Sony ZS-D50 User Manual

3-864-496-71(1)

Personal Audio
System

Operating Instructions

ZS-D50

1999 by Sony Corporation

Warning

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

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.

CAUTION

The use of optical instruments with this
product will increase eye hazard.

Warning

Do not install the appliance in a confined
space, such as a bookcase or built-in cabinet.

For customers in Canada

To prevent electric shock, match wide blade
of plug to wide slot, fully insert.

Information

For customers in the United States

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.

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

Owner's Record

The model number is located at the bottom of
the personal audio system and the serial
number is located in the battery
compartment.
Record the serial number in the space
provided below. Refer to these numbers
whenever you call upon your Sony dealer
regarding this product.

Model No. ZS-D50
Serial No. ________________________

Introduction2

Table of contents

Basic Operations

4 Playing a CD
6 Listening to the radio
8 Playing a tape
10 Recording on a tape

CD Player

12 Using the display
13 Locating a specific track
14 Playing tracks repeatedly

(Repeat Play)

15 Playing a single track

(Single Track Play)

16 Playing tracks in random order

(Shuffle Play)

17 Creating your own program

(Program Play)

The Radio

19 Presetting radio stations
20 Playing preset radio stations

The Tape Player

21 Finding the beginning of

a track

22 Recording the tracks on CD

by specifying the tape length

Basic Operations

The Timer

28 Setting the clock
29 Waking up to music
31 Falling asleep to music
32 Timer-recording radio programs

Setting Up

34 Choosing the power sources
36 Connecting optional components
39 Selecting the audio emphasis

(Sound Mode/MEGA BASS)

Additional Information

40 Precautions
42 Troubleshooting
45 Maintenance
46 Specifications
47 Index

3Introduction

Basic Operations

Playing a CD

21

Connect the supplied AC power cord (see page 34).

1 Press 6 CD OPEN/CLOSE

(direct power-on) and place the
CD on the CD tray until it clicks
into place.

2 Press ^.



Basic Operations4

(On the remote, press ( on the
CD section.)

The CD tray closes and the player
plays all the tracks once.

With the label side up

Display

Playing timeTrack number

Use these buttons for additional operations

Tip

Next time you want to
listen to a CD, just press
^. The player turns on
automatically and starts
playing the CD.

POWER

To Press

adjust the volume VOLUME +, –

stop playback p
pause playback ^

go to the next track +
go back to the previous track =
remove the CD 6 CD OPEN/CLOSE
turn on/off the player POWER

p^

VOLUME +, –

6 CD
OPEN/CLOSE

=, +

(VOL +, – on the remote)

(P on the remote).
Press again to resume play
after pause.

Basic Operations

Basic Operations

5

Listening to the radio

21

Connect the supplied AC power cord (see page 34).

1 Press RADIO BAND until the

band you want appears in the
display (direct power-on).

2 Hold down TUNING TIME SET

+ or – (TUNE + or – on the
remote) until the frequency digits
begin to change in the display.

The player automatically scans
the radio frequencies and stops
when it finds a clear station.

If you cannot tune in a station,
press TUNING TIME SET + or –
repeatedly until you tune in the
station you want.

Display

Indicates an FM
stereo broadcast.

Basic Operations6

Tips

• If the FM broadcast is
noisy, press
MODE•MONO/ST ISS
(MODE on the remote)
until “Mono” appears in
the display and the
radio will play in
monaural.

• Next time you want to
listen to the radio, just
press the RADIO BAND
button. The player turns
on automatically and
starts playing the
previous station.

Use these buttons for additional operations

MODE•MONO/ST ISS

POWER

VOLUME +, –

To Press

adjust the volume VOLUME +, –

(VOL +, – on the remote)

turn on/off the radio POWER

To improve broadcast reception

Reorient the antenna for FM. Reorient the player itself
for AM.

For FM For AM

Basic Operations

Basic Operations

7

Playing a tape

Connect the supplied AC power cord (see page 34).

1,2 3

1 Press 6 PUSH OPEN/CLOSE to

open the tape compartment and
insert a recorded tape. Use TYPE I
(normal), TYPE II (high position)
and TYPE IV (metal) tapes.

2 Press 6 PUSH OPEN/CLOSE to

close the compartment.

3 Press (.

(On the remote, press TAPE (.)
The player turns on (direct

power-on) and starts playing.

With the side you want
to play facing up

Display

Tape counter

Basic Operations8

Use these buttons for additional operations

0, )

POWER

6 PUSH
OPEN/CLOSE

p

COUNTER RESET
DIR MODE

VOLUME +, –

9

Basic Operations

Tips

• Press COUNTER RESET
to reset the counter to
“000.”

• Next time you want to
listen to a tape, just
press ( or 9. The
player turns on
automatically and starts
playing the tape.

To Press

adjust the volume VOLUME +, –

(VOL +, – on the remote)

stop playback p
play the reverse side 9

fast-forward or rewind the tape ) or 0
eject the cassette 6 PUSH OPEN/CLOSE
turn on/off the player POWER

To select the direction mode of the tape

Press DIR MODE repeatedly.

To play Display shows

one side of the tape
both sides of the tape

from the upper side to reverse
side only

both sides of the tape repeatedly

Basic Operations

9

Recording on a tape

31

Connect the supplied AC power cord (see page 34). To
record on a MiniDisc or DAT recorder, connect the
component (see page 36).

1 Press 6 PUSH OPEN/CLOSE to

open the tape compartment, and
insert a blank tape. Use TYPE I
(normal) tape only.
Press 6 PUSH OPEN/CLOSE
again to close the compartment.

2 Select the program source you

want to record.



Basic Operations10

To record from the CD player:
Insert a CD (see page 4) and press
p on the CD section.

To record from the radio:
Tune in the station you want (see
page 6).

With the side you want
to record on facing up

Display

3 Start recording.

To record from the CD player:
1 Press r/P and then (.

(On the remote, while keeping

r/P pressed, press TAPE
(.)

2 Press ^ to start playing the

CD tracks.

To record from the radio:
Press r/P and then (.

Note

On the player, press ( within 4
seconds after r/P is pressed.

Recording from the CD
player

Recording from the
radio

Basic Operations

Tips

• To record on the reverse
side, use the 9 button
instead of ( .

• Adjusting the volume or
the audio emphasis (see
page 39) will not affect
the recording level.

• When or is
displayed, recording will
be made on both sides of
the tape. To record on
one side, press DIR
MODE to display .

• If the AM radio makes a
whistling sound after
you’ve pressed
r/P in step 3, press
MODE•MONO/ST ISS
to select the position that
most decreases the noise.

Use these buttons for additional operations

MODE•MONO/ST ISS

pr/P

To Press

stop recording p
pause recording r/P

turn on/off the player POWER

To erase a recording, proceed as follows:
1 Insert a tape you want to erase its recording into the tape

deck and press p on the tape section.

2 On the player: press r/P and then (.

On the remote: While keeping r/P pressed, press ( on
the tape section.

DIR MODE

POWER

Press the button again to
resume recording.

Basic Operations

11

The CD Player

Using the display

You can check information about the CD
using the display.

Checking the total track number and playing
time

Press DISPLAY in stop mode.

DISPLAY

Total track number

Total playing time

Checking the remaining time

Press DISPLAY while playing a CD.

To display Press DISPLAY

the current track number once
and the remaining time
on the current track*

remaining time on the CD twice
and the number of tracks left

the current track number three times
and playing time

* For a track whose number is more than 20 the remaining

time appears as “– –:– –”.

The CD Player12

Locating a specific
track

You can quickly locate any track using
the number buttons. You can also find a
specific point in a track while playing a
CD.

Number
buttons

=, +

The CD Player

Note

You cannot locate a
specific track if
“SHUF” or “PGM” is lit
in the display. Turn off
the indication by
pressing p on the CD
section.

Tip

When you locate a
track numbered over
10, press >10 first, then
the corresponding
number buttons.

Example:
To play track number

23, press >10 first, then
2 and 3.

To locate Press

a specific track directly number button of the

track.

a point while listening to = or + while playing
the sound and hold down until you

find the point.

a point while observing = or + in pause and
the display hold down until you find

the point.

The CD Player 13

Playing tracks
repeatedly

(Repeat Play)

You can play tracks repeatedly in
normal, shuffle or program play modes
(see pages 16 - 18.).

Note

When you repeat a
single track or all the
tracks, make sure
neither “SHUF” nor
“PGM” is lit in the
display. If either is lit,
turn it off by pressing
p on the CD section.

On the player

• Use MODE•MONO/

ST ISS to select “REP
1”, “REP ALL”, “REP”
“SHUF” or “REP”
“PGM”.

• Use = or + to

select the track that you
want, and then press
^.

1 Press p on the CD section.

“Cd” appears in the display.

2 Proceed as follows.

To repeat Do this

a single track 1 Press MODE until “REP 1”

all the tracks 1 Press MODE until “REP

tracks in random order 1 Press MODE until “REP”

programmed tracks 1 Start program play. (See

Number
buttons

MODE

(

p

appears.

2 Press the number buttons

to select the track that you
want to repeat.

ALL” appears.

2 Press ( on the CD section.

and “SHUF” appear.

2 Press ( on the CD section.

page 17.)

2 Press MODE until “REP”

and “PGM” appear.

3 Press ( on the CD section.

To cancel Repeat Play

Press MODE until “REP” disappears from the display.

The CD Player14

Playing a single
track

(Single Track Play)

You can play a single track once, and
stop the player automatically.

On the player

1 Press p on the CD

section.

2 Use MODE•MONO/

ST ISS to select
“1TRACK”.

3 Use = or + to

select the track that you
want.

4 Press ^.

1 Press p on the CD section.

“Cd” appears in the display.

2 Press MODE until “1TRACK” appears in the

display.

3 Press the number buttons to select the track you

want to play.

To cancel Single Track Play

Press MODE until “1TRACK” disappears from the
display.

Number
buttons

MODE

(

p

The CD Player

The CD Player 15

Playing tracks in
random order

(Shuffle Play)

You can play tracks in random order.

1 Press p on the CD section.

“Cd” appears in the display.

On the player

Use MODE•MONO/
ST ISS to select
“SHUF”.

2 Press MODE until “SHUF” appears in the display.
3 Press ( on the CD section to start shuffle play.

MODE

(

p

To cancel Shuffle Play

Press MODE until “SHUF” disappears from the
display.

The CD Player16

Creating your
own program

(Program Play)

While listening to the CD, you can select
the track you want and arrange the
playing order of up to 20 tracks on a CD.

On the player

1 Press p on the CD

section.

2 Press MODE•MONO/

ST ISS to select “PGM”.

3 Press = or + to

select the track that you
want to program,
and press ENTER•
MEMORY CHECK.
Repeat this step.

4 Press ^.

Tip

If you made a mistake,
press CANCEL and re­enter the track number
by pressing the number
buttons.

1 Press p on the CD section.

"Cd" appears in the display.

2 Press MODE until “PGM” appears in the display.
3 Press the number buttons to select the track you

want to program.
Repeat this step.

4 Press ( on the CD section to start program play.

Playing order

Number
buttons

MODE

(

p

Total programmed time

Track number

The CD Player

Note

When you program a
track from the CD
having more than 20
tracks:

If you program a track
whose track number is
more than 20, “- -:- -” is
displayed instead of the
total programmed time.

continued

The CD Player 17

Creating your own program (Program Play) (continued)

Tips

• If the program play is

finished, the program is
saved. You can play the
same program again by
pressing ( on the CD
section.

• If you open the CD

tray, the program is
erased.

• You can record your

own program.
1 After you have

created the program,
insert a blank tape
into the tape
compartment.

2 Press r/P and then

( on the tape
section to start
recording. Press (
on the CD section to
start playing the
program play.

To cancel Program Play

Press MODE until “PGM” disappears from the
display.

To check the order of tracks before play

Press ENTER•MEMORY CHECK on the player in
stop mode until “CHECK” appears in the display.

As you press = or +, the track number appears
in the programmed order.

To change the current program

Change before starting the program play.

To Do this

erase the last track in 1 Press CANCEL. Every time
the program you press the button, the last

track in the program is
cleared.

2 Re-enter the track numbers

using the number buttons.

change the whole 1 Press p on the CD section to
program completely erase the whole program.

2 Create a new program

following the programming
procedure.

The CD Player18

The Radio

Presetting radio
stations

You can store radio stations into the
player's memory. You can preset up to
20 radio stations, 10 for each band in any
order.

1 Press RADIO BAND until the band you want

appears in the display.

2 Hold down AUTO PRESET until “AUTO” appears

in the display.
The stations are stored in memory from the lower

frequencies as long as the station has a signal
strong enough.

AUTO PRESET

RADIO BAND

The Radio

ENTER
MEMORY
CHECK

On the player

1 Press RADIO BAND to

tune in the band you
want.

2 Hold down ENTER•

MEMORY CHECK for
about 2 seconds.

3 Press PRESET + or – to

display the preset
number you want.

4 Press ENTER•

MEMORY CHECK.

5 Press TUNING TIME

SET + or – to tune in a
station you want.

6 Press ENTER•

MEMORY CHECK.

If a station cannot be preset automatically

You need to preset a station with a weak signal
manually. Also, when you want to replace a preset
station with a new one, proceed as follows:

On the remote:
1 Press BAND until the band you want appears in the

display.

2 Press TUNE + or – until you tune in a station you

want.

3 Hold down the number buttons that you want to

preset the new station on for about 2 seconds.

The new station replaces the old one.

The Radio

19

Playing preset
radio stations

Once you've preset the stations, use the
number buttons on the remote or
PRESET +/– on the player to tune in
your favorite stations.

1 Press BAND to tune in the band you want.

On the player

Use PRESET + or – to
display the preset
number you want.

2 Press the number buttons to display the preset

number of the station you want.

Number
buttons

BAND

Preset number

The Radio20

The Tape Player

Finding
the beginning of
a track

The player detects a blank between the
tracks, and locates the beginning of the
next/following track.

The Tape Player

0, )

Notes

• To find the beginning
of a track correctly,
a blank of approx. 4
seconds between tracks
is necessary.

• If a soft sound like
pianissimo continues
for some seconds in a
track, the player may
start to play as the next
track.

• If you press the ) or
0 when there is no
sound in the track, this
function does not
operate correctly.

While playing a tape, press ) or 0.

Playing side The beginning The beginning

of the next track of the current

track

Upper side (() ) 0
Reverse side ( 9) 0 )

The tape is wound or rewound to the beginning of the
next or current track, and play will start automatically.

The Tape Player

21

Recording the
tracks on CD

r/P

6 PUSH

OPEN/CLOSE

p

by specifying the
tape length

There are three options in editorial
recording:

• Recording all the tracks in the original

CD order (EDIT ALL)

• Recording programed tracks (EDIT

PGM)

• Recording a single track you have

selected (EDIT 1TRACK)

Tips

• You can edit a CD

having 20 tracks or
fewer.

• We recommend that

you use AC power as
the power source for
optimum recording
quality.

Note

Do not open the CD
tray while editing; the
settings for recording
will be erased. If you
do, start from step 1
again.

Recording all the tracks on CD (EDIT ALL)

Approximately the first half of the CD will be
recorded on one side of the tape, and the second half
will be recorded on the other side, without reversing
the tape in the middle of a track. According to the tape
you use, you can set the total recording time.

1 Press p on the CD section until “Cd” appears in

the display.

2 Press EDIT to display “E-ALL”.

(

EDIT
ENTER

MEMORY
CHECK

p

=, +

.

The tape length (unit: 2
minutes, up to 98 minutes)
you need to record the
whole CD appears in the
display.

Example: The total tape length needed to record
the entire CD is “26” minutes. The maximum
recording time for each side is 13 minutes.

Track Nos.: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
Length: 01:20 02:30 03:40 04:50 05:10 04:20 01:30
(minutes) Side A (12:20) Side B (11:00)

The Tape Player22

Tip

To check the total
recording time on the
upper side and the
reverse side:
Press ENTER•
MEMORY CHECK
before starting
recording. Each time
you press the button,
the display changes as
follows: “total
recording time on the
upper side” n “total
recording time on the
reverse side” n “the
total track number and
the tape length you
need to record the
whole CD.”

3 To change the recording time, press = or +.

If you do not change the recording time, skip to
step 4.

Example: If you input “40” minutes for the
recording time, the maximum recording time for
each side is 20 minutes.

Track Nos.: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
Length: 01:20 02:30 03:40 04:50 05:10 04:20 01:30
(minutes) Side A (17:30) Side B (5:50)

4 Press ENTER•MEMORY CHECK.
5 Insert a blank tape into the tape compartment.
6 Press r/P and then (.

Recording will start on the upper side
automatically.

The Tape Player

The Tape Player

23

Recording the tracks on CD by specifying the tape length

(continued)

6 PUSH

pr/P

OPEN/CLOSE

(

EDIT
ENTER

MEMORY
CHECK

p
=, +

Tips

• You can edit a CD

having 20 tracks or
fewer.

• We recommend that

you use AC power as
the power source for
optimum recording
quality.

Note

Do not open the CD
tray while editing; the
settings for recording
will be erased. If you
do, start from step 1
again.

Recording programed tracks (EDIT PGM)

The first half of the programed tracks will be recorded
on one side of the tape, and the second half will be
recorded on the other side. According to the tape you
use, you can set the total recording time.

1 Press p on the CD section until “Cd” appears in

the display.

2 Press EDIT to display “E-PGM”.

.

The Tape Player24

Note

When “--” is displayed
as the tape length, the
total recording time of
the programed tracks
exceeds 98 minutes.
Start from step 1 again.

Tips

• If you made a mistake,
press CANCEL. The
track programed last
will be cleared. Re­program it.

• To check the order of
tracks, press ENTER•
MEMORY CHECK
after step 6 until
“CHECK” appears in
the display. Press
= or + to display
the track number in the
programmed order.

• To check the total
recording time on the
upper side and the
reverse side:
Press DISPLAY before
starting recording.
Each time you press
the button, the display
changes as follows:
“total recording time
on the upper side”
“total recording time
on the reverse side”
“total track number
and the tape length
you need to record the
whole CD.

n

n

3 Press = or + to select the track you want to

program, and press ENTER•MEMORY CHECK.
Repeat this step.

The total number of
programed tracks and the
minimum tape length
(unit: 2 minutes, up to 98 minutes) you need to
record the programed tracks appear in the display.

Example: The total tape length needed to record
the entire CD is “24” minutes. The maximum
recording time for each side is 12 minutes.

Track Nos.: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
Length: 05:10 01:20 04:50 02:30 02:30 01:30 04:20
(minutes) Side A (11:20) Side B (10:50)

4 Press ENTER•MEMORY CHECK.
5 To change the recording time, press = or +.

If you do not change the recording time, skip to
step 6.

Example: If you input
“40” minutes for the
recording time, the
maximum recording time
for each side is 20 minutes.

Track Nos.: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
Length: 05:10 01:20 04:50 02:30 02:30 01:30 04:20
(minutes) Side A (17:50)

Side B (4:20)

6 Press ENTER•MEMORY CHECK.
7 Insert a blank tape into the tape compartment.
8 Press r/P and then (.

Recording will start on the upper side
automatically. The tracks are recorded in the
programed order.

The Tape Player

continued

The Tape Player

25

Recording the tracks on CD by specifying the tape length

(continued)

Tips

• You can edit a CD

having 20 tracks or
fewer.

• We recommend that

you use AC power as
the power source for
optimum recording
quality.

Note

Do not open the CD
tray while editing; the
settings for recording
will be erased. If you
do, start from step 1
again.

r/P

6 PUSH

OPEN/CLOSE

p

(

EDIT
ENTER

MEMORY
CHECK

p

=, +

Recording a single track (EDIT 1TRACK)

EDIT 1TRACK is useful to record the first track of
single CD, and to record a track from a number of
different CDs. Recorded on the both sides mode
“

” is automatically selected.

1 Insert a blank tape into the tape compartment.
2 Press p on the CD section until “Cd” appears in

the display.

3 Press EDIT to display “E-1”.

.

The Tape Player26

4 Press = or + to select the track you want to

program.

5 Press r/P and press TAPE( to record on the

upper side or TAPE9 to record on the reverse
side.

Recording will start for the
selected track.

When recording of the track is finished, the CD
player and the cassette deck stop. The total number
of tracks recorded and the total recording time
appear in the display.

When you record another track, repeat steps 4 and
5, or change the source CD and repeat steps 4 and

5.

The Tape Player

The Tape Player

27

The Timer

Setting the clock

“--:--” indication appears in the
display until you set the clock.

CLOCK

TUNING
TIME SET +, –

ENTER
MEMORY
CHECK

Tips

• The time display

system of this player is
the 12-hour system:

AM12:00 = midnight
PM12:00 = noon

• When you operate the

player on AC power,
“:” flashes as long as
the clock goes.

Before you begin, connect to the power source (see
pages 34 - 35.)

1 Press and hold CLOCK until the hour digit flashes.

2 Set the clock.

1 Press TUNING TIME SET

+ or – to set the hour and
press ENTER•MEMORY
CHECK.

2 Press TUNING TIME SET

+ or – to set the minutes.

.

3 Press ENTER•MEMORY CHECK.

The clock starts from 00 seconds.

The Timer28

Waking up to
music

You can wake up to music or a
radio program at a preset time.
Make sure you have set the clock
(“Setting the clock” on page 28).

TIMER

STANDBY

Before you begin, make sure the t (clock) indication is
not lit in the display. If it is lit, press STANDBY.

TUNING TIME SET +, –

ENTER
MEMORY
CHECK

1 Prepare the music source you want to play.

Source Do this

Cd Insert a CD.
RAdIO Tune in a station.
TAPE Insert a tape.
LINE Turn on the equipment connected to

LINE IN.

The Timer

2 Press TIMER to display the t indication.

Do the following operations by checking the
display.

3 Press TUNING TIME SET + or – until the music

source you want to play (“Cd”, “TAPE”, “RAdIO”
or “LINE”) appears in the display, and press
ENTER•MEMORY CHECK.

continued

The Timer 29

Waking up to music (continued)

Tip

If you made a mistake,
press CANCEL. The
setting entered last will
be cleared. Re-enter it.

Tips

• To exit the standby

mode, press STANDBY
to make the t
indication disappear.

• The preset settings

remain until you reset
them.

• The display window

does not light while the
waking up timer is on.

4 Set the timer to the hour and the minutes you want

the music to go on.
1 Press TUNING

TIME SET + or – to set
the hour and press
ENTER•MEMORY
CHECK.

2 Press TUNING TIME SET + or – to set the

minutes, and press ENTER•MEMORY
CHECK.

5 Set the timer to the hour and the minutes you want

the music to go off (Do as step 4.).

6 Press TUNING TIME SET + or – to set the volume

you want, and press
ENTER•MEMORY CHECK.

7 Press STANDBY.

The t indication lights up and the power goes off;
the player enters the standby mode.

At the preset time, the power will go on and music
will play. Then the power will go off at the preset
time, and the player will enter the standby mode
again.

To check/change the waking up timer settings

Press TIMER, then ENTER•MEMORY CHECK. Each
time you press ENTER•MEMORY CHECK, a stored
setting is displayed in the set order. To change the
setting, display the setting you want to change and re­enter it.

To use the player before a timer playback starts

If you turn on the player, you can use it as usual ( in
case of the radio, if you listen to the station which is
different from the one you tuned in step 1 on page 29,
you will hear that station at the preset time.) Turn off
the player before the preset time.

To stop play

Turn off the power.

The Timer30

Falling asleep to
music

You can set the player to turn off
automatically after 10, 20, 30, 60, 90 and
120 minutes, allowing you to fall asleep
while listening to music.

SLEEP

The Timer

Tips

• The display window
does not light while the
sleeping timer is on.

• You can combine the
waking up timer with
the sleeping timer. Set
the waking up timer
first (see page 29), turn
on the power, and then
set the sleeping timer.

• You can prepare the
different music for the
waking up timer and
the sleeping timer.
However, you cannot
store different radio
stations.

• You can set different
volume for the waking
up timer and the
sleeping timer. For
instance, you can sleep
at lower volume and
wake up at higher
volume.

1 Play the music source you want.
2 Press SLEEP to display “SLEEP.”
3 Press SLEEP to select the minutes when the player

goes off automatically.
Each time you press

the button, the
indication changes as
follows:

“10” n “20” n “30” n “60” n “90” n “120” n
no indication.

If 4 seconds have passed after you pressed SLEEP,
the minutes in the display are stored in memory.

When the preset time has passed, music stops and
the player goes off automatically.

To cancel the sleep function

Press SLEEP to make “SLEEP” disappear from the
display.

To change the preset time

Do the steps 2 and 3 again.

The Timer 31

Timer-recording
radio programs

You can set timer to record the radio at
a certain time. You can also record the
sound of the component connected to
the LINE IN jack, using the timer. Make
sure you have set the clock (see “Setting
the clock” on page 28).

Note

You cannot preset
recording timer and
waking up timer (page

29) at the same time.

Before you begin, make sure the t (clock) indication
is not lit in the display. If it is lit, press STANDBY.

STANDBY

TIMER

DIR MODE

TUNING
TIME SET
+, –

ENTER
MEMORY
CHECK

Tips

• We recommend that

you use AC power as
the power source for
optimum recording
quality.

• When you receive the

AM program in step 1,
press r/P to check if
the noise is heard. If so,
press MODE•MONO/
ST ISS to select the
position that most
decreases the noise.

The Timer32

1 Tune in the radio station and insert a blank tape

into the tape compartment with the side you want
to record on facing up.

2 Press DIR MODE to

select recording
direction of the tape.

One side
Both sides

display

3 Press TIMER to display the t indication.

Do the following operations by checking the
display window.

4 Press TUNING TIME SET + or – to display

“RAdIO” “REC”, and press ENTER•MEMORY
CHECK.

Tip

If you made a mistake,
press CANCEL. The
setting entered last will
be cleared. Re-enter it.

Tips

• To exit the standby
mode, press STANDBY
twice to make the t
indication disappear.

• The preset settings
remain until you reset
them.

• When you select both
sides recording, the
recording will stop
after the both sides
recording finishes so
that accidental
recording will not be
made.

• The display window
does not light while the
recording timer is on.

5 Set the timer to the hour and the minutes you want

to start recording.
1 Press TUNING

TIME SET + or – to set
the hour and press
ENTER•MEMORY
CHECK.

2 Press TUNING TIME SET + or – to set the

minutes, and press ENTER•MEMORY
CHECK.

6 Set the timer to the hour and the minutes you want

to stop recording. (Do as step 5.)

7 Press TUNING TIME SET

+ or – to set the volume
you want, and press
ENTER•MEMORY
CHECK.

8 Press STANDBY.

The power goes off and the player enters the
standby mode. The t indication and the recording
side of the tape (upper side ( or reverse side

9) appear in the display. If the 9 indication
appears, press STANDBY to change the recording
side to ( .

At the preset time, the power will go on and the
recording will start. Then the power will go off at
the preset time, and the player will enter the
standby mode again.

To check/change the recording timer settings

Press TIMER, then ENTER•MEMORY CHECK. Each
time you press ENTER•MEMORY CHECK, a stored
setting is displayed in the set order. To change the
setting, display the setting you want to change and
re-enter it.

The Timer

To use the player before a timer-recording starts

If you turn on the player, you can use it as usual.
Before the preset time, tune in the station you want to
record and turn off the power.

To stop timer-recording

Turn off the power.

The Timer 33

Setting Up

Choosing the
power sources

You can use the AC power or
batteries as a power source.

Use the AC power source
whenever you record since
recording consumes much
power.

14

Battery compartment

AC IN

2

to a wall outlet

Note

Be sure to turn off the
power of the player
before connecting/
disconnecting the AC
power cord or
removing/inserting
batteries.

Tip

The sound quality may
be changed depending
on the polarity of the
plug. Change the
direction of inserting
the plug and check the
sound quality.

1 Inserting the back-up batteries

Insert four size AA (R6)
batteries (not supplied)
into the battery
compartment. These
batteries work to save the
memory data.

Insert four size AA (R6)
batteries (not supplied)

To remove the batteries,
push the ] side.

2 Connecting the AC power cord

Insert one end of the supplied AC power cord to the
AC IN socket located at the rear of the player, and the
other end to the wall outlet.

Setting Up34

3 Inserting batteries into the remote

Insert two size AA (R6) batteries (not supplied)

Replacing batteries

With normal use, the batteries should last for about six
months. When the remote no longer operates the
player, replace all the batteries with new ones.

Setting Up

Tip

With normal use, the
back-up batteries
should last for about
six months when the
player is operated on
batteries. When the
time display dims or
when the timer
function is disabled,
replace all the batteries
with new ones. To save
the preset settings,
replace the batteries
with the AC power
cord connected.

Notes

• You cannot operate the
player on rechargeable
batteries such as
rechargeable Ni-Cd
batteries or rechargeable
Ni-MH batteries.

• When you insert or
remove the batteries,
disconnect the
connecting cords and
cables to prevent
damaging them.

• When you operate the
player on batteries,
– the backlight in the

display does not
light.

– you cannot turn on

the player using the
remote.

4 Using the player on batteries

Insert eight size D (R20) batteries (not supplied) into
the battery compartment.

To use the player on batteries, disconnect the AC
power cord from the player.

Insert eight size D (R20) batteries (not supplied)

Replacing batteries

When the OPR/BATT indicator dims or when the
player stops operating, replace all the batteries with
new ones.

Setting Up 35

Connecting
optional
components

You can record a CD on a MiniDisc or
enjoy the sound from a VCR, TV or
MiniDisc player/recorder through the
speakers of this player.

Be sure to turn off the power of each
component before making connections.

For details, refer to the instruction
manual of the component to be
connected.

MD (LINE)

Note

Connect the cables
firmly to avoid any
malfunction.

Tip

While OPTICAL
DIGITAL OUT (CD)
jack is being used, keep
the jack cover in the
jack cover socket on the
rear panel.

Recording a CD on a MiniDisc recorder and
DAT recorder

MiniDisc
recorder, DAT
recorder, etc.

to digital

input jack

* Select a connecting cable depending on the type of the

digital input jack of the recorder to be connected. For
details, refer to the instruction manual of the component to
be connected. The OPTICAL DIGITAL OUT (CD) jack of
this unit is square-shaped jack.

The type of the jack Model number of
of the component the connecting cable
to be connected

Optical miniplug POC-5AB
(MiniDisc recorder, etc.)

L-type 7-pin connector POC-DA12P
(DAT recorder, etc.)

Square-shaped optical POC-10A
connector (MiniDisc
recorder, DAT recorder, etc.)

Digital Connecting
cable* POC-5AB
(not supplied)

Rear panel of
this player

to OPTICAL
DIGITAL OUT
(CD) jack

Setting Up36

Tip

To record a track from
a number of different
CDs, EDIT 1TRACK is
useful (page 26).

1 Make connections.
2 Turn on this player

and the connected
component.

3 Do steps 2 through 4

on pages 26 and 27.

4 Make the connected

component ready for
recording.

5 Start playing a CD on

this player.

1 Remove the jack cover from the OPTICAL

DIGITAL OUT (CD) jack of this player and connect
the jack with the digital input jack of the MiniDisc
recorder or other component using the digital
connecting cable (not supplied) .

2 Turn on the power of this player and the connected

component.

3 Make the connected component ready for

recording.

4 Start playing a CD on this player.

Listening to TV, VCR and MiniDisc player/
recorder

TV, VCR, MiniDisc
player/recorder,
etc.

to line
output jack

Audio connecting
cable
For MiniDisc recorder:

RK-G136HG (1.5 m)
(not supplied)

For MiniDisc recorder:

RK-G129HG (1.5 m)
(not supplied)

Rear panel of this
player

to LINE IN jack

Setting Up

Tip

You can record the
sound of the connected
component. Insert a
blank tape into the tape
compartment, and
press r/P then
TAPE( (page 11).

1 Connect the LINE IN jack of this player with the

line output jack of the MiniDisc player or other
component using the audio connecting cable (not
supplied) .

2 Turn on the power of this player and the connected

component.

3 Press MD (LINE) and start playing sound on the

connected component.
The sound from the connected component is

output from the speakers.

continued

Setting Up 37

Connecting optional components (continued)

Notes

• As long as “Cd”

appears in the display,
the optical digital
output jack is in
operation and the jack
lights even if the CD is
in stop mode.

• If you play a CD-ROM

that is not for audio
use, noise may be
heard.

Listening through the speakers of other audio
equipment

Rear panel of this
player

Amplifier

to analog line
input jack

Audio connecting
cable RK-G129HG
(1.5 m) (not supplied)

to LINE OUT
jack

1 Connect the LINE OUT jack of this player with the

analog line input jack of the amplifier using the
audio connecting cable (not supplied) .

2 Turn on the power of this player and the amplifier

and start playing sound on this player.

Setting Up38

Selecting the
audio emphasis

(Sound Mode/MEGA BASS)

You can adjust the audio emphasis of the
sound you are listening to.

Selecting the sound characteristic

Press SOUND to select the audio emphasis you want.
Each time the button is pressed, the display changes.

Choose For

MEGA BASS

Rock’n’roll music:

powerful, clean sounds, emphasizing
low and high range audio.

Popular music:

light, bright sounds emphasizing
high and middle range audio

SOUND

Setting Up

Jazz:

percussive sounds, emphasizing bass
audio.

Vocals:

the presence of vocals, stressing
middle range audio

Classical music:

the whole dynamic range for music

Reinforcing the bass sound

Press MEGA BASS.
“MEGA BASS” appears in the display. To return to

normal sound, press the button again.

Setting Up 39

Additional Information

Precautions

On safety

• As the laser beam used in the CD

player section is harmful to the eyes,
do not attempt to disassemble the
casing. Refer servicing to qualified
personnel only.

• Should any solid object or liquid fall

into the player, unplug the player, and
have it checked by qualified personnel
before operating it any further.

On power sources

• For AC operation use the supplied AC

power cord; do not use any other type.

• The player is not disconnected from

the AC power source (mains) as long
as it is connected to the wall outlet,
even if the player itself has been
turned off.

• Unplug the player from the wall outlet

when it is not to be used for an
extended period of time.

• For battery operation, use eight size D

(R20) batteries.

• When the batteries are not to be used,

remove them to avoid damage that
can be caused by battery leakage or
corrosion.

• The nameplate indicating operating

voltage, power consumption, etc. is
located at the bottom.

On placement

• Do not leave the player in a location
near heat sources, or in a place subject
to direct sunlight, excessive dust or
mechanical shock.

• Do not place the player on an inclined
or unstable place.

• Do not place anything within 10 mm
of the side of the cabinet. The
ventilation holes must be
unobstructed for the player to operate
properly and prolong the life of its
components.

• If the player is left in a car parked in
the sun, be sure to choose a location in
the car where the player will not be
subjected to the direct rays of the sun.

• Since a strong magnet is used for the
speakers, keep personal credit cards
using magnetic coding or spring­wound watches away from the player
to prevent possible damage from the
magnet.

On operation

• If the player is brought directly from a
cold to a warm location, or is placed in
a very damp room, moisture may
condense on the lenses inside the CD
player section. Should this occur, the
player will not operate properly. In
this case, remove the CD and wait
about an hour for the moisture to
evaporate.

• If the player has not been used for a
long time, set it in the playback mode
to warm it up for a few minutes before
inserting a cassette.

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

Additional Information40

Notes on CDs

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

• Do not use solvents such as benzine,
thinner, commercially available
cleaners or anti-static spray intended
for vinyl LPs.

• Do not expose the CD to direct
sunlight or heat sources such as hot
air ducts, nor leave it in a car parked
in direct sunlight as there can be a
considerable rise in temperature
inside the car.

• Do not stick paper or sticker on the
CD, nor scratch the surface of the CD.

• After playing, store the CD in its case.

If there is a scratch, dirt or fingerprints
on the CD, it may cause tracking error.

Notes on cassettes

• Break off the cassette tab from side A
or B to prevent accidental recording. If
you want to reuse the tape for
recording, cover the broken tab with
adhesive tape.

Side A

Tab for side B Tab for side A

• Take care not to cover the detector
slots on TYPE II (high position) or
TYPE IV (metal) cassettes. If the slots
are covered, the automatic tape
selection system will not operate
correctly.

TYPE II (high
position)
detector slots

TYPE IV (metal)
detector slots

• The use of a cassette with more than
90 minutes of play time is not
recommended except for long,
continuous recording or playback.

Additional Information 41

Troubleshooting

Symptom

There is no audio.

General

The power is turned off
automatically.

Unusual sound is heard.
The sound is noisy, weak or has
poor quality.

The CD does not play.
“NO DISC“ lights in the display

even when a CD is in place.

The sound drops out.

CD Player

When listening to the CD, the TV or
radio becomes noisy.

The audio is not stereo.
The audio is weak or has poor

quality.

Radio

Remedy

•

Press POWER to turn on the player.

• Connect the AC power cord to the AC IN socket
and a wall outlet securely.

• Make sure the batteries are inserted correctly.

• Replace all the batteries with new ones if they
are weak.

• Insert dry batteries. You cannot operate the
player on rechargeable batteries such as
rechargeable Ni-Cd batteries or rechargeable
Ni-MH batteries.

• Adjust the volume.

• Unplug the headphones when listening through
speakers.

• Replace all the batteries with new ones.

• Replace all the batteries with new ones if they
are weak.

• Make sure that the CD compartment is closed.

• Place the CD with the label surface up.

• Clean the CD.

• Take out the CD and leave the CD compartment
open for about an hour to dry moisture
condensation.

• Press p on the CD section to switch the function
of the player to “Cd”.

• Reduce the volume.

• Clean the CD, or replace it if the CD is badly
damaged

• Place the player in a location free from
vibration.

• Move the player away from the TV or radio.

•

Press MODE•MONO/ST ISS until “ST” appears.

• Depending on the FM reception conditions,
noise may be heard.

• Replace all the batteries with new ones if they
are weak.

• Move the player away from the TV.

• If you are using the remote while listening to
AM radio, noise may be heard. This is
unavoidable.

Additional Information42

Symptom

The picture of your TV becomes
unstable.

Radio

The tape does not move when you
press an operation button.

The r/P button does not
function/The tape does not play.

The tape does not erase completely.

Tape Player

The tape does not record.

The audio is weak/The audio
quality is poor.

The tape player cannot be paused
during playback.

The timer does not operate.

Timer

Remedy

• If you are listening to an FM program near the
TV with an indoor antenna, move the player
away from the TV.

• Insert the tape properly and close the tape
compartment securely.

• Replace all the batteries with new ones.

• Make sure the safety tab of the tape in the tape
compartment is in place.

• Press p on the TAPE section to switch the
function of the player to “TAPE”.

• Clean the erasing heads (see page 45).

• The source which was recorded on TYPE II
(high position) or TYPE IV (metal) tape using
this unit is being played. Record on TYPE I
(normal) tape and play.

• Make sure the tape is inserted properly.

• Make sure the safety tab of the tape in the tape
compartment is in place.

• Clean the heads, pinch rollers and capstans (See
page 45).

• Demagnetize the heads using a demagnetizer
(see page 45).

• The tape player can be paused during recording
only.

• Make sure the time on the clock is correct.

• Replace all the batteries in the player including
the back-up batteries with new ones if they are
weak.

• Check to see if the AC power had been cut off.

• Make sure the tape has not wound to the end.

• Make sure the t (clock) indication is displayed.

continued

Additional Information 43

Troubleshooting (continued)

Symptom

The remote does not function.

Remote

The player uses a built-in micro computer for its various operations. Due to change in power
supply conditions, etc., operation may sometimes become unstable. After trying the above
remedies, if the player still does not function properly, unplug the AC power cord and remove
all the batteries. After all indications in the display disappear, plug the AC power cord and
insert the batteries again. If the problem persists, please consult your nearest Sony dealer.

Remedy

• Replace all the batteries in the remote with
new ones if they are weak.

• Make sure that you are pointing the remote
at the remote sensor on the player.

• Remove any obstacles in the path of the
remote and the player.

• Make sure the remote sensor is not exposed
to strong light such as direct sunlight or
fluorescent lamp light.

• Move closer to the player when using the
remote.

Additional Information44

Maintenance

Cleaning the tape heads and tape
path

Wipe the heads, the pinch rollers and
the capstans with a cleaning swab
slightly moistened with cleaning fluid or
alcohol after every 10 hours of operation
for optimum playback and recording
quality. To make the best possible
recording, however, we recommend that
you clean all surfaces over which tape
travels before each recording.

Capstan

Record/Playback
head

Erase head

Pinch roller

Demagnetizing the tape heads

After 20 to 30 hours of use, enough
residual magnetism will have built up
on the tape heads to begin to cause loss
of high frequency sound and hiss. At
this time, you should demagnetize the
heads and all metal parts in the tape
path with a commercially available tape
head demagnetizer.

Cleaning the cabinet

Clean the cabinet, panel and controls
with a soft cloth slightly moistened with
a mild detergent solution. Do not use
any type of abrasive pad, scouring
powder, or solvent, such as alcohol or
benzine.

After cleaning, insert a tape when the
areas cleaned are completely dry.

Additional Information 45

Specifications

AUDIO POWER SPECIFICATIONS

POWER OUTPUT AND TOTAL
HARMONIC DISTORTION
With 3-ohm loads, both channel driven from
150 - 8,000 Hz; rated 2 W per channel­minimum RMS power, with no more than
10 % total harmonic distortion in AC
operation.

Other Specifications

CD player section

System

Compact disc digital audio system

Laser diode properties

Material: GaAlAs
Wave length: 780 nm
Emission duration: Continuous
Laser output: Less than 44.6 µW (This output is the
value measured at a distance of about 200 mm from

the objective lens surface on the optical pick-up
block with 7 mm aperture.)

Spindle speed

200 r/min (rpm) to 500 r/min (rpm) (CLV)

Number of channels

2

Frequency response

20 - 20,000 Hz +1/–1 dB

Wow and flutter

Below measurable limit

Radio section

Frequency range

FM: 87.6 - 108 MHz
AM: 530 - 1,710 kHz

Antennas

FM: Telescopic antenna
AM: Built-in ferrite bar antenna

Cassette-corder section

Recording system

4-track 2 channel stereo

Fast winding time

Approx. 130s (sec.) with Sony cassette C-60

Frequency response

TYPE I (normal): 50 - 15,000 Hz

General

Speaker

Full range: 8 cm (3
cone type x 2

Input

LINE IN jack (stereo minijack)
Minimum input level 250 mV

1

⁄4 in.) dia., 3 ohms,

Outputs

Headphones jack (stereo minijack)

For 16 - 68 ohms impedance headphones

LINE OUT jack (stereo minijack)

Rated output level 250 mV at load impedance

47 kilohms
OPTICAL DIGITAL OUT (CD) (optical output
connector)

Wavelength: 630 - 690 nm

Power output (excluding US model)

4.5 W + 4.5 W (at 3 ohm, 10% harmonic distortion)

Power requirements

For personal audio system:
120 V AC, 60 Hz
12 V DC, 8 size D (R20) batteries

For memory back-up:
6 V DC, 4 size AA (R6) batteries

For remote commander:
3 V DC, 2 size AA (R6) batteries

Power consumption

AC 25 W

Battery life

For personal audio system

FM recording

Sony R20P: approx. 6 h
Sony alkaline LR20: approx. 12 h

Tape playback

Sony R20P: approx. 3 h
Sony alkaline LR20: approx. 6 h

CD playback

Sony R20P: approx. 1.5 h
Sony alkaline LR20: approx. 3 h

Dimensions (incl. projecting parts)

Approx. 435 × 223 × 160 mm (w/h/d)

1

⁄4 × 8 7⁄8 × 6 3⁄8 inches)

(17

Mass (incl. batteries)

Approx. 4.3 kg (9 lb. 7 oz)

Supplied accessories

AC power cord (1)
Remote commander (1)

Design and specifications are subject to change without
notice.

Optional accessories

Sony MDR headphone series

Additional Information46

Index

A

Audio emphasis 39

B

Batteries

for memory 34
for player 35
for remote 35

C

CD Player 12
Cleaning

cabinet 45
CD 41
tape heads and path 45

Connecting

AC power cord 34
optional components

36

Creating your own
program 17

D

Demagnetizing the tape
heads 45

Display 12

E, F, G, H

EDIT 1TRACK 26
EDIT ALL 22
EDIT PGM 24

I, J, K

Improving broadcast
reception 7

L

Listening

through the speakers of
other audio equi 38

to the radio 6
to the TV, VCR and

MD player 37

Locating

a specific track 13
the beginning of a track

21

M, N, O

MEGA BASS 39

P, Q

Playing

a CD 4
a single track 15
a tape 8
preset radio stations 20
tracks in random order

16
tracks repeatedly 14

Presetting radio stations
19

Program Play 17

R

Radio stations

playing 20
presetting 19

Recording

a single track 26
all the tracks on CD 22
on a tape 10
on an MD or a DAT 36
programed tracks 24
timer-recording radio

programs 32

Repeat Play 14

S

Selecting

audio emphasis 39
power sources 34

tracks 5, 13
Setting the clock 28
Setting up 34
Shuffle Play 16
SOUND 39
Sound mode 39

T

Tape Player 21
Timer

falling asleep to music

31

recording radio

programs 32

waking up to music 29
Troubleshooting 42

U, W, X, Y, Z

Using the display 12

Additional Information 47

Sony Corporation Printed in China

Additional Information48