Returned After Two Weeks
Written: Apr 13 '04 (Updated Dec 20 '04)
|
Product Rating:
|
|
| Sound Quality: |
 |
|
| Ease of Use: |
 |
|
| Durability: |
 |
|
|
Pros: Superb FM reception; no CD skips; cassette and CD
Cons: Hard-to-install double-DIN size; average user interface; distortion that may have been a wiring problem
The Bottom Line: The double-DIN size is difficult to install and the unit is operationally complex. However, its FM reception is superb and it had no skips with CDs.
|
|
|
| pvreditor's Full Review: JVC KW-XC777 Car CD / Cassette Player |
This review is on a JVC KW-XC777 car stereo, which does not resemble the picture at the top of the page — at least at the point I wrote the review.
Although it is now April 2004, I recently bought a new 2003 Subaru Legacy. The car came with a factory stereo that contained an AM/FM tuner and CD player, fitting into the center of the car’s dashboard just below the heater controls. Unfortunately for me, I wanted the capability to play both CDs and cassettes, as I frequently listen to books on tape, which are still commonly on audiocassettes. Subaru did not offer an add-on cassette mechanism for the existing stereo, although it did have a six-CD changer option.
Therefore, I looked in stores and on the Internet to see what my options were. As far as I could determine, no manufacturer makes a DIN-sized car stereo that contains both CD and cassette capability, which left me either with the option to plug in an external cassette player or choosing a “double-DIN” stereo that did have dual capability. I opted to go with a double-DIN model and quickly settled on the JVC KW-XC777. (May 3, 2004 update: Sanyo apparently now has several models of single-DIN CD/cassette stereos, including the FXCD-550. In fact, I installed the FXCD-550 yesterday, replacing the JVC KW-XC777... read the update at the bottom.)
The basic specs/features for the JVC KW-XC777 are as follows:
Continuous power output: 17 W (RMS) into 4 Ohms x four channels
Three-band parametric equalizer
External stereo input (mini-phone) on front panel
Rear-panel line output: 2V
Rear-panel input/control for external CD changer
The JVC KW-XC777 does not play MP3 disks
The KW-XC777 comes with a wireless remote control
One of the most important aspects of the KW-XC777 is its double-DIN size. Physically, this is twice the size of a standard DIN car stereo, and behind the faceplate of the unit it looks for all the world like two standard stereos stacked together. Double-DIN car stereos do not have the ease of installation of a standard DIN car stereo, which is so easy to install that I’ve done it in 20 minutes. Not only does a double-DIN stereo require a double-size hole to fit into but is attached to the dashboard by screwed-on brackets on either side of the stereo’s chassis. The mounting bracket then screws into the car’s dashboard.
The first step in my installation of the JVC KW-XC777 was to remove the dashboard trim pieces surrounding the existing stereo and remove the old stereo. In my manual-shift Subaru, this meant not only removing the trim around the radio but also removing the shift lever and console between the front seats. All this was more-or-less straightforward — if time consuming — except for two diabolically hard-to-find screws that attached the ash tray assembly to the dash. Without a mirror, there was no way for me to see these two screws and it took me a long time to figure out that they were there. Once I removed them, the final bits of trim were easily removed.
At this point, the rest of the installation was obvious. I unscrewed the entire structure that supports the radio and heater controls from the dashboard, removed the radio and one of the storage bins from this assembly and inserted the JVC KW-XC777 in their place. The really good thing about a double-DIN installation is that steel side panels firmly attach both sides of the stereo to this dashboard assembly. It makes for a much sturdier and rigid installation than the thin steel chassis that typically supports a DIN car stereo. From start to finish, the installation took me about 2.5 hours.
I bought my KW-XC777 from Crutchfield (a company I recommend), which gave me a wiring adapter that plugged right into the wiring harness in my Subaru. To eliminate the chance that there would be a loose wire in the future, I soldered the JVC wiring harness to this Subaru adapter and everything then just plugged together. I am not using an external amplifier or a subwoofer in my system, nor do I have an external CD changer.
Once stuffed in the dash, the trim bits and console were easily reinstalled. The finished installation is solid and attractive, although I would prefer a more conservative black front panel than the more stylish silver face of the JVC KW-XC777. Like many other current stereos, the KW-XC777 has a lot of nonsensical graphics and distracting displays. I followed the steps in the manual to turn all these off, opting for the basic information on the media I’m playing (CD or cassette) or the radio station frequency.
Once installed, I fired it up and set the various modes the way I wanted them. The Subaru has four decent-sounding speakers that are unfortunately located low on the door panels. This is not the hot location for good treble, so I stepped through the settings to boost the treble. The unit thoughtfully has a parametric feature for this equalization, with various adjustment frequencies for bass, midrange and treble. In the case of treble, for example, equalization can be applied at either 8 kHz or 12 kHz. There are three bass frequencies and three midrange frequencies.
Once I had the stereo adjusted the way I wanted and the clock set, I took the car out for a spin. With the factory Subaru speakers, this is a rich-sounding setup with good bass that sounds fine for the mostly background music I like. (I listen mostly to 1960s through 1980s rock, with some more current pop stuff thrown into the mix.) As expected, treble is not the strong point of this system and I’m already thinking about ways to augment the factory speakers with a pair of tweeters. The lack of treble is the fault of the poorly located Subaru speakers and not the JVC stereo.
The JVC KW-XC777 makes all the volume I want without distortion. I’m sure it would not be loud enough for some people, and you know who you are. It has more power than I’ll ever need and I’m impressed by the bass and rich sound I’m getting with the factory speakers.
The KW-XC777 has three FM preset bands and one AM preset band, each with the capability to store six channel presets. Really, one bank of six is enough for me but why complain? I will say that I was just about ejected from my seat at the quality of the FM tuner in this stereo — it is without a doubt the best car FM radio I have ever heard. In my first drive, I took a winding road alongside the Shenandoah River, while keeping the radio tuned to a station on the other side of the Blue Ridge Mountains in Washington, DC. The radio station was completely listenable during the entire ride and it continued to hold the station solidly as I climbed the road to the top of the Blue Ridge. No other car stereo I have can come even close to doing this.
It’s possible that some of this excellent reception is the result of the antenna in the Subaru, which is embedded in the glass of the rear window. (The car is a sedan, not the typical Subaru wagon.) Whatever is responsible for the superb reception, I’m highly impressed.
I have yet to get a CD to skip in this stereo and I’ve deliberately steered the car to some bumps and road chop, of which there is plenty after our cold winter. I can’t find anything in the manual about skip prevention or memory, but my results so far have been perfect: no skips.
Likewise, cassettes play with no fuss and the sound quality is steady with minimal flutter over bumpy roads. The cassette mechanism has auto-reverse, which is easily accessed by one of the bigger front-panel buttons. Cassette sound quality is good and the KW-XC777 has Dolby B noise reduction, but music cassette audio quality pales in comparison to CD audio.
Which brings up the front-panel buttons on the JVC KW-XC777, which are one of the downsides to this car stereo. First of all, the buttons are fairly logically arrayed and the on/off switch is in the upper left, where it is expected. (The on/off switch has an attenuation mode if I tap it; to turn the stereo off, I have to hold the button down for a couple of seconds.) The volume control switch is logically placed at the lower left. The biggest problem with the various buttons is that this stereo has a lot of features and there are just a few buttons to access them. This means that there are a variety of menus that need to be stepped through to do anything beyond the simplest tasks. The detailed manual does a decent job of explaining all these settings but you’ll never figure out how to adjust the clock or modify the EQ while driving on the interstate.
The front panel has an attractive blue luminescent display that connects to the car’s dashboard lighting system. This excellent feature means that the display is brighter during the day and dimmed at night when I turn the car’s light on. Nice! In addition, there are 10 brightness settings that you’ll need the manual to figure out… but it’s good to know they are there.
This display will make all sorts of distracting blinks and doodles. As mentioned earlier, I just turned them all off and maintain the minimum operational information, which puts me in old-fart heaven.
At $300, the JVC KW-XC777 is the most expensive car stereo that I’ve ever bought. In its favor, it seems solidly built and it has good sound. The FM reception is astonishingly good. I am also impressed by its skip resistance — perfect so far — and the unit has several thoughtful features and decent expandability if I ever decide to install a CD changer or external power amp.
On the downside, the ergonomics are just average and it does not have MP3 capability, a disappointing omission at this price. But it does competently play both CDs and audio cassettes, which will make life in this car more pleasant. In addition, it has a front-panel auxiliary jack for an external MP3 player — not the best solution in my experience but a workable one. This external jack will also work well with an XM or Sirius satellite radio system.
The JVC KW-XC777 fits a narrow niche: It is a combination CD/cassette player that requires a double-DIN-sized hole. From an installation standpoint, a standard DIN car stereo is MUCH easier to deal with, although the KW-XC777 installs more firmly than the usual DIN stereo. If you still listen to FM radio, this stereo has a lot going for it.
If you fit the niche and want both CD and cassette, the JVC KW-XC777 is a good, if not great, choice. There is nothing wrong with its sound quality or performance, but its ergonomics and controls are not the best. I recommend it, but not without some reservations.
May 3, 2004 update:
I was driving home from work a couple weeks ago and listening to an early Beatles CD at moderate volume. All of a sudden, the sound got much more distorted, a quite noticeable rasp that reduced somewhat at lower volumes. I tried both cassette and radio, but the distortion was most noticeable from CDs.
At home, I swapped the JVC with the factory stereo and there was no distortion. (This is a significant pain, since the double-DIN installation means that I have to pull a major chunk of the dashboard apart!) I called Crutchfield and discovered that it didn't have a replacement JVC KW-XC777. I therefore requested a single-DIN Sanyo FXCD-550 to replace the JVC and installed the Sanyo yesterday.
I guess that the JVC just didn't work out for me, although I am still impressed with its superb FM reception. I had even gotten used to its chunky looks and really liked the way it interfaced with the dashboard lighting system, something the Sanyo does not do. Unfortunately, I didn't want to wait for a replacement JVC model and went with the immediately available Sanyo.
December 20, 2004 update:
I had the same problem with the Sanyo replacement stereo that I had with the JVC: distortion when the back speakers were set to a normal level. I ultimately pulled the stereo out and carefully checked the wiring, which looked fine. I carefully taped everything back together and the Sanyo has now worked fine for three months.
I have to assume that the problem I had with the JVC was with my wiring and not with the stereo. Although all the wires seemed to be connected fine (and I soldered them instead of simply crimping or twisting), there must have been a problem with a connection. I will cautiously raise my overall rating on the JVC KW-XC777.
I apologize if all this is confusing but I hope there is some good information in this review.
Recommended:
Yes
Amount Paid (US$): 300
|
|
|
|
|
- Add to My Yahoo!: 
- Add to Google Homepage: 
© 1999-2009 Shopping.com, Inc.