Onkyo TX-DS898 and JVC RX-DP10VBK (1 Viewer)

[Dome Vongvises]

I'm relatively new to this section of town. Actually, I've already been here, but only once.

Anyways, my dad is being kind enough to buy my brother and I a receiver for our apartment. Just on his own, he's narrowed down the choices to the Onkyo TX-DS898 THX-Certified A/V Receiver and the JVC RX-DP10VBK A/V Receiver. He was basing his choices on the fact that A. It's just for an apartment and B. He realizes that these aren't the best models out there, but they're suitable for folks like my brother and I who don't normally have highly discriminating tastes.

Since I know you folks are pretty knowledgable, is my dad getting the best type of receiver at that price level? Are there better products out there at better prices? I'm reading reviews for it right now, but I don't want my dad to know that I have absolutely know clue what they're talking about. I'm very unfamiliar with even the most basic terminology like rich sound. :b Thanks for your help.

 

[Vishwa Somayaji]

For the price the Onkyo 898 is an excellent receiver. It is 7 channels, supports most of the formats and THX EX certified. JVC has never been known for high quality receivers until the latest versions. We don't read much about JVC receivers around here.

 

[bryan_chow]

I have the Onkyo 898 and it's great. Excellent receiver. Supports all the cool new formats (THX EX, DTS ES, PL II). Match it with some decent speakers (no Bose). I have the M&K 750THX (plus an old pair of JBLs for the rears for 7.1).

Bryan

 

[Bill Will]

Sound & Vision Mag. rated the JVC as excellent. The only thing they din't like about the JVC was that you could not turn "off" any of the THX processing. Also if I'm not mistaken, the JVC's 6 channel is matrixed not discrete. I think the Onkyo is discrete? Check www.audioreview.com for reviews on the receiver & read the post under the JVC DP9 model about the JVC & Onkyo it will give you some insight into the DP10 & Onkyo's. Hope this helps you out.

 

[Dome Vongvises]

Actually, this helps out quite a bit. The magazines at my disposal are the The Perfect Vision, and they rated both receivers pretty well.

 

[Bill Will]

Also check out www.ecoustics.com(click Home Audio then Receivers) they have a new review up on the JVC DP-9 that you should read. I would go with the Onkyo.

 

[Earl Simpson]

The JVC 10 is the best bang for the buck at $918 IMO =online/yahoo shopping, pricegrabber, price match,6th ave, JR, onecall,Oades . It is ultra thx certified,ex discrete, larger amps and weighs #49. Jvc has always made a great product as well as Onkyo and both have 7 full amps. Go to crutchfield and check out the specs. The JVC 10 has some interesting features that many have over looked and I have yet to buy an Onkyo or JVC product that I was not satisfied with. I have the Denon 3802(great machine), and have owned Marantz, JVC,Pioneer, and Onkyo rcvrs and liked all of them. But the 10 and 898 are in a different category=one step up.
It's all about price, at $918 the 10 is a steal, at $1200/no way. You can get the 898 for $1100 or less. The 10 is far better than the 9. You can't compare the 9 with the 898. Apples and oranges. And the jury is out on the es discrete, but most 6 channel disks have both formats(EX and ES).
Do you need a 7 channel amp???????????????? If not, there are some cheaper options!!!!!!!! Sony 5es for $750, (Pioneer VSX-D811S ,Sony STR-DE985 Black , Onkyo TX-SR700)=these are dirt cheap online
With a small apartment, where will you put 7 speakers and how big are you speakers. Separation in a small area for 6 channels is a real bear to accomplish, but can be done with 7 small high quality speakers and a 15"quality sub. I think 5.1 would be good enough for your situation and go with the HK 520 for $600. But if you have some hogs(extra large speakers) to drive for the front channels, then I would go with the big bad rcvrs you have picked.
Your dad knows his stuff, those are two great choices.
http://www.crutchfield.com/cgi-bin/S...=4&g=10420&s=0
PS / the 10 has two monitor outs, Lcd remote, 10 more watts per amp,.
And you can turn off the ultra THX processing=just use the off button=see pics
http://www.crutchfield.com/cgi-bin/S...10V&display=XL

 

[Bill Will]

Dome, listen to Earl he did a lot of research on these receiver's before he bought his. Earl are you sure the JVC is discrete? From what I read it's matrixed. As for the THX effects, I think what Sound & Vision was talking about was that you can't turn parts of the THX processing "on" & "off" like you can on some other receiver's. It's either "on" or "off" Earl, are you still happy with your final choice of receiver? I know it took you a while to make up your mind.

 

[Earl Simpson]

Hey Bill! Thanks for the support!!!! Nobody knows if the 10 is es discrete,it may be matrix only, but it is definitely ex discrete/ddex which are 6 discrete channels. And I wish I had one of each in each of my rooms so I could tell all. The JVC 10 was kind of late in my decision making process and the price was too high and I was stuck on 6.1 es discrete and had chalked off ex discrete as a Lucas thing. I have since discovered that I don't need 7 amps. No room for 7 hogs.
Also many of my dvd's have ex and es on the same disk as well as 5.1. So I'm leaning towards 5.1 as a good buy in this market, unless you just have to have the best. 20 years ago I bought a marantz 4400 gold circuit quad rcvr+ a quad large reel to reel Akai+ Teac dolby quad encoder/decoder+ 4 Altec voice of theatre 15"(5"voice coils) acoustic suspension with 25" horns and solid oak cabinets; then they stopped making quad tapes and records the year I bought it.
Then I went to an Onkyo stereo, JVC 5.1, and now Denon 7 Channel.
And my batteries are still working in my 3802 remote!!!!!!!!!
Yes, I think the 3802 is still a great rcvr, but just not the only one out there. The JVC and Sony have some nice features I could have used for bass management.
Parametric EQ: The parametric EQ allows you to select and adjust Bass, Midrange, and Treble center frequencies and levels for the Front, Center, Surround, and Surround Back channels independently. Each frequency can be adjusted within the range of +6dB to -6dB. The frequencies to select from include:
Bass: 63Hz, 80Hz, 100Hz (initial setting), 125Hz, 160Hz, 200Hz, 250Hz, 320Hz, 400Hz, 500Hz, 630Hz, 800Hz, and 1.0kHz.
Midrange: 250Hz, 320Hz, 400Hz, 500Hz, 630Hz, 800Hz, 1.0kHz (initial), 1.25kHz, 1.6kHz, 2.0kHz, 3.2kHz, and 4.0kHz.
Treble: 1.0kHz, 1.25kHz, 1.6kHz, 2.0kHz, 2.5kHz, 3.2kHz, 4.0kHz, 5.0kHz, 6.3kHz, 8.0kHz, 10.0kHz (initial), 12.5kHz, and 16.0kHz.
DOME/// These are well above average rcvrs. You may not get anything better for $3000. Most of us would go to separates above $1200. You could do 3 cheap quality stereo rcvrs for amps and a good pre/pro or av rcvr for a pre pro. These guys at the forum have ruined me. I will never be the same.
I thought I had kicked the Stereo equipment addiction!!!

 

[Bill Will]

The tone controls on the JVC look real nice indeed. For a gift I bought my daughter the JVC RX-9010 that has a 5-band tone control equalizer. She lives in another state & I have never listened to the JVC but her boyfriend set it up for her & he told me it wasn't as clean as his Onkyo 695 but he said he thought it was damn good especially at the lower volumes, where as he put it, most women seen to listen anyway & he wished his Onkyo had as many features as the JVC. I did a lot of research, like you before I bought it & for the amount of inputs, the 2 room RF remote & the ability to adjust everything (tone controls & etc) for each input was what I was after for her. Once her boyfriend set it up for her & explained the remote all she has to do is select an input an everything is adjusted for her & for under $300 I don't think you can beat the 9010 for features.She even has her her computer hooked up to it & you can use the 5-band equalizer on the computer audio as well as the DSP modes & to top it all off it is one of the few receivers that will pass the on-screen menu system through the component video outputs. I always thought that was why the menu system is in B&W instead of color. It's not in the same class as the JVC DP's but she just loves it, so that's all that counts (And she can work it) She has speakers outside & she thinks it's really cool how she can be outside & change things using the remote. I know, I know your not suposed to use the 2nd room for outside but her boyfriend set up some kind of a speaker switch for the outside speakers so the circuit is never "on" in the rain & etc. Glad your enjoying your Dennon anyway Earl & it always looked like a nice receiver to me

 

[Dome Vongvises]

Thanks for everything guys. I'll keep referring to this thread before I make a final decision in a week. I'll let everybody know what I got.

 

[Earl Simpson]

Hey Dome! Check out the power ratings post! If it is correct, the 10 is one of the very few rcvrs that actually puts out its rated watts. Too bad the 5es and 898 aren't listed at the site.