With so many brands in the market, one may get confused about which brand to choose for the excellent car stereo.
One of the companies I am sure you have come across is the JVC. But are JVC radios any good? Let’s find out.
JVC car radios are popular in car audio systems, and you can rely on their quality. JVC gained a good reputation among car audio enthusiasts because of their excellent value for money, unique features, convenience, and robust quality.
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Tip: If you want to upgrade your factory stereo, then JVC KW-V66BT is the best DVD receiver. It has a 6.8″ capacitive touchscreen display which is very convenient to use compared to other stereos.
In this article, I will give detailed information about JVC car stereos and share my top picks among budget-friendly and expensive models in the single din, double din & DVD player car stereos.
Why Should You Choose a JVC Car Stereo?
JVC was founded in 1927, and in 2008 they merged with Kenwood. In 2001, JVC won an Emmy award due to its technical advancements and innovation achievements.
To give you an idea of what you can get in JVC, let’s look at one of their top-line car stereo JVC KW-Z1000W.
Large 10.1″ Display
This digital multimedia receiver is the same as the head units you can find in jets. It has a 10.1″ floating panel with a high-definition touch screen display.
Optical Bonding Technology
The optical bonding technology helps lower the refractive index by bonding the clear panel and liquid crystal module. This technology reduces the reflection of the screen, thus enhancing visibility.
Since there is no air layer between the clear panel and liquid crystal display, the screen clarity is not degraded by internal condensation. This further increases the visibility.
Adjustable Touchscreen
The screen can be adjusted to an angle of 45 degrees to forward and 10 degrees to backward.
So, you can adjust this screen to your visual angle and adjust the height on a four-step scale.
Mirror Your Device
This receiver has a wireless mirroring feature for Android devices offering seamless control and display of your smartphone apps.
The great thing is that you can connect via Bluetooth to up to five smartphones simultaneously. In addition, KW-Z1000 has multi-camera inputs for the front, rear, left, and right cameras.
Gesture Controls
You can synchronize the background colors and visuals of the screen with music. The radio also supports gesture touch control.
So, touch and move fingers on the screen to control volume, fast forward the music, reverse it, change tracks, etc.
K2 Technology and Time Alignment
K2 is the technology developed by JVC to enhance sound quality. It reproduces the sound by expanding the regency range.
For example, the K2 technology expands the audio files recorded at 44 kHz to 192 kHz to recreate the sound output.
JVC KW-Z1000W also supports time alignment, which means depending upon the speaker’s distance from the stereo, it will automatically control the timing of sound output so that the sound signal arrives at each speaker at the same time without delays.
Apart from these unique features, you will get standard features like Apple CarPlay, Wireless Android Auto, iDatalink Maestro Ready, Bluetooth connectivity, voice assistant, built-in radio, etc.
What Are the Best JVC Car Stereos Available in the Market?
JVC produces outstanding stereos and uplifted the bar in the car stereo niche with their new products.
Below I will show you my top picks among JVC single din, double din, and DVD players.
JVC Single Din Car Stereo
Let’s look at my favorite JVC single din car radio:
JVC KD-R490
JVC KD-R490 is a budget-friendly single din radio that offers excellent value for money.
This stereo delivers good sound while offering several connectivity options that keep your music going while you are driving.
Here are its key features:
Solid and Simple
First, you can connect your android device to the USB port located at the front panel and play your music using stereo controls.
Other options available for playing music are a CD player, AM/FM tuner, and auxiliary port. As a standard in today’s radios, this single din stereo comes with a detachable faceplate so that you can protect it from theft. In addition, it has a built-in amplifier of 22-watt RMS with four channels which is a good achievement at this price range.
Listen to Music From Different Formats
This stereo supports MP3, WAV, WMA, and FLAC music files.
You can also plug the thumb drive into the USB port located at the front panel and play music in USB mode.
Finally, you can also tune to your favorite radio station to listen to music, news, etc., or use the CD player.
Configuring Audio and Display
This stereo has 15 band EQ settings, three-band parametric equalizers, and three loudness position controls.
In addition, it has one preamp out, which you can use to connect a subwoofer if you need to add more bass to your sound system.
Steering Wheel Controls
In many car radios, you need a special adapter if you want to control your car radio from steering, and KD-R490 is no different.
Just connect the adapter to the light blue/yellow wire from the harness and program it. This will help you in retaining the steering wheel controls.
With all these fantastic features, there are two details missing for me:
- This stereo does not connect with Apple devices on USB.
- Another drawback of this stereo is that it does not support wireless Bluetooth connectivity.
Other than those two missing connection features, I think this is a great CD player worth considering at a low price point.
If you like all features of this radio, and the only thing you would want to add is Bluetooth connectivity, you should go with JVC KD-TD71BT.
JVC KD-T915BTS
If your audio gear needs lots of inputs and outputs, then the JVC KD-T915BTS receiver is for you.
It offers multiple connection options for connecting your smartphone either via wire or wirelessly.
Below are some of the unique features of this stereo:
Alexa Voice Control
The first thing you will notice when looking at the front panel of KD-T915BTS is the special button for Amazon Alexa.
This means you can voice control your stereo by loading the Alexa app on your device, connecting it with your stereo, and pressing the dedicated Alexa button.
You do not have to take your hands off the steering wheel to play music, listen to the news, or audiobooks. For all that, you can use your voice.
Play Music From Different Sources
This JVC stereo supports apps like Pandora, Spotify, and SiriusXM. One thing you have to remember is that satellite radios require a monthly subscription.
You can also connect your iPhone via the USB port at the front panel or use the CD player to play music.
Bluetooth Connectivity
This model also supports Bluetooth connectivity.
With the KD-T915BTS, you can pair two Bluetooth devices at the same time and quickly switch between them at the time of hands-free calling.
Remember that before pairing with any external devices, you have to download the JVC remote app.
Streaming DJ Feature
To take the technology one step further, this JVC has a Streaming DJ feature in which you can connect five phones on Bluetooth so that everyone can play their favorite songs.
Customize, Tweak and Expand
In KD-T915BTS, you can refine the sound output using a 13 band graphic EQ and time alignment feature.
Using K2 technology, you can further expand the frequency of low-grade music and make it high quality. In addition, you can use six preamp outputs to transfer a high-quality signal to the amplifier.
The receiver has a music sync feature that allows you to change the screen’s lighting with music beats to turn your car into a disco club at night.
If you decide to purchase this radio, remember to check if it is compatible with your Android or iPhone device.
JVC KD-AVX77
JVC KD-AVX77 is a single din touchscreen car stereo with a 5.4-inch wide touchscreen. This type of screen is unique, and I am not sure you can find it in any other brand.
Unfortunately, although it was a great product, JVC decided to discontinue the production, so you have to check on the second-hand market to find it.
JVC Double Din Car stereo
In JVC, you can find good quality and reasonably priced stereos in all sizes, with the most popular KW Series in the double din radios.
Below I highlight my favorite JVC double din stereos:
JVC KW-X840BTS
With JVC KW-X840BTS, you have many connectivity options like Bluetooth, a USB port, and an auxiliary input. In addition, you can control the stereo with your iPhone or Android device.
Below are a few key features of this radio:
Built-in Amazon Alexa
Download the Alexa app on your phone and pair it with your stereo.
To access Alexa, press the Alexa button at the front panel and play music, news, audiobooks, etc.
Wireless Android Connectivity
Android users can pair their mobile phones via Bluetooth and access apps like Pandora or Spotify, which also allows controlling the stereo from the phone screen.
However, in the case of the iPhone, you have to have a wired connection to access these features.
Colorful Screen and Sound Enhancements
This stereo has a variable color display, and you can sync the colors with the beats of music.
Apart from this, it has sound-shaping settings like sound enhancements in which you match the volume of music to the size of your vehicle. On top of that, the stereo is equipped with the 13 bands EQ.
JVC KW-M150BT
This stereo is specially designed for the short dashboard (3 inches deep). JVC KW-M150BT has a 6.75-inch capacitive display with an additional input for a backup camera.
Other features of this product include:
- hands-free calling
- android screen mirroring (engage parking brakes and install mirroring app)
- Bluetooth connectivity
- deep crossover settings
- 13 band EQ with digital time alignment
JVC DVD player Car Stereo
I have already shown you the single din DVD player, now let’s look at my favorite double din JVC DVD Players.
JVC KW-V250BT
If you want a touchscreen DVD stereo that is straightforward to use, then JVC KW-V250BT is for you.
This 6.2-inch touchscreen display offers screen customization, lots of music options, high-resolution playback, Bluetooth connectivity, and if you need a camera, you can have it equipped with the ACAM4 Backup Cam.
Customize Your Stereo Screen
This JVC allows you to place your favorite settings and options on the main screen. So no more digging in to find your favorite settings.
You can change screen colors with music, change music, or increase volume by rotating your finger.
By downloading the JVC remote app, if you prefer to access the radio from your phone, all you have to do is to download and install the JVC remote app.
Deeper Sound Sculpting
Similar to other top JVC models, this radio uses JVC K2 technology.
Along with that, you get 13 bands EQ, digital time alignment, and JVC’s sound lift feature, which helps produce a clean output signal.
JVC KW-V960BW
This DVD receiver is for those who want a complete package of all features packed into one high-end stereo.
JVC KW-V960BW has a 6.8-inch touchscreen receiver and is a multimedia hub with features like Bluetooth connectivity, Android Auto and Apple Carplay support, four camera inputs, high-end sound sculpting tools, a screen mirroring feature.
For a detailed review of this great DVD player, watch the short video below:
Conclusion
Now you are convinced that you will find good car stereos in the JVC brand at competitive prices.
Even if you are looking for high-end car radios, JVC got you covered regardless of the size of your budget.