Price Paid:  $499.00 from Sears

Summary:
Great sound for the price.It would cost twice as much to get a comparable HK

Strengths:
Sounds awsome, THX,

Weaknesses:
No on screen display

Similar Products Used:
Harmon Kardon
Marantz

Price Paid:  $50.00 from Good Guys

Summary:
OK. It was an OPEN BOX with a lot o f scratches and the top was caved in a bit, oh and it wa a store closing sale, but it works. Thank God for extended warranties. This reciever is diamond if you are on a strict budget. THX Select Certification, Component Video Switching, DD, DTS, PL II, 110 Watts X 5, Pre-Outs, and not to metion the RF remote. This reciever is a "poor" man's dream. Yeah the remote is a little tricky, but you only set it up once and that's the end of that. It has a really clean sound for a "budget" reciever. Digital input assignment is a little goofy.... ie CD/DVD
DVD 6 Channel... keep it simple. Any how, after the intial setup and everything is dialed in, it is a really good reciever for the money.

Strengths:
THX Select Processing, PL II, RF Remote

Weaknesses:
Remote a little tricky for the "first timers"

Similar Products Used:
JVC, Yamaha, Denon, Sony

Price Paid:  $399.00 from etronics

Summary:
The Kenwood VR-510 THX receiver is on of the great bargins in the audio world. I read reviews from these people that like to nitpick apart products and in this case I would tell them to get a life. The sound on Dolby Digital movies is spectacular. The CS 5.1 on non Dolby Digital movies is fantastic and for DTS movies with THX mastering, I can hardly describe the experience. I have a Dishnetwork PVR system and even the things I've recorded onto the hard drive sound like I've got a dvd playing. Jurassic Park III is so amazing through the 510, people are talking about it 3 weeks later. My system includes the VR-510, a Panasonic RA 60 dvd audio/dvd video with twice the sample rate on both audio and video than other units, a JVC 3900U double s-video VCR and a absolutely fantastic set of 6 Paradign speakers. Do not waste your time or money buying other speakers, these speakers ( 4 Titans, PDR 12 sub, and cc170 center) sound as good as speakers that cost two or three times as much. The remote I have not been able to figure out yet and it is complicated. The time I should be spending figuring out how the remote works, I spend watching THX movies on dvd and getting blown away. This is a fabulous receiver. Don't listen to any other of those nit pick reviewers who don't have a life. By the way, I think Kenwood cutoff Etronics and MJ show for discounting them too much. Neither website has had any available since I took delivery 4 weeks ago.

Strengths:
THX, CS 5.1, Prologic 11, power, all the s video and optical cables inputs.

Weaknesses:
remote, runs a little warm after 6 or 7 hours

Similar Products Used:
nothing is similar but I have Kenwood and Pioneer receivers.

Price Paid:  $399.00 from Etronics

Summary:
I love my 510. All you people that are picky, please get a life. Jurassic Park 3 is so spectacular, my friends walk away stunned. The cs 5.1 is fantastic. The prologic 2 is great and the power is wonderful. All the THX dvd's I've listened to are breathtaking. It even takes movies I've recorded from Dishnetwork onto their PVR into DVD quality sound. I really cannot tell a difference.I have not been able to figure out the remote yet, but that will come. My home theater speaker components are all from Paradign.4 Titans,CC170 center, PDR12 sub, a Panasonic RA60 dvd audeo/dvd video and a JVC 3900 double S-video VCR.Do not waste your time looking at other speakers.I shopped for a year and these are the best value in the world and their sound is unbelievable. The whole deal was around $2000 and it could not sound better for $5000. By the way you may not find the 510 available at $399 any longer. It appears Kenwood cut off Etronics and MJ show for excessive discounts. Neither has had any available for 3 or 4 weeks.

Strengths:
THX, CS 5.1, power, many optical and s video inputs,sound.

Weaknesses:
runs a little hot, remote difficult.

Similar Products Used:
Kenwood 305

Price Paid:  $400.00 from etronics.com

Summary:
i dont know why people had so much trouble with the remote.what i like to do is a little at a time instead of all at once.great sound once the speakers are in the right spot.somethings could have been done better like the coax and optical inputs.they should have put one coax and one optical for each video in then one optical and coax for cd recorder and or mini disc/mp3player. but for the price you cant beat it.oh and dont forget the component in.i was looking for something like a selector to hook two component video sources to one thing and then be able to switch.well this has it so that saved me a trip to find one.also get good speakers they dont have to be top of the line and very high priced but you will waste youre money on real cheap ones also.i don have alot of money so i went with infinity and they sound great.the two subs im running one for low bass and the other for high and mid bass makes the dts and dd sound outstanding..

Strengths:
thx,pointless remote,dts,etc

Weaknesses:
only two inputs for optical and one for coax.

Similar Products Used:
kenwood,sony