Overview:
The Kenwood KDC-138 AM/FM CD receiver features a detachable face, front
auxiliary input, selectable rear/sub 2-volt preamp output and CD-R/CD-RW playback
capabilities. The units amplifier is rated at 22 watts x 4 channel RMS and 50
watts x 4 channel peak.
Display Features
Audio Section
Radio Functions
Disc Playback
Aux Connection
Display Features
Detachable Face:
The unit features a single front loading CD face that detaches from the chassis
to deter theft.
Note: No face case is included with this unit. An
optional soft face case (142DFC1X,
sold separately) can be purchased for this unit.
Display:
The KDC-138 uses a black background display with white characters. The unit
displays the following information in the following modes.
- AM/FM Tuner: displays EQ setting, Stereo indicator, Band
display, Preset station number (if applicable), Station frequency, Tuning
indicator, CRSC indicator, CD loaded indicator and clock (when selected)
- CD:
displays EQ setting, CD loaded indicator, Track number and track elapsed
time or clock (when selected)
- AUX:
displays EQ setting, "AUX" indicator, CD loaded indicator and clock (when
selected)
- Standby:
displays CD loaded indicator, "STBY" indicator, and clock (when selected)
Display Illumination/Clock
Display: When the unit is in Standby mode, the face and button illumination
is "keyed." When the Clock Display is turned on and
the unit is in Standby mode, the Clock Display is also "keyed." Pressing and
holding the source button turns the unit off completely.
Audio Section
Rotary Volume Control: The CD
receiver uses a rotary volume control that increases and decreases the volume of
the stereo from 0 to 35. The rotary knob also controls other audio settings such
as Balance, Fader, Bass, Mid, Treble and preset EQ settings.
Volume Offset: The level of
each source may be independently adjusted to prevent radical leaps in output
volume when switching from one source to another. The available settings range
from -8 to 0.
Speaker Settings: The Speaker
Setting function tailors the System Q Sound Control settings according to the
type of speakers in your vehicle. You may select a Speaker Setting of "SP-F"
(flat/off), "SP-O" (for OEM factory speaker systems), "SP-6" (for systems with 6"
and 6"x9" speakers), or "SP-5" (for systems with 4" and 5" speakers).
System Q Sound Control: The following six EQ curves are preset into memory, allowing you to recall the
best preset EQ curve for different types of music: Rock, Pops, Easy, Top 40,
Jazz, and Flat.
Bass/Treble/Mid Control: The
KDC-138 features independent Bass, Treble and Midrange control. You can adjust
each one from -8 to +8db.
Bass Boost: The Kenwood CD
receiver also features a Bass Boost control that can be set to the following
levels - BB1, BB2 or Off.
Fader/Balance Control: The
KDC-138 CD receiver feature balance and fade controls from Left15 to Right15 and
Rear15 to Front15. The CD receiver uses a Type 1 and Type 5 fader. When the
preamp output is set to "Rear" the receiver uses a Type-5 fader that allows you
to fade between the front speaker channels and the rear speaker channels along
with the rear preamp output. When the preamp output is set to "Subwoofer" the
receiver uses the type 1 fader which only allows fading between the front and
rear speaker channels while the subwoofer preamp output is non-fading .
Selectable Preamp Output: The KDC-138
features a preamp output that you can adjust from a full-range rear speaker
preamp
output to a low-pass subwoofer preamp output.
Low Pass Filter: The receiver
features a built-in Low Pass Filter control for the preamp-output when the
output is set to Sub. You can select from 80, 120, 160 or off.
Subwoofer Level: Once you have
switched the preamp output to "subwoofer" you can independently control the
subwoofer preamp output level from the CD receiver. You select levels between
-15 to +15.
Tel Mute: The KDC-138 features
a cell-phone mute wire (brown) in its harness that when hooked up to your car's
phone system mute wire will automatically mute the receiver's audio signal when
a call comes in.
Radio Functions
CR-2 Advanced Tuner: This unit
uses Kenwood's CR-2 Advanced tuner for clear radio reception. You can choose one
of three tuning modes: Auto 1 (seek tuning), Auto 2 (cycles through and tunes
the selected band's preset stations only with each button press), or Manual.
Auto Memory Tuning: Not only
does the CD receiver's tuner allow you manually enter your desired presets you
can choose to have the unit automatically put stations with good reception in
the memory banks automatically; this is a handy feature when traveling. The
tuner features 3 FM banks (1, 2, 3) and 1 AM bank. You can store 6 presets for
each AM/FM bank giving you a total of 18 FM presets and 6 AM presets.
Clean Reception System Circuit
(CRSC): This circuit controls multi-path distortion by reducing stereo
separation. As stereo separation is reduced, multi-path has less effect on the
radio signal, improving reception in areas with tall buildings and mountains.
The CRSC circuit can be turned on or off.
Disc Playback
Disc Compatibility:
The unit features a single disc player that will playback CD and finalized
CD-R/CD-RW audio discs.
Note:
This unit will not playback MP3 or WMA
discs. The unit will also not playback 3" discs.
CD Playback Options: The
KDC-138 offers the following CD playback features.
- Pause: stops play of your
disc temporarily
- Fast Forward/Rewind: allows you to fast forward or rewind within a track of a disc
- Track Search: allows you
to skip to the previous or next track on the disc
- Repeat: repeats single
track on disc
- Random: plays all the
songs on the disc in random order
- Scan: plays the first part
of each song on the disc you are listening to
Last Position Memory:
If the unit is shut off or switched to the tuner mode while a CD is playing, the
next time CD is selected as the source, playback will resume from the point
where it left off.
Off Eject: The KDC-138 allows
you to eject your disc for 10 minutes after switching off the vehicles engine.
Aux Connection
AUX In: The unit is equipped
with a front panel 3.5mm minijack auxiliary input that can be used to input
audio from a portable audio source such as an MP3 player. The AUX input can be
turned "off" in the menu if you do not want to cycle through this source if you
choose not to use the AUX input.
