JVC KS-AR9501D Amplifier - Page 2


尝颈蝉迟别苍颈苍驳听听

After unpacking and inspecting the amps鈥 controls and connections, I read the owners manual just to be sure I knew what I was doing. I connect hundreds of amplifiers each year, and I still think reading the manual is worthwhile, particularly if it鈥檚 the first time you鈥檝e ever connected a specific model. You鈥檇 be surprised at what you can learn. For example with the KS-AR9501D, I learned that the remote bass control was optional, and instead of a level control like the majority of brands use, it was actually a remote bass EQ control, similar to what Rockford Fosgate has used for decades.

Anyway, with my schooling鈥 done, I hooked the JVC amp into my reference system, and connected it to a pair of 4 ohm, 12鈥 woofers, which wired in parallel presented a 2 ohm load to the Arsenal amp. After adjusting the crossover and gain controls, and noting that I had to apply a bit more gain than what I鈥檇 consider normal, I sat down with a fresh mug of what my friends refer to as Cogent coffee, and began listening.

Beginning with some hip hop and rap tracks from Nine Inch Nails, 50 Cent, and Jay Z, and eventually progressing to better recordings by Frank Zappa, Rickie Lee Jones, and others which permitted me to judge the amps ability to produce details and bass articulation, the KS-AR9501D handled any type of music at virtually any level I cared to listen at. Deep and synthesized bass caused no strain or apparent lack of current, and the well recorded music was reproduced with very good clarity and definition. And with plenty of power on tap, I could simply turn it up until it was as loud as I liked it and the JVC amp delivered.

The crossover and subsonic filters seemed to work as intended, and the bass boost was available if I needed more鈥 but I didn鈥檛. I did note that I had to use a bit lower crossover frequency than normal, so I suspected the slope was -18dB, not the -24dB I鈥檓 more accustomed to.

When compared to other Class D amplifiers I have auditioned, the KS-AR9501D was very competitive in terms of power delivery and high end sonic performance. None of them will ever be sonically confused with a good Class AB design, but then again, the Class AB designs would need about double the amount of current than these good Class D amps require. So either way, there鈥檚 a compromise鈥 sometimes I wish I鈥檇 never taken physics!

Design

Of course after my listening session was over, the first thing I did was take the thing apart. I soon realized why I had no current delivery issues in my listening. The KS-AR9501D uses 6 large TO-247 size Power HEXFET鈥檚, each capable of handling over 90 amps of current. The PCB itself is a double sided affair, and appears to use heavy gauge copper traces. There are five 2200?F caps in the power supply, and the secondary capacitance is handled by a pair of large can 4700?F capacitors. Output devices consist of six IRF9640 TO-220 MOSFETS. The layout and design of the amp was fine, and it uses a mixture of surface mount and thru-hole resistors. I did note that the pots used would net a -18dB crossover, which confirmed my earlier suspicions. The critical output filters seemed to be heavy duty, and all the high mass parts were secured to the PCB with adhesives and mechanical methods.

On the Bench

Once I had completed my inspection, it was time to get the numbers out of it, so I connected it to the ruthlessly accurate Cogent test bench. The amplifier measured pretty much as advertised, and that is to say, very well! Power developed exceeded the published ratings at both 4 and 2 ohms, and only fell about 1/10th of 1dB short of the 1 ohm rating. Signal to noise was also good for a Class D design, as was distortion. The crossover and subsonic filters as well as the bass EQ worked exactly as intended, and the phase switch provided precisely 180掳 of shift at 100Hz. The big JVC is designed to be able to be driven to full power with input signal levels between about 300mV and 6 volts. This is a useful range, and is compatible with any source unit or preamp capable of 2 volts of output or more.

JVC Bass EQ_opt JVC Crossover Adjustme_opt
JVC Max Flat - Frequen_opt JVC Subsonic Filter_opt


Conclusion

Rated at 500 watts into 4 ohms, and 1,000 and 1,500 watts into 2 and 1 ohm loads respectively, it鈥檚 fairly evident that JVC is serious about building some real power!听Not only has JVC decided to build big amps, they recognize that even a really big amp isn鈥檛 always enough, so they have made the KS-AR9501D strappable to a second one!

USA -
CAN -


« Prev 2/2 More

Related Articles

香蕉视频直播 Unboxing: JVC KV-DR305W Dashboard Camera 香蕉视频直播 Unboxing: JVC KV-DR305W Dashboard Camera
We unbox the JVC KV-DR305W 1920x1080p Full HD Recording Dash Cam featuring integrated GPS, 2.7" LCD screen, built-in Wi-Fi, 3-axis g-force sensor,...
Kenwood eXcelon DMX706S Digital Multimedia Receiver Kenwood eXcelon DMX706S Digital Multimedia Receiver
The Kenwood eXcelon DMX706S Digital Multimedia Receiver features a 6.95" large WVGA touch screen display, and it's Apple CarPlay and Android Auto...
Kenwood eXcelon XR901-5 5-Channel Amplifier Kenwood eXcelon XR901-5 5-Channel Amplifier
The Kenwood eXcelon XR901-5 5 Channel Class D Power Amplifier built with High Performance Capacitors and Inductors. Hi-Res Audio Capable for Rich and...
JVC KS-GA100 Air Purifier JVC KS-GA100 Air Purifier
The JVC KS-GA100 air purifier with HEPA Filter has 3-stage filtration, motion activated controls, and is portable enough for the car cup holder....
Kenwood eXcelon KFC-XP6902C Component Speakers Kenwood eXcelon KFC-XP6902C Component Speakers
The Kenwood eXcelon KFC-XP6902C 6x9" plus 2 3/4" Component Speaker System is the industry鈥檚 best solution for a 6x9鈥 door speaker and vehicle specific...
Nismo x Kenwood Collaborate on KH-CRZ50T Wireless Headphones Nismo x Kenwood Collaborate on KH-CRZ50T Wireless Headphones
JVC KENWOOD Co., Ltd. has designed and developed the completely wireless headphones "KH-CRZ50T" as a collaboration model between the "KENWOOD" brand...