JVC RX-8020V 5.1 Channels Receiver

The title of this review I think captures the essence of this receiver. For years, companies like Onkyo, Denon, Yamaha, even Kenwood and Sony have ruled the A/V Receiver market. There is a rumble brewing in A/V land, as JVC their old neighbor and pal returns, with a vengeance. The Victor Company of Japan (JVC), the originators of the VHS format are back and are here to stay. People, take notice.
I decided to go along with the JVC RX-8020VBK as a round about sort of way. I began looking at Yamaha, Onkyo, Denon, Sony (STRDE885), Kenwood (VR-6050), Panasonic (SAHE100), and even bought and returned the Pioneer VSXD811 (it had a cheap flimsy feel on the front door contraption and I swear it broke the first time I openned it. It was this last disapointement that prompted me to reach back to my roots and call upon JVC. After all I was replacing an older (1995) JVC stereo mini-system that up to this point, had not only survived but carried me through 4 yrs of college...and they were 4 rough yrs at that!
Problem was that NO ONE carries JVC. After some research I settled upon the RX-8020, only 3 models below their flagship model which carries a MSRP of $1700. I have owned this item for 3 months now.
6ave.com provided the goods at an unbelievable fire sale price of $247 plus shipping which was $13!!
Upon receipt, I let the hook up and testing begin. All the speaker hook ups are first rate binding posts and rather than cheap spring clips. The back provides all the hook ups you can need:
5 Composite Video Inputs, 5 S-Video Inputs, 2 Component Video Inputs
Front A/V Input with S-Video (Gold Plated) for the convenience of hooking up any A/V source quickly and easily such as a camcorder or video game
Front USB Audio Input
1 Assignable Coaxial Digtial Input that you can designate to any digital source
3 Assignable Optical Digital Inputs that you can designate to any digital source, 1 Optical Digital Output for use with digital recording devices
3 Composite Video Outputs, 3 S-Video Outputs, 1 Component Video Output
2 Main Speaker Terminals (for A/B switching) all all surrounds and center channels
PREAMP line outs for all output channels including surround BACK RIGHT and surround BACK LEFT for hook up to a separate amp if desired.
The front of the unit is simple, nicely laid out, and beautiful with inlaid light built right into each function button rather than LED's above the buttons etc. It is in details like that that JVC's thought of design truly shines. The volume knob feels solid and responsive like a fine european car and not like a racy and flimsy honda. One feature it does lack is the availability of a switched or unswitched outlet. In this case I am glad since this can harm the receiver if the other unit fries itself or draws a lot of current.
Once you plug in all the speakers to this unit, it is pretty much ready to go. The sound management system in the receiver allows you to set up the Distance (if feet or meters) to the listener and in turn sets the delay time for the signals. The center speaker can be fully adjustable in certain DAP modes. you can adjust the tone from soft to sharp (in any setting) as well as the dimension, panorama, and width. Each speakers (including sub LFE) output channel can be asjusted to -10db. The Subs crossover presets are 80, 100, 120, 150 Hz. The video switching is 35Mhz and it works very well, it is accurate, and it switches immediately from source to source without any interference or noise.
Overall, the sound quality is very, very good. The addition of a five band equalizer (63Hz, 250Hz, 1KHz, 4Khz, and 16KHz,) with a -8db boost/cut can help you blend you sound as you wish, a simple one time set up of this memorizes it across every audio/video function. The receiver also adds a one-touch Bass boost boost (I believe it is an 8db boost) that is also memorized PER each application setting. The sound coming from the All-stereo DAP setting (5.1) is full, balanced and loud. The other seetings available for all modes are ProLogicII (music and video), pro logic, Cinema 6 or neo 6 (music and video). The more 'processed' though impressive settings are theater 1-2, hall 1-2, dance hall, live concert, dance club, pavillion, and as mentioned earlier, all stereo mode. The pavillion version is simply amazing...try Norah Jones on this. You can even adjust all the reverbs and settings in each of the later settings to better suit your room, your adjustments are of course memorized There is also a one touch Surround/DAP OFF that defeats all processing and provides just a two channel un-adulterated version for purists, very useful during set up. I would characteize the sound of this unit as full, loud, very detail oriented and dynamic....as it can reproduce just about any nuance found in a recording. It is not bass heavy on its own but with its bass boost and EQ capabilities you can dial any sound you wish. I think the manufacturer truly spent time in creating a receiver with a flat sound output across the frequency range, trusting its listeners ears to do the more critical adjutments themselves.
The manual is well set up and it is prone to cause a lot of page flipping, it is porbbaly an 8 out of 10. Though it certainly is way better than the scribble Pioneer packed with their D811. I am have to be honest and say that the point of confusion IS reached on the manual however, the answers are all there, you just have to be patient and find them. I found the manual very good, though not excelent.
Lastly, the remote......
A lot of people have complained about being overwhelmed by the remote, lots of buttons, etc, etc. All I can say is that this is a truly universal remote. I have my JVC 5 disc CD player, Philips TV, Samsung DVD player all plugged into this remote and it operates all of them. The LCD display (though not back-lit) is clear to see and usefull. The control button on the remote selects between VCR1, VCR2, TAPE CDR, and CDPLAYER to control. Aside from this, the remote has dedicated buttons to turn on/off the receiver, tv, a vcr, and cable box. More over, all the setting up of the speakers, test tone, bass, eq, levels, effects, can be done through the remote simply as you sit at your listening position. all this of course is displayed on the TV if the MONITOR output is run from the receiver to TV. Yes, the display on the receiver can be dimmed. I tested the USB port and it worked clearly and flawlessly. Also, 2 year warranty.
Oh yeah, I did contact JVC's technical support on 3 different ocations with some questions and my call was answered within 5 minutes each time and my issues were solved and my questions were answered by their tech support poeple. I even sent them an email and they respeonded within 24 hrs. Simply top notch

Features (FROM JVC.com)

120 watts x 2 min. RMS, both channels driven into 8 ohms from 20Hz to 20kHz with no more than 0.08% THD
100 watts x 5 min. RMS, into 8 ohms, 1kHz, 0.8% THD
DVD Multichannel Audio Compatible (5.1 channel analog input and 5 separate amps) for connection to existing and future multichannel sources such as DVD Audio
LCD Multi-Brand A/V Remote Control (VCR/TV/CATV/DBS)
Dolby Digital Ex and DTS-ES and Dolby Prologic II decoders built-in for theater quality surround from digital sources
Dolby Pro Logic II in Full Digital Processing
Fully Discrete Outputs to ensure greater fidelity and longer life
Digital Acoustics Processor (DAP) with 7 preset sound fields
3D-PHONIC Virtual Surround Sound creates dramatic home theater sound with just two front speakers
Text COMPU LINK will transmit text data carried by media like CD-Text and MD to display on your receiver and a television
AV COMPU LINK provides simple one touch operation between your JVC audio and video components. For example, pop a pre-recorded VHS tape into the VCR and it will automatically power up your receiver and your television and then turn them each to the proper inputs.
Enhanced COMPU LINK Control System
On Screen Display simplifies control by allowing you to choose options from your television screen to operate your receiver
Dot Matrix Fluorescent Display
Line level Sub Out
5-band Digital S.E.A. equalization with separate presets for each source to give you flexible tone control and minimize sound degradation
Center Tone Control
Bass Boost, One-Touch Operation
High Bandwidth Component Video Switching compatible with standard definition TV and all High Definition TV formats
5 Composite Video Inputs, 5 S-Video Inputs, 2 Component Video Inputs
Front A/V Input with S-Video (Gold Plated) for the convenience of hooking up any A/V source quickly and easily such as a camcorder or video game
Front USB Audio Input
1 Assignable Coaxial Digtial Input that you can designate to any digital source
3 Assignable Optical Digital Inputs that you can designate to any digital source, 1 Optical Digital Output for use with digital recording devices
3 Composite Video Outputs, 3 S-Video Outputs, 1 Component Video Output
2 Main Speaker Terminals
15 AM and 30 FM station memory
2 Year parts and labor warranty
Weight: 25.4 lbs
Width: 17 3/16"
Height: 6 3/16"
Depth: 16 3/4"
High-Rigidity Z-Chassis
Banana Plugs for easy speaker connections (Main1/Main2/Center/Surround)

Conclusion:
what can I say, I got a receiver WORTH $450 (msrp) shipped for $260 brand spanking new. So I'm psyched, Now that I have owned it I would pay up to $400.00 for it. But simply put, the features, value, quality, flexibility and...features, looks, remote, etc, etc. simply put this unit so far and beyond above its peers than it is almost a no contest. No contest at all. If you find this unit even for $300-325 buy it it will destroy any Yamaha, Onkyo, Harman Kardon, Panasonic, Pioneer, and even Kenwood (on a feature by feature basis) for a comparable price. In my opinion, taking away that this is only a 5.1 (rather than 6.1-7.1 though it has that capability) unit it runs and may even out-value any unit costing up to $500.00
FYI, I use this predominatly as a music source I'd say 60%music, 40% HT. The HT sound of this item is equally in line with its musical prowess. This unit has been Star Wars: Episode II certified....BY me!

My set-up:
JVC RX-8020 VBK
JVC Caroussel CD players XL-FZ258BK
PHILIPS 27" TV PS55
SAMSUNG N501 Nuon DVD player
YAMAHA NS-6390 All around (X4)
ATHENA TECHNOLOGIES AS-C1 center channel
BIC AMERICA V-1015 Subwoofer
AR cables.

questions, feel free to contact ozzy71975@yahoo.com