Connection flexibility, on-screen display, component video connections, multi-channel in and out, 100w x5 amp, DTS and Dolby digital, and a bargain price, Remote controls other JVC products quite thoroughly...very cool...it can go loud and proud without distortion or colouration (only noticed this in the upper limits in volume)...

sounds a little bit thin/tin-like with certain sound effects at higher volumes...might be nature of the speakers though...

Well, this receiver actually came as the control center for the JVC THB 6000 home theatre in a box that I purchased for my grandmother for her birthday/christmas. I should mention that the THB model systems aren't even listed on this forum which is odd, because a lot of them are superior to the others that ARE listed. Anyways, out of the box this unit is fairly easy to setup. All of the connections on the back are colour coded which is nice for the base model receiver from JVC. It's got DTS ES, Dolby Digital, component video input, lots of S-video and standard connections for everything. After making connections, you can either set up the receiver manually, or tell it to automatically configure your speakers for you. I found that while this is nice, it was still better to go back and fine tune everything manually. Especially by telling the main computer that the speakers are small, thus creating more internal crossover options, and sub output options too. It says all over the box that this thing is 100watts x5, and well, though it's not high current, it certainly sounds like it's got decent punch to it. The max volume setting is 50, and I found we never had to go above 20...the stereo was already more than loud enough at this setting, and completely free of distortion. Switching between inputs is easy, making adjustments to the speaker outputs and crossovers is easy with the multijog on the front, and I really like the fact it's got so much flexibility in terms of what can be connected to it. The system came with a 150watt RMS 6.5", rear-ported subwoofer, 4 satellites, and one center channel speaker. Each of the 2-way satellites came with a 3" ceramic mid/bass driver, and a 1/2" tweeter and are video sheilded, and are ported on the front. The center has 1 3" mid, and 2x 1/2" dome tweeters. How does the system perform running off of this receiver? Well, for it's price...like you have your own concert hall in the room. My Grandmother has lots of Jazz and Big Band music, all of which is VERY demanding of a stereo system in terms of all of the different instruments and the intricacies in the music they make. The system has both finese, and raw power/volume if you want it too to reproduce Jazz music quite well. I also put it through it's paces with songs like Disturbed's "Decadence" and "Tao of the Machine" by BT feat The Roots. This unit does well with any kind of music you throw at it. It even does well with TV sound input, the tuner sounds clean and pulls in a decent amount of channels/freq's with the supplied mini antenna wire, and it also sounds great in surround too. I didn't get a chance to listen to it with anything encoded in DTS, but I did get to try the DSP modes, and the Dolby Digital/ProLogic modes, all of which got great results. A definate improvement over watching movies in 2-chan analogue. Even the remote that comes on this unit is fantastic. It's user friendly, can control other JVC components (and does so quite thoroughly too), and can access just about all of the receivers setup options too. The only thing missing is having backlighting on it, but at this price, who cares. With it's huge amount of connections, lots of power, a clean and smooth sounding amp, and several cool DSP modes and the various 5.1 surround programs, this receiver is very hard to beat. Combined with a speaker kit that was designed to be driven by a receiver like this one, you won't find another home theatre on a budget that will sound better than this one. You'll also have fun annoying your neighbours if you have this thing running in an apartment building too...the system just fills the entire space without breaking a sweat. This little receiver is a great value, no doubt about it, and it looks classy, and it's at a great price.

Similar Products Used:

Technics, Panasonic, Sony, Yamaha