Price Paid:  $500.00

Summary:
I recently bought this unit from my employer and am pretty stoked. This head unit is highly capable, thanx to its upgradebillity. Once upgraded to current movie audio specs, this thing sounds much better. I use infinity entra three's up front,a center two and entra one's out back/w all kimmber connects. An entra sub two round out the subbass. Very pleased with its power output, clarity and quality. Very low noise(thx certified)lots of inputs/outputs. Not much money spent for quality like this. It handles extreme volume for prolonged amounts of time(although its two speed fan works on high)its never flinched. All exept for a lame remote and a little dust in the volume control(easily fixed/w contact cleaner)this thing seriously rocks!

Strengths:
High power,high s/n ratio,upgradibillity and quality.

Weaknesses:
remote

Price Paid:  $75.00

Summary:
Well I started in home theatre with nothing more then a Yamaha YHT-700 system. Came with the Yamaha HTR-5550 A/V Receiver and the Yamaha DV-C6480 5-Disc DVD Changer. Since then I have only updated the center channel to a JBL s center II. Ok with the history laid out, lets get on with it. I bought this used for my in-laws, because there dvd is playing through there tv speakers. Decided to hook it up to listen to it, and long story short, the in-laws are now getting a new Yamaha receiver. This unit sounds awesome. My center channel never sounded so alive. I was amazed. The THX made all the difference as well. I actually FEEL like I'm in the middle of all the action. I can give up the discreet rear channel until I purchase a decoder. My advice, if you see one of these, buy it.

Strengths:
THX Ultra Cert. Monster Power

Weaknesses:
None yet.

Price Paid:  $800.00 from A&B Sound

Summary:
First off, I hope you find this info interesting. INTRODUCTION… I work as a Sales Engineer for major wireless company in Canada. (Yes I am a tiechie for sure and also a big time audiophile). I thought I would write this review to help others learn about the Kenwood KRX 1000 receiver and the matching KRM 1000 amp. If you can find a used working KRX 1000, grab it and bring it home. You won’t be disappointed… SUMMARY OF MY EQUIPMENT… Kenwood KRX 1000 THX Ultra Certified receiver Kenwood KRM 1000 matching THX stereo amp Sony EP9 ES AC-3 decoder Sony DVP S7000 reference DVD Player Bose 501 Main Speakers Bose 201 Centre Speakers Bose 201 Rear Speakers Kenwood THX certrified 12 inch SUBS Sony 61 inch projection TV Pioneer DV 525 DVD player (used for DVD+RW playback and SVCD’s) Pioneer 1007 301 CD Changer Etc etc… CONFIGURATION…. The KRX 1000 receiver is hooked up to the 3 front speakers and 2 rear speakers of my surround sound system using banana jacks and THICK speaker wire for minimum power loss. Skinny wire is BAD as it has too much internal resistance, which lowers the efficiency of the amp and speakers. The wire doesn’t have to be expensive just thick. (Don’t let the salesmen try to sell you really expensive speaker wire as I can tell you as an electronics engineer that much of what you hear is all a bunch of garbage about needing special OFC free wire etc. The margins on speaker wire are huge and so the sales rep really wants to up sell you on wire as that’s where they can make a lot of money) The matching KRM 1000 THX amp powers the two 12 inch subs via THICK speaker wire with banana jacks. I have also hooked up the Sony AC-3 decoder to this equipment using the amp in and out jacks on the back of the receiver. The Sony EP9 ES retailed for $1200.00 cdn but was worth every penny as reviewers suggest it to be every bit as good at the $3000.00 lexicon’s external decoders out there rate it. Please read on if you want more details on how I setup my equipment for AC-3 sounds. PURCHASE INFO… I purchased the KRM about 6 years ago from a local electronics retailer A&B sound. At the same time I also purchased the KRM 1000 matching THX certified amp. I was really lucky and picked up both units for around 1000.00 cdn which was a great deal at the time considering the unit hit the street originally at around 1899.00 cdn. KRX 1000 REVIEW… I am still running this hardware after 6+ years and won’t be changing it any time soon. The only servicing I have had to with the unit is clean the volume control electronics with some Nu-Trol cleaner as it was a little sluggish at times when I turned it… (dust gets in there and creates a poor contact in the volume control) Why still use this received when newer equipment is available? Well simply put, IT ROCKS. This equipment puts out ENORMOUS amounts of power. At 6 ohms I have measured close to 1000 watts RMS continuous power coming out of the receiver and matching amp. The matching amp can easily put out 200 watts RMS per channel at 6 ohms (total 400 watts) and the receivers combined outputs will get you into the ball park of 550+ watts. We are talking SERIOUS power here. So much power in fact that my living room lights dim when I turn this equipment up. (Maybe I should upgrade the wiring and see what happens) As well both units are THX ULTRA certified which means you can run them at full volume for 2 hours without skipping a beat. (That’s why both units have a large fan to keep things cool when running this equipment at high volume levels. SOUND QUALITY… Simply amazing. deep rich bass, awesome crisp highs. AC-3 UPGRADE… So you want AC-3 but don’t want to upgrade. The good news it the Kenwood KRX 1000 is all set to run an external decoder. I use the Sony EP9 ES unit but there are several others out there that can do the job. The reason this is easy to do, is because the Kenwood has amp in and out jacks. On the back of the unit you will find 5 jumpers installed which when removed allow you to loop the audio through an external decoder. I have my equipment setup this way and feed the digital signals from the DVD, CD player etc directly into the Sony AC-3 decoder. This allows me to break the audio connection from the receiver and decode the data stream in the Sony decoder. As the decoder is hooked directly back into the Kenwood KRX 1000 I can use it’s THX certified amps to listen to AC-3 Sound tracks and CD audio via the Sony external decoder. I have to tell you that this setup sounds totally AMAZING when watching a movie or listening to a CD. The tonal quality and performance of the THX amps in the receiver and external amp, when fed a digital signal, is nothing short of breath taking. IN SUMMARY… An awesome receiver and matching amp. Bravo Kenwood for building such a great receiver and matching amp

Strengths:
-Aamzing power and timbre for such an inexpensive amp. -Audio in and out loop to allow you to hook up an external AC-3 or DTS decoder. -Can get matching KRM 1000 amp to power your subs (highly recomended) -5 S-video inputs -Big text on disply -On screen display -THX ultra certification -Excellent THX movie mode -Simple remote with not too many buttons -Level adjustment to allow you to set input levels to digital THX decoders -Various present soundfields -Levels are shown in DB for accruate adjustment of sound levels -Simple clean layout on front of reciever

Weaknesses:
-Maybe the tuner as it's a bit less sensitive than it should be... -No backlight on remote...

Similar Products Used:
Pioneer VSX D1X and other recivers.

Price Paid:  $800.00 from Exclusive Company

Summary:
I originally used this unit for audio I had 4 KLH sx-9's and 2 MTX 15" pre powered subs, klh center channel and klh surrounds. The MTX subs amps have died and I am trying to decide if I want to take them in to get them fixed or if I just want to buy a krm-1000 amp for them. And just today I was trying to Pearl Harbor and was going to use THX but I dind't have any surround channel so I might have to take it in to have it checked out, I will not get rid of this receiver if I have anything to say about it. For 6 years of hard use and it is just now starting to act up, well worth it you find one of these units even if you have to spend a few bucks at the local shop to have it checked out DO IT with 2 full range speakers and 2 15" subs when you turn it up things move, I remember a time when I first hooked everything up, I was playing Metallica "one" and I was standing a little too close, when the bass hit it took me out at the knees and I fell to the ground, at that point I knew I did something right......

Strengths:
Looks, Sounds, Hookups, ease of use, and simplicity compared to newer receivers

Weaknesses:
remote "after 6 years of use it is starting to die"

Similar Products Used:
I was 18 when I bought this unit I'm 25 now best money spent.

Price Paid:  $175.00 from garage sale

Summary:
Well for something built back in 95 It was right up there. But in 2001 its just a good receiver. Ive heard better k=home theate sound out of technics receivers that go for no more than 200 new. (this would be about a fair going rate for this product now) No AC-3 NO DTS NO Dolby Digital.
If your into music more than home theatre. you cant go wrong. If you want a reciever for home theatre with simular power. go with something that was made in 2000 till present. overall a great receiver..IN ITS TIME!

Strengths:
sound is impecable lots of power

Weaknesses:
its a "vintage" product

Similar Products Used:
none