Dolby Prologic 2, SV Switching, Ease of Use.

Bass Response w/o a Sub Attached. Manual Not Straight Forward.

I think this amp/receiver is great, both for the money and the ease of use. The low bass response is a pain in the butt initially, however if you attach a sub to the preout- the unit really responds well.
I have tried playing w/ the new Dolby Pro II w/ the music and the movie setting, and both work wonderfull. It adds great sound especially to VCR movies.
I purchased this model a month after I had initially bought the VR 409- and don't regret it for a second. This amp is second from the top of the line VR 510 (THX) and almost $250.00 cheaper. If you don't need the THX, this is the one for you.

Similar Products Used:

VR 409.

cool versitile remote lotsa bass (when a good sub is present) nice dsp modes

none to report

this reciever is so cool i mean what cant i say about it lots of inputs and outputs s video inputs great for my sony s-3000 dvd player and great bass response when hooked up to a decent sub in any input mode try listening to cd in circle surround with the volume at
-40db wow!!! i must say that the reciever gets kinda hot but then again most recievers do i am very satisfied with this product go kenwood!! one query though, i need an instruction manual for the remote but kenwood doesnt list that remote on their manuals list can somebody help me. rc-ro809 thanx

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kenwood (vr-405)
kenwood (kfc-201)
optimus (yeah optimus,, stav-239)
sony str-de 825 (really crappy reciever)

Remote, Sound Quality, Inputs

Instruction Manual!

Overall great receiver for the price when I bought it! Plenty of power too! Instruction manual is written poorly. Due to that it took me a while to figure how to get more bass out of this model. Lots of inputs for just about everything you need for your home theater. I admit though I still miss my last product a Pioneer SX-838, didn't have quite the clarity as this Kenwood does, but seemed to have more bass. At some point I will probably upgrade to one of the new models (VR-510)just for the THX Select .

Similar Products Used:

Pioneer, Kenwood

Great Overall System,unversal remote can control just about every component in my system

Subwoofer output when "B" speakers are on.

I just installed this receiver in my mother-in-law's TV room. It is part of the all-in-one Kenwood HTB-553 system. Overall I am very impressed with the receiver. It is everything I could ask for at the price. I am not a audiophile, but this system really performs well. Room accustics play a big role in the overall performance of any system, so in this instance, the receiver really shined.

If you want to use your "B" speaker output for for outdoor use, the subwoofer will remain on. This means your outdoor speakers will not get the low frequencey signal from the receiver. You can shut off the subwoofer at the receiver (which may improve the situation), but it is not very convenient.

Price, multi-function remote

Another video input would be nice and it doesn't support Composite video in and out. Needs a "loudness" setting to increase bass at low volumes

I have to fully agree with most of the reviews I have read for this receiver. When I went to purchase a receiver I was set on buying the Pioneer VSX-D409, but when I arrived at Sears they had a sale on the Kenwood to clear out the year 2000 models. I have to say that I am impressed and happy with the receiver. The bass is a little weak without a sub, but once a sub is hooked up you'll have no problems rattling the pictures on the walls when watching DVD's. You can't adjust the bass and treble when in digital mode, so you need a sub. When in Stereo mode listening to a CD the sound isn't bad, but it's not great either. Sounds great when watching DVD's, but a little lackuster when listening to music. The remote is confusing when you first start to use it (I had to read the manual) but once you figure it out it will control ALL of the functions of everything in your home theatre system.

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JVC 888V

lots of input and feature

quality

This receiver has binding post for L, C, R speakers, and spring clips for the rest. The binding post is made of cheap metal and plastic. You can just tell by the look. They are so close together. I had a hard time connecting my 16 awg speaker wires. The labeling on the back of the receiver is confusing, so is the manuals. it took me 3 evenings to connect the DVD player, CD player, VCR, and TV.

It sounds lack of bass. I do not bave a subwoofer!!! I tried to increase the volume level for L and R channels as some review advises, but it does not help much. Do not buy this receiver unless you have a sub or plan to buy one.
Every feature i tried seem to be working, DD,DTS, CS5.1.

The remote control uses IR frequency, not RF. You have to point it to the receiver to make it works.

Similar Products Used:

sony, yamaha

Video inputs, Clean sound, Easy to setup and use.

Bass is weak.

This is a good unit for the money. Has enough connectors for just about any video-audio equipment you want to hook up. If you have small front speakers and like alot of bass, this is NOT for you. The sound is very clear in surround mode. Hooking up a subwoofer to the pre-out jack will not help the bass problem in stereo mode. That jack only works in surround mode. One reason for weak bass is, there is no loudness button. You could also try connecting an Equalizer to the monitor jacks. I found one in Radio Shack for $129. It helped alot. I also use Cerwin Vega E-712 speakers in front and have enough bass for my taste.

Similar Products Used:

Pioneer,Sony

I/O galore, good remote

Bass is non-existant, no tone adjustments in DD mode

I purchased the 409 to replace my Kenwood KR-V8070 which to this day has served me very well. I felt that the 409 was the way to go to step up to Dolby Digital.

Installing the unit was relatively simple. My only initial complaint was that the new "SL16" system control isn't compatible with the older Kenwood "XS" (and other) systems. This was very annoying as it takes a lot of the interoperability out of the system.

Once I powered up the system and started a DVD I was quite disappointed by the sound ... more to the point, lack of bass ... and the inability to adjust it. Apparently when the system goes into DD mode, it bypasses the bass/treble settings ... as well as bypassing the monitor jacks, thus killing my external equalizer. With all this disabled, I'm left with a totally flat (in my opinion) sound, with no way to adjust it. Even with the boomiest of DVDs at extreme volumes, only a little bass was there. I admit I don't have a separate sub, but I don't think it should be a requirement. And don't be fooled by the 'bass boost' button ... it simply pegs the bass at +10db ... nothing more ... and in DD it’s moot anyway.

As for the remote, overall it's a good remote. It will either control or learn about anything you want it to. My only suggestion would be a bigger LCD display. This one is a bit small.

Other than the things above, this was a nice unit. Has plenty of features and all the I/Os you could ever want. The sound (bass notwithstanding) was very good. It's also nicely packed with power.

Sadly, I had to return this unit for a Sony as I simply couldn’t live with the sound. However, if thunderous bass really isn't your thing, then I'd recommend this unit.

Similar Products Used:

Sony

DD/DTS/Circle Surround Technology-- a plethera of ins and outs! Remote.

Bass depth.

You'll notice the negative reviews on this receiver are in the area of a weak bass. That is true. If you're using a powered subwoofer, however, this is the perfect receiver for a home theatre system not wanting to break the bank.
The sound distribution to all six speakers is great and there is plenty of power (for my family, anyway).
The remote control is a monster! Albeit bulky and heavy, I wouldn't have it any other way. It has a lit LCD display and controls everything great, not to mention its learning capability.
Reliability? Well, I’ve had it for about 7 months and never a problem.
I give this receiver very high marks because it has met all of my expectations and more (i.e. Circle Surround). I highly recommend this receiver if you can get it for under retail.

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Pioneer, Technics, Sony

Great sound all around. Enough options for just about any Home Theatre setup. A great universal/learning remote!

A little weak on the bass if not using a subwoofer. Otherwise, nothing really.

This is a great receiver-- especially if you can get it under $400! The number of options for inputs and preouts for video, digital, etc. are numerous. Dolby Digital and DTS decoding are wonderful. The remote, albeit a bit heavy and awkward (that's okay, it's a "man's remote" rrrr!)works great with all of my HT equipment. Unlike the above Technics model which I tried for nearly a month, this one does not heat up as much-- nor has the reputation of being able to first fry an egg then burn out. I highly recommend this receiver for the audio enthusiast looking for great Home Theatre entertainment, not just music.

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Pioneer VSX-D457, Technics SA-DX930