Most powerful receiver under $500 (1 Viewer)

[Matt Malto]

You can get a remanufactured Harmon Karkon AVR525 from One Call for $525. Several people have gone that route with no problems and it's a fantastic receiver.

 

[Al Holland]

I owned the 6070 prior to switching to seperates (Rotel 1066 and Sherbourn 5/1500A). I have owned every brand of receiver that comes to mind. Most of them were in the $1500 to $3500 range. I still own an Integra 8.2 that is sitting in the closet.
If I were to choose a favorite receiver for home theater it would be the 6070 (even over my previous B&K 307 and Sony 777ES). For 2 channel music there are many better receivers than the 6070.

I had the 6070 mated to Paradigm Monitor 11's and a CC370. Center dialog was exceptionally clear and the surrounds produced previously unheard effects.

The power was impressive with the sub turned off.

Others may disagree but I fell that there is definitely an audible difference in the sound of different receivers when used in the same environment,

Bottom line: the 6070 does not have all of the tweak settings or impressive sounding names for its internal components as other brands yet it is excellent for HT. Given this you still may be disappointed if you listen to a lot of stereo music. Adding an external amp and using it as a pre amp will make stereo sound great.

 

[Lucas Dang]

Thats why I, and apparently a few others recently bought it. It has received numerous reviews with consistent praise and concerns. The flaws were pointed out, and the features and power were highlighted making the 6070 a highly recommended or at least good buy. Then the price dropped out the bottom at etailers, and now this forum has been buzzing with 6070 just do a search, its in multiple threads lately.

Al, thanks for your input, your comments mirror Sound and Visions review who stated the power and sound of the 6070 sounded as good as his other equiptment that cost several times the amount, then in in parenthesis he states (it better not) implying that it is hard to believe that a low cost receiver could produce such results. And later states the power is actually better than listed on the spec sheet.

Im happy that there has been so many different opions listed on this topic. We frequently hear "you get what you pay for." I think this is inacurate re the 6070. You will get much more than you paid for. The current price is around 300$.

I finally got mine and set everything up (PSB Stratus series). I watched Gladiator DTS-ES, and Starwars TPM DD EX. I am clearly hearing crisp clean sound, solid base, and finer detail than I had before. I am very impressed.

According to a different issue of Sound and Vision (I know its not considered to be the greatest mag) THX certification is no slouch either.

I have previously only purchased moderately high end expensive HT equiptment such as pioneer elite, Paradigm, Marantz, and Sherwood Newcastle. I spent 1,000 on a DVD player, and Svideo deck, and 700$ on a progressive scan deck. I recently found it hard to upgrade equiptment after I had paid so much up front building my system. Now I am finding that many low end components are available that rate higher than the high end competition. the Panasonic RP 56 and 82 DVD players for example.

I was unwiling to start over with another 1,500 receiver. But 279$ for the 6070 which can does intergrate easily with 6 channel input and output is a no committment no let down purchase. Afterall how can anyone be upset that they got a 6.1 THX, THX EX, Prologic 2, Circle surround, DTS ES, DD EX, processor for round 300$. Better technology is always around the corner, this will get you by till then.

 

[Oakley]

Lucas,
The only thing that I can add to this is that I was a pure Kenwood enthusiast for many years. I now own an H/K 525 and I am not in love with Kenwood receivers anymore. I have not had any problems with my H/K like many people talk about. My only recommendation is to make your own decision and just go for it, also make sure wherever you buy from make sure they have a good return policy. I tried 3 receivers before the H/K.

 

[Lyden]

sorry iw as feeling lazy and only read the first page but i wouls say wait a bit for the Pioneer 912k i think it would be a great reciver i say wait around for the testing results...

 

[ScottRCapt]

As before, this has been posted elsewhere in HTF, I am posting it here for those not watching the other thread.
First off, I never complained or compared or tried to say that I thought that my Kenwood VR-6060 would perform like multi-thousand dollar separates. If anyone would bother to READ my posts, I was simply explaining that THD has more to do with quality of sound than some of you may be aware of.
Excerpt from Crutchfield Re: VR-6070
Note: The Total Harmonic Distortion (THD) rating for the Left Surround and Right Surround amplifiers is 0.7%. The THD for the Surround Back/Subwoofer amplifier is 0.09%.
http://www.crutchfield.com/cgi-bin/S...fo&i=113VR6070
Excerpt Dallas Semi-Conductor
"THD specification plays a critical role in determining the quality or fidelity of audio signals passing through or generated by audio systems. Thus, when designing audio systems, importance must be placed on selecting the proper components and board layout to minimize THD"
http://www.soundtech.com/product/faq.htm
And for the Math aficionados out there, here is your page of explanations:
http://www.ece.uvic.ca/499/2002a/group07/testing.html
So, somebody is paying attention to Distortion...
My point when I brought up the subject of "Separates" is... whether the person who owns them has higher power than before they “upgraded” or lower power than before they went to a pre-amp/ power-amp system, they all agree that placing an extra piece of equipment in the signal path has improved the sound across the board. This has to indicate that the separates as a combined unit, even with the extra cabling and the extra opportunity to add distortion seem to always sound better whether they have higher or lower power ratings than the single "receiver" unit did before. This indicates a difference in THD between separates and the previous receiver. So THD does make a difference. Distortion is NOT good!
Next: I did not buy my VR-6060 recently when Kenwood USA has new models coming to market and last years inventory has been dumped on the market. Also, Kenwood USA never promoted or marketed the VR-6060 or the VR-6070 as “entry level $300 receivers”. When I bought my VR-6060, the retail price for the VR-6070 was nearly $800. It could be bought for less, but that’s what Kenwood told the public it was worth. Kenwood has recently changed the retail price on the website to a vague $600-$700, still not an entry-level amount. I also believe that only a very few VR-6070’s were purchased for under $300 and those few buyers were told that their units were refurbished or they bought floor models at Best Buy. I certainly paid more than $300 for mine, and again, if you bother to read my previous posts, I said that I made that mistake and I have learned my lesson. I did not expect to get a receiver that sounded like a Sunfire Cinema Grand, I also did not expect to get a receiver that clipped out and shut down on overload during demanding parts of XXX on DVD.
Lastly: I am sorry to have seemingly stirred up such a hornet’s nest in this thread. My intention was merely to warn others to not make the same mistake I did, and end up buying two receivers within a year’s time. The last Receiver I bought was a Kenwood and that was in 1988. One of the reasons I bought this Kenwood was to keep my Kenwood CD Player and Tape Deck. Unfortunately the system control has changed, even though the salesman had told me my older units would work fine with the new 6060, I ended up not even being able to use my other components. (The old components did not have any remote capability, they all were wired into the receiver via a system control and the receiver remote controlled all components. The new system control is not backward compatible as I had been told it was.)
Once I found out that my old components were not part of the future, even though I had kept brand loyalty. I started buying Sony components. I now have a Sony CDP CX-450 400-Disk CD Jukebox and a Sony DVP DX-850 200-DVD Jukebox. So it follows that since I am not happy with my Kenwood that I am buying a Sony DA-4ES Receiver to match. I also may be replacing my Main Cerwin Vegas with Definative BP-10B’s in the near future.
So please guys, many pardons, if you love your Kenwood, more power to you! Just don’t tell me I am FOS, because I will produce the facts when I make an argument. I am moving on with my system… Onward and upward, the adventure continues…

 

[Lucas Dang]

Scott,

I dont think you were raining on my parade or slamming Kenwood just for the fun of it. I welcome your input. I pointed out that several of the known flaws simply didnt bother me due to my set up and expectations. Also I had read your concern about THD and had asked if you or others think it is significant enough or worth my running those surround channels to a separate amp. Does anyone know if you can have 5 channel input added to a receiver that didnt have it to begin with? If so I could use my previous receiver's (sherwood newcastle 925) beefy amps.

I dont recall anyone saying you were FOS. I did question whether the 6060 is really identical to the 6070 (THX certification is no BS), and others mentioned that your clipping problem and overheating sounded like a defective unit.

When you mentioned your Cerwin Vega 10's I thought you ment your subwoofer, which would normally be powered, so it shouldnt burden the receiver too much.

While we all appreciate the numbers and facts I also didnt want to discount how stuff actually sounds and was siting that the SandV review was positive on this receiver especially its power.

I have come to the conclusion that the Kenwood with which I enjoyed watching SW E2 tonight is worth the 279$ i paid for it.

I am hearing that the HK has performed well and is a top choice on this forum, also someone mentioned new equiptment looming around the corner. Since I invested so little on the kenwood, I will be able to upgrade again when the next best thing comes out technology or gimick wise, and I can easily sell the kenwood for 200$.

 

[ScottRCapt]

Lucas,
I am not "slamming the Kenwood" for the "fun of it" or for any other reason other than to apprise people of some very real deficiencies in the unit. You have refused to believe what I have pointed out, so I went back in time in this forum and another to find out just what informed owners of Kenwood VR-6070's had to say about their units. It appears that I am not alone, not by a long shot, in my experiences. I have culled some of these other people’s comments and produced them for you here in a “readers digest” version. Easy enough for anyone to comprehend.
When you think about where the sub $300.00 price tag of these units, in most cases it is related to "refurbished units". Does it not seem odd, that for a model number that has only been on the market for a year, that enough "refurbished" units were available to lower the price by 50%? There must have been something wrong with those units for them to be submitted for “refurbishment” in the first place.
This post is repeated here from another thread for those who may not be following both threads
Re: Lucas Dang Quote:

I'd go with the Yammy. Both companies are honest about their ratings, but Kenwood uses different standards for the surrounds than the rest of the system. They rate for 0.09% THD on all channels (including the center surround) EXCEPT the left and right surrounds, which are rated at 0.7% THD (which is NOT an insignificant difference).

http://www.hometheaterforum.com/htfo...highlight=6070
Myo K Wrote:
I’m sorry I’m fairly new to the audio world, the 6070 was my first receiver i used with my speakers, and I had a friend who’s into speakers and audio components come by and test it out.
I played the receiver at light listening levels, I didn’t need it too loud, and I always thought it sounded great, then when my friend test it out, he told me to raise the volume, and after a certain point in volume level, the detail and clarity of the sound had a dramatic jump almost instantaneously, with no gradual change, just an instant jump. This clarity and detail was non-existent at my regular listening levels, and I had to actually play them at somewhat med-loud listening levels to hear it.
He informed me that it sounds like the receiver was under powering the speakers and I had to play the volume at a specific sound level to get the full sound.
I was also informed by people in general that a lot of marketing comes into play, isn’t it always better to trust your ears, then to trust a review or company specs?
of course my ears are no where near experienced enough to know what under power sounds like, since this was my first receiver. i do know it gets loud when I pass a certain volume level.
i eventually had to return the receiver because i kept getting popping noises when i raised an lowered the volume, tested it with two different speakers and found it was the receivers fault and not the speakers.
i asked around and asked sales people and got different answers, from the receiver being low current amp, to clipping from under power, to bi-product of digital amplification.
how this receiver got thx certification? i do not know, how its able to sell for sub 300 dollar price range and still maintain thx certification? i do not know. Personally, I think a lot of it may be marketing? I’m the last person that should be speaking about the subject since I’m fairly Noob to audio.
But I do know 3 things for sure, this amp is low current, i got popping interference from raising and lowering the volume and i get a massive jump in sound clarity instantaneously after turning the volume up past a certain number. Stephen maybe you can enlighten me on what may have been the problem if it weren’t a power output issue?
Stephen K Wrote:
The popping when raising and lowering volumes has come up before and isn't demonstrated in all 6070s, it's evidently a flaw that some have but most don't.
http://www.hometheaterforum.com/htfo...highlight=6070
Myo K Wrote:
I had a Kenwood 6070 but returned it because of defection, and there were no more units left at BB, that receiver had audio that was good enough for me to listen to music, but those receivers are discontinued and sounded as if it was under powering the speakers since the level of sound quality jump dramatically after the volume knob passed the 2/5thhs mark
http://www.hometheaterforum.com/htfo...highlight=6070
Jeremy Anderson Wrote:
Just a mention: Unless you're just strapped for cash, go with Denon or H/K over the Kenwood if you listen anywhere near reference level. Denon and H/K rate power using the same standard on all channels, where Kenwood uses 0.7% THD on the surrounds and 0.09% THD on the other channels (which is a MASSIVE difference). Not trying to anger Kenwood fans or anything, but every Kenwood I've heard has noisy surrounds at reference even with efficient speakers. Most importantly, audition receivers and play with the features before buying.
http://www.hometheaterforum.com/htfo...highlight=6070
Myo K Wrote:
I have yet to find any store to carry this receiver i used to have a Kenwood 6070 but it was defective so i returned it, im still waiting for my refund check from BB, anyone else know if Best Buy will carry this receiver on the sales floor?
http://www.hometheaterforum.com/htfo...highlight=6070
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The following quotes are from Ecoustics.com
http://www.ecoustics.com/bbs/messages/1/624.html
Lee Carbay Wrote:
I do not think you can adjust the mains without hearing the tones. On my Kenwood you can't either. You have to take a reading from the disk go into the test tone menu make an adjustment and them go back to the disk and check it again. Go back and forth until you get it correct. If you start with one of your mains and set it to reference with disk and match all the other speakers up to it you will only have to go through this inconvenience once.
Arthur S Wrote:
Kevin
Having to use the test tones is an unfortunate aspect of the 6070. I've spoken to Kenwood techs and there is no other way to do it.
The good news is that I have some idea of the bass peak limiter. Mine was set at -30db and I wasn't getting enough volume from my sub. I changed it to -20 and now I get plenty of bass.
The other one is the Subwoofer Re-Mix. Turning that on also adds more bass. Some of this is keeping the bass in the front channels. If you don't have front speakers that can really handle bass you may want to leave the ReMix off.
I think the owners manual talks about the ReMix.
Artie
http://www.hometheaterforum.com/htfo...highlight=6070
Kevinkall Wrote:
I'm in the process of setting up my speakers for a 6.1 setup and was wondering if I should use the test tones coming from the receiver or the Video Essentials test tones in order to setup my speakers? Is there a difference? I'm asking because the only way I can setup my speakers on my receiver (KENWOOD 6070) is by going thru the test tones.
Since my receiver can only save 1 set of levels (I'm guessing), should I even worry about the DTS levels. About 90% of the movies that I watch are in Dolby Digital with just a few DTS ones. I do want to get the best sound possible from the setup that I have. Is it worth it?
http://www.hometheaterforum.com/htfo...highlight=6070
Ken Daniel Writes:
Question for anyone: Tuesday, January 14, 2003 - 12:54 pm
I can't seem to find out how to tweak the THX select settings. It says, everywhere the VR 6070 is purchased (even Kenwood's website), that you have the ability to mess with timbre matching, decorrelation etc. However there is no mention of this in the Manual (other than where the THX button is and how to turn it on) Am I forgetting something or not looking in the right place. I can find how to mess with all of the other settings except this one. Or is it the case where THX handles these tweaks automatically based on your speaker setups or do I need to use a THX certified disc with the THX optimizer (Like terminator 2 ultimate dvd) to access these features. I look forward to a response and this is a great message board.
Dman Responds:
Tuesday, January 14, 2003 - 01:45 pm
Ken Daniel : As you suggest, the THX setting handles all of these tweaks automatically and there is no way to play with these. These are features of THX and they (THX) actually set the requirements for this. I am not sure if it is influenced by speaker settings, but it does a number of things such as frequency rolloffs and the other technical stuff that is mentioned. Of course this should be applied to a pure Dolby Digital signal and should not theoretically be applied when using other surround modes.
Also from Dman:
Oh yeah, for THX explanations check out this link
http://www.polkaudio.com/home/faqad/...rticle=formats
Also stolen from the Polk Audio website:
The THX Exception
(NOTE: Read this section only if you have a THX certified receiver or processor.) Receivers and processors that are THX certified are required to have a very specific set of bass management filters that are active when the processor is set to THX mode. All channels (front, center and surround) are automatically high-pass filtered at 80Hz (the bass is taken out below 80Hz), the subwoofer output jack is turned on and low pass filtered at 80Hz. For many speaker set-ups this is a good configuration. For a system of bookshelf or small floor-standing speakers with a powered sub with an unfiltered line input, this filter set is a good choice. But if your speakers are small satellites or large floor-standers with built-in sub-woofers, this filter set may result in poor performance.
To avoid the standard THX bass management filters, do not engage the THX function of your processor. The processor will revert to its standard user-configured bass management system. As THX is not a surround processing system per se, but an enhancement of Dolby surround processing, you do not need to engage the THX mode to properly decode any surround source.
Jeffery Writes:
I have a question for anyone using the 6070 with a DVD to play DTS music dvd's (not audio, but DTS tracks encoded in 5 or 6 channel format that a 96KHz decoder can play). My issue is that my 3-year-old JVC DVD player, xv501, plays DTS and DTS ES tracks fine. However, when I try and play the DTS music, it clips out during heavy passages as if the decoder is being overworked. I switch to the Dolby version of the same tracks and it works fine. I would like to know if someone else has played such DVD's thru their 6070 with a different DVD player cause it will help me isolate it to my DVD player?
Thanks
David Dobsky Writes:
Monday, January 20, 2003 - 11:03 am
Hello,
Have any of you had issues with the thermal overload kicking in on the 6070 with a multi speaker setup and if so, how did you fix it? Has anyone needed to go so far as to add a fan to blow air thru the unit? Thanks in advance
Dman Writes Again:
January 21, 2003 - 11:43 am
Andy, Zrockin - check out my previous post from January 16 regarding THX. THX is not a format like Dolby Digital or DTS (Digital Theater Systems). It is a set of 'filters' for lack of a better word, applied to the surround format (DD/DTS) that alters the sound to theoretically better mimic a movie theater in the home environment. While having all THX certified equipment in your setup is the absolute optimal for getting the THX benefit, it is not absolutely necessary. In fact, depending on your system turning on THX processing can degrade performance. This is actually true for my system. One of the 'filters' turned on when THX mode is enabled is an 80 Hz cutoff between the speakers and subwoofer. If your speakers can't play down to 80 Hz without rolling off you will actually be losing some of your frequency spectrum (the midrange). Conversely your sub has to be able to play up to 80 Hz without rolling off (not a problem for most subs). I have tiny satellites due to space constraints and have wired my system to avoid this from happening. My wiring also defeats the THX mode on the receiver, as I don't use the LFE jack. So yes, THX speakers will guarantee you get the THX benefit, but are they absolutely necessary? No. Hope that helps. S&V has a THX article posted on their website and you can always check out the THX web-page.
Anonymous Writes:
Sunday, January 26, 2003 - 11:04 am
Hey, guys I have the vr6070, I am using a Sony turntable via the phono input. When I PLAY a record in 2-channel mode it tends to clip at higher levels. This is frustrating. I want to go as loud as possible without clipping. How do I do this SAFELY? How long can the 6070 play loud until it overheats and clips? I have Polk audio r50 speakers. Thanks.
Pierre Writes:
Tuesday, January 28, 2003 - 12:47 pm
Hey Guys I finally bought the K VR6070. I need urgent input from the subject matter experts. Here the scoop. I have turned on my receiver and my CD player as well (on CD/DVD). Great music so far, next I have selected DVD 3, (keeping the CD playing, my DVD player still turned off.
Situation: when I increase the volume close to and above 0 Db, I here a little bit of music coming from the CD player (very low on right channel and twice as loud on left channel). If I turn the CD player off, I here humm or sh.......... from my tweeters instead (note that your ear has to be very close to the tweeter to hear these sounds).
Is this normal, is it reasonable to expect this sound output from a $ 800 Cdn Receiver or should I return it to the store for replacement (I still have 5 days to do this.
Jeffery Writes:
Anyone that just runs the 6070 up without any inputs on or active will notice the noise floor at after -10 on the dial if listening attentively, and then on my unit, I notice that from +3 to +4, there is a click and the noise floor kicks in way more, very noticeably.
Dion Writes:
Sunday, February 02, 2003 - 07:49 pm
I just have a question regarding my VR-6070.
Whenever I watch DVD’s I notice that I have to turn the amp pretty much up to -10dB in order to get a good movie experience since the volume isn't really that loud at -20 or under. In some cases, movies that support DTS, I notice the sound decreases even further, which forces me to turn the amp up to 0dB for good viewing. I am running audio through optical and using Sony SA-VE525 series speakers, which are 120watts max each. Would anyone know whether this is a problem? Either with the amp or whether I need larger or more powerful speakers?
Thanks
Rex Carson Writes:
I posted earlier about some advantages of the Pioneer vs. the Kenwood, such as assigning a specific video connector to a chosen input selection, a higher mhz component video switching which supports HDTV, a variable crossover for the sub, being able to adjust the relative speakers volumes for EACH surround mode independently, and speaker posts which can be used to connect 2 SB speakers.