Sony MHC-EC909I Manual

MHC-EC909iP/EC709iP.GB.4-165-352-11(1)

Select the iPod function.
Press FUNCTION +/  or FUNCTION  on the 

unit repeatedly (or iPod & iPhone  on the unit).

Place the iPod/iPhone.

Start playback.
Press  (or  on the unit) .

You can control your iPod/iPhone with the following 

buttons on the remote or unit.
To

Pause playback

 (pause) (or  (play/pause) 

on the unit)  or  (stop) . 

Scroll up/down the 

iPod menus



/ . You can scroll up or 

down the iPod menus much like 

the Click Wheel operations of 

the iPod or the drag up-or-down 

operations of the iPod touch/

iPhone.

Select a track 

or chapter of 

audiobook/podcast

(go back) / (go 

forward) . To fast-forward 

or fast-rewind, hold down the 

button.

Choose the selected 

item

 /  (enter) . You can 

choose the selected item much 

like the center button on the iPod 

or the touch operation of the 

iPod touch/iPhone.

Find a point in a 

track or chapter of 

audiobook/podcast

Hold down  (rewind) / 

 (fast forward)  during 

playback, and release the button 

at the desired point.

Return to the 

previous menu or 

select a menu

 /TOOL MENU / 

(RETURN) . You can return 

to the previous menu or select 

a menu much like the Menu 

button on the iPod or the touch 

operation of the iPod touch/

iPhone.

You can use the system as a battery charger for the iPod/

iPhone when the system is on.

The charging begins when the iPod/iPhone is placed on 

the iPod/iPhone connector. The charging status appears 

in the iPod/iPhone display. For details, see the user’s 

guide of your iPod/iPhone.

Remove the iPod/iPhone. Turning off the system also 

stops charging the iPod/iPhone.
Notes

 When placing or removing the iPod/iPhone, handle the iPod/iPhone 

in the same angle as that of the iPod/iPhone connector on the unit 

and do not twist or sway the iPod/iPhone to prevent connector 

damage.

 Do not carry the unit with an iPod/iPhone set on the connector. 

Doing so may cause a malfunction.

 When placing or removing the iPod/iPhone, brace the unit with one 

hand and take care not to press the controls of the iPod/iPhone by 

mistake.

 Before disconnecting the iPod/iPhone, pause playback.

 Hold down  /  to fast-forward (fast-rewind) while 

playing video if  /  does not function.

 When the iPhone is connected to the system and you receive a call 

during playback, playback will pause and you can take an incoming 

call.

 To change the volume level, use VOLUME +/ (or VOLUME 

control on the unit) . The volume level does not change even if 

adjusted on the iPod/iPhone.

 This system is designed for iPod/iPhone only. You cannot connect 

any other portable audio players.

 To use an iPod/iPhone, refer to the user’s guide of your iPod/iPhone.

 Sony cannot accept responsibility in the event that data recorded to 

iPod/iPhone is lost or damaged when using an iPod/iPhone with this 

unit.

Use buttons on the remote to create your own program.

Select the CD function.
Press FUNCTION +/  repeatedly.

Select the play mode.
Press PLAY MODE  repeatedly until “PGM” 

appears while the player is stopped.

Select the desired track or file number.
Press  /  repeatedly until the desired 

track or file number appears.

When programming 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 or file

Program the selected track or file.
Press    to enter the selected track or file.

Repeat steps 3 through 4 to program additional 

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

To play your program of tracks or files, press  .
The program remains available until you open the CD 

compartment. To play the same program again, select 

the CD function, and then press  .

Press PLAY MODE  repeatedly until “PGM” 

disappears while the player is stopped.

Press CLEAR  while the player is stopped.

Press DISPLAY  repeatedly.

Prepare the sound source.
Connect additional audio component to the PC IN 

jack  on the unit using an audio analog cord (not 

supplied).

Turn down the volume.
Press VOLUME  (or turn the VOLUME control on 

the unit) .

Select the PC function.
Press FUNCTION +/  (or FUNCTION  on the 

unit) repeatedly.

Start playback.
Start playback of the connected component.

Adjust the volume.
Press VOLUME +/ (or turn the VOLUME control 

on the unit) .

Generate a more dynamic 

sound (Dynamic Sound 

Generator X-tra)

DSGX  on the unit.

Set the sound effect

EQ .

Press SUBWOOFER ON/OFF  on the unit until 

“SUBWOOFER” appears. The volume of the subwoofer is 

linked to the front speakers.

Change 

information on the 

display*

DISPLAY  repeatedly when the 

system is turned on.

Change Display 

mode (See below.)

DISPLAY  repeatedly when the 

system is turned off.

* For example, you can view CD/MP3 disc information, such as;

 track or file number during normal play.

 track or file name (“ ”) during normal play.

 artist name (“ ”) during normal play.

 album or folder name (“

”) during normal play.

 total playing time and total number of tracks on the CD-DA 

disc (only when normal play mode is selected and the player is 

stopped).

 total number of folders (albums) on the MP3 disc (only when 

normal play mode is selected and the player is stopped).

 volume label if it exists on the disc (only when normal play mode 

is selected and the player is stopped).

The system offers the following display modes.
Display mode

Power Saving 

Mode

1)

The display is turned off to conserve 

power. The timer and clock continue 

to operate.

Clock

2)

The clock is displayed.

1)

 You cannot set the clock in Power Saving Mode.

2)

 The clock display automatically turns to Power Saving Mode after 

8 seconds. 

 Characters that cannot be displayed appear as “_”.

 The following are not displayed;

 total playing time for an MP3 disc.

 remaining playing time for an MP3 file.

 The following are not displayed correctly;

 elapsed playing time of an MP3 file encoded using VBR (variable 

bit rate).

 folder and file names that do not follow either the ISO9660 

Level 1, Level 2 or Joliet in the expansion format.

 The following are displayed;

 remaining playing time for a track.

 ID3 tag information for MP3 files when ID3 version 1 and 

version 2 tags are used (ID3 version 2 tag information display has 

priority when both ID3 version 1 and version 2 tags are used for a 

single MP3 file).

 up to 15 characters of ID3 tag information using uppercase letters 

(A to Z), numbers (0 to 9), and symbols (˝ $ % ’ ( ) * + , – . / < = > 

@ [ \ ] _ ` { | } ! ? ^ ˜).

The system offers two timer functions. If you use both 

timers, the Sleep Timer has priority. 

Use buttons on the remote to use the timer functions.

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

the clock is not set.

Press SLEEP  repeatedly. If you select “AUTO,” the 

system automatically turns off after the current disc stops, 

or within 100 minutes.

You can wake up to CD, FM/AM reception, iPod or 

iPhone at a preset time. 

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 audio file, create 

your own program.

Select the timer set mode.
Press TIMER MENU .

Set the play timer.
Press /  repeatedly to select “PLAY SET,” and 

then press   .

“ON TIME” appears, and the hour indication flashes.

Set the time to start playback.
Press /  repeatedly to set the hour, and then 

press   . The minute indication flashes. Use the 

procedure above to set the minutes. 

“OFF TIME” appears and the hour indication flashes 

in the display.

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

to stop playback.

Select the sound source.
Press /  repeatedly until the desired sound 

source appears, and then press   . The display 

shows the timer settings.

Turn off the system.
Press  .

The system turns on 15 seconds before the preset time. 

If the system is on at the preset time, the Play Timer 

will not play. 

Do not operate the system from the time the system 

turns on until the playback starts.

Press TIMER MENU .
“SELECT” flashes in the display.

Press   .

Press 

/  repeatedly to select “PLAY SEL,” and 

then press   .

Repeat the same procedure as above until “OFF” appears 

in step 3, and then press   .

Start over from step 1.
Notes for the iPod/iPhone user

 Make sure the iPod/iPhone is not playing when using the Play 

Timer.

 The Play Timer may not be activated depending on the status of the 

connected iPod/iPhone.

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

manually.

 Make sure the iPod/iPhone is connected securely. 

 Update your iPod/iPhone with the latest software 

before using with this system.

 Make sure the iPod/iPhone is connected securely.

 Make sure the iPod/iPhone is playing music.

 Adjust the volume.

 Turn down the volume.

 Set the “EQ” setting of the iPod/iPhone to “Off” or 

“Flat.”

 Make sure the iPod/iPhone is connected securely.

 Make sure the system is turned on. The iPod/iPhone is 

charged only when the system is on.

 A problem has been detected with the level of electrical 

current from the iPod/iPhone connector. Turn off the 

system and remove the iPod/iPhone from the iPod/

iPhone connector. Make sure there is no problem with 

the iPod/iPhone. If this display pattern persists, contact 

your nearest Sony dealer.

 Adjust the ring volume on the iPhone.

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

10 kHz.

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  .
All the AM preset stations are erased.  

To reset the interval to the factory preset, repeat the 

procedure.

Turn off iPod/iPhone/CD player power by using the 

system’s power management function. By default, iPod/

iPhone/CD player power is turned on.

Press FUNCTION +/  repeatedly (or CD  on 

the unit) 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  .
“iPod/CD PWR OFF” appears. With iPod/iPhone/CD 

player power turned off, access time is increased. 

In addition, when the TUNER function is selected, 

power is not supplied to the iPod/iPhone, so it is not 

recognized and charged even if connected. To turn on 

iPod/iPhone/CD player power, repeat the procedure 

until “iPod/CD PWR 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  , CD , and   at the same time.
All user-configured settings, such as preset radio 

stations, timer, and the clock, are deleted.

Remove a disc to protect the CD mechanism.

Press   on the unit to turn off the system and 

confirm that “STANDBY” stops flashing.

Unplug the power cord.

COMPLETE : The preset operation ended normally.

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

(steps).

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

loaded a disc that cannot be played.

NO STEP : All of the programmed tracks have been 

erased.

OVER : You have reached the end of the disc while 

pressing   during playback or pause.

PROTECT : The ventilation holes may be blocked. See “If 

“PROTECT” appears on the display” to check what to 

do if this message appears. 

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 of the 

disc. Some buttons are not available.

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

the same time.

 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

 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.

 Completely disconnect the power cord (mains lead) 

from the wall outlet (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.

 AC power cord must be changed only at a qualified 

service shop.

 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.

AUDIO POWER SPECIFICATIONS

POWER OUTPUT AND TOTAL HARMONIC DISTORTION:

(The United States model only)
Front Speaker

With 12 ohm loads, both channels driven, from 120 – 10,000 Hz; rated 70 watts 

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

distortion from 250 milliwatts to rated output.
Amplifier section

The following measured at AC 120 V, 60 Hz 

(North American model)

The following measured at AC 240 V, 50/60 Hz 

(Australian model)
MHC-EC909iP
North American model:

Front Speaker

RMS output power (reference):

180 W + 180 W (per channel at 12 Ω, 1 kHz)
Subwoofer

RMS output power (reference):

180 W (at 12 Ω, 80 Hz)

Australian model:

Front Speaker

Power output (rated):

85 W + 85 W (at 12 Ω, 1 kHz, 1% THD)

RMS output power (reference):

180 W + 180 W (per channel at 12 Ω, 1 kHz)
Subwoofer

RMS output power (reference):

180 W (at 12 Ω, 80 Hz)

North American model:

RMS output power (reference):

180 W + 180 W (per channel at 12 Ω, 1 kHz)

Australian model:

Power output (rated):

85 W + 85 W (at 12 Ω, 1 kHz, 1% THD)

RMS output power (reference):

180 W + 180 W (per channel at 12 Ω, 1 kHz)

PC IN (stereo mini jack): Sensitivity 800 mV, impedance 22 kilohms

SPEAKERS: Impedance 12 Ω

SUBWOOFER (MHC-EC909iP only): Impedance 12 Ω

System: Compact disc and digital audio system

Laser Diode Properties

Emission Duration: Continuous

Laser Output*: Less than 44.6µW

* This output is the value measurement at a distance of 200mm from the 

objective lens surface on the Optical Pick-up Block with 7mm aperture.

Frequency response: 20 Hz  20 kHz

Signal-to-noise ratio: More than 90 dB

Dynamic range: More than 88 dB
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 MHz  108.0 MHz (100 kHz step)

Australian model: 87.5 MHz  108.0 MHz (50 kHz step)

Intermediate frequency: 225 kHz

AM tuner section:

Tuning range

North American model:

530 kHz  1,710 kHz (10 kHz step)

531 kHz  1,710 kHz (9 kHz step)

Australian model:

531 kHz  1,710 kHz (9 kHz step)

530 kHz  1,710 kHz (10 kHz step)

Intermediate frequency: 53 kHz

Compatible iPod/iPhone models:

iPhone 3GS

iPhone 3G

iPhone

iPod nano  

5th generation 

(video camera)

iPod touch  

2nd generation

iPod classic

120GB

160GB (2009)

iPod nano  

4th generation 

(video)

iPod classic

160GB (2007)

iPod touch  

1st generation

iPod nano  

3rd generation 

(video)

iPod classic

80GB

iPod nano  

2nd generation 

(aluminum)

iPod  

5th generation 

(video)

iPod nano  

1st generation

iPod 

4th generation 

(color display)

iPod 

4th generation

iPod mini

Speaker system: 2-way 2-driver speaker system, Bass reflex

Speaker unit

Woofer: 160 mm, cone type

Tweeter: 40 mm, horn type

Rated impedance: 12 Ω

Dimensions (W/H/D): Approx. 221 mm × 306 mm × 215 mm

Mass: Approx. 2.8 kg
Subwoofer (SS-WG909iP) for MHC-EC909iP only

Speaker system: Subwoofer system, Bass reflex

Speaker unit

Subwoofer: 200 mm, cone type

Rated impedance: 12 Ω

Dimensions (W/H/D): Approx. 282 mm × 306 mm × 305 mm

Mass: Approx. 5.5 kg
General
Power requirements:

North American model: AC 120 V, 60 Hz

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

North American model: 250 W

Australian model: 250 W

(0.5 W at the Power Saving Mode)

North American model: 200 W

Australian model: 200 W

(0.5 W at the Power Saving Mode)

Approx. 200 mm × 306 mm × 389 mm

Approx. 5.7 kg

Approx. 5.5 kg

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

lead/AM loop antenna (1), Speaker pads MHC-EC909iP (12)/MHC-EC709iP 

(8)
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.

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 if 

anything blocking the ventilation holes on the back of 

the system after “PROTECT” disappears.

After you have checked the ventilation holes and 

found to be all right, reconnect the power cord, and 

turn on the system. If the issue persists, contact your 

nearest Sony dealer.

 Is the power cord plugged in?

 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 outlet.

 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 can increase the time it takes 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.

 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.