New JVC member to the family

Macdaddy

Active Member
JVC R-S33. I always liked the look of these back in the day I remember the sound as pretty good in stores. Well I just scored one for fairly cheap on Ebay. It's a nice clean unit. Pots needs some deoxit and hopefully it will smooth out the semi stiff volume slider and slightly crunchy Eq.. And I won't be getting a receiver with sliders ever again! It's cute but not easy to adjust. the local classical and jazz stations sound quite nice and warm. I am also impressed by the stereo separation, a nice wide sound field. I think it will replace my bedroom Pioneer which needs some work anyway. I got an "ok" on the WAF too. Anyone have thoughts on these units?
 

Attachments

  • IMG_20141015_212954_253.jpg
    IMG_20141015_212954_253.jpg
    83.6 KB · Views: 75
  • IMG_20141015_213024_303.jpg
    IMG_20141015_213024_303.jpg
    93.5 KB · Views: 61
  • IMG_20141015_220603_285.jpg
    IMG_20141015_220603_285.jpg
    44.1 KB · Views: 110
  • IMG_20141015_220845_763.jpg
    IMG_20141015_220845_763.jpg
    50.5 KB · Views: 68
  • JVC on Pioneer.jpg
    JVC on Pioneer.jpg
    52 KB · Views: 103
Picked up one of these for $8.99 at a thrift store a few months back. Haven't deployed it yet, but funny you mention it today because last night I got it out to look at it and try to figure out how to install the new light bulbs on the tuner. I've listened to it casually and it sounds good. People who have owned them had some really good things to say about it. I like the way it looks except for the volume slider. Mine's in excellent condition except I'm missing a few of the knobs for the equalizer. Feels well built. If anyone has any extra knobs for the sliders I will gladly pay you for them.
 
Looks good. The first thing I notice is if that stereo light is on. Love the big signal strength LED's and the centering LED and the stereo LED. Nice Eighties unit with analog tuning (I have TOTL "77" but it's got digital tuning, not so fine for DX). Paid $13 for it at SA:


attachment.php


The guy with the Curly avatar (as in Larry, Moe, and ...) has got one too along with a few other AK'ers.

________________
 
I think you'll be very happy with this receiver, especially over time. It's from 1980, puts out 40 wpc. Look up the specs, you'll be pleasantly surprised. I bought one of these for my daughter last Christmas and she loves it. The one I got is virtually mint. I've owned my 77 since new in 1980, a great receiver. No noise in the sliders of any kind. From what I've read do not use Deoxit on the EQ sliders as it ruins the carbon contacts.
These are under the radar, a performance gem in my book!

Glenn
 
I have one of these as well, I picked it up at a yard sale many years ago for very cheap (don't remember how much, probably 5 bucks). I use it as an amp in my home theater for my Aura Bass Shakers through an ADC DSS-100 subsonic synthesizer.
 
Also, they run hot. This is normal. My 77 has been this way out of the box.
 
OH Man! Wish I would have checked back here sooner! I did deoxit on all the controls saturday! Well it all sounds good. I paid $60 as best offer which I thought was fair and the guy did a great job packing it. After having listened to it a few days now I do find it a bit boomy on the bass depending on the music i am listening to. But adjusting the eq makes it better. Where are the specs on this? I have tried to find but with no luck on web. I found service manual for $15 but no owners manual.
I assume they run hot because of the Class A amp? I don't recall how the JVC amps worked from back in the day but pretty sure it was covered in an old issue of Stereo review I probably have still.
Gonna definitely use as bedroom receiver (it's a bit smaller) and take the Pioneer 3700 down in basement for a tuneup which i think needs recapped.
 
Use that equaliizer! That's what it's there for. :thmbsp:

I like a little boom and growl in my bass. Here's an ad (don't know if from tybrad's amazing thread):

attachment.php


attachment.php


________________
 

Attachments

  • jvc_ad1.jpg
    jvc_ad1.jpg
    45.3 KB · Views: 113
  • jvc_ad2.jpg
    jvc_ad2.jpg
    66.3 KB · Views: 114
Thanks for the post with the ad. Dang didn't know the distortion was that low and it used the non switching amp design. That's like my pioneer SA-8800 very clean audio. I think I will be happy with this for years to come.
 
"slightly crunchy Eq"

LOL

I suggest you use some FaderLube on those sliders. I believe that is the product for sliders, and hopefully will help protect them from any deoxit aftermath!

Simply check the deoxit site to determine the correct product.
 
Use that equaliizer! That's what it's there for. :thmbsp:

I like a little boom and growl in my bass. Here's an ad (don't know if from tybrad's amazing thread):

attachment.php


attachment.php


________________

I actually scanned and posted this ad last year for someone else here. Glad to see it's being shared.

Glenn
 
Thanks guys! I have a small tube of lube from caig in a drawer will check to see if that will work. I have an sg-9800 eq that i haven't used in a few years. so good to know there is a lube for those. I learn something every time i am here.
 
Your post inspired me to get my R-S33 out of the closet and finally swap out the tuner lights and listen to it some. This is a really dynamic little unit. I was really surprised at how clean it sounds and how loud it can get. Like everyone else said, I HATE the volume slider. Can't stand it. If it had rotary knobs for the volume this thing would be perfect for its class. It really sounds great.

A side note, if anyone can tell me how I can get another blue rubber "boot" for one of my tuner bulbs (one of them broke while changing the lights), and/or 2 equalizer slider knobs and 1 volume/balance slider knob, I would really appreciate it.
 
If anyone has a service manual, or that link, or a schematic, I would dance at your wedding.
 
I had an Rs-33, it sounded nice but had an intermittant problem with one of the channels producing less power than the other, so I eventually passed it along to someone else. I still do have a near mint JVC Rx2, which is from the same year, has near identical specs, but lacks the equalizer. I need to connect that up to some decent speakers and see how it sounds.
 
Back
Top Bottom