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Cat. No. 14-1168
OWNER’S MANUAL
Please read before using this equipment.
Micro-40
Micro Cassette Recorder
with VOX
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Quick Record — lets you instantly change
from playback to recording.
Built-In Microphone and Speaker — let you
record and play back notes anywhere.
External Microphone Jack — lets you use
an external, wide range microphone.
Earphone Jack — lets you use an optional
earphone for private listening.
Automatic Level Control (ALC) Circuit —
automatically sets the recording level.
Three Power Options — you can power the
recorder from standard AC power using an
optional AC adapter, two AA batteries (not
supplied), or a vehicle’s battery using an op-
tional DC adapter.
We recommend you write your recorder’s se-
rial number here. The number is inside the
battery compartment.
Serial Number: _______________________
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CONTENTS
Preparation ............................................... 5
Connecting Power ............................... 5
Using Batteries ............................ 5
Using AC Power ........................... 7
Using Vehicle Battery Power ........ 8
Connecting an Earphone .................. 10
Connecting an External Microphone . 12
Operation ................................................ 13
Loading a Microcassette Tape .......... 13
Recording .......................................... 14
Voice Activated (VOX)
Recording................................... 14
Manual Recording ...................... 17
Quick Record ............................. 17
Playing a Tape .................................. 18
Rewinding/Fast-Forwarding ....... 19
Quick Review .................................... 20
Using the Tape Counter .................... 21
Tape Tips.................................................. 22
Storing Cassette Tapes ..................... 22
Restoring Tape Tension
and Sound Quality ............................. 22
Erasing Tapes ................................... 23
Preventing Accidental Erasure .......... 23
Care ......................................................... 25
Cleaning the Tape Handling Parts ..... 25
Specifications ......................................... 28
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PREPARATION
CONNECTING POWER
Using Batteries
You can power your recorder with two AA bat-
teries (not supplied). For the best perfor-
mance and longest life, we recommend
RadioShack alkaline batteries.
Warning:
Dispose of old batteries promptly;
do not bury or burn them.
Cautions:
• Use only fresh batteries of the required
size and recommended type.
• Never leave dead or weak batteries in the
Micro-40. Batteries can leak chemicals
that can destroy electronic circuits.
• Do not mix old and new batteries, differ-
ent types of batteries (standard, alkaline,
or rechargeable), or rechargeable batter-
ies of different capacities.
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1. Slide the battery compartment cover in
the direction of the arrow.
2. Insert the batteries into the compartment
as indicated by the polarity symbols (+
and –) marked inside.
3. Replace the cover.
Notes:
• If REC/BATT lights dimly during play-
back or recording, or it does not light
at all, replace the batteries.
• If you do not plan to use the Micro-40
for several days, or if you plan to use
only AC or vehicle battery power,
remove the batteries.
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Using AC Power
You can power the Micro-40 from an AC out-
let using an AC adapter (not supplied), such
as RadioShack Cat. No. 273-1654.
Cautions:
You must use a Class 2 power
source that supplies 3 volts DC
and delivers at least 300 mA.
!
Its center tip must be set to positive and
its plug must fit the Micro-40's DC 3V
jack. The recommended adapter meets
these specifications. Using an adapter
that does not meet these specifications
could damage the Micro-40 or the
adapter.
• Always plug the AC adapter in to the
Micro-40 before you plug it into the AC
outlet, and unplug the adapter from the
AC outlet before you unplug it from the
Micro-40.
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Follow these steps to power the Micro-40
from standard AC power.
M
I
C
D
C
3
V
R
a
d
io
S
n
a
c
k
1. Set the AC adapter's voltage switch to 3V.
2. Insert the 3.4 mm outer diameter/1.3 mm
inner diameter barrel plug into the AC
adapter's cord so it reads TIP+.
3. Insert the adapter’s barrel plug into DC 3V
on the recorder.
Note: Inserting the barrel plug into the
Micro-40's DC 3V jack disconnects the
internal batteries.
4. Plug the adapter’s other end into a stan-
dard AC outlet.
Using Vehicle Battery Power
You can power the Micro-40 from a vehicle's
battery using a DC adapter (not supplied),
such as Cat. No. 273-1810.
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Cautions:
You must use a power source
that supplies 3 volts DC and
delivers at least 300 mA. Its
!
center tip must be set to positive and its
plug must fit the Micro-40's DC 3V jack.
The recommended adapter meets these
specifications. Using an adapter that
does not meet these specifications could
damage the Micro-40 or the adapter.
• Always plug the DC adapter into the
Micro-40 before you plug it into the ciga-
rette-lighter socket, and unplug the
adapter from the cigarette-lighter socket
before you unplug it from the Micro-40.
Follow these steps to power the Micro-40
from your vehicle's battery.
M
I
C
D
C
3
V
1. Set the DC adapter's voltage switch to
3V.
2. Insert the 3.4 mm outer diameter/1.3 mm
inner diameter barrel plug into the
adapter's cord so it reads TIP+.
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3. Insert the barrel plug into the Micro-40's
DC 3V jack.
Note: Inserting the barrel plug into the
Micro-40's DC 3V jack disconnects the
internal batteries.
4. Plug the other end of the DC adapter into
the vehicle's cigarette-lighter socket.
CONNECTING AN
EARPHONE
You can use an optional mono earphone with
1
a
-inch (3.5-mm) plug to listen privately to
/
8
the Micro-40.
Notes:
• You can also use an earphone to monitor
what the recorder picks up through the
internal or an external microphone.
• Your local RadioShack store carries a
wide selection of earphones.
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Insert the earphone's plug into the recorder's
EAR jack. The internal speaker automatically
disconnects.
Earphone Jack
Listening Safely
To protect your hearing, follow these guide-
lines when you use an earphone.
• Set the volume to the lowest setting
before you begin listening. After you
begin listening, adjust the volume to a
comfortable listening level.
• Do not listen at extremely high volume
levels. Extended high-volume listening
can lead to permanent hearing loss.
• Once you set the volume, do not increase
it. Over time, your ears adapt to the vol-
ume level, so a volume level that does
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not cause discomfort might still damage
your hearing.
Traffic Safety
• Do not wear an earphone while operating
a motor vehicle or riding a bicycle. This
can create a traffic hazard and could be
illegal in some areas.
• Even though some earphones let you
hear outside sounds when listening at
normal volume levels, they still can
present a traffic hazard.
CONNECTING AN
EXTERNAL MICROPHONE
You can use an optional microphone with an
1
8
/ -inch (3.5-mm) plug to extend the recording
range. Your local RadioShack store carries a
wide selection of microphones.
Insert the microphone’s plug into the record-
MIC
er’s
jack. The built-in microphone auto-
matically disconnects.
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OPERATION
LOADING A
MICROCASSETTE TAPE
Note: We recommend MC-60 microcassette
tapes for up to 2 hours of recording/playback
time, or MC-90 microcassette tapes for up to
3 hours of recording/playback time. We do
not recommend long-playing microcassette
tapes such as MC-120s, because they are
extremely thin and can easily tangle in the
playback mechanism.
1. Use a pencil to turn the cassette's hub
and remove any tape slack. Avoid touch-
ing the tape.
2. Press STOP/EJECT. The cassette com-
partment door opens.
3. Insert the microcassette into the door's
guides with the tape’s open edge facing
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out and the full reel positioned toward the
top of the recorder.
4. Close the door.
RECORDING
Cautions:
• Do not change the tape speed while
recording.
• Do not force down REC when a cassette
erase-protection tab is not in place (see
“Restoring Tape Tension and Sound
Quality” on Page 22).
Voice Activated (VOX) Recording
Follow these steps to have the recorder start
and stop recording automatically based on
sound it detects.
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1. Set VOX to ON.
2. Load a tape.
3. Set TAPE SPEED on the side of the
recorder as follows:
• To double the tape’s recording/play-
back time, set TAPE SPEED to 1.2. This
setting allows 120 minutes of total
recording/playback time on an MC-60
tape, or 180 minutes on an MC-90
tape.
• For better sound quality, set TAPE
SPEED to 2.4. This setting allows 60
minutes of total recording/playback
time on an MC-60 tape, or 90 minutes
on an MC-90 tape.
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4. Press REC to begin recording. Both REC
and PLAY lock down, and the record/bat-
tery indicator (to the right of the tape
counter) lights.
Notes:
• The VOLUME setting determines the
sound level that activates the VOX cir-
cuit and starts recording. At higher
settings, a softer sound starts VOX
recording. At lower settings, a louder
sound starts VOX recording.
• The built-in automatic level control
(ALC) automatically sets the recording
level once recording starts.
• When you use the VOX feature,
recording begins when the recorder
picks up sound and stops a few sec-
onds after the sound stops.
5. For maximum clarity, place the recorder
as close to the sound source as possible,
with nothing between the source and the
recorder that might block the sound.
6. To temporarily stop recording, slide
PAUSE to ON. To resume recording, slide
PAUSE back.
7. Recording stops when the tape reaches
the end of the cassette. To stop it sooner,
press STOP/EJECT.
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Manual Recording
1. Set VOX to OFF.
2. Load a tape.
3. Set TAPE SPEED to 1.2 to double the
recording time, or to 2.4 for better sound
quality.
4. Press REC (PLAY also locks down).
Recording starts and the built in auto-
matic level control sets the recording
level.
5. Recording automatically stops when the
tape reaches its end. To stop recording
sooner, press STOP/EJECT.
Quick Record
During playback, you can press REC to imme-
diately start recording without first pressing
STOP/EJECT.
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PLAYING A TAPE
1. Load the microcassette tape.
2. Set TAPE SPEED to the speed used when
the tape was recorded.
3. Press PLAY to begin play.
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4. Adjust VOLUME to a comfortable listening
level.
5. The tape automatically stops when it
reaches the end. Press STOP/EJECT to
stop playback sooner.
Rewinding/Fast-Forwarding
REW/REVIEW FAST-F/CUE
REW/RE-
to
Slide
VIEW
FAST-F/CUE
to
to rewind a tape, or to
fast-forward a tape.
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Caution: To protect the tape-handling parts,
press STOP/EJECT or slide REW/REVIEW
FAST-F/CUE to the center when the tape
reaches the end.
To hear the tape play at a faster speed as it
fast-forwards or rewinds, slide REW/REVIEW
FAST-F/CUE to REW/REVIEW or FAST-F/CUE
during playback, When you release the
switch, normal playback resumes.
QUICK REVIEW
During recording, slide REW/REVIEW FAST-F/
CUE to REW/REVIEW to hear a portion of what
you have just recorded without first pressing
STOP/EJECT and PLAY. Press REC to resume
recording.
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USING THE TAPE COUNTER
You can use the tape counter to note different
locations on your tape during recording or
playback.
000
Before playing or recording a tape, rewind the
tape completely and press the counter reset
button to set the counter to 000. As the tape
moves, the counter advances.
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TAPE TIPS
STORING CASSETTE TAPES
Do not expose microcassette tapes to high
temperatures, high humidity, dust or dirt, or
motors, transformers, or other sources of
strong magnetic fields.
RESTORING TAPE TENSION
AND SOUND QUALITY
After you play a microcassette tape several
times, the tape might become tightly wound
on the reels. This can cause playback sound
quality to deteriorate.
To restore the sound quality, fast-forward the
tape from the beginning to the end of one
side, then completely rewind it. Then loosen
the tape reels by gently tapping each side of
the cassette’s outer shell on a flat surface.
Caution: Be careful not to damage the micro-
cassette when tapping it. Do not touch the ex-
posed tape or allow any sharp objects near
the cassette.
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ERASING TAPES
To record over a microcassette tape, simply
record as usual. The tape recorder records
over the previous recording.
You can quickly erase both sides of a cas-
sette tape using a RadioShack bulk tape
eraser.
PREVENTING ACCIDENTAL
ERASURE
Microcassette tapes have two erase-pro-
tection tabs — one for each side. When a
tab is in place, you can record on that side.
To prevent accidental erasure of a tape re-
cording, use a screwdriver to remove one or
both of the cassette tape’s erase protection
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tabs. This prevents RECORD from being
pressed.
Side A Tab
If you later decide to record on a tape side af-
ter you have removed the erase-protection
tab, place a piece of strong plastic tape over
that side’s erase-protection hole. Be sure you
cover only the hole originally covered by the
erase-protection tab.
Caution: Removing the erase-protection tabs
does not prevent a bulk eraser from erasing a
microcassette tape.
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CARE
To enjoy your Your Optimus Micro-40 Micro
Cassette Recorder for a long time:
• Keep the recorder dry. If it gets wet, wipe
it dry immediately.
• Handle the recorder gently and carefully.
Don’t drop it.
• Use and store the recorder only in nor-
mal temperature environments.
• Keep the recorder away from dust and
dirt.
• Wipe the recorder with a damp cloth
occasionally to keep it looking new.
Modifying or tampering with the recorder's in-
ternal components can cause a malfunction
and might invalidate the recorder's warranty.
If your recorder is not operating as it should,
take it to your local RadioShack store for as-
sistance.
CLEANING THE TAPE
HANDLING PARTS
Dirt, dust or particles of the tape's coating can
accumulate on the tape heads and other parts
that the tape touches. This can greatly reduce
the performance of the Micro-40. After every
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20 hours of tape player operation, follow
these steps to clean the tape-handling parts
or use a RadioShack microcassette deck
cleaning kit.
1. Remove the batteries and disconnect any
other power source.
2. Open the cassette compartment door
and press PLAY to expose the tape-han-
dling parts.
3. Use a cotton swab dipped in tape head
cleaning solution or denatured alcohol to
gently clean the record/playback head,
pinch roller, capstan and tape guides.
Record/Playback Head
Tape Guides
Capstan
Pinch Roller
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4. Press STOP/EJECT to release the tape-
handling parts. Then close the cassette
compartment cover and reconnect
power.
Note: For easier cleaning, you can use a mi-
crocassette cleaner kit, which includes a spe-
cial cleaning cassette. Your local RadioShack
store carries a full line of cassette recorder
cleaning supplies.
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SPECIFICATIONS
Tape Type ............................... Microcassette
Tracks ........... 2 Tracks, 1 Channel Monaural
Drive System .......................... Capstan Drive
15
16
Tape Speed .......... 2.4 cm/sec. ( / ips) and
15
32
1.2 cm/sec. ( / ips)
Recording Time (with MC-60 Microcassette):
2.4 cm/sec .................... 30 min. per side
1.2 cm/sec .................... 60 min. per side
Practical Max. Output ...................... 200 mW
Frequency Response ............. 400–4,000 Hz
at 2.4 cm/sec.
Power Sources:
Internal Batteries ................. 3 Volts DC,
Two AA Batteries
AC Power ........... 120V with AC Adapter
Vehicle Battery ..... 12V with DC Adapter
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Typical Microcassette Recording Time
(with Alkaline Batteries) .................. 18 Hours
Dimensions (HWD) .............. 5.0 × 2.5 × 1 In.
(126 × 62 × 26 mm)
Weight (with batteries) ........... 6.7 oz. (190 g)
Specifications are typical; individual units
might vary. Specifications are subject to
change and improvement without notice.
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NOTES
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Limited Ninety-Day Warranty
This product is warranted by RadioShack against manufac-
turing defects in material and workmanship under normal
use for ninety (90) days from the date of purchase from Ra-
dioShack company-owned stores and authorized Ra-
dioShack franchisees and dealers. EXCEPT AS
PROVIDED HEREIN, RadioShack MAKES NO EXPRESS
WARRANTIES AND ANY IMPLIED WARRANTIES, IN-
CLUDING THOSE OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FIT-
NESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, ARE LIMITED IN
DURATION TO THE DURATION OF THE WRITTEN LIM-
ITED WARRANTIES CONTAINED HEREIN. EXCEPT AS
PROVIDED HEREIN, RadioShack SHALL HAVE NO LIA-
BILITY OR RESPONSIBILITY TO CUSTOMER OR ANY
OTHER PERSON OR ENTITY WITH RESPECT TO ANY
LIABILITY, LOSS OR DAMAGE CAUSED DIRECTLY OR
INDIRECTLY BY USE OR PERFORMANCE OF THE
PRODUCT OR ARISING OUT OF ANY BREACH OF THIS
WARRANTY, INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, ANY
DAMAGES RESULTING FROM INCONVENIENCE, LOSS
OF TIME, DATA, PROPERTY, REVENUE, OR PROFIT OR
ANY INDIRECT, SPECIAL, INCIDENTAL, OR CONSE-
QUENTIAL DAMAGES, EVEN IF RadioShack HAS BEEN
ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES.
Some states do not allow the limitations on how long an im-
plied warranty lasts or the exclusion of incidental or conse-
quential damages, so the above limitations or exclusions
may not apply to you.
(Continued)
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(Continued)
In the event of a product defect during the warranty period,
take the product and the RadioShack sales receipt as proof
of purchase date to any RadioShack store. RadioShack
will, at its option, unless otherwise provided by law:
(a) correct the defect by product repair without charge for
parts and labor; (b) replace the product with one of the
same or similar design; or (c) refund the purchase price. All
replaced parts and products, and products on which a re-
fund is made, become the property of RadioShack. New or
reconditioned parts and products may be used in the per-
formance of warranty service. Repaired or replaced parts
and products are warranted for the remainder of the origi-
nal warranty period. You will be charged for repair or re-
placement of the product made after the expiration of the
warranty period.
This warranty does not cover: (a) damage or failure caused
by or attributable to acts of God, abuse, accident, misuse,
improper or abnormal usage, failure to follow instructions,
improper installation or maintenance, alteration, lightning
or other incidence of excess voltage or current; (b) any re-
pairs other than those provided by a RadioShack Autho-
rized Service Facility; (c) consumables such as fuses or
batteries; (d) cosmetic damage; (e) transportation, ship-
ping or insurance costs; or (f) costs of product removal, in-
stallation, set-up service adjustment or reinstallation.
This warranty gives you specific legal rights, and you may
also have other rights which vary from state to state.
RadioShack Customer Relations,
200 Taylor St., 6th Floor, Fort Worth, TX 76102
We Service What We Sell
04/99
RadioShack
A Division of Tandy Corporation
Fort Worth, Texas 76102
04A99
Printed in Hong Kong
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