to use the rotary

commander as the factory-set position.

— Select “REV” when you mount the rotary

commander on the right side of the
steering column.

DIS (display)

•D.INFO (Dual Information) — to display the
clock and the play mode at the same time
(ON).

•M.DSPL (Motion Display) — to turn the
motion display on or off.

•A.SCRL (Auto Scroll) (page 10)

Note

If you connect an optional power amplifier and do
not use the built-in amplifier, the beep sound will
be disabled.

1 Press (MENU).

3 Press the (+) side of (SEEK/AMS) to select

the desired setting (Example: ON or OFF).

4 Press (ENTER).

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

Boosting the bass sound

— D-bass

You can enjoy a clear and powerful bass
sound.
The D-bass function boosts the low and high
frequency signal with a sharper curve than
conventional bass boost.
You can hear the bass line more clearly even
while the vocal volume remains the same. You
can emphasize and adjust the bass sound
easily with the D-BASS button.

D.BASS-3

Level

0dB

D.BASS-2

D.BASS-1

Frequency (Hz)

D.BASS-3
D.BASS-2
D.BASS-1

2 Press either side of (DISC/PRST) repeatedly

until the desired item appears.

Each time you press the (–) side of
(DISC/PRST), the item changes as follows:

CLOCK t BEEP t RMt D.INFO t M.DSPL t
A.SCRL*

* When no CD or MD is playing, this item will

not appear.

Note

The displayed item will differ depending on
the source.

Tip

You can easily switch among categories (“SET”,
“DIS”, “P/M” (play mode), and “EDT” (edit
mode)) by pressing either side of (DISC/PRST)
for two seconds.

Adjusting the bass curve

Press (D-BASS) repeatedly until the
desired bass level (1, 2, or 3) appears in
the display.

To cancel, select “D.BASS-OFF.”

Note

If the bass sound becomes distorted, select a less
effective setting of “D.BASS” or adjust the volume.

21

Additional
Information

Maintenance

Fuse replacement

When replacing the fuse, be sure to use one
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 such a case,
consult your nearest Sony dealer.

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,
open the front panel by pressing (OPEN), then
detach it and clean the connectors with a
cotton swab dipped in alcohol. Do not apply
too much force. Otherwise, the connectors may
be damaged.

Main unit

Fuse (10 A)

Warning

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

Back of the front panel

Notes

• For safety, turn off the engine 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.

22

Dismounting the unit

1 Press the clip inside the front cover with

a thin screwdriver, and gently pry the
front cover free.

2 Repeat step 1 on the left side.

The front cover is removed.

3 Use a thin screwdriver to push in the clip

on the left side of the unit, then pull out
the left side of the unit until the catch
clears the mounting.

4 Repeat step 3 on the right side.

5 Slide the unit out of the mounting.

23

Specifications

MD player section

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

Tuner section

FM

Tuning range FM tuning interval:

Aerial terminal External aerial connector
Intermediate frequency 10.7 MHz/450 kHz
Usable sensitivity 8 dBf
Selectivity 75 dB at 400 kHz
Signal-to-noise ratio 66 dB (stereo),

Harmonic distortion at 1 kHz

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

50 kHz/200 kHz
switchable

87.5 – 108 MHz
(at 50 kHz step)

87.5 – 107.9 MHz
(at 200 kHz step)

72 dB (mono)

0.6 % (stereo),

0.3 % (mono)

AM

Tuning range AM tuning interval:

Aerial terminal External aerial connector
Intermediate frequency 10.7 MHz/450 kHz
Sensitivity 30 µV

9 kHz/10 kHz switchable
531 – 1,602 kHz
(at 9 kHz step)
530 – 1,710 kHz
(at 10 kHz step)

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 outputs

Tone controls Bass ±9 dB at 100 Hz

Power requirements 12 V DC car battery
Dimensions Approx. 178 × 50 × 183 mm
Mounting dimensions Approx. 182 × 53 × 162 mm

Mass Approx. 1.2 kg
Supplied accessories Parts for installation and

Optional accessories Rotary commander

Optional equipment CD changer (10 discs)

U.S. and foreign patents licensed from Dolby
laboratories Licensing Corporation.

Design and specifications are subject to change
without notice.

Power aerial relay control
lead
Power amplifier control
lead
Telephone ATT control
lead

Treble ±9 dB at 10 kHz

(negative ground)

(w/h/d)

(w/h/d)

connections (1 set)
Front panel case (1)

RM-X4S
Card remote commander
RM-X91
BUS cable (supplied with
an RCA pin cord)
RC-61 (1 m), RC-62 (2 m)

CDX-838, CDX-828,
CDX-737, CDX-636
MD changer (6 discs)
MDX-65
Other CD/MD changers
with the Sony-BUS system
Source selector
XA-C30

24