This device has a serial
number located on the
bottom panel. Please record it
and retain it for your records.
Serial number:
__________________
D01104420B
OWNER’S MANUAL
2TEAC VR-20
IMPORTANT SAFETY INSTRUCTIONS
1 Read these instructions.
2 Keep these instructions.
3 Heed all warnings.
4 Follow all instructions.
5 Do not use this apparatus near water.
6 Clean only with dry cloth.
7 Do not block any venti latio n ope nin gs . Instal l in
accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions.
8 Do not install near any heat sources such as radiators,
heat registers, stoves, or other apparatus (including
amplifiers) that produce heat.
9 Do not defeat the safety purpose of the polarized or
grounding-type plug. A polarized plug has two blades
with one wider than the other. A grounding type plug
has two blades and a third grounding prong. The wide
blade or the third prong are provided for your safety. If
the provided plug does not fit into your outlet, consult
an electrician for replacement of the obsolete outlet.
10 P ro tect the po wer cor d from being wal ked on or
pinched particularly at plugs, convenience receptacles,
and the point where they exit from the apparatus.
11 Only use attachments/accessories specified by the
manufacturer.
1 2 Use only with the cart, st an d, tripod, bra cket, or
table specified by the manufacturer, or sold with the
apparatus. When a cart is used, use caution when
moving the cart/apparatus combination to avoid injury
from tip-over.
13 Unplug this apparatus during lightning storms or when
unused for long periods of time.
14 Refer all servicing to qualified service per so nn el .
Servicing is required when the apparatus has been
damaged in any way, such as power-supply cord or
plug is damaged, liquid has been spilled or objects
have fallen into the apparatus, the apparatus has been
exposed to rain or moisture, does not operate normally,
or has been dropped.
Do not expose this apparatus to drips or splashes.
•
Do not place any objects filled with liquids, such as
•
vases, on the apparatus.
If the product uses batteries (including a battery pack
•
or installed batteries), they should not be exposed to
sunshine, fire or excessive heat.
TEAC VR-20 3
IMPORTANT SAFETY INSTRUCTIONS
CAUTION for products that use replac eable lithium
•
batteries: there is danger of explosion if a battery is
replaced with an inc or rect type of battery. Replace
only with the same or equivalent type.
Caution sh ou ld be take n when using earphones or
•
headphones with the product because excessive
sound pressure (volume) from earphones or headphones can cause hearing loss.
Cautions about Batteries
This product uses batteries. Misuse of batteries could
cause a leak, rupture or other trouble. Always abide by
the following precautions when using batteries.
Never recharge non-rechargeable batteries. The
•
batteries could rupture or leak, causing fire or injury.
When installing batteries, pay attention to the polar-
•
ity indications (plus/minus (+/–) orientation), and
install them correctly in the battery compartment as
indicated. Putting them in backward could make the
batteries rupture or leak, causing fire, injury or stains
around them.
When you store or dispose of batteries, isolate their termi-
•
nals with insulation tape or something like that to prevent
them from contacting other batteries or metallic objects.
When t hr owing us ed batter ie s away, f ol low th e
•
disposal instructions indicated on the batteries and the
local disposal laws.
Do not use batteries other than those specified. Do not
•
mix and use new and old batteries or different types of
batteries together. The batteries could rupture or leak,
causing fire, injury or stains around them.
Do not carry or store batteries together with small
•
metal objects. The batteries could short, causing leak,
rupture or other trouble.
Do not heat or disassemble batteries. Do not put them
•
in fire or water. Batteries could rupture or leak, causing
fire, injury or stains around them.
If the battery fluid leaks, wipe away any fluid on the
•
battery case before inserting new batteries. If the
batter y fluid gets in an eye , it could cause loss of
eyesight. If fluid does enter an eye, wash it out thoroughly with clean water without rubbing the eye and
then consult a doctor immediately. If the fluid gets on a
person’s body or clothing, it could cause skin injuries
or burns. If this should happen, wash it off with clean
water and then consult a doctor immediately.
The un it powe r should be off when you in st all and
•
replace batteries.
Remove the batteries if you do not plan to use the unit
•
for a long time. Batteries could rupture or leak, caus-
ing fire, injur y or stains around them. If the battery fluid
leaks, wipe away any fluid on the battery compartment
before inserting new batteries.
4TEAC VR-20
IMPORTANT SAFETY INSTRUCTIONS
THIS CLASS B DIGITAL APPARATUS COMPLIES WITH
CANADIAN ICES-003.
CET APPAREIL NUMÉRIQUE DE LA CLASSE B EST
CONFORME À LA NORME NMB-003 DU CANADA.
FOR U.S.A .
TO THE USER
This equipment has been tested and found to c omp ly
with the limits for a Class B digital device, pursuant to
Part 15 of the FC C Ru le s. The se limits are desi gn ed
to p rov ide reas ona ble prot e cti on again s t ha rmf ul
interference in a residential installation. This equipment
generates, uses, and can radiate radio frequency energy
and, if not install ed and used in acc ordance with the
instruction manual, may cause harmful interfere nce to
radio communications. However, there is no guarantee
that interference will not occur in a particular installation.
If this equipm ent does cause harmful inter ference to
radio or television reception, which can be determined
by turni ng th e equ ipmen t off an d on, the us er is
encouraged to try to correct the interference by one or
more of the following measures.
a) Reorient or relocate the receiving antenna.
b) Increase the separation between the equipment and
receiver.
c) Conne ct the equipm ent into an ou tlet on a ci rc uit
different from that to which the receiver is connected.
d) Con sult the d eal er or an exp erie nce d rad io / T V
technician for help.
CAUTION
Changes or m od if ic ations to this e quipment n ot
expressly approve d by TEAC CORPOR ATION for
compliance cou ld void the user's authorit y to operate
this equipment.
In this guide, we will show you how to record and
playback using this unit.
When the unit is shipped from the factory, a
microSD card has already been installed and
the recording format has been set to 16-bit, 44.1
kHz PCM. You can change the recording format
to increase the quality of recording further or to
make longer recording possible. For details, see
“Setting the recording quality” on page 44.
1 Insert batteries into the battery compartment
on the back of the unit. Align them with the
+/– indications in the compartment.
2 Turn the power ON. Slide the /
switch on the left side of the unit toward
HOLD
until the unit starts up. Release the switch
when the unit starts.
3 Set the REC LEVEL switch on the right side
of the unit to LOW.
If the volume of the sound source is low,
setting this switch to HIGH might improve
the recording. Moreover, when recording
music, setting the recording level manually
could improve the recording quality even
10TEAC VR -20
REC indicator
Headphones
Powered monitor speakers or
amplifier and speakers
Quick Start Guide
more. For details, see “Adjusting the input
level” on page 56.
4 Press the REC key to start recording. The
REC indicator lights during recording.
5 Press the ªSTOP key to stop recording.
6 Press the ÁPL AY key to play back the
recording that you just made.
To listen using headphones or an
amplification system with speakers, connect
the equipment to the /LINE OUT jack on the
left side of the unit.
To listen using the unit’s built-in speaker,
turn the speaker ON. For details, see “Using
the built-in speaker to monitor playback” on
page 37.
7 Use the + and – keys to adjust the playback
volume.
8 Press the ªSTOP key to stop playback.
NOTE
If you have multiple recordings, use the Â
and ¯ keys to select the file that you want to
playback.
TEAC VR-20 11
1 – Introduction
Thank you very much for purchasing the TEAC
VR-20 Digital Recorder. We hope that you will
enjoy using this recorder for many years to come.
Please read this Owner’s Manual carefully in order
to maximize your use of all the unit’s features.
Please keep a copy of this manual in a safe place
for future reference. You can also download a
digital copy of this manual from our website
(www.teac.com).
Features
24-bit, 48-kHz linear PCM and MP3 recording
•
Built-in high-performance stereo microphone
•
Microphone angle can be changed
•
Closed for recording interviews and other
•
situations where the orientation is important
Open for recording music and other situa-
•
tions where width and stereo image is
important
Open and rotated for recording meetings and
•
other situations where sound comes from
multiple directions.
Built-in speaker
•
Playback speed can be adjusted in a range from
•
half to double without changing pitch
Automatic starting and stopping possible in
•
response to input signals
File splitting manually possible (PCM files
•
only)
Auto gain control and sound enhancement
•
during recording (REC EQ function)
Manual recording level adjustment possible in
•
addition to two levels of automatic gain control
Noise cancellation and sound quality
•
enhancement during playback (PLAY EQ
function)
Stand for tabletop recording
•
Pre-record function allows recording the 2
•
seconds before the record button was pressed
Interval repeat playback (A-B repeat)
•
12TEAC V R-20
1 – Introduction
Stereo mini-jack for external input (supports
•
mics that require plug-in power)
Can be powered by 2 AAA batteries or USB
•
bus power
Timer recording
•
Jump back playback function can be set to
•
1–10, 20 or 30 seconds
USB 2.0 jack (Micro USB)
•
microSD/microSDHC cards used as recording
•
media
96 x 96 pixel LCD with backlight
•
Playlist function allows files to be added to a
•
list for playback
Product components
This product includes the following.
Main unit• ..........................................................1
microSD card installed in unit• .........................1
Please open the packaging carefully to avoid
damaging the unit. Save the box and packaging
materials for shipping at a future date.
Please contact the store where you purchased
this unit or TEAC if any of these accessories
are missing or have been damaged during
transportation.
TEAC VR-20 13
1 – Introduction
Conventions used in this manual
The following conventions are used in this
manual.
Keys, jacks and other parts of this unit and
•
other equipment are indicated in a bold font
like this: HOME key.
Characters that appear on the display are shown
•
like this:
“microSD memory card” is sometimes abbre-
•
viated as “microSD card.”
Additional information is provided as necessary
•
as tips, notes and cautions.
TIP
These are hints about how the unit can be used.
NOTE
These provide additional explanations and special
situations, for example.
ON
CAUTION
These instructions should be followed to avoid injury,
damage to equipment or loss of data.
Intellectual property rights
TEAC is a trademark of TEAC Corporation,
•
registered in the U.S. and other countries.
microSDHC Logo is a trademark of SD-3C,
•
LLC.
Microsoft, Windows, Windows XP, Windows
•
Vista, and Windows 7 are either registered
trademarks or trademarks of Microsoft
Corporation in the United States and/or other
countries.
Apple, Macintosh, iMac, Mac OS and Mac OS
•
X are trademarks of Apple Inc.
14TE AC VR-20
1 – Introduction
MPEG Layer-3 audio coding technology
•
licensed from Fraunhofer IIS and Thomson.
Supply of this product does not convey a
license nor imply any right to distribute
MPEG Layer-3 compliant content created
with this product in revenue-generating
broadcast systems (terrestrial, satellite, cable
and/or other distribution channels), streaming
applications (via Internet, intranets and/or
other networks), other content distribution
systems (pay-audio or audio-on-demand
applications and the like) or on physical
media (compact discs, digital versatile discs,
semiconductor chips, hard drives, memory
cards and the like). An independent license for
such use is required. For details, please visit
http://mp3licensing.com.
Other company names, product names and
•
logos in this document are the trademarks
or registered trademarks of their respective
owners.
Any data, including, but not limited to
information, described herein are intended only
as illustrations of such data and/or information
and not as the specications for such data and/
or information. TEAC Corporation disclaims
any warranty that any use of such data and/or
information shall be free from infringement of
any third party’s intellectual property rights or
other proprietary rights, and further, assumes
no liability of whatsoever nature in the event
of any such infringement, or arising from or
connected with or related to the use of such
data and/or information.
TEAC VR-20 15
1 – Introduction
This product is designed to help you record
and reproduce sound works to which you own
the copyright, or where you have obtained
permission from the copyright holder or
the rightful licensor. Unless you own the
copyright, or have obtained the appropriate
permission from the copyright holder or the
rightful licensor, your unauthorized recording,
reproduction or distribution thereof may result
in severe criminal penalties under copyright
laws and international copyright treaties. If
you are uncertain about your rights, contact
your legal advisor. Under no circumstances
will TEAC Corporation be responsible for the
consequences of any illegal copying performed
using the recorder.
About microSD cards
This unit uses microSD cards for recording and
playback. microSD cards that are 64 MB - 2
GB and microSDHC cards that are 4 GB 32 GB in size can be used. A list of microSD
cards that have been tested with this unit can be
found on the TEAC web site (www.teac.com).
Precautions for use ª
microSD cards are delicate media. In order to
avoid damaging a card or the card slot, please take
the following precautions when handling them.
Do not leave them in extremely hot or cold
•
places.
Do not leave them in extremely humid places.
•
Do not let them get wet.
•
Do not put things on top of them or twist them.
•
Do not hit them.
•
16TEAC V R-20
1 – Introduction
Precautions for placement
The environmental temperature operation range
•
of this unit is 0–40° C (32–104° F).
Do not install in the following types of places.
•
Doing so could degrade the sound quality and/
or cause malfunctions.
Places with significant vibrations or that are
•
otherwise unstable
Near windows or other places exposed to
•
direct sunlight
Near heaters or other extremely hot places
•
Extremely cold places
•
Places with bad ventilation or high humidity
•
Beware of condensation
If the unit is moved from a cold to a warm place,
or used after a sudden temperature change, there
is a danger of condensation; vapor in the air could
condense on the internal mechanism, making
correct operation impossible. To prevent this, or if
this occurs, let the unit sit for one or two hours at
the new room temperature before using.
Cleaning the unit
Use a dry soft cloth to wipe the unit clean. Do not
clean the unit with a chemically treated cloth or
substances such as benzene, thinner and alcohol
because they might cause damage to the surface of
the unit.
TEAC VR-20 17
2 – Names and functions of parts
Top panel
1 Built-in stereo microphone
This is a stereo electret condenser
microphone. When a separate microphone
or other external device is connected to the
MIC/EXT. IN jack on the right panel, the
input from that exter nal microphone/device
input is given priority, and the built-in stereo
microphone is disabled.
2 Display
This shows various types of information.
3 Â key
Press this key during playback or when
paused during playback to return to the
beginning of the recording.
Press this key when stopped at the beginning
of a recording to skip to the previous
recording.
Press and hold to search backward.
Press when a menu screen is open to return to
the previous screen.
On the
FILE/FOLDER
up a level.
screen, press to move
18TEAC V R-20
2 – Names and functions of parts
This operates as a function key on some
menus. (The function is shown at the bottom
of the screen.)
When in record standby, this key adjusts the
recording level.
4 HOME keys
Press to open the Home Screen.
When the Home Screen is open, press to
return to the previous screen.
5 +/– keys
Use these to adjust the output level during
playback.
When a setting screen is open, use these keys
to select files, folders and other items, to turn
functions ON and OFF, and to set split points
in files.
These operate as function keys on some
menus. (The functions are shown at the
bottom of the screen.)
6 ¯ key
During playback and when stopped, press this
key to skip to the next file. Press and hold to
search forward. When a menu screen is open,
press this key to open menus and folders, as
well as to move between setting items and
confirm setting values.
This operates as a function key on some
menus. (The function is shown at the bottom
of the screen.)
When in record standby, this key adjusts the
recording level.
7 REC key and indicator
Press when stopped to start recording if
the recording level setting switch is set to
HIGH or LOW (see item 17 below). The REC
indicator lights.
Press when stopped to start recording standby
if the recording level setting switch is set to
MANUAL. The REC indicator blinks when in
recording standby. Press when in recording
standby to start recording. Press and hold
TEAC VR-20 19
when stopped to start pre-record standby.
Press during recording to create a new track
and continue recording without interruption
(track increment).
8Á PLAY key
Press when stopped to start playback. Press
during playback to jump back a few seconds
and continue playback.
9 ª STOP key
Press to end recording standby or stop
playback or recording at the current position.
0 FUNCTION key
Press when the Home Screen is open to open
the Function menu. Press when the Function
menu is open to open the Home Screen.
q SETUP key
Press when the Home Screen is open to open
the Setup menu. Press when the Setup menu
is open to open the Home Screen.
2 – Names and functions of parts
20TEAC VR-20
2 – Names and functions of parts
Left side panel
w /LINE OUT jack
Connect headphones or the line input jack of
an external device using a stereo mini-jack
cable.
e /HOLD switch
Turn the power ON/OFF. Set the switch to the
HOLD position to activate the hold function,
which prevents accidental operation. When
set to HOLD, none of the keys can be used.
TEAC VR-20 21
2 – Names and functions of parts
Right side panel
r MIC/EXT. IN jack
This stereo mini-jack is an external
microphone/device input jack that can provide
plug-in power to mics that need it.
t Micro USB port
Use the included Micro USB cable to connect
this USB port to a computer.
y microSD card slot
Insert a microSD card here.
u REC LEVEL switch
Use to set the recording level. When set to
LOW or HIGH, the auto gain control function
is activated, and the unit’s recording level
is adjusted automatically. When set to
MANUAL, use the ¯ and  keys on the
top panel to set the recording level manually.
iStrap holder
Attach a strap here.
22TEAC VR-20
2 – Names and functions of parts
Bottom panel
o Stand
Use this stand to raise the unit slightly when
recording on a tabletop.
p Mono speaker
Use this speaker for monitoring.
Sound is not output by this speaker when
recording or in recording standby, when
headphones or a monitoring system is
connected to the unit, or when the speaker has
been turned OFF in the unit settings.
a Battery compartment cover
s Battery compartment
Put 2 AAA batteries into this compartment to
power the unit.
TEAC VR-20 23
2 – Names and functions of parts
Home Screen
1 File format
This shows the recording file format.
: PCM format
: MP3 format
2 Low-cut filter status
Shows the low cut filter status is shown here.
indicator shown: Low-cut filter ON
indicator not shown: Low-cut filter OFF
3 Status of sound quality enhancement during
recording
This shows the status of the sound quality
enhancement function that can be used when
recording.
indicator shown: Sound quality
enhancement during recording is ON
indicator not shown: Sound quality
enhancement during recording is OFF
4 Power supply status
A battery icon appears when the unit is
operating on battery power. The amount of
remaining battery charge is indicated by
the number of bars ( , or ). When
there are no bars, and the icon blinks, the
batteries are almost dead and the unit’s power
will automatically change to off soon.
24TEAC VR-20
2 – Names and functions of parts
When using USB bus power, is shown.
5 File mode display
This shows the recording file format.
PCM
: Shows the quantization bit rate,
sampling frequency and whether stereo or
monaural.
MP3
: Shows the bit-rate and whether stereo or
monaural.
6 Recorder operation status
The recorder operation status is indicated by
one of the following icons.
IconMeaning
ª
Stopped
π
Paused
Á
Playing back
Ô
¯
Â
Searching forward
Searching backward
Skipping to the start of the next le
Skipping to the start of the current
or previous le
7 Playback file format
This shows the format of the currently
selected file. Information about the file
format of the currently selected file is shown
after the icon. When stopped, the possible
recording time of the card is shown.
8 Playback position bar
This bar shows the current playback position.
As playback progresses, the bar extends from
the left.
9 File information
The name of the file being played back or tag
information is shown. If an MP3 file has ID3
tag information, it is shown.
0 Playback speed status
One of the following icons is shown
depending on whether the playback speed
function is ON or OFF and the playback
speed setting.
TEAC VR-20 25
2 – Names and functions of parts
DisplayMeaning
50–90%
No indicator100%
110–200%
q Microphone left-right position setting
This shows the current microphone left-right
position setting
: This is shown when the left microphone
is input to the left channel and the right
microphone is input to the right channel.
: This is shown when the left microphone
is input to the right channel and the right
microphone is input to the left channel.
w Elapsed time
This shows the elapsed time of the file being
played (hours: minutes: seconds).
e Repeat playback A (starting) and B (ending)
point status
This shows this setting status of starting and
ending points for A-B repeat playback.
When a starting point is set, is shown
below the playback position bar at the
corresponding position.
When an ending point is set, is shown
below the playback position bar at the
corresponding position.
r Playback file number/total number of files
The total number of files in the playback area
and the current file number are shown
t Repeat playback and playback area setting
status
One of the following icons is shown
depending on the setting.
: A-B repeat playback
: Playback area set to ALL file
: Playback area set to FOLDER
: Playback area set to PLAYLIST
26TEAC VR-20
2 – Names and functions of parts
y Status of sound quality enhancement during
playback
The status of the sound quality enhancement
function during playback is shown.
indicator shown: ON
indicator not shown: OFF
u Timer setting status
This icon appears when the timer is set for
recording.
i Built-in speaker setting status
This shows whether the built-in speaker is
ON or OFF.
: The speaker is set to ON.
: The speaker is set to OFF.
NOTE
Even if the
output from the speaker when recording or in
recording standby, or when headphones or a monitoring system is connected.
SPEAKER
setting is ON, no sound is
Recording Screen
1 Recorder operation status
This icon shows the recorder operation status.
IconMeaning
ª
Stopped or in standby
–
Recording
2 Remaining recording time
This shows the remaining recording time,
which depends on the remaining card
capacity and the
3 Level meters
This shows the input sound levels.
ENCODING
setting.
TEAC VR-20 27
2 – Names and functions of parts
4 File name
The name that is automatically given to the
file being recorded is shown
5 Auto record function status
When the auto record function is ON, the
icon appears.
Menu structure
Press the FUNCTION key to open the
menu, and press the SETUP key to open the
SETUP
menu. Their menu items are as follows.
FUNCTION menu
REPEAT
FILE/FOLDER
PLAY SPEED
SPLIT FILE
DELETE FILE
Enable A-B repeat playback.
Work with les and folders on the
card.
Set the playback speed.
Divide les.
Delete les.
FUNCTION
28TEAC VR-20
2 – Names and functions of parts
SETUP menu
REC
Make the following settings
related to recording.
ENCODING (recording quality)•
EXT. INPUT (switch to external •