Features
Changer Controls
Note

Features

Motorized Tray CD Mechanism: When loading a CD, the motorized face folds down and the motorized tray extends. After the disc is loaded, the tray retracts and the face returns to its normal position. The motorized tray mechanism does more than just add ease of operation, and impressive motorized function. It helps to seal the playback chamber, keeping CDs dust-free, and isolates the playback process from airborne vibration, especially in extreme SPL conditions. Note: Please allow at least 4.5" in front of the face for the motorized tray mechanism to open and close.

Spectrum Analyzer: You may select from 10 spectrum analyzer patterns, turn the spectrum analyzer off, or select auto mode, which cycles through all 10 display patterns. When the spectrum analyzer feature is active, the selected spectrum analyzer appears along the lower portion of the display window.

Contrast Adjustment: The display contrast may be adjusted for optimum readability.

Display Color: You can select from the following display colors: aqua, blue, white, green, green-yellow, orange, or violet.

Dual Info Display: The center portion of the display can be set to show the source name (FM1, FM2, CD, etc.) or the clock, while the main display line shows CD Text, track number and elapsed time, or the tuner frequency.

XM Satellite Radio Controls: This unit can control an optional Sony XM tuner (sold separately). The optional tuner, along with an antenna and subscription, will allow you to receive XM Satellite Radio. XM Satellite Radio programming features up to 100 channels of digital-quality music, news, talk, sports, entertainment, and children's programming.

Source Tone Memory: Each source (Radio/CD/Changer/Aux) can store its own bass and treble levels.

EQ7: You may select one of the following EQ presets: Vocal, Club, Jazz, New Age, Rock, Xplod, or Custom. For each preset, you can adjust the following frequencies: 62Hz, 157Hz, 396Hz, 1kHz, 2.5kHz, 6.3kHz, and 16kHz. The level of each frequency can be adjusted from +10dB to -10dB in 1dB increments.

Dynamic Soundstage Organizer (DSO): When the DSO function is used in a vehicle equipped with speakers mounted low in the front doors, it creates virtual speakers in the dash to raise the soundstage.

SSIR-EXA Adaptive Reception: The SSIR-EXA tuner is equipped with "Adaptive Reception". The Adaptive Reception feature has two modes ("IF Auto" and "Wide") for optimizing FM reception. The "Wide" mode decreases the tuner's selectivity but results in better frequency response. The "IF Auto" mode automatically adjusts the tuner for a good balance between frequency response and minimum station-to-station interference. The Adaptive Reception feature cannot be turned off.

Best Tuning Memory (BTM): This feature selects stations with the strongest signals within the selected band and stores them in order of their frequency.

Station Memo: You can assign a name of up to 8 characters in length to each tuner preset station. Station Memos can be used with the List-up function to locate a station.

G-Protection: G-Protection offers superior protection against mis-tracking, providing virtually skip-free playback. G-Protection features a motorized tray isolated from shock by gel filled dampers, a Quick Focus pickup and a 3 second electronic memory circuit, which acts as a buffer. Unlike other skip protection systems, G-Protection doesn't need a huge memory buffer to prevent skipping. Instead, the mechanical components of the G-Protection system do most of the work, and the 3 second buffer plays only a small part in skip prevention.

MP3 Playback: This unit can play MP3 files recorded on CD-ROM, CD-R, and CD-RW discs in ISO9660 Level 1/Level 2, Joliet, and Romeo formats. Each disc should have a maximum of 8 trees, 255 folders, and 512 files/folders. During MP3 playback, the following functions are available:

• Folder up/down
• File up/down
• File audible search
• Locating a Folder by Name: scrolling through the names of folders, you can directly access the folder you want
• Locating a File by Name: scrolling through the names of files, you can directly access the file you want
• Random Play: all files in a folder are played in random order
• File Repeat Play: repeats the current file
• Folder Repeat Play: repeats the current folder
• Resume Play: if the unit is shut off or switched to the tuner mode while an MP3 CD is playing, the next time CD is selected as the source, playback will resume from the point where it left off
• ID3 Tag Display: displays ID3 Tag information for files that have been recorded with ID3 tag information

Mono Subwoofer Preamp Outputs: In addition to stereo front and rear preamp outputs, this unit includes one set of mono subwoofer preamp outputs. Although there are two female RCA subwoofer outputs, the same signal is carried by both connections. A low-pass filter (see below) can be used to filter high frequencies from the signals output by the subwoofer outs.

High-pass Filter: The front and rear preamp outputs have a selectable high-pass filter that may be set to 78Hz, 125Hz, or off.

Low-pass Filter: The subwoofer preamp outputs have a selectable low-pass filter that may be set to 78Hz, 125Hz, or off.

Auxiliary Input: Stereo RCA preamp inputs are hardwired to the back of the unit on a 9" lead, allowing you to connect a portable audio source. Just connect your portable cassette, MD or MP3 player to this unit, and you can listen to the audio from the portable player through the speakers in your mobile audio system. You can adjust the level of the auxiliary input from -6dB to +6dB in 1dB increments.

Wired Remote Compatibility: In addition to the supplied wireless remote, the receiver can be controlled by an optional wired rotary commander (item 158RMX4S or 158RMX5S). Once the wired remote is connected, you can use the menu system to change the control direction of the remote, depending on which side of the steering wheel you choose to mount the remote.

Cellular Mute Lead: This unit is equipped with a lead that mutes audio output when a cellular call is received, then restores the level once the call is over. To use this feature, you must have a cellular phone with a muting output that can be connected to the cellular mute lead.

Dimmer: This unit is equipped with a wire that Sony calls an illumination lead, however, it acts as a dimmer lead. When the dimmer mode is set to "Auto" and the illumination lead receives power, the display dims to a preset level. The display brightness is not affected by the vehicle's dimmer control. Also, the dimmer feature may be turned off, so dimming does not take place when the illumination lead receives power. You may choose to dim the display at all times by setting the dimmer mode to "On". Note: For this feature to work, the unit's illumination wire must be connected to your vehicle's dash lights wire.

Changer Controls

Multiple Changer Controls: A maximum of 5 CD changers, 5 CD/MP3 changers, or 5 MD changers may be connected to this receiver. When connecting CD, CD/MP3 and MD changers, you may connect up to a total of 7 changers (but there must not be more than 5 of one type of changer). When connecting more than one changer to this receiver, you must use item 158XAC30.

Changer Controls: In addition to basic disc navigation features, this unit has the following changer controls: track repeat, disc repeat, disc random, changer random (plays all the tracks in the current changer in random order), and all random, which plays the tracks from the disc loaded in the head unit and all connected changers in random order.

CD/MP3 Changer Controls: When a CD/MP3 changer is connected to this unit, you can perform the following functions: disc skip, track skip, audible track search, album skip, track repeat, album repeat, disc repeat, disc random, album random, changer random (plays all the tracks in the current changer in random order), and all random, which plays the tracks from the disc loaded in the head unit and all connected changers in random order.

CD Text/MD Memo Display: When used with a compatible CD changer and a CD Text encoded CD, this unit will display the CD Text information. When using a compatible Sony MD changer, this receiver can display disc and track names that have been prerecorded on MDs.

ID3 Tag Display: When a changer capable of playing MP3 files is connected, this unit will display ID3 Tag information.

Disc Memo: When a changer with the Custom File function is connected to this unit, you can enter names, up to 8 characters long, into memory for up to 110 discs. After a disc has been given a custom title, you may search for the disc, by title, using the List-up function.

Auto Scroll: If the text being displayed exceeds 9 characters and the Auto Scroll function is on, the information will automatically scroll across the screen.

Memory Stick Player Compatible: This unit can control compatible Sony Mobile Memory Stick players.

Note

Display Illumination/Clock Display: Pressing the Off button once will turn off audio output, but the clock display and face/button illumination remain on. This makes the clock display and face/button illumination "Keyed" instead of "Unit On" only. To turn the unit off completely, you must press the Off button for two seconds. Note: When installing in a vehicle without an accessory power wire at the radio location, you must turn the radio completely off (this defeats keyed operation), or you may wire the accessory power wire of this radio to an alternate source of accessory power to retain keyed clock and face/button illumination operation.