Optimus 32-1161 User manual

Cat. No. 32-1161
OWNER’S MANUAL
Please read before using this equipment.
Stereo Dual-Cassette
Karaoke Center
Karaoke Center
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2
FEATURES
Your Optimus Stereo Dual-Cassette
Karaoke Center lets you be the “star”
as you sing along with your favorite
recordings and hear your voice with
the music through the system’s speak-
er. You can sing along with regular
cassette tapes, or with special
karaoke cassette tapes (such as the
supplied tape) that let you balance the
volume of the recording’s voice, your
voice, and the music.
The system’s compact design and
convenient carrying handle let you
take it almost anywhere. You can also
connect another audio source (such
as a stereo VCR or a CD player) to the
system and sing along. If you connect
a stereo VCR and play a karaoke mu-
sic video cassette, the cassette shows
the lyrics on a TV and lets you adjust
the volume of the original singer’s
voice and the recording’s music.
Note: Additional karaoke cassette
tapes, as well as karaoke video cas-
settes, are available through Ra-
dioShack Unlimited. See your local
RadioShack store for ordering infor-
mation.
Your karaoke center’s features in-
clude:
Echo Control — lets you add an echo
to your voice for a concert hall effect.
Automatic Voice Control — lets you
replace the original singer’s voice with
your voice when playing a prerecord-
ed karaoke tape.
Tape Speed Control — lets you ad-
just the tape speed to match the pitch
of your voice.
Balance Control — lets you adjust
the balance between the left and right
speakers if you connect an external
speaker, or adjust the balance be-
tween the prerecorded original sing-
er’s voice and the music if you use a
karaoke tape.
Karaoke Audio Tape — lets you sing
along with the music and adjust the
volume of the prerecorded voice and
music.
Supplied Microphone — lets you
sing along with the music and have
your voice come through the speaker.
Dual Microphone Jacks — let you
use two microphones at the same
time for duets or lead and background
vocals.
Recordin
g
— lets you record as you
sing along with a tape or the sound
from an external audio source.
Dual Cassette Decks — let you play
two different tapes, or dub from one
cassette to another.
© 1996, 1998 Tandy Corporation.
All Rights Reserved.
Optimus and RadioShack are registered trademarks used by Tandy Corporation.
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Consecutive Play — lets you play
one side of two tapes, one after the
other.
Three Power Sources — let you
power your system from internal bat-
teries, standard AC power with the
supplied power cord, or your vehicle’s
battery with a DC adapter (not sup-
plied).
5-Band Frequency Equalizer — lets
you precisely adjust the tone and
sound to your preference and your
room’s unique acoustics.
Built-In Speaker — lets you share the
music with friends.
External Speaker Jack — lets you
connect the system to an external
speaker for stereo effects.
Auxiliary Input Jacks — let you con-
nect another audio input source, such
as a stereo VCR or CD player, so you
can sing along with the source’s
sound.
Auxiliary Output Jacks — let you
connect another audio output compo-
nent, such as an equalizer/booster or a
PA system.
This symbol is intended to alert you
to the presence of uninsulated dan-
gerous voltage within the product’s
enclosure that might be of sufficient
magnitude to constitute a risk of
electric shock. Do not open the
product’s case.
This symbol is intended to inform
you that important operating and
maintenance instructions are in-
cluded in the literature accompany-
ing this product.
CAUTION
RISK OF ELECTRIC SHOCK.
DO NOT OPEN.
CAUTION: TO REDUCE THE RISK OF
ELECTRIC SHOCK, DO NOT REMOVE
COVER OR BACK. NO USER-SERVICE-
ABLE PARTS INSIDE. REFER SERVIC-
ING TO QUALIFIED PERSONNEL.
WARNING: To reduce the risk of
fire or shock hazard, do not ex-
pose this product to rain or mois-
ture.
!
!
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CONTENTS
Makin
g
the Connections ..................................................................................... 5
Connecting Power ........................................................................................... 5
Using AC Power ........................................................................................ 5
Installing Batteries ..................................................................................... 5
Using DC Power ....................................................................................... 6
Connecting an External Audio Source for Input .............................................. 7
Connecting an Audio Component for Output ................................................... 7
Connecting an External Speaker ..................................................................... 7
Basic Operation ................................................................................................... 8
Turning Power On/Off ...................................................................................... 8
Adjusting the Volume ....................................................................................... 8
Adjusting the Balance ...................................................................................... 8
Using the 5-Band Frequency Equalizer ........................................................... 8
Loading a Cassette Tape ................................................................................. 9
Playing a Cassette Tape .................................................................................. 9
Normal Play .............................................................................................. 9
Consecutive Play .................................................................................... 10
Sin
g
in
g
Alon
g
..................................................................................................... 11
Using the Controls ......................................................................................... 11
Singing Along with a Cassette Tape .............................................................. 12
Singing Along with an External Audio Source ............................................... 13
Recordin
g
........................................................................................................... 14
Recording Tips .............................................................................................. 14
Recording Your Voice to Music ...................................................................... 14
Dubbing a Cassette Tape .............................................................................. 15
Usin
g
Optional Components ............................................................................ 16
Listening to an External Audio Source .......................................................... 16
Using Another Audio Component .................................................................. 16
Care and Maintenance ....................................................................................... 17
Tape Tips ....................................................................................................... 17
Erasing a Cassette Tape ......................................................................... 17
Preventing Accidental Erasure ................................................................ 17
Restoring Tape Tension and Sound Quality ............................................ 18
Cleaning the Tape-Handling Parts .......................................................... 18
Specifications ..................................................................................................... 19
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MAKING THE CONNECTIONS
CONNECTING POWER
Caution: To prevent damage to your
system, be sure to set AC/DC inside
the battery compartment to AC when
using AC power or to DC when using
internal batteries or DC power.
Using AC Power
You can power the system from a
standard AC outlet using the supplied
power cord.
Caution: The supplied power cord
has a polarized plug that fits into the
outlet only one way. If the plug does
not fit properly, turn it over and try
again. Do not force it.
1. Press the battery compartment
tabs in the direction of the arrows
and lift off the cover.
2. Remove the power cord from the
lower shelf in the battery compart-
ment and plug it into a standard
AC outlet.
3. Replace the cover, making sure
the cord is routed through the
cover’s slot.
Installing Batteries
You can power your system using
eight D batteries (not supplied). For
the best performance and longest life,
we recommend alkaline batteries,
such as RadioShack Cat. No. 23-550.
Cautions:
• Always use fresh batteries of the
required size and recommended
type.
• Do not mix old and new batteries,
different types of batteries (stan-
dard, alkaline, or rechargeable),
or rechargeable batteries of differ-
ent capacities.
Follow these steps to install batteries.
1. Press the battery compartment
tabs in the direction of the arrows
and lift off the cover.
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6
2. Insert the batteries in the compart-
ment on top of the attached rib-
bon, as indicated by the polarity
symbols (+ and –) marked inside.
3. Replace the cover.
If you are using the system with bat-
tery power and the sound becomes
weak or distorted, replace the batter-
ies. Pull up on the ribbon to remove
the batteries.
Cautions:
• If you do not plan to use the sys-
tem with batteries for a week or
more, or if you plan to use only an
AC or DC adapter, remove the
batteries. Batteries can leak
chemicals that can destroy elec-
tronic parts.
• Dispose of old batteries promptly
and properly. Do not burn or bury
them.
Using DC Power
You can also power the system from
your vehicle’s battery with a DC
adapter (such as Cat. No. 270-1562,
not supplied).
Cautions:
• The adapter must supply 12 volts
and at least 3 amps, its center tip
must be set to positive, and its
plug must correctly fit the DC 12 V
jack. The recommended adapter
meets these requirements. Using
an adapter that does not meet
these requirements could damage
the system or the adapter.
• To avoid electrical shock and
damage to the system and vehi-
cle, always unplug the adapter
from the cigarette-lighter socket
before unplugging it from the sys-
tem.
1. Insert the adapter’s 5.5 mm outer
diameter/2.5 mm inner diameter
barrel plug into the adapter’s cord.
2. Insert the plug into the DC 12 V
jack on the back of the system.
3. Then plug the large end of the DC
adapter cord into your vehicle’s
cigarette-lighter socket.
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CONNECTING AN
EXTERNAL AUDIO
SOURCE FOR INPUT
To connect another audio source
(such as a stereo VCR or CD player)
so you can sing along with the audio
source’s sound, connect the audio
source’s stereo audio output jacks to
the system’s AUX IN R and Ljacks.
Note: If the external audio source
does not have AUX OUT jacks, but
has only a headphone output jack
(such as one you might find on a por-
table tape or CD player), use a shield-
ed Y-adapter cord, such as Cat. No.
42-2475. Connect the single-plug end
to the audio source’s headphone jack,
and connect the other end’s two
phono plugs to the system’s AUX IN R
and L jacks.
CONNECTING AN AUDIO
COMPONENT FOR
OUTPUT
To connect an audio component (such
as a PA system amplifier) so you can
hear the system’s sound through it,
plug the audio component into the
AUX OUT jacks.
CONNECTING AN
EXTERNAL SPEAKER
To connect an external stereo speaker
(with 4 ohms and 20-watt impedance),
plug the speaker into the system’s R.
CHAN OUTPUT jack.
Caution: To avoid damage to the sys-
tem, adapter, and vehicle, do not use
a DC adapter while an external speak-
er is connected to your karaoke cen-
ter.
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BASIC OPERATION
TURNING POWER
ON/OFF
To turn on the system’s power, press
POWER. The POWER indicator turns
on. To turn off the system’s power,
press POWER again so the POWER
indicator turns off.
ADJUSTING THE
VOLUME
To decrease or increase the system’s
volume, turn VOLUME toward MIN or
MAX.
ADJUSTING THE
BALANCE
If you connect an external speaker,
turn BALANCE to adjust the balance
between the left and right speakers.
USING THE 5-BAND
FREQUENCY
EQUALIZER
You can use the system’s 5-band fre-
quency equalizer to customize the
sound you hear through the speaker.
Each of the five controls lets you ad-
just the volume in a specific frequency
range.
Slide the control up to increase or
down to decrease the volume level for
that frequency. If you set the control to
the center position (0), the volume for
the frequency is unchanged.
100 Hz — Adjusts the frequencies in
the low-bass range (bass drums). Re-
duces rumble or other low-frequency
noise.
300 Hz — Adjusts mid-range low fre-
quencies (organ sounds).
1 kHz — Adjusts the range of frequen-
cies where the ear is most sensitive
(low vocals).
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3.3 kHz — Adjusts mid-range high fre-
quencies (high vocals).
10 kHz — Adjusts high-frequency
sounds (cymbals, flutes, and violins).
LOADING A CASSETTE
TAPE
Follow these steps to load a cassette
tape in TAPE 1 or TAPE 2.
1. Press STOP/EJECT to open the
cassette compartment.
2. Use your finger or a pencil to turn
the cassette’s hub and take up
any tape slack. Avoid touching the
tape with your fingers.
3. Load the cassette tape with its
open edge facing down, the side
you want to play or record on fac-
ing you, and the full reel to the left.
4. Close the compartment.
PLAYING A CASSETTE
TAPE
You can play a cassette tape in either
TAPE 1 or TAPE 2, or you can load
cassette tapes in both decks and play
one side of both tapes, one after the
other.
Normal Play
Follow these steps to play a cassette
tape in TAPE 1 or TAPE 2.
Warnin
g
:To protect your hearing, set
VOLUME to MIN before you play a cas-
sette tape.
1. Load a cassette tape into TAPE 1
or TAPE 2.
2. Press POWER to turn on the sys-
tem.
TAPE2
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3. Set AUX/TAPE on the back of the
system to TAPE.
4. Press PLAY on TAPE 1 or TAPE 2.
The tape begins to play.
5. Adjust VOLUME and the equalizer
controls for the desired sound.
6. If you connected an external
speaker, adjust BALANCE.
7. The system automatically stops
the tape when it reaches the end.
To stop it sooner, press STOP/
EJECT.
Turn the tape over and press PLAY to
play the other side.
Notes:
• To temporarily stop play, press
PAUSE. Press PAUSE again to
resume play.
• To rapidly wind the tape forward or
backward, press FAST-F or
REWIND. FAST-F and REWIND
lock down. Press STOP/EJECT
when you reach the desired loca-
tion.
Consecutive Play
Follow these steps to play one side of
the tape in TAPE 2, then play one side
of the tape in TAPE 1.
1. Follow Steps 1–3 under “Normal
Play” on Page 9, loading tapes in
both TAPE 1 and TAPE 2.
2. Press PLAY on TAPE 2. The tape
begins to play.
3. Press PAUSE then PLAY on TAPE
1. Both buttons lock down when
you press them.
The tape in TAPE 2 plays until it
reaches the end of that side, and
stops automatically. Then the tape in
TAPE 1 plays until it reaches the end
of that side, and stops automatically.
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