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Entered CNET Catalog: 05/20/2005
SKU: TH-C6
Manufacturer: JVC America
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Manufacturer description
This complete home theater system includes a slim design silver DVD receiver with a progressive scan five-disc DVD changer and an amplifier that delivers 1002 watts of total power. It also has built-in Dolby Digital/DTS/Dolby Pro Logic II decoders as well as four floor-standing/wall-mountable tower speakers and a slim powerful subwoofer.Product summary
The good: High-style, great-sounding home-theater system; superslim floor-standing or wall-mountable omnidirectional speakers; no-brainer autosetup; quick transition between discs; 6-inch, powered subwoofer; plays DVD-Audio discs.
The bad: Minimalist connectivity options.
The bottom line: JVC's TH-C6 is an ideal choice for anyone looking for a sweet-sounding and slick-looking affordable home-theater system.
Average user rating: from 9 users
3.5 stars
CNET editors' review
- Editors' Choice: No
- Reviewed on: 10/28/2005
While most non-carousel-style DVD changers take forever to load and unload discs, the JVC TH-C6 goes about its business as speedily as most single-play models. The front panel's deep-blue LEDs not only look neat, the ones around the disc tray serve to illuminate DVDs and CDs at night--nice.
The JVC TH-C6's autosetup system is the easiest we've seen. You don't even have to bother plugging in a microphone--just clap your hands and the system calibrates speaker levels and the listener-to-speaker distances. The remote's button layout is above par and provides easy access to the volume level of each individual speaker and subwoofer, plus bass and treble controls.
Assembling the satellites' floor stands is a time-consuming chore, mostly because you have to thread a pair of skinny wires first through the circular bases, then thread another set from the satellite into the vertical portion of the stand. That was a five- or six-minute exercise per stand, and there are four stands. The assembled towers stand more than 40 inches tall. Then again, we bet a lot of you will wall-mount the satellites and the center speaker. JVC claims the TH-C6 belts out 1,002 watts of "total system power," which works out to 167 watts per channel for each of the five satellites and the subwoofer. Those numbers are hard to swallow--we'd be hard-pressed to find a $1,500, 40-pound A/V receiver that could pump out 167 watts per. That said, we felt the JVC TH-C6's loudness capabilities are more than up to snuff.
The five-disc changer plays standard DVD videos, DVD-Audio, home-burned DVD-R/RW and DVD-RAM discs, SVCD/VCD, CD, and CD-R/RW, as well as MP3, WMA, and JPEG photo CDs. Connectivity is downright skimpy: the JVC TH-C6 scrapes by with just one optical digital input, one A/V input (with S-Video), and the usual set of video outputs: composite, S-Video, and component/progressive.
The front and center speakers feature a pair of 2.25-inch woofers and a 0.5-inch tweeter; the surround speakers utilize the same drivers but arrange them differently. The surround speaker aims the 2.25-inch woofers firing straight up into a cone-shaped reflector. The reflector disperses the sound to create a diffuse surround sound that lets the speaker disappear as a source of sound. As for the subwoofer, it sports a 6.25-inch woofer. The JVC TH-C6 acquitted itself with gusto during our initial home-theater trials with the House of Flying Daggers DVD. The sequence early in the film where Ziyi Zhang dances within a circle of oversize drums was truly visceral in its impact--the TH-C6 was a force to be reckoned with. The satellites and subwoofer were seamlessly integrated, rendering the taut drum hits and the thundering boom in perfect proportion. The quieter bamboo forest scenes with subtle whooshing of leaves sounded very realistic to us. The TH-C6's center speaker deserves special mention: its natural, full-bodied balance belies its modest dimensions.
CDs were just as impressive. JVC's willowy HTIB speakers handled everything we threw at them without strain. Wynton Marsalis's big brass band shone as the JVC TH-C6 effortless conveyed the trumpets, trombones, saxophones, and clarinets' distinctive tonality, each coming through loud and clear. Bob Dylan's early all-acoustic CDs, such as Freewheelin', displayed the TH-C6's refined way with vocals and guitars. Even Larry Coryell's fierce electric fretwork lit up the speakers as Victor Bailey's rippling bass lines perfectly meshed with Lenny White's drum kit. Bass definition was especially clear and precise. Whether we listened in stereo or surround, the sound was consistently well balanced.
High-resolution formats such as DVD-Audio never sound remotely good to us on HTIBs, but the JVC TH-C6 once again proved it was no ordinary HTIB. The Grateful Dead's DVD-Audio album, Workingman's Dead, with its spectacular harmonies and natural-sounding acoustic guitars, demonstrated the TH-C6 is in a class by itself. Yes, we've heard HTIBs that bettered this overachieving JVC, but they were always a lot larger and usually more expensive.
User opinions
Select a User Opinion to view: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 User Rating: 
2/10
I like the sound, but I'm not happy that the disc tray broke for no good reason after only 6 months.
Pros: The sound is pretty good
Cons: Disc tray malfunctioned after only 6 months
Review: I didn't need a DVD player, but decided on an all-in-one system to save space. Reviews about this unit here and elsewhere convinced me that I'd get the most bang for my buck with this system. All in all the sound quality is fine. However, the disc tray ************ after having owned the unit for only 6 months, and I don't watch that many DVDs. (I mainly wanted a good sound system for regular television watching.) I'd watched between 6 and 10 DVDs in the time I've owned it before the glitch occured (tray 1 pops open when the unit is turned on, will not retract, and none of the other trays respond to remote commands.) Unit is still under warranty, BUT I have to pay for labor charges (about $100.) For such a new unit THIS IS NOT RIGHT!!! BUYER BEWARE!!!!
Updated
As with everything else in life you get what you pay for. For all the bells and whistles offered by this unit I felt the price was decent. Good audio. Good DVD. What more can one ask for? Well, after having owned this for only six months and having watched only about ten movies, I'd ask for the unit to still be working. WRONG! The eject mechanism decided to stop working. I'm still within the yearlong warranty for parts, but labor is costing me over $150. So now my $400 unit costs $550. THANK YOU JVC!
As with everything else in life you get what you pay for. For all the bells and whistles offered by this unit I felt the price was decent. Good audio. Good DVD. What more can one ask for? Well, after having owned this for only six months and having watched only about ten movies, I'd ask for the unit to still be working. WRONG! The eject mechanism decided to stop working. I'm still within the yearlong warranty for parts, but labor is costing me over $150. So now my $400 unit costs $550. THANK YOU JVC!
User Rating: 
9/10
Wow! Incredible Sound!
Pros: Crystal Clear, Digital Sound. Awesome Power. Easy Hookup. Great Price!
Cons: Limited Connectivity Options. No HDMI Input Jack
Review: After doing days of Internet research, I again put my trust in CNet and its reliable ratings. I still cannot believe the incredible performance of this system and its ease of installation. I am using it in combination with my Panasonic TH-50PHD8UK Plasma TV monitor, both to amplify the audio signal from live TV broadcasts, as well as to to play DVD's and audio CD's. The performance of this system is absolutely superb in all respects ... crystal-clear sound, an awesome 1000 Watts of power ... and I do believe the rated performance is accurate, because I would not dare turn it all the way up; it would bring the walls of my house crashing down ... and an incredibly easy set-up. In short, the TH-C6 exceeds all my expectations ... it must be the best system around in its price range and beyond! Thank you CNet!
User Rating: 
7/10
If you must get an all-in-one, this is a good one to get.
Pros: Style and sound better than most htib.....
Cons: Very little connection options
Review: Ended up taking this back and going the component route. For what it is, this is a good product. But if you need more than one component in or one digital connection, think about getting separate components instead.
User Rating: 9/10
Great Value
Pros: Stylish Design, Good Value, Good Soung Quality, Quality DVD Changer
Cons: Only one Digital Optical Input, Poorly designed remote
Review: I picked these up to go with a new Hitachi 51 RP HDTV and so far have been very happy with the quality. The changer works well compared to other models in this price range. The system is very good looking, and because all 4 speakers can be towers or wall mounted it offers a lot of options based on your room size. I have also been impressed by the overall sound quality, although I am not someone who is super picky about sound systems.
The only have two complaints about the system. The first is that there is only one digital optical audio input, and currently I am running both an Xbox 360 and a Cox cable box that I would like to use a digital optical cable. The other thing that I am disappointed with is the remote and so far the ability to configure other remotes to work with the system properly. The remote that comes with the system has a poor button layout and when I tried to configure my Cox receiver remote to work with the system I was only able to get limited functionality. This should not be a problem since I have just purchased a Logitech Harmony 880 Universal remote, but if you are planning on using the remote that comes with the system or a very limited universal remote it may be problematic.
Overall I am very satisfied with this system and would certainly recommend it to anyone looking for products in this price range.
The only have two complaints about the system. The first is that there is only one digital optical audio input, and currently I am running both an Xbox 360 and a Cox cable box that I would like to use a digital optical cable. The other thing that I am disappointed with is the remote and so far the ability to configure other remotes to work with the system properly. The remote that comes with the system has a poor button layout and when I tried to configure my Cox receiver remote to work with the system I was only able to get limited functionality. This should not be a problem since I have just purchased a Logitech Harmony 880 Universal remote, but if you are planning on using the remote that comes with the system or a very limited universal remote it may be problematic.
Overall I am very satisfied with this system and would certainly recommend it to anyone looking for products in this price range.
User Rating: 9/10
Great sound for a little system
Pros: Big sound . Easy set up. Looks great
Cons: no radio presets on tuner. Lack additional component access jacks
Review: I hooked this into my plasma TV with no problem. The sound rivals my huge Yamaha system!!! The speakers look nice. Easy to use. I love the surrond sound easy setup- you just clap your hands! Great procut for the money.
User Rating: 
6/10
Good not Great
Pros: Price & sound
Cons: Connectivity, Noise
Review: I bought this player and I was so excited and it works great. The sound is clear and all that, but....
It only plays DVD-R/RW. Not many connection options outside of the basics and there is a low level noise that results when the player reads a disc.
If I had to do it again I would have spent the money and bought separate items instead of HTIB.
It only plays DVD-R/RW. Not many connection options outside of the basics and there is a low level noise that results when the player reads a disc.
If I had to do it again I would have spent the money and bought separate items instead of HTIB.
User Rating: 
8/10
Just purchased...sounds great...easy set-up
Pros: Ease of set-up, price, sounds great
Cons: Connection options lacking a little, remote buttons a little on the small side
Review: I just purchased this JVC product the other day, I had it set-up and running within an hour and it sounds better than I even expected. Picked it up at Best Buy for $549 (CAD) and am very happy so far.
The only thing I don't care too much for is the remote, I find the buttons a little small, but I think that is the case with many remotes for these systems.
I would definitely recommend this system!
The only thing I don't care too much for is the remote, I find the buttons a little small, but I think that is the case with many remotes for these systems.
I would definitely recommend this system!
User Rating: 9/10
Awesome Sound!
Pros: Sounds great and looks good.
Cons: Hook-up was a bit tough.
Review: This is the best sounding system that we found in our price. We had to read "every" page in the user manual, but it was well worth it! It goes great with our 61" JVC TV. The 2 systems combined mean we'll be spending more time at home and won't be spending so much money at the theater. Our teenagers love it and invite all their friends to come watch.
User Rating: 9/10
The best systemout there for $500
Pros: 300 watt sub, 4 floor staning speaker,
Cons: remote functions
Review: This system sounds great I have it hooked up to my dishnetwork HD system and HD programing sounds perfect. I had a Pioneer and it does not even come close to how clear the sound qualty this JVC system as.
