JVC KD-AVX2 HU mini review

[GnatGoSplat]

I'm bored. Thought I'd write a mini review on the new JVC KD-AVX2. I put it in my truck since I spend more time in it than my car, but it'd definitely fit a W-body. Here are pics of it in the truck:

 

 

It plays everything, and can even play DVD-Video on its built-in screen. Attach an external monitor, and it can play DVD-Video to that. It's kind of cool to see a movie playing on that tiny 3.5" screen. It'll play CD's of course, and MP3 CD's as well. One of its nicest features, is it can play what JVC calls "Giga MP3". That's the ability to play MP3's from a DVD for 4.7GB worth of music (several DAYS worth of continuous music). For me, this is its most useful feature. It supports multi-session, so it's possible to just fill the DVD part of the way up and add new tracks as I download ... er... buy them. One problem I had, is it seems to be picky when it comes to DVD rewritables. I tried one DVD+RW blank that I'd used before and erased. The stereo wouldn't recognize it at all, giving me a "Disc Error" and spitting it out. I tried a different, less used DVD+RW and it was fine! Go figure. I can't fit my entire music collection on one DVD, but I can fit just about everything I'd ever want to listen to in the car on it. Browsing a disc is pretty fast. It can display all the folders in a List. Pressing up/down goes up or down one folder at a time, pressing and holding up or down for at least 1 full second makes it page up and down, so navigating a DVD full of MP3's is pretty quick. It DOES remember last position within a song when the ignition is turned off, which is an improvement from last year's KD-AVX1. It also supports surround sound on all audio sources which is pretty cool! Dolby Digital 5.1 or DTS for DVD's, and Dolby Pro-Logic II for non-surround sources like MP3's and tuner. Unfortunately, using tuner presets isn't very easy since there are no preset buttons on the face, and setting presets is even more painful because you have to navigate through menus to set them. As far as video features, I haven't really used that too much. It does have a video/audio inputs and also a Reverse Gear input if you want to hook up a reverse camera. It's possible to play DVD-Video while driving by permanently grounding the park brake input wire. Some people like to do this so they can play music video DVD's. I haven't bothered. Supposedly this will also play DiVX video files, but I haven't tried that.

 

If you like fancy screensavers, wallpapers, and all the fancy entertainment options like Pioneer's OEL stereos have, you'll be disappointed with this one. It has no eye candy at all. It has a few built-in wallpapers, none of them particularly interesting (the Earth wallpaper is the most colorful one I found). The only animation it has is the automatic scrolling of ID3 tag info. There's no documented way to add wallpapers. Not even a spectrum analyzer display, although it does have a customizable built-in 7-band EQ. The LCD itself is very bright, colorful, and easily readable on bright sunny days. The small clock took a bit of getting used to, but it's easy to tell the time at a glance.

 

One thing that's really nice is the oversized motorized face. The face is quite a bit larger than that of a typical HU. That's because a typical HU has a trim ring around the face. The height of the face on this one is as tall as a regular 1-DIN stereo plus trim ring. I also really like the design, very clean, simple, and symmetrical. When off, the 4-way controllers on either side are completely black. When turned on, blue icons magically appear. It reminds me of the "Ghost face" HU's they had a few years back. In the install kit I use in the truck, the stereo is actually inset into the kit quite a bit which looks pretty nice. I was thinking this HU in a W-body would look really nice if you could install it flush using a kit similar to the one I'm using in the truck. Since the face itself is so tall compared to a regular 1-DIN HU, it could actually be made to visually look like a 1.5 DIN if you devised some kind of trim ring to go around the face (the 1.5 DIN opening in my truck is actually a little bit taller than the 1.5 DIN in the Cutlasses). Depth is about 6-1/2", although on the right side of the back panel is where the RCA's and stuff come out (many). Unfortunately they are not detachable so there would be some degree of cramming in a W, even with a kit that lets the stereo stick out.

 

[19Cutlass94]

It does look like a very nice HU too! But I think one of the biggest things that i dont like would be the presetting. I have many channels preset into mine and use them soo many times a day. Its cool that you can play movies ( DVD's ) on that, but with a 3.5" screen how well can you see them? You mentioned a Aux to hook up tv's and such to play DVD's so really thats a better choice if your into that. The MP3's I dont really need those at all, so all the stuff that has for MP3's like 4.7GB worth of music, ( and Im sure theres peoply like me who dont use it ) but makes me wonder if alot of the cost of that is for that. But it does sound like a great HU once you get used to it and know where everything is. But I can see great differences between mine and yours. BTW, did that come with a remote or not?

 

BTW, great review!

[GnatGoSplat]

Yeah, luckily I only listen to 1 radio station so the presets aren't a problem. Movies and stuff are actually pretty crisp and clear, but yeah, it's a 3.5" screen so you have to squint. I really have no reason to watch movies in there anyway. The Giga MP3 is its best feature, but if you don't need that, then a cheaper stereo would probably be sufficient... although, on eBay the prices for this thing are very reasonable. It cost me $385 shipped where a Pioneer DEH-P7800MP (my 2nd choice) would have been $350-ish and can't handle DVD's at all, so the extra cost was worthwhile. Yes, it does come with a remote which I haven't tried yet... haven't needed to use the remote because I can reach the stereo.

 

Oh, one thing I forgot to mention is it has a wired steering wheel remote input, so with a PAC SWI-ALP, it's compatible with steering wheel controls. No need for the annoying IR thingamabob on the SWI-X.

 

[slick]

I don't listen to the radio, so that wouldn't bother me.

 

OH, and I'm jealous!!!

[1990lumina]

Awesome, looks good in there.....I'd be to scared to put anything like that in my car because of where it sits all day at school.....fucking thieves, and yeah, awesome review

[AWeb80]

That is really nice.