1. Great sounding flexible unit for the money. 2. Options,options,options. 3. Many adjustments to tweak the sound to get it just how you like it. 4. Optical cable input is much better than analog cable inputs. 5. I have had this unit nearly 3 years with no troubles.

1. Poorly written manual(a lot of trial and error until I learned the units adjustments and options). 2. I wish the unit had a built in mp3 decoder built in to play them through the dvd/cd player using the optical cable input. You can play mp3's on the dvd/cd player using the analog cable feed.

After learning how to do the settings and tweaks on this unit, I really was able to get a great sound from it. With all of the features and inputs on this unit there are many options on what kind of system you can assemble with it. I really enjoy the optical cable input from my JVC cd/dvd player to the unit. The sound is so much cleaner and clearer through the optical cable instead of the regular analog cable connections. The difference is day and night. How do I know? I just switch back and forth between the analog feed and optical feed to hear the improvment.

Price. Versatility. Ease of Operation (once you learn it). Excellent Power. Ability to vary amplifer levels in the Sub-room. RF Remote works very well from other rooms in the house. Many buttons on the front panel which reduce the need to use the remote/menus to invoke functions.

Needs improved User Documentation on common system Set-Up issues.

I bought this receiver in May 2003 to replace a 5 year old Kenwood. While I am not an Audiophile, I am an audio user with mid-range needs/wants. This product met my criteria perfectly and I am very pleased with it. My only negative comment is that the User Documentation could be improved (see below). I have a 20 X 20 foot den with 11 foot ceilings that is already wired for 5 channel home theatre - with Cambridge Soundworks speakers. I also have speakers in my adjacent kitchen and patio which are connected through a Niles Audio 2 Speaker switching system. I use these speakers to play music during parties throughout the Den, Kitchen and Patio. When I installed the Niles box and speakers, I found that while the amplifier power to the kitchen speakers was more than adequate, I needed considerably more power to my outdoor speakers which are mounted 12 feet off the ground. Therefore, I needed a receiver that would deliver good 5.1 sound to my home theatre, while providing the ability to play music to multiple rooms with the ability to vary amplifier power to a separate "sub-room". My experience with A/V equipment in the past has also held that spending large amounts of $$ is not necessary. I purchased this system from Amazon for $329 including shipping. Connecting the wiring took about an hour and was straightforward. My only complaint was the inadequate User Guide that underemphasized pre-prequisites to successful System Set-Up. I want to draw a distinction here between Connecting the wires and System Set-up (for those of you who are not familiar with this). System Set-up relates to Settings the User is making in the Receiver's "computer". Connecting the wiring is putting the right connector in the right place on the back of the receiver. For example, I used a Digital Audio cable to connect my CD/DVD player to the receiver. The sound in the Den was great, but when I tried to play the sound in the Kitchen, nothing came out. In the "fine print" of the documentation, I discovered that only Analog audio sources could be played in the "sub-room". It took me 45 minutes to figure this out and I finally (to their credit) discovered it in the User Guide and I simply connected a pair of RCA audio cables (in addition to the Digital cable) and now I get a CD signal in the Kitchen and Den. I had another "Set Up Dilemma" similar to this that took another 30 minutes to figure out. So after a one hour wiring session, it took almost two more hours of re-reading the documentation repeatedly until the "clues" about System Set up were revealed to get everything working properly. The ability of this receiver to vary amplifier power to a Sub-Room is outstanding. The RF remote works well from anywhere in my house and the 5.1 channel home theatre delivers excellent sound.

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Kenwood

Dolby Digital Hook-up; On Screen Help; Main and Sub-Room Outputs; Video Pass-through; Computer hookups:Sub Woofer hookups Plenty of Auxilliary Device hookups and VCR;Satellite; TV; DVD Remote Capability.

Documentation that was provided was detailed but poorly organized. It took a complete day to figure out how everything was to be hooked up. More capacity on the volume controls before unit shuts itself off automatically if you were pumping the volume up. Unit should be able to handle it but it doesn't it. Better reception on FM Stations. But I do live 20 miles outside the metro area.

I purchased this stereo system second to my JVC 7010 after I realized it had a RF remote. I am very pleased that I purchased this one instead. I too had a problem hooking up my digital DVD to the primary hook-up. The problem is the default setup is coaxial and through the DVD. All I had to do was read the manual and ask a friend of mine (who had bought my 7010) because initially It did not work. I am running 4 Cerwin Vegas through Main Hook-up and throughout my house I have 8 in-wall speakers and two outdoor speakers with volume controls that work through the Sub-Room outputs. If and when I decide to clean my house I am very pleased that the music keeps me working. I can have the main room and sub-room going at the same time. Or I can have the main room on one audio output and the Sub-Room on a different out. I am very pleased on the product and definitely pleased with the universal remote that came with it.(Even though the remote RF only works with the audio portion)

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Onkyo 7010X Integra Series

Two zones for whole house audio. Radio frequency remote. Home threater sound is great. JVC compulink functions

Remote is no backlit! Manual has important details buried in some sections. 800 support is bad. If your not good with stuff you'll need a friend to help hook it up.

An incredible value. Searched everywhere for a two zone receive with A/V capabilities. Great value, the sound is terrific. I hate going to the movie theaters now, because my home sound is so much better.

I am a former user of an Onkyo Pro-Logic receiver, where everything is straightforward and volume level is predictable. I got this unit to take advantage of digital dolby on my satellite system. I have been totally baffled by the instructions, and the basic concept of how this receiver works for the last three weeks, two of which have been waiting for it to return from JVC repair where I sent it when I could not get the fiber optic hook ups to work (instructions take careful and deliberate reading on this and everything else), and the volume seemed to go only so high (Not very). This is an important point-volume is asymmetrical-goes up to a high number without much gain-then rockets over the next five-say 70-75. I got it back dented yesterday with a one liner explaining that "software was re-installed , it was tested and released." Up until this morning, I was despairing that I had blown a wad, and was ready to send it back to the service center. You have to pay the sending postage. I was finally able to get the fiber-optic hookups to work, (changed the tv hookup from tv to dvd-go figure), and finally located a help number via the service center. This number might be in the book, but I was so spooked by this experience that I didn't think to look. Find this number first before you panic, unless you are a techie which I certainly am not. Anyhow, the ecstasy after the agony is a dramatic improvement in sound and dolby-just like the theater. Bottom line, get it, don't panic, and call for help before you get embroiled.

I guess for the money, you will be hard pressed to find any other receiver in the price range that has the features this receiver has.

I have not really found any yet. Any weakness''s at this price point should be minor for what you get in features and general overall quality.f

Thank''s to JVC they honored the warranty on my previous model JVC-vbk 888 that was sent to them for repair which they were unable to repair and I was given in exchange a new jvc 9010 , which I am very happy with and I am grateful to JVC for the way they honored and handled the problem . I am currently using this reciever in the stereo mode running two sets of speakers-Cerwin Vegas floor and Bose 201 shelf speakers-both speakers in the A and B mode. The sound effect running both sets is producing a more full bodied sound which I find quite satisfying.k

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An old pioneer unit that I retired about 2 years ago after 20 years and the JVC vbk 888 that was sent in for repair.8

-price! -# of i/o (phono, optical out, component video monitor out, usb audio) -on screen display is super easy to use. -multi room capacity. -sound=happy.

-non-learning cumbersome remote. -usb interface poorly placed. -its big and ugly.

i looked for several months to find an affordable receiver that had both a phono in and an optical out for my minidisc recorder and at this price the jvc was looked best. i wanted to buy a receiver that would last for many years as i am just starting to put together an a/v system and the usb in, the slew of other i/o and multi-source capacity i could not say no any longer. i have used it for almost a year now and have no complaints with its performance and have had none of glitches mentioned in other reviews. i just bought a jbl s-center (lovely) to finish off my ht speakers and now truely appreciate the wonders of this unit and dts. i''ve had a few headaches setting everything up as i bought new componets due to somewhat poor documentation, but everything has worked and sounded beautiful. recording to minidisc with an optical line from cd-player works dandy and my vinyl has never sounded better. a/v compulink is neat, but a remote with macro capacity will do the same thing, and if you''re looking for the least expensive/best equipment, you''re not going to have all jvc components (i tried). the remote took some getting used to but the fact that you can use it anywhere and that it has an ir eye output from the receiver that you can use to control other components with has made up for its bulk. i look forward to using the multi-source capacity to play records to a second set of speakers while playing ps2 games in dts surround. also, i''ve yet to use the usb connection, but i plan to hook it up a pc with s-video to use the tv as a monitor for mp3 players and like. or so i can dream. all said and told, the possibilites of this unit have kept me exicted for over a year as i keep adding new components and it has never disapointed. since everyone seems to do the same, currently i''ve hooked up: an aiwa record player, an rad older jvc dual cassete deck, a portable sony minidisc player/recorder, a jvc svhs vcr, and a ps2 for all 120mm plastic disc needs. sound goes to: jbl s38s for mains jbl n24s for surround jbl s-center yamaha yst160 (dual 8") subwoofer video goes to: toshiba 20" flat screen tv.

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none

RF remote allows for volume adjustment from just about anywhere. On screen menues

Remote is "universal" but lacks a few handy controls for my JVC CD player (such as disc select)

I got this reciever to replace an 8 year old JVC RX315 stereo unit. In the week i''ve had it, I can say that it is a very easy to use product, and contrary to most of the negative reviews I''ve seen, i''ve yet to have a single problem. The Unit does have a lot of connectors on the backside, but that only means it is flexible. It took about ~30minutes to make all the necessary connections, and I had sound from a CD faster than I had expected. I didn''t have a home theater set up before, so i don''t have a lot of experience with other systems, but this reviever hass plenty of power for both music and movies. if you are in the market for an inexpensive A/V reciever, I''d reccommend this one. System set up (in case you care) Mains : Infinity Overture 1s Center : Infinity IL-36 Sub : Infinity HPS-250 Rear: Pioneer low end surrounds JVC CD player (8 yrs old) JVC HiFi VCR PS2 DVD player JVC 27D201 TV

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JVC RX 315

Compulink to control other JVC units is very nice with a radio/IR control unit. No need for direct line of site. Unit picks up DTS/Digital Dolby quickly ONCE you turn on the DVD player to "STREAM/PCM" optical output. Plays music VERY softly if so desired.

Manual was pretty poorly written. Had to go to JVC web site (helpful) to finish instal. Unit generates LOTS of heat so place on the top of the units... give it lots of air. Price for $359 was good.

Just bought this JVC RX-9010VBK and it works VERY well. Lists for $550 and prices are $307 to $499 on the web. I don''t trust companies that sell so cheap but I''ve had GREAT luck with J & R Music world. They shipped in two days and there was NO hard sell. Back to the JVC.. it talks with my other JVC products fairly well (with a 10 year old JVC CD player and tape unit) but has a few problems with my 1 year old DVD player. If the CD is picked, the DVD should shut off (with Compulink control). It does not so I have to stop the DVD player by hand. Will have to play with Computlink again. That is the only issue I really have. As for Playing DTS/ Digital Dolby.. had lots of problems. I could get Linear PCM out of the DVD player and into the receiver but no DTS/DD. The AV Receiver''s instructions were not well written ... and rather low quality. I went to the the JVC web site and they said the "outport of the DVD player must be turned to stream/PCM for DTS or Digital Dolby." So, I found my DVD manual (this JVC manual was much better written) and it plainly said use the remote for the DVD play to access the output (optical) setting. Sure enought, once I turned it to "Stream/PCM" the JVC receiver picked up the DTS/DD right away. The unit does get HOT if a unit is placed over the vents (even with 1/2 inch clearance) so I place it on the top of the pile and the heat issue faded away. I purchased the JVC since I have JVC units (DVD, CD, TAPE) and the remote of the JVC Receiver uses IR and radio waves. This means you''ll not need a line of site to control many different units. Sincerely, From Sunny California, in Silicon Valley, AWH

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Old (very old.. 6 years) JVC receiver... JVC last a long time. 10 year old CD player still works perfectly.

RF remote, multi-room-multisource capability

remote functions for other devices pretty basic.

I got the JVC 9010VBK not as a home theater receiver, but as a whole house audio control center. And it works perfectly for me. The RF remote works from anywhere in the house. It controls everything I need from the receiver. It even controls the JVC tape deck. And the RF to infrared converter device works fine with my Yamaha CD changer -- i''ve got it attached to my CD shelf and the CD changer can "see" it even tho it''s kind of sideways to the unit. I''ve got control anywhere in the house. I really appreciate the multi-room multisource capability. I''ve got 5 sets of wired speakers hooked to the main room, and the 120 watts is plenty of power for that. Then I''ve got the Aiwa wireless speakers hooked to the sub-room, which allows me to listen to a completely different source anywhere in the house, and to turn it on or off with either the speaker controls or the RF remote. And no wiring. Cool! The controls for other devices on the RF remote are pretty basic. I wish I could use it to change disks on the CD changer. But I''m happy it even works with another brand. I''m still surprised that no major manufacturer has realized the demand for a dedicated whole house receiver. Until they do, the JVC 9010 is the best alternative.