Price Paid:  $499.00 from Crutchfield

Summary:
Nice receiver, lots of features, good price point.

Strengths:
Functionality, features, performance and looks.

Weaknesses:
None

Price Paid:  $399.00 from American Home Theate

Summary:
I purchased this for 449.00 and thought I had a good purchase until I hooked it up. First came the infamous HISS then 18 months later, the remote died. Now in it's fifth year it refuse to respond to commands from the remote? Is five years the LIfe expectancy of this Product?

Strengths:
I couldn't find any

Weaknesses:
Poor crossover, HISS, terrible durability,
Lack of Power, runs HOT. Never could get OSD

Similar Products Used:
denon 1603, Toshiba 1200 dvd, Energy XL25 speakers sub and Toshiba CZ32v51 TV

Price Paid:  $220.00 from UBid

Summary:
I had mine for 3 years and it just completely died. It had problems from day 1. I had to send it back to the factory to fix a problem with the sub out and couldn't use it for 6 weeks after buying it. I've had lots of problems with JVC products and I think I'll never buy another product from them.

Strengths:
Lots of features for the money.

Weaknesses:
Poor Quality

Price Paid:  $295.00 from online store

Summary:
I have had the 884 for three years now.
I have had to take it to the shop once for a blown fuse. Other than that - no problems. The absolute best thing about the thing is the AV Compulink. It operates all of my system with one remote and one push of a button. Hit the power button, the receiver and the TV turn on. Press play for the DVD or VCR and it switches everything for you. Press CD and the onscreen menu pulls up on your screen and you choose which music list you want to play. I have noticed how my 11 year old son will show off the system to his friends. He puts a movie into the DVD tray and closes the tray. Everthing turns on and they're ready to watch. The kids go "Wow, that's so cool!"

I have read a lot about noise problems and have never experienced any. I use an Energy Take 5 speaker system with the 10 inch sealed sub and have always been impressed with them for home theater use.

With the new plasma sets coming out, I am getting serious about a 50 inch set when JVC has one available with Compulink. I will probably retire the 884 (give it to my son) and by the top of the line JVC replacement. Add a set of Veritas 2.2s and I will be good to go for home theater and music for a few more years.

Strengths:
JVC AV Compulink - the most simple ease of operation, a four year old can handle it.

Weaknesses:
no DTS decoder.

Similar Products Used:
pioneer

Price Paid:  $400.00 from Circuit City

Summary:
Bought this unit in mid '98 to start my HT system. Reciever has been very reliable and runs my Bose AM-10s quite efficiently. JVC does make good quality products (unlike SONY) and they are usually a good value as well. I've found the power on this unit quite substantial in HT use, but a little lacking in stereo use. The DSP processing leaves a lot to be desired though, and the unit does not switch into Dolby Digital/Surround modes automatically so you have to go hit the "Mode" button on the reciever (The remote lacks this as well!). Unit is pre-DTS which would have been nice feature to have. If I only knew what I know now back then, I would have waited for DTS recievers to have become available (another six months). Unit also does not contain composite video inputs for HDTV/Progressive Scan. Still unit has performed without any problems and given me nearly four years of problem free usage which I cannot say for my previous Sony reciever. This is my second JVC reciever (I owned a stereo reciever I bought new in '77 and yes, it plays as good as the day I bought it as well!).

Strengths:
JVC Quality product, no problems after nearly 4 years of use. Decent HT power.

Weaknesses:
Other than lack of DTS, and component video hookups (which weren't common in '98) it does have tend to get pretty hot, but still hasn't effected performance.

Similar Products Used:
'77 JVC Stereo Reciever - Still have, still working!
'89 Kenwood Stereo Reciever - Ex-wife, still working!
'96 Sony AV Reciever R.I.P. - Died in '97, one week after warranty expired!