Friday, December 10, 2010

JVC UX-LP5 Shelf System Review


Sometimes space is at a premium. For this reason we have stereos that are designed for smaller spaces. Up for review is the JVC UX-LP5 shelf system. Not only is it compact, but it is also economical with an MSRP of $149.95.

The JVC UX-LP5 is a compact shelf system that consists of three pieces. There are two speaker cabinets and the main console. The entire system has an elegant looking gloss black plastic finish. The speakers are a two-way design with a 3 15/16 woofer and 5/8 tweeter. There is a small single port at the back of each speaker. As there are separate pieces, the speakers could be spaced away from each other for a wider soundstage.

For functionality, the JVC UX-LP5 features a single disc CD player, digital AM/FM tuner, iPod dock, and auxiliary input with remote control. The built-in amplifier provides 35 watts to each of the two speakers. The digital AM/FM tuner features 30 FM and 15 AM presets. There is also a sleep timer and multiple daily timers. The equalization is simple, but adequate. There are adjustments for treble, bass, as well as S. Turbo and HBS. HBS stands for Hyper-Bass Sound. This gives a big boost to the bass output. S. Turbo in contrast is more like a loudness button, boasting more than just the bass.

The supplied remote control worked well for controlling the sources. For AM/FM you control volume, and station tuning. For CD’s and iPods you can control play, pause, fast forward, rewind, and skipping through tracks. You can also use repeat, random, and program playback order of tracks. On the back of the console is a video out. When an iPod with video functionality is connected, you can output the video to your TV.

While this is a great little system that many people would enjoy, it is just about perfect for a teenager. So, I let my teenage son put it through its paces. The sleep timer allowed him to go to sleep with music at night. And another timer woke him up to music in the morning. The digital tuner worked well enough. The CD player worked well for his audio collection, as well as the iPod dock. He connected his Playstation to it thru the audio input. He really liked the improved sound for his video games.

The JVC UX-LP5 performed beautifully. Using the remote you can adjust the treble and bass. The S. Turbo worked well improving the sound. And the HBS really boosted the bass. The sound overall was great. What did my son think? Let’s just say there are probably still grasp marks on it still from prying it out of his hands. Based on its performance, it has earned out “Recommended” award. It would make a great gift for just about anyone, especially a teenager. For more info and complete specs, check out their website at www.jvc.com.

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