Sony MHC-EC55 Leaflet

MHC-GX99/EC77/EC55.GB.2-899-084-11(1)

Use buttons on the remote to create your own program.

Press CD  to select the CD function.

Press PLAY MODE  repeatedly until “PGM” appears 

while the player is stopped.

Press DISC SKIP  to select a disc.

Press / (or 

/ on the unit)  

repeatedly until the desired track number appears.
When programing MP3 files, press   +/–  

repeatedly to select the desired folder, and then select 

the desired file. 

Selected track or file number

Total playing time of the 

selected track

Press ENTER  to add the track or file to the 

program.

Repeat steps 3 through 5 to program additional 

tracks or files, up to a total of 25 tracks or files.

To play your program of tracks or files, press  (or 

CD  on the unit) .
The program remains available until you open the disc 

tray. To play the same program again, select the CD 

function, and press  (or CD  on the unit) .

Press PLAY MODE  repeatedly until “PGM” 

disappears while the player is stopped.

Press CLEAR  on the remote while the player is 

stopped.

Press DISPLAY  repeatedly.

You can preset your favorite radio stations and tune 

them in instantly by selecting the corresponding preset 

number. 

Tune in the desired station (See “Listening to the 

radio”

).

Press TUNER MEMORY  on the remote.

Preset number

Press +/– (or TUNING + or – on the unit)  

repeatedly to select your desired preset number.
If another station is already assigned to the selected 

preset number, the station is replaced by the new 

stations.

Press ENTER  on the remote.

Repeat steps 1 through 4 to store other stations.
You can preset up to 20 FM and 10 AM stations. The 

preset stations are retained for about half a day even 

if you disconnect the power cord or if a power failure 

occurs.

To call up a preset radio station, press TUNING 

MODE  repeatedly until “PRESET” appears, and 

then press +/– (or TUNING + or – on the unit)  

repeatedly to select the desired preset number.

Use a TYPE I (normal) tape only. 
You can record just the portions you like from a sound 

source, including connected audio components.
Use buttons on the unit to control tape recording.

Insert a recordable tape into the cassette holder 

with the side you want to record facing up.

Prepare the recording source.
Select the desired source to record.

Place the disc you want to record and press DISC 

SKIP/EX-CHANGE  to select a disc.

When recording a folder from an MP3 disc, press 

PLAY MODE  repeatedly to select “ ,” and then 

press   +/–  repeatedly to select the desired 

folder.

To record only your favorite CD tracks or MP3 files in 

your desired order, perform steps 2 to 5 of “Creating 

your own CD program.”

Start recording.
Press  (record) , and then start playing the 

desired recording source.

The CD starts playing automatically after 10 seconds 

have passed.

If there is noise while recording from the tuner, 

reposition the appropriate antenna to reduce the 

noise.

While recording, you cannot listen to other sources.

Press  .
Tip

We recommend that you press   first, and then press   to 

avoid noise being recorded when you stop recording.

The system offers two timer functions. If you use both 

timers, the Sleep Timer has priority. 

You can fall asleep to music. This function works even if 

the clock is not set.

Press SLEEP  on the remote repeatedly. If you select 

“AUTO,” the system automatically turns off after the 

current disc or tape stops or in 100 minutes.

If the tape deck is still playing or recording at the set 

time, the system turns off after the tape deck stops.

You can wake up to CD or tuner at a preset time. 
Use buttons on the remote to control the Play Timer. 

Make sure you have set the clock.

Prepare the sound source.
Prepare the sound source, and then press VOLUME 

+/–  to adjust the volume. 

To start from a specific CD track or MP3 file, create 

your own CD program.

Press CLOCK/TIMER SET .

Press /  repeatedly to select “PLAY,” and 

then press ENTER .
“ON TIME” appears, and the hour indication flashes.

Set the time to start playing.
Press 

/  repeatedly to set the hour, and 

then press ENTER .
The minute indication flashes. Use the procedure 

above to set the minutes.

Use the same procedure as in step 4 to set the time 

to stop playing.

Select the sound source.
Press /  repeatedly until the desired 

sound source appears, and then press ENTER . The 

display shows the timer settings.

Press   to turn off the system.
If the system is on at the preset time, the Play Timer 

will not play.

Press CLOCK/TIMER SELECT , press / 

 repeatedly until “PLAY SEL” appears, and then press 

ENTER .

Repeat the same procedure as above until “OFF” appears, 

and then press ENTER .

Start over from step 1.
Tip

The Play Timer setting remains as long as the setting is not canceled 

manually.

Make sure the power cord and speaker cords are 

correctly and firmly connected.

Find your problem in the checklist below, and take 

the indicated corrective action.
If the issue persists, contact your nearest Sony dealer.

Immediately unplug the power cord, and check the 

following item.

 If your system has a voltage selector, is the voltage 

selector set to the correct voltage?

After the STANDBY indicator  on the unit stops 

flashing, reconnect the power cord, and turn on the 

system. If the issue persists, contact your nearest Sony 

dealer.

 Is the power cord plugged in?

 Is the voltage selector set correctly to match the 

local power line voltage? Saudi Arabian models also 

may not turn on when the voltage selector is set to 

NO OPERATION.

 Are the + and – speaker cords short-circuited?

 Are you using only the supplied speakers?

 Is anything blocking the ventilation holes on the back 

of the system?

 Place the speakers as symmetrically as possible.

 Connect only the supplied speakers.

 Move the system away from sources of noise.

 Connect the system to a different wall socket.

 Install a noise filter (available separately) to the power cord.

 Remove any obstacles between the remote and the 

remote sensor  on the unit, and position the unit 

away from fluorescent lights.

 Point the remote at the system’s sensor.

 Move the remote closer to the system.

 Wipe the disc clean, and replace it.

 Move the system to a location away from vibration (for 

example, on top of a stable stand).

 Move the speakers away from the system, or place them 

on separate stands. At high volume, speaker vibration 

may cause the sound to skip.

 Return to Normal Play by pressing PLAY MODE  

repeatedly until both “PGM” and “SHUF” disappear.

 The following discs take a longer time to start playback.

 a disc recorded with a complicated tree structure.

 a disc recorded in multisession mode.

 a disc that has not been finalized (a disc to which data 

can be added).

 a disc that has many folders.

 Contact your Sony dealer or local authorized Sony 

service facility.

 Connect the antenna properly.

 Find a location and an orientation that provide good 

reception, and then set up the antenna again.

 Keep the antennas away from the speaker cords and the 

power cord to avoid picking up noise.

 Turn off nearby electrical equipment.

 Clean the capstans and pinch rollers. Also, clean and 

demagnetize the tape heads. See “Precautions” for details.

The AM tuning interval is factory-preset to 9 kHz or 

10 kHz (for some areas: this function is not available on 

the European, Russian and Saudi Arabian models).

Use buttons on the unit to change the AM tuning 

interval.

Tune in any AM station, and then turn off the 

system. 

Press DISPLAY  to display the clock.

While holding down TUNING + , press  (on/

standby) . 

All the AM preset stations are erased. To reset the 

interval to the factory preset, repeat the procedure.

Turn off CD player power by using the CD power 

management function. By default, CD power is turned on.

 Discs that have labels printed using ink that feels tacky 

when touched

 Before playing, wipe the disc with a cleaning cloth from 

the center out to the edge.

 Do not clean discs with solvents, such as benzine 

thinner, or commercially available cleaners or anti-

static spray intended for vinyl LPs.

 Do not expose discs to direct sunlight or heat sources 

such as hot air ducts, nor leave it in a car parked in 

direct sunlight.

 The unit is not disconnected from the AC power source 

(mains) as long as it is connected to the wall outlet, 

even if the unit itself has been turned off.

 Completely disconnect the power cord (mains lead) 

from the wall socket (mains) if it is not going to be used 

for an extended period of time. When unplugging the 

unit, always grip the plug. Never pull the cord itself.

 Should any solid object or liquid get into the system, 

unplug the system, and have it checked by qualified 

personnel before operating it again.

 The AC power cord can be changed only by a qualified 

service facility.

 Do not place the system in an inclined position or in 

locations that are extremely hot, cold, dusty, dirty, or 

humid or lacking adequate ventilation, or subject to 

vibration, direct sunlight or a bright light.

 Be careful when placing the unit or speakers on 

surfaces that have been specially treated (for example, 

with wax, oil, polish) as staining or discoloration of the 

surface may result.

 If the system is brought directly from a cold to a warm 

location or is placed in a very damp room, moisture 

may condense on the lens inside the CD player, and 

cause the system to malfunction. In this situation, 

remove the disc, and leave the system turned on for 

about an hour until the moisture evaporates.

 Heat buildup on the unit during operation is normal 

and is not cause for alarm.

 Do not touch the cabinet if it has been used 

continuously at a high volume because the cabinet may 

have become hot. 

 Do not obstruct the ventilation holes.

This speaker system is not magnetically shielded, and 

the picture on nearby TV sets may become magnetically 

distorted. In this situation, turn off the TV, wait 15 to 30 

minutes, and turn it back on. 

If there is no improvement, move the speakers far away 

from the TV.

Clean this system with a soft cloth slightly moistened 

with a mild detergent solution. Do not use any type 

of abrasive pad, scouring powder, or solvent, such as 

thinner, benzine, or alcohol.

Break off the cassette’s overwrite protection tab from side 

A or B as illustrated.

Break off the cassette 

tab

To later reuse the tape for recording, cover the broken tab 

with adhesive tape.

The use of the tape with more than 90 minutes of play 

time is not recommended except for long, continuous 

recording or playback.

Use dry- or wet-type cleaning cassette (available 

separately) after every 10 hours of use, before you start an 

important recording, or after playing an old tape. Failure 

to clean the tape heads can cause degraded sound quality 

or an inability of the unit to record or play tapes. For 

details, refer to the instructions of the cleaning cassette.

Use a demagnetizing cassette (available separately) after 

every 20 to 30 hours of use. Failure to demagnetize 

the tape heads can cause an increase in noise, a loss of 

high frequency sound, and an inability to completely 

erase tapes. For details, refer to the instructions of the 

demagnetizing cassette.

AUDIO POWER SPECIFICATIONS

POWER OUTPUT AND TOTAL HARMONIC DISTORTION:

(MHC-GX99, MHC-EC77 The United States model only)

Low channel

With 8 ohm loads, both channels driven, from 120 – 10,000 Hz; 60 watts 

per channel minimum RMS power, with no more than 0.7% total harmonic 

distortion from 250 milliwatts to rated output.

High channel

With 8 ohm loads, both channels driven, from 2,000 – 13,000 Hz; 60 watts 

per channel minimum RMS power, with no more than 0.7% total harmonic 

distortion from 250 milliwatts to rated output.
AUDIO POWER SPECIFICATIONS

POWER OUTPUT AND TOTAL HARMONIC DISTORTION:

(MHC-EC55 The United States model only)

With 6 ohm loads, both channels driven, from 120 – 10,000 Hz; 45 watts 

per channel minimum RMS power, with no more than 0.7% total harmonic 

distortion from 250 milliwatts to rated output.

Front speaker:

RMS output power (reference):

Low channel

95 W + 95 W (per channel at 8 Ω, 1 kHz, 10% THD)

High channel

95 W + 95 W (per channel at 8 Ω, 8 kHz, 10% THD)

Subwoofer:

RMS output power (reference):

150 W (at 6 Ω, 80 Hz, 10% THD)

North American model:

RMS output power (reference):

Low channel

95 W + 95 W (per channel at 8 Ω, 1 kHz, 10% THD)

High channel

95 W + 95 W (per channel at 8 Ω, 8 kHz, 10% THD)

European and Russian models:

Power output (rated): 

Low channel 

45 W + 45 W (at 8 Ω, 1 kHz, 1% THD) 

High channel 

45 W + 45 W (at 8 Ω, 8 kHz, 1% THD)

RMS output power (reference):

Low channel

65 W + 65 W (per channel at 8 Ω, 1 kHz, 10% THD)

High channel

65 W + 65 W (per channel at 8 Ω, 8 kHz, 10% THD)

Other models:

The following are measured at AC 120, 127, 220, 240 V, 50/60 Hz

Power output (rated): 

Low channel 

50 W + 50 W (at 8 Ω, 1 kHz, 1% THD) 

High channel 

50 W + 50 W (at 8 Ω, 8 kHz, 1% THD)

RMS output power (reference):

Low channel

70 W + 70 W (per channel at 8 Ω, 1 kHz, 10% THD)

High channel

70 W + 70 W (per channel at 8 Ω, 8 kHz, 10% THD)

North American model:

RMS output power (reference):

65 W+ 65 W (per channel at 6 Ω, 1 kHz, 10% THD)

European and Russian models:

Power output (rated): 45 W + 45 W (at 6 Ω, 1 kHz, 1% THD)

RMS output power (reference):

65 W + 65 W (per channel at 6 Ω, 1 kHz, 10% THD)

Other models:

The following are measured at AC 120, 127, 220, 240 V, 50/60 Hz

Power output (rated): 45 W + 45 W (at 6 Ω, 1 kHz, 1% THD)

RMS output power (reference):

65 W + 65 W (per channel at 6 Ω, 1 kHz, 10% THD)

AUDIO IN (stereo mini jack): Sensitivity 800 mV, impedance 47 kilohms

PHONES (stereo mini jack): Accepts headphones with an impedance of 8 Ω 

or more

SPEAKER: Accepts impedance of 6 to 8 Ω

SUBWOOFER OUT (MHC-GX99 only)

System: Compact disc and digital audio system
Laser: Semiconductor laser (



=770 – 810 nm)

Emission duration: continuous

Frequency response: 20 Hz – 20 kHz

Signal-to-noise ratio: More than 90 dB

Dynamic range: More than 88 dB
Tape deck section (Except for North American model)

Recording system: 4-track 2-channel, stereo
Tuner section

FM stereo, FM/AM superheterodyne tuner

Antenna:

FM lead antenna

AM loop antenna

FM tuner section:

Tuning range

North American model: 87.5 – 108.0 MHz (100 kHz step)

Other models: 87.5 – 108.0 MHz (50 kHz step)

Intermediate frequency: 10.7 MHz

AM tuner section:

Tuning range

Pan-American and Australian models:

530 – 1,710 kHz (with 10 kHz tuning interval)

531 – 1,710 kHz (with 9 kHz tuning interval)

European, Russian and Saudi Arabian models:

531 – 1,602 kHz (with 9 kHz tuning interval)

Other models:

530 – 1,610 kHz (with 10 kHz tuning interval)

531 – 1,602 kHz (with 9 kHz tuning interval)

Intermediate frequency: 450 kHz

Speaker system: 3-way, 3-unit, bass-reflex type

Speaker units

Woofer: 13 cm × 2, cone type

Tweeter: 4 cm, horn type

Nominal impedance: 8 Ω

Dimensions (w/h/d): Approx. 220 × 360 × 220 mm

Mass: Approx. 3.6 kg net per speaker
Subwoofer SA-WG99 for MHC-GX99 only

Speaker system: bass-reflex type

Speaker units

Woofer: 20 cm, cone type

Nominal impedance: 6 Ω

Dimensions (w/h/d): Approx. 280 × 306 × 405 mm

Mass: Approx. 8.7 kg
SS-EC55S/SS-EC55 for MHC-EC55

Speaker system: 2-way, 2-unit, bass-reflex type

Speaker units

Woofer: 16 cm, cone type

Tweeter: 4 cm, horn type

Nominal impedance: 6 Ω

Dimensions (w/h/d): Approx. 215 × 306 × 215 mm

Mass: Approx. 2.8 kg net per speaker

North American model: AC 120 V, 60 Hz

European and Russian models: AC 230 V, 50/60 Hz

Australian model: AC 230 – 240 V, 50/60 Hz

Mexican model: AC 127 V, 60 Hz

Argentine model: AC 220 V, 50/60 Hz

Korean model: AC 220 V, 60 Hz

Saudi Arabian model: AC 120 – 127, 220 – 240 V, 50/60 Hz, adjustable with 

voltage selector

Other models: AC 120, 220 or 230 – 240 V, 50/60 Hz, adjustable with voltage 

selector

USA model: 190 W

Canadian model: 245 VA

USA model: 115 W

Canadian model: 155 VA

USA model: 190 W

Canadian model: 245 VA

European and Russian models: 140 W

 

  0.5 W (in Power Saving Mode)

Other models: 150 W

USA model: 95 W

Canadian model: 130 VA

European and Russian models: 95 W

 

0.5 W (in Power Saving Mode)

Other models: 95 W

Approx. 200 × 306 × 410 mm

North American model: Approx. 6.1 kg

North American and European models: Approx. 6.1 kg

Other models: Approx. 6.4 kg

North American model: Approx. 5.0 kg

Other models: Approx. 5.3 kg

Supplied accessories: Remote Commander (1)/R6 (Size AA) batteries (2)/FM 

lead/AM loop antenna (1)/Speaker pads MHC-GX99 (8) and for SA-WG99 

(Subwoofer) (4), MHC-EC77/EC55 (8)/Subwoofer cable (MHC-GX99 only) 

(1)
Design and specifications are subject to change without notice.

   Standby power consumption: 0.5 W

 

 Halogenated flame retardants are not used in the 

certain printed wiring boards.

 

 Halogenated flame retardants are not used in cabinets. 

(Except for the United States model)

 

Press CD on the remote (or FUNCTION repeatedly) 

 to select the CD function.

Press   to turn off the system.

After “STANDBY” stops flashing, press DISPLAY  

to display the clock and then press   while 

holding down   on the unit.
“CD POWER OFF” appears. With CD player power 

turned off, disc access time is increased. To turn on 

CD player power, repeat the procedure until “CD 

POWER ON” appears.

If the system still does not operate properly, reset the 

system to factory settings.

Use buttons on the unit to reset the unit to its factory 

default settings.

Disconnect and reconnect the power cord, and then 

turn on the system.

Press PLAY MODE , FUNCTION , and   at 

the same time.
All user-configured settings, such as preset radio 

stations, timer, and the clock, are deleted.

CANNOT LOCK : The system cannot be locked after 

you have done the procedure of “When carrying this 

system.”

COMPLETE : The preset operation ended normally.

FULL : You tried to program more than 25 tracks or files 

(steps).

LOCKED : The disc tray does not open. Contact your 

nearest Sony dealer.

NO DISC : There is no disc in the player, or you have 

loaded a disc that cannot be played.

NO STEP : All of the programed tracks have been erased.

NOT USED : You pressed an invalid button.

OVER : You have reached the end of the disc while 

pressing   during playback or pause.

PUSH SELECT : You tried to set the clock or timer during 

timer operation.

PUSH STOP : You pressed PLAY MODE  during 

playback.

READING : The system is reading information from the 

disc. Some buttons are not available.

SET CLOCK : You tried to select the timer when the clock 

is not set.

SET TIMER : You tried to select the timer when the Play 

Timer is not set.

TIME NG : The Play Timer start and end times are set to 

the same time.

2 (two)
5 (five)
6 (six)
8 (eight)
0 (zero)
A
B
D
G
H
K
M
O
Q
R
S
Z
,
@

 Audio CD

 CD-R/CD-RW (audio data/MP3 files)

 CD-ROM

 CD-R/CD-RW other than those recorded in music CD 

format or MP3 format conforming to ISO9660 Level 

1/Level 2, Joliet

 CD-R/CD-RW recorded in multisession that have not 

ended by “closing the session”

 CD-R/CD-RW of poor recording quality, CD-R/

CD-RW that have scratches or are dirty, or CD-R/CD-

RW recorded with an incompatible recording device

 CD-R/CD-RW which is finalized incorrectly

 Discs containing files other than MPEG 1 Audio Layer-

3 (MP3) files

 Discs of non-standard shape (for example, heart, 

square, star)

 Discs that have adhesive tape, paper, or sticker attached 

to them

 Rental or used discs with attached seals where the glue 

extends beyond the seal