JVC or Onkyo ? (1 Viewer)

[Chris_Atkins]

I am replacing my old Denon AVR-900 pro logic reciever and have decided to get a new 6.1 ex/es reciever. The 2 I am looking at are the JVC RX7030VBK and the Onkyo TXSR501. The JVC is rated at more power per channel (I know that is over-rated with some brands) and has 3 Digital Optical inputs vs the Onkyo having only 2. I wanted 3 for 1-dvd 2-satellite 3-Playstation 2. If I could find a cheap dvd player or satellite receiver with a digital coax out that would help solve the problem cause the Onkyo has a digital coax in too. (so does the JVC).
The JVC seems to have more bells and whistles but I mainly just watch movies in DD or DTS so the other modes don't really mater. I guess the main question is sound quality. Will the Onkyo really sound that much better?
Any input on this would be great.

 

[Marcus Ryle]

Hi Chris,
My first purchase of a 5.1 receiver was a JVC RX7020vbk. I bought it because it had great features for the money and and I have a JVC boom box that sounds AWESOME. Not being a picky "audiophile", I thought that coming from JVC, it had to sound good enough for me. Got it home and the center channel sounded HORRIBLE (not clear at all, sounded like a streaming mp3 recorded at 32kps)! I thought it was just my ears at first. So after 2 weeks, I sent it back to Circuit City which they sent to their repair shop. The repairman called my house and said there was nothing defective in the unit. Then I found this site. There was a post from someone saying my JVC receiver had a design problem with the center channel which the manufacturer did not acknowlege (I called JVC support as well). So 29 days into my purchase I returned it to Circuit City and bought the Onkyo SR-500 (thanks to the salesman) for an additional $50-$60. I was afraid of the Onkyo being 65 watts vs. JVC's 100 watts. Got it home and OH MY GOD! What a difference! May mother in law was even amazed! My mother in law for GOD's SAKE! This was a year ago and I still keep thinking that if I had not returned that JVC before the return policy ended... I would be buying a new receiver.

My advice, although every receiver has some minor flaws ... the one in my JVC was so bad it made the product unusable. It should have never been released! In my own humble opinion, the sound and build quality of the Onkyo is in a much much higher class than the JVC. I would think most on this forum would agree. Hope this helps.

 

[Chris_Atkins]

Thanks for the help. I will be taking it back today to get either the Onkyo or maybe a HK.

 

[CurtisC]

Forget JVC, not even mid fi sound,and I've owned jvc since the mid eighties,pretty reliable,(car hole set up).Onkyo is ok,I've owned three,656,777,898,progressively worse sound imo,and more expensive.I have had HK,good sound and minor issues.Denon,no issues and great sound(pre amp for sure),three times in a row,better every time,imho.

 

[Marcus Ryle]

Chris,
Did you exchange your JVC? I'm interested in hearing what unit you ended up getting and if there was a big difference in sound from the JVC.

 

[Koren T. Wolf]

onkyo. no contest.