JVC 4VR5436

Large receiver prepared for the surround, surrounding and surrounded future : CD-4 4-channel for records, CD-4 4-channel for FM, S.E.A. equalizer and 5-position mode for a sea of sounds coming one direction, many directions or any other directions.

A sizeable transformer, two 5800µF / 35V caps, OCL circuit and two pairs of output transistors make the power section.
Even if the literature says it multiplies output by four, the amplifier really is a 2-channel amp divided by four when used for 4-channel replay (and therefore BTL mode).

The preamp section is mopre complex, CD-4 oblige.
Even if the CD-4 Radar lights up when a CD-4 source is used, with Mono, 2CH, Discrete 4CH, Matrix 1 and Matrix 2 modes... I'm already lost !

The balance and volume controls allow balancing and "voluming" the front and rear speakers, just like the headphones' output are doubled for 4-channel-compatible headphones (such as the Koss Phase/2+2) and the tone controls are doubled with basic bass/treble for the rear and 5-band S.E.A. equalizer for the front.

CD-4 sounds possibly crawling everywhere, the third tape i/o takes the shape of an added DIN socket labeled "front" (but where do the rear signals go ?)

Hidden at the back, the CD-4 phono input has three pots to adjust separation (left), separation (right) and 30Khz level for a lot of (blind) fiddling between CD-4 cartridge adjustment, front/rear and left/right balance(s).

The FM section has a FET front-end, 3-gang varicap, and two ICs and 3-resonator mechanical filters in its IF section ; MPX is also IC-based.

This banal (for 1974) FM section nevertheless has an FM detector output, should CD-4 broadcasts begin in the near future, in the future or sometime around 2025.


A september 1974 test / review of the VR5436 at gramophone.