Sony ZS-D55 User Manual

3-046-452-12 (1)

Personal Audio
System

Operating Instructions

ZS-D55

© 2000 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 and the serial number is
located at the bottom 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-D55
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

The CD Player

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

(Repeat Play)

16 Playing tracks in random order

(Shuffle Play)

17 Creating your own program

(Program Play)

19 Playing a single track

(Single Track Play)

The Radio

20 Presetting radio stations
21 Playing preset radio stations

The Tape Player

22 Finding the beginning of a track

Basic Operations

The Timer

24 Setting the clock
25 Waking up to music
27 Falling asleep to music
28 Timer-recording radio programs

Setting Up

30 Choosing the power sources
32 Connecting optional components

Additional Information

35 Precautions
37 Troubleshooting
40 Maintenance
41 Specifications
42 Index

The Audio Emphasis

23 Selecting the audio emphasis

(SOUND/MEGA BASS)

3Introduction

Basic Operations

Playing a CD

21

Connect the supplied AC power cord (see page 30).

1 Press Z CD OPEN/CLOSE

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

2 Press u.

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

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

Basic Operations4

With the label side up

Display

Playing timeTrack number

Use these buttons for additional operations

POWER

u

x

VOL +, –

Z CD
OPEN/CLOSE

Jog dial

Basic Operations

Tip

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

To Do this

adjust the volume Press VOL +, –.
stop playback Press x.
pause playback Press u ( X on the remote).

Press again to resume play
after pause.

go to the next track Turn the jog dial clockwise.

(On the remote, press >.)

go back to the previous track Turn the jog dial

counterclockwise.

(On the remote, press . .)
remove the CD Press Z CD OPEN/CLOSE.
turn on/off the player Press POWER.

Basic Operations

5

Listening to the radio

1

Connect the supplied AC power cord (see page 30).

2

1 Press BAND until the band you

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

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

“FM1”t“FM2”t“AM”.

Display

2 Hold down –m or M+ (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 the button repeatedly to
change the frequency step by
step.

Basic Operations6

Indicates an FM
stereo broadcast.

Use these buttons for additional operations

POWER

MODE

VOL +, –

Basic Operations

Tips

• The “FM1” and “FM2”
bands have the same
functions. You can store
the stations you want
separately in “FM1” and

“FM2”.

• If the FM broadcast is

noisy, press MODE 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 BAND button.
The player turns on
automatically and starts
playing the previous
station.

To Press

adjust the volume VOL +, –
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

7

Playing a tape

Connect the supplied AC power cord (see page 30).

3

1, 2

1 Press Z 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 Z PUSH OPEN/CLOSE to

close the compartment.

3 Press N.

(On the remote, press TAPE N.)
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

Z PUSH

POWER

nx

OPEN/CLOSE

COUNTER RESET

VOL +, –

DIR MODE

m, M

Basic Operations

Tips

• Press COUNTER RESET
to reset the counter to

“000”.

• Next time you want to

listen to a tape, just
press N or n. The
player turns on
automatically and starts
playing the tape.

To Press

adjust the volume VOL +, –
stop playback x

play the reverse side n
fast-forward or rewind the tape M or m
eject the cassette Z 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

3

Connect the supplied AC power cord (see page 30).
To record on a MiniDisc or DAT recorder, connect the
component (see page 32).

1

1 Press Z PUSH OPEN/CLOSE to

open the tape compartment, and
insert a blank tape. Use TYPE I
(normal) tape only.

Press Z PUSH OPEN/CLOSE
again to close the compartment.

With the side you want
to record on facing up

2 Select the program source you

want to record.
To record from the CD player:

Insert a CD (see page 4) and press
x on the CD section.

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

Basic Operations10

Display

3 Start recording.

To record the whole CD

Press CD DUB. Recording starts
on the upper side.

When
If the tape is reversed with the

recording of the track unfinished,
the player will record the track
again from its beginning on the
reverse side.

When
If the tape reaches to its end, the

player stops.

To record the radio
(You can also record the CD
according to the following
procedure. Play the CD after the
tape starts recording.)

Press z/X and then N.
To record on the reverse side,
press n.
(On the remote, while keeping

z/X pressed, press TAPE N or
n.)

Note

On the player, press N within 4
seconds after z/X is pressed.

is displayed:

is displayed:

Basic Operations

m

continued

Basic Operations

11

Recording on a tape (continued)

Use these buttons for additional operations

Tips

• Adjusting the volume or

the audio emphasis
(page 23) 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 z/X in
step 3, press MODE to
select the position that
most decreases the
noise.

• To record the first track

of the CD, press MODE
to display “1TRACK”,
then press CD DUB.

POWER

To Press

stop recording x on the tape section
pause recording z/X

(Only when you started Press the button again to
recording with z/X button.) resume recording.

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 x on the tape section.

2 On the player: press z/X and then N.

On the remote: While keeping z/X pressed, press
TAPE N.

x

DIR MODE

z/X

MODE

Basic Operations12

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

The CD Player

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*

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

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 Player 13

Locating a specific track

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

Number
buttons

., >

Note

You cannot locate a
specific track if
“SHUF” or “PGM” is lit
in the display. Turn off
the indication by
pressing x 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 . or > while playing and

to the sound hold down until you find the

point.
(On the player, use – m or M+.)

a point while observing . or > in pause and hold
the display down until you find the point.

(On the player, use – m or M+.)

The CD Player14

Playing tracks
repeatedly

(Repeat Play)

ujog dial MODEx

You can play tracks repeatedly in
normal, single, shuffle or program play
modes (see pages 16 - 17).

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
x on the CD section.

On the remote

• Use N on the CD
section instead of u.

• When you’ve selected
“REP 1”, select the

track by pressing the
number buttons.

1 Press x 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

tracks in random order 1 Press MODE until “REP”

programed tracks 1 Press MODE until “REP”

The CD Player

appears.

2 Select the track by turning

the jog dial, then press u.

“REP ALL” appears.

2 Press u.

and “SHUF” appear.

2 Press u.

and “PGM” appear.

2 Program tracks (see step 3 on

page 17).

3 Press u.

To cancel Repeat Play

Press MODE until “REP” disappears from the display.

The CD Player 15

Playing tracks in
random order

(Shuffle Play)

You can play tracks in random order.

u MODEx

On the remote

Use N on the CD
section instead of u.

1 Press x on the CD section.

“Cd” appears in the display.

2 Press MODE until “SHUF” appears in the display.
3 Press u.

To cancel Shuffle Play

Press MODE until “SHUF” disappears from the
display.

The CD Player16

Creating your
own program

(Program Play)

uJog dial x

You can arrange the playing order of
up to 20 tracks on a CD.

On the remote

1 Press x on the CD

section.

2 Press MODE until

“PGM” appears in
the display.

3 Press the number

buttons for the tracks
you want to program
in the order you
want.

4 Press N on the CD

section.

Tip

If you made a mistake,
press CANCEL and
select the track number
again.

1 Press x on the CD section.

“Cd” appears in the display.

2 Press MODE until “PGM” appears in the display.
3 Turn the jog dial to select the track you want to

programme, and press ENTER•MEM.
Repeat this step.

4 Press u.

The CD Player

MODE

ENTER
MEM

Total programed time

Playing order

Track number

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 programed 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 u 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 CD DUB.

To cancel Program Play

Press MODE until “PGM” disappears from the
display.

To check the order of tracks before play

Press ENTER•MEM on the player.
Every time you press the button, the track number

appears in the programed 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.

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

2 Create a new program

following the programming
procedure.

The CD Player18

Playing a single
track

(Single Track Play)

Jog dial u

MODE

x

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

On the remote

1 Press x on the CD

section.

2 Press MODE until

“1TRACK” appears
in the display.

3 Press the number

buttons to select the
track you want.

Tip

While “1TRACK”
appears in the display,
pressing CD DUB will
record the single track
only.

1 Press x on the CD section.
2 Press MODE until “1TRACK” appears in the

3 Turn the jog dial to select the track you want to
4 Press u.

To cancel Single Track Play

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

The CD Player

“Cd” appears in the display.

display.

play.

The CD Player 19

The Radio

Presetting radio stations

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

AUTO PRESET

BAND

Jog dial

ENTER
MEM

Tip

If you automatically
preset the “FM1” or
“FM2” band, 10 radio
stations are stored in
“FM1” band and 10
more radio stations are
stored in “FM2” band.

On the remote

1 Press BAND to select

the band.

2 Press TUNE + or – to

set the frequency to
the station you want.

3 Press and hold the

number button that
you want to preset
the new station on
for 2 seconds.

1 Press BAND to select the band.
2 Hold down AUTO PRESET for 2 seconds until

“AUTO” flashes in the display.
The stations are stored in memory from the lower

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

If a station cannot be preset automatically

You need to preset a station with a weak signal
manually.

1 Press BAND until the band you want appears in the

display.

2 Press ENTER•MEM for 2 seconds until the digits

flashes in the display.

3 Select the preset number you want to preset the new

station on by turning the jog dial.

4 Press ENTER•MEM.
5 Press –m or M+ to set the frequency to the

station you want.

6 Press ENTER•MEM again.
The new station replaces the old one.

The Radio20

Playing preset radio stations

Once you've preset the stations, use the
jog dial on the player or the number
buttons on the remote to tune in your
favorite stations.

Jog dial

BAND

The Radio

On the remote

1 Press BAND to select

the band.

2 Press the number

button to display the
preset number of the
station you want.

1 Press BAND to select the band.
2 Turn the jog dial to display the preset number of

the station you want.

Preset number

The Radio

21

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.

m, M

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 M or
m when there is no

sound in the track, this
function does not
operate correctly.

While playing a tape, press M or m.

Playing side The beginning The beginning

of the next track of the current

track

Upper side ( N) Mm
Reverse side ( n) mM

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

The Tape Player22

The Audio Emphasis

Selecting the
audio emphasis

(SOUND/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.

Choose To get

ROCK powerful, clean sounds, emphasizing

POP light, bright sounds emphasizing

JAZZ percussive sounds, emphasizing bass

VOCAL the presence of vocals, stressing

OFF the whole dynamic range for music

SOUND

low and high range audio

high and middle range audio

audio

middle range audio

such as classical music

MEGA BASS

The Tape Player/The Audio Emphasis

Reinforcing the bass sound

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

normal sound, press the button again.

The Audio Emphasis 23

The Timer

Setting the clock

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

Jog dial

CLOCK

ENTER
MEM

Tips

• The time display
system of this player is
the 12-hour system.

• When you operate the
player on AC power,
“:” flashes as long as
the clock goes.

Before you begin, connect the power source (see pages
30 - 31).

1 Press and hold CLOCK until the hour digit flashes.

2 Set the clock.

1 Turn the jog dial to set

the hour and press
ENTER•MEM.

2 Turn the jog dial to set

the minutes.

m

3 Press ENTER•MEM.

The clock starts from 00 seconds.

The Timer24

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 (see “Setting the
clock” on page 24).

STANDBY

Jog dial

TIMER

ENTER
MEM

The Timer

Note

You cannot preset
waking up timer and
recording timer (page

28) at the same time.

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

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.

2 Press TIMER to display the indication.

Do the following operations by checking the
display.

3 Turn the jog dial until the music source you want

to play (“Cd”, “TAPE” or “RAdIO”) appears in
the display, and press ENTER•MEM.

continued

The Timer 25

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
indication disappear.

• The preset settings
remain until you reset
them.

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

the music to go on.
1 Turn the jog dial to set

the hour and press
ENTER•MEM.

2 Turn the jog dial to set the minutes and press

ENTER•MEM.

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

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

6 Turn the jog dial to set the volume you want, and

press ENTER•MEM.

7 Press STANDBY.

The

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•MEM. Each time you
press ENTER•MEM, a stored setting is displayed in
the set order. To change the setting, display the setting
you want to change and re-enter 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 25,
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 Timer26

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
dims while the sleeping
timer is on.

• You can combine the
waking up timer with
the sleeping timer. Set
the waking up timer
first (page 25), 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 until the player

goes off automatically.
Each time you press

the button, the
indication changes as
follows:

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

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 27

Timer-recording radio programs

You can set timer to record the radio at
a certain time. Make sure you have set
the clock (see “Setting the clock” on page

24).

STANDBY DIR MODE

Jog dial

TIMER

ENTER
MEM

Note

You cannot preset
recording timer and
waking up timer (page

25) at the same time.

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 z/X to check if
the noise is heard. If so,
press MODE to select
the position that most
decreases the noise.

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

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 indication.

Do the following operations by checking the
display window.

4 Turn the jog dial to display “RAdIO” and “REC”,

and press ENTER•MEM.

The Timer28

Tip

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

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

to start recording.
1 Turn the jog dial to set the hour and press

ENTER•MEM.

2 Turn the jog dial to set the minutes and press

ENTER•MEM.

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

to stop recording. (Do as step 5.)

7 Turn the jog dial to set the volume you want, and

press ENTER•MEM.

The Timer

Tips

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

8 Press STANDBY.

The power goes off and the player enters the
standby mode. The
side of the tape (upper side N or reverse side n)
appear in the display. To change the recording
side, press STANDBY again.

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

To use the player before a timer-recording 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 28,
you will record that station at the preset time.) Turn
off the player before the preset time.

indication and the recording

To stop timer-recording

Turn off the power.

The Timer 29

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

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.

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 e 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 Up30

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

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 31

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

Rear panel of

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)

this player

to OPTICAL
DIGITAL OUT
(CD) jack

Setting Up32

Tip

To record a track from
a number of different
CDs, 1TRACK is useful
(page 19).

1 Make connections.
2 Turn on this player

and the connected
component.

3 Do steps 1 through 3

on page 19.

4 Make the connected

component ready for
recording.

5 Start playing a CD on

this player.

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.

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

to line
output jack

TV, VCR, MiniDisc
player/recorder,
etc.

Audio connecting cable
For MiniDisc recorder:

RK-G136 (1.5 m) (not supplied)
For TV, VCR:
RK-G129 (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 z/X then N
(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 33

Connecting optional components (continued)

Listening through the speakers of other audio
equipment

Rear panel of this
player

to analog line
input jack

Amplifier

Audio connecting
cable RK-G129
(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 Up34

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.

continued

Additional Information 35

Precautions (continued)

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 Information36

Troubleshooting

Symptom

There is no audio.

The power is turned off

General

automatically.
Unusual sound is heard.

The sound is noisy, weak or has
poor quality.

Noise is heard.

“bAttEry” and “CHECK” flashes
alternately in the display.

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.

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 Ni­Cd 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.

• Someone is using a portable telephone or other
equipment that emits radio waves near the player.
n Move the portable telephone, etc., away from the
player.

• The batteries are not fitted in the correct direction.
Re-insert the batteries correctly.

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

• You cannot play CD-RW on the player.

• Reduce the volume.

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

damaged

• Place the player in a location free from vibration.

• The sound may drop out or noise may be heard if

the CD is recorded using a personal computer (CD­R, etc.).

• Move the player away from the TV or radio.

continued

Additional Information 37

Troubleshooting (continued)

Symptom

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

quality.

Radio

The picture of your TV becomes
unstable.

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

The z/X button does not
function/The tape does not play.

The tape does not erase completely.

The tape does not record.

Tape Player

The audio is weak/The audio
quality is poor.

The tape player cannot be paused
during playback.

Remedy

•

Press MODE until “STEREO” 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.

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

• Clean the erasing heads (see page 40).

• 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 40).

• Demagnetize the heads using a demagnetizer
(see page 40).

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

• The tape player can be paused during recording
only.

Additional Information38

Symptom

The timer does not operate.

Timer

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

• 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 (clock) indication is

displayed.

• 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 Information 39

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 Information40

Specifications

AUDIO POWER SPECIFICATIONS

POWER OUTPUT AND TOTAL
HARMONIC DISTORTION
With 12 Ω loads, both channel driven from
150 - 6 300 Hz; rated 4 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 +0.5/–1.2 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. 112 s (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 138 mV

1

⁄4 in.) dia., 12 Ω,

Outputs

Headphones jack (stereo minijack)

For 8 - 32 Ω impedance headphones

LINE OUT jack (stereo minijack)

Rated output level 138 mV at load impedance
47 kΩ

OPTICAL DIGITAL OUT (CD) (optical output
connector)

Wavelength: 630 - 690 nm

Power output (excluding US model)

4.5 W + 4.5 W (at 12 Ω, 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 control:
3 V DC, 2 size AA (R6) batteries

Power consumption

AC 22 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. 486 × 244 × 177 mm (w/h/d)

1

⁄10 × 9 3⁄5 × 6 9⁄10 inches)

(17

Mass (incl. batteries)

Approx. 5.7 kg (12 lb. 9 oz)

Supplied accessories

AC power cord (1)
Remote control (1)

Design and specifications are subject to change without
notice.

Optional accessories

Sony MDR headphone series

Additional Information 41

Index

A

Audio emphasis 23

B

Batteries

for memory 30
for player 31
for remote 31

C

CD Player 13
Cleaning

cabinet 40
CD 36
tape heads and path 40

Connecting

AC power cord 30
optional components

32

Creating your own
program 17

D,E, F, G, H

Demagnetizing the tape
heads 40

Display 13

I, J, K

Improving broadcast
reception 7

L

Listening

through the speakers of
other audio equi 34

to the radio 6
to the TV, VCR and

MD player 33

Locating

a specific track 14
the beginning of a track

22

M, N, O

MEGA BASS 23

P, Q

Playing

a CD 4
a single track 19
a tape 8
preset radio stations 21
tracks in random order

16
tracks repeatedly 15

Presetting radio stations
20

Program Play 17

R

Radio stations

playing 21
presetting 20

Recording

all the tracks on CD 11
on a tape 10
on an MD or a DAT 32
programed tracks 19
timer-recording radio

programs 28

Repeat Play 15

S

Selecting

audio emphasis 23
power sources 30

tracks 5, 14
Setting the clock 24
Setting up 30
Shuffle Play 16
SOUND 23
Sound mode 23

T

Tape Player 22
Timer

falling asleep to music

27

recording radio

programs 28

waking up to music 25
Troubleshooting 37

U, W, X, Y, Z

Using the display 13

Additional Information42

Sony Corporation Printed in China