Sony MHC-GN600, MHC-GN700, MHC-GN800, MHC-GN900, MHC-GX8800 Operating Instruction

4-244-569-13 (3)

Mini Hi-Fi Component System

Operating Instructions

Owner’s Record

The model and serial numbers are located at 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-GN900 MHC-GN800 MHC-GN700/GX8800 MHC-GN600

MHC-GN800 4-244-569-13 (3)

WARNING

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

To avoid electrical shock, do not open the cabinet. Refer servicing to qualified personnel only.

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. The CLASS 1 LASER PRODUCT MARKING is located on the rear exterior.

To prevent fire, do not cover the ventilation of the apparatus with newspapers, 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.

Don’t throw away the battery with general house waste, dispose of it correctly as chemical waste.

NOTICE FOR THE CUSTOMERS IN THE 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.

WARNING

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.

CAUTION

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

Note to CATV system installer:

This reminder is provided to call 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.

ENERGY STAR

registered mark. As an ENERGY STAR® partner, Sony Corporation has determined that this product meets the

ENERGY STAR

energy efficiency.

is a U.S.

guidelines for

MHC-GN800 4-244-569-13 (3)

Notes on CD-R and CD-RW discs

This unit can play the following discs:

Type of discs Label on the disc

Audio CDs

The MHC-GN700/MHC-GX8800 consists of the following components:

– Tuner/CD player/Stereo cassette

deck/Amplifier (main unit) HCD-GN700/

HCD-GX8800

– Speaker System

• Front speakers SS-GN800

• Surround speakers SS-RS800

MP3 files

• Disc recorded in CD-R/CD-RW drives may not be played back because of scratches, dirt, recording condition or the drive’s characteristics.

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

• Playback of multi-session CD-R/CD-RW is not supported.

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

disc to be played back on the audio CD player.

About this manual

The instructions in this manual are for models MHC-GN900, MHC-GN800, MHCGN700, MHC-GX8800 and MHC-GN600. In this manual, the MHC-GN800 is used for illustration purposes unless stated otherwise.

The MHC-GN900 consists of the following components:

– Tuner/CD player/Stereo cassette

deck/Amplifier (main unit) HCD-GN900

– Speaker System

• Front speakers SS-GN900

The MHC-GN600 consists of the following components:

– Tuner/CD player/Stereo cassette

deck/Amplifier (main unit) HCD-GN600

– Speaker System

• Front speakers SS-GN800

Table of Contents

List of Button Location and Reference Pages

Main unit ............................................... 5

Subwoofer

Remote Control ..................................... 6

Getting Started

Hooking up the system .......................... 7

Inserting two R6 (size AA) batteries into

Setting the clock .................................... 9

Loading a CD ...................................... 10

Playing a CD

Playing a disc with MP3 audio

Programming the CD tracks

............................................ 6

the remote ........................................ 9

–– Normal Play/Shuffle Play/

Repeat Play ................................... 10

tracks ............................................. 11

–– Program Play ............................ 13

The MHC-GN800 consists of the following components:

– Tuner/CD player/Stereo cassette

deck/Amplifier (main unit) HCD-GN800

– Subwoofer SS-WG800 – Speaker System

• Front speakers SS-GN800

• Surround speakers SS-RS800

MHC-GN800 only.

continued

MHC-GN800 4-244-569-13 (3)

Table of Contents (continued)

Tuner

Presetting radio stations ....................... 14

Listening to the radio

–– Preset Tuning ........................... 15

–– Manual Tuning ......................... 15

Tape

Loading a tape ..................................... 16

Playing a tape ...................................... 16

Recording to a tape

–– CD Synchro Recording/ Recording Manually/

Program Edit ................................. 17

Timer-recording radio programs ......... 18

Sound Adjustment

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

Selecting the sound system

Using the subwoofer

Selecting the preset effect .................... 21

Adjusting the graphic equalizer and

storing the personal file ................. 21

Selecting the surround effect ............... 22

................ 20

.......................... 20

Display

Changing the spectrum analyzer

display ........................................... 23

Adjusting the brightness of the

display ........................................... 23

Changing the power illuminator .......... 23

Turning off the display

— Power Saving Mode ................. 23

Using the CD display .......................... 24

Other Features

Enhancing the video game sound

— Game Sync ............................... 25

Mixing video game sound with other

sound source

— Game Mixing ........................... 25

Singing along ....................................... 25

Falling asleep to music

— Sleep Timer .............................. 26

Waking up to music

— Daily Timer .............................. 26

Optional Components

Hooking up optional components ........ 28

Listening to audio from a connected

component ..................................... 29

Recording on a connected

component ..................................... 29

Connecting external antennas .............. 29

Troubleshooting

Problems and remedies ........................ 30

Messages ............................................. 32

Additional Information

Precautions .......................................... 33

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

MHC-GN800/GN700/GX8800 only.

MHC-GN800 only.

MHC-GN800 4-244-569-13 (3)

List of Button Location and Reference Pages

How to use this page

Use this page to find the location of buttons and other parts of the system that are mentioned in the text.

Main unit

ALPHABETICAL ORDER

A - D

ALBUM +/– qg (12, 13) AMP MENU rd (15, 23) CD r; (9–13, 17, 18) CD SYNC qj (17, 18) DECK A wk (16) DECK B wd (16–18) DIRECTION 9 (16–18) DISC 1~3 3 (10, 12, 13, 18) DISC SKIP EX-CHANGE 4 (10–12) Disc tray 6 (10) DISPLAY ra (23, 24) Display 2

E - L

EDIT 9 (18) EFFECT ON/OFF rf (21) FM MODE 8 (15, 32) GAME eh (25, 29) GAME EQ ea (21)

2 3

GAME INPUT (jacks) wj (17, 25) GAME MIXING ef (17, 25) GROOVE ed (20) IR (receptor) rs ILLUMINATION wl (23)

M - Q

MD (VIDEO) ej (29, 30) MIC (jack) wh (25) MIC LEVEL wg (25) MOVIE EQ qh (21) MUSIC EQ eg (21) OPEN/CLOSE Z 5 (10–12) P FILE wa (21, 22) PHONES (jack) wf (3 0) PLAY MODE 7 (10, 11, 13, 18,

31)

Power illuminator e; (23) PUSH ENTER q; (9, 13, 14, 18,

19, 21, 22, 23, 26, 27)

4 5 6

Illustration number

PLAY MODE 7 (10, 11, 13, 18, 31)

R R

Name of button/part Reference page

R - Z

REC PAUSE/START qk (17, 18,

25)

REPEAT 8 (11, 12) SURROUND (MHC-GN900/

GN600 only) w; (22)

SURROUND SPEAKER MODE

(except for MHC-GN900/

GN600) w; (20) TAPE A/B ek (16, 17) TUNER/BAND el (14, 15) TUNER MEMORY 7 (14) VOLUME ws (20, 30)

SYMBOLS

@/1 (power) 1 hH (play) qa x (stop) qs X (pause) qd – . (go backward) qf > + (go forward) qf m (rewind) qg M (fast forward) qg

V/v/B/b q;

A A (Eject A) es A B (Eject B) ql

List of Button Location and Reference Pages

MHC-GN800 4-244-569-13 (3)

Subwoofer

(MHC-GN800 only)

ALPHABETICAL ORDER

A - Z

LINK (indicator) 2 (20) MATRIX SURR 1 (indicator) 3 (20) MATRIX SURR 2 (indicator) 4 (20) SUBWOOFER LEVEL 6 (20) SUBWOOFER ON/OFF 1 (20) SURROUND SPEAKER MODE 5 (20)

Remote Control

ALPHABETICAL ORDER

A - M

CD ql (9–13, 17, 18) CLEAR 7 (13, 18) CLOCK/TIMER SELECT 2

(19, 27)

CLOCK/TIMER SET 3 (9, 18, 26,

30)

D.SKIP 9 (10, 12) ENTER qd (9, 14, 18, 19, 21, 22,

23, 26, 27)

EFFECT ON/OFF qf (21) GAME w; (25, 29) MD (VIDEO) q; (29, 30)

P - Z

PRESET – wd (14, 15) PRESET + wf (14, 15) PRESET EQ qj (21) P FILE qh (21, 22) SURROUND (MHC-GN900/

GN600 only) qs (22)

SURROUND SPEAKER MODE

(except for MHC-GN900/

GN600) qs (20) SLEEP 1 (26) TAPE A/B qa (16, 17) TUNER/BAND qk (14, 15) TUNING – wa (14, 15)

TUNING + ws (14, 15) VOL +/– 8 (20)

SYMBOLS

@/1 (power) 4 nN (play) wg X (pause) 5 x (stop) 6 .(go backward) wd > (go forward) wf m (rewind) wa M (fast forward) ws

M/m/</, qg

X W V U

T S R

D E

ABC

D E

6 7

8 9

q; qa qs

MHC-GN800 4-244-569-13 (3)

Getting Started

Hooking up the system

Do the following procedure 1 to 6 to hook up your system using the supplied cords and accessories.

AM loop antenna

Subwoofer

Front speaker

(Right)

Surround

speaker (Right)

(MHC-GN800/

GN700/GX8800

only)

(MHC-GN800

only)

Main Unit

FM antenna

Front speaker

speaker (Left)

(MHC-GN800/

GN700/GX8800

Getting Started

(Left)

Surround

only)

1 Connect the front speakers.

Connect the speaker cords to the FRONT SPEAKER terminals.

2 Connect the surround speakers

(MHC-GN800, MHC-GN700 and MHC-GX8800 only).

Connect the speaker cords to SURROUND

Insert only the stripped portion.

Red/Solid (3)

Black/Stripe (#)

Red

SPEAKER terminals.

Insert only the stripped portion.

Black/Stripe (#)Blue/Solid (3)

Note

Keep the speaker cords away from the antennas to prevent noise.

Blue

MHC-GN800 4-244-569-13 (3)

3 Connect the subwoofer

220V

120V

230-

VOLTAGE SELECTOR

240V

(MHC-GN800 only).

Connect the subwoofer cords to the SUBWOOFER terminals and the system cord to the SYSTEM CONTROL jack. Be sure to match the color of the cord and terminals/jacks.

SUBWOOFER terminals

Insert only the stripped portion.

5 For models equipped with a voltage

selector, set VOLTAGE SELECTOR to the position of your local power line voltage.

Black/Stripe (#)Grey/Solid (3)

Grey

SYSTEM CONTROL jack

To disconnect

Notes

• Be sure to make this connection before you connect

the main unit’s power cord to a wall outlet.

• Place the subwoofer at least 0.3 meters (1 feet)

away from the main unit.

4 Connect the FM and AM antennas.

Set up the AM loop antenna, then connect it.

6 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 supplied adaptor on the plug does not

fit your wall outlet, detach it from the plug (only for models equipped with an adaptor).

To connect optional components

See page 28.

To attach the speaker pads

Attach the supplied speaker pads to the bottom of the speakers to stabilize the speakers and to prevent them from slipping.

Ω

Extend the FM lead antenna horizontally

FM75 COAXIAL

–AM

AM loop antenna

MHC-GN800 4-244-569-13 (3)

Positioning the speakers (Except for MHC-GN900/GN600)

Place the front speakers at an angle of 45 degrees from your listening position.

Front speaker (L)

Main Unit

Subwoofer

0.3m

Front speaker (R)

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.

Note

If you do not use the remote for a long period of time, remove the batteries to avoid possible damage from battery leakage.

Setting the clock

Getting Started

45º

Surround speaker (L)

* (MHC-GN800 only)

Place the subwoofer at least 0.3 meters (1 feet) away from the main unit.

Notice for carrying this system

Do the following to protect the CD mechanism.

Surround speaker (R)

1 Make sure that all discs are removed

from the main unit.

2 Hold down CD and then press ?/1 until

“LOCK” appears in the display.

3 Release ?/1 first, then release CD. 4 Unplug the AC power cord.

Inserting two R6 (size AA) batteries into the remote

1 Press ?/1 to turn on the system. 2 Press CLOCK/TIMER SET on the

remote.

3 Press M or m repeatedly to set the hour. 4 Press PUSH ENTER (or ENTER on the

remote).

5 Press M or m repeatedly to set the

minute.

6 Press PUSH ENTER (or ENTER on the

remote).

The clock starts functioning.

To adjust the clock

1 Press CLOCK/TIMER SET on the

remote.

2 Press M or m repeatedly to select

“CLOCK SET?” and then press PUSH ENTER (or ENTER on the remote).

3 Do the same procedure as steps 3 to

6 above.

Note

The clock settings are cancelled when you disconnect the power cord or if a power failure occurs.

R6 (AA) batteries

MHC-GN800 4-244-569-13 (3)

LINK

Loading a CD

1 Press OPEN/CLOSE Z.

The disc tray slides out.

2 Place a CD with the label side up on the

disc tray.

When you play a CD single, place it on the inner circle of the tray

To insert additional discs, press DISC SKIP EX-CHANGE to rotate the disc tray.

3 Press OPEN/CLOSE Z to close the disc

tray.

Playing a CD

––Normal Play/Shuffle Play/Repeat

Play

This system lets you play the CD in different play modes.

Disc tray number

Disc presence indicator

1 Press CD. 2 When playback is stopped, press PLAY

MODE repeatedly until the play mode you want lights up in the display.

Track number Playing time

ALL DISCS

SURR EFFECT V - GROOVE

LINK

Select

ALL DISCS (Normal Play)

1 DISC/ALBM (Normal Play)

ALL DISCS SHUF (Shuffle Play)

1 DISC SHUF/ ALBM SHUF (Shuffle Play)

PGM (Program Play)

To play

All CDs in the disc tray continuously.

The CD you have selected in the original order.

The tracks on all CDs in random order.

The tracks on the CD you have selected in random order.

The tracks on all CDs in the order you want them to be played back (see “Programming the CD tracks” on page 13).

3 Press hH.

Tip

You cannot change the play mode during playback. To change the play mode, press x to stop playback.

Other Operations

Stop playback

Pause playback

Select a track

Find a point in a track

Select a CD when playback is stopped

Switch to CD function from another source

Do this

Press x. Press X. Press again to

resume playback. Press > (to go forward)

or . (to go backward). Press and hold down M or

m during playback and release it at the point you want.

Press one of the DISC 1~3 buttons or DISC SKIP EXCHANGE (or D.SKIP on the remote).

Press CD or one of the DISC 1~3 buttons (Automatic Source Selection).

MHC-GN800 4-244-569-13 (3)

LINK

Play repeatedly (Repeat Play)

Cancel Repeat Play

Exchange other CDs while playing

Remove the CD

All the tracks on the CD are played back repeatedly up to five times. You cannot select “REP” and “ALL DISCS SHUF” at the same time.

The current track is played back repeatedly until “REP 1” is cancelled.

Tips

• When you press CD or one of the DISC 1~3 buttons to switch to CD function from tuner, you may require a longer time to access the disc. Set “CD POWER ON” by CD manage function (page 15).

• If you press CD while the power is off, the power turns on and CD is selected as a function.

Do this

Press REPEAT repeatedly to select “REP”

Press REPEAT until “REP” or “REP 1” disappears from the display.

Press DISC SKIP EX-CHANGE.

Press OPEN/CLOSE Z.

or “REP 1”*2.

The disc must be in the ISO 9660* level 1, level 2 or Joliet format.

ISO 9660 Format

The most common international standard

for the logical format of files and folders

on a CD-ROM. There are several specification levels. In Level 1, file names must be in the 8.3 format (no more than eight characters in the name, no more than three characters in the extension “.MP3”) and in capital letters. Folder names can be 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.

––Normal Play/Shuffle Play/Repeat

Play

This system lets you play a disc with MP3 audio tracks in different play modes.

Playing a disc with MP3 audio tracks

About MP3 audio tracks

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

Notes on discs

You can play MP3 audio tracks recorded on CD-ROMs, CD-Rs (recordable CDs) and CD-RWs (rewritable CDs).

ALL DISCS

Track number

Playing time

SURR EFFECT V - GROOVE

LINK

Disc tray number

Disc presence indicator

1 Press CD. 2 When playback is stopped, press PLAY

MODE repeatedly until the play mode you want lights up in the display.

continued

MHC-GN800 4-244-569-13 (3)

Playing a disc with MP3 audio tracks (continued)

Select

ALL DISCS (Normal Play)

1 DISC (Normal Play)

ALBM (Normal Play)

ALL DISCS SHUF (Shuffle Play)

1 DISC SHUF (Shuffle Play)

ALBM SHUF (Shuffle Play)

PGM (Program Play)

To play

All discs in the disc tray continuously.

The disc you have selected in the original order.

The album you have selected in the original order.

The tracks on all discs in random order.

The tracks on the disc you have selected in random order.

The tracks in the album you have selected in random order.

The tracks on all discs in the order you want them to be played back (see “Programming the CD tracks” on page 13).

3 Press hH .

Other Operations

Stop playback

Pause playback

Select a track

Select an album

Find a point in a track

Select a disc when playback is stopped

Do this

Press x. Press X. Press again to

resume playback. Press > (to go forward)

or . (to go backward).

Press ALBUM +/–.

Press and hold down M or m on the remote during playback and release it at the point you want.

Press one of the DISC 1~3 buttons or DISC SKIP EX-CHANGE (or D.SKIP on the remote).

Switch to CD function from another source

Press CD or one of the DISC 1~3 buttons (Automatic Source Selection).

Play repeatedly (Repeat Play)

Cancel Repeat Play

Press REPEAT repeatedly to select “REP”

or “REP 1”*4.

Press REPEAT until “REP” or “REP 1” disappears from the display.

Exchange other discs while playing

Remove the disc

You cannot select an album during ALL DISCS SHUF and 1 DISC SHUF.

You may not be able to search between multiple

Press DISC SKIP EX-CHANGE.

Press OPEN/CLOSE Z.

tracks. Furthermore, the playing time may not be displayed correctly depending on the MP3 audio tracks.

All the tracks on the CD are played back repeatedly up to five times. You cannot select “REP” and “ALL DISCS SHUF” at the same time.

The current track is played back repeatedly until “REP 1” is cancelled.

Tips

• When you press CD or one of the DISC 1~3 buttons to switch to CD function from tuner, you may require a longer time to access the disc. Set “CD POWER ON” by CD power manage function (page 15).

• If you press CD while the power is off, the power turns on and CD is selected as a function.

Notes

• With formats other than ISO 9660 and Joliet, album titles or track titles may not be displayed correctly.

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

• If you save up the extension “.MP3” to a track other

than MP3 audio tracks, the unit cannot recognize the track properly and will generate random noise that could damage your speakers.

• You are recommended not to save other type of tracks or unneccessary album on a disc that has MP3 audio tracks.

• The disc recorded with complicated tree structure takes a longer time to start playback.

• When the disc is inserted, the player reads all the tracks in that disc. If there are many albums or non MP3 audio tracks on the disc, it may take a longer time for playback to begin or for the next MP3 audio track to start playback.

MHC-GN800 4-244-569-13 (3)

• An album that does not include an MP3 audio track

LINK

is skipped.

• Maximum album number: 150 (including root folder).

• The maximum number of MP3 audio tracks and albums that can be contained in a single disc is 300.

• Playback is possible up to 8 levels.

• Playback follows the recorded order of albums and

tracks on the disc.

• There may be an exception to these rules depending 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 problems such as cannot playback, sound interruptions, and noise.

Programming the CD tracks

–– Program Play

You can make a program of up to 25 tracks from all the CDs in the order you want them to be played back.

1 Press CD. 2 Press PLAY MODE repeatedly until

“PGM” lights up in the display.

3 Press one of the DISC 1~3 to select a

CD.

To program all the tracks on a CD at once, proceed to step 5 while “AL” appears on the display.

4 Press . or > repeatedly until the

track you want appears in the display.

Total playing Disc tray number

Track number

time (including

selected track)

5 Press PUSH ENTER.

The track(s) is (are) programmed. The program step number appears, followed by the total playing time.

6 Program additional discs or tracks.

To program

Other discs

Other tracks on the same disc

Other tracks on other discs

Repeat steps

3 and 5

4 and 5

3 to 5

7 Press hH.

Other Operations

Cancel Program Play

Clear a track from the end

To program the MP3 audio tracks

After step 3, press ALBUM +/– repeatedly until the album you want appears, then proceed to step 4.

Tips

• The program you made remains in the system’s memory even after it has been played back. Press hH to play the same program again.

• If “--.--” appears instead of the total playing time during programming, this means:

– you have programmed a track number

which exceeds 20.

– the total playing time has exceeded 100 minutes. – you have programmed an MP3 audio track.

Do this

Press PLAY MODE repeatedly until “1 DISC” or “ALL DISCS” lights up in the display.

Press CLEAR on the remote when playback is stopped.

ALL DISCS

SURR EFFECT V - GROOVE

LINK

MHC-GN800 4-244-569-13 (3)

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.

There are two ways to store the station presets.

Automatically tune in all of the stations that can be received in your area and store your favourite stations manually Manually tune in and store the radio frequency of your favourite stations

Setting presets through automatic tuning

1 Press TUNER/BAND repeatedly to

select “FM” or “AM”.

2 Press and hold M or m (or TUNING

+ or – on the remote) until “AUTO” appears in the display and the frequency indication starts to change, then release.

Scanning stops when the system tunes in a station. “TUNED” and “STEREO” (for a stereo program) lights up in the display.

3 Press TUNER MEMORY.

A preset number appears in the display. The stations are stored from preset number 1.

Do this

Setting presets through automatic tuning

Setting presets through manual tuning

Preset number

4 Press > or . (or PRESET + or –

on the remote) repeatedly to select the preset number you want to store.

5 Press PUSH ENTER (or ENTER on the

remote).

“Complete!” appears in the display. The station is stored.

6 Repeat steps 1 to 5 to store other

stations.

Setting presets through manual tuning

1 Press TUNER/BAND repeatedly to

select “FM” or “AM”.

2 Press M or m (or TUNING + or – on

the remote) repeatedly to tune in the station you want.

3 Press TUNER MEMORY.

A preset number appears in the display. The stations are stored from preset number

4 Press > or . (or PRESET + or – on

the remote) repeatedly to select the preset number you want.

5 Press PUSH ENTER (or ENTER on the

remote).

“Complete!” appears in the display. The station is stored.

6 Repeat steps 1 to 5 to store other

stations.

MHC-GN800 4-244-569-13 (3)

Other Operations

Tune in a station with a weak signal

Set another station to an existing preset number

To improve tuner reception

When the tuner reception is poor, set the CD power manage function to “CD POWER OFF”. The default setting is “CD POWER ON”.

Do this

Follow the procedure described in “Setting presets through manual tuning”.

Start over from step 1. After step 3, press > or . (or PRESET + or – on the remote) repeatedly to select the preset number you want to store the other station.

1 Press CD. 2 Press @/1 to turn off the system. 3 Press @/1 while holding x. “CD

POWER OFF” appears.

To reset to “CD POWER ON”

Repeat the procedure above.

Notes

• When “CD POWER OFF” is selected, the CD access time is increased.

• You cannot change the setting in Power Saving Mode.

To change the AM tuning interval (Except Middle Eastern models)

The factory settings for AM tuning interval is 9 kHz (10 kHz in some areas). To change the AM tuning interval, select any AM station first, then turn off the power. While holding down the AMP MENU button, turn the power back on. When you change the interval, AM preset stations will be erased. To reset the interval, repeat the same procedure.

Tips

• The preset stations are retained for half a day even if you unplug the power cord or if a power failure occurs.

• If you press TUNER/BAND while the power is off, the power turns on automatically and TUNER is selected as a function.

Listening to the radio

You can listen to a radio station either by selecting a preset station, or by manually tuning in the station.

Listening to a preset station

–– Preset Tuning

Before tuning to preset stations, be sure to preset them (see “Presetting radio stations” on page 14).

1 Press TUNER/BAND repeatedly to

select “FM” or “AM”.

2 Press > or . (or PRESET

+ or – on the remote) repeatedly to tune in the preset station you want.

Preset number

Listening to non-preset radio station

— Manual Tuning

1 Press TUNER/BAND repeatedly to

select “FM” or “AM”.

2 Press M or m (or TUNING + or – on

the remote) repeatedly to tune in the station you want.

Tips

• To improve broadcast reception, adjust the supplied antennas.

• 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 and hold M or m (or TUNING + or – on the remote). The frequency indication changes and scanning stops when the system tunes in a station (Automatic Tuning).

• To record from the radio, see “Recording to a tape” on page 17 or “Timer-recording radio programs” on page 18.

Frequency

Tuner

MHC-GN800 4-244-569-13 (3)

Tape

LINK

Loading a tape

1 Press TAPE A/B repeatedly to select

Deck A or B.

2 Press Z on the selected deck. 3 Insert a tape in deck A or B.

Insert with the side you want to play/record facing forward.

Playing a tape

1 Load a tape. 2 Press DIRECTION repeatedly to select

“g” to play one side, “j” to play both sides or “RELAY”* (Relay Play) to play both decks in succession.

3 Press hH.

The tape starts playing. Press hH again to play the reverse side.

Tape presence indicator

Stop playback

Pause playback

Fast-forward

Rewind

Remove the cassette

Tips

• During j or Relay Play, the deck stops

automatically after repeating the sequence five times.

• If you press TAPE A/B while the power is off, the power turns on automatically and TAPE is selected as a function.

• When a tape (tapes) is (are) inserted, corresponding presence indicators light up.

Do this

Press x. Press X. Press again to resume

playback. Press M while playing the

front side, or press m while playing the reverse side.

Press m while playing the front side, or press M while playing the reverse side.

Press A A or A B.

Searching for the beginning of a track (AMS*)

During playback, press > or . repeatedly for the number of songs you want to skip forward (or backward).

The search direction, + (forward) or – (backward), and the number of songs being skipped (1~9) appear in the display.

Example: searching forward 2 songs

ALL DISCS

* Relay Play follows this cyclic sequence:

Deck A (front side) t Deck A (reverse side) t Deck B (front side) t Deck B (reverse side)

SURR EFFECT V - GROOVE

LINK

* AMS (Automatic Music Sensor)

Note

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 unit is placed near a television.

MHC-GN800 4-244-569-13 (3)

Recording to a tape

–– CD Synchro Recording/Recording Manually/Program Edit

You can record from a CD, tape, radio or other connected components. The recording level is adjusted automatically.

Steps

Tips

• 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 reverse side: After step 1, press TAPE A/B to select deck B and press hH twice to start playback of the reverse side. Press x at the point where you want to start recording. The TAPE B reverse side indicator lights up.

• For recording from the radio: If noise is heard while recording from the radio, move the respective antenna to reduce the noise.

• For recording from a CD to a tape manually: You can press > or . to select tracks during recording pause mode (after step 4 and before step

6).

Recording from a CD

(CD Synchro Recording)

Insert a recordable tape into deck B.

Press CD.

Load the CD you want to record.

Press CD SYNC. Press REC PAUSE/START.

DECK B stands by for recording.

REC PAUSE/START indicator flashes.

Press DIRECTION repeatedly to select “g” to record on one side. Select “j” (or RELAY) to record on both sides.

Press REC PAUSE/START. If you are recording manually, press hH to start playing the source (for CD or Tape).

Recording starts.

Press x to stop recording.

Recording Manually

Press a function button for the recording source.

Load the CD or tape (or other audio sources), or tune to the station you want to record.

• You can mix the sound from the component connected to the GAME INPUT jacks with another function such as CD, tape, radio or MD connected to this system. To record the mixed sound, press GAME MIXING after step 4 of “Recording Manually” and then press REC PAUSE/START to start recording. Game Mixing does not function during CD Synchro Recording.

Note

You cannot listen to other sources while recording.

continued

Tape

MHC-GN800 4-244-569-13 (3)

Recording to a tape (continued)

Recording a CD by specifying track order

— Program Edit

You can record tracks from all the CDs in the order you want. When programing, make sure the playing times for each side do not exceed the length of one side of the tape.

1 Insert a recordable tape into deck B,

then press CD.

2 Press PLAY MODE repeatedly until

“PGM” lights up in the display.

3 Press one of the DISC 1~3 button to

select a CD.

To program all the tracks on a CD at once, proceed to step 5 while “AL” appears in the display.

4 Press > or . repeatedly until the

tracks you want appears in the display.

5 Press PUSH ENTER (or ENTER on the

remote).

The track(s) is (are) programmed. The program step number appears, followed by the total playing time.

6 To program additional tracks, repeat

steps 3 to 5.

Skip step 3 to select tracks from the same disc.

7 Press CD SYNC.

Deck B standby for recording. The REC PAUSE/START indicator flashes.

8 Press DIRECTION repeatedly to select

“g” to record on one side. Select “j” (or RELAY) to record on both

sides.

9 Press REC PAUSE/START.

Recording starts.

Cancel Program Edit

Clear a track from the end

Tip

To check the required tape length for recording a CD, press EDIT after you have loaded a CD and pressed CD. The required tape length for the currently selected CD appears, followed by the total playing time for side A and side B respectively (Tape Select Edit).

Note

You cannot use Tape Select Edit for discs containing over 20 tracks or MP3 audio tracks.

Do This

Press PLAY MODE repeatedly until “1 DISC” or “ALL DISCS” lights up in the display.

Press CLEAR on the remote when playback is stopped.

Timer-recording radio programs

To timer-record, you must preset the radio station (see “Presetting radio stations” on page 14) and set the clock (see “Setting the clock” on page 9) beforehand.

1 Tune in the preset radio station (see

“Listening to the radio” on page 15).

2 Press CLOCK/TIMER SET on the

remote.

“DAILY SET?” appears in the display.

3 Press M or m repeatedly to select

“REC SET?”, then press PUSH ENTER (or ENTER on the remote).

“ON” appears and the hour indication flashes in the display.

MHC-GN800 4-244-569-13 (3)

4 Set the time to start recording.

Press M or m repeatedly to set the hour, then press PUSH ENTER (or ENTER on the remote).

The minute indication starts flashing. Press M or m repeatedly to set the minute,

then press PUSH ENTER (or ENTER on the remote).

5 Repeat step 4 to set the time to stop

recording.

The start time appears, followed by the stop time, the preset radio station to be recorded (e.g., “TUNER FM 5”), then the original display appears.

6 Insert a recordable tape into deck B.

Make sure the tape is in forward direction.

7 Press @/1 to turn off the power.

When the recording starts, the volume level is set to the minimum.

Tape

Check the setting

Change the setting

Cancel timer operation

Notes

• If you do not turn off the power before the preset time, the timer-recording does not function.

• The power will turn on 15 seconds before the preset time.

Do this

Press CLOCK/TIMER SELECT on the remote and press M or m repeatedly to select “REC SELECT?”. Then, press PUSH ENTER (or ENTER on the remote).

Start from step 1.

Press CLOCK/TIMER SELECT on the remote and press M or m repeatedly to select “TIMER OFF?”. Then, press PUSH ENTER (or ENTER on the remote).

MHC-GN800 4-244-569-13 (3)

Sound Adjustment

Adjusting the sound

You can reinforce the bass and create a more powerful sound.

Press GROOVE repeatedly.

Each time you press the button, the display changes cyclically as follows:

GROOVE ON t V-GROOVE ON t GROOVE OFF

GROOVE ON

The volume switches to power mode and the equalizer curve changes to suit the music source.

V-GROOVE ON

The volume switches to power mode and the equalizer curve changes to suit the movie source.

Selecting the sound system

(MHC-GN800/GN700/GX8800 only)

You can enjoy different sounds by selecting the sound mode you want.

MHC-GN800 only

Press SURROUND SPEAKER MODE repeatedly (or turn SURROUND SPEAKER MODE on the subwoofer) to select the sound mode you want.

Each time you press the button, the indicators on the subwoofer and the display changes cyclically as follows:

LINK1) t MATRIX SURR 12) t MATRIX SURR 2

MHC-GN700/GX8800 only

Press SURROUND SPEAKER MODE repeatedly to select the sound mode you want.

Each time you press the button, the display changes cyclically as follows:

LINK1) t MATRIX SURR

LINK : Reproduces the same sound with

different output levels.

MATRIX SURR/MATRIX SURR 1 : Reproduces a wide range of sound that can actually sense the size of the room.

MATRIX SURR 2 : Reproduces a wide range of sound that can actually sense the size of the room. The surround sound is reinforced.

Using the subwoofer

(MHC-GN800 only)

You can use the sound of the subwoofer to suit the sound source.

1 Press SUBWOOFER ON/OFF on the

subwoofer to turn on the subwoofer.

The indicator lights up when the subwoofer is turned on.

Press the button again to turn off the subwoofer.

2 Turn SUBWOOFER LEVEL to adjust the

level.

You will be able to listen to low bass frequency sound.

Tip

You can use VOLUME (or VOL + or – on the remote) to adjust the volume of the subwoofer linked to the front speakers.

Notes

• If you turn VOLUME (or press VOL +/– on the remote), the volume for all speakers will change.

• When you turn on the main unit, the last selected SURROUND SPEAKER MODE indicator on the subwoofer lights up.

MHC-GN800 4-244-569-13 (3)

LINK

Selecting the preset effect

Adjusting the graphic equalizer and storing the

Press MUSIC EQ, MOVIE EQ or GAME EQ (or PRESET EQ on the remote) repeatedly to select the preset effect you want.

The preset effect name appears in the display. See the chart “Preset effect options”.

To cancel the effect

Press EFFECT ON/OFF repeatedly until “EFFECT OFF” appears in the display.

Preset effect options

“

” lights up if you select an effect with

SURR

surround effects.

MENU Effect button

MUSIC ROCK EQ POP

JAZZ DANCE SOUL ORIENTAL*

MOVIE ACTION EQ DRAMA

MUSICAL

GAME ARCADE EQ RACING

ADVENTURE

* CLASSIC for North and Latin American models

only.

For

standard music sources.

soundtracks and special listening situations.

Play station 1, 2 and other video game music sources.

personal file

You can adjust the sound by raising or lowering the level of specific frequency band, then store up to three personal files (P FILE) in the memory.

Before adjustment, select the preset effect you want for your basic sound.

1 Press < or , repeatedly to select a

frequency band or surround effect, then press M or m repeatedly to adjust the level or select the surround effect you want.

Frequency band Frequency level

ALL DISCS

2 Press and hold P FILE until the

personal file number appears in the display.

3 Press M and m or < and , repeatedly

to select the personal file number where you want to store the equalizer setting.

You can select from “P FILE 1” to “ P FILE 3”.

4 Press PUSH ENTER (or ENTER on the

remote).

The setting is stored automatically in the personal file number you selected in step 3. The previous setting stored at this memory location is erased and replaced by the new setting.

SURR

EFFECT

V - GROOVE

LINK

Sound Adjustment

continued

MHC-GN800 4-244-569-13 (3)

Adjusting the graphic equalizer and storing the personal file (continued)

To call up the personal file

Press P FILE repeatedly until the personal file number you want appears in the display.

Tip

If you do not want to store a personal file, press PUSH ENTER (or ENTER on the remote) after step 1.

Selecting the surround effect

(MHC-GN900/GN600 only)

Press SURROUND.

Each time you press the button, the display changes as follows:

SURROUND ON ( )

SURROUND OFF

(MHC-GN800/GN700/GX8800 only)

1 Press < or , repeatedly to select

“SURROUND”, then press M or m repeatedly to adjust the surround effect.

2 Press PUSH ENTER (or ENTER on the

remote).

Note

When you select certain sound effects, the surround effect may be cancelled.

SURR

MHC-GN800 4-244-569-13 (3)

Display

Changing the spectrum analyzer display

1 Press AMP MENU.

“SPECTRUM” appears in the display.

2 Press PUSH ENTER (or ENTER on the

remote).

The last selected spectrum appears.

3 Press < or , repeatedly to select the

setting you want.

The display changes as follows:

SPECTRUM 1T

SPECTRUM OFF

t SPECTRUM 4

t SPECTRUM 2 Y

SPECTRUM 3

4 Press PUSH ENTER (or ENTER on the

remote).

Adjusting the brightness of the display

1 Press AMP MENU.

“SPECTRUM” appears.

2 Press M or m repeatedly to select

“DIMMER”, then press PUSH ENTER (ENTER on the remote).

The last selected dimmer appears.

3 Press < or , repeatedly to select the

setting you want.

The display changes as follows:

t DIMMER 1 y

tDIMMER 3T

4 Press PUSH ENTER (or ENTER on the

remote).

DIMMER 2 T

Changing the power illuminator

You can select the power illuminator as you want.

Press ILLUMINATION repeatedly to select the power illuminator you want when the system is turned on.

Each time you press the button, the power illuminator mode changes cyclically as follows:

PATTERN 1 t PATTERN 2 t PATTERN 3 t PATTERN 4 t PATTERN OFF

Notes

• When you turn VOLUME (or press VOL +/– on the remote), power illuminator shows the current volume level.

• During the demonstration display, you can turn on or off power illuminator by pressing ILLUMINATION.

Turning off the display

— Power Saving Mode

The demonstration display and the clock display can be turned off to minimize the amount of power consumed during standby mode (Power Saving Mode).

Press DISPLAY repeatedly while the system is turned off until the demonstration display or the clock display disappears.

To cancel Power Saving Mode

Press DISPLAY once to show the demonstration display or twice to show the clock display.

Each time you press the button, the system changes cyclically as follows:

Demonstration Mode

The display changes and the indicators flashes even when the system is turned off.

“--.-- ” appears in the display if you have not set the clock.

t Clock2) t Power Saving

Display

continued

MHC-GN800 4-244-569-13 (3)

Turning off the display (continued)

Tips

• The @/1 indicator lights up even in Power Saving

Mode.

• The timer continues to operate in Power Saving Mode.

• During Power Saving Mode, the following item do not functions:

— Setting the time. — Changing the AM tuning interval. — Pressing a function button to turn the power on. — Switching the function of MD (VIDEO). — Changing “CD POWER” settings (page 15).

Using the CD display

When a CD TEXT disc is loaded, you can check the information stored on the disc, such as the titles. When the unit detects CD TEXT discs, “CD TEXT” lights up in the display.

Checking the remaining time

Press DISPLAY repeatedly during playback.

Each time you press the button, the display changes cyclically as follows:

Playing time of the current track t Remaining time of the current track of the current CD2) t Title of the current track3) t Title of the current album (for a few seconds)4) t Clock display (for a few seconds) t Effect status

Checking the total playing time

Press DISPLAY repeatedly when playback is stopped (except for Program Mode).

Each time you press the button, the display changes cyclically as follows:

Total number of tracks or albums and the total playing time

t Disc title

current album4) t Clock display (for a few seconds) t Effect status

t Remaining time

or title of the

Press DISPLAY repeatedly when playback is stopped during Program Play and there is a program.

Each time you press the button, the display changes cyclically as follows:

The last track number of the program and the total playing time programmed tracks (for a few seconds)

t Total number of

t Disc title8) t Clock display (for a few seconds) t Effect status

“--.-- ” appears while MP3 audio tracks are played back.

“--.-- ” appears in the following cases: – while MP3 audio tracks are played back. – All play modes except “1 DISCS” or “ALBM”.

Only for CD TEXT disc and a disc with MP3 audio tracks. When the CD TEXT disc contains more than 20 tracks, the current track title is not displayed from track 21 onwards.

Only for a disc with MP3 audio tracks.

“--.-- ” appears for a disc with MP3 audio tracks.

“--.-- ” appears in the following cases: – When the CD contains 21 tracks or more, and

the track number which exceeds 20 is selected.

– When the total program exceeds 100 minute. – When the program list contains MP3 audio

tracks.

“NO STEP” appears if there is no program.

Except for MP3 audio tracks.

Note

Some characters may not be displayed for track title, album title or disc title.

MHC-GN800 4-244-569-13 (3)

Other Features

Enhancing the video game sound

— Game Sync

You need to connect a video game player (see “Hooking up optional components” on page 28).

Press GAME.

“GAME EQ” is selected automatically.

Tip

If you press GAME while the power is off, the power turns on automatically and GAME is selected as the function.

Mixing video game sound with other sound source

— Game Mixing

You can mix the sound from the component connected to the GAME INPUT jacks with another function such as CD, tape, radio or MD connected to this system.

1 Select the source sound you want. 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

Tips

• To record the mixed sound, press GAME MIXING after step 4 of “Recording Manually” on page 17 and then press REC PAUSE/START to start recording.

• The GAME MIXING indicator lights up while Game Mixing is activated and it will remain active while the power is on even if the function is changed.

Notes

• Game Mixing is cancelled when you press REC PAUSE/START.

• Game Mixing does not function during CD Synchro Recording.

Singing along

You can sing along with any stereo CD or tape. You need to connect an optional microphone.

1 Turn MIC LEVEL to MIN to turn down

the microphone volume.

2 Connect an optional microphone to MIC

jack.

3 Start playing the music and adjust the

volume.

4 Adjust the microphone volume by

turning MIC LEVEL.

After you have finished

Turn MIC LEVEL to MIN and disconnect the microphone from MIC jack.

Tips

• You can mix and record sound from the microphone after step 2. To record the sound see “Recording Manually” on page 17. To stop recording, press x.

• 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 CD.

• When high level sound signals are input, the system automatically adjust the recording level to prevent distortion of the recorded sound signals (Auto Level Control Function).

Other Features

MHC-GN800 4-244-569-13 (3)

Falling asleep to music

Waking up to music

— Sleep Timer

You need to use the remote to activate the Sleep Timer. You can set the system to turn off at a preset time, so you can fall asleep to the music.

Press SLEEP.

Each time you press the button, the minute display (the turn-off time) changes cyclically as follows:

AUTO* t 90 t 80 t 70 t … t 10 t OFF

* The system turns off when the current CD or tape

finishes playback (for up to 100 minutes).

Check the remaining time**

Change the time to turn off

Cancel the Sleep Timer

** You cannot check the remaining time when you

select “SLEEP AUTO”.

Do this

Press SLEEP once.

Press SLEEP repeatedly to select the time you want.

Press SLEEP repeatedly until “SLEEP OFF” appears in the display.

— Daily Timer

You can wake up to music at a preset time every day. Make sure you have set the clock (see “Setting the clock” on page 9).

1 Prepare the music source you want to

play.

• CD: Load a CD. To start from a specific track, make a program (see “Programming the CD tracks” on page 13).

• Tape: Load a tape with the side you want to play facing forward.

• Radio: Tune in the preset station you want (see “Listening to the radio” on page

15).

2 Adjust the volume. 3 Press CLOCK/TIMER SET on the

remote.

“DAILY SET?” appears in the display.

4 Press PUSH ENTER (or ENTER on the

remote).

“ON” appears and the hour digits flash in the display.

5 Set the time to start playback.

Press M or m repeatedly to set the hour, then press PUSH ENTER (or ENTER on the remote).

The minute indication flashes. Press M or m repeatedly to set the minute,

then press PUSH ENTER (or ENTER on the remote).

6 Set the time to stop playback following

step 5 above.

7 Press M or m repeatedly until the music

source you want appears.

The display changes as follows:

t TUNER y CD PLAY T

t TAPE PLAY T

MHC-GN800 4-244-569-13 (3)

8 Press PUSH ENTER (or ENTER on the

remote).

The type of timer, followed by the start time, stop time and the music source appears, then the original display appears.

9 Press @/1 to turn off the system.

Other Operations

Check the setting

Change the setting

Cancel the timer operation

Notes

• If you do not turn off the power before the preset time, the Daily Timer does not function.

• The power will turn on 15 seconds before the preset time.

Do this

Press CLOCK/TIMER SELECT on the remote and press M or m repeatedly to select “DAILY SELECT?”, then press PUSH ENTER (or ENTER on the remote).

Start from step 1.

Press CLOCK/TIMER SELECT on the remote and press M or m repeatedly to select “TIMER OFF?”, then press PUSH ENTER (or ENTER on the remote).

Other Features

MHC-GN800 4-244-569-13 (3)

Optional Components

Hooking up optional components

To enhance your system, you can connect optional components. Refer to the operating instructions provided with each component.

Video game player

A VIDEO INPUT jack

Use a video cable (not supplied) to connect the video output of the optional video game player to this jack.

B AUDIO INPUT jacks

Use audio cords (not supplied) to connect the audio output of the optional video game player to these jacks. You can then output audio through this system.

Note

To enjoy video game sound, see “Enhancing the video game sound” on page 25, or see “Selecting the preset effect” on page 21 for video game sound effects.

MD deck

To the digital input jack of the MD deck

From the audio and video output of the video game player

C CD DIGITAL OUT jack

Use a digital optical cable (square, not supplied) to connect the digital input of the optional MD deck to this jack. You can then record digital audio from this system.

Note

There is no digital audio output from this jack during playback of MP3 audio tracks.

D MD (VIDEO) IN jacks

Use audio cords (not supplied) to connect the audio output of the optional component (such as MD deck or VCR) to these jacks. You can then output audio through this system.

E VIDEO OUT jack

Use a video cable (not supplied) to connect the video input of TV to this jack.

Note

The video game player image may appear on the TV screen even if the system is turned off.

MD deck or VCR

From the audio output of the MD deck or VCR

To the video input of a TV

MHC-GN800 4-244-569-13 (3)

Listening to audio from a

FM75

Ω

COAXIAL

– AM

FM75

Ω

COAXIAL

–AM

Recording on a connected

connected component

Listen to a connected MD deck

Listen to a connected VCR

Listen to the sound of a connected video game player

Notes

• If you press MD (VIDEO) while the power is off, the power turns on automatically and MD (VIDEO) is selected as the function.

• If the sound is distorted or too loud when VIDEO function is selected, or you want to switch back to MD function, repeat step 2 of “Listen to a connected VCR”.

• If you press GAME while the power is off, the power turns on automatically and GAME is selected as a function. The equalizer switches to GAME EQ and the previously selected effect is restored.

Do This

1 Connect the audio cords.

See “Hooking up optional components” on page 28.

2 Press MD (VIDEO).

Start playing the connected MD deck.

1 Connect the audio cords.

See “Hooking up optional components” on page 28.

2 Hold down MD (VIDEO)

and press @/1 while the power is on. Release @/1 first, then release MD (VIDEO). This switches the function from MD to VIDEO. Start playing the connected VCR.

1 Press GAME. 2 Select the preset effect.

See “Selecting the preset effect” on page 21.

component

Make a digital recording from CD onto a connected MD deck

Tip

When you remove the optical cover, keep it for future use.

Do This

1 Connect the optional optical

cable. See “Hooking up optional components” on page 28.

2 Start recording.

Refer to operating instructions provided with the connected MD deck.

Connecting external antennas

Connect an external antenna to improve the reception.

FM antenna

Connect an optional FM external antenna. You can also use the TV antenna instead.

Optional Components

AM antenna

Connect a 6 to 15 meter (20 to 50 feet) insulated wire to the AM antenna terminal. Leave the supplied AM loop antenna connected.

Insulated wire (not supplied)

MHC-GN800 4-244-569-13 (3)

Troubleshooting

Problems and remedies

If you run into any problem using this unit, use the following check list. First, check that the power cord is connected firmly and the speakers are connected correctly and firmly. Should any problem persist, consult your nearest Sony dealer.

When the `/1 indicator flashes

Immediately unplug the power cord and check the following items.

• Is the voltage selector set to correct voltage? Check the voltage for your region, then make sure the voltage selector is set correctly.

• Are the + and – speaker cords short circuited?

• Are you using only the prescribed speakers?

• Is anything blocking the ventilation holes on the

rear of the system?

After checking the above items and fixing any problems, connect the power cord again and turn on the system. If the indicator still flashes, or if the cause of the problem cannot be found even after checking all the above items, consult your nearest Sony dealer.

General

The display starts flashing as soon as you plug in the power cord even though you haven’t turned on the power.

• The demonstration mode started. Press @/1 (see

step 6 on page 8).

The clock/timer setting is cancelled.

• The power cord is disconnected or a power failure occurs. Redo “Setting the clock” (on page 9). If you have set the timer, redo

“Waking up to music” (on page 26) and “Timer-recording radio programs” (on page 18).

The radio presetting is canceled.

• The power cord is disconnected or a power failure occurs for longer than half a day. Redo “Presetting radio stations” (on page 14).

There is no sound.

• Turn VOLUME clockwise.

• The headphones are connected to the PHONES

jack.

• Insert only the stripped portion of the speaker cord into the SPEAKER terminal. Inserting the vinyl portion of the speaker cord will obstruct the speaker connections.

• There is no audio output during TimerRecording.

There is severe hum or noise.

• A TV or VCR is placed too close to the unit. Move the unit away from the TV or VCR.

The sound from the component connected to the MD (VIDEO) jacks is distorted.

• If “VIDEO” appears in the display when you press MD (VIDEO), switch to “MD” function (see “Listen to a connected VCR” on page 29).

“-- --:-- --” appears in the display.

• A power failure occurred. Set the clock and timer settings again.

The timer does not function.

• Set the clock correctly.

• You cannot activate the Daily timer and Timer-

recording simultaneously.

“DAILY SET?”, and “REC SET?” do not appear when you press the CLOCK/TIMER SET button on the remote.

• Set the timer correctly.

• Set the clock.

The remote does not function.

• There is an obstacle between the remote and the system.

• The remote is not pointing in the direction of the unit’s sensor.

• The batteries have run down. Replace the batteries.

There is acoustic feedback.

• Decrease the volume level.

• Move the microphone away from the speakers or

change the direction of the microphone.

The color irregularity on a TV screen persists.

• Turn off the TV set once, then turn it on after 15 to 30 minutes. If the color irregularity still persists, place the speakers farther away from the TV set.

MHC-GN800 4-244-569-13 (3)

Speakers

Sound comes from only one channel or unbalanced left and right volume.

• Check the speaker connection and speaker placement.

Sound lacks bass.

• Check that the speaker’s + and – terminals are connected correctly.

CD Player

The disc tray does not open and “LOCKED” appears on the front panel display.

• Contact your Sony dealer or local authorized Sony service facility.

The disc tray does not close.

• The disc is not placed properly.

The CD does not play.

• The disc is not lying flat in the disc tray.

• The disc is dirty.

• The disc is inserted label side down.

• Moisture condensation has built up. Remove the

disc and leave the system turned on for about an hour until the moisture evaporates.

Disc access takes a longer time.

• Set “CD POWER ON” by CD power manage function (page 15).

Playback does not start from the first track.

• The player is in Program Play or Shuffle Play mode. Press PLAY MODE repeatedly until “1 DISC”, “ALBM” or “ALL DISCS” appears.

MP3 audio track cannot be played back.

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

• The MP3 audio track does not have the extension “.MP3”.

• The data is not stored in MP3 format.

• The discs containing tracks other than MPEG

1, 2 and 2.5 Audio Layer-3 files cannot be played back.

MP3 audio tracks take a longer time to playback than others.

• After the unit reads all tracks on the disc, playback may take more time than usual if

— the number of albums or tracks on the disc is

very large.

— the album and track organization structure is

very complex.

The album title, track title, and ID3 tag do not appear correctly.

• Use a disc that conforms with ISO 9660 level 1, level 2, or Joliet in the expansion format.

• The ID3 tag is not version 1 or version 2.

The album title, track title, ID3 tag and the CD TEXT characters do not appear properly.

• The character code that can be displayed by this unit are as follows.

— Upper cases (A to Z) — Lower cases (a to z)

— Numbers (0 to 9)

— Symbols (< > * +, – / [ ] \ _)

Other characters may not be displayed correctly.

Troubleshooting

continued

MHC-GN800 4-244-569-13 (3)

Problems and remedies (continued)

Tape Deck

The tape does not record.

• The tab has been removed from the tape. Cover the broken tab with adhesive tape.

• The tape has reeled to the end.

The tape does not record nor play or there is a decrease in sound level.

• The tape heads are dirty. (See “Cleaning the tape heads” on page 34).

• The record/playback heads are magnetized. (See “Demagnetizing the tape heads” on page 34).

The tape does not erase completely.

• The record/playback heads are magnetized. (See “Demagnetizing the tape heads” on page 34).

There is excessive wow or flutter, or the sound drops out.

• The capstans or pinch rollers are dirty. (See “Cleaning the tape heads” on page 34).

Noise increases or the high frequencies are erased.

• The record/playback heads are magnetized. (See “Demagnetizing the tape heads” on page 34).

Tuner

There is severe hum or noise (“TUNED” or “STEREO” flashes in the display).

• Adjust the antenna.

• The signal is too weak. Connect an external

antenna.

• Set “CD POWER OFF” by CD power manage function (page 15).

A stereo FM program cannot be received in stereo.

• Press FM MODE so that “MONO” disappears.

If the system still does not operate properly after performing the above measures, reset the system as follows:

1 Unplug the power cord. 2 Plug the power cord back in. 3 Press x, AMP MENU and ?/1 at the same

time.

4 Press ?/1 to turn on the system.

The system is reset to factory settings. All the settings are cleared.

Messages

One of the following messages may appear or flash in the display during operation.

Cannot Edit

• You pressed EDIT before disc is ready.

• You have programmed a disc with MP3 audio

tracks.

NO STEP

• You have cleared all the tracks you programmed.

OVER

• You have reached the end of the disc while

pressing M during playback or pause.

No Disc

• There is no disc on the disc tray.

Push STOP!

• You pressed PLAY MODE during playback.

Step Full!

• You tried to program 26 or more tracks (steps).

TAPE

No Tab

• You cannot record the tape because the tab has been removed from the tape.

No Tape

• There is no tape in the tape deck.

MHC-GN800 4-244-569-13 (3)

Additional Information

Precautions

On operating voltage

Before operating the unit, check that the operating voltage of your unit is identical with the voltage of your local power supply.

On safety

• The unit is not disconnected from the AC power source (mains) as long as it is connected to the wall outlet, even if the unit itself has been turned off.

• Unplug the unit from the wall outlet (mains) if it is not to be used for an extended period of time. To disconnect the cord (mains lead), pull it out by the plug. Never pull the cord itself.

• Should any solid object or liquid fall into the component, unplug the unit and have the component checked by qualified personnel before operating it any further.

• For customers in United States One blade of the plug is wider than the other for the purpose of safety and will fit to the wall outlet only one way. If you are unable to insert the plug fully into the outlet, contact your dealer.

• The AC power cord must be changed only at the qualified service shop.

On placement

• Do not place the unit in an inclined position.

• Do not place the unit in locations where it is: — extremely hot or cold — dusty or dirty — very humid — vibrating — subject to direct sunlight

• Use caution when placing the unit or speakers on

surfaces that have been specially treated (with wax, oil, polish, etc.) as staining or discoloration of the surface may result.

On heat build-up

• Although the unit heats up during operation, this is not a malfunction.

• Place the unit in a location with adequate ventilation to prevent heat build-up in the unit.

If you use this unit at a large volume, the cabinet temperature of the top, side and bottom rises considerably. To avoid burning yourself, do not touch the cabinet. To prevent a malfunction, do not cover the ventilation hole for the cooling fan.

If you have any questions or problems concerning your unit, please consult your nearest Sony dealer.

On operation

• If the unit is brought directly from a cold to a warm location, or is placed in a very damp room, moisture may condense on the lens inside the CD player. Should this occur, the unit will not operate properly. Remove the CD and leave the unit turned on for about an hour until the moisture evaporates.

• When you move the unit, take out any discs.

Notes on CDs

• Before playing, clean the CD with a cleaning cloth. Wipe the CD from the center out.

• Do not use solvents.

• Do not expose the CD to direct sunlight or heat

sources.

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

Music discs encoded with copyright protection technologies

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.

Note on CD-R/CD-RW playback

Discs recorded on CD-R/CD-RW drives may not be played back because of scratches, dirt, recording conditions or the drive's characteristics. Besides, the discs which are not yet finalized at the end of recording, cannot be played back.

Cleaning the cabinet

Use a soft cloth slightly moistened with mild detergent solution.

To save a tape permanently

To prevent a tape from being accidentally recorded over, break off the cassette tab. Refer to the instructions of the tape.

Before placing a cassette in the tape deck

Take up any slack in the tape. Otherwise the tape may get entangled in the parts of the tape deck and become damaged.

continued

Additional Information

MHC-GN800 4-244-569-13 (3)

Precautions (continued)

When using a tape longer than 90 minutes

The tape is very elastic. Do not change the tape operations such as play, stop, and fast-winding etc. frequently. The tape may get entangled in the tape deck.

Cleaning the tape heads

Clean the tape heads after every 10 hours of use. Make sure to clean the tape heads before you start an important recording or after playing an old tape. Use separately sold dry-type or wet-type cleaning cassette. For details, refer to the instructions of the cleaning cassette.

Demagnetizing the tape heads

Demagnetize the tape heads and the metal parts that have contact with the tape every 20 to 30 hours of use with a separately sold demagnetizing cassette. For details, refer to the instructions of the demagnetizing cassette.

Specifications

AUDIO POWER SPECIFICATIONS

(MHC-GX8800 USA model only)

POWER OUTPUT AND TOTAL HARMONIC DISTORTION:

With 6-ohm loads, both channels driven, from 120 Hz – 10 kHz; rates 200 watts per channel minimum RMS power, with no more than 10% total harmonic distortion from 250 miliwatts to rated output.

Amplifier section

MHC-GX8800

Total harmonic distortion

MHC-GN900

The following are measured at AC 127V, 60 Hz (Mexican model only) The following are measured at AC 120, 220, 240V 50/60 Hz (except Mexican model) DIN power output (rated) 205 + 205 watts

Continuous RMS power output (reference)

Less than 0.1% (6 ohms at 1 kHz, 100 W)

(4 ohms at 1 kHz, DIN)

195 + 195 watts (4 ohms at 1 kHz, 0.6% THD)

MHC-GN800 (HCD-GN800)

The following are measured at AC 127V, 60 Hz (Mexican model only) The following are measured at AC 120, 220, 240V 50/60 Hz (except Mexican model) DIN power output (rated) 170 + 170 watts

Continuous RMS power output (reference)

MHC-GN800 (SS-WG800)

The following are measured at AC 127V, 60 Hz (Mexican model only) The following are measured at AC 120, 220, 240V 50/60 Hz (except Mexican model) Continuous RMS power output (reference)

MHC-GN700

The following are measured at AC 127V, 60 Hz (Mexican model only) The following are measured at AC 120, 220, 240V 50/60 Hz (except Mexican model) DIN power output (rated) 160 + 160 watts

Continuous RMS power output (reference)

MHC-GN600

The following are measured at AC 127V, 60 Hz (Mexican model only) The following are measured at AC 120, 220, 240V 50/60 Hz (except Mexican model) DIN power output (rated) 130 + 130 watts

Continuous RMS power output (reference)

Inputs GAME (VIDEO): 1 Vp-p, 75 ohms (phono jack) GAME (AUDIO): Voltage 250 mV, (phono jacks) impedance 47 kilohms MD/VIDEO (AUDIO) IN: voltage 450 mV/250 mV, (phono jacks) impedance 47 kilohms MIC: sensitivity 1 mV, (phone jack) impedance 10 kilohms

Outputs VIDEO OUT: max. output level 1 Vp-p, (phono jacks) unbalanced, Sync.

PHONES: accepts headphones of (stereo mini jack) 8 ohms or more FRONT SPEAKER: accepts impedance of 6 to

SURROUND SPEAKER: accepts impedance of (MHC-GN800/GN700/ 24 ohms or more GX8800 only) SUBWOOFER: accept impedance of (MHC-GN800 only) 8 ohms or more

(6 ohms at 1 kHz, DIN)

220 + 220 watts (6 ohms at 1 kHz, 10% THD)

180 watts (8 ohms at 100 Hz, 10% THD)

(6 ohms at 1 kHz, DIN)

200 + 200 watts (6 ohms at 1 kHz, 10% THD)

(6 ohms at 1 kHz, DIN)

165 + 165 watts (6 ohms at 1 kHz, 10% THD)

negative load impedance 75 ohms

16 ohms

MHC-GN800 4-244-569-13 (3)

CD player section

System Compact disc and digital

Laser Semiconductor laser

Laser Output Max. 44.6 µW*

Frequency response 2 Hz – 20 kHz (±0.5 dB) Wave length 795 nm CD OPTICAL DIGITAL OUT (Square optical connector jack, rear panel) Wave length 660 nm Output Level –18 dBm

audio system

(λ=795nm)

*This output is the value measured at a distance of 200 mm from the objective lens surface on the Optical Pick-up Block with 7 mm aperture.

Tape player section

Recording system 4-track 2-channel stereo Frequency response 50 – 13,000 Hz (±3 dB),

Wow and flutter ±0.15% W.Peak (IEC)

Tuner section

FM stereo, FM/AM superheterodyne tuner

FM tuner section

Tuning range 87.5 – 108.0 MHz Antenna FM lead antenna Antenna terminals 75 ohm unbalanced Intermediate frequency 10.7 MHz

AM tuner section

Tuning range North and Latin American models: 530 – 1,710 kHz

Middle Eastern models: 531 – 1,602 kHz

Other models: 531 – 1,602 kHz

Antenna AM loop antenna Antenna terminals External antenna terminal Intermediate frequency 450 kHz

using Sony TYPE I cassette

0.1% W.RMS (NAB) ±0.2% W.Peak (DIN)

(with the interval set at 10 kHz) 531 – 1,710 kHz (with the interval set at 9 kHz)

(with the interval set at 9 kHz)

(with the interval set at 9 kHz) 530 – 1,710 kHz (with the interval set at 10 kHz)

Speaker

Front speaker SS-GN900 (MHC-GN900 only)

Speaker system 2-way, 3-unit,

Speaker units Woofer: 16 cm, cone type Tweeter: 2.5 cm, dome type Nominal impedance 4 ohms Dimensions (w/h/d) Approx. 526 x 291 x

Mass Approx. 9.5 kg net per

Front speaker SS-GN800 (MHC-GN800/ GN700/GX8800/GN600 only)

Speaker system 3-way, 4-units,

Speaker units Sub Woofer: 20 cm, cone type Woofer: 8 cm, cone type Tweeter: 5 cm, cone type Nominal impedance 6 ohms Dimensions (w/h/d) Approx. 265 x 415 x

Mass Approx. 8.0 kg net per

Surround speaker SS-RS800 (MHC-GN800/ GN700/GX8800 only)

Speaker system 2 way, 3 units,

Speaker units Woofer 10 cm, cone type Tweeter 5 cm, cone type Nominal impedance 24 ohms Dimensions (w/h/d)

Mass Approx. 4.4 kg net per

Subwoofer SS-WG800 (MHC-GN800 only)

Subwoofer system 1 way, 1 unit,

Speaker units Sub Woofer 20 cm, cone type Nominal Impedance 8 ohms Dimensions (w/h/d)

Mass Approx. 7.6 kg

bass-reflex type

288 mm

speaker

bass-reflex type

320 mm

speaker

bass-reflex type

Approx. 175 x 415 x 190 mm

speaker

bass-reflex type

Approx. 265 x 415 x 320 mm

continued

Additional Information

MHC-GN800 4-244-569-13 (3)

Specifications (continued)

General

Power requirements North American models: 120 V AC, 60 Hz Mexican models: 127 V AC, 60 Hz Argentina models: 220 V AC, 50/60 Hz Australian models: 230 - 240 V AC, 50/60 Hz Other models: 120 V, 220 V or

Power consumption MHC-GN900 265 watts MHC-GN800 300 watts (Australian model only) MHC-GN800 (Except 250 watts Australian model) MHC-GN700 205 watts MHC-GX8800 220 watts MHC-GN600 145 watts

Dimensions (w/h/d) HCD-GN900/GN800/GN700/ GX8800/GN600 Approx. 280 x 360 x

Mass : HCD-GN900 Approx. 12.2 kg HCD-GN800 Approx. 13.6 kg HCD-GN700/GX8800 Approx. 11.4 kg HCD-GN600 Approx. 10.5 kg

Supplied accessories: AM loop antenna (1)

Design and specifications are subject to change without notice.

230 - 240 V AC, 50/60 Hz Adjustable with voltage selector

386.5 mm

Remote commander (1) Batteries (2) FM lead antenna (1) Front speaker pads (8) Surround speaker pads (8) (MHC-GN800/GN700/ GX8800 only) Subwoofer pads (4) (MHC-GN800 only)

Sony Corporation Printed in Malaysia

MHC-GN800 4-244-569-13 (3)

Sony MHC-GN600, MHC-GN700, MHC-GN800, MHC-GN900, MHC-GX8800 Operating Instruction

Specifications and Main Features

Frequently Asked Questions

User Manual