Sony XR-4954X Users guide

FM/MW/SW
Cassette
Car Stereo

3-044-363-11 (1)

Operating Instructions

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

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XR-C5604X
XR-4954X

 2000 Sony Corporation

Welcome !

Precautions

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

Supplied accessory

Card remote commander RM-X74
(XR-C5604X only)

Optional accessory

Rotary commander RM-X4S

XR-C5604X only:

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

*1You can connect a CD changer, an MD changer,

a CD player, or an MD player.

2

A CD TEXT disc is an audio CD that includes

*

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

• If your car was parked in direct sunlight

resulting in a considerable rise in
temperature inside the car, allow the unit to
cool off before operating it.

• If no power is being supplied to the unit,

check the connections first. If everything is
in order, check the fuse.

• If no sound comes from the speakers of a

two-speaker system, set the fader control to
the centre position.

• When a tape is played back for a long

period, the cassette may become warm
because of the built-in power amplifier.
However, this is not a sign of malfunction.

If you have any questions or problems
concerning your unit that are not covered in
this manual, please consult your nearest Sony
dealer.

To maintain high quality sound

If you have drink holders near your audio
equipment, be careful not to splash juice or
other soft drinks onto the car audio. Sugary
residues on this unit or cassette tapes may
contaminate the playback heads, reduce the
sound quality, or prevent sound reproduction
altogether.
Cassette cleaning kits cannot remove sugar
from the tape heads.

2

Notes on Cassettes

Cassette care

• Do not touch the tape surface of a cassette, as

any dirt or dust will contaminate the heads.

• Keep cassettes away from equipment with

built-in magnets such as speakers and
amplifiers, as erasure or distortion on the
recorded tape could occur.

• Do not expose cassettes to direct sunlight,

extremely cold temperatures, or moisture.

• Slack in the tape may cause the tape to be

caught in the machine. Before you insert the
tape, use a pencil or similar object to turn the
reel and take up any slack.

Slack

• Distorted cassettes and loose labels can cause

problems when inserting or ejecting tapes.
Remove or replace loose labels.

Cassettes longer than 90 minutes

The use of cassettes longer than 90 minutes is
not recommended except for long continuous
play. The tape used for these cassettes is very
thin and tends to stretch easily. Frequent
playing and stopping of these tapes may cause
them to become entangled in the cassette deck
mechanism.

• The sound may become distorted while

playing the cassette. The cassette player head
should be cleaned after each 50 hours of use.

3

Table of Contents

This Unit Only

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

Getting Started

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

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

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

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

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

Cassette Player

Listening to a tape ............................................. 10

Playing a tape in various modes ......................11

Radio

Memorising stations automatically

— Best Tuning Memory (BTM) .................. 12

Memorising only the desired stations............ 12

Receiving the memorised stations .................. 12

Other Functions

Labelling the rotary commander .................... 14

Using the rotary commander .......................... 14

Adjusting the sound characteristics ............... 16

Attenuating the sound ..................................... 16

Changing the sound and display settings ..... 16

Boosting the bass sound

— D-bass ....................................................... 17

With Optional Equipment

CD/MD Unit (XR-C5604X only)

Playing a CD or MD ......................................... 17

Playing tracks repeatedly

— Repeat Play .............................................. 19

Playing tracks in random order

— Shuffle Play .............................................. 19

Additional Information

Maintenance....................................................... 19

Dismounting the unit ....................................... 20

Specifications ..................................................... 21

Troubleshooting guide ..................................... 22

4

Location of controls

S

+

MENU

SOUND

OFF

C

I

D

SOURCE

P

R

S

T

-

D

I

S

C

DSPL

P

R

S

T

+

MODE

-

SEEK/AMS

ENTER

–

Refer to the pages listed for details.

1 MENU button 9, 11, 12, 13, 16, 18
2 Volume control dial
3 SOURCE (TUNER/TAPE/CD*1/MD*1)

button 8, 10, 12, 17

4 XR-C5604X:

PRST/DISC +/– (cursor up/down) buttons
8, 9, 11, 12, 13, 16, 18

XR-4954X:
PRST +/– (cursor up/down) buttons
8, 9, 11, 12, 13, 16, 18

During radio reception:

Preset stations select 12

During CD/MD playback*1:

Disc change 18

5 DSPL (display mode change) button*

11, 17, 18

6 MODE button 10, 11, 12, 17

During tape playback:

Playback direction change 10

During radio reception:

BAND select 12

During CD/MD playback*1:

CD/MD unit select 17

7 Display window
8

Z (eject) button (located on the front side
of the unit behind the front panel) 10

9 OPEN button 7, 10, 20
q; D-BASS button 17
qa SOUND button 16

REP SHUF

1 2 3 4 56

qs OFF button*2 7, 8, 10
qd Reset button (located on the front side

of the unit behind the front panel) 7

qf SEEK/AMS –/+ (cursor left/right) buttons

8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 16, 18

Seek 13
Automatic Music Sensor 10, 18
Manual search 13, 18

qg ENTER button 9, 11, 12, 13, 16, 18
qh

Receptor for the card remote commander*

qj Number buttons

During radio reception:

Preset number select 12

1

During tape playback:

(1) REP 11

During CD/MD playback*1:

(1) REP 19
(2) SHUF 19

*1XR-C5604X only
*2Warning when installing in a car

without ACC (accessory) position on
the ignition key switch

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

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

OPEN

D-BASS

XR-C5604X

1

5

Card remote commander RM-X74
(XR-C5604X only)

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

1 OFF button
2 MENU button
3 SOURCE button
4 SEEK/AMS (cursor </,) button
5 SOUND button
6 DSPL button
7 ATT button
8 MODE button
9 DISC/PRST (cursor M /m ) button
q;ENTER button
qa VOL button

DISC

SOURCE

DISC

OPEN/CLOSE

ENTER

VOLATT

OFF

MENU MODE

SEEK SEEK

SOUND

DSPL

A unit turned off by pressing (OFF) for two seconds cannot be operated with the card remote
commander unless (SOURCE) on the unit is pressed or a casette is inserted to activate the unit first.

Replacing the lithium battery

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

x

+ side up

6

Notes on lithium battery

•Keep the lithium battery out of the reach of
children. Should the battery be swallowed,
immediately consult a doctor.

•Wipe the battery with a dry cloth to assure a
good contact.

•Be sure to observe the correct polarity when
installing the battery.

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

WARNING

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

Getting Started

Attaching the front panel

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

Resetting the unit

Before operating the unit for the first time or
after replacing the car battery, you must reset
the unit.
Remove the front panel and press the reset
button with a pointed object, such as a
ballpoint pen.

Reset button

Note

Pressing the reset button will erase the clock
setting, preset memory and some memorised
functions.

Detaching the front panel

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

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

to the right side, and pull out from the
left side.

A

B

x

Notes

• Be careful not to attach the front panel upside

down.

• Do not press the front panel too hard against the

unit when attaching it.

• Do not press too hard or put excessive pressure

on the display window of the front panel.

• Do not expose the front panel to direct sunlight

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

1

2

Notes

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

• If you detach the panel while the unit is still
turned on, the power will turn off automatically
to prevent the speakers from being damaged.

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

Caution alarm

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

7

Turning the unit on/off

How to use the menu

Turning on the unit

Press (SOURCE) or insert a cassette in the unit.
For details on operation, refer to page 10
(cassette player) and page 12 (radio).

Turning off the unit

Press (OFF) to stop tape playback or FM/
MW/SW reception (the key illumination and
display remains on.)
Press (OFF) for two seconds to completely
turn off the unit.

Note

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

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

(PRST)), or choose left/right (–/+ of
(SEEK/AMS)).

(PRST/DISC) /(PRST)

(+) : To select upwards

SOURCE

(–) : To select downwards

(SEEK/AMS)

(–) : To select

leftwards

SOURCE

(+) : To select

rightwards

8

Setting the clock

The clock uses a 12-hour digital indication.

2 Press (ENTER).

Example: To set the clock to 10:08

1 Press (MENU), then press either side of

(PRST/DISC) or (PRST) repeatedly until

“CLOCK” appears.

1 Press (ENTER).

The hour indication flashes.

2 Press either side of (PRST/DISC) or

(PRST) to set the hour.

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

The minute indication flashes.

4 Press either side of (PRST/DISC) or

(PRST) to set the minute.

The clock starts.

After the clock setting is complete, the
display returns to normal playback mode.

Tip

When the D.INFO mode is set to ON, the time is
always displayed (page 16).

9

Cassette Player

Fast-winding the tape

During playback, press and hold either
side of (SEEK/AMS).

Listening to a tape

1 Press (OPEN) and insert a cassette.

Playback starts automatically.

2 Close the front panel.

If a cassette is already inserted, to start
playback, press (SOURCE) repeatedly until
“FWD” or “REV” appears.

The side facing up is played.

The side facing down is played.

Tip

To change the tape‘s playback direction, press
(MODE) (o).

To Press

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

Rewind

SOURCE

Fast-forward

To start playback during fast-forwarding or
rewinding, press (MODE) (o).

Locating a specific track

— Automatic Music Sensor (AMS)

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

You can skip up to nine tracks at one time.

To locate
preceding
tracks

Note

The AMS function may not work when:
— the blanks between tracks are shorter than

four seconds

— there is noise between tracks
— there are long sections of low volume or quiet

sections.

SOURCE

In the Motion Display mode, all the items are
scrolled in the display one by one in order.

Tip

The Motion Display mode can be turned off. (See
“Changing the sound and display settings” on
page 16).

To locate
succeeding
tracks

10

Playing a tape in various
modes

You can play the tape in various modes:

•REP (Repeat Play) repeats the current track.

•BL SKP (Blank Skip) skips blanks longer than

eight seconds.

•ATA (Automatic Tuner Activation) turns on
the tuner automatically when fast-winding
the tape.

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

(PRST) repeatedly until the desired item
appears.

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

BL SKP t ATA

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

“ON.”

Playing tracks repeatedly

— Repeat Play

During playback, press (1) (REP)
repeatedly until “REP-ON” in the display
appears.

REP-ON y REP-OFF

MODE

-

SEEK/AMS

ENTER

Repeat Play starts.

To return to normal playback mode, select
“REP-OFF.”

Tip

During repeat playback, press (MODE). “REP”
disappears from the display and repeat mode is
cancelled.

REP SHUF

1 2 3 4 56

Play mode starts.

4 Press (ENTER).

To return to normal playback mode, select
“OFF” in step 3.

Tip

While the ATA function is activated, the display
(TAPE y TUNER) can be changed by pressing
(DSPL) (for the XR-4954X only on the optional
rotary commander).

11

Radio

Memorising stations
automatically

— Best Tuning Memory (BTM)

The unit selects the stations with the strongest
signals and memorises them in the order of
their frequencies. You can store up to 6 stations
on each band (FM1, FM2, FM3, MW, SW1 and
SW2).

Caution

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

1 Press (SOURCE) repeatedly to select the

tuner.

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

B TUNER B CD* B MD* B TAPE

* If the corresponding optional equipment is

not connected, this item will not appear
(XR-C5604X only).

Memorising only the
desired stations

You can preset up to 18 FM stations (6 each for
FM1, 2, and 3), up to 6 MW stations, and up to
12 SW stations (6 each for SW1 and 2) in the
order of your choice.

1 Press (SOURCE) repeatedly to select the

tuner.

2 Press (MODE) repeatedly to select the

band.

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

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

4 Press the desired number button ((1) to

(6)) until “MEM” appears.

The number button indication appears in
the display.

Note

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

2 Press (MODE) repeatedly to select the

band.

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

B FM1 B FM2 B FM3

SW2 b SW1 b MW b

3 Press (MENU), then press either side of

(PRST/DISC) or (PRST) repeatedly until
“BTM” appears.

4 Press (ENTER).

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

Notes

• The unit does not store stations with weak
signals. If only a few stations can be received,
some number buttons will retain their former
setting.

• When a number is indicated in the display, the
unit starts storing stations from the one currently
displayed.

12

Receiving the memorised
stations

1 Press (SOURCE) repeatedly to select the

tuner.

2 Press (MODE) repeatedly to select the

band.

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

which the desired station is stored.

Tip

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

If you cannot tune in a preset
station

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

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

Note

If the automatic tuning stops too frequently, press

(MENU), then press either side of (PRST/DISC) or
(PRST) repeatedly until “LOCAL” (local seek

mode) is displayed. Then press (+) side of
(SEEK/AMS) to select “LOCAL-ON.” Press (ENTER).
During local reception and station selection,
“L.SEEK” appears in the display.
Only the stations with relatively strong signals will
be tuned in.

If FM stereo broadcast becomes
monaural

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

1 During radio reception, press (MENU),

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

2 Press (+) side of (SEEK/AMS) until “WIDE“

appears.

Tip

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

If FM stereo reception is poor

— Monaural Mode

1 During radio reception, press (MENU),

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

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

“MONO-ON“ appears.

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

3 Press (ENTER).

To return to normal mode, select
“MONO-OFF” in step 2.

3 Press (ENTER).

Note

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

In the Motion Display mode, all the items are
scrolled in the display one by one in order.

Tip

The Motion Display mode can be turned off. (See
“Changing the sound and display settings” on
page 16).

13

Other Functions

Using the rotary
commander

You can also control this unit with the rotary
commander (optional).

Labelling the rotary
commander

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

SOUND

MODE

DSPL

DSPL

MODE

SOUND

The rotary commander works by pressing
buttons and/or rotating controls.

XR-C5604X only:

You can also control the optional CD or MD
units with the rotary commander.

By pressing buttons
(the SOURCE and MODE buttons)

(SOURCE)

(MODE)

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

TUNER t CD* t MD* t TAPE

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

• Tuner : FM1 t FM2 t FM3 t MW

• Tape : playback direction

• CD unit* : CD1 t CD2 t …

• MD unit* : MD1 t MD2 t …

* If the corresponding optional equipment is

not connected, the item will not appear
(XR-C5604X only).

t SW1 t SW2

14

By rotating the control
(the SEEK/AMS control)

Rotate the control and release it to:

•Locate the beginnings of tracks on the
tape. Rotate and hold the control, and
release it to fast-wind the tape. To start
playback while fast-winding the tape,
press (MODE).

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

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

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

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

Press (DSPL) to change
the displayed items.

Tip

While the ATA function is activated, the display
(TAPE y TUNER) can be changed by pressing
(DSPL).

Changing the operative direction

The operative direction of controls is factory­set as shown below.

If you need to mount the rotary commander on
the right hand side of the steering column, you
can reverse the operative direction.

To increase

To decrease

Push in and rotate the control to:

•Receive the stations memorised on the
number buttons.

•Change the disc.

Other operations

Rotate the VOL control to
adjust the volume.

Note

When installing in a car without ACC (accessory)
position on the ignition key switch, press (OFF) for
two seconds to turn off the clock display after
turning off the engine.

Press (ATT) to
attenuate the
sound.

OFF

Press (OFF) to turn
off the unit.

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

Tip

You can also change the operative direction of
these controls with the unit (see “Changing the
sound and display settings” on page 16).

15

Adjusting the sound
characteristics

Changing the sound and
display settings

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

1 Select the item you want to adjust by

pressing (SOUND) repeatedly.

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

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

2 Adjust the selected item by pressing

either side of (SEEK/AMS).

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

Note

Adjust within three seconds after selecting the
item.

Attenuating the sound

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

“ATT-ON” flashes momentarily.

To restore the previous volume level, press
(ATT) again.

Tip

When the interface cable of a car telephone is
connected to the ATT lead, the unit decreases the
volume automatically when a telephone call comes
in (Telephone ATT function).

The following items can be set:

•CLOCK (page 9).

•BEEP – to turn the beep sound on or off.

•RM (Rotary Commander) – to change the

operative direction of the rotary commander.
— Select “NORM” to use the rotary

commander as the factory-set position.

— Select “REV” when you mount the rotary

commander on the right side of the
steering column.

•D.INFO (Dual Information)*1 – to display the
clock and the play mode simultaneously
(ON), or to display the information
alternately (OFF).

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

•A.SCRL (Auto Scroll)*2 (page 18).

1 Press (MENU).
2 Press either side of (PRST/DISC) or

(PRST) repeatedly until the desired item
appears.

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

CLOCK t BEEP t RM t D.INFO*1 t M.DSPL
t A.SCRL*

*1When the radio is off, or when no tape, CD,

2

*

Note

The displayed item will differ depending on the
source.

Tip

You can easily switch among categories (“SET”,
“DIS”, “P/M”and “EDT”) by pressing an holding

either side of (PRST/DISC) or (PRST) for two
seconds.

2

or MD is playing, this item will not appear.
When no CD or MD is playing, this item will
not appear (XR-C5604X only).

16

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

desired setting (Example: ON or OFF).

4 Press (ENTER).

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

Boosting the bass sound

— D-bass

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

D.BASS-3

Level

0dB

Adjusting the bass curve

D.BASS-1 t D.BASS-2 t D.BASS-3 t
D.BASS-OFF (cancel)

Note

The bass sound may distort at same volume. If the
bass sound distorts, select less effective bass curve.

D.BASS-2

D.BASS-1

Frequency (Hz)

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

Press (D-BASS) repeatedly to select the
desired bass curve.

As the D-BASS number increases so does
the effect.

With Optional Equipment

CD/MD Unit (XR-C5604X only)

This unit can control external CD/MD units.
If you connect an optional CD unit with the
CD TEXT function, the CD TEXT information
will appear in the display when you play a CD
TEXT disc.

Playing a CD or MD

1 Press (SOURCE) repeatedly to select CD

or MD.

2 Press (MODE) until the desired unit

appears.

CD/MD playback starts.

When a CD/MD unit is connected, all the
tracks play from the beginning.

Changing the display item

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

Elapsed playback time

Disc name*

V

V

1

/Artist name*

V

Track name*

2

3

*1If you have not labelled the disc or if there is no

disc name prerecorded on the MD, “DISC” and
“NO NAME” appears in the display.

2

If you play a CD TEXT disc, the artist name

*

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

3

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

*

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

continue to next page t

17

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

Tip

The Motion Display mode can be turned off. (See
“Changing the sound and display settings” on
page 16.)

Automatically scrolling a disc name

— Auto Scroll

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

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

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

Locating a specific track

— Automatic Music Sensor (AMS)

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

SOURCE

To locate
preceding tracks

To locate
succeeding tracks

Locating a specific point in a track

— Manual Search

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

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

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

(PRST) repeatedly until “A.SCRL”
appears.

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

“A.SCRL-ON.”

4 Press (ENTER).

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

Note

For some discs with very many characters, the
following cases may happen:

— Some of the characters are not displayed
— Auto Scroll does not work.

SOURCE

To search
backward

To search
forward

Switching to other discs

During playback, press either side of
(PRST/DISC)or (PRST).

The desired disc in the current unit begins
playback.

For succeeding
discs

SOURCE

For preceding
discs

Elapsed playback time

Track number

Disc number

18

Playing tracks repeatedly

— Repeat Play

You can select:

•REP-1 – to repeat a track.

•REP-2 – to repeat a disc.

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

B REP-1 B REP-2

REP-OFF b

Repeat Play starts.

To return to normal playback mode, select
“REP-OFF.”

Additional
Information

Maintenance

Fuse replacement

When replacing the fuse, be sure to use one
matching the amperage rating stated on the
original fuse. If the fuse blows, check the
power connection and replace the fuse. If the
fuse blows again after replacement, there may
be an internal malfunction. In such a case,
consult your nearest Sony dealer.

Playing tracks in random
order — Shuffle Play

You can select:

•SHUF-1 – to play the tracks on the current

disc in random order.

•SHUF-2 – to play the tracks in the current

unit in random order.

•SHUF-ALL* – to play all the tracks in all the

units in random order.

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

B SHUF-1 B SHUF-2

SHUF-OFF b SHUF-ALL* b

Shuffle Play starts.

* “SHUF-ALL” is only available when you

connect two or more optional CD/MD units.

To return to normal playback mode, select
“SHUF-OFF.”

Fuse (10 A)

Warning

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

19

Cleaning the connectors

The unit may not function properly if the
connectors between the unit and the front
panel are not clean. In order to prevent this,
open the front panel by pressing (OPEN), then
detach it and clean the connectors with a
cotton swab dipped in alcohol. Do not apply
too much force. Otherwise, the connectors may
be damaged.

Main unit

Dismounting the unit

1 Press the clip inside the front cover with

a thin screwdriver, and pry the front
cover free.

2 Repeat step 1 on the left side.

The front cover is removed.

Back of the front panel

Notes

• For safety, turn off the engine before cleaning
the connectors and remove the key from the
ignition switch.

• Never touch the connectors directly with your
fingers or with any metal device.

3 Use a thin screwdriver to push in the clip

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

4 Repeat step 3 on the right side.

5 Slide the unit out of the mounting.

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Specifications

Cassette player section

Tape track 4-track 2-channel stereo
Wow and flutter 0.08 % (WRMS)
Frequency response 30 – 18,000 Hz
Signal-to-noise ratio 58 dB

Tuner section

FM

Tuning range 87.5 – 108.0 MHz
Aerial terminal External aerial connector
Intermediate frequency 10.7 MHz/450 kHz
Usable sensitivity 8 dBf
Selectivity 75 dB at 400 kHz
Signal-to-noise ratio 66 dB (stereo),

Harmonic distortion at 1 kHz

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

72 dB (mono)

0.6 % (stereo),

0.3 % (mono)

MW

Tuning range 531 – 1,602 kHz

SW

Tuning range SW tuning interval:

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

SW1: 2,940 – 7,735 kHz
SW2: 9,500 – 18,135 kHz
(except for 10,140 – 11,575
kHz)

Power amplifier section

Outputs Speaker outputs

Speaker impedance 4 – 8 ohms
Maximum power output 50 W × 4 (at 4 ohms)

(sure seal connectors)

General

Outputs Audio output

Tone controls Bass ±9 dB at 100 Hz

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

Mass Approx. 1.2 kg
Supplied accessories Parts for installation and

Optional accessories Rotary commander

Optional equipment XR-C5604X:

Design and specifications are subject to change
without notice.

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

Treble ±9 dB at 10 kHz

(negative earth)

(w/h/d)

(w/h/d)

connections (1 set)
Front panel case (1)
Card remote commander
RM-X74 (1) (XR-C5604X
only)

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

CD changer (10 discs)

CDX-838, CDX-828,
CDX-737, CDX-636

MD changer (6 discs)

MDX-65
Other CD/MD changers
with the Sony-BUS system
Source selector

XA-C30

21

Troubleshooting guide

The following checklist will help you remedy the problems you may encounter with your unit.
Before going through the checklist below, check the connections and operating procedures.

General

Problem

No sound.

The contents of the memory
have been erased.

Indications do not appear
in the display.

Tape playback

Problem

The sound is distorted.

The AMS does not operate
correctly.

Cause/Solution

•Cancel the ATT function.

•Set the fader control to the centre position for two-speaker

systems.

•Rotate the dial clockwise to adjust the volume.

• The power cord or battery has been disconnected.

• The reset button was pressed.

t Store again into the memory.

Remove the front panel and clean the connectors. See
“Cleaning the connectors” (page 20) for details.

Cause/Solution

The tape head is contaminated.
t Clean the head with a commercially available dry-type

cleaning cassette.

• There is noise in the space between tracks.

• A blank space is too short (less than four seconds).

• A long pause, or a passage of low frequencies or very low

sound level is treated as a blank space.

Radio reception

Problem

Preset tuning is not possible.

Automatic tuning is not
possible.

The stations cannot be
received.
The sound is hampered by
noises.

The “ST” indication flashes.

Interference occurs during FM
reception.

22

Cause/Solution

• Store the correct frequency in the memory.

• The broadcast signal is too weak.

•The broadcast signal is too weak.

t Use manual tuning.

•The local seek mode is set to ON.

t Set the local seek mode to OFF (page 13).

Connect a power aerial control lead (blue) or accessory power
supply lead (red) to the power supply lead of a car’s aerial
booster. (When your car has built-in FM/MW/SW aerial in the
rear/side glass only.)

•Tune in the frequency accurately.

•The broadcast signal is too weak.

t Set to the MONO mode (page 13).

The WIDE mode is selected.
t Set the IF mode to IF AUTO (page 13).

CD/MD playback (XR-C5604X only)

Problem

The sound skips.

Cause/Solution

A dirty or defective disc.

Error displays (when an optional CD/MD unit is connected) (XR-C5604X only)

The following indications will flash for about five seconds, and an alarm sound will be heard.

Display

NO MAG

NO DISC

NG DISCS

ERROR

BLANK

RESET

NO READY

HI TEMP

*1 When an error occurs during playback of a CD or MD, the disc number of the CD or MD does not appear

in the display.

2

The disc number of the disc causing the error appears in the display.

*

Cause

The disc magazine is not inserted in
the CD/MD unit.

No disc is inserted in the CD/MD unit.

A CD/MD cannot play because of
some problem.

A CD is dirty or inserted upside

2

down.*

1

*

An MD does not play because of some
problem.*

No tracks have been recorded on an

1

*

MD.*
The CD/MD unit cannot be operated

because of some problem.
The lid of the MD unit is open or MDs

are not inserted properly.
The ambient temperature is more than

50°C.

2

2

Solution

Insert the disc magazine in the CD/
MD unit.

Insert discs in the CD/MD unit.

Insert another CD/MD.

Clean or insert the CD correctly.

Insert another MD.

Play an MD with tracks recorded on
it.

Press the reset button of the unit.

Close the lid or insert the MDs
properly.

Wait until the temperature goes
down below 50°C.

If the above-mentioned solutions do not help improve the situation, consult your nearest Sony
dealer.

23