JVC AX-1100 Review (Victor AX-990)

Snuck

Active Member
Hello :D

Now I do a review of the top line sold by JVC into amplifiers, which aren't the ZN line (those were with first DAC integrated, the K2 system). Is it really the top of the line? It is and it is not : it's the Victor AX-990, ahead of this line were Victor AX-1000 hardly foundable (and when it is, think to the power conversion that is extremly important unless u currently live in Japan) and then , the mighty Victor AX-1100 which this one is derivated from. The differences are that the Victor AX-1100 have an heavier and mightier heating system all inside the amplifier and more protections against external disturbances for more cooling in japanese small places, 20W more (20W pure A watts more isn't nothing) and also, a second pure direct signal entry. I'll explain what is that later.

Also, do remember to always make repair ur vintage gear before to use it, better safe than sorry and consider its price inside the bargain unless u really know what u're doing.

So, I got this amplifier after a JVC G90B which was a very enchanting surprise to me and I wanted to really reach the top of the line without going to a ZN version which are still easily expensive and because I owned a really nice tweaked dac already (asus essence one with modifications inside). But if I didn't have that nice dac before, I would probably have try it. Anyway, according to JVC , those ones are the best they could sell as pure amplifier, seeming to beat by few the ZN-1010 so far I understood with some JVC messages. Zn line serie being a nice shoot of amplifier with a dac integrated in.

It stayed sleeping for years till it was sold, being unused and I was kinda excited with the result of the A-G90B. I plugged it in and started some music I knew insde out, the juice started in and.....whaaat? It sounded good, but the sound was like coming from a bear awakening in a cave; It was extremly neutral, u could feel some power but nothing like tha A-G90B I got before even if it was more refined. So, I left it turn in and let's see what would go with it. After ten hours or so, it started but just started to show more of its abailities and I was eager to hear more of it , unpatient and half scared it wasn't so good after all. I could feel through sound the reserve of power it had but where the A-G90B was showing all its power, here it was subttle, more refine sound appearing better time after time; I started to wonder if it even was broken in once already since so far I heard from that serie, people were hearing them and then puting them back to sleep because they had better already. I was just hoping the sound could wake up as I readed some high end products were terrible before being great. So, I waited. A lot. Changing time to time not to forget the sound of the other amplifier of course, or then it's no more criticizing, just ear getting used to. It finally started to kick in after a while, could hear more of its details, it's a very subttle amplifier with lot of power but it's using it very nicely, making show of refinement in restitution of the music.It does sounds great, extremly balanced with clear sound and once it's getting in, it's really hard to shut it down so the music is pretty.

I didn't use it the Gm Driver II system as this time since I knew it was needing some times before the amplifier could get ready, all its system didn't serve (or did they even really served once?) for a long time. I precise I had to let the system run like 10h a day for a week or so, maybe less before it started to show part of its abilities.

Finally, it ended into another world of hearing, the previous amplifier could do a lot part of this one job but not as good as it, not as much as it, it was smooth, fluid music with power, lot of dynamic range, excessives details, this one is extremly neutral. JVC wanted to make it without any alteration of modification of the sound, that's why they invented the Pure Signal Reception design, I didn't know about it before but whenever a cable in which a signal goes ( so electrcity), they also exchange some tension which makes some parasites and noises so they made a port, just one that was free of this disturbance for purer signal. They really troubled themselves with thechnology for better sound ability.

And then I started to run in the Gm Driver II, according to JVC, they exchanged the way of the design to make it sounding clearer and more accurate.. So, I left the system run the -12db for some times, and result of the operation was the same : still needing to incease the volume, and the turning of power into more detailed, fuller sound, making Debby Harrison voice into her songs making u believe she would really come at u with a shotgun if u weren't pick up the phone. :D Same for all sound, much more detail, fuller movement, and improved resolution of the sound, it's just brilliant but always requiring good speakers otherwhise the speakers will make a bright sound extremly harsh since the sound seems really cut to edge and full of life. I guess they thought those who could afford this amplifier, could afford good speakers too.

This only thing I hate on this model is that thye forgot to put bananas binding post......they did for tha AX-1100 but here, nooooo. It's just frustrating to have to know u'll need to change them for modern binding post. For your information, even the screws inside are made of copper or some tighteners too so please, if u change binding post, take some good quality one..

I didn't change its fuse yet, I am scared of the changes they'll brought to it, it's already such good amplifier, it did some matches with some modern high end (and high price amplifiers of 4-5000 euros) on same system, well, it was ahead. It's a really nice piece of technology JVC crafted. Can it beat the integra serie of Onkyo of that age which was way more expensive? I am not sure of it at all, but I am sure it's a really nice piece of Hi-fi that'll take u for a good moment and very easy to find for low price compare to others ones. Just pray if it was ever repaired, that repaired were made with siver soldering and good gear.

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