KD-X480BHS

The KD-X480BHS is a single-DIN digital media receiver with HD Radio built in. HD Radio picks up the digital signal broadcast alongside standard AM and FM, so FM stations arrive with cleaner sound and AM stations gain noticeable clarity, with no subscription and no extra tuner. The receiver stores 18 FM, 6 AM, and 18 HD presets, and it is SiriusXM Ready once the separate tuner is added.

Three pairs of 5.0V preamp outputs, covering front, rear, and subwoofer, set this model apart from most single-DIN receivers. The higher output voltage lowers the noise floor on long RCA runs to external amplifiers, which is worth having in a system with a trunk-mounted amp. Onboard power is 50W x 4 maximum and 22W x 4 full bandwidth at less than 1% THD.

Bluetooth 4.2 handles calls and streaming with HFP 1.7 wideband speech, automatic pairing for iPhone over USB, and up to five devices connected through JVC Streaming DJ. Amazon Alexa compatibility adds voice requests for music and news. The front USB port reads MP3, WMA, WAV, AAC, and FLAC files and charges at up to 1.5A.

Sound tuning includes a 13-band graphic EQ, 11 presets, K2 processing, time alignment, virtual surround, Sound Response, Sound Lift, and Volume Link EQ. The 2-line VA LCD pairs with 2-zone variable-color illumination covering 32,768 colors per zone. The short chassis is 3-15/16 inches deep, the face panel detaches, and factory steering wheel controls carry over with a third-party adapter (sold separately).