Sony TC-K511S User manual

a] ONY. 3-756-691-62 (1)
®
Stereo
Cassette Deck
Operating Instructions
TC-K511S/K411
© 1993 by Sony Corporation

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.
NOTICE FOR CUSTOMERS IN THE UNITED KINGDOM
A moulded plug complying with BS 1363 is fitted to this equipment
for your safety and convenience.
Should the fuse in the plug supplied need to be replaced, a 5 AMP
fuse approved by ASTA or BSI to BS 1362, (i.e. marked with @ or
¥ mark) must be used.
If the plug supplied with this equipment has a detachable fuse cover,
be sure to attach the fuse cover after you change the fuse. Never
use the plug without the fuse cover. If you should lose the fuse
cover, please contact your nearest Sony service station.
IMPORTANT
If the plug supplied is not suitable for the socket outlets in your
home, it should be cut off and an appropriate plug fitted in
accordance with the following instructions.
The wires in this mains lead are coloured in accordance with the
following code:
Blue: Neutral
Brown: Live
As the colours of the wires in the mains lead of this apparatus may
not correspond with the coloured markings identifying the terminals
in your plug, proceed as follows:
The wire which is coloured blue must be connected to the terminal
which is marked with the letter N or coloured black.
The wire which is coloured brown must be connected to the terminal
which is marked with the letter L or coloured red.
Do not connect either wire to the earth terminal in the plug which is
marked by the letter E or by the safety earth symbol + or coloured
green or green and yellow.
WARNING
To prevent shock hazard, do not insert the plug cut off from the
mains lead into a socket outlet. This plug cannot be used and should
be destroyed.
Table of Contents
Chapter 1 Getting Started
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BISCAUTIONE LE Te ca aes este espere een in 3
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Checking the supplied accessories «0.0.02... ccecescccseesseesesteeneeeees 4
Checking the operating voltage Fe
Hooking up the system... sua
Before VOU begin...
Hook-up example ..
Identifying the parts ..... $
Front panel assssenatennnennenenenmenns mn a AA
Chapter 2 Playback
Paying DACRE NATENANE
Locating a selection — Multi-AMS (Automatic Music Sensor) .
Locating a desired playback position — Memory Play...
How to memorize and locate a desired playback position ........ 10
The accuracy of the linear counter...
Starting playing back after rewinding — Auto Play
Chapter 3 Recording
FRB GONG) nn nn er enr aa tan als, 12
How to record to a cassette eee etcceeteerteeetsesesteeeteeeneees 12
To protect a recording vas
Adjusting the recording level ..….......................................... 15
Recording FM broadcasts with the Dolby NR system................ 15
Monitoring the recorded sound „~... srren
What is the Dolby HX PRO system?..
Making an optimum recording ..............
Bias and recording level calibration...
How to calibrate the bias current and recording level ............... 19
Inserting a blank space during recording — Record Muting ........... 20
Chapter 4 Additional Information
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Cleaning the heads and tape path... 21
Demagnetizing the heads 0.0.0... eeeeeeeeseeneeeeenreneeseenaenerennses 21
Cleaning the cabinet
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TréubléshoGting GUIDE sacrement

Precautions
For higher quality recording/playback
* The Dolby HX PRO* system which improves the linearity of the
tape's high-range response during recording.
- B, C and S (TC-K511S only) type Dolby NR* systems which
reduce tape noise.
* Bias and recording level calibration which ensures optimum
recording conditions to bring out the best in every tape.
¢ Three-head system (separate recording, playback and erase
heads) which allows you to instantly check the recorded sound
while recording is in progress.
For your convenience
- The Multi-AMS and Memory Play functions which provide easy
access to a desired selection.
For easier operation
+ Easy-to-read linear counter which shows the elapsed recording
or playing time.
* Dolby noise reduction and HX Pro headroom extension
manufactured under license from Dolby Laboratories Licensing
Corporation. HX Pro originated by Bang & Olufsen.
“DOLBY”, the double-D symbol DU and “HX PRO" are trademarks
of Dolby Laboratories Licensing Corporation.
Difference between the models
Dolby S NR is provided on the TC-K511S but not the TC-K411.
With this exception, the features and functions of both models are
identical.
Note
All illustrations in this manual show the TC-K511S.
On safety
+ Should any solid object or liquid fall into the cabinet, unplug the
unit and have it checked by qualified personnel before operating it
any further.
+ Unplug the unit from the wall outlet if it will not be used for a long
time. To disconnect the cord, pull it out by grasping the plug. Never
pull the cord itself.
e The unit is not disconnected from the AC power source (mains) as
long as it is connected to the wall outlet, even if the unit itself has
been turned off.
On operation
+ When the unit is not used, turn the power off to conserve energy
and to extend the useful life of your unit.
+ Because of a safety mechanism, the function buttons will not
operate if the cassette holder is not completely closed, if there is
no cassette in the cassette holder, or if a cassette has been
incorrectly inserted into the cassette holder.
On head cleaning
The head and tape path should be cleaned after every ten hours of
operation. Dirty heads and a dirty tape path may cause:
— loss of high-frequency response
— loss of sound volume
— sound drop-out
If you have any questions or problems concerning your unit, please
contact your nearest Sony dealer.

Notes on Installation
- Place the unit with the front panel facing you in a location with
adequate air circulation to prevent overheating of the unit.
* Do not place the unit:
— near heat sources such as radiators or air ducts.
— in places subject to direct sunlight, excessive dust, mechanical
vibration or shock.
— in an inclined position.
— on a rug or other soft surfaces that would block the ventilation
holes on the bottom of the unit.
Do not throw away the carton and the packing material
They will come in handy when transporting the unit or shipping it for
servicing.
Checking the Supplied Accessories
Make sure that the following supplied accessories are included with
your unit.
* Audio connecting cords (2)
Checking the Operating Voltage
+ Operate the unit only on 240 V AC, 50 Hz.
* Before operating the unit, be sure that the operating voltage of your
unit is identical with that of your local power supply.
>

LINE IN
REC OUT
White
Red
LINE OUT
TAPE INPUT
I for playback
RCE
SED
a.
TC-K511S/K411
to an AC outlet
Amplifier
=~ to a wall outlet
Hooking Up the
System
Before You Begin
- Turn off the power to all equipment to be
connected before making any connection.
- Note that the red plug of the supplied
connecting cord is for right-channel (R)
connection and the white plug for left-
channel (L) connection.
See Fig. EY.
e The connecting cords should be fully
inserted into the jacks. A loose connection
may cause hum pickup.
Hook-up Example
Fig. E shows how to connect the unit to an
amplifier.
The arrow <*— shows the direction of
the signal flow.

Identifying the
Parts
Front Panel
For details, refer to the page number(s)
indicated in parentheses.
The illustration shows the TC-K511S.
[1] POWER switch
[2] Peak level meter (15)
[3] Linear counter (10)
[4] COUNTER buttons
RESET button (10)
MEMORY button (10, 11)
[5] Cassette holder
[6] MPX FILTER button (15)
DOLBY NR (noise reduction) switch (7,
12)
REC (recording) LEVEL control (12, 15)
[9] BALANCE control (12)
HEADPHONES jack (stereo phone jack)
(8)
[H] REC (recording) LEVEL control for
calibration (18, 19)
[12] BIAS control (18, 19)
[3] CALIBRATION button (18, 19)
MONITOR button (16)
[15] & (eject) button
Tape operation buttons
E (stop) button
<4 (rewind) button
$= (play) button
> (fast-forward) button
II PAUSE button
O REC MUTE (record muting) button
(20)
@ REC (recording) button
“Remote control sensor
You can remotely control this cassette
deck with:
— A remote commander that came
with a Sony amplifier or receiver if it
has the El mark and cassette deck
control capability.
— An optional Sony remote
commander with the El mark and
cassette deck control capability.

DOLBY NA
OFF
6 .B
Où
Playing Back
Follow the procedure below to play back a
cassette.
1 Turn on the amplifier and select the
tape function.
2 Insert the cassette with the side to be
played facing outward.
3 Set DOLBY NR to the same position
that was used when the cassette was
recorded.
4 Press PLAY to start playback.
To stop playback, press the M button.
To stop playback momentarily, press the
lH button.
To restart playback, press the Bi or B>
button.
To fastwind a tape rightward, press the
PP button in stop mode.
To fastwind the tape leftward, press the
44 button in stop mode.
Is it necessary to set the tape type
being used?
No. The deck has an automatic tape type
detection system.
What is the Dolby NR system?
The Dolby NR (noise reduction) system
reduces tape hiss noise in low-level, high-
frequency signals by boosting the signals
during recording and lowering them during
playback.
The Dolby S NR (TC-K511S only) system
provides the highest reduction in tape hiss
noise in both low and high frequencies.
Note
The Dolby HX PRO system is effective only
during recording, not during playback.

Playing Back
To change to recording mode
during playback
Keeping the B button pressed, press the
@ button. The unit immediately switches
from playback to recording without stopping
the tape. This is useful when editing
previously recorded material.
For headphone listening
Connect the headphone plug to the
HEADPHONES jack.
Is it necessary to set the MONITOR
button for playback?
No. The TAPE mode is automatically
selected and TAPE is displayed.

A L : Beginning of the selection
[cl «af :]
Previous selection
p
>» [
Current selection
{
‘] >> [z]
Next selection
Locating a Selection
— Multi-AMS (Automatic
Music Sensor)
By detecting the blank space between
selections, the Multi-AMS function allows
you to skip up to 30 selections during fast
forwarding or reversing to locate the
beginning of a selection.
During playback, press P> or 44 as
many times as the number of selections
to be skipped.
For selections after the current one:
press PP the required number of times.
For selections before the current one:
press éd the required number of times”.
* Pressing <4 once locates the beginning
of the current selection.
(Fig. ES )
Fig. B :
« The number of selections to be skipped,
which replaces the counter indication,
decreases by one each time a blank
space is detected.
* The PLAY indicator flashes during Multi-
AMS operation.
+ When the beginning of the desired
selection is reached, the counter
indication returns and playback
automatically restarts.
Modifying the indicated number of
selections to be skipped
The number of selections to be skipped
may be modified by pressing the << or >>
button at any time, even during Multi-AMS
operation.
Regarding changes in the indicated
number
The indicated number of selections to be
skipped may change even as it is being set
due to the detection of blank spaces during
fastwinding of the unit.
The Multi-AMS may skip a selection
in the following cases:
* If the BP (or €) button is pressed
immediately before the following selection.
e If there is noise in the space between
selections.
« If the space is less than four seconds
long.
The Multi-AMS will treat the
following as blanks:
* a long pause in the music
* a passage of low frequencies or very low
volume
* a gradual increase or decrease in volume

Locating a Desired
Playback Position
— Memory Play
The Memory Play function allows you to
use the counter to record a desired position
on a Cassette for fast relocation and
automatic playback later.
How to Memorize and Locate
a Desired Playback Position
1 Press MEMORY to activate the
Memory Play function.
2 Press RESET to reset the counter at
the desired position.
The desired position is memorized.
MEMORY
3
While
pressing
B
,
press
<44
to
return
to
the
desired
position
.
Returning to the memorized
position in stop mode
— Memory Stop
If you press only the <4 button when the
MEMORY indicator is on in the stop mode,
the tape rewinds and the unit stops when
RESET MEMORY the counter reaches 0.00.
O O Be sure to first stop playback before
pee activating the Memory Stop function,
U. u
otherwise the AMS function will activate.
To deactivate the Memory Play
function
Press the MEMORY button, turning off the
MEMORY indicator.
r
RE ee ae
3 Note on Memory Play/Stop
In actuality, the tape is rewound to slightly
short of 0.00.
Do not turn off the power while
using the counter
Turning the power off, then on again resets
the counter to 0.00.
The Accuracy of the Linear
Counter
Since the counter is not a digital clock, the
number will differ from the actual elapsed
playback or recording time by a few
minutes, depending on such factors as tape
length and hub size.

Goes off.
Starting Playing Back After
Rewinding — Auto Play
The Auto Play function automatically starts
playing back a cassette after fast winding it
to the beginning.
1 Make sure the MEMORY indicator is
off.
If it is not, press MEMORY.
2 While pressing æ- , press 44.
11

Recording
How to Record to a Cassette
Follow the procedure below to record a
source on a cassette.
1 Insert a cassette with the side to be
recorded facing outward.
N
Set Dolby NR.
S Press @ to enter the recording pause
mode.
A
Play the program source to be
recorded.
ol
Turn REC LEVEL to adjust the
recording.
See “Adjusting the Recording Level” on
page 15.
(e2)
Turn BALANCE to adjust the balance.
~] Restart the program source, if
required.
DOLBY NA r
OFF d REC 8 Press I or B to start recording.
X
[e]
To
stop
recording
Press the W button.
Se
BALANCE
PAUSE
j [co |

Recording
if playback starts instead of
recording
The cassette tab for that side has been
removed. To record on this cassette, cover
the hole with plastic tape. (See page 14.)
Is it necessary to set the MONITOR
button for recording?
No. The source mode is automatically
selected and SOURCE is displayed. If you
wish to monitor the recorded sound, press
the MONITOR button to select the TAPE
mode.
Checking the recording time on a
tape
To check the remaining recording time ona
tape:
1 Press the RESET button to reset the
counter to 0.00.
2 Press the PP button to advance the
tape to its end. The number on the
counter shows the approximate
recording time.
To check the total recording time of a tape,
first rewind the tape to its beginning, then
follow the same steps as above. (See “The
Accuracy of the Linear Counter” on page
10.)
13

Recording
o Protect a Recording
Cassette care
* Avoid touching the tape surface of a
cassette to prevent contamination of the
heads by dirt, dust, or oil on the skin.
* Keep cassettes away from equipment with
magnets, such as speakers and
amplifiers, as erasure or distortion on the
recorded tape could occur.
e Do not expose cassettes to direct sunlight,
extremely cold temperatures or moisture.
To protect a recording on side A or B
Break out the respective tab. (See Fig.
E )
To recover a cassette for recording
Cover the respective slot with tape. (See
Fig. El.)
When using Type II (CrOz) or Type IV
(metal) cassettes
Be careful not to cover the detector slots
which are necessary for automatic tape
detection. (See Fig. I .)
Note on cassettes longer than 90
minutes
The use of cassettes longer than 90
minutes is not recommended except for
long continuous playback.
Type Il (CrOz) Type IV (metal)
SE €- Qe 4

dB -oo -30 -20 -10 4 0 +2 +4 +6 +8
L mm: EA VE RE EP EE EE EE DE EN ER RC 2 E (ED E US ON CN CO NC CE ECC)
FR a ee See
00
for Type | (normal) or
Type Il (CrOz) tape À
for Type IV
(metal) tape ——>
Recording
Adjusting the Recording Level
The optimum recording level, which differs
according to the tape type, is indicated on
the peak level meter for each tape type.
Adjust the REC LEVEL control as high as
possible without exceeding the
recommended range for the tape type being
used.
Peak level meter recording by tape
type
Fig. E shows the recommended maximum
peak level meter readings.
Tips on recording level adjustment
Setting the recording level too low will
produce a hissing sound, while setting it too
high will produce distortion. Generally, the
optimum recording level for high and low
frequencies is lower than that for middle
frequencies. Therefore, when recording
program sources with many high and low
frequencies, you should set the level to a
relatively low position. For even better
results, check the recording results with
your own ears.
Recording FM Broadcasts
With the Dolby NR System
When recording FM broadcasts with the
Dolby NR system, set the MPX FILTER
button to ON (the FILTER indicator
appears).
The MPX filter eliminates remnants of the
19-kHz stereo carrier and 38-kHz subcarrier
signals which may impair the operation of
the DOLBY NR system. Be sure that the
Dolby NR switch is turned on since the
MPX filter will not function otherwise. During
recording with the Dolby NR system, use
this switch only if the tuner is not equipped
with its own MPX filter or the equipped filter
does not function effectively.
15

MONITOR
REC LEVEL
LINE IN
Recording
head SOURCE
MONITOR
LINE OUT
Playback HEADPHONES
head
MONITOR
REC LEVEL
O—o LINE IN
SOURCE
a MONITOR LINE OUT
Playback HEADPHONES
head
Recording
Monitoring the Recorded
Sound
As this unit has three separate heads for
recording, playback and erasure, you can
check the quality of a recorded sound by
comparing it with the input source signal.
To listen to the input source signal,
press the MONITOR button to turn on the
SOURCE indicator. (Fig. EX )
To listen to the sound recorded on the
tape, press the MONITOR button to turn on
the TAPE indicator. (Fig. EJ )
Fig. EM and E show the MONITOR switch
setting and their respective signal flow.
Comparing the recorded sound with
the sound source
While recording, use this monitoring
function to check that there is no distortion
due to excessive level settings or sound
degradation due to head contamination.

High
Distortion
output
315 Hz
l
1
1
| NN 6.3 kHz
| \
:
l
1
l
1
l
10 kHz
“J 315 Hz distortion
a a E GS
Bias current—+ High
Established
bias current
Output
Fluctuation
Frequency ——> High
Recording
What Is the Dolby HX PRO
System?
The Dolby HX PRO system provides
improved linearity in high-range frequency
response during recording. Tapes recorded
with this system retain the same high
quality even when played back on other
tape decks.
As shown in Fig. EX , characteristics such
as output level and distortion differ widely
according to the bias (high-frequency)
current.
In conventional systems (see Fig. [J ), the
bias current is susceptible to variations in
certain recording signals which may cause
fluctuations in frequency response,
distortion, or other unwanted
characteristics.
With the Dolby HX PRO system, the
effective bias amount added to the bias
current is controlled in millisecond units to
greatly reduce distortion, improving linearity
in high-range response and ensuring high-
intensity recording with minimal distortion
and noise.
17

CALIBRATION—— BIAS —— REC LEVEL
GY G
Adjusts the bias
current within a
range of about +20%
Adjusts the recording
level within a range of
about +3 dB
Bias AS Bias Bias reduced (-)
reduced NN increased
a
(high- (high- =E
frequency Ñ frequency a g
response
*
response
6s
Bias
increased
(+)
boosted) suppressed)
Frequency in Hz
18
Making an Optimum
Recording
Bias and Recording Level
Calibration
There are many different types of cassettes
on the market, each with varying magnetic
properties. Although your unit is equipped
with the ATS (Automatic Tape Selection)
system which sets the appropriate
equalization characteristics and bias current
for each tape type, an additional calibration
adjustment can often produce even better
results. Use the bias current and recording
level calibration function to obtain the
optimum recording conditions for your tape.
Fig. E shows the BIAS control and REC
(recording) LEVEL control for calibration.
Bias calibration
Choosing the optimum bias current for a
tape ensures minimum distortion and flat
frequency response. Lowering the bias
current boosts high-frequency response,
but also results in higher distortion. Raising
the bias, on the other hand, reduces
distortion, but also dampens high-frequency
response. Optimum bias is thus obtained
when the bias current and high-frequency
response are well balanced.
Fig. [EJ shows the BIAS control and a high-
frequency response balance chart.
e If the bias current is higher or lower than
the optimum setting for a certain tape, the
frequency response changes as shown in
the Chart in Fig. [J . Changing the bias
can thus be used to tailor the response to
your liking, for example by slightly
emphasizing the upper or lower end.
The frequency response of metal tapes is
much less affected by changes in the bias
current than other tape types, and in some
cases is uneffected. With some tapes, the
adjustment range of this deck (a range of
about +20%) may therefore not be
sufficient to cover every possible
requirement.
Recording level calibration
Even when the recording level is adjusted
correctly, using a tape with low sensitivity
will result in a low playback level. The REC
LEVEL calibration control allows you to
compensate for sensitivity differences
among tapes to equalize both recording and
playback levels. This is especially important
when using the Dolby NR system, since it is
most effective when recording and playback
levels are the same.

CALIBRATION
o
3 REC PAUSE
e] > 5
Playback level for an 8-kHz signal
Playback level for a 400-Hz signal
4 A high reading on the upper meter A low reading on the upper meter
indicates a low bias current. indicates a high bias current.
BIAS BIAS
NN An equal reading on l =
both meters indicates
A the optimum bias
ad = +
current condition.
REC LEVEL
b Recommended
level
The bias current is now
adjusted to the optimum
level and the tape
sensitivity compensation
has been set. Press W,
then press CALIBRATION
to turn the calibration
function off (the display
returns to normal). Rewind
the tape and start the actual
recording.
Making an Optimum
Recording
How to calibrate the Bias
Current and Recording Level
1
2
4
5
insert a cassette with the side to be
recorded facing out-ward.
Press CALIBRATION.
The peak level meter for adjusting the
bias and recording level appears in the
display window.
Press @ , then H or æ- to activate the
recording test tone.
Notes
* The sound cannot be monitored during
the calibration operation.
+ It takes 2 to 3 seconds for the test tone
level to stabilize.
Adjust BIAS until both meters
indicate equal playback levels.
Adjust REC LEVEL calibration until
both meters reach the recommended
level.
19

REC MUTE
Inserting a Blank Space
During Recording
— Record Muting
The Record Muting function allows you to
insert a four-second blank to enable proper
Multi-AMS operation (see page 9), and to
replace unwanted input with a blank of any
desired length.
1 while recording, press O and release
it immediately.
The REC indicator starts flashing.
During this time, no incoming signals are
recorded on the tape.
After four seconds, the IE indicator lights
up and the unit enters recording pause
mode.
2 Press Ito resume recording.
To create a blank longer than four
seconds
Press the O button for the desired length of
time. After four seconds, the REC indicator
flashes with greater rapidity. When you
release the © button, the Hl indicator lights
up and the unit goes into recording pause
mode.
Press the H button to resume recording.