I like the fact that the unit has many digital and analog inputs. It is nice to find a newer receiver that has a phono pre amp.

Lack of a pre amp output for the main channels, and also the short range on the remote.

I don't get all of the people who are complaining about the remote interface and how hard the unit is to set up. My Kenwood VR 2090 was given to me as a gift from a friend who knew I was into Audio. He said it was just sitting in his garage, because he bought a Harmon Kardon unit. I received it with NO instruction manual, yet i had it hooked up and running in no time. Sounds great with my Marantz speakers that I completely rebuilt myself. I just bought a pair of Klipsch KG4s, hooked them up, and found that one of the tweeters was shot. Once the parts arrive from ebay, then, I will be Rocking. So far, I like the sound of the Kenwood and all of the features. I only wish that it had a Pre Amp output for the main channels.

Similar Products Used:

Harmon Kardon

D.D. DTS, as usual has great sound, if you have the patients and time, which i have none left.

remote sucks!!!!!! manual sucks too!!!!!! unit has no functions on the front, its color matches non of my components, without the remote, its worth nothing

Kenwood must have had their heads up their's asses while making this model. This is the slowest most cunfusing piece of titty on the market. For anybody else in the market, I recommend you don't get this model, but Kenwood has improved. It sounds just as good as all the other recievers, but it takes forever to figure out all the functions,the manual sucks the big one! I'm tempted to take a sledge hammer to the remote, but then the main unit would be totally useless.(be warned about this unit, I've learned my lesson)

Similar Products Used:

JVC, Pioneer, Sony,

Great price, great looks and full features, wonderful when paired with matching CD changer

easy to change fuses

This is a GREAT unit and for the price cannot be touched. Because of the "fuse" problem there used to be many refurbs at $600 and under which is how I got mine about 3 years ago. DO NOT LET THIS PROBLEM DETOUR YOU! It literally take 5 minutes, $2 and ZERO know-how to switch the fuses. No schematics required. When used in combination with the 200 disc changer you can read your discs and tracks right on your remote. Sounds output is great and all sources have no noticeable degradation. If you are an X10 freak you will like those capabilites, I just use my remote to dim the lights which is EASY and CHEAP to set up. I could go on and on but I just upgraded EVERYTHING in my system EXCEPT this receiver, that is how much I like it. Until I have the need for more component inputs I will stick with this baby!

Similar Products Used:

Pioneer and JVC receivers

hill don' you have some thing better to do????????

"Cool" look, and affordable with two Optical inputs.

Just blew out after about six months. Remote is a pain.

I have to agree with the review that John posted below... you really want to like this box, but the remote and the unreliability is probably enough to point you in another direction. The auto detect is a nice feature, but almost all decent receivers have that feature at this point. After six months, I expect more from my equipment. (Plus, I am sure everyone out there knows what a hassle it is to unplug everything to bring something like this to the shop)

Similar Products Used:

Various

I bought a refurbished VR-2090 a couple of months ago. It is an impressive unit. The appearance is slick, the sound very good (slightly less so than Denon 2700 and some Yamahas but well in the top class) and its design is highly versatile. I had minor problems with the remote control and when operating in DTS mode. While watching the DTS version of The River Wild, the track switched from DTS to AC-3 and back. When that happened the sound dissappeared. Switching to another input and back to the DVD restored the sound. Another factor to consider is the remote control. When there are multiple users in the house it may take several weeks before everybody is familiar enough with it to operate the unit without assistance.Overall my theater sounds great and I feel very happy with my choice.

tons of features for the price

not really 100 watts

Well first off this reciever is 100 watts in 6ohms so
I figure that it is actually only about 85 watts in
8ohms.But it plays plenty loud in all modes.Ive had
the volume all the way down to 28 while in DD and DTS
mode without any problems.Everyone is right about the
remote though, moving from screen to screen and havinng
to wait for the reciever to talk to the remote is not
a good idea.So I use my marantz rc-2000 to control most
of my electronics.Plenty of inputs and outputs.
Sometimes when I switch inputs the sound field is all
messed up but if I switch to something else and then
back it decodes right, doesnt happen very often though.
Mine doesnt really get that hot, not to the point
where Im worried about it.I had the 990-d for two and
a half years and kenwood replaced it for free with a
2090 so hats off to kenwood for thier service.
My System: 2090
paradigm cc-350 center
monitor 5's fronts
mini monitor rears
polk psw-150 powered sub
philips magnavox 64"

This Kenwood is just one excellent machine, The wattage has what it takes to drive my 100 round infinity speakers and kenwood subwoofer. The sound spacing is accurate and the sound is fantastic. All you have to do is click in the Face Off DVD, and the 5.1 Dolby Digital Sound will blew you away. This machine is good, and the controller controls everything, after some setting up.. Yes it is initially clumsy, but you do get used to it after a while. The sound quality is not as great as my A1 Yamaha, but it blows away, my older Sony.
I am Glad I made this choice

Hey, On-Screen-Displays are a okay, if done correctly. You can choose whether or not to turn them on or off, and still be able to navigate via front panel display. There are two complaints I have about the Kenwood 2090. 1)The remote is big and clunky. The navigational sequences one must go through is insane! Hmm, would you rather see OSD and the movie going at the same time, or would you like to stare down at your remote, in the dark and navigate through a maze to find that one setting that can easily be handled by a conventional remote? and on top of that miss the movie as its going? and 2) I was all ready to buy the 2090 (the remote really didn't bother me that much to not buy the unit) my local HT store steered me away from this unit due to the last few he sold the amps blew out! No thank you! Sounds like they got the price down by skimping out on their amps. The older models, ie 1090, had some seriously nice amps. This receiver tends to run hot sometimes as well. I guess the current in these new models wern't up to par. Oh well, it was nice to see that HT Magazine gave this model a 69 in ergenomics. So much for the silver Star Trek look.
Blade

I evaluated this receiver when shopping for my new HT setup. The Kenwood VR-2090 is a great value for movies, especially because it is already loaded with a DTS decoder. For music however, I found it to be mediocre. The remote takes a lot of getting used to, so audition it before you buy. Many people have never gotten used to the remote and returned it. Overall, it's pretty good. Not up to the Denon AVR-2700 or Marantz SR-780, but it'll do. Consider other brands first(don't ever consider Kenwood first). It was a nice try, but it didn't quite get the cigar.