Executive System like JVC EX-A1

CJR888:

If I had not listened extensively to the JVC in 3 high traffic stores on 3 separate occasions, for about an 40 minutes each time (6 audition hours total), I could almost accept the 300 hour "burn-in" claims. The 3 stores were all in NYC ... Sharper Image (Rockefeller Center); Harveys Electronics; and J&R Music ... so these units saw some decent burn-in time by the time that I got there.

If you compare the specifications of the JVC to the highly popular and well regarded digital amp (Panasonic SA-XR 50), you will see that the JVC, spec wise, is really not up to speed in the THD department. This would tend to support my experience of the JVC as a noisy amp ... digital design considerations not withstanding.

JVC EX-A1
Output Power: 30 watts x 2 channels, min RMS, driven into 4 ohms at 1kHz with no more than 10% THD.

Panasonic SA-XR 50
Output Power: Stereo Mode 100W per channel (20Hz - 20kHz, 6 ohms, 0.09% THD)

I owned the SA-XR 50 for a while (sold it to a buddy) and one exceptional quality about the amp was how clean and clear sounding the amp was out of the box (paired with both NHT and Omega (Fostex based) speakers). The JVC was not in its league. On just about all types of music, it was a noisy, congested affair ... I don't see how burn-in would help with the noise.

I don't have any gripe with the JVC. I was just very disappointed with it, everytime that I heard it.

Regards, Rich

Well I am puzzled indeed. I played this unit out of the box for around an hour, and I found a complex mix of characteristics. The midrange and bass and overall spaciousness of the sound were exceptional for it's size, but the treble and perhaps upper midrange were extremely harsh and extremely un-natural. (Is this what you mean by "noisy"?)

I did not enjoy the sound of this piece at all.

As for why it sounded great to me in the store, well, it could indeed be that they were demonstrating it with a cd that lacks treble information. I did not pay attention alas. When I played such a cd in my home I was mostly satisfied with the unit.

I know that I could try to break it in, and experiment with different speaker cables, but I've done this with a LOT of gear and I feel I have some sense of how much change one can expect. And, I don't have that level of commitment to this piece.

In retrospect, I think that overall naturalness is the reason that high end amp manufacturers avoid feedback; perhaps I should have been skeptical of the amp given it's bragging in the literature about high use of feedback.

I am returning it, at a loss of round trip shipping.

BTW, I did my testing with cds only, I did not try DVD's or DVD-A for example. Since my intended purpose is largely cd's I tested it for my own purposes.

And it does seem to me that you would do substantially better in sound quality per dollar by putting together an inexpensive system piece by piece.

Sigh!
Art

Art:

Sorry about the JVC. I have become a skeptic of any of the "giant" killers that quickly become darlings of Audio Asylum. When I began to read about how people were buying up these (and other) JVC's mostly because they were digital amps, claiming that they were "great" amps, and then trying to say that 10% THD is totally acceptable ... what can you say, other than there are alot of people who just don't know what to listen for when it comes to stereos.

The JVC EX-A1 was boombox annoying with CD's. Also, the tuner seemed unable to pick up any FM station cleanly, while the Tivolis that were next to it, had no trouble picking up any station. You had to hear the BS the salesman at Harveys was serving to explain that away.

You may want to look at the TEAC 500 mini-system for about $580. You can pair this with the NHT SB1 for $200. This is the system that I put together for my friend and it absolutely rocks.

Regards, Rich