Got this a while back to complete my home stereo collection. Now I have a deck for all formats I own. I imported this unit from Japan through eBay, and although pricy, Japanese sellers always take good care of packing well and shipping fast. This one arrived (in Canada) just 3 days after! Sadly both it and the DENON only have optical inputs, so I can't plug them together that way, and so that thing you see on top is a simple stereo jack mixer that I use to plug all inputs together into the DENON.
I've got a Denon DMD-M10 MiniDisc similar to yours. My buddy in Tokyo found the whole stack curbside and gave most of it to his inlaws but he brought over the MD player for me. Denon was making some great little equipment back then and really seemed to embrace the MD format.
I have two of these Onkyo md-105fx units and they are unique in supporting the HiMD format. I use the RCA connectors to record MDs onto cassettes on my Pioneer CT-F1000 deck. Recording from one MD to another can be done via the 3.5mm input jack on any quality MD Walkman recorder including the MZ-R50 and earlier MZ-R30.
I love this unit, I once owned 5 of them! Now down to two, and I have the full INTEC205 stack (MD, CD, TAPE, AMP + EQ). I’ve been in and out of these units so let me know if you have any issues… there’s also a revision in these that’s isn’t stated anywhere clearly. So 105FX has RCA outputs L/R channels, shouldn’t this be enough to connect to your amp? And an Optical IN to go into the Denon to record from CD.
Oh, funny you post this, because just this week this unit started acting up. I turned it off (stand-by only, still had power the whole time) with an MD-formatted disc inside, and when I turned it back on, it would not manage to read the TOC. No errors, but wouldn't start playing, and wouldn't eject either. I could hear the classic "trying again" laser unit sound. I managed to get the disc out by unplugging the unit from power, waiting a few seconds, plugging it back on, and immediately hitting eject. It plays other discs fine, but my other players have no issue with the problematic disc, even early ones like my Sharp MD-MS200, which makes me think it may be the MD-105FX that's getting tired (sad since it's not even 20 years old)
I also have two of these units but only because the first one failed to read any HiMD discs let alone record. I was going to send it back but the seller refunded me and said to keep it. Sometimes people are understanding. The second one came boxed and its been great. Oddly enough the functions which will not work when the buttons on the front panel are pressed do work from the remote which came with the second boxed one. The first one does play and record SP discs but only high quality ones. Cheap MD's made in Taiwan for example it won't accept.
Yes. As they were only sold in Japan they do not have variable AC capability. I use a compact step down transformer which has two output ports one for 100VAC for Japanese appliances and a second for the US standard 110VAC. Useful as my CT-F1000 deck is also fixed AC input of 110VAC.
I would say that most likely the laser is getting tired if it struggles to play it but others do. Same thing can be detected when a player only plays pre-recorded MD album and not re-writable discs.
Yes that was my initial thought too. Doesn't explain the failure of the buttons on the front panel to function but the remote can activate all of these functions. Might investigate replacing the Laser.
Oh ok the front buttons are failing? Two things, you can spray some isopropyl on the front problematic buttons and hope it gets in and then click them several times (whilst off) to see if this fixes the issue. More effectively you'll want to remove the front panel (two screws underneath), easier if you remove the top panel too. Then you can disconnect the Ribbon flex cable connecting the screen to the main board. To remove the front panel from its circuit board, you have to remove the screws on the PCB, the AMS knob (on the right), then its tricky to then get it out, you sort of have to push those top or bottom tabs to then get the PCB out... while you're there you can clean the plastic blue screen too, usually has dust built up. Use cotton tip with isopropyl on the buttons on the PCB. Reassemble.
