Sony MZ-N1 User manual

3-234-039-13(1)
Portable
MiniDisc Recorder
Operating Instructions
©2002 Sony Corporation
MZ-N1
“WALKMAN” is a trademark of Sony Corporation.

2
To prevent fire or shock hazard, do
not expose the unit to rain or
moisture.
To prevent fire, do not cover the
ventilation of the apparatus with news
papers, table cloths, curtains, etc. And
don’t place lighted candles on the
apparatus.
To prevent fire or shock hazard, do not
place objects filled with liquids, such as
vases, on the apparatus.
Certain countries may regulate disposal of
the battery used to power this product.
Please consult with your local authority.
Caution
The use of optical instruments with this
product will increase eye hazard.
CAUTION —INVISIBLE LASER
RADIATION WHEN OPEN
AVOID EXPOSURE TO BEAM
Information
For customers who purchased
this product in the USA
Owner’s Record
The serial number is located at the rear of
the disc compartment lid and the model
number is located at the top and bottom.
Record the serial number in the space
provided below. Refer to them whenever
you call upon your Sony dealer regarding
this product.
Model No. MZ-N1
Serial No.
Product registration
Please register this product on line at
www.sony.com/walkmanreg
<http://www.sony.com/walkmanreg>
Proper registration will enable us to send
you periodic mailings about software
upgrades, new products, services and
other important announcements. Thank
you.
If you have any questions about
this product, you may call:
Sony Customer Information
Services
1-(866)-456-7669
or write to:
Sony Customer Information
Services
12451 Gateway Blvd. Fort Myers,
FL 33913
Do not install the appliance in a
confined space, such as a bookcase or
built-in cabinet.
IN NO EVENT SHALL SELLER BE
LIABLE FOR ANY DIRECT,
INCIDENTAL OR
CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES OF
ANY NATURE, OR LOSSES OR
EXPENSES RESULTING FROM
ANY DEFECTIVE PRODUCT OR
THE USE OF ANY PRODUCT.
WARNING

3
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.
For customers in the USA and
Canada only
The CE mark is valid only for
products marketed in the
European Union.
Declaration of Conformity
Trade Name: SONY
Model No.: MZ-N1
Responsible Party: Sony Electronics
Inc.
Address: 680 Kinderkamack Road,
Oradell, NJ 07649 USA
Telephone No.: 201-930-6972
This device complies with Part 15 of
the FCC Rules. Operation is subject to
the following two conditions: (1) This
device may not cause harmful
interference, and (2) this device must
accept any interference received,
including interference that may cause
undesired operation.
SONY MZ-N1
Tested To Comply
With FCC Standards
FOR HOME OR OFFICE USE
RECYCLING NICKEL METAL
HYDRIDE BATTERIES
Nickel metal
hydride batteries are
recyclable.
You can help
preserve our
environment by
returning your used
rechargeable batteries to the collection
and recycling location nearest you.
For more information regarding
recycling of rechargeable batteries, call
toll free 1-800-822-8837 (the United
States and Canada only), or visit http://
www.rbrc.org/
Caution: Do not handle damaged or
leaking nickel metal hydride batteries.

4
•OpenMG and its logo are trademarks of
Sony Corporation.
•US and foreign patents licenced from
Dolby Laboratories.
•All other trademarks and registered
trademarks are trademarks or registered
trademarks of their respective holders.
•™and ®marks are omitted in this
manual.
This operating instructions explains
how to operate the portable MiniDisc
recorder itself. For details on how to
use the supplied software (OpenMG
Jukebox), refer to the OpenMG
Jukebox Operating Instructions.

5
Notice for users
On the supplied software
•Copyright laws prohibit reproducing the
software or the manual accompanying it
in whole or in part, or renting the
software without the permission of the
copyright holder.
•In no event will SONY be liable for any
financial damage, or loss of profits,
including claims made by third parties,
arising out of the use of the software
supplied with this recorder.
•In the event a problem occurs with this
software as a result of defective
manufacturing, SONY will replace it.
However, SONY bears no other
responsibility.
•The software provided with this
recorder cannot be used with equipment
other than that which is so designated.
•Please note that, due to continued efforts
to improve quality, the software
specifications may be changed without
notice.
•Operation of this recorder with software
other than that provided is not covered
by the warranty.
•Duplication of any or all of the contents
of this software and instruction manual
or lending of this software to third
parties without the express permission
of the copyright holder is strictly
prohibited by copyright law.
•Sony cannot be held liable in any way
for monetary losses, lost profits or
claims from third parties arising from
the use of this software.
•Should any manufacturing defects
occur, Sony’s responsibility shall be
limited solely to replacing said defective
merchandise.
•This software is approved for use only
with the specified equipment.
•Sony reserves the right to change
software specifications without prior
notice.
Program © 2001 Sony Corporation
Documentation © 2002 Sony Corporation

6
Table of contents
Overview .........................................................10
Looking at controls ......................................... 12
Getting started ............................................... 15
Recording an MD right away! (Synchro-
recording) ........................................................ 19
Transferring songs from the computer to the
MiniDisc (Check-out) ......................................24
Playing an MD right away! ..............................26
Various ways of recording .............................. 28
Note on digital and analog recording (Digital input and analog input) 28
Recording in analog (Analog Recording) .............................................29
Long-time recording (MDLP) ..............................................................30
When you do not want “LP:”added automatically at the
beginning of a track .........................................................30
Recording tracks using the group function (Group Mode Recording) .31
To activate the group mode (Group Mode Recording) ..................32
Recording a track into a new group ................................................33
Recording a track into an existing group ........................................33
Recording without overwriting existing material .................................33
Recording from a microphone ..............................................................34
To select microphone sensitivity ....................................................34
Adding track marks automatically (Auto Time Stamp) ........................35
Adjusting the recording level manually (Manual recording) ................36
Checking the remaining recordable time ..............................................37
Setting the clock to stamp the recorded time ........................................38
To display the current time .............................................................39

7
Various ways of playback .............................. 40
Searching for a specific track or a position quickly (Quick Search) .... 40
Using the group function (Group Mode) ............................................. 40
Listening to tracks using the group function
(Group Mode Playback) ................................................. 40
Selecting and playing groups (Group Skip Mode) ........................ 41
Changing a play mode .......................................................................... 42
Creating a Program (Program Play) ............................................... 43
Adjusting treble or bass (Digital Sound Preset) ................................... 44
Selecting the sound quality ............................................................ 44
Adjusting the sound quality ........................................................... 45
To change playback speed (Speed Control) ......................................... 46
Checking the remaining time or the playing position .......................... 47
Connecting to a stereo system (LINE OUT) ........................................ 49
Editing recorded tracks .................................. 50
Labeling/relabeling recordings ............................................................ 50
Labeling recordings ....................................................................... 51
Relabeling recordings .................................................................... 53
Storing phrases frequently used in labeling (Name Bank Function) ... 54
Storing phrases ............................................................................... 54
Using a retrieved phrase for labeling ............................................. 56
Erasing phrases .............................................................................. 57
Registering tracks or groups as a new group (Group Setting) ............. 58
To release a group setting .................................................................... 59
Moving recorded tracks ....................................................................... 60
Moving a track to a different group ..................................................... 61
Changing the order of a group on a disc (Group Move) ...................... 62
Adding a track mark ............................................................................. 63
Erasing a track mark ............................................................................ 64
Erasing tracks ....................................................................................... 64
To erase a track .............................................................................. 65
To erase the whole disc .................................................................. 65
To erase a group ............................................................................. 66

8
Other operation ............................................... 67
Using the alarm (Melody Timer) ..........................................................67
Storing the settings for individual discs (Personal Disc Memory) .......69
Erasing the disc information ...........................................................69
Protecting your hearing (AVLS) ...........................................................70
Turning off the beep sound ...................................................................71
Adjusting the contrast of the display window (Contrast Adjustment) ..72
Locking the controls (HOLD) ...............................................................72
Power sources ................................................ 73
Battery life ......................................................................................73
Additional information .................................... 74
Precautions ............................................................................................74
System limitations .................................................................................77
Troubleshooting ....................................................................................79
List of menus ........................................................................................82
Messages ...............................................................................................90
Specifications ........................................................................................93
Explanations ..........................................................................................94
Index .....................................................................................................95

9

10
Overview
What you can do with your Net MD Walkman
You can easily transfer digital audio files from your computer to the MiniDisc using this
product, and carry it anywhere to enjoy.
1Store digital
audio files on
your computer*.
2Transfer the
files to the
MiniDisc
Walkman.
3Listen to your
MiniDisc
Walkman.
Audio
CDs
MP3, WAV and
Windows Media
Format files
USB connection
* “OpenMG”, a copyright technology that conforms to the SDMI (Secure Digital Music Initiative)
specifications, allows you to record or play digital music while protecting the copyright
privileges of its holders.
** EMD is available only in certain areas of the world.
EMD**
Services

11
Notes on use
The recording may not be completed properly or the recorded data may be lost if:
—you take the disc out of the recorder, remove the recorder from the USB cradle, or
unplug the USB cable during reading or writing of data.
—the disc you used was subjected to static electricity or electrical noise.
Checking the supplied accessories
Supplied accessories
AC power adaptor (1)
USB cradle (1)
Headphones/earphones with a remote control (1)
Optical cable (1)
USB cable (1)
Nickel metal hydride rechargeable battery NH-14WM(A) (1)
CD-ROM (1)*
Dry battery case (1)
Rechargeable battery carrying case (1)
Recordable MD (USA and Canada models only) (1)
Carrying pouch/carrying case with a belt clip (except USA model) (1)
AC plug adaptor (Sony world model only) (1)
∗Do not play a CD-ROM on an audio CD player.
•The recorded music is limited to private use only. Use of the music beyond this limit
requires permission of the copyright holders.
•Sony is not responsible for music files that are not saved on your computer due to
unsuccessful recording from CD or music downloading.

12
Looking at controls
The recorder
AEND SEARCH button
BDisplay window
CVOLUME +/–buttons
The VOLUME + button has a tactile dot.
DBattery compartment
ET MARK button
FHOLD switch (at the rear)
GTerminals for attaching dry battery
case
HDC IN 3V jack
IUSB cradle connecting jack
JControl bar
•Moves the cursor in the display.
•Other operations
KGROUP/CANCEL button
LOPEN switch
MCharge lamp
NJog dial (MENU/ENTER)
OLINE IN (OPT) jack
J
1
2
3
5
4
6
qj
qk
qh
qd
qa
qf
qg
qs
8
9
7
Operation Function
Press N1)
1) The Nbutton has a tactile dot.
play/enter
Press .rewind
Press>fast forward
Flip towards Xpause
Flip towards xstop
Turn to select Push to enter

13
PMIC (PLUG IN POWER) jack
There is a tactile dot beside the MIC
(PLUG IN POWER) jack.
QREC (record) switch
Ri(headphones/earphones)/LINE
OUT jack
The display window of the recorder
ACharacter information display
Displays the disc and track names,
date, error messages, track numbers,
etc.
BGroup indication
CDisc indication
Shows that the disc is rotating for
recording, playing or editing an MD.
DREC indication
Lights up while recording. When
flashing, the recorder is in record
standby mode.
ESYNC (synchro-recording) indication
FPlay mode indication
Shows the play mode (shuffle play,
program play, repeat play, etc.) of the
MD.
GLevel meter
HLP2 (LP2 stereo), LP4 (LP4 stereo),
MONO (monaural) indication
ISound indication
Lights up when Digital Sound Preset
is on.
JBattery indication
Shows approximate battery condition.
KMelody timer indication
1342 56
qa9 q;87

14
The headphones/earphones with a remote control
ADISPLAY button
BPLAY MODE button
CRPT/ENT (repeat/enter) button
DSOUND button
EX(pause) button
FClip
GControl (./N>)
N> : play, AMS, FF
.: REW
Turn or turn and hold to play, fast
forward or rewind.
You can quickly fast forward or
rewind without listening to the
playback sound.
HControl (VOLUME +/–)
Pull and turn to adjust the volume.
IDisplay window
JHOLD switch
Kx(stop) button
May be used as the “Enter”button,
depending on the function.
The display window of the remote control
ATrack number display
BCharacter information display
CDisc indication
DMelody timer indication
EPlay mode indication
FBattery level indication
GREC indication
HSOUND indication
+
–
A B C DE
K
F
IJ
G
H
F
HG
ABCDE

15
Getting started
Charge the rechargeable battery before using. Even if the rechargeable
battery is not charged, you can use the recorder as long as the AC
power adaptor is connected.
1 Insert the rechargeable battery.
e
E
Insert the rechargeable
battery minus end first.
NH-14WM
1
2
4
3
Using the dry battery
Attach the dry battery case to the recorder. Insert the battery minus end first.
Insert a LR6 (size AA) alkaline dry battery.
To operate the recorder for the longest possible time, use the dry battery together with a
fully charged rechargeable battery.
continued

16
2 Charging the rechargeable battery.
1Connect the AC power adaptor to the
USB cradle and the AC adaptor to a wall
outlet.
2Place the recorder on the USB cradle.
While pressing down on the recorder,
tilt it backward to fit it onto the USB
cradle.
3Verify that the charge lamp lights up.
Full charging takes about three and a
half hours. When it is completed, the
charge lamp goes off.
4Remove the recorder from the USB
cradle.
While pressing down on the recorder,
lean it forward to remove it.
For models supplied with the AC plug adaptor
If the AC power adaptor does not fit the wall outlet, use the AC plug adaptor.
AC power
adaptor To DC IN 3V
To a wall
outlet
USB cradle
charge lamp

17
3 Make connections and unlock the
control.
1Connect the headphones/earphones
with the remote control to i/LINE OUT.
2Slide HOLD to the direction of the arrow
(.) in the illustration to unlock the
controls.
z
You can also charge the battery by connecting
the AC power adaptor directly to the recorder.
Connect the AC power adaptor to DC IN 3V on
the recorder, and then flip the control bar
towards xCHG while the recorder is stopped.
Charge lamp lights up and charging starts. Full
charging takes about three and a half hours.
Charging is complete when charge lamp goes
off. Charging time may vary depending on the
battery condition.
Notes
•The supplied USB cradle can be used only
with this recorder. Any other models cannot
be charged.
•Do not use the supplied USB cradle to charge
any other battery besides the supplied one or
the one designated for it (NH-14WM).
•Though the USB cradle, the recorder and the
battery may become hot during the charging
procedure, this poses no danger.
•Be sure to use the supplied AC power adaptor.
•If you are recharging the battery for the first
time or after a long period of disuse, the
battery may not charge up to its rated capacity.
This is a normal characteristic. After you use
and recharge the battery a few times, it will
return to its normal charge capacity.
•When the battery life of a fully charged
rechargeable battery becomes about half the
normal life, replace it.
•If the recorder will not be used for a long
period of time, disconnect the AC power
adaptor from a wall outlet and remove the
recorder from the USB cradle.
•The charge lamp will go off about three and a
half hours after you place the recorder on the
USB cradle. If you remove the recorder from
the USB cradle for 3 minutes or more while it
is charging, the charge lamp will go off and it
will take about three and a half hours for the
lamp to go off from the next time you place
the recorder on the USB cradle.
HOLD
Connect firmly
To i/LINE OUT
Connect firmly

18
•If during operation the recorder stops with
“LOW BATT”in the display, charge the
rechargeable battery. You may be able to
operate the recorder for a while without
charging, however, if you operate the recorder
until the rechargeable battery is completely
discharged, you may not be able to recharge it
again by placing the recorder on the USB
cradle. If this happens, remove the battery
from the recorder once, then reinsert it before
placing the recorder on the USB cradle.
•Please note the following points when
charging the battery directly with the AC
power adaptor.
—If you flip the control bar towards xCHG
immediately after charging has completed,
charging will begin again. If this happens,
flip the bar towards xCHG again to stop
the charging operation since the battery is
already fully charged.
—Charging stops when you try to operate the
recorder during charging.
Battery life
For details, refer to “Battery life”
(page 73).
When recording
(Unit: Approx. hours)
When playing
Batteries SP
Stereo
LP2
Stereo
LP4
Stereo
Nickel metal
hydride
rechargeable
battery
12 17 21
LR6 (SG)
Sony alkaline
dry battery
12 19 23
Nickel metal
hydride
rechargeable
battery
+ One LR6
(SG)
30 43 52
Batteries SP
Stereo
LP2
Stereo
LP4
Stereo
Nickel metal
hydride
rechargeable
battery
30 38 42
LR6 (SG)
Sony alkaline
dry battery
44 52 62
Nickel metal
hydride
rechargeable
battery
+ One LR6
(SG)
79 95 110

19
Recording an MD right away!
(Synchro-recording)
This section explains the basic procedure for making digital
recordings using an optical cable connected to a CD player, Digital
TV or other digital equipment. For further information, see “System
limitations”(page 77). While synchro-recording, the recorder starts
and stops recording in sync with the sound source. Track marks are
added wherever they appear in the sound source. It is recommended to
use the AC power adaptor when recording.
To record from a cassette deck, a radio, etc. t“Recording in analog (Analog Recording)”
(page 29).
To record using group mode t“Recording tracks using the group function (Group Mode
Recording)”(page 31).
1 Insert an MD.
1Slide OPEN to open the lid. 2Insert an MD with the label side facing
front, and press the lid down to close.)
Make sure to
check the
record-protect
tab is closed.
continued

20
2 Make connections. (Insert the cables
firmly and completely into the appropriate jacks.)
3 Record an MD.
1While the recorder is stopped, press
the jog dial.
Menu items appear in the display.
2Turn the jog dial until “SYNC REC”
flashes in the display, and then press to
enter.
3Turn the jog dial until “SYNC ON”
flashes in the display, and then press to
enter.
“SYNC”appears in the display.
4Press and slide REC to the right.
The recorder pauses and stands by for
recording.
5Play the CD or tape you want to record.
The recorder starts recording
automatically when it receives the
playing sound, and “REC”and the REC
LED light up.
Optical cable
POC-15B*,
etc.
to LINE IN (OPT)
Optical plug Optical
mini-plug
CD player, MD
player, DVD
video player, etc.
Portable
CD player,
etc.
to a
wall
outlet
AC power
adaptor
to DC IN 3V
to a digital (optical) out jack
∗See “Optional accessories”(page 93).
REC
Control bar
(x/N/./
>/X)
END SEARCH
Jog dial