Price Paid:  $70.00 from Cash America

Summary:
Things one should know about Kenwood Products...

Ok, Kenwood is well known for having a very crisp, clear & clean sound. It is undeniable that Kenwood is the best "Bang-for-the-buck" in any price range...from their cheapest unit to their more expensive models. What most folks don't know is that to have proper sound for your sub, you will need a powered sub or an amp driving your sub. I do not know why, but the subwoofer jack has never really pumped power on subs like other receivers
,
Also PAY ATTENTION to the ratings on your main speakers...if it says 200 watts each...USE 200 WATTS!! It will sound MUCH better. THe 407 is a 100 watts per channel system which works wonderfully with mated speakers in that range...over the last 20 years I've tried a godawful amount of speaker setups and come to the conclusion that if your wattage is properly worked out you get great sound. My A pair is a set of Bang & Olafson Redlines and my B pair was a set of Sansui's and I'd generally blow someone out of the room at half volume....so I repeat, mate your watts or amp the lines that need more power.

Buy the top of the line for that model year...usually denoted by a 070 depending on whatever code Kenwood is using that particular year...since the top end is usually around 300 bux, it's well within most folks price range...

Kenwoods are also VERY HOT...as some of you have noticed. I always set the receiver up with at least 3" of clear space above it...and Iif you have it in an enclosed rack, please be kind enough to add a cooling fan to the back of your rack...a 5" computer fan works nicely for this.

Strengths:
The sound!!! You can play anything from bagpipes to Boston, from AC/DC to Evanesence, from Opera to Bluegrass. Cleanest sound for under 1000 bux you will ever hear.

If you truly want to test out you system, use Herbie Hancock's "Dis is da drum"...you'll find the cheap speakers won't handle it at top levels.

Weaknesses:
I have to admit that my old KR-V7030 outperforms it in some areas, but for all the extra lil nifty things it does, I can't complain. The Pro-logic setting is a little weak compared to the KR-V, which is odd since they are both 100 watt systems. I'm tempted to do some owner modification and frankenstein them to see what would happen, but not just yet...adding the NAD amp resolved my bass issues and gave a little extra "oomph" to the Redline mains...so I'm happy.

I wonder if they should have put in a better heat sink...I may solder one in at a future time.

Big Weakness...since Circuit City quit carrying Kenwood, it's damned hard to find in a regular store. One usually has to order online or find used priduct in a pawn shop or yard sale. On the flipside, they are highly underpriced and an Excellent bargain anywhere.

Similar Products Used:
KR-V7030

Price Paid:  $200.00 from Frys Electronic

Summary:
Got it on sale at Frys, for 200 bucks you really cannot beat the price. I originally got the 405, but the 407 is MUCH better, 100W per channel and DTS, you can't really beat that. I really do like how clear sound is, in fact I expected it to sound worse for the price I paid. I've mainly used optical digital input as my source and the sound is GREAT in digital mode, the difference between having a Dolby Digital Amp and not having one is simply staggering.

Speakers are Infinity Crescendo CS3007 in front, 3006 in the back, and Infinity Center Channel speaker (I think it's a Kappa, donno it's my dad's). No subwoofer...

Strengths:
Price, Performance, Price, features (Dolby digital AND DTS, back when I bought this amp DTS is still kinda new)

Weaknesses:
Remote feels cheap, Pro-logic sounds VERY weak compare to my dad's old amp (a VERY VERY old Kenwood), infact overall the amp claims 100w per channel but somehow it doesn't feel that much. I really need to crank the volume up quite high to get some decent boom going on my speakers

Similar Products Used:
V405

Price Paid:  $250.00 from ebay

Summary:
I have nothing but trouble from this unit. I have gone threw three of these now and have now bought a vr-606. The 407 gets way to hot - it will burn your hand if you put it on the top of it - and it will screw up the inside of the unit due to the heat. My speaker outputs would stop working one at a time. Kenwood teck even told me they have problems with this. Don't buy one.

Strengths:
Lots of things in the back you can plug into it.

Weaknesses:
Everything else, Can cook an egg on top of the system.

Similar Products Used:
vr-606

Price Paid:  $350.00 from Kenwood Outlet Store

Summary:
I bought the system in a box less than two years ago. It has been a great system for me with great bass. The problem I have with it is the sound output went out on me in the middle of a movie I was watching. Everything else still functions on the unit, just not the sound. I bought a two year warrenty extension, ,but lost the receipt, and of course, the store has no record of me on file. It was a good unit, but now it is usless to me

Strengths:
Very good sound quality on DVDs

Price Paid:  $245.00 from sears

Summary:
overall a very good product. its hard to find better value for the money. where do you get svideo in the front. only kenwood. remote could be a little better.poor manual. hard to beat value.go kenwood.

Strengths:
very clear sound in dd,dts.very attractive unit.should be priced more.

Weaknesses:
poor remote