[firefox360]

I'm not really sure what category this should be in, but since it has nothing to do with headphones (except for the headphone out on this thing), I thought this would be the place for it.

Anyhow, on with the question. Does anyone here know or have even heard of this JVC RX-1010VTN Receiver? It's a home theatre receiver with outputs for "SURROUND SPEAKERS", that was at the top of it's league (in terms of JVC product line up anyhow), back in around the late 80's. One the front cover of the manual they categorize the receiver as a "DIGITAL ACOUSTICS PROCESS SYSTEM RECEIVER". It has a silver/champagne coloured front rather than a black front that rest of the products JVC made back then. They had a matching tape deck, and CD player system to complement this particular receiver.

According to my father (who this receiver belongs to), it seems like a rather interesting and perhaps rare amplifier. According to him, only ~2 were ever imported from Japan to Canada (and perhaps even ever made & sold), and that the particular model (and perhaps product line) was discontinued pretty early into it's introduction. I'm guessing this was one of those things JVC did back then to show the products that they could produce, similar to Sony's Qualia line, and to JVC's new wooden HP-DX1000 headphone. The receiver has "SuperDIGIFINE" written on it in in tiny letters on the front. Another peculiar rarity is the included large, and rather non-ergonomic, programmable/universal remote with a touch screen as the buttons. You don't usually see this much today, even on high-end home theatre receivers. Every aspect of the receiver is digital, except for the speaker switches (I think anyways). Digital volume control, sound effects control, bass & treble control, etc. Everything is buttonized on this receiver. The thing has a "PHONO" input with built-in ground, which I guess was the norm for something build during the late 80's, as my Yamaha R-95 also has it.

This particular model that my father happened to have bought was actually suppose to be a demonstration model for all of the retail Centre-HiFi chains in Montreal. However the dealers didn't even get to open the box and demonstrate it yet, before my dad snatched it up and bought it.

Along with this receiver my dad also bought a pair of the now famous Sound Dynamics 300ti bookshelf speakers. Not quite sure about the headphone out on the thing, since we haven't used it quite much ever since my dad got pulled into the dark side and bought a Bose Lifestyle system.

The receiver is a beast, and weighs a pretty 27.6 pounds (12.5 kilos). Specs says that in 2 channel operation the thing gives out:

Quote:

120 watts per channel, min. RMS, both channels driven into 8 ohms from 20 Hz to 20 kHz, with no more than 0.007% total harmonic distortion.

So does anyone happen to have any information about this receiver whatsoever?

Regards, Alan

EDIT: The thing also has composite video and S-VIDEO switching built in. Looks like it was truely meant for use in a home theatre enviroment. The thing also has a fan installed on the back to keep it nice and cool/warm, and even with that, after prolonged period of use the thing would get pretty hot (uberhot).

 

[ThePHNX]

Well I'll be !!!!!
Have one, had it for years - yes, since the 80's.
Even with my connections with my nearby JVC distributor-Dealer (New England) I paid almost $1,000.00 for it.
Teamed it up with all JVC components, except speakers & a Philips CD1 - big fan of JVC's CompuLink that auto controls all settings according to whatever source you pick, VCR, FM (& each station can be set differently), Phono (the ground is important on a Phono), CD, CD Changer (use the 6+1 JVC changer with magazines that fit our (3) automobile CD changers).
The set has BOTH S.E.A. Graphic Equalizer and Digital Acoustics Processors (DAP) as well as Dolby Surround Pro Logic.
the S.E.A. has 5 preset Frequency Responce Patterns: Heavy, Clear, Soft, Movie, and Vocal, as well as 5 customizable patterns,
The DAP allows you to tailor the sound so it will fit your own room characteristics; size, wall type (reflectivity), and liveness (depth of resonance) to simulate the acoustics of various listening environments, Symphony Hall, Recital Hall, Opera House, Church, Live Club (great for Jazz), Stadium, and Movie Theater.
Then, of course it has Dolby Surround Pro Logic (5.1 (6.1 & 7.1 weren't even in the lab yet I don't think)!-)
The Dolby Center Channel Mode can be set for NORMAL (compact speaker)
WIDE (full reproduction), PHANTOM (simulation with no speaker) or OFF (for adjusting Left & Right channels)
and
TEST which sends a signal to each speaker and groups separately for adjusting)
Have had the unit for years and still in daily use....
In a word "OUTSTANDING!"
Ran my first Bose AcoustiMass speakers from it in a true home theater, ceiling mounted Sharp projector, motorized drop down screen, the whole enchilada, and people were spellbound.
Much that stuff up North in storage but the 1010, the CD Changer and a new JVC DVD-DVR/VCR combo (DR-MV1S) are putting out through the latest rage, a $75.00 set of Insignia (Best Buy home brew) 6.1 speakers. UNBELIEVABLE! Have to keep the volume below half or the little flat plate units begin to dance, but am getting better sound out of those speakers on that system than some $5,000.00 systems I hear locally.
BTW: if you need the manual I'll scan and send it.
Truly great to discover you and this group.
Oh yes - if I haven't worn you out by now - I discovered a long time ago that `Audiophiles - which I refuse to be - are more into the specs than the actual sounds. One fellow back in the early days invited us to hear his latest $10,000.00 speakers (this was when $10,000.00 bought a good new car) and we discovered he could not tell the difference between a tenor and alto sax. His hearing, as most of us dropped out shortly after 15k.
Not meant to disparage or be a criticism but a fact none the less.
HBH

 

[soundboy]

The JVC 1010 series was JVC's statement components in the late 80s/early 90s. The 1010TN (TN stands for Titanium) CD player was one of the great CD players of that decade, ending up on Stereophile's "Recommeded Components" list. The receiver, while outdated by current standards in terms of available onboard decoding, is probably on the same level as JVC's top-of-the-line THX-certified receivers....which are very good. If the receiver has pre-outs/main-ins, you can easily use it in any current system.

 

[ThePHNX]

Quote:

Originally Posted by soundboy The JVC 1010 series was JVC's statement components in the late 80s/early 90s. The 1010TN (TN stands for Titanium) CD player was one of the great CD players of that decade, ending up on Stereophile's "Recommeded Components" list. The receiver, while outdated by current standards in terms of available onboard decoding, is probably on the same level as JVC's top-of-the-line THX-certified receivers....which are very good. If the receiver has pre-outs/main-ins, you can easily use it in any current system.

Very worthwhile response soundboy and much on point (although we're hardly discussing portable equipment - hope we don't get banished!-)

The set DOES have pre-outs one for center, and one left and right channel that is switchable to either front or rear. Is there a way to add, then, 6.1 or even 7.1?
Thanks, HBH

 

[soundboy]

Quote:

Originally Posted by ThePHNX The set DOES have pre-outs one for center, and one left and right channel that is switchable to either front or rear. Is there a way to add, then, 6.1 or even 7.1?

The pre-outs will allow you to add external amplification, such as a higher quality power amp. I don't remember what kind of surround sound decoding was on that receiver (Dolby Pro-Logic? Dolby Digital??), but most likely your receiver is only, at most, a 5.1 receiver. 6.1 and 7.1 decoding are relatively new.

It's probably cheaper to just buy a current receiver if you want 6.1 or 7.1 surround sound.

 

[Schlukitz]

Yes.  I bought one back in the late 80's, along with the matching tape deck.  It has performed well until just a couple of weeks ago when it quit playing.  The dial lights up but none of the inputs produces any sound when hooked up to speakers.
 
I am bringing it into the Best Buys Service department to check it out and see what the problem is.  Hopefully, it will only be a minor repair to get it up and running again.