MAZDA MODEL RX 8 2004 Owners Manual (in English)
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Automatic Level Control (ALC)
(Standard audio-equipped model)
The automatic level control is a feature 
that automatically adjusts audio volume 
and sound quality according to the vehicle 
speed.
The volume increases in accordance with 
the increase in vehicle speed, and 
decreases as vehicle speed decreases.
The following four modes are available. 
Select the desired mode.
Turn the audio control dial to select the 
ALC OFF, ALC LEVEL1~3 mode. The 
selected mode will be indicated.
NOTE
About 5 seconds after selecting any 
mode, the volume function will be 
automatically selected. To reset bass, 
mid-range, treble, fade, and balance, 
press the audio control dial for 2 seconds. 
The unit will beep and "CLEAR" will be 
displayed.
Mode Volume change
No change
Minimum
Medium
Maximum
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*AudioPilot (BOSE Sound System-
equipped model)
AudioPilot automatically adjusts audio 
volume and sound quality in accordance 
with the level of noise entering the vehicle 
interior while driving. When AudioPilot is 
turned ON, the system automatically 
calculates the conditions for optimum 
hearing of sound which may be difficult to 
hear depending on exterior noise.
*AudioPilot is a registered trademark of 
BOSE Corporation.
BEEP setting
The beep-sound when operating the audio 
system can be set on or off.
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Operating the Radio
Radio ON
Press a band selector button ( ,  ) 
to turn the radio on.
Band selection
Choose AM by pressing the AM button 
( ) and FM by pressing the FM1/2 
button ( ).
The selected mode will be indicated. If 
FM stereo is being received, "ST" will be 
displayed.Tu n i n g
The radio has the following tuning 
methods: Manual, Seek, Scan, Preset 
channel, and Auto memory tuning. The 
easiest way to tune stations is to set them 
on preset channels.
Manual tuning dial/
Auto memory buttonChannel preset buttons
Scan button Band selector buttons
Seek 
tuning 
button
NOTE
If the FM broadcast signal becomes 
weak, reception automatically changes 
from STEREO to MONO for reduced 
noise, and the "ST" indicator will go 
out.
NOTE
If the power supply is interrupted (fuse 
blows or the battery is disconnected), 
the preset channels will be canceled.
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Manual tuning
Turning the manual tuning dial will 
change the frequency higher or lower.
Seek tuning
Pressing the seek tuning button ( ,  ) 
will cause the tuner to seek a higher or 
lower frequency automatically.
Scan tuning
Press the scan button ( ,  ) to 
automatically sample strong stations. 
Scanning stops at each station for about 
5 seconds. To hold a station, press the 
scan button ( ,  ) again during this 
interval.
Preset channel tuning
The 6 preset channels can be used to store 
6 AM and 12 FM stations.
1. To set a channel first select AM, FM1, 
or FM2. Tune to the desired station.
2. Depress a channel preset button for 
about 2 seconds until a beep is heard. 
The preset channel number and station 
frequency will be displayed. The 
station is now held in the memory.
3. Repeat this operation for the other 
stations and bands you want to store. 
To tune one in the memory, select AM, 
FM1, or FM2 and then press its 
channel preset button. The station 
frequency and the channel number will 
be displayed.Auto memory tuning
This is especially useful when driving in 
an area where the local stations are not 
known. Additional AM/FM stations can 
be stored without disturbing the 
previously set channels.
Press and hold the auto memory button 
( ) for about 2 seconds until a beep 
is heard; the system will automatically 
scan and temporarily store up to 6 stations 
with the strongest frequencies in each 
selected band in that area.
After scanning is completed, the station 
with the strongest frequency will be tuned 
and its frequency displayed.
Press and release the auto memory button 
( ) to recall stations from the auto-
stored stations. One stored station will be 
selected each time; its frequency and 
channel number will be displayed.
NOTE
If you continue to press and hold the 
button, the frequency will continue 
changing without stopping.
NOTE
If the power supply is interrupted (fuse 
blows or the battery is disconnected), 
the preset channels will be canceled.
NOTE
If no stations can be tuned after 
scanning operations, "A" will be 
displayed.
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Operating the Cassette Tape Player*
Cassette tape insert
Insert the cassette tape into the slot, open 
edge to the right and cassette tape will 
begin play, and "TAPE PLAY" will be 
displayed. At the end of the cassette tape, 
the unit automatically reverses cassette 
tape play. When   is lit, the cassette 
tape’s top side is playing. When   is lit, 
the bottom side is on.
Playing
Press the cassette tape play button 
( ) to start play when a cassette 
tape is in the unit. If there isn’t a cassette 
tape in the unit when the cassette tape 
play button ( ) is pressed, "NO 
TAPE" will flash on and off.Dolby noise reduction
When using a tape with Dolby NR*, push 
the Dolby NR button ( ). The   
symbol will be displayed. To play a tape 
without Dolby NR, push the button once 
again.
* Noise reduction system manufactured 
under license from Dolby Laboratories 
Licensing Corporation.
Dolby and the double-D symbol   are 
trademarks of Dolby Laboratories 
Licensing Corporation.
Ejecting the cassette tape
Press the cassette tape eject button ( ) to 
eject the cassette tape.
Fast-forward button
Rewind 
button APC button:
(next program)
(one being 
played)
Cassette tape eject button
Program button Dolby NR buttonRepeat buttonCassette tape play button
*Some models.
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Fast-forward/Rewind
Press the fast-forward button ( ) to 
fast-forward.
Press the rewind button ( ) to rewind. 
To stop this operation and play the 
cassette tape, press the button again.
Reversing
Press the program button ( ) to 
change cassette tape-play direction.
Automatic program control (APC)
APC is used to find the beginning of 
either the next program or the one being 
played.
Press the APC button ( ) to the 
beginning of the next selection.
Press the APC button ( ) to the 
beginning of the one being played. To 
stop this operation and play the cassette 
tape, press the button again.Repeat play
This operation makes it possible to listen 
to a selection repeatedly.
Press the repeat button ( ) during play. 
The current selection playing will be 
repeated ("RPT" will be displayed).
Press the repeat button ( ) once again 
to cancel repeat play.
NOTE
The cassette tape can be ejected when 
the ignition switch is in the OFF 
position.
NOTE
When the cassette tape ends during 
fast-forward or rewind, it 
automatically stops and starts playing.
NOTE
When the cassette tape ends, the unit 
automatically reverses play.
NOTE
APC may not operate properly if:
•A tape was recorded at a low level.
•A tape has long, silent intervals.
•A tape is a live recording.
•A tape has very short intervals of 
less than 3 seconds.
NOTE
RPT may not operate properly if:
•A tape was recorded at a low level.
•A tape has long, silent intervals.
•A tape is a live recording.
•A tape has very short intervals of 
less than 3 seconds.
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Operating the Mini Disc (MD) Player*
Inserting the MD
Insert the MD, label-side up with the 
arrow pointed to the slot. The auto-
loading mechanism will set the MD and 
begin play. There will be a short lapse 
before play begins while the player reads 
the digital signals on the MD.
Playing
Press the MD play button ( ) to 
start play when a MD is in the unit.
If there isn’t a MD in the unit when the 
MD play button ( ) is pressed, 
"NO DISC" will flash on and off.
Ejecting the MD
Press the MD eject button ( ) to eject the 
MD.Fast-forward/Reverse
Press and hold the fast-forward button 
( ) to advance through a track at high 
speed.
Press and hold the reverse button ( ) to 
reverse through a track at high speed.
Tr a c k  s e a r c h
Press the track up button ( ) once to skip 
forward to the beginning of the next track.
Press the track down button ( ) once to 
skip back to the beginning of the current 
track.
MD play button
Scan 
button
MD slotDisplay button
Track up 
button
Track down 
button
Reverse button
Fast-forward 
button
MD eject 
button
Random button Repeat buttonDisplay feed 
dial
*Some models.
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Music scan
This feature helps to find a program by 
playing about the first 10 seconds of each 
track.
Press the scan button ( ,  ) during play 
to start scan play operation (the track 
number will flash).
Press the scan button ( ,  ) once again 
to cancel scan play.
Repeat play
This feature makes it possible to listen to 
a selection repeatedly.
Press the repeat button ( ) during play. 
The current selection will be repeated 
("RPT" will be displayed).
Press the repeat button ( ) once again 
to cancel repeat play.
Random play
This feature allows the MD player to 
randomly select the order of the songs.
Press the random button ( ) during 
play. The next selection will be randomly 
selected ("RDM" will be displayed).
Press the random button ( ) once again 
to cancel random play.Changing the display
To change the display during MD play, 
press the display button ( ) to advance 
through each of the following displays:
Long disc or song titles
When long disc or song titles cannot be 
completely displayed, rotate the display 
feed dial ( ) to the right.
The remainder of the title will proceed 
and appear on the display to the end of the 
title.
NOTE
If the unit is left in scan, normal play 
will resume where scan was selected.NOTE
If there is no song or disc title recorded 
on the MD, "NO TITLE" will be 
displayed.
Song title Track number/ 
Elapsed play 
back timeDisc title
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Operating the Compact Disc (CD) Player*
Inserting the CD
Insert the CD into the slot, label-side up. 
The auto-loading mechanism will set the 
CD and begin play. There will be a short 
lapse before play begins while the player 
reads the digital signals on the CD.
Playing
Press the CD play button ( ) to start 
play when a CD is in the unit.
If there isn’t a CD in the unit when the CD 
play button ( ) is pressed, "NO DISC" 
will flash on and off.Ejecting the CD
Press the CD eject button ( ) to eject the 
CD.
Fast-forward/Reverse
Press and hold the fast-forward button 
( ) to advance through a track at high 
speed. 
Press and hold the reverse button ( ) to 
reverse through a track at high speed.
Tr a c k  s e a r c h
Press the track up button ( ) once to skip 
forward to the beginning of the next track.
Press the track down button ( ) once to 
skip back to the beginning of the current 
track.
Scan 
button Display button
Track up 
button
Track down 
button
Reverse button
Fast-forward 
button
Random button Repeat button CD slotCD play button CD eject button
Load button
NOTE
When the load button ( ) is 
pressed, the CD will load and play 
even if the CD eject button ( ) had 
been previously pressed.
*Some models.
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Music scan
This feature helps to find a program by 
playing about the first 10 seconds of each 
track.
Press the scan button ( ,  ) during play 
to start scan play operation (the track 
number will flash).
Press the scan button ( ,  ) once again 
to cancel scan play.
Repeat play
This feature makes it possible to listen to 
a selection repeatedly.
Press the repeat button ( ) during play. 
The current selection will be repeated 
("RPT" will be displayed).
Press the repeat button ( ) once again 
to cancel repeat play.
Random play
This feature allows the CD player to 
randomly select the order of the songs.
Press the random button ( ) during 
play. The next selection will be randomly 
selected ("RDM" will be displayed).
Press the random button ( ) once again 
to cancel random play.
NOTE
If the unit is left in scan, normal play 
will resume where scan was selected.
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