Sony MDR-1RNC Manual

MDR-1RNC [US, FR, ES] 4-448-091-41(1)

© 2012 Sony Corporation   Printed in Malaysia

4-448-091-41(1)

Do not expose the battery to excessive heat such as direct 
sunlight, fire or the like.

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.

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If you have any questions about this product, you may call:
Sony Customer Information Service Center 1-800-222-7669 
or http://www.sony.com/

Trade Name: 

SONY

Model No.: 

MDR-1RNC

Responsible Party:  Sony Electronics Inc.
Address: 

16530 Via Esprillo, San Diego,  
CA 92127 USA

Telephone No.: 

858-942-2230

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.

The validity of the CE marking is restricted to only those 
countries where it is legally enforced, mainly in the countries 
EEA (European Economic Area).

This Class B digital apparatus complies with Canadian  
ICES-003.

Full

Blinks 3 times 

*

No beep



Blinks 2 times 

*

No beep

Low

Blinks 1 time 

*

No beep

Empty

Blinks quickly  
(30 seconds)

Long beep  
(2 seconds)

* 

When turning off the power of the headphones.

1

2

3

4

Turn off the power of the headphones

Éteignez le casque

Apague los auriculares

Charging

On

Full

Off

Charging malfunction Blinks

Single press

Plays/pauses a track of the 
connected iPod.

Double press

Skips to the next track.

Triple press

Skips to the previous track.

Long press

Starts the “VoiceOver

*

” feature (if 

available).

Press once when call is 
incoming

Answers the call.

Press again

Ends the call.

Hold down for about 
two seconds and 
release

Rejects an incoming call (two 
low beeps confirm the call was 
rejected).

*

 Availability of the “VoiceOver” feature depends on iPod 

and its software version.

Be careful not to unintentionally press any buttons when 
you carry your iPod with this headphones connected.

The Automatic AI Noise Canceling function constantly 
analyzes environmental ambient sound components and 
automatically selects the most effective noise canceling 
mode.

NC Mode A:  Noise mainly in an airplane is effectively 

reduced.

NC Mode B:  Noise mainly in a bus or a train is effectively 

reduced.

NC Mode C:  Noise mainly found in an office environment 

(PC, copier, air ventilation, etc.) is effectively 
reduced.

When the headphones are turned on, NC Mode A is set.
It may take a few seconds to analyze the environmental 
ambient sound.

The noise canceling circuit actually senses outside noise 
with built-in microphones and sends an equal-but-opposite 
canceling signal to the headphones.

Adjust the earpads so that they cover your ears, otherwise 
noise canceling will not function properly.
The noise canceling effect may vary depending on how 
you wear the headphones.
Do not cover the microphone of the headphones with 
your hands. The noise canceling function may not work 
properly.

Microphone

After you turn on the power of the headphones, you may 
hear a slight hiss. This is the operating sound of the noise 
canceling function, not a malfunction.
The noise canceling function works for noise in the low 
frequency band primarily. Although noise is reduced, it is 
not canceled completely.
The noise canceling effect may not be pronounced in a 
very quiet environment, or some noise may be heard.
When you use the headphones in a train or a car, noise 
may occur depending on street conditions.
Howling may occur if you do not wear the headphones 
correctly.

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Howling may occur if you place an object such as finger 
close to inside of the headphones. Keep it away from the 
headphones.
Mobile phones may cause interference and noise. Should 
this occur, locate the headphones further away from the 
mobile phone.

Do not use the headphones when use of electronic 
equipment is prohibited or when use of personal 
headphones for in-flight entertainment services is 
prohibited.

Charge the headphones using the supplied micro-USB 
cable. Otherwise, it may cause a malfunction.
Charge in an environmental temperature of between 5°C 
and 35°C. Otherwise, the battery may not fully charge.
Do not store the headphones in hot places for a long time. 
When storing it for more than a year, charge the battery 
once a year to prevent over discharge.
For system requirements for a computer that can charge 
the battery using USB, see “System requirements for 
battery charge using USB”.
If you recharge the headphones by connecting to an AC 
outlet, use the separately-sold USB AC Adaptor specific in 
“Recommended accessory (sold separately)”. For details, 
refer to the operating instructions supplied with the 
adaptor.
If the headphones are malfunctioning, charging will not 
start and the charging indicator will blink. In this case, 
disconnect the unit from the connected device, and 
consult your place of purchase, or a Sony dealer.

Because the headphones are designed to fit closely in your 
ears, forcing them against your ears may result in eardrum 
damage. Avoid using the headphones where they are 
liable to be struck by people or other objects, such as a 
ball, etc.
Pressing the headphones against your ears may produce a 
diaphragm click sound. This is not a malfunction.
Clean the headphones with a soft dry cloth.
Do not leave the plug dirty otherwise the sound may be 
distorted.
Be sure to consult a Sony dealer when the earpads 
become dirty or damaged, or when the headphones 
require repair work.
Do not leave the headphones in a location subject to 
direct sunlight, heat or moisture.
Do not subject the headphones to excessive shock.
Handle the driver units carefully.
If you feel drowsy or sick while using this headphones, 
stop use immediately.

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Volume+
Volume+
Volumen+

Center button
Bouton central
Botón central

Volume–
Volume–
Volumen–

Microphone
Micro
Micrófono

Charging indicator
Témoin de charge
Indicador de recarga

Micro-USB cable
Micro-câble USB
Cable micro-USB

Tactile dot (on the left)
Point tactile (à gauche)
Punto táctil (a la 
izquierda)

iPod/iPhone/iPad
iPod/iPhone/iPad
iPod/iPhone/iPad

Inline remote and microphone cord for iPod/iPhone/iPad
Cordon du micro et distant en série pour iPod/iPhone/iPad
Cable con control remoto y micrófono integrados para iPod/iPhone/iPad

High volume may affect your hearing. For traffic 
safety, do not use while driving or cycling.

As headphones reduce outside sounds, they may cause a 
traffic accident. Also, avoid listening with your headphones 
in situations where hearing must not be impaired, for 
example, a railroad crossing, a construction site, etc.

In particularly dry air conditions, noise or sound skipping 
may occur, or mild tingling may be felt on your ears. This is a 
result of static electricity accumulated in the body, and not a 
malfunction of the headphones.
The effect can be minimized by wearing clothes made from 
natural materials.

If you have any questions or problems concerning the 
system that are not covered in this manual, please consult 
the nearest Sony dealer.

Recharge the headphones.
You can listen to the music using the headphones even 
when the POWER switch is set to “OFF”. In this case, the 
noise canceling function, Digital Equalizer, S-Master and 
DSEE are not active, and the headphones operate as 
passive headphones.
Check that the rechargeable battery is not depleted.
Check the connection of the headphones and the 
equipment.
Check that the connected equipment is turned on.
Turn up the volume of the connected equipment.

The noise canceling function is effective in low frequency 
ranges such as airplanes, trains, or offices (near air-
conditioning, etc.) and is not as effective for higher 
frequencies, such as human voices.
Turn on the headphones.

Turn down the volume of the connected equipment.
Recharge the headphones.

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Recharge the headphones. 
If the power does not turn on, even after charging the 
headphones, the rechargeable battery may be damaged. 
In this case, consult your place of purchase or a Sony 
dealer.

Check that the charging indicator is lights up.
Connect the headphones and the micro-USB cable 
securely.
Check that the micro-USB cable and the computer are 
firmly connected.
Check that the micro-USB cable and the computer are 
directly connected; not via a USB hub.
Check the system requirements for a computer that can 
charge the battery using USB.
Check that the computer is turned on.
Check that the computer is not in standby, sleep or 
hibernation mode.
If the charging indicator blinks (blinking patterns: about 30 
seconds on and 3 seconds off), you are using an adaptor 
other than the recommended one. Use a USB AC Adaptor 
specified in “Recommended accessory (sold separately)”.
If the charging indicator blinks, the headphones may be 
malfunctioning. Disconnect the unit from the connected 
device, and consult your place of purchase, or a Sony 
dealer.

Check that the micro-USB cable and the computer are 
firmly connected.
Disconnect the micro-USB cable from the computer and 
connect again.
Check that the micro-USB cable and the computer are 
directly connected; not via a USB hub.
There may be a problem with the connected USB port 
of the computer. Connect to another USB port if it is 
available.
Try the USB connection procedure again in cases other 
than those stated above.

Set the POWER switch of the headphones to “OFF”, 
confirm the connections, and then set the POWER switch 
back to “ON”.
Reset the headphones. 
Insert a small pin, etc. into the RESET button on the left 
housing, and press until the button slightly rebounds.

Check if the cord is connected correctly. Connect 
the L type plug to the iPod and the other plug to the 
headphones.

Digital Noise Canceling with Dual Noise Sensor 
Technology
Microphones both inside and outside the housings are 
combined with digital noise canceling software engine to 
deliver significant noise canceling performance.
Automatic AI (Artificial Intelligence) Noise Canceling 
function.
Automatic selection of the optimal noise canceling mode 
based on intelligent analysis of environmental ambient 
noise.
Digital Equalizer and full digital S-Master amplifier
Delivers ideal frequency response and high-quality music 
reproduction with full digital processing.
DSEE
Offers natural sound with a spacious feel by restoring 
high-frequency range sound and the tail shape of the 
waveform likely to be removed through the audio 
compression process.
Up to 22 hours of listening time
Passive operation
Allows audio listening even when the headphones power 
is turned off.
Detachable cord

Type 

Closed, dynamic

Driver units 

50 mm, dome type

Power handling capacity
 

100 mW

Impedance 

51 Ω at 1 kHz (when the power is on)

 

19 Ω at 1 kHz (when the power is off)

Sensitivity 

103 dB/mW (when the power is on)

 

100 dB/mW (when the power is off)

Frequency response
 

5 Hz – 24,000 Hz

Total Noise Suppression Ratio 

1)

 

Approx. 25 dB 

2)

Power source 

DC 3.7 V Built-in lithium-ion rechargeable 
battery or DC 5 V USB

Mass 

Approx. 330 g (11.7 oz) (without cord)

Talk microphone Open circuit voltage level (Inline remote 
and microphone cord for iPod/iPhone/iPad)
 

–42 dB (0 dB = 1 V/Pa)

4 hours 

4)

22 hours 

5)

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Headphones (1)
Inline remote and microphone cord for iPod/iPhone/iPad 
(1.2 m (47 1/4 in) cord, using PCOCC, four-conductor gold 
plated L-shaped stereo mini plug) (1)
Micro-USB cable (1.5 m (59 1/8 in)) (1)
Carrying case (1)
Operating Instructions (1)
Warranty card (1)

USB AC Adaptor: AC-UD20

1)

 Under the Sony measurement standard.

2)

 Equivalent to approx. 99.7% reduction of energy of sound 

compared with not wearing headphones.

3)

 At 1 kHz, 0.1 mW + 0.1 mW output

4)

 Hours required to fully charge an empty battery

5)

 Time stated above may vary, depending on the 

temperature or conditions of use.

6)

 Availability depends on the country.

Design and specifications are subject to change without 
notice.

You can use the headphones with only the following models 
supporting remote control. Update your iPod, iPhone or 
iPad to the latest software before use. In the Operating 
Instructions, iPod, iPhone and iPad are collectively described 
as “iPod” except in special cases.

iPod touch (4th generation)
iPod touch (3rd generation)
iPod touch (2nd generation)
iPod nano (6th generation)
iPod nano (5th generation)
iPod nano (4th generation)
iPod classic 120GB 160GB (2009)
iPod shuffle (4th generation)
iPod shuffle (3rd generation)
iPhone 4S
iPhone 4
iPhone 3GS
iPad (3rd generation)
iPad 2
iPad

iPad, iPhone, iPod, iPod classic, iPod nano, iPod shuffle, and 
iPod touch are trademarks of Apple Inc., registered in the 
U.S. and other countries.
“Made for iPod”, “Made for iPhone”, and “Made for iPad” mean 
that an electronic accessory has been designed to connect 
specifically to iPod, iPhone, or iPad, respectively, and has 
been certified by the developer to meet Apple performance 
standards. Apple is not responsible for the operation of this 
device or its compliance with safety and regulatory standards.

Personal Computer with pre-installed with any of the 
following operating systems and USB port:

When using Windows

®

Windows

®

 7 

(Home Premium / Professional / Ultimate / Starter) 
(including 64 bit version)
Windows Vista

®

 (Service Pack 2 or later) 

(Home Basic / Home Premium / Business / Ultimate) 
(including 64 bit version)
Windows

®

 XP (Service Pack 3 or later) 

(Home Edition / Professional / Media Center Edition 2004 / 
Media Center Edition 2005)

When using Macintosh
Mac OS X (version.10.5 or later)

Windows and Windows Vista are registered trademarks or 
trademarks of Microsoft Corporation in the United States 
and/or other countries.
Macintosh and Mac OS are trademarks of Apple Inc., 
registered in the U.S. and other countries.

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Noise Canceling 

Headphones

Operating Instructions

Mode d’emploi

Manual de instrucciones

US

FR

ES

MDR-1RNC

L

 indication

Indication L
Indicación L

R

 indication

Indication R
Indicación R