Radio

[sfbp]

I am about to take possession of a Sony MD with a radio remote. I have a couple of questions:

1. Will that radio work in anything except the model it was designed for? Including *other* radio-included models and also the plain ones?

2. The manuals repeatedly state that you cannot record from the tuner. Is it not possible to take a 3.5 mm cable from the tuner to the line input (assuming that there is one)? I realise that might be a silly way to do it, but I am (just) curious.....

Stephen

[KJ_Palmer]

Some of the Sony radio remotes are interchangeable to an extent. The one for the MZ-G750 works with the MZ-G755, in fact I believe they're the same, though they won't work with the Hi-MD models.

Meanwhile, the MZ-NHF800 can use the remote from the MZ-N610/N810, and the MZ-NH700 can also fully use these remotes (RM-MC37LT) and it's not even a designated radio model! They can be picked up quite cheaply on eBay, and I've equipped my 3 NH700s with these and bought a few spares.

The bad news is there's no way to record from the tuner on the (same unit anyway), as the MD functions completely switch off when the radio is on and vice-versa. I've never seen a hack to do this either, but at a guess it may be possible.

[sfbp]

Some of the Sony radio remotes are interchangeable to an extent. The one for the MZ-G750 works with the MZ-G755, in fact I believe they're the same, though they won't work with the Hi-MD models.

Meanwhile, the MZ-NHF800 can use the remote from the MZ-N610/N810, and the MZ-NH700 can also fully use these remotes (RM-MC37LT) and it's not even a designated radio model! They can be picked up quite cheaply on eBay, and I've equipped my 3 NH700s with these and bought a few spares.

The bad news is there's no way to record from the tuner on the (same unit anyway), as the MD functions completely switch off when the radio is on and vice-versa. I've never seen a hack to do this either, but at a guess it may be possible.

Interesting! So there is some intelligence in the MD unit apart from just supplying power. Looks like the NH700 might be a special case, but of course when my NF610 arrives I will probably switch everything around just for fun, unless you think I might damage something.

[Strungup]

well also If you tried to record from its own headphone out back to the Line input , you would create a Feedback loop , that would destroy the sound . and possibly damage the unit .

visualize :> >>>> Headphone ( which outputs the sound of the unit "All sounds" ) into Line in > Line Is recording but the recorded sound is being output , so now you have TWO sounds coming to the heaphones The Radio , and the Recording , which are slight out of sync with eah other and get what is called "Gain Stacked "

The Gain of one PLUS the Gain of the Second ,........ in turn a Feedback loop results in which the gains of each keep getting added to each other . and then a VERY LOUD Squeel is what you will get .

It is inherent in a closed system .

[sfbp]

well also If you tried to record from its own headphone out back to the Line input , you would create a Feedback loop , that would destroy the sound . and possibly damage the unit .

visualize :> >>>> Headphone ( which outputs the sound of the unit "All sounds" ) into Line in > Line Is recording but the recorded sound is being output , so now you have TWO sounds coming to the heaphones The Radio , and the Recording , which are slight out of sync with eah other and get what is called "Gain Stacked "

The Gain of one PLUS the Gain of the Second ,........ in turn a Feedback loop results in which the gains of each keep getting added to each other . and then a VERY LOUD Squeel is what you will get .

It is inherent in a closed system .

That's weird. I assumed the headphones were plugged into the output of the radio, not the output of the MD. In which case there's no such loop?

[Strungup]

That's weird. I assumed the headphones were plugged into the output of the radio, not the output of the MD. In which case there's no such loop?

The Output of the headphones IS the output of the MD , the MD 's amp is what drives the phones , not the remote.

[sfbp]

ahhh.. there's nothing except control in the remote.

Thanks for the explanation. I guess I might not have asked such a dumb question with the unit actually in my hand.

[KJ_Palmer]

That's right, though it's a moot point anyway as the MD part doesn't operate with the radio on, not even the display. My Sharp MD/Radio combo (MD-MT285) is the same. They possibly separated the radio from the unit because too much interference with the digital circuitry or something. It's a shame as even my old sony cassettte walkman can record the radio, which is truly built in, as can some cheap MP3 players (not that I've ever tried). Oh well.

[Strungup]

Interference from digital circuits is part of the reason , Yes the old analouge tape decks can do that because the output is mulled , only the Rec Head of the Tape deck is working , so the Play head is shut off ,

I think that MD could have done it , but the bypass circuit might take up what little room was left in the Md ( Which isnt much as we all know )