[ooheadsoo]

If that works and proves to work in 100 degree weather, that would be a VERY worthy mod.  Who'll try it first?  

[gary]

...should be possible to buy one of the silent ball bearing fans used in quiet pc's and swap it out with the stock one. also, it might be a good idea to cut out the rest of the metal where the holes are punched in the enclosure for air flow. That won't change the air flow, but it ought to reduce turbulence a bit and make it a little quieter.

Gary

[Rob Babcock]

One thing I've wondered:  how big a mod would it be to remove the PS altogether and go with an outboard one?  That would seem to kill two birds with one stone- you could go beefier and presumably let it run cooler and quieter.  No?

[crbaldwin]

Thanks for the responses about my problems.  It's nice to know people are using subs without any problems.  I will try different cables but I doubt it will make a difference since the same setup with my old receiver worked fine.  I'm afraid I will have to give up on this receiver.

[ooheadsoo]

A different cable won't make a difference.  Try lifting the ground on either the sub's amp or the jvc.  (Someone shoot me if the jvc doesn't have a ground prong.)  This isn't 100.00000% safe, but lots of people do it to solve ground loop issues.  A "cheater" plug that converts 3 prong to 2 prong should only cost $1 or so from your local hardware store.

[jswallac]

If you are using the JVC with a sub, I assume you are using it for HT.  I will make a further assumption that you have a cable coming into your television (or a cable box hooked up to the television).  This is often the source of the ground loop problem.  Try disconnecting the cable and see if the hum goes away.  If it does you know what the problem is.  To correct it, either run your amp from a different circuit than your sub (likely not practical unless you do not mind extension cords running across your room), or go with ooheadsoo's solution, and use one of those 3 to 2 prong devices.  That should get rid of the hum.

[crbaldwin]

Thanks for the suggestions.  I don't have cable but have 2 satellite runs that are going through my surge protector/line conditioner.  Unplugging these have no effect.  I just don't understand why I would have ground hum issues "all the sudden" with the JVC.  I am going to try a different receiver to verify that my system is ok and there is some strange interaction with the JVC.

[Wayne1]

The JVC, like the Panasonic digital receivers do not have an earth referenced ground.

It does sound like you are getting a ground loop. This is not the fault of the JVC.

Try an adaptor plug that will convert the three prong AC plug of your powered sub to a two prong. In other words lift the ground connection on the sub. See if that will get rid of the hum.

[J North]

A buddy brought over a Vecteur I-4 integrated amplifier that he is auditioning. It bettered my JVC ES1 in every way possible on both my GM Europas and Focus Audio FC-70's. No contest. Brought me back to reality.
The I-4 (now discontinued) is a $1200US amplifier. Well worth it from my perspective.

Something was bugging me about the ES1 and now I know what it is. The JVC is not even close to being transparent enough for me. I'm not sure now why I even liked it in the first place.

[AphileEarlyAdopter]

Baldwin, all people here have pointed at the right cause of your hum problems.
All components in a system should see the same ground (reference). Either you disconnect the ground on one device (like Wayne suggests) or you can connect the JVC's chassis to the ground of your electrical socket.
I have a balanced power conditioner where the phase/nuetral are now +60, -60 to the ground. Attaching all devices (w or w/o ground) to such a conditioner guarantees all see the same ground.

J North, I think, the JVC probably needs some mods, preferably power cords, binding posts, RCAs etc to realise its full potential. I do not have one, but it should be good going by the golden ears here. I prefer direct digital input amps like the Panasonic, whose transparency and convenience (no DACs here) appeal tome.

[tvyankee]

hey guys.

so i got my jvc up and running last night.

this thing is really really good.

when i first put it on i couldn't belive what i heard.its so in your face and so real.bass response is better than good and the mids or on the money.

btw it kicks the crap out of my denon 3805. which btw i sold the othewr day.

their are two things that kinda suck no on screen display and also no sub out when its in multi but when its in the dvd mod their is plenty of bass.

their are a couple of things that i have not tried yet though.

i have not taken a ic and hooked up the sub out of dvd player into the sub in on the jvc.

also have not tried to turn the crossover on in that mode either.

all in all though i am very happy with my $149.00 purchase.

if you guys have any insight on anything i should do please let me know.

[crbaldwin]

Well, my sub has a two-prong plug (and so does everything that's plugged into my surge protector) so I don't think that is the problem.

[zane9]

hey guys.

so i got my jvc up and running last night.

this thing is really really good.

Circle folk, may I ask you to comment on what I hope is a recap of my understanding of the digital a/v receiver phenomenon, to this point. I am fairly new to the Circles, not new to 2-channel audio, and new to multi-channel "home theater" audio.

I am taking a crash course on the digital receiver: reading page after page of posts here, AVS and elsewhere. Here's what I'm getting from contributions to threads:

- up until recently, audiophile-oriented manufacturers and mass-market oriented manufacturers put their analog multi-channel amplification products (separates, receivers) into the market  at the price points you would expect. Audiophiles would sneer at the mass-market products ("you get what you pay for").

- the playing field is now more level: the uptake of digital technology allows mass-market companies to market audiophile-grade products at mass market prices.

- the audiophile-oriented companies are staying out of this for the moment, or have no interest in "pure-digital" products, or are busy behind the scenes preparing a product

- there is passionate debate on the sonic quality of the new digital products: some people say that their new JVC, for example, blows away their favorite amp which was 10x the price of the JVC; others say that there is mass delusion going on at this time...and at the end of the day the digital gear will never have the sonics of the analog gear

Within this context, I also have a little problem: I am about to buy multi-channel gear and speakers. I can just imagine the reaction of a b&m store owner if I walk in with a JVC digital receiver under my arm that I bought at Sears and asked him  to set it up with, say, some JMLabs, or B&Ws. Not likely, especially since he has receivers and separates sitting there costing $1000s more that my JVC. On the other hand, the usual suspect big-box stores may sell the JVC (or Panny, Sherwood, Kenwood) but will not have the speakers that I want to audition.

Thanks for reading this, and I'm looking forward to your feedback.

J.

[Zero]

I heard someone mention that their should be little difference between the RX-10 and the other model for 2 channel playback.  However, it seems the earlier model has some duds out there on the market.  So I have two questions to ask (sorry for being repetetive)....


Would the performance be virtually the same for 2 channel reproduction ?

and finally:

Anyone know of an online retailor that carries em for a bit /less/ than JandR ?

Thanks,

Sean

[tubeytubeamp]

J.

Please see my post a page or two back. I brought the JVC into a local high end dealer that I've dealt with often. He hooked the JVC up to a pair of Paradigm's and asked me three or four times about the price of the JVC. He couldn't believe it only cost $199. He quickly turned off the receiver because he did want any customers in the store finding out about it. I plan on bringing the JVC to another dealer this weekend to listen to a pair of Phase Tech's that I'm interested in.

To make a gross generalization that the JVC is better than every amp under $1k, $2k ,$3k is riduculous. From personal experience I can tell you that it is better than a Rotel 1062 I had by a large margin that retailed for $699.

Is it the last amp I will ever own? No. But it almost seems free at $199.

Dennis

[zane9]

Thanks Dennis. Rest assured I'm not making gross generalizations, but I am reading them elsewhere. I'm a bit of a sceptic, and I raise an eyebrow as I get the sense that for many people this new digital realm is the greatest thing since the invention of the transistor. Having said that, I can't wait to audition a JVC!

J.

[tubeytubeamp]

Hype is only that, until you have heard it for yourself. Hype is why I bought the Rotel after it got two Best Buy ratings from HiFI Choice magazine and I ending up hating it. The bottom line is that these digi-Jvc's sound really nice for the price and if an analog or tube amp sounds better to someones ears so be it.

These digital and hybrid amps are new and something to get excited about.

Dennis

[Dmason]

Remember that everyone hears things vastly differently. There is no best. I have heard ALOT of amplifiers in the last year, and pretty much prefer the overall sound of the JVC "to my ears." It just sounds, "right." It also sounds very different. Different from tubes or SS. Comparisons to tube amps are really not a great analogy. Maybe tube amps approximate what good digital amps are doing.    And using alot less fuel. I would take my $150 JVC X1 over ANY similarly powered tube amp.

I also think that it is well worth the trouble to get the PC replaced one way or another. When I did this, the whole thing was able to breathe. Breathe new life into the music. New speed, new everything. Like polishing a lens with this thing...Digital amps are extremely sensitive to power supply quality, and cords are a bottleneck.

 Make sure you have some sort of power filtration, balanced power seems the best, power regeneration is the grail and is doable because these guys don't draw alot of current, being 93% efficient. Don't come to any conclusions until you have addressed the power issues. It also seems there are some dogs out there with respect to the ES-1. Go for the F10 I say.

[Carlman]

Circle folk, may I ask you to comment on what I hope is a recap of my understanding of the digital a/v receiver phenomenon, to this point. I am fairly new to the Circles, not new to 2-channel audio, and new to multi-channel "home theater" audio.

I am taking a crash course on the digital receiver: reading page after page of posts here, AVS and elsewhere. Here's what I'm getting from contributions to threads:

- up until recently, audiophile-oriented manufacturers and mass-market oriented manufacturers p ...

There are digital receivers at the mass-market level that sound very good at their price point.

There are also very good digital amplifiers made by Bel Canto and Jeff Rowland that sound incredible.

Comparing say a BC evo2i to a Panasonic XR-45 isn't even a comparison.  The BC sounds as many times better as it costs.

I think there is a delusion effect happening with digital amps and other "giant killers".  However, I think what happens is that people 'luck out' and find a winning combination and then report their findings which become universally accepted.  From what I've gathered, digital amps are very picky about what speakers they like... moreso than traditional line amplifiers.  But, from what I've heard in an unmodified Panasonic XR-25 and XR-45, there's just nothing special.

I would suspect the JVC is good for the money but not better than any other good quality receiver less than $500.  I'm sure it can beat SOME amps costing many more times that but rarely... and if that's the case, I would suspect a problem somewhere else in the chain.

So, my point is, digital amplification is being taken seriously.  However, don't believe the hype that you can get multi-thousand performance in the sub-300 arena.

-C

[AphileEarlyAdopter]

"the playing field is now more level: the uptake of digital technology "

Another way to put it, the gap has been narrowed, atleast in theory.  The salient features of the digital amplifiers are - transparency/detail and dynamics.

"the audiophile-oriented companies are staying out of this for the moment"

No, I dont think so. They are having a tough time assimilating this technology. Companies like Jeff Rowland, Bel Canto, PS Audio have already jumped in.  More than the highend audiophile companies, IMHO, it is the midfi (like NAD, Creek, Cambridge Audio, Arcam, Rotel) which will benefit a lot from the digital technology. They will be able to narrow the gap between their products and high end audiophile brands (like Krell, Mark Levinson) much more cost effectively.
The mass market will continue to be dominated by the big gorillas. Inspite of the technology, they will not be able to kill the audiophile companies, because they have cut costs in so many places, their products will continue to fall short of audiophile expectations.

"there is passionate debate on the sonic quality of the new digital products"

The major problem now is the ability to drive various speakers. This trait the Panasonic lacks. Looks like it is not an issue with the JVC.  The next major problem is the lack of better quality connections internally and externally. This does show up as a 'character' in the sound, which seasoned, might immediately zero in on and potentially start disliking it from the very moment. Steve @ Empirical Audio who has modded a XR45 things it will 'leave Sim Audio separates in the dust when it comes to mids/highs. The bass might be woolly in comparison'. So if you want 100% audiophile quality a mod is essential. I feel that some external tweaks (power cord/conditioner etc) will take you very close but not 100%.
The Panasonic XR50 is reported to be working out fine with JMLab 826s, so you should give it a try. And BTW, even if you dont plan to use these permanently, you should surely give them a try. They cost less than some audiophile interconnects.
I had set aside $1-$1.5K to buy an Integrated Amp to replace by AudioRefinement Complete. I have now spent the money on a XR50 and a balanced power conditioner. I am very happy (but looking forward to the XR70 and other such digital amplifiers. At < $1k prices I can keep upgrading quite often).