JVC HX-GX7 CD Mini Audio System

You have to understand before you read this review that my basic approach to audio is that if I can hear it then the product is fine. Sure, I can notice the different between the technology I had in my first stereo all those years ago and now, but about all I can usually say about it is that it's a richer, fuller, and more crisp sound. And this is coming from someone who actually was about to write a tuition check at age 18 to become a recording engineer.

So when I received a gift of a JVC HX-GX7 Compact Component Stereo System, my reaction was mixed. On one hand, I was happy to have something to replace the cheap shelf system we'd had in our den which I believe self-destructed after one too many Britney Spears CDs played by our youngish daughters. On the other, I couldn't help but think "how in the world am I going to review this?"

The JVC HX-GX7 Compact Component Stereo System is something to see coming out of the box. It is as daunting as the picture. People will immediately notice this system in your home - in all likelihood it will dominate and stand-out in whatever room it's in. However, the system itself is quite small in the middle - the majority of the unit is made up of it's speakers. Overall, the dimensions are: main unit: 10.6 inches wide by 18.9 inches deep by 12.5 inches high; speaker system (each one): 9.2 inches wide by 14.2 inches deep by 18 inches high. We set it up very easily in our den and made all the connections. JVC's instructions were very easy to follow and even without them, anyone with a basic knowledge of stereo systems should be able to figure it out. The control panel is a light up light blue with LED indicators.

Features of the JVC HX-GX7 Compact Component Stereo System are an AM/FM tuner with 15 AM and 30 FM presets, a 5-CD tray which boasts the CD exchange system meaning I can change out CDs while one is playing, and a single cassette deck with CD synchro and auto-reverse. Besides commercial CDs, this system will play burned CD-R and CD-RW as well as MP3s. So five CDs loaded with MP3s will last a very long time on RANDOM PLAY!

There are three surround sound modes on the JVC HX-GX7 Compact Component Stereo System providing an incredible sound. It has dual amplifiers, meaning there are 180 watts for the subwoofer, plus 80 watts for the woofers and tweeter. The speakers each use a 2-inch paper cone tweeter, two 4-¾-inch poly cone woofers, and a side-firing 6-5/16-inch paper cone subwoofer.

May favorite part of the JVC HX-GX7 Compact Component Stereo System is definitely the 5-disc CD changer, mainly because of the feature known as TRAY LOCK. The last stereo my daughters used broke mainly because of my son constantly messing with it, especially opening and closing the CD drawers. With this feature, he can't access any of the changers. Up to 100 tracks can be programmed to play in order - I just can't change out any of the CDs during this time.

The JVC HX-GX7 Compact Component Stereo System came with an AM loop antenna and an FM wire antenna. We are near New York City, so we had no problems with reception even without the antennas and that's just another wire that our cats would chew on. Still, I think it's nice that JVC provides these. There is a DAILY TIMER function allowing us to use the system as an alarm clock, although if you don't watch the volume you're liable to hit the ceiling using this for that purpose!

As we toured through the various FM stations setting up the presets, I didn't take too much notice of the sound until we happened on U2's "Vertigo" and I immediately stopped my fussing and just appreciated the sound. The JVC HX-GX7 Compact Component Stereo System completely blows my component system in the living room of our home away. The sound was incredible, and we cranked it up so loud I feared we'd break the windows out in the room. Yet it was still crystal clear with good bass tones and no distortion. I can't wait to hear Led Zeppelin's "What Is and What Should Never Be" on it!

I can't see getting the volume all the way up - the sound is great at a lower level and fine for the house, although if we were still having the block parties we used to have it would be a temptation to bring this out and save the cost of a deejay.

There are three surround modes and three SEA (Sound Effect Amplifier) modes which allows me to adjust the sound quality depending on the source. The ROCK mode on the SEA settings is good for acoustic music while POP is good for vocal music and CLASSIC is good for classical music (no, duh!) In the surround modes, DANCE increases the resonance and bass, HALL adds depth while STADIUM clarifies the sound. I can switch easily between the SEA preset SEA modes or adjust the equalizer on my own. The subwoofer can also be adjusted as well as a loudness function, now known as RHYTHM AX. After years of fiddling around with equalizer settings, I stick with presets now. If you do want to set your own, there are three user modes available to store the settings.

We really don't use cassette tapes any longer, so I can't say much about it. It plays back both sides of the tape without having to turn it over and has a neat function where you can skip a song automatically without having to keep stopping to see if you've fast-forwarded far enough. Where was this a few years ago in the time before I could record my own CDs? The cassette deck is something which could have been left off as far as I'm concerned. There are some fun features on the JVC HX-GX7 Compact Component Stereo System such as FADE MUTING which will fade out whatever I am listening to by slowly dropping the volume down to zero in three seconds.

Overall, I am very happy and very impressed with this system. The JVC HX-GX7 Compact Component Stereo System almost makes me want to surrender my 300-disc CD changer from my living room where it's connected to indoor and outdoor speakers in favor of this system. My kids are enjoying it a lot - their hip-hop music sounds great to them on it and as long as I am far enough away in the living room, I don't mind it either. When I'm in the den playing video games with them I enjoy listening to my music on it. The sound is rich and powerful with little distortion. It's an impressive machine.



Technical specs taken from owner's manual and the JVC website: http://www.jvc.com/product.jsp?modelId=MODL027203&pathId=13&page=1

© 2005 Patti Aliventi