JVC's KD-G320
Appearance: The most striking of these four stereos. Two big control knobs, a large display, and a bright silver exterior.
CD Playback: The JVC reads discs very quickly, and the built-in amplifier produces a clean, clear sound with lots of definition and detail. JVC rates the built-in amp at 18 watts RMS per channel, CEA-2006 compliant. When I brought the level up, the JVC really hung in there, with enough headroom to stay focused at high volume. There's no midrange control on this stereo, which can be a hindrance when you're listening to bootlegs or poorly-recorded CDs. And you won't find a "Pause" button on this stereo, just an "Attenuation" button that drops the volume instantly.
MP3 Playback: The control knob made folder and file navigation a breeze on this stereo, and the title information showed up clearly on the large display. I was able to get the titles to scroll on this unit immediately, something that took a little experimenting with the other stereos.
AM/FM: I thought the KD-G320 did the best job with AM reception — it offered a little brighter sound with better suppression of static. FM reception was also exceptional. It hauled in stations on a par with the other three, but to my ears the sound quality was a shade better — more highs and totally free of static and interference when tuned to a strong station.
Ergonomics: The best of the bunch. The two control knobs are on the left hand side, so the driver can keep his or her hand in one spot, making adjustments by feel, not by looking over at the faceplate. You access the audio menu through the smaller control knob and the volume through the larger, so it's easy to make adjustments on the fly. The loudness feature is easily accessed. The preset EQ curves are the worst of the bunch, but you can adjust each one to your taste permanently. The little keychain remote works well, but it doesn't have a number pad.
Connectivity: The JVC offers good connectivity, as it's compatible with XM and SIRIUS satellite radio, an iPod interface, and a CD changer. You'll find two sets of preamp outputs for hooking up your amplifiers. Plus, you can set the rear outputs to "Subwoofer" mode, which lets you adjust crossover point and level from the stereo — very convenient if you have a powered sub. You can also buy an adapter that gives you a rear auxiliary input.
