3-223-746-13(1) Portable MiniDisc Recorder Operating Instructions MZ-R500/R500PC/R500DPC © 2000 Sony Corporation
WARNING To prevent fire or shock hazard, do not expose the unit to rain or moisture. To avoid electrical shock, do not open the cabinet. Refer servicing to qualified personnel only. Do not install the appliance in a confined space, such as a bookcase or built-in cabinet. Caution The use of optical instruments with this product will increase eye hazard. Listening for many hours at maximum volume may damage your hearing.
For customers in Canada To prevent electric shock, do not use this polarized AC plug with an extension cord, receptacle or other outlet unless the blades can be fully inserted to prevent blade exposure. The CE mark on the unit is valid only for products marketed in the European Union. Certain countries may regulate disposal of battery used to power this product. Please consult with your local authority. WALKMAN and of Sony Corporation.
Table of contents Looking at the controls .................................... 6 Getting started ................................................. 8 Recording an MD right away! ......................... 10 Playing an MD right away! .............................. 13 Various ways of recording .............................. 15 Two ways of connecting to a sound source ..........................................15 Recording with analog input (line cable required) ...............................
Editing recorded tracks .................................. 25 Erasing tracks ....................................................................................... 25 To erase a track .............................................................................. 25 To erase the whole disc .................................................................. 25 Adding a track mark ............................................................................. 26 Erasing a track mark .............................
Looking at the controls See pages in ( ) for more details. The recorder A H B I C J D K E L M F N G A N button (11) (13) (17) (24) B VOL +/– buttons (13) (28) C x button (11) (13) (25) (28) D X button (11) (13) (19) (26) (28) E HOLD switch (at the rear) (9) (23) F >MENU. buttons (16) (21) (25) .
The display window EF G H A B CD LP2.4 I Digital MEGA BASS J A MONO (monaural) indication B LP mode indication (17) C Disc indication Shows that the disc is rotating for recording, playing or editing an MD D Mega bass indication (22). E REC indication Lights up while recording. When flashing, the recorder is in record standby mode. F SYNC (synchro-recording) indication (18) G Level meter (19) Shows the volume of the MD being played or recorded.
Getting started 1 Insert an alkaline dry battery. E e Slide to open the battery compartment lid. Insert an LR6 (size AA) alkaline dry battery minus end first. Close the lid. Using on a house current. Connect the supplied AC power adaptor* or the optional AC-E30HG (when an AC power adaptor is not supplied). ∗ Supplied with the European, Chinese and Argentine models only. To DC IN 3V Battery life1) (Unit: Approx. hours) (JEITA2)) battery3) Normal LP2 LP4 Recording4) 7.5 10 13.
When to replace the battery When the dry battery is weak, flashing r or “LoBATT” appears in the display. Replace the dry battery. Note that the battery level indicated by the battery indication is only approximate and varies with the recorder condition. Note Stop the recorder before replacing battery. 2 Connect the headphones/ earphones and unlock the control. HOLD headphones/earphones (supplied) Connect firmly To i 3 Insert an MD. Insert an recordable MD when recording. 1 Slide OPEN to open the lid.
Recording an MD right away! Connect to a digital source using an optical cable (supplied with the European, Chinese and Argentine models only) to make digital recordings. Digital recording is possible even from digital equipment with different sampling rates, such as a DAT deck or a BS tuner, using the built-in sampling rate converter. To record from an analog source, see “Recording with analog input (line cable required)” (page 16). To record from an MD, see “Note on digital recording” (page 31).
2 Record an MD. 1 Press N while pressing REC. x N REC Recording starts. 2 Play the source you want to record. To stop recording, press x. After you press x and “Edit” stops flashing in the display, the recorder will automatically turn off after: — about 10 seconds when using a battery. — about 5 minutes when using the supplied AC power adaptor or the optional AC-E30HG (when an AC power adaptor is not supplied).
If the recording does not start • Make sure the recorder is not locked (page 23). • Make sure the MD is not record-protected (page 31). • Premastered MDs cannot be recorded over. For models supplied with the AC plug adaptor If the AC power adaptor (supplied with the European, Chinese and Argentine models only) does not fit the wall outlet, use the AC plug adaptor. Notes • If the power supply is disrupted (i.e.
Playing an MD right away! 1 Play an MD. 1 Press N. VOL +/– 2 Press VOL +/– to adjust the volume. The volume will be shown in the display. x N To stop play, press x. Playback starts from the point you last stopped playing. After you press x and “Edit” stops flashing in the display, the recorder will automatically turn off after: — about 10 seconds when using a battery. — about 5 minutes when using the supplied AC power adaptor or the optional ACE30HG (when an AC power adaptor is not supplied).
G-PROTECTION function The G-PROTECTION function has been developed to provide excellent protection against sound skipping during many active uses. This function provides a higher level of shock protection during playback than the traditional one. If the play does not start Make sure the recorder is not locked (page 23). z Playback will switch automatically between stereo and monaural according to the sound source. Note Sound may skip if: —the recorder receives stronger continuous shock than expected.
Various ways of recording Two ways of connecting to a sound source The input jack of this recorder works as both digital and analog input jacks. Connect the recorder to a CD player or a cassette recorder using either digital (optical) input or analog (line) input. To record, see “Recording an MD right away!” (page 10) to record using digital (optical) input, and “Recording with analog input (line cable required)” (page 16) to record using analog (line) input.
Recording with analog input (line cable required) The sound will sent from the connected equipment as analog signal but will be recorded digitally on the disc. CD player, cassette recorder, etc. The recorder automatically recognizes the type of line cable and switches to digital or analog input. Note A track mark is added at the point where you press X again to resume recording while pausing recording; thus the track will be counted as a new track.
2 Press >MENU. repeatedly to select the desired recording mode. Recording mode1) Display Recording time3) Stereo Stereo 80 min. LP2 stereo LP2 160 min. LP4 stereo LP4 320 min. Monaural2) Mono 160 min. 1) For better sound quality, record in normal stereo or LP2 mode. 2) If you record a stereo source in monaural, the sounds from left and right will be mixed. 3) When using an 80-minute recordable MD. 3 4 5 Press ENTER. Press N while pressing REC. The recording starts. Play the source sound.
2 Press >MENU. repeatedly until “SYNC-R” flashes in the display, and then press ENTER. “SYNC” lights up in the display. “SYNC” does not lights up if optical cable is not connected to the recorder. 3 Press >MENU. repeatedly until “ON” flashes in the display, and then press ENTER. 4 Press N while pressing REC. The recorder stands by for recording. 5 Play the source sound. The recorder starts recording when it receives the playing sound.
Adjusting the recording level manually (Manual recording) 5 When you record, the sound level is adjusted automatically. If necessary, you can set the level manually. While observing the level meter in the display, adjust the recording level by pressing >MENU.. Set the level so that the maximum input lights up the fifth segment on the level meter. If the sixth segment lights up, lower the level by pressing >MENU. Note fifth segment Adjust the recording level while the recorder is in standby mode.
Checking the remaining time or the recording position 3 Press ENTER. The display changes as follows. You can check the remaining time, track number, etc. when recording or during stop. >MENU. 1 2 ENTER While the recorder is recording or stopped, press ENTER, press >MENU. repeatedly until “DISP” flashes in the display, and then press ENTER again. Press >MENU. repeatedly until the information you want flashes in the display. Each time you press MENU., the display changes as follows.
Various ways of playback Indication A/B Playing tracks repeatedly /1 Rep You can play tracks repeatedly in three ways — all repeat, single repeat, and shuffle repeat. >MENU. /Shuf.R Play mode A single track is played repeatedly. After the currently selected track finishes playing, the remaining tracks are played repeatedly in random order. ENTER 1 While the recorder is playing or stopped, press ENTER, press >MENU. repeatedly until “PMODE” flashes in the display, and then press ENTER again.
Emphasizing bass (DIGITAL MEGA BASS) Protecting your hearing (AVLS) The Mega Bass function intensifies low frequency sound for richer quality audio reproduction. It affects only the sound from the headphones/earphones. The AVLS (Automatic Volume Limiter System) function keeps down the maximum volume to protect your ears. >MENU. >MENU. 1 Press ENTER, press >MENU. repeatedly until “BASS” flashes in the display, and then press ENTER again. 2 Press >MENU. to select the item, and then press ENTER.
Checking the remaining time or the playing position You can check the track name, disc name, etc. during playback. A B Remaining time of the current track Track name1) Remaining time after the current location Disc name1) 1) Appears only if the track has been labeled. z If you want to check the remaining time or the recording position while recording or in stop mode, see page 20. >MENU. 1 2 ENTER While the recorder is playing, press ENTER, press >MENU.
Connecting to a stereo system Connect the i jack of the recorder to the LINE IN jacks of an amplifier or a recorder with a line cable (not supplied). The output is analog. The recorder plays the MD digitally and sends analog signals to the externally connected equipment. Portable DAT recorder, etc. Stereo system, etc. to LINE IN Stereo mini-plug 2 phono plugs L (white) RK-G136 (not supplied) R (red) RK-G129 (not supplied) to i 1 Press N to start playing.
Editing recorded tracks You can edit your recordings by adding/ erasing track marks or labeling tracks and MDs. Premastered MDs cannot be edited. 2 Press >MENU. repeatedly until “ ” and “Erase” flash in the display, and then press ENTER. “Erase?” and “ENTER” appear alternately in the display. To cancel erasing, press x. 3 Press ENTER. The track is erased and the next track starts to play. All the tracks after the one erased are automatically renumbered.
2 3 Press >MENU. repeatedly until “Erase” flashes in the display, and then press ENTER. “Erase?” and “ENTER” appear alternately in the display. To cancel erasing, press x. Press ENTER again. “Edit” flashes in the display, and all the tracks will be erased. When erasing is complete, “BLANK” appears in the display. Adding a track mark You can add track marks so that the part after the new track mark is counted as a new track. The track numbers will increase as follows.
2 3 Find the track mark by pressing . slightly. For example, to erase the third track mark, find the beginning of the third track. “00:00” appears in the display. “MK 003” appears in the display for 2 seconds. Press T MARK to erase the mark. “MK OFF” appears in the display. The track mark is erased and the two tracks are combined. Moving recorded tracks You can change the order of the recorded tracks.
4 Press ENTER again. The track moves to the selected destination track. 2 Press ENTER. The disc is ready to be labeled. 3 Press >MENU. repeatedly to select a letter and press ENTER. The selected letter stops flashing and the cursor moves to the next input position. Labeling recordings You can name discs while the recorder is stopped, tracks while the recorder is playing, and both while the recorder is recording. Each name can be as long as 200 letters.
Labeling a track during playback 1 Insert a disc and play the track you want to label. 2 Press ENTER, press >MENU. repeatedly until “EDIT” flashes in the display, and then press ENTER again. “ ” and “Name” flash in the display. 3 Press ENTER. The track is ready to be labeled. 4 Follow steps 3 to 5 of “Labeling a disc during stop”. • “LP:” has automatically been added at the beginning of track names for tracks recorded in LP2 or LP4.
Additional information On the headphones/earphones Precautions On safety Do not put any foreign objects in the DC IN 3V jack. On power sources • Use house current or LR6 (size AA) battery. • For use in your house: Use the supplied AC power adaptor or the optional AC-E30HG. Do not use any other AC power adaptor since it may cause the recorder to malfunction.
Notes on battery Incorrect battery usage may lead to leakage of battery fluid or bursting battery. To prevent such accidents, observe the following precautions: • Install the + and – poles of the battery correctly. • Do not try to recharge dry battery. • When the recorder is not to be used for a long time, be sure to remove the battery. • If a battery leak should develop, carefully and thoroughly wipe away battery fluid from the battery compartment before inserting new ones.
Troubleshooting Should any problem persist after you have made these checks, consult your nearest Sony dealer. Symptom Cause/Solution The recorder does • Audio sources may not be securely connected. not work or works , Disconnect the audio sources once and connect them again poorly. (pages 10, 16). • The HOLD function is turned on (“HOLD” appears in the display when you press an operation button on the recorder). , Disable HOLD by sliding the HOLD switch in the opposite direction of the arrow (page 23).
Symptom Cause/Solution There is no recording on the MD after a recording operation. • The AC power adaptor was unplugged or a power outage occurred during recording. The lid does not open. • The battery have been exhausted. , Replace the exhausted battery with new ones. Volume cannot be turned up. • AVLS is on. , Set AVLS to “OFF” (page 22). No sound comes through the headphones/ earphones. • The headphones/earphones plug is not firmly connected.
System limitations The recording system in your MiniDisc recorder is radically different from those used in cassette and DAT decks and is characterized by the limitations described below. Note, however, that these limitations are due to the inherent nature of the MD recording system itself and not to mechanical causes. Symptom Cause “TrFULL” appears even before the disc has reached the maximum recording time (60, 74, or 80 minutes).
Messages If the following error messages flash in the display window, check the chart below. Error message Meaning/Remedy BLANK • An MD with no recording on it is inserted. , Insert a recorded MD. ERROR • The disc is damaged or does not contain proper recording or editing data. , Reinsert the disc. If this fails, rerecord. FULL • There is no more space to record on the disc (less than 12 seconds in stereo, 24 seconds in LP2 mode or monaural or 48 seconds in LP4 mode available). , Replace the disc.
Error message Meaning/Remedy NoCOPY • You tried to make a copy from a disc that is protected by the Serial Copy Management System. You cannot make copies from a digitally connected source which was itself recorded using digital connection. , Use analog connection instead (page 16). NoDISC • You tried to play or record with no disc in the recorder. , Insert an MD. No SIG • The recorder could not detect digital input signals. , Make sure that the source is connected firmly (page 10).
Specifications System Audio playing system MiniDisc digital audio system Laser diode properties Material: GaAlAs Wavelength: λ = 790 nm Emission duration: continuous Laser output: less than 44.6 µW (This output is the value measured at a distance of 200 mm from the lens surface on the optical pick-up block with 7 mm aperture.) Recording and playback time When using MDW-80: Maximum 160 min. in monaural Maximum 320 min.
∗ You should plug the headphones/earphones directly to i jack on the main unit. Use only headphones/earphones with stereo mini plugs. You cannot use headphones/ earphones with micro plugs. Stereo mini plugs Micro plug What is an MD? How MiniDisc works MiniDisc (MD) comes in two types: premastered (prerecorded) and recordable (blank). Premastered MDs, recorded at music studios, can be played back almost endlessly. However, they can’t be recorded on or over like cassette tapes.
How the MiniDisc got so small The 2.5-inch MiniDisc, encased in a plastic cartridge that looks like a 3.5-inch diskette (see illustration on page 38), uses a new digital audio compression technology called ATRAC (Adaptive TRansform Acoustic Coding). To store more sound in less space, ATRAC extracts and encodes only those frequency components actually audible to the human ear. Quick Random Access Like CDs, MDs offer instantaneous random access to the beginning of any music track.
This warranty is valid only in the United States.
