4-252-491-12(1)
Mini Hi-Fi
Component
System
Operating Instructions
Owner’s Record
The model and serial numbers are located on the rear of the unit. Record the serial number
in the space provided below. Refer to them whenever you call upon your Sony dealer
regarding this product.
Model No. ______________ Serial No. ______________
MHC-GX750/GX450/GX250
MHC-RG555/RG551S/RG444S/
RG441/RG333/RG222/
RG221/RG121/RG100
MHC-RX550
©2004 Sony Corporation
WA R N I NG
To prevent fire or shock hazard, do not
expose the unit to rain or moisture.
To prevent fire, do not cover the ventilation of the
apparatus with news papers, table-cloths, curtains, etc.
And don’t place lighted candles on the apparatus.
To prevent fire or shock hazard, do not place objects
filled with liquids, such as vases, on the apparatus.
Do not install the appliance in a confined space,
such as a bookcase or built-in cabinet.
This appliance is
classified as a CLASS 1
LASER product. This
marking is located on the
rear exterior.
Don’t throw away the battery with
general house waste, dispose of it
correctly as chemical waste.
N OT I CE F OR T H E CU STOM E RS I N T HE
U.S. A.
This symbol is intended to alert the
user to the presence of uninsulated
“dangerous voltage” within the
product’s enclosure that may be of
sufficient magnitude to constitute a
risk of electric shock to persons.
This symbol is intended to alert the
user to the presence of important
operating and maintenance (servicing)
instructions in the literature
accompanying the appliance.
CA U T I ON
The use of optical instruments with this product will
increase eye hazard.
WARN IN G
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.
CAU T I O N
You are cautioned that any changes or modifications
not expressly approved in this manual could void your
authority to operate this equipment.
Not e t o C AT V sy st e m inst alle r:
This reminder is provided to call the CATV system
installer’s attention to Article 820-40 of the NEC that
provides guidelines for proper grounding and, in
particular, specifies that the cable ground shall be
connected to the grounding system of the building, as
close to the point of cable entry as practical.
NOT ICE FO R T HE CUST OM ER S I N CANAD A
CAU TI ON
TO PREVENT ELECTRIC SHOCK, MATCH WIDE
BLADE OF PLUG TO WIDE SLOT, FULLY
INSERT.
CAU T I O N
The use of optical instruments with this product will
increase eye hazard.
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2
NOT ICE F OR T H E C U S T OM ER S I N T HE
U.S .A. (M HC-GX 75 0 onl y)
If you have any questions about this product, you may
call;
Sony Customer Information Service Center
1-800-222-7669 or http://www.sony.com/
The Number below is for the FCC related matters only.
Re gul a t ory I nform a t ion
De c l a rat io n of Co nf orm it y
Trade Name: SONY
Model No.: HCD-GX750
Responsible Party:Sony Electronics Inc.
Address: 16450 W. Bernardo Dr, San
Diego, CA 92127 U.S.A.
Telephone No.: 858-942-2230
This device comp lies with Part 15 of the FCC Rules.
Operation is subject to the following two
conditions: (1) This device may not cause harmful
interference, and (2) this device must accept any
interference received, including interference that
may cause undesired operation.
NOT ICE F OR T H E C U S T OM ER S I N T HE
CAN ADA (M HC-GX 75 0 onl y)
Operation is subject to the following two conditions:
(1) this device may not cause interference, and (2) this
device must accept any interference, including
interference that may cause undesired operation of the
device.
Son utilisation est autorisée seulement aux conditions
suivantes: (1) il ne doit pas produire de brouillage et (2)
l’utilisateur du dispositif doit être prêt à accepter tout
brouillage radioeléctrique reçu, même si ce brouillage
est susceptible de compromettre le fonctionnement du
dispositif.
NOT ICE F OR T H E C U S T OM ER S I N T HE
U.S.A A N D CA N A DA ( M H C-GX 7 5 0 onl y)
Replace the AC power adaptor with model
AC-GSX100 only, if replacement is necessary.
Ex c e pt fo r Eur op e a n m ode l
ENERGY STAR® is a U.S.
registered mark. As an ENERGY
STAR® partner, Sony Corporation
has determined that this product
meets the ENERGY STAR®
guidelines for energy efficiency.
GB
3
Table of Contents
How to use this manual...........................5
Playable discs..........................................5
Ge tt ing Sta rt ed
Hooking up the system............................7
Setting the clock....................................10
CD/M P3 – Pla y
Loading a disc....................................... 11
Playing a disc........................................11
— Normal Play/Shuffle Play
Playing repeatedly................................. 13
— Repeat Play
Creating your own program..................14
— Program Play
Tune r
Presetting radio stations ........................15
Listening to the radio ............................16
— Preset Tuning
— Manual Tuning
Using the Radio Data System (RDS).... 17
(European model only)
Ta pe – Pla y
Loading a tape.......................................18
Playing a tape........................................18
Ta pe – Rec ording
Recording your favorite CD tracks on a
tape..................................................19
— CD-TAPE Synchro Recording
Recording on a tape manually...............20
— Manual Recording
So und Adjust m e nt
Adjusting the sound ..............................21
Using the sub woofer ............................21
(MHC-GX750/GX450/RG551S/
RG444S/RX550 only)
Selecting the sound effect .....................22
Adjusting the graphic equalizer and
storing .............................................22
Selecting the surround effect................ 23
Enhancing video game sound............... 23
— Game Sync
Mixing video game sound with other
sound source................................... 23
— Game Mixing
Singing along........................................ 24
(MHC-RG555 only)
Tim er
Falling asleep to music......................... 25
— Sleep Timer
Waking up to music.............................. 25
— Play Timer
Timer recording radio programs........... 26
— Rec Timer
Displa y
Turning off the display ......................... 27
— Power Saving Mode
Viewing information about the disc in the
display ............................................ 28
Changing the Power illuminator........... 28
(MHC-GX750/GX450/RG555/
RG551S/RG444S/RG441/
RG333/RX550 only)
Opt iona l Co m pone nt s
Hooking up optional components......... 29
Transmitter ........................................... 30
(MHC-GX750 only)
Trou ble shoot ing
Problems and remedies......................... 33
Messages............................................... 36
Addit iona l I nform at ion
Precautions ........................................... 37
Specifications ....................................... 38
List of button locations and reference
pages............................................... 44
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4
How to use this manual
This manual mainly explains operations using
the remote, but the same operations can also be
performed using the buttons on the unit having
the same or similar names.
Playable discs
You can play back the following discs on this
system. Other discs cannot be played back.
List of pla ya b le disc s
Format of discs Disc logo
Audio CDs
CD-R/CD-RW
(audio data/MP3
files*)
* MHC-GX750/GX450/RG555/RG551S/RG444S/
RG441/RG333/RG222/RG221/RX550 only
Disc s t hat t his syst em c annot
pla y
•CD-ROMs
• CD-Rs/CD-RWs other than those recorded in
the following formats:
– music CD format
– MP3 format that conforms to ISO9660
Level 1/Level 2, Joliet or Multi Session
• A disc that has a non-standard shape (e.g.,
card, heart).
• A disc with paper or stickers on it.
• A disc that has the adhesive, cellophane tape,
or a sticker still left on it.
1)
ISO9660 Format
The most common international standard for the
logical format of files and folders on a CD-ROM.
There are several specification levels. In Level 1,
file names must be in the 8.3 format (no more than
eight characters in the name, no more than three
characters in the extension “.MP3”) and in capital
letters. Folder names can be no longer than eight
characters. There can be no more than eight nested
folder levels. Level 2 specifications allow file
names and folder names up to 31 characters long.
Each folder can have up to 8 trees.
For Joliet in the expansion format (file and folder
names can have up to 64 characters) make sure of
the contents of the writing software, etc.
2)
Multi Session
This is a recording method that enables adding of
data using the Track-At-Once method.
Conventional CDs begin at a CD control area called
the Lead-in and end at an area called Lead-out. A
Multi Session CD is a CD having multiple sessions,
with each segment from Lead-in to Lead-out
regarded as a single session.
CD-Extra: This format records audio (audio CD
data) on the tracks in session 1 and data on the tracks
in session 2.
Mixed CD: This format records data on the first
track and audio (audio CD data) on the second and
subsequent tracks of a session.
1)
2)
continued
GB
5
Not es on CD-R and C D-RW
• Some CD-Rs or CD-RWs cannot be played
on this system depending upon the recording
quality or physical condition of the disc, or
the characteristics of the recording device.
Furthermore, the disc will not play if it has not
been correctly finalized. For more
information, see the operating instructions for
the recording device.
• Discs recorded on CD-R/CD-RW drives may
not be played back because of scratches, dirt,
recording condition or the driver’s
characteristics.
• CD-R and CD-RW discs recorded in multisession that have not ended by “closing the
session” are not supported.
• The system may be unable to play MP3
format files that do not have the “.MP3”
extension.
• Attempting to play non-MP3 format files that
have the “.MP3” extension may result in noise
or malfunction.
• With formats other than ISO9660 level 1 and
2, folder names or file names may not be
displayed correctly.
• 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 (non-
finalized disc).
Music disc s e nc ode d w ith
copyright prot ec tion
te chnologie s
This product is designed to playback discs that
conform to the Compact Disc (CD) standard.
Recently, various music discs encoded with
copyright protection technologies are marketed
by some record companies. Please be aware that
among those discs, there are some that do not
conform to the CD standard and may not be
playable by this product.
Ca ut ions w he n playing a disc
tha t is re corde d in M ult i
Se ssion
• If the disc begins with a CD-DA session, it is
recognized as a CD-DA (audio) disc, and
playback continues until an MP3 session is
encountered.
• If the disc begins with an MP3 session, it is
recognized as an MP3 disc, and playback
continues until a CD-DA (audio) session is
encountered.
• The playback range of an MP3 disc is
determined by the tree structure of files
produced by analyzing of the disc.
• A disc with a mixed CD format will be
recognized as a CD-DA (audio) disc.
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6
Getting Started
Hooking up the system
Perform the following procedures 1 to 5 to hook up your system using the supplied cords and
accessories. A model equipped with a sub woofer is used for illustration purpose.
AM loop antenna
FM lead antenna
Sub woofer*
Getting Started
Front speaker (right) Front speaker (left)
* MHC-GX750/GX450/RG551S/RG444S/RX550 only
1 Connect the front speakers.
Connect the right and left speaker cords to
the SPEAKER terminals as shown below.
Red
Red/Solid
(3)
Insert only the stripped portion
R
Black/Stripe (#)
L
+
–
Black
2 Connect the sub woofer.
(MHC-GX750/GX450/RG551S/RG444S/
RX550 only)
Connect the speaker cords to the SUB
WOOFER OUT jack and CONTROL jack
as shown below.
SUB WOOFER OUT jack
CONTROL jack
continued
GB
7
3 Connect the FM and AM antennas.
Set up the AM loop antenna, then connect
it.
Plug t y pe A
AM loop antenna
Not e
Keep the antennas away from the speaker cords.
4 For models with a voltage selector, set
VOLTAGE SELECTOR to the local
power line voltage.
Refer to the print on your system’s
VOLTAGE SELECTOR for available
settings.
Extend the FM lead antenna horizontally
Plug t y pe B
AM loop antenna
Extend the FM lead antenna horizontally
Plug t y pe C
AM loop antenna
Extend the FM lead
antenna horizontally
North American model:
Connect white side.
Other models:
Connect brown side.
* Saudi Arabian model: 120 – 127 V
5 Connect the power cord to a wall
outlet.
The demonstration appears in the display.
When you press ?/1, the system turns on
and the demonstration automatically ends.
If the plug does not fit the wall socket,
detach the supplied plug adaptor (only for
models equipped with an adaptor).
Inse rt ing tw o R6 (siz e AA)
ba tt eries int o t he re mot e
Not e
If you do not use the remote for a long period of time,
remove the batteries to avoid possible damage from
battery leakage and corrosion.
Tip
With normal use, the batteries should last for about six
months. When the remote no longer operates the
system, replace both batteries with new ones.
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8
At ta ching t he front spe ak e r
pa ds
Attach the supplied speaker pads to the bottom
of the speakers to stabilize the speakers and
prevent them from slipping.
Front speaker (Left (4)/Right (4))
Sub woofer (4)*
* MHC-GX750/GX450/RG551S/RG444S/RX550
only
Whe n ca rrying t his syst em
Perform the following procedure to protect
the CD mechanism. Use buttons on the unit
for the operation.
1 Make sure that all discs are removed
from the system.
2 Hold down CD and then press ?/1 until
“STANDBY” appears.
After a few seconds later, “STANDBY”
disappears and “LOCK” appears.
3 Unplug the power cord.
Pla cing t he sub w oofe r
(M HC-GX 75 0/GX 45 0/RG5 51 S/
RG4 44 S/RX 550 only)
To obtain a better bass reproduction, we
recommend you to place the sub woofer on a
solid floor where resonance is unlikely to occur.
Not e s
• Always place the sub woofer vertically, keeping it a
few centimeters away from the wall.
• If the sub woofer is placed in the center of a room, the
bass could be extremely weakened. This is due to the
influence of the standing wave of the room. If this
happens, move the sub woofer away from the center
of the room or eliminate the cause of the standing
wave, by placing a bookshelf against the wall, etc.
Getting Started
GB
9
Setting the clock
Use buttons on the remote for the operation.
1 Press ?/1 to turn on the system.
2 Press CLOCK/TIMER SET.
3 Press . or > repeatedly to set the
hour.
4 Press ENTER.
5 Press . or > repeatedly to set the
minute.
6 Press ENTER.
The clock starts working.
To a djust t he c loc k
1 Press CLOCK/TIMER SET.
2 Press . or > repeatedly to select
“CLOCK SET”, then press ENTER.
3 Do the same procedures as step 3 to 6
above.
Not e s
• The clock settings are canceled when you disconnect
the power cord or if a power failure occurs.
• You cannot set the clock in Power Saving Mode
(page 27).
10
GB
CD/M P3 – Play
Loading a disc
Use buttons on the unit for the operation.
1 Press Z.
2 Place a disc with the label side up on
the disc tray.
To insert additional discs, press DISC
SKIP/EX-CHANGE to rotate the disc tray.
3 Press Z again to close the disc tray.
Not es
• Do not use a disc with tape, seals or paste on it as this
may cause malfunction.
• Do not forcibly press the disc tray closed with your
finger, as this may cause malfunction.
Playing a disc
— Normal Play/Shuffle Play
This system lets you play audio CDs and discs
with MP3 audio tracks.
MP3 audio tracks cannot be played on
MHC-GX250, MHC-RG121 and MHC-RG100.
Example: When a disc is loaded
Disc tray number
Disc presence indicator Playing time
Track number
1 Press CD (or FUNCTION repeatedly) to
switch the function to CD.
CD/MP3 – Play
continued
11
GB
2 Press PLAY MODE repeatedly in stop
mode until the mode you want appears
in the display.
Select To play
ALL DISCS
(Normal Play)
1DISC
(Normal Play)
ALBM
(Normal Play)
ALL DISCS
SHUF (Shuffle
Play)
1DISC SHUF
(Shuffle Play)
ALBM SHUF
(Shuffle Play)
PGM
(Program Play)
All discs in the disc tray
continuously.
The tracks on the disc you
have selected in original
order.
All MP3 audio tracks in the
album on the disc you have
selected in original order.
When playing a non-MP3
disc, Album Play performs
the same operation as 1DISC
Play.
The tracks on all discs in
random order.
The tracks on the disc you
have selected in random
order.
The MP3 audio tracks in the
album on the disc you have
selected in random order.
When playing a non-MP3
disc, Album Shuffle Play
performs the same operation
as 1DISC SHUF Play.
The tracks on the disc in the
order you want them to be
played (see “Creating your
own program” on page 14).
3 Press N.
Ot he r ope ra tions
To Do this
Stop play Press x.
Pause Press X. Press again to resume
Select a track Press . or > repeatedly (or
Select an album
of MP3
Find a point in a
track*
Select a disc in
stop mode
Switch to CD
function from
other function
Exchange other
discs while
playing
Remove a disc Press Z on the unit.
* You may not be able to search between multiple files.
Also, the time may not be displayed correctly for
some files.
play.
turn l L on the unit).
Press ALBUM – or + repeatedly
after step 2.
Keep pressing m or M during
playback and release it at the
desired point.
Press DISC SKIP (or DISC 1 – 3
or DISC SKIP/EX-CHANGE on
the unit).
Press DISC 1 – 3 on the unit
(Automatic Source Selection).
Press DISC SKIP/EX-CHANGE
on the unit.
12
GB
Not es
• You cannot change the play mode during playback.
• Some time may be needed to start playback of discs
recorded in complex configurations such as many
layers.
• When the disc is inserted, the player reads all the
tracks on that disc. If there are many albums or nonMP3 audio tracks on the disc, it may take a long time
for play to begin or for the next MP3 audio track to
start play.
• Do not save unnecessary albums or tracks other than
MP3 ones in the disc to be used for MP3 listening.
We recommend that you do not save other types of
tracks or unnecessary albums on a disc that has MP3
audio tracks.
• An album that does not include an MP3 audio track
is skipped.
• Maximum album number: 150 (including root
folder)
• The maximum number of MP3 audio tracks and
albums that can be contained on a single disc is 255.
• Playback is possible up to 8 levels.
• MP3 audio tracks are played back in the order that
they are recorded on the disc.
• Depending on the encoding/writing software,
recording device, or the recording media used at the
time an MP3 audio track is recorded, you may
encounter such problems as disabled playback,
sound interruptions, and noise.
Playing repeatedly
— Repeat Play
You can play all the tracks or a single track on a
disc repeatedly.
MP3 audio tracks cannot be played on
MHC-GX250, MHC-RG121 and MHC-RG100.
Press REPEAT until “REP” or “REP1”
appears.
REP: For all the tracks on a disc up to five times.
REP1: For a single track only.
To c anc e l Repe a t Pla y
Press REPEAT repeatedly until both “REP” and
“REP1” disappear.
Not e s
• You cannot select “REP” and “ALL DISCS SHUF”
at the same time.
• When you select “REP1”, that track is repeated
endlessly until “REP1” is canceled.
CD/MP3 – Play
13
GB
Creating your own
program
— Program Play
You can make a program of up to 25 steps from
all the discs in the order you want to play them.
You can synchro record the programmed tracks
onto a cassette tape (page 19).
MP3 audio tracks cannot be played on
MHC-GX250, MHC-RG121 and MHC-RG100.
1 Press CD (or FUNCTION repeatedly) to
switch the function to CD.
2 Press PLAY MODE repeatedly in stop
mode until “PGM” appears.
3 Press DISC SKIP (or DISC 1 – 3 or DISC
SKIP/EX-CHANGE on the unit) to select
a disc.
4 Press . or > repeatedly (or turn
l L on the unit) until the desired
track number appears.
When programming the MP3 audio tracks,
press ALBUM – or + to select album, then
press . or > repeatedly (or turn l
L on the unit) until the desired track
number appears.
6 Program additional tracks.
To program Repeat steps
Other tracks on the
same disc
Other tracks on
other discs
4 and 5
3 to 5
7 Press N.
Program Play starts.
Ot he r ope ra tions
To Do this
Cancel Program
Play
Clear a track from
the end
Tips
• The program you made remains after Program Play
finishes. To play the same program again, press CD
(or FUNCTION repeatedly) to switch the function to
CD, then press N. However, the program is cleared
when you open the disc tray.
• “– –.– –” appears when the total CD program time
exceeds 100 minutes, or when you select a CD track
whose number is 21 or over, or when you select an
MP3 audio track.
Press PLAY MODE repeatedly
in stop mode until “PGM”
disappears.
Press CLEAR in stop mode.
14
Selected track numberDisc tray number
Total playing time ( including
selected track)
5 Press ENTER.
The track is programmed.
The program step number appears,
followed by the total playing time.
GB
Tuner
Presetting radio stations
You can preset up to 20 FM stations and 10 AM
stations. You can then tune in any of those
stations simply by selecting the corresponding
preset number.
Aut om a tic t unin g prese t
You can automatically tune in all of the stations
that can be received in your area and then store
the radio frequency of the desired stations.
1 Press TUNER BAND (or FUNCTION
repeatedly) to switch the function to
tuner.
2 Press TUNER BAND repeatedly to
select “FM” or “AM”.
3 Press TUNING MODE repeatedly until
“AUTO” appears in the display.
4 Press – or + (or TUNING – or + on the
unit).
The frequency changes as the system scans
for a station. Scanning stops automatically
when a station is tuned in. At that time,
“TUNED” and “STEREO” (for an FM
stereo program) appear.
If “TUNED” does not appear and the
scanning does not stop
Set the frequency of the desired radio
station as described in steps 3 through 8 of
“Manual tuning preset” (page 15).
5 Press TUNER MEMORY.
A preset number appears.
Preset number
6 Press – or + (or TUNING – or + on the
unit) repeatedly to select the desired
preset number.
7 Press ENTER.
8 Repeat steps 2 through 7 to store other
stations.
Ma nua l t uning p re se t
You can manually tune in and store the radio
frequency of the desired stations.
1 Press TUNER BAND (or FUNCTION
repeatedly) to switch the function to
tuner.
2 Press TUNER BAND repeatedly to
select “FM” or “AM”.
3 Press TUNING MODE repeatedly until
“AUTO” and “PRESET” disappear from
the display.
4 Press – or + (or TUNING – or + on the
unit) repeatedly to tune in the desired
station.
5 Press TUNER MEMORY.
A preset number appears.
6 Press – or + (or TUNING – or + on the
unit) repeatedly to select the desired
preset number.
7 Press ENTER.
8 Repeat steps 2 through 7 to store other
stations.
Ot he r ope ra t ions
To Do this
Tune in a station
with a weak signal
Set another station
to the existing
preset number
Follow the procedure described
in “Manual tuning preset”
(page 15).
Start over from step 2. After
step 5, press – or + (or TUNING
– or + on the unit) repeatedly to
select the preset number you
want to store the other station.
Tuner
continued
15
GB
To c hange t he AM t uning int erva l
(e xc e pt for Eur ope a n, R ussia n
and Sa u di A ra b ia n m o de l s)
The AM tuning interval is factory-preset to
9 kHz (or 10 kHz for some areas). To change the
AM tuning interval, tune in any AM station first,
then turn off the system. While holding
TUNING MODE on the unit, press ?/1 on the
unit. When you change the interval, all the AM
preset stations are erased. To reset the interval,
repeat the same procedure.
Not e
You cannot change the AM tuning interval in Power
Saving Mode (page 27).
Tip s
• The preset stations are retained for about a day even
if you disconnect the power cord or if a power failure
occurs.
• To improve broadcast reception, adjust the supplied
antennas, or connect a commercially available
external antenna.
Listening to the radio
You can listen to a radio station either by
selecting a preset station, or by manually tuning
in the station.
List e ning t o a prese t st at i on
— Preset Tuning
Preset radio stations in the tuner’s memory first
(see “Presetting radio stations” on page 15).
1 Press TUNER BAND (or FUNCTION
repeatedly) to switch the function to
tuner.
2 Press TUNER BAND repeatedly to
select “FM” or “AM”.
3 Press TUNING MODE repeatedly until
“PRESET” appears in the display.
4 Press – or + (or TUNING – or + on the
unit) repeatedly to select the desired
preset station.
FrequencyPreset number
16
GB
List ening t o non-pre se t ra dio
st a tion
— Manual Tuning
1 Press TUNER BAND (or FUNCTION
repeatedly) to switch the function to
tuner.
2 Press TUNER BAND repeatedly to
select “FM” or “AM”.
3 Press TUNING MODE repeatedly until
“AUTO” and “PRESET” disappear from
the display.
4 Press – or + (or TUNING – or + on the
unit) repeatedly to tune in the desired
station.
Tips
• To improve broadcast reception, adjust the supplied
antennas, or connect a commercially available
external antenna.
• When an FM stereo program has static noise, press
FM MODE repeatedly until “MONO” appears.
There will be no stereo effect, but the reception will
improve.
• Press TUNING MODE repeatedly until “AUTO”
appears in step 3 above, then press – or + (or
TUNING – or + on the unit). The frequency
indication changes and scanning stops when the
system tunes in a station (Automatic Tuning).
• To record the radio programs, use manual recording
(page 20).
Using the Radio Data
System (RDS)
(European model only)
Wha t is t he Ra dio Da ta
Syst em ?
Radio Data System (RDS) is a broadcasting
service that allows radio stations to send
additional information along with the regular
program signal. RDS is available only on FM
stations.*
Not e
RDS may not work properly if the station you are tuned
in is not transmitting the RDS signal properly or if the
signal is weak.
* Not all FM stations provide RDS service, nor do they
provide the same types of services. If you are not
familiar with the RDS system, check with your local
radio stations for details on RDS services in your
area.
Re ce iving RDS broa dc asts
Simply select a station from the FM band.
When you tune in a station that provides RDS
services, the station name appears in the display.
To c he ck t he RDS info rm a tion
Each time you press DISPLAY, the display
changes cyclically as follows:
Station name1) t Preset number2) and
frequency t Clock display t Effect status
1)
If the RDS broadcast is not properly received, the
station name may not appear in the display.
2)
Preset number is displayed only if you preset radio
stations (page 15).
Tuner
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Tape – Play
Loading a tape
Use buttons on the unit for the operation.
1 Press TAPE A/B repeatedly to select
deck A or B.
2 Press PUSH Z.
3 Load a recorded/recordable tape in
deck A or B with the side you want to
play/record facing forward.
With the side
you want to
play/record
facing
forward.
Playing a tape
You can use TYPE I (normal) tape.
For M HC-RG 5 55
1 Load a tape.
2 Press PLAY MODE repeatedly to select
g to play one side. Select j1) to
play both sides.
To play both decks in succession, press
PLAY MODE repeatedly until “RELAY”
(Relay Play)2) appears in the display.
3 Press N (or hH on the unit).
The tape starts playing. Press the button
again to play the reverse side.
1)
The tape deck stops automatically after repeating
the sequence five times.
2)
Relay Play always follows this cyclic sequence up
to five times, then stops:
Deck A (front side) t Deck A (reverse side) t
Deck B (front side) t Deck B (reverse side)
For o t he r models
1 Load a tape.
To play both decks in succession, press
PLAY MODE repeatedly until “RELAY”
(Relay Play)* appears in the display.
2 Press N.
The tape starts playing.
* After the playback of the front side of deck A, deck
B plays the front side, then stops.
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Ot he r ope ra tions
To Do this
Stop play Press x.
Pause Press X. Press again to resume
Fast-forward or
rewind
Remove a tape Press PUSH Z on the unit.
play.
Press m or M.
Se arching for t he beginning of
the c u rre nt or t he ne x t t ra c k
1)
(AM S)
To g o fo rw a rd
Press > (or turn l L on the unit
clockwise) during forward playback.
“TAPE A (or TAPE B) >>> +1” appears.
Press . (or turn l L on the unit
counterclockwise) during reverse playback.2)
“TAPE A (or TAPE B) <<< +1” appears.
To g o ba ck
Press . (or turn l L on the unit
counterclockwise) during forward playback.
“TAPE A (or TAPE B) <<< –1” appears.
Press > (or turn l L on the unit
clockwise) during reverse playback.
“TAPE A (or TAPE B) >>> –1” appears.
1)
AMS (Automatic Music Sensor)
2)
MHC-RG555 only
Not e
The AMS function may not operate correctly under the
following circumstances:
– When the unrecorded space between songs is less
than 4 seconds long.
– When the system is placed near a television.
Tip
When a tape is inserted, corresponding forward (N)/
reverse (n) indicators light. The reverse indicator
lights up only for MHC-RG555.
2)
Tape – Recording
Recording your favorite
CD tracks on a tape
— CD-TAPE Synchro Recording
You can record a whole CD on a tape.
You can use TYPE I (normal) tape. The
recording level is adjusted automatically.
Use buttons on the unit for the operation.
1 Load a recordable tape into deck B,
then press TAPE A/B repeatedly to
select deck B.
2 (MHC-RG555 only)
Press PLAY MODE repeatedly to select
g to record on one side. Select j
(or RELAY) to record on both sides.
When you want to record from the reverse
side, press hH twice or until the TAPE
B reverse side indicator lights up. Then
press x.
3 Press CD and load a disc you want to
record.
If you have already loaded the disc, press
DISC SKIP/EX-CHANGE to select the
disc.
When you want to record an album from an
MP3 disc, be sure to press PLAY MODE
repeatedly to select ALBM, then press
ALBUM – or + to select the desired album
before proceeding.
4 Press CD SYNC.
Deck B stands by for recording.
“REC” flashes.
5 Press REC PAUSE/START.
Recording starts.
To s t op re cording
Press x.
Tape – Play/Tape – Recording
continued
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To r e cord a dis c by spec ifying
tra c k o rde r
You can record only your favorite CD tracks
using Program Play. Between steps 3 and 4,
perform steps 2 to 6 of “Creating your own
program” (page 14).
Tip
For MHC-RG555, if you select both sides recording
and the tape reaches the end of the front side part-way
through a track, the entire track is recorded again from
the beginning of the reverse side.
Recording on a tape
manually
— Manual Recording
You can record just the portions you like from a
CD, tape or radio program on a tape.
You can also record from connected
components (see “Hooking up optional
components” on page 29).
Use buttons on the unit for the operation.
1 Load a recordable tape into deck B,
then press TAPE A/B repeatedly to
select deck B.
2 (MHC-RG555 only)
Press PLAY MODE repeatedly to select
g to record on one side. Select j
(or RELAY) to record on both sides.
When you want to record from the reverse
side, press hH twice or until the TAPE
B reverse side indicator lights up. Then
press x.
3 Press one of the following buttons to
select the desired source to record.
• CD: To record from this system’s CD
player.
• TAPE A/B: To record from this system’s
tape deck A.
• TUNER/BAND: To record from this
system’s tuner.
• GAME: To record from the connected
video game machine to GAME INPUT
AUDIO L/R jacks.
• VIDEO/MD*: To record from the
connected VCR or MD to VIDEO/MD
IN jacks.
* MHC-RG555 only
4 Press REC PAUSE/START.
Deck B stands by for recording.
“REC” flashes.
5 Press REC PAUSE/START, then start
playing the desired source to record.
Recording starts.
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To st op r e cor ding
Press x.
Not e
You cannot listen to other sources while recording.
Tips
• For MHC-RG555, when you record on both sides, be
sure to start from the front side. If you start from the
reverse side, recording stops at the end of the reverse
side.
• For recording from the tuner:
If noise is heard while recording from the tuner,
move the respective antenna to reduce the noise.
Sound Adjustment
Adjusting the sound
You can reinforce the bass and create a more
powerful sound.
Press GROOVE on the unit.
Each time you press the button, the display
changes cyclically as follows:
GROOVE ON* t GROOVE OFF
* The volume switches to power mode, the equalizer
curve changes, and “GROOVE” lights up.
Using the sub woofer
(MHC-GX750/GX450/RG551S/RG444S/
RX550 only)
You can use the sound of the sub woofer to suit
the sound source.
Press SUB WOOFER ON/OFF on the sub
woofer.
The indicator lights up while the sub woofer
turns on. Press the button again to turn off the
sub woofer.
Tip
You can use VOLUME +/– (or VOLUME control on
the unit) to adjust the volume of the sub woofer linked
to the front speakers.
Sound Adjustment
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Selecting the sound effect
Se le c t i n g t he e ff e c t f r om t he
music m enu
Press EQ (or PRESET EQ on the unit)
repeatedly to select the preset you desire.
The preset name appears in the display.
See the chart “Sound effect options”.
To c anc e l t he sound e ffe c t
Press EFFECT ON/OFF on the unit.
Sound e ffec t opt ions
“SURR” appears if you select an effect with
surround effects.
EQ Effect
ROCK
POP
JAZZ
DANCE
SOUL
ORIENTAL
MOVIE EQ Soundtracks and special listening
GAME EQ PlayStation 1, 2 and other video
Standard music sources
situations
game music sources
Adjusting the graphic
equalizer and storing
You can adjust the sound by raising or lowering
the levels of specific frequency ranges, then
store up to three personal files (P FILE) in the
memory.
Before operation, first select the audio emphasis
you want for your basic sound.
Use buttons on the unit for the operation.
1 Press EQ BAND repeatedly to select a
frequency band, then turn – EQ + to
adjust the level.
Frequency levelFrequency band
2 Press and hold P FILE.
A personal file number appears.
3 Press P FILE repeatedly to select
P FILE 1 – 3 you want to store the
equalizer setting.
4 Press ENTER.
“COMPLETE” appears.
This setting is automatically stored as the
personal file you selected in step 3.
Ot he r ope ra tions
To Press
Call up a
personal file
Cancel a personal
file
P FILE repeatedly to select the
desired personal file number.
EFFECT ON/OFF repeatedly
until “EFFECT OFF” appears.
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Selecting the surround
Mixing video game sound
effect
Press SURROUND on the unit.
Each time you press the button, the display
changes as follows:
SURROUND ON (SURR)
Y
SURROUND OFF (off)
Enhancing video game
sound
—Game Sync
You need to connect a video game machine (see
“Hooking up optional components” on page 29).
Press GAME on the unit.
Tips
• In the standby mode, the system automatically turns
on.
• The GAME EQ is automatically selected (page 22).
• These operations cannot be performed in Power
Saving Mode (page 27).
with other sound source
— Game Mixing
Use buttons on the unit for the operation.
1 Select the desired source sound.
2 Press GAME MIXING.
Each time you press the button, the level of
the game sound changes cyclically as
follows:
MIXING LOW t MIXING MID t
MIXING HIGH t MIXING OFF
Not e s
• If you start recording while Game Mixing is
activated, Game Mixing is canceled. To record the
mixed sound, press GAME MIXING after step 4 of
“Recording on a tape manua lly” on page 20, and then
press REC PAUSE/START to start the recording.
• The game sound is not output while the tape deck is
performing the AMS operation (page 19).
Tip
Once Game Mixing is activated, it will remain active
while the power is on even if the source sound is
changed.
Sound Adjustment
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Singing along
(MHC-RG555 only)
You can sing along by connecting an optional
microphone.
1 Turn MIC LEVEL on the unit to MIN to
turn down the microphone control
level.
2 Connect an optional microphone to
MIC.
3 Start playing the music.
4 Adjust the microphone volume by
turning MIC LEVEL on the unit.
Af t er you ha ve finishe d
Turn MIC LEVEL on the unit to MIN and
disconnect the microphone from MIC.
M ix ing a nd re cording sounds
You can “mix” sounds by playing one of the
components and singing or speaking into a
microphone (not supplied).
The mixed sound can be recorded on a tape.
Use buttons on the unit for the operation.
1 Prepare the source you want to mix.
Then, load a recordable tape in deck B
and press TAPE A/B repeatedly to
select deck B.
2 Press PLAY MODE repeatedly to select
g to record on one side. Select j
(or RELAY) to record on both sides.
3 Press the function button of the source
you want to record (e.g., CD).
When you want to record from TAPE A,
press TAPE A/B repeatedly until TAPE A
is selected.
4 Press REC PAUSE/START.
Deck B stands by for recording.
“REC” flashes.
5 Press REC PAUSE/START, and then
start singing, speaking or playing the
desired source.
Recording starts.
To s t op re cording
Press x.
Not e
Microphone does not function while the tape deck is
performing the AMS operation (page 19).
Tips
• If acoustic feedback (howling) occurs, move the
microphone away from the speakers or change the
direction of the microphone.
• If you want to record your voice through the
microphone only, you can do so by selecting the CD
function and not playing a disc.
• When high level sound signals are input, the system
automatically adjusts the recording level to prevent
distortion of the recorded sound signal (Auto Level
Control function).
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