Kenwood VR-6070 THX/DPL2. Anyone has this unit?

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John Hackman
Looking to share some comment on this new Kenwood Receiver VR6070. Anyone has this unit?
Thank you.
 

cool... thanks for that info there jeffery!

Sounds nice.. heh i cant wait to see what these remotes look like!
 

AndyJ
Gary S.

Don't get Bose, way overpriced for what you get. Just try to find some specs on these speakers, I bet you can't. Bose's idea of specs is the speaker dimensions, not my idea of specs.
 

Bose are great sounding for music and movies.. hell i have 3 old sets drivin my HT..

But anyways.. lets not sway off the topic with the dredded "why bose suck or not".

For space concerns and wall and ceiling mounting there perfect for him... He's definitly not gona be hanging some gigantic speaker from his ceiling!
 

Rim
I think Bose can be good if they are placed right for the room, which may or may not be good for Gary. I mounted all four of my surround and surround back speakers on the wall -- surround about waist high and sb-up near the ceiling, slanted down. They work great as long as you have some distance back behind the couch for the speakers to be mounted high. I have the Aperion speakers. They are big enough to have great mids and small enough to be mounted on the wall with brackets. FYI, I did not like Bose.
 

Hi all. I just got the VR-6070 and am trying to get it configured. I have a problem with the auto detect mode. I am running an optical cable into the DVD in from my DVD player. The system shows optical cable is the input, but it does not detect Dolby Digital (DD) as the input signal. It shows prologic. The player is DD compatable, and I even put in a DVD where you can manually choose DD 5.1 in the setup menu, but all I get is prologic!! There is a cryptic message in the manual about not all surround modes being available depending on inputs and speaker settings. Not sure if I have broken any rules there. Any help would be appreciated from the experienced. Cheers.
 

ken daniel
Question for anyone:
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.
 

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. That is my understanding anyway, if someone has more tech knowledge and I am wrong, please correct me. Also does anyone else have problems with Dolby Digital as an input signal? Please see my above post. Hope this helps.
 

Good to see sooo many posts. Looks like a lot of people have an issue setting up their DVD to have DD and DTS output. I can tell you thatis the most common error. Especialy on Receivers that just show you if you have a digital signal present. Even the Sony PS2 requires you to allow Bitstream and DTS output, otherwise, all you get is PL, or one of the many other psudo suround forms.

A good friend of mine, asked me to help him buy a
theatre system for little $. He's not too technical (still has a 4856DX) so I said no problem. Here's what I bought:
Sony STRDE585
JBL SCS 125
he had a JVC 36" tv and a Hitachi DVP305U with no remote.

He has had this hooked up for close to 2 months,and he says he loves it. He brought me his dvd, as it has had issues lately, and once I cleaned it, I programmed one of the multi remotes in the house to run his dvd. I put in Phantom Menace, and right away, no discrete surround!
Looked in the setup menu, and both DTS and Bitstream were off, so the best he had was PLII.
To someone going from PL and VHS to PLII and DVD, there was a good difference in sound quality. I can't wait to drive over there and hook it up again with these corrected settings....then he will be REALLY happy.

Don't overlook the small issues, as they all add up to big ones.

I am still happy with my 6070, and am looking at adding a Carver 5 Channel THX cert'd amp. This would leave just the rear channel running off the amp. 1200 CDN$, it's a thought....
 

Shayne, I think you might have solved my problem! I failed to mention that I am using a PS2 as a DVD player (for now). You mentioned :

"Even the Sony PS2 requires you to allow Bitstream and DTS output, otherwise, all you get is PL, or one of the many other psudo suround forms."

How do you enable the bitstream and DTS output? I have only found turning the optical out on & off. I feel a glimmer of hope here...
 

DMAN: It all depends on the speaker setup. If you have 6.1 or 7.1 then the receiver will find the settings automatically. If you have 5.1 or lower then your going to have to manually set you receiver to a certain mode. I have a Pioneer DVD changer hooked up using a coax cable in DVD/6chan and my PS2 using an optical cable in Video 3. After configuring the PS2 and DVD for digital audio and then setting the receiver to auto. Everything works great for me. I have a 7.1 setup.
 

Dman
Steve M. : Thanks for the reply. I have a 5.1 setup so I have turned off the 6th channel (surround back) in VR-6070's setup. I would love to set the receiver to Dolby Digital, but it won't let me because it is not detecting DD as the input signal, just Prologic. Are you saying that if I turn on the 6th channel (even though there's no speaker connected)I'll get the DD source signal detected? I'll try that when I get home and let you know what happens. Does anybody know if the speaker setting (Nml-THX, Large)have an impact on what surround modes are enabled? It doesn't make any sense to me that it would, but that's what I get from reading the manual. Also, I have read people talking about great bass management in the receiver. How do you access that or were people referring to the speaker size selection as bass management. Is there a variable cross-over on the speakers anywhere? BTW Steve, how'd you get a 7.1 setup from a VR-6070 as it only amplifies 6 channels? Cheers.
 

DMAN: You should set your receiver to manual, not auto. If you set your receiver to manual mode then you'll have to select Dolby Digital. Also on the DVD movie that you put in, if it gives you the option to pick your audio settings then pick dolby digital. Then when the movie starts, select dolby digital on the receiver. To obtain 7.1 sound you have "Surron Back" preouts on the back of the receiver. You'll need a seperate amp to get 7.1 sound.
 

Steve M
Whoops, typo.... meant to say "Surround Back" pre-outs. Love the CSII on this thing too.
 

Also Dman, you might want to check out page 3 of this forum and read John Briggs posts. Some of his information could be helpful in solving your problem.
 

daniil
dman
in order to play dolby digital on your ps2 ,1st in the ps2 menu you turning optical cable on,then start playing the movie,if you have remote for ps2 press display button, then go to set up, then choose audio setup its lust one on the right,after turn on dts and dolby digital,enjoy dolby digital sound,some movies also have menu where you can choose between dts and dolby
p.s.then finish watching movie 1st time open dvd player before turning off it will save the settings so you dont need to doit again,if you have any questions you also can try ps2 manual page 20.i hope its gonna solve you problem
 

Dman
daniil, thanks. It worked and I am now enjoying true DD sound. PL II is great, but DD is even better! I forgot about the other setup menu as I have had no need to access it for 6 months or so, plus its not available unless you're playing a DVD. Thanks for the tip on saving the settings - that would have frustrated me pretty quick. Ok, it's not a PS2 forum, so back to the VR. Steve M, auto worked just fine with the 6th channel turned off, so you don't have to manually change the mode for a 5.1 setup. I still have the questions about bass management if anybody has any input. Thanks again.
 

Anonymous
anyone else have bad speaker clipping while using a vcr?tried diffrent video input,cables,and diffrent vcr.same results.
 

Chuck Holroyd
John Briggs re: 6 Channel input

John,

From what I read in the manual and my exerience so far with the 6070, it will not play DVD-Audio disks natively using Digital Audio inputs (neither optical nor digital cable), but it WILL play 5.1 in all of its glory if I wire up all 6 channels using the DVD input and select analog 5.1 out on my DVD player (Tosiba 4800).

DVD 5.1 channel audio is IT as far as I'm concerned for music as available (Queen's Night at the Opera is my only DVD Audio disk other than the reference Toshiba compilation so far).

Of course I can still use the Optical DVD input to get DTS, DTE-ES Discreet etc using the DVD optical (or coax) input for movies, but I now will use 6 channel out for DVD Audio. It is AWESOME and this is my quesion - 6 channel wiring out is the only way to get DVD Audio with the 6070, right?

The 6 cables I'm using are not premier (yet), though my other wiring (component video - Digital Cable TV, VCR, X-Box component video) is pretty high quality (Monster). I know you are a big fan of audiophile grade 75 Ohm sheilded wiring for the 6 analog connections, but in my (admittedly sparse so far) listening, I haven't been able to tell much difference in the audio using 6 channel vs DTS, say for music parts in films like Gladiator or Gone in 60 minutes vs DVD Audio...

Also:
Has anyone else compared 6 channel audio inputs vs Digital or optical connections (using a 5.1 speaker setup) and been able to discern a significant difference in sound quality?

Thanks. This is an awesome board...

BTW, I've noticed zero difference in picture quality using the 6070 receiver component video connections for my X-Box or DVD player or wiring directly to my Sony WEGA 36" (the FS13 which only has 1 component video set of inputs).

Wiring component video through the 6070 saves me the hassle of reconnecting the XBox to the back of the set or using lesser grade video connections - I suspect there would be a diff for HDTV...
 

THX vs DOLBY D EX

Believe it or not!
Try to play a DD-EX DVD first.

When THX ON and Speaker EQ ON
The LISTEN MODE can be changed between DOLBY DIGITAL, DOLBY D EX and STEREO.

But when THX ON only
The LISTEN MODE only can be changed between DOLBY DIGITAL and STEREO.

It means if you want to use both of DD-EX and THX you have to turn Speaker EQ ON. Otherwise you may use either DD-EX or THX but not both.

Question - why need Speaker EQ ON here?
 

Sorry Dman... guess I shouldn't of given advice while at work. Forgot all about that second menu on PS2 also (still had to change that).

Here's two questions for you all.

I have a 7.1 setup, should I have surr: mix on or off, also SW remix on or off? Sub is hooked through RCA jacks.

For THX sound, do you have to have the Active EQ and Speaker EQ off? I put Monsters Inc in and do the THX optimization and my surround back speakers arn't lit up on my receiver. I played around with the receiver setting and the only way to seperate the surround & surr. back speakers was to turn off Active & speaker EQ, then manually turn THX EX On.... THX EX Auto wouldn't work.

Any ideas? Thanks.
 

David Dobsky
Hello. I am now the proud owner of a Kenwood VR-6070. This board certainly helped in making that decision. Does anyone have a feel for how many IR emitters you can tie to the IR repeater outputs on the receiver. I know there are two connections now but I did not know if I could construct a breakout box that would accomodate up to four emitters. Thanks in advance.
 

Jeffrey
I don't like speaker and active eq, they added to much noise in the channels for me and I have not played with them since. My monsters inc would activate my rear speakers on auto detect mode. Could have to do with which output setting you have on your DVD, try changing the settings to see if the autodetect picks up one better than the other.

Dobsky, I have two double head emitters connected to the two outputs giving me four outputs. The double head emitters are available from smarthome.com, they are the: 8171S MINI DUAL STICK-ON IR EMITTERS $9.99 (Hot Deal! $8.99)

or the single: 8170S MINI SINGLE STICK-ON IR EMITTER $5.99 (Hot Deal! $4.99)

As best I can tell, these units from smarthome are made by Xantech which is what is specified in the Kenwood manual. And, of course, they work flawlessly. If you needed more, it would be easiest to just by a 3.5mm mono plug splitter from radio shack, one male splits to two females and see if the unit can drive the extra loads. I think it will be able to since I have stuck two other types of emitters on this unit and they both work fine.
 

After reading this excellent forum I've decided to purchase a VR-6070 however I have a couple of questions:
1). Due to limited space my powered subwoffer needs to be placed about 16-20 feet from the receiver. Is is possible/wise to do this with an RCA audio cable running from the sub pre-out?

2). Does this receiver produce any hissing sounds at low/mid volumes? I had a top of the line Pioneer receiver that did this and it was very annoying during quiet movie passages. My current receiver is very quiet, no hissing or humming.

Thanks, Jim
 

Jeffrey
jim l, RCA runs are usually ok up to 25 feet, just buy a good high quality one like monster cables or even the specialized sub cables on partsexpress.com, which are available in such lengths.

There is no hissing in this unit, the signal to noise ratio of the 6070 is quite high and there is also a muting circuit that cuts off the outputs with no signal present. Don't worry about that, you will be quite happy with the sound. You can even hear it for yourself in retail if you are close to a best buy.
 

Andy
can someone please answer this question for me, how does THX sounds different from DTS or Dolby Digital? I watched Pearl Harbor with THX mode once and DTS or Dolby mode once, they are the same to me, PLEASE HELP!!!
 

Anonymous
Steve M

I had the same problem with monsters inc and star wars, some dvds don't have a so call Flag for your reciever to activate the sourround backs, you manually have to activate your sourround back and turn off your auto. THen when you use your THX optimzer you will hear a signal on your left sourround back....
 

Gil
Jeffery
The remote you describe in the upcoming models is similar to the remote available now through Radio Shack. The Universal Electronics remote is being resold through RadioShack. The remote is referred to as "Kameleon", because it has up to six different displays, depending on whether it's controlling TV, VCR, Satellite, DVD, CD or Audio devices. Its colored backlit touchscreen also lights up and changes its action icons according to which device it's controlling. (Only the keys pertaining to one of the six devices being operated actually show on the touchscreen.) It is the only universal remote I have found that works with my TIVO. Check it out its only 59 bucks but it is was hard to find in local stores because it is so popular.

http://www.radioshack.com/product.asp...
 

I've read here that Sound and Vision did a review on the VR-6070 last November. I've looked everywhere for a copy, including three local libraries but could not find one.

Could someone please summarize the review with both the good and the bad points. I'm sure many of us here who haven't seen this review would be very interested.

Thank you very much.
 

Dman
Jim L - I subscribe to S&V, that review is what first got me interested in the VR-6070. I'm at work now, but I'll hit the key points for you when I get home. I have tried to find the review on the S&V website, but they do not have it posted online.
Steve M. - this article also outlines what the sur mix and SW remix do, I'll make sure to include that in the highlights. (FYI, they had to figure it out by experiment as it's not in the manual) Keep posting...
 

YES I too would like to see the review from Sound and Visoin. Could someone scan it and email it to me or post it here?

THANKS
 

Dman
Oh yeah, for THX explanations check out this link

http://www.polkaudio.com/home/faqad/advice.php?article=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.


Cheers all
 

Jeffrey
Gil, that is the remote, the exact one I saw at the show. Looks like Kenwood didn't do their homework or maybe they feel the $40 premium for that remote will be hidden at retail.
 

I just tried to order the VR-6070 from Vanns (a reputable authorized Kenwood dealer) and was told in no uncertain terms that they were out of stock and would not be getting any more in because this model has been discontinued!

This caught me totally by surprise. I had just closed a deal with their customer service dept for a price of $428, shipping included. Can anyone else verify the VR-6070 has been discontinued? Does anyone know of any place that has them in stock for a decent price?

I finally made up my mind to purchase this great receiver and now this.

Jim L.
 

Dman
Jim L. - We'll need to know where you live. I'm in Ontario, Canada
 

Hello all,
I've been lurking for the past 2 weeks since I bought the VR-6060 @ BBuys. Great discussion and much help with the manual. I have not upgraded since 78-80 and all of this is very confusing. I am trying to put together a system that will re-use some of my vintage equipt. listed below.

Kenwood VR-6060 (new)
Technics SL-B2 turntable (1979 vintage)
Sharp #VCH813 4 hd Hi-Fi VCR (2000)
DishNetwork 4000 sat receiver (1999)(SV and RCA)
Apex AD-660 DVD/MP3/CD player (Co-ax and RCA) (2000)
Sherwood #DD-1230R Dual Tape deck (1997)
Philips-Magnavox #CDC-735 5 cd changer (2000)
Denon DCD-600 (RCA) (1988)
Panasonic Flat screen Tau series TV (near future)

2 Realistic Optimus T120 50-20k Hz 8 ohm 3 Way 80W towers 10"W 5"M 1"T (1978
vintage)Front?
2 Yamaha 3way 140W NS-6390 bookshelf spkrs 8 ohm (planned) Rear?
1 Dahlquist PDQ-1500 15" Pwrd Subwoofer 500W
2 Memorex MW-100 50w 4 ohm (in Series for 8 ohms center channel?, Wattage?)
Lots of questions but the main one is would I be better off with new surround speakers if I listen to a lot of music or stay with the old stuff. I am looking to buy the yamaha's very soon unless you advise differently.
Room is ~20' x 18'.
Thanks in advance for any assistance
 

David Bing
Let me start off by saying this is a great BB. I read every post, and still have two questions about the VR 6050.

1. Are you supposed to get surroundsound out of the SL & SR speakers from a broadcast signal in CSII mode? If so, how do you set that up?

2. The 6050 comes with a RC-R0727 remote. Is this a learning remote? If so, what are the specific instructions for setting up components other than Kenwood?

If it helps....
Setup: VR6050 A/V
Daewoo DN3000 CD
Pioneers 5.1 HT speakers (w/passive sub)
S-Video and Coaxle connection between
A/V and CD
No surround center

Thanks in advance for the help.
 

Gary S.
Just an update. I have everything up and running as far as a 5.0 system goes, other than managing runaway speaker wires that need to be removed from travel areas. Will be picking up a powered sub woofer tomorrow and may use one of my old rear speakers as a rear center. What sort of plug does one use to run from the pre-out subwoof to the speaker. I assume based on the messages earlier in this area, that it hooks into the mono input on the back of the sub-woof?

CSII is really very nice for music and got quite a work out today as I had the Sony 200 disc cd changer running in shuffle mode. Have only watched a couple of DVD's so far out of my collection. Wow! No it wasn't one of the usual demo type movies we are all so fond of. I had a Buffy Season 3 disc in. That was fine, about what I expected. Then popped in one of the 2 My Favorite Broadway Dvds....so ok it sure sounded like I was front row center in Carneige Hall. Beats the pants off my old Pioneer. Next up one of the usual demo discs....

Gary S.
 

Anonymous
anyone have vcr audio problems?
 

DMAN,
I live in Vermont, Canada's next door neighbor.
Jim L.
 

Hello Chuck Holroyd,

That is correct... you may only monitor DVD Audio or SACD via the analog 6-channel input provided on the back of the 6070. As far as 6-channel vs. DTS or DD sound via a single optical or coaxial cable, It seems that it's up to the listener which sounds better. I have tested this and DVD's seem to sound better in DTS rather than 6-channel although SACD playback in 6-channel is nothing less than astounding. Glad to see THIS FORUM still rocks!

Regards, John B.
 

Jeffrey
anon, there was a poster a while back who complained that the VCR inputs were overdriven and changing the input level had no effect on bringing the level down enough into check. He returned his 6070 in frustration. I had replied to him about some possible workaround for his situation, please go back thru the threads and search for VCR. You can use cntrl + F and then put VCR in to find any postings of VCR on a particular page.

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
 

Hello Jeffrey,

I am using a Sony DVP-NS755 DVD/SACD player set to PCM using 6-channel output when I listen to DTS MUSIC DISCS and I have had no problems.
Some of the titles I have are Bachman-Turner Overdrive, The Police, Alan Parsons ECT. Does this happen with all your dts music disks? Does your JVC have bass and speaker management in the display menu? If it does, maybe you can turn down the levels and see if that helps. Anyone else??

John B. =]
 

DMan
Jim L - well, I can't speak for US suppliers, but in Canada Future Shop carries Kenwood receivers. With the exchange rate it may be well worth it for you to do some cross border shopping. I'd call ahead 1st though, as my local Future Shop stocked up to the VR-6060, but not the VR-6070 (though they can order it). The 6060 is $599 Cdn, never checked the 6070 price.
Here's the URL for Future Shop, there is a store locator on the site.
http://www.futureshop.ca
I haven't had a chance to post the Sound and Vision review yet, but will hopefully later today.
 

Jim L.
Thank you Dman for your help. I've been trying to find another source for this receiver and in fact have found many. But when I talked to Kenwood (800-536-9663) they have told me that the warranty would not be honored unless I purchased from a Kenwood authorized dealer (of which there are few). Kenwood also confirmed that this receiver has been discontinued and will be replaced in April with a new line: the VR7060, 7070, and 7080.

I certainly don't want to wait until April and I'll continue to try to find an authorized dealer who has the receiver in stock at a decent price.

Jim L.
 

Drgoogs
Jim L.

I just dicovered this site I have been looking at this receiver for about a month now and chomping at the bit to get it - Great information here I have been looking at this URL for the best price http://ecoustics.pricegrabber.com/search_getprod.php?masterid=600735 but now you have stunned me with the news that it is discontinued and the warranty bit. How do you know if someone is a Kenwood Dealer and what did you find out about the new product line? THX certified? prices? Thanks
 

Jim L.
Drgoogs
I tried my best to get more information from the Kenwood hot line (800-536-9663) but all they would give is the model numbers and the April release date. They were quite adamant about the warranty. I have since learned that in many states it is unlawful to sell new merchandise without an "implied" warranty of one year. In other words a manufacturer cannot sell anything new without implying that it has at least one year of useful life. Kenwood states that they have no control of unauthorized dealers so they cannot warranty products sold by them. But if a product is received new in a factory sealed box with a written receipt I don't believe they could get away without honoring the written warranty enclosed within the box. I have talked with one "unauthorized" dealer I trust: MJSHOW. They admit that Kenwood has claimed they will not warranty products sold by them, but they have never received any word from any of their customers that this has actually happened when repairs were needed. It makes no sense that tens of thousands of Kenwood products can be legally sold without warranties. Where on earth do these products come from if Kenwood does not sell them to "unauthorized" dealers? Kenwood lists only a handful of authorized dealers on their website. Are they implying that these authorized dealers are in turn selling them to unauthorized dealers? That makes no sense since one would assume the products would then cost more because of the middleman when in fact they usually cost less. Kenwood has to be selling directly to so-called unauthorized dealers for their prices to be so low. This is all very strange. The grey market would not exist if manufacturers did not sell to such dealers.

Has anyone here who purchased a new factory sealed product with an enclosed warranty from an unauthorized dealer ever been denied warranty service?
 

daniil
jim l
hi ,i'm living in toronto and i bought my 6060 for 430$ cnd tax included ,they also offered me 6070 for 650$ cnd tax included ,but i choose to buy 6060 and put 220$ to buy a better speakers ,but if you gonna tell them 6070 is discontinued i think they can drop another 30-50 $,they told me they are official dealers and they can provide warranty ,i bought my tv,camera and speakers from them and never have a problem so it's up to you to decied ,you can call them 416-591-5424 guy name is John and talk to him ,they have 6070 in stock,name of the store is teletime tv-audio superstore ,adress 367 younge street,i hope it will help you
 

Alright, I have not had a new system in years and things seem to have gotten a bit advanced for me! Here is what I am trying to set up:

1.Kenwood VR6070 receiver

2.Bose Acoustimass 6 Series III speakers
(subwoofer with five small cubes)

3.RCA Scenium HDTV/DVD (the DVD player is built into the tv set)

4. DishPVR Satellite System

Does anyone have any suggestions for settings on the 6070 with these particular Bose speakers?
 

Oh, here's a suggestion as far as shopping for this particular receiver. Search through Yahoo shopping. I found the VR6070 for $412 ... that included the cost of shipping.
 

Drgoogs
Jim L.
I went to Kenwood's site earlier to do a dealer search by zip code and put in the zip code of the lowest priced dealer on the above link I posted - which was "6th Ave Electronics" Kenwood came back with them as an authorized dealer, cost for the unit with shipping from NY to AZ $421.65.
They have a good rating I'm buying from them.
 

Drgoogs
Natalie R.

I took your advice and looked at Yahoo Shopping and there were some lower prices but when I checked the zip code at the Kenwood dealer locator site -

http://www.kenwoodusa.com/frame/locator.jsp

None of those low priced dealers came up as an authorized dealer??? I don't know :|
 

Jeffrey
http://www.electronicsjunction.com/kenvrdoldigd.html 6070 for $412

Try this place, they claim on their web-site to be factory autorized for all products they sell.
 

The warranty is no big deal to me. I have had one Kenwood receiver that I got when I was in high school ... it is at least six plus years old now ... I have never had a problem with it. I had bought it at Circuit City and actually payed for the extended warranty ... which turned out to be a waste of money. Some people like having the warranty though.
 

Sten Faurschou
Hi everyone. This thread is really, really impressive! I have been shopping around for new receiver to exchange my outdated 12-year-old Sony Pro-Logic receiver when I stumbled across this gigantic thread.

I live in Copenhagen and am a novice to all this 6.1 and 7.1 stuff. I´ve checked out various brand and models, which would fulfil my needs without draining my bank account. I ended up with a handful of choices. The Denon AVR-1803, Pioneer VSX-D811S, Onkyo TS-R600E, Yamaha RX-V730RDS, and of course Kenwood VR-6070 (KRF-X9060D in Europe). Selecting the "right" receiver is always a matter of individual need and taste regardless what others might say.

I´m really keen on getting the Kenwood VR-6070 as this receiver really seem to give most "bang for your buck" and that it offers THX Select at a very competitive price, but the Denon AVR-1803 is also a strong contender.

Anyways, here comes a bunch of questions I would appreciate anyone answering helps me selecting the "right" receiver, which is certainly not an easy task.

· Is the THX Select feature really the only reason to get this receiver compared to, for example, the Yamaha RX-V730RDS or the Denon AVR-1803? Does THX Select really make the difference to favor Kenwood over the others?

· Is it true that Dolby Digital EX is exactly the same as THX Surround EX? Some receivers state it has DD EX and not THX Surround EX. Others state it has both DD EX and THX Surround EX. This confuses me a bit. Would someone please enlighten me on this subject or list a link that explains this fully?

· I don´t think there exist a single receiver that don´t have any flaws whatsoever. Would someone please, both objectively and honestly, be so kind to describe the overall pros and cons between the models I´ve mentioned? Strength and weaknesses?

· Sound wise; which model is best suitable for watching movies and produces the most natural sound? I personally don´t really care for all the DSP modes.

· Which model has the most output/input on the back panel?

· How does the Kenwood perform with two sets of front speakers hooked up? A + B run simultaneously?

· Which connection offers the best possible audio reproduction with the lowest degradation? The coaxial digital audio connection or the DVD/6CH input? Although, Timefordvd.com suggest using the coaxial digital audio connection for best audio reproduction. (In Europe we use what is called SCART connection, illustrated on page 2 on the Kenwood pdf displaying their receivers, which I understand is the ultimate connection.)

· Will my speaker impedance 4 -- 8 Ohm cause any trouble for the receiver?

· There seem to be a big difference in performance whether a receiver produces 6.1 or 2.0. I won´t be listening to 2-channel that much. I'd say 70 to 30 favouring Home Theatre use, but would like to know which model overall handles both music and cinema fairly well. Anyone has some thoughts on this issue?

· Why is it that you only connect 1 subwoofer and not 2? I mean, wouldn't ones ears be able to locate where the subwoofer is placed in the room? I'm sure some of you are laughing but having 2 subwoofers surely would give a better LFE sound field, wouldn't it? Just asking. Perhaps this is the next thing future receivers will be able to offer.

· Are there any professional reviews of the Kenwood receiver beside the one available in the November issue of Sound & Vision?

· Going through all the post in this thread - joined with several cups of coffee and snacks along the way - I cannot help thinking why this thread is so huge. Could it be that the Kenwood VR-6070 simply is so overwhelming in its performance and features compared to its competitors? Or is it because the set-up, functionality, and everyday use are too complicated to figure out, which could be the real reason to this lengthy thread? Just a question that popped into my mind I'd like to ask everyone in this thread.

Although, I read an earlier post saying THX Select isn't "true" THX, I have later found out by reading timeforedvd.com and other websites, that THX Select is just as "true" as THX Ultra/Ultra 2, and that a THX certified receiver is significantly different from THX Surround EX/DD EX by complying strict requirements set forth by Lucas Film Ltd. to be certified as a THX receiver. In other words, a receiver capable of THX Surround EX/DD EX does not meet the higher standard as a receiver capable of THX Selcet/Ultra/Ultra2.

Well, that about does it. A long post, yes, but important questions when you are about to buy a new "toy" that you hope will live up to ones needs and expectations. And most importantly, won´t be obsolete in the near future.

Great to see so many taking their time and effort to help others out with various questions and share their knowledge and experience. May this thread be active for a long time to come.

Regards,
 

Anonymous
Sten, Go ahead and rest now....
 

Sten Faurschou
What can I say, I´m a writer by profession.
 

Gentlemen:
Greetings from beautiful Laguna Beach in Southern California.

I currently own a 25 year-old stereo system and have decided that perhaps it is time to take the plunge into digital sound. My Sony STR-V45 receiver and Epicure 400 speakers is just an incredible system when reproducing stereo music. Over the years, people have marveled at how it fills a room with a beautiful, rich, full sound, whether the source is vinyl or cd. For those unfamiliar with the EPI's, they are 38" tall, weigh-in at 100 lbs each, with drivers on all four sides.

I have been following this thread and it seems that the Kenwood VR6070 digital A/V receiver might offer a lot of features at a good price. Price is not terribly critical to me, but it's always good to get value-features at a good price.

My concern lies in posts by several of you in early December with respect to the quality of stereo (2-channel) music sound. Could some of you comment upon that?
It was difficult for me to determine if the less-than-ideal music sound quality from the Kenwood receiver that some of you experienced was due to trying to run music through several speakers, or if you also experienced this with just two speakers running. I do plan to purchase a new set of home theater speakers such as the Infinity Entra series as my home theater set-up. I would probably place the Epicure towers on the separate B switch and use them for music.

Thank you all for any comments that you might be able to provide.

Peace.
 

gleem
I found the vr-6070 to be just ok with music, but not great. it's strong suit is HT
 

I'm still trying to find a US authorized Kenwood dealer to purchase this receiver.

Does anyone know of an authorized dealer who:
* Has the receiver in stock
* Sells for less than $450 shipping included

Vanns is out of stock, so is 6th Ave. Best Buy and Circuit City want $599 and won't price match.

Help!
 

Hello Clint Black,

I believe there was an issue of poor 2-channel sound, but it turned out that it was the source (pioneer cd player) that was the culprit. I have no complaints with 2-channel sound from my 6070. As far as using channel "B" for your Epicure towers, that will work or you can use the front speaker pre-outs and use a separate amp (your old one) to power those speakers.

Regards, John B.
 

Jim L if ya got a ABC Warehouse around ya they will price match.. Hell i just told them that theres a Athurized kenwood dealer online called 6thave.com and there selling it for 416 after shipping and i got the price! No questions no problems period.
 

gleem
JimL: I went to 6ave and added it to my cart, it came up $413 shipped.
 

gleem
nevermind Jim, I misread your post.
 

Zrockin
Great Thread, been lurking for a couple of weeks. I'm looking at buying the VR-6070 once my house is done in the next couple of months.

My only issue is that, based on my den configuration, my only speaker placement for surround can be the ceilings.

I was looking at some JBL ceiling speakers http://www.jbl.com/home/products/product_detail.asp?ProdId=HTI6C&SerId=HTI&sCatId=#description and was wondering if these speakers would be suitable for the VR-6070, and if so, would six of them be suitable for all front/rear configuration needs?

Any placement suggestions for ceiling mounted speakers?

Also, any suggestions on a Sub Woofer?

I also am curious about Audio functionality with say 6.1 setup with CD/Tape/Phone player, whatever.

Any and all comments are welcome.

Thanks,
Zrockin!
 

David Dobsky
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.
 

csantelman
Can you mix s-vieo/component inputs?

I am looking at getting this receiver, and I have a question regarding the video inputs.

I would be connect the following to the reciever
Video 1 - Toshiba VCR with component video (yellow RCA)
Video 2 - Apex DVD with S-Video
Video 3 - SAT-T60 with S-Video

Can I just run a S-video cable out to my TV then? Or will I need to run both S-Video & componnent output? Or should I just purchase RCA -> S-Video convertors to modify the signal going to the VCR...
 

Dman
csantelman

Clarification for you, component video output refers to separate RGB signals, thus the 3 RCA style jacks for component in/out. There is also a 5 plug component video, but that is not used as often as the 3 plug style. The yellow RCA plug you refer to is a composite jack where all colour signals are carried in one signal and then separated by the TV's comb filter. Ok now to your question - the manual doesn't state so I experimented and I found that the VR-6070 switches 'like for like'. So yes, you will have to run parallel RCA and S-Video from the monitor out jacks on the back. If anybody has found different please say so.
Cheers.
 

csantelman
Dman

Thanks for the clairification on my terminology :)

That being said, wouldn't it be best to stick with one method of connecting (s-video) and run my composite video into/outof the VCR with some convertors that change composite video to s-video (check out http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=3000782197&category=15066)

Does anyone have experience with these types of convertors
 

Neil
csantelman,

you can just go to radio shack or any local electronics store and get an rca to s-video converter. this is what i did. the convertor is nothing complicated. you can even buy a wire with s-video on one side and composite on the other.
 

Gary S.
David Dobsky:

No issues with heat here. The unit has been run for hours at a time driving currently 5 speakers.

gleeman:

ok for music? Curious why you say that?

Csantleman:
yes you em parallel. Works for me. My VCR is run to yellow rca input and a yellow vid cable runs to my TV, everything else is run through s-vid and into the tv's s-vid input.

Gary S.
 

Anonymous
I'm planning to buy a new receiver and I want a honest suggestion wich should I buy A Kenwood Vr-6070 or a Pionner VSX-D811s. Please anyone confirm
 

Gary S.
Anon:

Do you need a phono input? If so, the Pioneer doesn't have one. My prior 2 receivers were Pioneers. I am thoroughly enjoying the Kenwood 6070.

Gary S.
 

C. Cardona
This is one of the best forums out there. Why? because there is no better THX Select receiver out there than the Kenwood vr-6070. With THX certification , DTS-ES/Dolby EX/ProLogic 2/CRS 2 & 32-bit processing no one can beat kenwood in terms of price and features. I would like to congratulate John Briggs, Gary S. & John Hackman for their exellent support to keep this forum as a guide to provide helpful information.
 

Gandalf
I added (to my 5.1 surround speakers connected to output A) 2 jbl loudspeakers to output B (speakers have 1 woofer, 1 tweeder and bass reflex).
Usually I listen to music with both A and B on, this way what is "working" are the 2 speakers connected to B and, for the speakers connected to A, only the left and right plus the sw. Great sound, i have to say!!! The two B speakers alone are not enough for the bass, so teh the sw delivers really powerful basses and the two left and right speakers (Bose speakers), which alone are not enough for stereo, provide good medium frequencies.
The problem is the even when I'm playing a dvd 5.1, I don't get sound from center and back speakers when bot A and B are connected. is it normal?
 

C. Cardona
Hi Gandalf in order to enjoy 5.1 surround sound you can not select A+B simultaneously. This configuration will only work with speaker A terminal. If you select speaker B off you should listen to the center and surround channels.
 

Canuck
Greetings.
Just picked up the 6070 this weekend at Best Buy in Toronto Canada (someone above was looking for a place to buy it here). It was an open box so they knocked the price down from $799 to $630 CDN. I've been waiting a long time for such a good deal. I've only made my way through a couple of posts but look forward to reading them all and likely posing a few questions to make sure I set everything up correctly to maximize the sound. I upgraded from a Denon AVR3000 (pro-logic) unit that is 10 years old.
 

Dman
csantelman

It doesn't matter if you use a converter or run composite and S-video in parallel to your TV, they both accomplish the same thing. So if it makes it easier for wiring and inputs, go ahead and use the converter. Actually I probably would have done the same, but I had enough cable to run parallel which meant I didn't have to run out to Radioshack, call me lazy.

Question for everyone - does anybody know if the LFE jack on VR-6070 is filtered? If so, what is the roll off frequency? I currently am using speaker level inputs on my sub bypassing the LFE, but am always thinking of ways to tweak...
 

Canuck
Hi.
Do have a couple of questions actually...Sorry in advance if these have already been answered (perhaps several times already :-)

-I noticed on the back panel one speaker connection for a third surround speaker. In the manual, I see diagrams with two extra speaker configurations (i.e. a third and fourth surround speaker). How do I plug in the speaker wire for this configuration? This begs the question, is it worth it 'sonically' to spend the bucks and add one or two speakers? Is the sound that much better-or only negligible?

-what is the best sound 'mode' to listen to regular broadcast TV?

Thanks.
 

Zrockin
Andy, from Thursday, January 16, 2003 - 04:06 am

"can someone please answer this question for me, how does THX sounds different from DTS or Dolby Digital?"

From what I understand, unless you have THX certified speakers, you won't notice the difference between DTS/DD or THX. TXH certified speakers are usually in the $1,000's.

Zrockin
 

Dman
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 webpage.
 

Ash
I am having a trouble with VR 6070 when I try to get sound in 7.1 mode. I am using the preouts SBL and SBR on SW mode and feeding these wires to Kenwood VR309 (500 watts) to activate the back surround speakers. I do get the sound but it seems very low even after amplification through VR309. I connected the speaker wires to VR309's Front left and right bindings. All SurroundSpeakers are JBL N24 (100 watts each). Are these back speakers work continuosly or only work at peak? Please give me some tips to fine tune this wonderful Receiver. I know I am doing something wrong but is not able to figure out. Thanks in advance. Cheers!
 

Tony A
Hello again room,
I purchased my vr-6070 and love it. I would like some input on rear speakers. I want to switch my rears to the Polk audio Fxi50's. Can someone give me some input? I would like to know if I am making a good purchase. Does dipole/bipole make any difference? Are there any other dipole/bipole speakers that are affordable? Any information will be helpful.
Thank you,
Tony
 

Prince Samuel
Hi Guys,
I need some help. I have the VR 6070 and a Samsung DVD player with a 5.1 setup. I have connected my DVD player to the receiver using a digital coaxial cable on the DVD/6CH input. I am unable to get DD or DTS while playing DVDs. I have setup the DVD player to give 5.1 channel sound. All I get is ProLogic/ProLogic2 on the receiver. I am using the Auto mode. How do I manually select the DD mode? Please advise.
-Prince
 

Dman
Prince Samuel - Sounds like you have a similar problem to what I had. First, the obvious, make sure the DVD you are playing is DD or DTS encoded. To switch to DD or DTS manually on the receiver use the input mode button. However DD and DTS are only selectable if they are detected in the input signal - otherwise PL, PL2 and stereo are your only options. I had the same problem and thought I had a problem with the receiver. Turns out I had a problem with the output from my DVD player (a PS2). As soon as I enabled DD and DTS the VR-6070 picked it up right away. Please triple check that DD and DTS ouputs are enabled (and that your player is capable). If they are, try an optical connection instead of the coax just for testing. I hope this helps. Which Samsung player do you have?

Tony A - Dipole/bipole difference is that in one the drivers within a speaker are in phase with each other and the other they are out of phase (can't remember which is which). The sonic difference will be quite subtle and very dependent on your room as we are talking about reflected sound here. I personally prefer direct radiating (mono pole) surrounds (sorry THX!) so I am not familiar with bi/dipole models.
 

rim
Sten,
I think the reason this thread is going so long is that Kenwood VR6070 attracts that special group of people who are audio/home-theater enthusiasts that love to talk and discuss the latest technology. Often in the past, actual ownership of these technologies were out of the financial realm for most of us but Kenwood changed all that by dangling THX at ~400$. Now we don't have to go to an audiophile store and listen to all the high end product just to settle on something more affordable. We have a common toy that we can lovingly connect and play with and talk about. I wonder how many of us actually enjoy the myriads of parts, connection, and the tweeking more than the end product itself. Of course the sound has to be good for the product to sell. And VR6070 is good, especially in HT arena. For music, I still think the tradional full range stereo speakers with good preamp and amps are better. If I had the money to get 7 full range speaker (not needing subwoofer for bass) with top of the line HT preamp and amps, musical surround sound may be better but I can't afford them and how many rooms can fit them in?
 

Ash
I am having a trouble with VR 6070 when I try to get sound in 7.1 mode. I am using the preouts SBL and SBR on SW mode and feeding these wires to Kenwood VR309 (500 watts) to activate the back surround speakers. I do get the sound but it seems very low even after amplification through VR309. I connected the speaker wires to VR309's Front left and right bindings. All SurroundSpeakers are JBL N24 (100 watts each). Are these back speakers work continuosly or only work at peak? Please give me some tips to fine tune this wonderful Receiver. I know I am doing something wrong but is not able to figure out. Thanks in advance. Cheers!
 

Gary S.
Canuck:

I don't run my regular old style antenna through the receiver it is hooked to the rf input on my tv so the sound comes from the tv's stereo speakers. I don't use the antenna much, unless the 18" dish is out due to ice or something like that.

I am sure someone will correct me if I am wrong but the diagrams that show two center rear speakers have to be run through a seperate amp using the pre outs. You can use one center and run a powered sub woof through the pre-out.

Which is what i'll be doing.

Gary S.
 

Rim
Ash,
I use a amp rated 80W x 2 for the SB's and it works fine. I have RCA going from preout to amp input, amp plugged to switched outlet on the receiver (it turns on and off with the receiver) and the SB speakers connected with 14 gage wires (35ft and 40 ft). In the initial speaker set up, I had to notch up the SB's to + 5 to match the output of the matching Surrounds which were at 0. They work fine. In SCII they are on continously. I never used an old receiver as an amp, but I would think you have to configure it right to work. If you are using front speakers, do you have it set for stereo? What volume setting do you have on your old receiver? I had to set my amp volume to 70% (only rated 80W) to work. Some say don't go more than 50% for clean power, but I don't hear any distortions.
 

Ash,
Yes, your surround back pre-outs to old receiver: the volume will be high. Mine is at 60% to match other speakers. Use the test tone to get all 7 speakers equal in volume.
 

Jim L.
I just wanted to report that I have resolved the problem with finding a competitive US Kenwood authorized dealer who has the 6070 in stock.

If anyone is looking to purchase this receiver and wants it for the lowest possible cost from an authorized dealer contact: www.soundcity.com

SoundCity is listed on Kenwood's site so there's no warranty issues. I ordered the receiver from them on Monday and received it on Tuesday! I don't know how they did that, I only paid for UPS ground. It came professionally packed, double boxed with a lot of foam and in a factory sealed inner box with full US warranty and receipt. They price they quoted me was the lowest I found anywhere.

These guys are fantastic. If you need to place an order give them a call. Ask for Peter Green, 800 888 5343 ext 701. They gave me a UPS tracking number but the receiver was at my house before I even had a chance to use it. This is the best internet order experience I've ever had.

Jim L.
 

Ash
Thanks to Rim and Gordo for the information. Shall work on it this weekend and get back to you guys.

So long,
take care
Ash
 

Anonymous
Thanks for all the great info guys.

fyi: a yahoo shopping search turns up 5 different stores selling the 6070 for less than $370 plus ship (10 under $400). All are 5 star rated sellers by yahoo. don't know if they are authorized by Kenwood however.
 

Congrats JIM L! Injoy her man!
 

Ash
Good show Jim. Enjoy the lovely Receiver, I am +ive, you'll fall in love with Miss 6070. Have Fun!
 

Kevin
Dman....I have my front speakers going in to my sub & then sub to receiver (recommended by Polk). I plan on getting one more satellite speaker for my surround rear. Will this setup mess with THX?....or DTS-ES?

My equipment:
(Receiver) Kenwood VR-6070
(TV) SonyKP-57-WS500
(Speakers) Polk RM6700 system W/PSW350 Sub
(12 gauge speaker wire (Home Depot)
(DVD) SonyDVP-NS715P
 

To Sten

Looks like a lot of your questions have already been answered, but here are some more.Your ears cannot localize bass below 100hz. If you can, it is because it is the only sound playing, or the sub is bottoming/port chuffing. It is very easy to split the sub channel for 2, or daisy chain them if you have 2 subs.

Speakers impedence will affect your running temp. as well as headroom. Remember the lower the rating, the higher the current. I am rather fond of 4~6ohm speakers, as I think the extra current adds some strength vs higher 8~16 ohm. Also to note is the damping and slew factor. This is the ability for the amp to "accelerate and brake" sound on a speaker. Amps with low impedence drive will always have better overall control over the drivers. Yamaha is a good example of this.

I think everyone has touched on the THX subject.
Is it worth it? Maybe. Can I hear a difference? Yes. I would definately opt for having at least the ReEQ, which is licenced to many other amp's at a lower price.

Special note about the PS2!!!!!!
You must read the manual. The setting of the digital output needs to be done, then saved by resetting. If this is not done, then next time you use it, no Bitstream.
I always have my 6070 set to THX EX on.
I use primarily Neo for non DD/DTS content, CS2 for music with THX off, and occationaly Stereo with SW remix on.

The new models so far advertised offer nothing new, only the remotes have changed. The 7080 has a super thin remote that is IR only, 7070 is the same, but different styling/remote and so is the 7060. Don't worry about getting "new model". The VR 510 was old, they are not reinventing the wheel already, as there are no new formats to add.

Keep up the posts. And again, start at the source, not the 6070 if you can't get digital to work.
I would be happy to answer any specific Q's at my email address.

Happy listening
 

Dman
Kevin - Here's my hardware list:
Kenwood VR-6070 (obviously)
Polk RM6700 sats and center
Polk PSW404 sub
PS2 DVD player (for now)

Glad to see you followed the Polk instructions, you have ensured you'll get optimum performance that way as the LFE crossover in the 6070 isn't appropriate for our sattelites.
Go ahead and the get the 6th channel speaker. It will not mess with THX, but will get you the benefit of listening to DD-EX and DTS-ES. Those are the sound formats that support the 6th channel. Just make sure to turn on 6 channel amplification if it is not already. Check out this link for details on the surround formats.

http://www.timefordvd.com/tutorial/SurroundSound.shtml

Cheers
 

Sten Faurschou
To: Shayne Noel

Thanks for the reply. Good info. Great forum!

Although, this forum mainly are for US residents I have some very sad new about Kenwood. They have trown in the towel in Europe and possibly Australia as well. Kenwood will no longer be offering Home audio equipment to the consumer. They will continue in the US but for the rest of the world it´s bye, bye. So if anyone in Europe are interested in getting the Kenwood VR-6070 (KRF-X9060D in Europe)you better hurry while supply last.
 

Dman
Hey all, I've got a new glitch I've hit, minor but irritating. The system does not seem to remember my individual speaker gain settings. After calibration for DD on my CD/DVD input I find my center channel needs to be set at +2 dB. All other speakers are good at 0 dB. However, after the system is on standby overnight, the next day all speaker levels reset to 0 dB. Anybody else have this problem or a better explanation than the manual (which has none) on how the remembered settings are intended to work? Thanks
 

Dman
Never mind everyone. I must have missed this skimming before. I was using the S&V Calibration DVD by Ovation, and therefore was not doing the speaker adjustment in the test tone menu. In the review by S&V they state they got better results from calibration by DVD rather than the system generated test tones. So I just followed their advice and skipped the whole test tone menu thing. I guess I'll have to get the settings from the DVD, jot them down and enter them in the test tone menu. It'll be interesting actually to hear if there really is a difference between the two settings. For those that are not sure what I am rambling about, I'll save you searching this forum - if you set the relative speaker gains in the test tone menu they are saved in the system memory. Any adjustment made outside of the test tone menu in the sound menu are temporary for that listening session. Guess I felt like typing. Have a great day/night whatever.
 

Hello Everyone,
Great Job keeping this thread going. Its been a while since I lasted posted something, But I finally received a response from Kenwood clarifying all of the THX features of the VR 6070 since the manual does such a poor job of it. Anyways here's the email hope it works for some of you:

"Thank you for writing to us at Kenwood USA Corporation.

In regards to your inquiry, some of the THX features are applied
automatically when you turn the THX feature of the receiver to on. Features
such as THX Adaptive Decorrelation, THX Front Channel Re-Equalization, THX
Timbre-Matching, and THX subwoofer crossover are done automatically. The
other THX features and settings can be accessed by pressing the Setup button
on the receiver. The THX Bass Peak Level Management is referred to as Bass
Peak Level in the VR-6070 manual, and the THX Loudspeaker Position Time
Synchronization is referred to as the DIstance setting. Both of these
settings are referred to on page 25 of the owners manual.

If you have any further questions or need help with anything, please feel
free to contact us again."


****************************************************************************
*******
Kenwood U.S.A. Corporation
Stage 3 Consumer Services
P.O. Box 22745
Long Beach, CA 90801-5745


Alberto Bellaflor
Consumer Service Representative
E-mail for Kenwood USA Corporation:
http://www.kenwoodusa.com/support/email_support.jsp
Phone: 800-536-9663
Fax: 310-631-3913
****************************************************************************
********
 

Ckeyes - Michigan
Whats up guys? My search for the perfect receiver for me ended once I stumbled upon this website! Picked up my VR-6070 at ABC Warehouse for $375.99 otd! Thats why I love ABC! They always negotiate. The sad thing is that Best Buy is right across the street and they are selling the SAME UNIT for $599.99 and won't budge! Anyway, once I got everything hooked up properly, I havent been able to turn it off. This receiver is AWESOME. I have some sony 100 watt speakers that came with a home theater kit that I bought 5 years ago. Those speaker have really come to life with the help from Kenwood. Watchin Gladiator on DTS -ES (w/optical digital cable) almost brought me to tears. The sound quality is just awesome. I can't wait to watch a THX movie! This VR-6070 coupled with my Toshiba Cinema Series 55" HDTV has really given my basement and home theater system new life. Just think I was a snow storm away from buying the harmon/kardon 125 receiver from circuit city for $280.00. What a mistake THAT would have been!
 

Prince Samuel
Hi guys,
Well, I managed to get full fledged DD and DTS! I had to dig out my DVD player manual and find out how to enable bitstream istead of PCM. After this, it was smooth sailing. The receiver detected DD and DTS signals in full auto mode. I am using digital coaxial. Thanx DMan for your input.

Anyway here's my setup:
Klipsch RP3 fronts
Klipsch RC3 II center
Klipsch Quintet II surrounds
Kenwood VR 6070 receiver
Samsung DVD player

I am a Klipsch fan. The receiver does a great job in powering these high sensitivity babies!

-Prince
 

Anonymous
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. thanx.
 

Andy
I have a question about Distance Setting on Speakers, does it effect the sounds or anything else????
 

Dman
Anon - As long as you have good ventilation around the unit you should not run into overheating issues. I have watched 4 hours of movies at high volumes and never had any clipping or cut out. Try adjusting the input level. See page 25 of the manual for instructions.

Andy - The distance setting is simply for better imaging from your speakers. In an ideal world all speakers would be placed equidistant from the prime listening position, thus all sound would arrive at the same time. However since your speakers are likely not all the same distance from the main listening position, you enter the distance to each individual speaker. The receiver will then calculate signal delays in milliseconds for each speaker to ensure that that all sound arrives at the listening position at the intended time. Any volume adjustments required are done in the test tone menu, but the timing is done by speaker distance. There is no effect on the sound quality itself with this setting.
Cheers.
 

I finally have the vr-6060 up and running.
I have a question re the settings on the powered subwoofer. Should the LFE be turned on at the subwoofer or is this handled by the amp? Is the crossover adjustment a function of the LFE or can that be adjusted seperate from the amp? Very good reciever so far, still trying to understand all of the features and settings via the sketchy manual. Thanks in advance for any assist.
 

Dman
Jeff - this is always a bit confusing and depends on your specific speakers. I believe that the sub output jack uses a low pass filter of 80 Hz (I am waiting for a response from Kenwood on this) That means that your front L/R speakers need to play down to 80 Hz to blend properly with your subwoofer. If that is the case, go ahead and use the sub out jack. Just be careful to turn the sub low pass filter up well past 80 Hz (or all the way up) to avoid double filtering which can degrade sound quality. Since the sub jack ouput from the receiver is already filtered to 80 Hz and below there is no need to filter again with the sub's low pass filter.
If (like me) your front L/R speakers cannot play that low and you hook up the sub to the sub jack, you will end up with a large dip in volume in the midrange frequencies. To bypass this problem, set the subwoofer to off in the receiver which will automatically set the front L/R speakers to large. All bass signals are then redirected to the fronts, including the separately encoded LFE channel on DD and DTS soundtracks. Take the front speaker outs and run them into the speaker in terminals on the sub. Then run the front L/R speakers cable from the speaker outs on the sub to the front L/R speakers. Then the sub crossover (low pass filter) is being used which is generally more versatile than the crossover in the receiver as it is variable and you can then adjust to the best blending with your speakers. I have made a big assumption on the connections available with your sub, so just post again if this does not help you.
 

Jeffrey
I posted a response from Kenwood on the sub crossover being 80Hz about midway thru this forum. The rolloff is supposed to be 24db/octave, but S&V testing found it to be 18db. In any event, the front speakers should be able to go down to 80Hz for optimum setup. In my config, I have the front and center set to large and the rear and surrounds set to nml/thx with sw remix to ON and found this the best set up for me. If your speakers cannot go down to 80Hz, then you will likely have difficulty finding a good set-up with the 6070 because it does not allow you to change the crossover setting for the sub. A limitation, yes, but they probably expected most owners of this unit would have a full range set of fronts. Those with speakers that only go down to 120Hz for instance, are going to have a dip in volume of signals between 80 and 120Hz due to the sub crossover being 80Hz and the speakers not being able to reproduce below the 120Hz.
 

Regarding the 80Hz...
I have a Bose Acoutimass 10 serie III, where all the "small" speakers (you all know the small Bose splittable satellites) are connected directly to the sub and the ACTIVE sub is taking all the 5+1 outputs from the receiver (L, R, C, SL, SR and LFE). The speakers, acoording to the Bose manual, are not going down to 80Hz BUT, since the Bose sub is doing the proper frequncy cut (reproducing all the low frequencies and sending to the satellites only the frequencies they can drive) BUT, still according to the manual, I have to set ALL the speakers to LARGE, just because of what I said before about the sub freuency cut feature. Of course, setting all the speakers to LARGE would mean no sound from the LFE/SUB, so I set the SUBW REMIX to ON.
Question is: does this looks good?
 

Thanks for the information Jeffrey. There's so much info in this forum it's easy to lose track of it all. For all affected/interested readers - if you follow the speaker wiring outlined in my previous post, you can avoid the midrange dip that Jeffrey and I mention. That is why Polk Audio recommends wiring this way for their small sub/sat combos. By the way, if anyone out there has a Polk PSW404 sub (or thinking of getting one), let me know as there's some info I've discovered that Polk doesn't mention anywhere in their website or literature. It could prove useful to you.

Cheers.
 

Jeffrey
gandalf, your post is exactly why I dislike Bose, their lack of full range frequency coverage makes you jump thru hoops to find the optimum set-up. Assuming you are running the speakers from the 6070 amp outputs, then setting them to nml/thx is the closest you will get to a full range for them. If you are running the speakers from the outputs of the sub, meaning, you run the amp inputs into the sub, which then strips the lower frequencies, (below 200Hz if I remember right), and then the speakers are run from the sub. I assume this is your set-up if I remember the Bose stuff that I have seen? You then have no control and are limited to the set-up. All I can recommend is that you follow the recommended set-up from your manual which I believe is what I am stating. Isn't there also a RCA input for the sub as well, that you would connect to the RCA input of the 6070 sub-out?

Any frequencies over 80Hz can be directional and as such, you will notice that some things like the lower frequencies of a male voice will appear to emminate from your sub instead of your center channel. I for one hate this type of set-up, but just my opinion and if you don't mind, then enjoy your config.
 

Dman,
Thanks for the info. My front and rear surround speakers will go into the 50Hz range so I will try it with the crossover all of the way up and the LFE off to see if this has a significant effect.
later
 

daniil
anonymous
you said you have r-50 i thinking of buying one,want to ask you if they ok to play music without subwoofer or they lacking in bass,and "+" & "-" on r-50 shortly if you can.thank you
 

missouri
what can be pluged into the IR receiver in? I would like to remove my stick-on IR sender from the front pannel.
I currently use pyramids can they be connected directly?
 

Pierre
Hey Guys I finally bougth 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 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 rigth 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.

Answer ASAP please.

Thank you again to all, this tread has been my main motivator from its first day.
 

Jeffrey
Pierre, your experiencing cross talk which is only evident when you crank the volume to the high level you did. That is the noise floor that you have just elevated to a level that you can now hear. If you had a source running, that level of "noise/crosstalk" is so low that you would not be able to detect it with your ear.

It is normal. 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 noticably.
 

Jeffrey
missouri, I don't follow your question, or questions which appear to be two separate ones. For the Pyramids, as long as they are 6 ohms or better, they should work fine. If they are 4 ohms, then you might be pushing the 6070, but all you can do is try and see if it works for you.

As for the IR question, can you be more clear on what your asking?
 

Pierre
Jeffrey, Thank you very much for the info. Highly appreciated and I feel much better now that I know that I am not alone with this issue. In fact it would be interesting to know if other poeple are having this characteristic in their K VR6070.

Thank you again, Cheers
 

missouri
The receiver provides a repeater function for IR remote controls. There is one jack marked ir receiver in and two jacks marked ir repeater out. see page 19 of the manual. I control my home theater remotely using a number of ir and rf remote controls. I use a radio shack "wireless remote control extender" to repeat the ir signals from the viewing area to the equipment area. (these are pyramid shaped units) To pass the ir signal to the receiver I use stick on emitters that plug into the pyramid. I would like to plug something into the 6070 ir receiver in to eliminate the unsightly stick on emitter. The hope is that the pyramid output jack could be used. The kenwood manual shows a ir9991 sold seperately, but at $300, it's almost as much as I paid at 6th ave for the receiver. The R S pyramids cost $39 for a pair.
 

Jeffrey
Missouri, Ah, then I don't know what to tell you since the IR in signal that the 6070 is looking for might be a special signal that is incompatible with your setup. But, you can always plug it in and try it to see if it works. Since it is only encoded data, it shouldn't damage anything and the most that could probably happen is you will corrupt the processor, which you can reset by unplugging the unit and turning it back on while holding down the power button.

Knowing Kenwood, they probably just rebadged a radio shack product in the form of the ir9991 and put a big markup on it.

Of course, for me, I use the RF function of the 6070 remote and therefore don't need any IR repeaters. For my place, the RF remote has enough range, but I live in a townhome.
 

Caesar Cardona
My equipment:
kenwood VR-6070
Boston Acoustics: VR975 front speakers/VR920 center channel/2 pairs of VR-MX for surround & back surr and a PV1000 sub woofer (1000w). To be honest this little cinema artifact really rocks and the sound is crystal with a bass so deep you will think that we are already bombing Irak.
 

Mainframe
I might have missed this in the manual, but how do you switch the remote over to RF mode instead of IR? I noticed a switch on the back of the remote marked 1-2 but didn't see it listed in the manual.

Thanks ...
 

daniil
mainframe
to use remote in RF, 1st you need to change receiver's reception in the setup just hold setup key more than 2 seconds, you have 2 frequensy to use so put same number on receiver and remote,check both if one is not working
 

Artie
When I play Terminator 2 Ultimate in Dolby Digital 5.1 EX the white light does not come on under the icon for the Center back channel. This does not seem right to me, especially since sound DOES come from the Center back speaker.

Is there something wrong with my 6070?

PS The light comes on under the Center back icon when I play the DTS soundtrack.

Thanks
 

Jeffrey
Artie, since the Dolby D EX is a matrixed signal, the rear surround does not light up. Since the DTS ES is a discrete, it does light up.
 

Mainframe
Subwoofer Question, does anyone know the frequency range of the Bass Management System on the 6070?

It sounds like you can control the frequency to Subwoofer, but the manual doesn't list the range.
 

Rick Matthiews
Serious concerns:

I had a hell of a time getting my AR RCA's into the Multi Channel Input. I imagine these interconnects are made "tight" to provide good contact...but..hell...I've got strong fingers, was twisting as much as I could, and pushing with as much force as possible, while holding the cable by the boot... Anyone have problems with jacks that are out-of-tolerance? Short of using plyers and maybe braking the jacks on the receiver(they were REALLY displacing as I forced), I had to resort to using old el-cheapo rca's I had lying around; guess they were well worn/softened.

I tested the Accoustic Research Audio cables (to the point of wearing off the 1 molecule of gold coating on them I'm sure); they fit on other jacks, i.e. Phono In etc.

Also, I just noticed the rightmost bank of lights on my receiver flickers(Auto, Memory, Stereo, Tuned). They do this when they are lit, dimmed or off. Doesn't seem TOO serious, but worries me that this is a sign I got a lemmon, that might "blow" something soon.

I LOVE this receiver though, guess that's why I didn't notice the flickering light on front.

Anyone have advice/ideas?
 

Hello Rick Matthiews,

The problem that you are having with the display does not sound good... You might try resetting the receiver's microprocessor. Also, some of Radio Shack's coaxial cables are notorious for fitting too tight or not at all. The problem may lie with your AR cables. I would return your 6070 if the display continues to flicker.

Regards, John B.
 

hi there this forum is great.the 6070 is a great receiver so far.i have several thx ex discs but none of them read that in the auto mode of thx i have to manually hit the thx ex option.is that the norm for thx ex discs.also i;ve heard several debates which is better for best sound -digital co-axial or toslink fiber optic?i currently hane monster digital co-axial and it sounds great.is it worth buying fiber optic for better sound?
thanks brian
 

Listening to digital cable TV with the 6070, I haven't yet gotten the auto input mode detect to work right. Both analog L/R and digital coaxial inputs of Video2 are hooked up to the cable box. Since some cable channels have digital sound and some have analog sound, automatic switching back and forth as I change from channel to channel would be a real convenience, if it worked right. Switching to a channel with analog but no digital sound works fine -- if the mode was digital, input mode changes to analog and the listen mode changes appropriately. Switching to a channel with both digital and analog sound does not always work. The input mode changes and displays "coaxial" on the front panel, as it should, but then there is no sound. Apparently the listen mode doesn't change. I can fix it by hitting the input mode button repeatedly going to "digital manual" (still no sound), to "analog" (now there's analog sound), then back to "full auto" (now the listening mode changes and I hear digital sound again).

Any suggestions? What could I reconfigure to maybe make it work? It may make a difference what sort of digital sound the cable channel has. I haven't yet noticed a problem going to DD 5.1, but only going to DD 2.0

Greg
 

Pierre Lessard
Brian - Rick, I have also the same problem with the display flickering all the time (mind you, you really have to be very close to notice it). I have reset the A/V receiver, but it still does it. Could poeple reading this forum and owning the VR 6070 check if they have the same problem. Maybe Kenwood should be made aware.
 

Doug
I purchased the 7060 on New Years Eve after reading this thread. So far this unit does everything I had hoped for. As far as the flickering goes, I have the same situation. Just like Pierre, you have to get really close to even notice it.
 

daniil
same with the flickering on my 6060. today was at future shop both 6060 and 6070on display was flickering but just auto sighn as on mine
 

Justin M
I manually picked DD EX on star wars ep1 menu. But the 6070 shows only Dolby Digital on the main display. I picked THX EX on and the surround back works but the indicator light doesn't come on. Should the main display show Dolby Digital EX? Any comments would be helpful. Thanks.
 

Dion
I just have a question regarding my VR-6070.
Whenever I watch DVDs 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 which 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 opticle 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
 

brian k moser
hi dion try increasing you individual speaker settings mainly the back surrounds to around 5 for each.it works for me i watch most of my movies at 30-35 volume it it really rocks.also the active eq in most cases increases the volume
 

I already have a Pioneer VSX-D811S which is similar to the Kenwood 6070 in many ways, except the THX feature. Both are 6 channel x 100 watts. I've read the entire users manual for the Kenwood (downloadable from their site.)

The Pioneer has Dolby Digital EX, DTS ES, Dolby ProLogic II, Neo:6, and some other surround modes including a 6-channel stereo mode which uses all 6 speakers at full power for stereo. And the speaker adjustments settings are saved individually for each mode. It also has speaker outputs for 2 surround back channels, unlike the Kenwood which only has 1. And it has 6.1 preamps out and 7.1 preamp input (for DVDaudio, etc.) It also has the advantage of letting you choose TV/SAT in the menu, and then assigning the audio input (optical, coax) to be associated with it instead of making you switch to a Video1 or Video2 input selection. It has a learning remote like the Kenwood, has an indicator for dolby digital _EX_ (not on Kenwood.) And the component video inputs are rated at a high enough frequency 28mhz for use with HDTV 1080i signals. I believe the Kenwood are rated only 10mhz which isn't good (correct me if I'm wrong.) The Pioneer has 1 yr warranty, the Kenwood is 2 years.

However, I'm wanting to get another receiver to use as my amplifier and connect 3 equalizers in between (from preamp out of one receiver to 7-channel input on second receiver), so I'm thinking of just using my existing VSX-D811s as the amp, and using the Kenwood as the pre-amp/processor. But I can get another Pioneer for $275, the Kenwood for about $400. The problem with the Pioneer "amp" is that I wouldnt' be able to use a remote with it because of the confusion among 2 identical receivers in my rack, so I would have to cover the IR sensor on the one used as an "amp" and turn it on manually. The Kenwood would eliminate that problem, but I have some concerns.

I don't use a subwoofer, and have large front main speakers that put out low bass, so the THX feature doesn't sound appealing if it's going to crossover at 80hz eliminating all that bass from my front mains when I don't even use or need a sub! Does this really happen when the subwoofer feature is turned off? If I'm can't take advantage of THX on the Kenwood, should I just stick with a second Pioneer and live with powering it up manually without the remote? The Kenwood sure is tempting. 6 channel amps (not receivers) cost a lot more!

My other question is... are all the speaker adjustments, speaker EQ, THX filters, & crossover applied to the sound output through the PREAMP OUTS also, or do they only affect the actual speaker outputs? (which I won't be using.) Since I want to use the Pioneer for my amp, I really need to know if the sound I'm feeding into it has been processed in all ways by the Kenwood before it's output to the preamp outputs.

Another question - Is the volume db always displayed on the Kenwood.

PS: I don't want to turn this into an EQ debate. I don't suppose many people want to go through the trouble of using eqs/parametrics these days, but I'm so used to it, that I think music/movies sounds too flat without it even with the best of systems. Anyway, any tips/suggestions regarding my questions here are appreciated.
 

Rex,

You say the 811 has two "speaker" outputs for 2 surround back channels, but the 6070 has only 1. You must mean pre-outs. The 6070 actually has 2.

If you have no sub, you set your fronts to large so low bass goes to them, as I'm sure you know. The THX feature doesn't make any difference in how that works when sub control is off.

Volume db is not always displayed on the Kenwood. I assume all processing other than amplification is reflected in the pre-out signals.

Pioneer has announced a low end line of receivers with MCACC, due in March. Since you want equalization, you might be interested.

Greg
 

Greg, thanks for the response. I did mean "speaker" outputs. The 6070 has only 2 posts for a single speaker (to use as a SB or SW.) The 811s has 4 posts for 2 SB speakers or a sub. Anyway, not a major issue as I would plan to use the Kenwood as the pre-amp anyway, just pointing out some differences based on what I've seen mentioned here and at the avsforum as well as determined from the manuals.

I already have the equalizers. And MCACC doesn't entirely replace the need for equalizers as far as my personal desire/tastes. I really like the control they give. Plus I already have some equipment for calibrating the room/speakers, although the automated feature of MCACC would be cool, I've heard both good and bad about the results using it. In my case, I don't really want to wait around for receivers with new features I don't feel that I need, but thanks for mentioning it. Gives me something else to think about.

What you say about the THX was what I would have expected regarding "no sub," but someone posted that the THX setup might not be good for someone with large fronts. They must have meant when a sub was also enabled - fair enough.

At this point, I'm still debating between the VR6070 or a 2nd 811s. I've seen a closeup of the Kenwood remote. Any complaints on the feel/use of that remote? I like the Pioneer one pretty well (but again, I won't be able to use it for both receivers if I get another 811s.) The Kenwood is definitely more appealing in that respect.

Does everyone here recommend the Kenwood? Any regrets, compliants, etc?
 

Is the Kenwood VR-6070 a good choice for an AV receiver if you're using the JBL NSP1 II surround speaker package? I'm partnering this with the Parts Express DLS 10" powered subwoofer. I'm concerned because I read some posts and saw some specs that indicated an 80 Hz crossover and I'm wondering if the JBL N24 satellites will reach this low. Is there a way to configure things so this receiver will work OK with those speakers? I'm also curious about the FM capabilities of this receiver. Is it very good at bringing in weak stations? Thanks alot for any help!
 

Rex,

I like the 6070 remote a lot. But it's the first learning remote I've had -- goodbye to all those other remotes scattered around. A feature of it that I don't like is that use of a key dedicated to a certain device sends the remote into that device mode for subsequent commands. Turn the TV on, e.g., with the TV-power key, and now the remote is in TV mode. Touch the receiver volume key, and that sends it into receiver mode. Maybe other remotes work this way, too, but I don't like it.

The automatic switching of input modes works only 90-95% of the time with the digital cable box I have (SA2000). The automatic switching is a great feature, but it's irritating when it fails.

Dan,

The 6070's crossover appears to be fixed at 80Hz, unfortunately. According to a rule of thumb I've heard, speakers' frequency response should go down one octave below the crossover point, which would be 40Hz. However, I'd guess response down to 60Hz might be ok.

Greg
 

Well, if the crossover is at 80 Hz, is there a way to disable the crossover? If so, it seems to me, it would maybe work OK with those speakers? Can anyone speak to this? Does anybody use the 6070 with the JBL NSP1 speaker package? I was also looking at the 811s, which has a 100 Hz crossover, and several other receivers including the Denon 1803 (the same as the 883 and has 80 , 100 or 120 crossovers I believe) and a few others. However, the 6070 has the best feature set for me except maybe for this crossover issue. I'd prefer to have phono inputs, and good FM sensitivity would be nice too.
 

I don't know whether you can disable the crossover. Possibly by setting all speakers to "large" and setting the subwoofer remix control to "on". That should send full range signals to the main speakers and also send bass to the sub, but whether the signal sent to the sub will still be low pass filtered at 80Hz is something I've never been clear about, for any receiver. Maybe someone can tell us. If it is not low pass filtered, then you could use the sub's crossover and set it to some suitable higher value.

Note that I'm not 100% sure that the 6070 has a fixed crossover, because I don't know what the "speaker equalization" setting does. I recall someone saying that this is explained in the Sound & Vision review of the 6070, but I haven't seen that.

Greg
 

My Max volume on the vr-6060 is -5db
Not extremely loud for a 100W/channel system.
What am I doing wrong? Old AKIA 35W would burst your eardrums at 80% of volume.
Sound is very clean and clear. Just expected the box to rock the house....
 

Dman
Dan, Greg - about the crossover, it is fixed at 80 Hz for the LFE channel out (thanks Jeffrey!). You can get around this if your subwoofer has speaker level ins and outs. You then set your SW to off and front L/R speakers to large and use the sub's low pass filter as a variable cross over. Please see my earlier post from Jan 27/03 for a more detailed explanation of how this works.
 

Dman, my DLS 10" powered SW does have what it calls HI LEVEL IN and HI LEVEL OUT for L & R channels. Now, you are saying to run the L & R front speakers into the HI LEVEL INs of the SW, and run the HI LEVEL OUT's of the SW to the L & R front speakers, as I make out. Doing this, you will only get the bass from those two channels, right? You won't get the bass from the center or rear L & R surrounds. My JBL NPS1 system is speced down to 80 Hz at -3 db, which would be a falloff of about 50% at 80 Hz. Is the 80 Hz crossover only for LFE output? Isn't there other bass stuff besides the LFE that you want your SW to output? Please bear with me, I've never used anything other than 2 channel equipment.
 

Rim
Dman,
One snag with your front LR to SW to speakers set up. When you turn off SW, you cannot use the 6th channel preouts for 7.1 setup. It works fine for 6.1.
 

Rim
Greg Lee,
That's the reason I got rid of the "digital" cable box. I got a DD Direct-Tivo recorder from which VR 6070 will automatically detect DD 5.1 on HBO movies -- I have optical connection. Since all signals through the dish is digital, I don't have to bother with anolog lines. Plus, it's cheaper than cable even with $4.95 per month Tivo service added on.
 

Rim
Jeff Brown,

I am sure it's different for each component, speakers, and room set up, but connections may have something to do also. I use a premium digital coax connection on my audio cd and it's louder than dvd or Direct TV , which are optically connected. By the way, I have never needed to go beyond -10 db for "bursting ear drum" and "rattling pictures off the wall" level of sound. I am usually at -40 or 35 (-25 for old recordings of classical music) for my listening pleasure, which by the way, is too loud for my wife.
 

quote: "When you turn off SW, you cannot use the 6th channel preouts for 7.1 setup. It works fine for 6.1."

From the manual, I understand that this is determined by how you are using the 6th channel "AMP" setting rather than whether SW is enabled or disabled. The manual says:

1)6ch AMP SB : Surround Back/Subwoofer speaker terminal will output SB sound. Surround Back pre-out will have output from SBL only.

2)6ch AMP SW : Surround Back/Subwoofer speaker terminal will have no sound. Surround Back pre out
will have output from SBL and SBR.

3)6ch AMP OFF : It is not advisable to use Surround Back/Subwoofer speaker terminal for this
selection.

Based on that, it looks like you just need to disable the SW, and then select #3 6ch AMP OFF, and then you will get your pre-outs for the 2 SB pre-outs. A subwoofer can be enabled in any of those 3 6ch AMP modes. From the manual:

quote: "After setting SW (subwoofer) from OFF to ON, 6ch AMP setup display will appear to enable you to re-select either SW, SB or OFF from the surround back or subwoofer speaker terminal."

Here's what doesn't make sense to me, the manual appears wrong. In all 3 of those selections above, it shows no way to get sound out to the subwoofer. Look closely at #2. It says than in 6ch AMP SW setting, the "Surround Back/Subwoofer speaker terminal will have no sound." Yet, earlier in the manual it says, "(Be sure to connect both surround speakers) or to connect
to a Subwoofer speaker with the SETUP of "6ch AMP SW". If #2 above is correct about "no sound" to that speaker terminal in that mode, then why does it tell you earlier in the manual to connect a subwoofer to it with the "6ch AMP SW" setting? With such a contradiction, the manual looks in error, and that there WILL BE SOUND for a subwoofer when using the "6ch AMP SW" setting. I think #2 should read:

"2)6ch AMP SW : Surround Back/Subwoofer speaker terminal will output SW sound. Surround Back pre out will have output from SBL and SBR."

This also means that both pre-amp SB outputs should work when using 6ch AMP SW or 6ch AMP OFF (regardless of SW setting.)
 

Nobody
I'm personally don't believe in the sub-woofer remix. This feature is only useful if your using small speakers that are not capable of handling low frequencies below 80hz otherwise don't turn it on. Speaking about the sub-woofer it seems that some people like to listen to the boom effect. I have been reading this forum since day 1 and people still complaining about the sub-woofer set-up, COME ON PEOPLE IF YOU ARE ADJUSTING THE SPEAKERS OUTPUT BY EAR AND NOT BY A SOUND PREASURE METER YOU WILL NEVER GET AN ACCURATE SOUND EFFECT,THIS IS RULE #1 FOR EVERY AUDIOPHILE EXPERT. SOUND & VISION , HOME THEATER MAG (JUST TO NAME A FEW) HAVE BEEN SAYING THIS PROCEDURE FOR YEARS, EVEN IF YOU READ THEIR TECHNICAL SPECS INFO FOR EVERY EQUIPMENT THEY HAVE TESTED YOU WILL NOTICE THE REFERENCE VOLUME LEVEL THEY USE IN EVERY RECEIVER. Regarding to what people say about the Pioneer 811s vs. the Kenwood Vr-6070 ,hey is just a matter of taste but for me THX IS A REAL REASON TO BUY A VR-6070. Another thing I would like to say don't read the instruction manual feel free to play with this toy and enjoy. This manual is so imcomplete that if you read it you will be wondering if you are suffering from anthrax.
 

I am suffering from anthrax. I agree with Rex about his proposed correction to the user's manual.

Concerning the 80Hz crossover to the sub, I still have some doubt whether this is in use in the specific case where all speakers are set to large and "SW re-mix" is on. One reason is that there is no point to low pass filtering the sub output at 80Hz when the other speakers are not being high pass filtered. Another is that my previous receiver, which has a variable crossover, shows no crossover frequency set in its display when all speakers are set to large. (I realize this reasoning is a little tenuous.)

Greg
 

Jeffrey
Greg Lee, the sub is crossed at 80Hz whether the speakers are set to large or nml/thx. It is just a matter of whether the "sub" signals of the speakers set to nml/thx are resent to the sub depending on if SW Remix is set to on. I have a test CD that steps thru bass warble tones from 20Hz to 120Hz, so I can verify the crossover point cause the SPL meter shows the drop off over 80Hz from the crossover.
 

I have a 12" passive sub which I could connect to the SW/SB connector, but then I hate to have my 80hz and below cut from my large 15" mains which are more efficient than my passive sub.

"Regarding to what people say about the Pioneer 811s vs. the Kenwood Vr-6070 ,hey is just a matter of taste but for me THX IS A REAL REASON TO BUY A VR-6070"

I already have the Pioneer VSX-811s which I really like, but I'm strongly leaning toward the VR-6070 to add to my system for use as my preamp. Then I can use remote control for both receivers. The VR-6070 will team nicely with my Pioneer which has 7.1 inputs while the Kenwood has 7.1 outputs.
 

Rim
Rex,

I was talking specifically about a connection scheme Dman espauses for full mid-range sound with small front speakers. I tried it even though my fronts rate 48-20KHz to see if I could hear any difference. To recap, you connect your subwoofer to the front LR on VR6070, connect front LR speakers to subwoofer's high power out-put, and set SW to off on VR6070. Basically, you are tricking VR6070 to think there is no subwoofer.

When you set subwoofer to OFF, the SW option for 6th channel is disabled. You only get SB or OFF. With SB setting the 6th channel preout only recognizes 1 speaker even if you have 2 hooked up with a separate amp. You only get the 7th back when you set subwoofer on (even if you don't have anything conneted to sub rca) and select SW on the 6th channel. But this negates the original intent of bypassing the fixed 80 Hz cross over point for the subwoofer on VR6070.

Fortunately, I did not hear any difference and I went back to rca connection to my subwoofer. Now I have 7.1 back.

By the way, I have one question for subwoofer level setting. I have a 250 W continuous power sub with peak power at 500 W. The manufacture recommends setting the power level between 1/3 to 1/2. I am forced to set it at less then 1/4 to match the rest of the speakers. Is anyone experiencing this?
 

Pierre Lessard
Hey guys, I need a trick here. I have the K VR6070 all hooked up to 7.0. I have no subwoofer but I have a pair of large speakers. Can you tell me how I can hook these suckers on the VR 6070 considering that I have already used the pre-amp out for the L and R Back speakers
 

Rex, when you say "use remote control for both receivers", I don't suppose you're counting on using the 6070 remote to control the 811. I don't think it will do this -- it only learns commands for devices it knows about, and it doesn't know about any receivers.

Jeffrey, thanks for the confirmation that sub output is always low-passed. That's ok for me, but it's too bad for folks with small speakers.

Oh, what is the "S" speaker icon for? I ran across a cable program that lit up the LF, RF and
S icons.

Greg
 

pierre Lessard
Hey guys, I need a trick here. I have the K VR6070 all hooked up to 7.0. I have no subwoofer but I have a pair of large speakers. Can you tell me how I can hook these suckers on the VR 6070 considering that I have already used the pre-amp out for the L and R Back speakers. The purpose here is to use the extra speakers as "pseudo subwoofers" maybe by using the 6th free Channel.
Ant way Help
 

Probably you use the setup option "6ch AMP SW" and connect your big speaker(s) to the 6ch speaker binding posts. See the above post from Rex Carson.

Greg
 

Anonymous
Rex,
Your considering using the VSX-811s as an amp,but I tryed using my pioneer as one also. The problem I ran into was the preamp outputs levels adjust with the volume. You will have to have your 811's volume turned up high to get the power you want.The back and forth volume adjusting will be a nightmare, not to mention the THD%(distorion)from having the 811 turned up so high. I went ahead and bought an Multichannel Adcom Amp designed for preamp outputs. I have no hiss or distortion like I did with the Receiver as an Amp. The Milliwatts the preamp output delivers is high with the increase of the volume which could over load the 811's inputs and create clip effect. Most preamp inputs were designed for a set level output like a CD player or VCR. The 811 was my choice before the 6070. Good Luck.
 

Omar Soto
Does anyone knows what the speaker EQ and active Eq do to the sound? I heard there was some info in the Nov. issue of Sound & Vision but I've been looking without luck. thanks
 

Jim Costas
Yeap! same question for me as Omar. I would like to know if I should leave the speaker EQ turn on all the time and if by doing this I will get a better surround sound effect.
 

Eric Powell
Everytime I turn on the speaker EQ I notice a boost in sound and is really good but if I turn the active EQ I heard a lot of background noise specially when watching movies at high volume, Is that normal?

P.S. The Vr-6070 is a bomb over Baghdad. Superb sound!
 

Rim, regarding "You only get the 7th back when you set subwoofer on and select SW on the 6th channel." For the 7th back preout (for the SB L&R preouts specificly), just set 6ch AMP to off. When SB isn't being directed to the mainamp/speakers, it should be output to both SB preouts regardless of whether sub is enabled or disabled. I don't have this receiver yet to check it, but that is my understanding. It wouldn't make sense to only make SB 7th channel preout available to people who use subwoofers. So just avoid the 6ch SB mode if you want to use both SB preouts instead of speakers. Has anyone set 6ch AMP to off to verify that both SB preouts were working? I would be surprised if they were not.

Greg, regarding the remote controlling the 811s, I originally meant that I would be able to use both remote controls without any "confusion" between devices. If had gotten 2 8lls's, I would have had to cover up the remote sensor one one of them because they both use the same codes...... BUT, you touched on something else I've thought of. I should be able to use the VR-6070 with my Pioneer for any individual keys that I use the learn feature with. You are correct that you can only program codes for known devices/codes, but based on the manual, the VR-6070 has a key to key learning mode where you hold another remote up to it to program individual keys one at a time for devices that it doesn't know about. It's not as easy as the simple numeric code approach, but at least I could program the volume and power keys for the Pioneer pretty quickly (I won't use much else on it.) And since "receiver" isn't one of the device selection keys, I can use "cable", "others", or whatever I'm not going to use for some other device. So the "cable" will just be "811s." I've done the same thing with my Pioneer remote to program some keys from other remotes. It's pretty cool. Ultimately, I might get a remote that does Macros. Then I could have it power on and off both receivers at once. Of course, I might go with a regular power amp later on eliminating that issue as long as will auto-power with the receiver.

Anonymous, I'm not going to plug the VR-6070 directly into the VSX-D811s. The whole point of using the VSX-811s for me is so that I can route the VR-6070 preout to an EQ, and then output the EQ to the VSX. The EQ will have gain/attenuator control so that I won't have to set the gain so high on the receiver. This should cut down on the noise and THD. However, I am prepared to step up to a true multichannel power amplifier if needed. Unless it's really bad, I can probably live with it for a while as I research and budget for a new amp. Once I set the volume, I tend to not change it much except for small fluctuations here and there. But again, I am prepared to buy a full scale amp if needed. Or, I might just keep the 811s, forget the VR-6070, and get a 5+ channel power amp. What do you think?

If I get the Kenwood & a power amp, I can always sell my Pioneer or put it on my secondary system. :)
 

Jeffrey
Update on my system:
I am now the proud owner of the following:
6070 head unit
Infinity IL60's fronts, IL36 center, IL30 surrounds, and Entra On the wall (OWS) backs
And the newest addition to my existing setup that blows it wide open
Outlaw Audio 770 (200W x 7 chan amp into 8 ohms)
PS Audio Ultimate Outlet 15amp version
Powervar Power Conditioning
All hooked togehter with Partsexpress.com Dayton Audio cables.

Let me just say that 7.1 channel discrete sound is just like being there live in concert, or at the movie theater. The power is just that great and the Outlaw amp was just the best damn value for the money and the good reviews for the Outlaw products were true. They make a solid product that opened up the full range of my speakers. The 6070 has power, but not enough to give 6 channels of full range sound that is clear and surrounding. The Outlaw picks up on this and makes me very content with my current setup. If you want clarity at a decent volume, I recommend you look at the separates using the 7 channels of the 6070 to drive the units.

Anyone have any questions about my set up, ask away.
 

Rex writes: "... the VR-6070 has a key to key learning mode where you hold another remote up to it to program individual keys one at a time for devices that it doesn't know about"

Well, if you say so. The manual describes the process for teaching the remote an unknown key code for a known device. That works. Maybe this same procedure also works for an unknown key code for an unknown device. I just don't know enough about how remotes work to say.

Greg
 

Greg, I just read it again to make sure I didn't miss something. As long as the other remote is infrared, I would expect it to be able to learn the sequence of IR transmissions. That's usually the point of a "learning" remote vs one that is merely "universal" or "programmable." I can't be 100% certain it will work with my Pioneer keycodes, but the learning mode looks very similar to how it's done with my Pioneer, which can learn any other IR remote. This is a good thing, and I'm over 90% certain it will work.
 

LucaBrasi
This may be the "Lost" Sound and Vision Review:

http://www.soundandvision.netscape.com/electronics/ns/article/0,aid,192,00.asp
 

Hi gang,

I too am on the verge of ordering the Kenwood VR-6070 A/V receiver, but I have a question about speakers. My mind is pretty much set on purchasing the JBL S38 Studio Series front speakers. Does anyone here own these speakers and use them in conjunction with the VR-6070 receiver? If so, I would really appreciate some opinions about their performance. I've read many excellent reviews about the S38s, and one of these reviews stated that the JBL's (like any other speaker) perform better with some receivers than with others. I'm truly hoping that this Kenwood model is one of the receivers they "like."
After all, they might not even be compatible with the VR-6070!

Also, I wanted to ask you guys what kind/size of speaker wire and speaker connectors (banana plugs?) you would recommend for the S38s. I obviously want high-quality speaker wire/cables, but I don't want to spend too much money on them. Here are the specs for the speakers:

Sensitivity dB @ 1m/2.83V: 89
Impedance (ohms): 8
Bass Driver: 8" PolyPlas
Midrange Driver: 4" PolyPlas
High Frequency Driver: 1" Pure Titanium dome
Power Rating: 175W
Dimensions HxWxD: 11-1/2" x 17-1/2" x 12-7/8"
Frequency Response: 45Hz -- 20kHz
Crossover Frequency: 800Hz, 3200Hz


I'm fairly new at this stuff, so I'll appreciate any help I can get. Thanks a lot!

God bless,

Jeremy
 

LucaBrasi, thanks very much for the S&V review. I didn't quite follow the reviewer's account of "SW re-mix on", though. I thought the effect of such controls, for receivers in general, was to send low bass from "large" speakers to the subwoofer.

Jeremy, I don't have JBL S38 speakers (I have JBL 4310s). I don't see anything in the specs that suggest a mismatch with the 6070. The standard advice one generally hears about speaker wire is to use low cost 16ga or larger zip/lamp cord, and banana plugs are just a convenience. Personally, I don't think speaker wire matters at all, and I use 24ga wire from Radioshack at $4.19/75ft.

Greg
 

I think it was the reviewer's wording wasn't what he meant regarding SW remix:

The reviewer said: "Turns out that if you select "Small" for the center and surround channels, it sends deep bass from those channels to the subwoofer as well as to the front L/R pair even when the front L/R speakers are set to "Large"

I think he meant "as well as rerouting the deep bass which would otherwise go to the front L/R pair, and that the deep bass still gets rerouted when the L/R speakers are set to "Large." And SW remix is for the regular non-LFE channel deep-bass specifically.

I have a question regarding the article. He said that the receiver isn't auto detecting Dolby Digital EX sources. I did not see an EX specific indicator when I was reviewing the manual. Other than audably or by stepping through the settings, how can you tell if the receiver has detected the source as Dolby Digital EX <--- EX specifically. ??
 

I suppose that DD EX if detected would light up the SB speaker icon on the front panel. By the way, noone has said what the S icon is for. Together with the L and R icons, it lights up for some Encore movies on cable.

Greg
 

speaker wire caries current to your speakers. The thinner the wire the less current your speaker gets and the less power. For your front speakers you should have 16 gauge at least. For the backs I wouldn't use less than 18 gauge. Also depends on how small your speakers are. When they say "or larger" wire they mean a larger gauge. FOr example, 16 gauge wire is larger than 24 gauge.

Greg, if you are using 24 gauge wire with those JBLs try 16 gauge. You may be suprised!
 

Jeffrey
Greg, the S is for surround, part of the orignial Dolby Pro Logic format which is center, l/r, and surround (or S). That is what your getting, on channel info sent to all your surround speakers when in Dolby Pro Logic mode.
 

Greg Lee
Jeffrey: The S icon I mean is not for the ProLogic surround, because the center icon is not lit and because the signal is digital. The only icons lit are L, R, S and the mode is Dolby Digital. I guess the S must stand for surround, as you say, but I never heard of a DD 3.0 format.

Nice setup you've got.

Greg
 

krabby5
Best Buy as the 6070 for $449!!

Of course I bought it for $499 35 days ago.....

Funny ..they lower the price just after 30 days so they don't have to price match..

ba$tards!!
 

Justin M
The receiver auto detected DTS ES discrete just fine. But when I put in Star Wars EP1/EP2, it didnt detect DD EX. I couldn't get it manually either on the remote or dial. I did get DD EX to come up on Lord of the Rings by manually doing it with the remote. Any comments on this? Thanks
 

Greg Lee
DD EX cannot usually be detected. The flag that is intended to notify processors of the EX signal is not being used, because it caused some processors to malfunction. But it should be possible if you are playing the DD 5.1 track to select it manually using the remote. When you say you couldn't get it, do you mean DD EX was not one of the choices offered when you press the listening mode button? What choices were there?

Greg
 

Justin M.
Greg Lee
Yes, it wasn't offered as one of the choices when pressing the listen mode button for Star Wars EP1/2. The surround back did work fine for both movies when THX Surround EX is chosen. It was confusing when these two movies didn't give me the option of DD EX on the receiver but lord of the rings did give the option of DD EX.
 

Greg and Jonathan, thank you very much for the advice. I just spent the last two days renovating my room (this makes the third time in a year and a half) in order to create the best possible environment for surround sound, as well as to simply make room for the Kenwood receiver! (Man, space limitations are a drag.) It had better be worth it!

P.S. Jonathan, what brand of speaker wire do you use? Should I pick up 16 gauge wire at Radio Shack, or could I get a better deal online?
 

I was just reading a little over at the home theater spot forum. I've seen a few posts over the last couple weeks where someone has said that the VR-6070 "isn't very musical" or that "it's not good for stereo music." There hasn't been much elaboration.

My question is, "Why not?" My Pioneer VSX-811d does fine with both. So is there really an issue with the VR-6070 and 2-channel music? And if so, is it the preamp, main amp, or what? If I get it, I'm planning to use an external amp, but this is one thing that's still holding me back from pulling the trigger on this one.

When my Pioneer is operating in Dolby Digital EX, the DMD says DOLBY EX. I just set it to 6.1 FIX so it doesn't matter if it detects automatically.
 

Dobsky
Rex,

I have had great success with stereo reproduction. I am not sure what other folks are commenting on. I have a JVC XV-FA900BK and the DACS in the 6070 are very close to the DACS in the JVC. The 6070 DACS may be only so slighty 'brighter', but either set of DACS sound great. DVD audio thru the JVC/6070 is also a treat. Just my 2 cents.
 

Anonymous
If you don't mind buying from the Kenwood Factory Outlet and Factory Refurbished items, my local store has several 6070, 6060 and 6050, for $359,$329 and $240 respectively.

13990 North Stemmons Road
Farmers Branch, TX 75234
(972) 243-7524

Ask for: Ben Garret
 

Caesar Cardona
I just recently got a copy of the Minority Report DVD and my Vr-6070 did auto-detect Dolby Digital EX, one thing I notice was that the surround back icon on the diplay did really light up something that does not happen everytime I switch DD EX manually. Also the DD EX logo does not appear on the Minority Report DVD box but the receiver front display did show "Dolby D EX". So far I have been testing DD EX movies and it seem that the EX flag is absent in some disc but not all of them that have the EX logo. For example Monster's Inc, Terminator 2 SE, The Beast Master are a few movies that really have the DD EX flag. I know that some manufactures have claim some trouble during the production of the first wave of DD EX DVD'S and they were making new updates on their realeases. The Vr-6070 works exellent with DTS ES and Dolby D EX, as more EX movies become available this problem should be solve. So let's not blame it all on our beloved cimema wonder.
 

"but the receiver front display did show "Dolby D EX".

You're the first person to mention this.
 

I purchased a 6070 and would someone to comment on the AM/FM receptions powers before I open the
box. Thanks
 

Greg Lee
W.H, I don't use the tuner. The Sound & Vision mag review had this brief evaluation:

"The Kenwood's FM tuner performed about on par for a typical receiver today: decent signal-pulling power, average sound quality. AM reception was nonexistent. The Kenwood failed to tune in (or at least to unmute for) a single AM broadcast using its supplied loop antenna, in the same environment where I have always gotten at least one or two stations."

Greg
 

Dobsky
W.H. My experience with the tuner on the 6070 has been average. The sound is okay and its reception capabilities are so-so. I live about 30 miles from the transmission antennas and found similar results whether I used a dipole or tie the unit to a TV/FM antenna. I can get AM stations just fine. It does not have a signal strength meter like my old Sansui receiver, so it is harder to determine what antenna hookup-position really works best.
 

Omar, Jim, Eric: I still have no info about EQ. If anyone does, I hope they will say. I've tried all the EQ settings a number of times, listening to various program material, and I have yet to hear any good effect. So I keep it turned off. My guess is that it's a variation on what the THX control does and involves rolling off the high frequencies. I don't care for the effect of the THX control, either.

Greg
 

John Medeiros
Thanks Krabby5 for the heads up on the Best Buy sale. I went down there and picked one up yesterday. Surprise! They are also running a "10% off on up to 7 A/V accessories" with the purchase of A/V equipement....so I got 3 sets of ICs for the 6 channel, an extra optical, 100 feet of speaker wire, a surge protector and a coax cable...all at 10% off :)
John
 

W.H. Scueler
Which 5.1 speaker brands, medium price +/- works well with 6070? I realize this is a broadbrush
question. Any input would be appreciated.
 

This weekend Best Buy is offering a 10% discount to "Preferred Customers" via a coupon which they send in the mail. I get these things often. With the 6070 selling this week for $450, a 10% reduction from that is meaningful. The coupon is good Friday through Monday, the sale on the 6070 goes through Saturday (at least), so one's timing has to fit.

Just wanted to pass this along.
 

David H
I just bought a Pioneer 811 and then I started reading about the KW 6070. It sounds like the 6070 is great with movies but I really haven't heard much about how good it is with music. I like to play rock/alternative music so I like it to have a decent kick. If I don't plan on buying an extra amp, is the 6070 good with music? Is it better than the 811 with music? I don't want to return the 811 and find out the 6070 is a dissapointment in the music area since I like music and movies equally. If you like both which is better overall? Any quick response will be appreciated since I need to make this decision before they sell out.

Thanks in advance.
 

I recently had my Kenwood VR-510 Stolen and my insurance company is replacing it with a 6070 since the 510 isnt availible now. from what i hear it sounds to be a great system, will i notice a BIG diffrence from the 510?? im using Klipsch SF-1 Series speakers, should i get a 2nd center for the back?

i'll be picking it up shortly any info and input would be great since i do have awhile to decide.

Thanks everyone!!
 

David, I have seen a fair number of user comments that the 6070 is not very good for music. I just pass this along, because I just go by specs, myself.

Greg
 

Dobsky
David H.

I think the 6070 does a fine job with music. I would make sure though that your front speakers are definitely full range speakers with good frequency response. I listen to CD's more than I watch DVD's and have no complaints. The surround modes are fun sometimes with stereo sources as well. I am not familar with the Pioneer so I cannot comment on it. I would imagine that it plays stero sources well also. Is there a feature that is lacking on it?

Dobsky
 

David H
What is a good website to compare the specs? Except for THX the Pioneer 811 and the KW 6070 seem pretty close. Of course, I'm knew to this A/V world. I think specs are important too but they don't always reveal how good the overall sound quality is. I don't want a Kenwood if the music is going to have a lot of power but sound tinny. Any more comments on the 6070 and music (without an extra amp)?
 

My new 6070 is still in its box. I thought I'd get it out this morning and start hooking it up, comparing it with my new Yamaha 5560 which I can still return. But, after reading most of these comments I have grave concerns that using it is going to be so complex that it will take the enjoyment right out of it. Am I interpreting these comments correctly? Or is it simply idle chatter? I certainly don't want a system that is going to give me a fit every time I insert a movie, or want to watch a TV program. Comments?
 

Dobsky
Bill B.

I am new to HT receivers as well. The 6070 is my first. I can testify that getting things hooked up was not an issue. The only learning curve was becoming familiar with the input and DSP modes as well as playing with the EQ switches. But that is part of the fun, right? I cannot imagine that the Yamaha is going to be much simpler to hookup. The kenwood does come with a "learning remote" as well as having an RF link. I love these features. I was able to program other components to buttons I chose. For instance, this allowed me to program in my VCR control commands for recording instead of just being able to simply play a videotape. Also, I have run group 'B' video and audio into the bedroom and can control the receiver and DVD from the bedroom. Too cool.
 

DavidH, like you, I have the Pioneer VSX-811s. The only reason why I'm considering the Kenwood is because I have 3 equalizers I can feed, but I need to feed the output into a second receiver. If not for that, I would stick with only the Pioneer. If I get the Kenwood, the Pioneer will be my amp simply because I would want to try THX. If I stick with the Pioneer, which is excellent for music and movies, I will get a second amp to output to from the equalizers.

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. I also like the remote better on the Pioneer (Crutchfield has some nice closeup pictures of both.) Someone mentioned that the remote goes into the TV mode if you happen to use a button which only supports that mode.

For attractiveness, it's a close call. The Pioneer looks pretty sharp, but so does the Kenwood. I prefer the Kenwood way of not hiding the controls on the receiver.

The Kenwood has a phono input, the Pioneer does not. This won't matter to most people.

The Pioneer has a tape monitor, which allows you to use an EQ for 2 channel stereo without the need for an extra amp, the Kenwood does not. Again, this won't matter to most people, it did for me.
 

Jonathan, Concerning the gauge of speaker wire, I just ran across a link that might interest you, if you haven't seen it. It gives conservative estimates of the gauge required as a function of length of run and ohmage of speaker. (I should be using 20 or 22ga, if I followed Russell's recommendation.) It is based on a certain amount of research and analysis:
http://home.earthlink.net/~rogerr7/wire.htm

Greg
 

John Medeiros
I have had my 6070 going strong for two days and I am very pleased with the performance in both Movie and Music reproduction.

I have auditioned it with the following and all have sounded fantastic in various sound modes:

DVD:

X-Men 1.5 DTS
Saving Private Ryan DTS
Minority Report DD 5.1
Lord of the Rings DTS ES 6.1
Starship Troopers DD 5.1
Springsteen Live in NY DD 5.1

CD:
Bernstein's Mass
Clint Black's D'Electrified
Springsteen's The Rising
Britten's Billy Budd
Tommy Broadway Cast Recording
Springsteen Live in NY SACD 6 channel
Bernstein conducts Rhapsody in Blue SACD (wow!)

Two chanel music reproduction will have alot to do with your source, your inter-connects and your front speakers.

I have Infinity speakers all around with Overture 2s being my fronts. My source is the Philips 963SA DVD/SACD player.(this is an astounding player for the money) I am happy as a clam with how the system sounds adding the 6070 to it. I upgraded from my well-loved Kenwood 309 receiver.

I have only had it on for about 20 hours total...so a bit more burn-in time should also improve the sound.

I also have a turntable so the phono-in is a plus for me as well as the front A/V inputs.

All in all, I am very pleased with my new purchase.
John
 

David H
Another question I have is how much of a difference does the fact that the 6070 meets the THX select specifications? When I hear about THX I just think of some cheap money making scam by Lucas to broaden his already overflowing bank accounts. It just seems as if anybody else (with more audio knowledge) would have just been dismissed as being irrelevent. Anyway, I'm just wondering if it is worth the extra $150 bucks to get a receiver with the THX insignia on it.

David H

P.S. I read on a website (don't remember) that DD Ex and THX Ex are the same since they were a collaboration between Lucas and Dolby but they just use their own names.
 

Anonymous
I've just discovered this forum and plan to read the messages when I get home from work (supposed to be working), but I must say I'm tickled to death to see this forum since I'm considering buying the VR-6070. My question has to do with the Toshiba SD 3800 DVD Player. I went to Best Buy last night to purchase one and noticed they had the SD 4800 which I wasn't aware of. What's the difference in the 2 other than the price and will it matter with the VR-6070 AV Reciever. Also, is it really worth buying the VR-6070 over the VR-6060. Thanx for any imput.
 

David, the difference in street price between the 6070 with THX certification and the 6060 without is more like $80, and the $80 buys you more than just the certification. However, in this particular comparison, I doubt the THX stamp really buys you anything, because I'd guess Kenwood probably carried over any changes they had to make to be certified for the 6070 to the 6060, as well.

I've read that the THX licensing fee for receivers is quite moderate, but I haven't seen an actual figure quoted.

Greg
 

daniil
DAVID H
hi david i had the same problem a month ago,and i bought 6060 and happy with it.price difference in my case was 130$ (canadian),but i put this money in to speakers.the difference is thx sertification,but 6060 have the same specification ,so who cares about the THX logo, second 6070 have preouts on all chanels 6060 only rear center and sub,6070 have multi zone operation (audio and video)6060 have only audio,6070 also have aluminum fron panel,so see if you need all of the above and you wanna pay for it.i hope it will help you.but both are goooood.cant go wrong
 

David H
Hmm, I found out something a little dissapointing. I read that to have true DD Ex you have to have 7 speakers and the 6070 only allows 6. I was leaning more toward the 6070 over the Pioneer 811 but now I'm not sure. It sounds like I'll be choosing between one with THX but not true DD Ex and vice versa. I'm not sure if I like the true DD ex or THX ex since I haven't tried them yet. Anybody know if that extra speaker makes a difference? That would mean the Pioneer would have another speaker's worth of power. Oh well, just when I though this decision was rather clear cut with THX.

In addition, how good is Kenwood with quality? I've had an old Sony receiver for over 10 years and I have a Pioneer car stereo but I've never tried Kenwood.
 

Tim S
DAVID H!!!
I am also looking at the Kenwood and the Pioneer. Don't be fooled by the Pioneer - download the manual and look through it. It seems better than the 6070 manual (also downloadable), but anyway you will notice that the "7" speakers are really "6" since the rear centers are wired in series. I called Pioneer to verify this and that's the fact, even though manual indicates all speakers are powered by separate amps (and they count up to 6). So what you get is a unit that can take in 7ch and downmix to 6ch. I also spoke with Kenwood and they confirmed that they downmix as well, but will output to 7.1 if you go to the pre-outs/separate amp route. I just don't know what all is out there in 7 channel to make the difference.

Choice beteen 811S and 6070 is tough. I had a Sony STR-DE985 for a bit that seemed to not work so great - alignment of sound to video was not consistent (too many buttons/knobs to use and the remote seemed to not have any way to handle it from the chair). The optical/coax reassignemt deal on the Pioneer didn't exist on the Sony, and the 6070 digitals aren't reassignable either so the "multiple" digital inputs boil down to about two (but it seems they are all available on the 811 - 5! - if you work both coax and optical).

Sony had an OSD for set-up that wouldn't go onto the component video - bummer, but 811 and 6070 don't have OSD at all. Sony and 6070 have all controls on hand at the unit, but 811 is remote bound. Same as the Sony, 6070 at least has a few indicators of what's working speaker wise.

As for sound, I don't know what would be better but unless you have a critical ear you proabably only will note an emphasis on part of the range. Unless the amp is pure analog to the speakers, coloration by the A/D and D/A transition will be present. I expect I am too deaf to "know"tice.

I got 811 for $300 at Best Buy and am in a hold pattern. BB has 6070 for $450 right now. My thumbs are wearing down from all the twidling, and my hair is falling out from the stress....
 

David H
Tim,

I went ahead and bought the 6070 and I'm going to try it out and compare it to the 811. If you want a 6070 you better hurry since it seems like it is going to become harder to find since it has been discontinued.

I thought I read about it saying that here was 100X2 on the rear surround channels for the Pioneer but I'll double check. If they share the same amp then I may just go for the 6070 since I can always get a preamp later and go to 7.1. Since people rate the sound quality so high on the Circuit City web site and others, the THX must make a difference (either that or they don't have a lot of A/V experience). I do miss the ability to assign the opticals on the Pioneer and the wider band component (for my future HDTV). When I get my speakers in on Mon I can try them out and see which is best. I thought I read somewhere that if you use satelite speaker for your surround that its best to turn THX off. In that case it may be pointless to get a receiver with THX right now.

I completely understand your stress. I'm realing agonizing over it. If I could just combine the two then I'd have exactly what I want. Oh well, nothings perfect.

David
 

For the back surround, the 811, 6060, 6070 all have a single amp, so for 7 main speakers, you hook up 2 back surrounds in series. For the 6070 you have the alternative of using a 2 channel amp (perhaps your old receiver) and running the 2 back surround preamp outputs to the amp. This lets you set the volumes and distances for the back surround speakers independently.

The problem with using small satellite speakers and THX is a possible frequency hole from the THX 80Hz crossover point up the the lowest extension of the speakers. Unfortunately, this is a problem for the 6060 and 6070 regardless of THX, since they have only a fixed crossover at 80Hz.

Greg
 

Unlike the 811, the 6070 does not have assignable inputs, but it does have an unobvious way of accomplishing something similar. The various input devices, which have differing input connections available, are selectable by receiver input mode buttons near the bottom of the remote. The remote has its own device modes selectable with buttons near the top of the remote. And, finally, the remote can be programmed to associate any remote mode with any given receiver input mode.

So, for instance, I have the digital coaxial input of the "Video2" device connected to my cable box, and I told the remote to associate "Video2" with "CBL". So when I press the remote's Video2 button, the remote goes into cable mode.

Greg
 

Hello everyone - great posts! As of yesterday, I have my 6070 setup with front L/R, rear L/R, front center, rear center, and powered sub (through sub pre-out).

My sub is a Polk PSW303 Powered with 2 RCA cable line in (filtered) and LFE in (unfiltered) -- which one should I send it to when using the Pre-out? Do I need a Y adapter to split the single Pre-Out jack to the 2 RCA line in (filtered)?

Also, I've seen people argue it both ways for how to set-up the sub. Right now (without any changes), there's like no sound from the sub whatsoever. How do I need to set this up? Is there a certain level I should put the sub at after I set it up? My front speakers are large floorstanders, but I like a nice crisp bass and want this sub to be sharp!

Thanks a ton for your help with this, guys. This board RULES!!!!!!!
 

Justin C.
Someone mentioned that Kenwood VR 6070 got a positive review in Sound and Vision magazine. I search the entire website but I couldn't find any. Does anyone have an idea? Are there any other positive reviews regarding Kenwood VR 6070 in other sites? Pls let me know.
 

Dman
Sam Miller - I would run the RCA connector from the sub out on the 6070 to the unfiltered LFE input on the 303. The 6070 automatically applies an 80 Hz crossover to the output, so there is no need to 'double filter' the input to the sub - plus double filtering can actually degrade sound quality. The only way I would use the filtered input is if you want the sub to only play tones well below 80 Hz, then you could use the adjustable crossover on the 303 to filter out anything above say 60 Hz. However, since the crossover settings are rarely accurate as labelled on a sub, 60 Hz (the lower limit for the 303's crossover) is pretty close to 80 Hz and if it is not calibrated from Polk accurately you risk double filtering again. To ensure you do get sound from the sub make sure that the subwoofer is set to 'on' on the VR-6070 setup, or else you will not get sound out of the sub with this wiring setup. For volume, always start at the minimum when 1st plugged in and then gradually increase to a level that sounds pleasing using a calibration disc or any bass heavy audio/video tracks that you are familiar with. It really helps to have someone do that for you while you sit in the main listening position. Also, you will often want a different volume setting based on movies vs. music. If that is the case, it is handy to put a piece of masking tape on the sub to mark reference settings so you can easily switch between music and movie settings. Hope that helps. Cheers.
 

Dman
Justin C. - see LucaBrasi's post from Feb 6/03, it'll take you right to the review that was in S&V. I have not seen another professional review of the 6070.
 

Dman (or anyone else) - Thanks, but I'm still not sure what I should be doing in the speaker set-up for the SW and the 6CH -- could anyone explain this to me a little better? And doesn't the receiver have control to change the decibel/settings for the individual speakers?

Thanks again, guys!
 

Dman
Sam - For the SW setup options, what are your specific questions? If you turn it to on in the 6070 setup menu, you should be getting sound from it. If you use the LFE input on the sub then you bypass the need for a Y adapter. For the 6CH you need to set it to 'on' since you have a rear center speaker hooked up. As for the options connected with the 6th channel, here's a quote from the S&V review that explains them:
A couple of setup options seemed cryptic, at least as explained in the manual. It describes Surr:Mix (on/off) as ". . . when the SL and SR speakers are mixed to produce sound from the surround back speaker which would enable the listener to enjoy sound coming from the back." Okay . . . . Then there's SW Re-Mix, which I had to experiment with a bit to figure out. Turns out that if you select "Small" for the center and surround channels, it sends deep bass from those channels to the subwoofer as well as to the front L/R pair even when the front L/R speakers are set to "Large." And Surr:Mix, when engaged, "forces" the synthesis of a back surround channel even from Dolby Digital or DTS recordings not specifically encoded for 6.1 channels.
 

Jonathan
Greg, I just read the web page on speaker wire. It was very informative. I don't know where I read my information about speaker wire but it was a while ago. It was probably a 1987 radio shack manual.

I sugest if anyone has questions on speaker wire they should go to that site.

Thanks!
 

Have done a lot of research on various receivers and the 6070 looks like the best bang for the buck when compared to the likes of Denon, Yahama, Pioneer, etc.

I am set to buy one this coming week at a CDN cost of $750+tax (reg$799-gst sale). Anyone seen it any cheaper in Canada....at a reputable dealer??

Once I get it I know the postings to come to if I have problems with the hook-up. Keep up the chatter!
 

Mike C
Sound and Vision Review

http://www.soundandvision.netscape.com/electronics/ns/article/0%2Caid%2C192%2C00.asp
 

daniil
MIKE C
where in canada do you live,if in toronto i know the official dealer which can give you for 680$ (canadian tax included)
 

Ok, is it just me or is this manual TOTALLY cryptic for those new to home theater?!?!

1) I have Rec Out on RCA cables to my VCR and TV Out using S-Video (and DVD-in for my 2 DVD players, both with S-Video), but it won't show the video. When I switch the S-Video cables to RCA cables (making all sources have RCA), it works fine. What's up with that -- can you only use one type and that's it?!?!

2) My one DVD player has both Optical and Coaxial -- how do I hook it up so I can have both? There's 4 inputs (2 optical, 2 coaxial), but all 4 are for different inputs. How do you do this?!?!

3) Does anyone have recommendations for a powered subwoofer with some kick? I have a Polk 303 running off the pre-out and, man, it sucks! Just a lot of background noise and light rumble.

Thanks!!
 

David H
Ok, I'm going to be getting the Sony SA-VE335 speaker package. They're not the best speakers you can get but I've heard really good reviews and they are within my budget. I remember reading that THX will not sound good with satelite speakers because of the 80 hz cut off. I'm going to be using two older Sony bookshelf speaker for my front speakers and the surround and center speakers will be of the small satelite variety. However, according to Sony these are full range (28Hz- 20kHz actually) speakers. If I understand things correctly (i'm still an a/v novice), these satelite speakers should do fine with THX since they are listed as 'full range'. Is that true?

My second question I was wondering about is if using my older (10 years old) Sony book shelf speakers with the speaker package I'm getting will cause the sound to be unnatural.

David H
 

Sam, yes the manual is pretty bad. It could be worse, though, I suppose. Most essential information is there.

1) I don't totally follow this. The 6070 cannot convert a composite video signal (RCA connection) to an S-video signal or vice versa. It should work if the output and all inputs are S-video, though.

2) The digital audio optical and coaxial connections are just alternative ways of carrying the same signal. There's no point hooking both up to the same device.

3) You should be getting better results with your subwoofer. Something's wrong, probably, with connections, setup, or calibrations.

Greg
 

I don't believe Pioneer was trying to fool anyone. I downloaded the manual and read all the specs/details before I got my 811s. It clearly shows 6 channels, but it has 7 channel input and outputs for 2 surrounds. Pretty straight forward. The Pioneer was even better than I expected (see my last post.) I have also downloaded the Kenwood VR6070 manual. It looks pretty straight forward to me, but it probably helps that I'm used to how these 6.1 receivers works.

"Have done a lot of research on various receivers and the 6070 looks like the best bang for the buck"

It's the best bang for the buck for a THX receiver. The Pioneer 8lls is the best bang for the buck for non-THX receivers. And at <$270, the Pioneer is a great buy considering many people don't really care for THX or won't use it. I'll probably be using the Kenwood as a preamp and the 8lls as a preamp/amp due to the 3 equalizers that I'll be using. A standalone amp won't do the trick because gain needs applied BEFORE the equalizer so that the equalizer operates with a low S/N ratio. This means the amp needs a volume control which can be operated via the remote to make it user friendly. The 2 receiver operation fits the bill nicely.

SVS Subwoofers are a very good value. Check out there website. There are a lot of links to reviews.
 

David, that 28Hz low frequency for the SA-VE335 speaker system is, I'm sure, just for the subwoofer. If you're concerned about the 80Hz crossover leaving frequency holes, you need to be concerned about the lowest frequencies reproduced by the other speakers, not the subwoofer. I just looked up the specs on the Sony site, but Sony doesn't give frequency response figures for the individual speakers. I don't think you can count on those satellite speakers going down to 60Hz or so, which is what you'd need to avoid the holes.

Greg
 

mainframe
For Toronto Folks I picked up my 6070 for $600 CDN Flat at Teletime Electronics on Yonge St. below Gerard.

I'm pretty sure this is the best price in town right now, and yes they are an authorized kenwood dealer.
 

mainframe
Is anyone currently running the Sony "SSCR305" speaker package with their 6070. I've only found a few reviews (all positive) but would love to hear from people here.
 

David H
Hey Greg,

Actually on the Sony website it says this:

• Full Range 2" x 4" Drivers
• Dual Full Range 2" x 4" Drivers in Center
• 120 Watts Subwoofer
• Auto Power On/Off
• 4 Satellites & 1 Slim Center

I doubt the 2" X 4" drivers have anything to do with the subwoofer since that is an 8" driver.

On the Best Buy website it says:

Frequency range: 20-200Hz (subwoofer), 28Hz - 20kHz (surrounds)

Obviously they are claiming that the satelite surrounds will go well below 60hz. If this is correct, would I be able to avoid the 80 hz crossover frequency holes? I take it this is unusual for satelites to be able to do this but not impossible.

David H
 

daniil
DAVID
range for sony sa-ve 335 speakers is 90-20.000 hz,subwoofer range is 26-200 hz
cheers
 

daniil
HI EVERYBODY
i wanna buy Polk audio RTI 70 front speakers does anybody have them , just wanna know how they go with kenwwod thanks
MAINFRAME
i bought my 6060 from the same place month ago for 450$ flat cdn (they have very good price)
 

Not certain about all satellite speakers of course, but Polk insists that the sub jack on the receiver (any receiver) be ignored and that the sub be wired in series with their front (R &L)speakers. The sub rolls off whatever frequency you set it for, and it works, and works great. I get amazing sound from my Polk 6200's, and I have my Energy AS90 PSW set up that way. Anyone else know about this?
 

David H
DANIIL,

I would be interested in knowing your source for the 90-20,000 range stats on the SA-VE 335 speakers. I'm not disputing it, I just want to confirm it since there seems to be some contradictory information. The Best Buy and Sony websites seem to indicate the speakers (not the sub)are 26-200 hz.

Thanks
 

Keith
Does anybody have satelite speakers for the 6070 and still get amazing sound (THX and otherwise). I thought the sub would pick up any bass the satelites can't handle. This is rather confusing to me when it comes to the 80hz and frequency drop off. I don't want a receiver which I will be missing a lot with my new satelite speakers. It will be dissapointing if Kenwood is selling a product like this without warning people of this frequency hole or having a way to get around it.

Keith
 

daniil
DAVID H
my source is EVOLVE SONY which you can get in any store which selling SONY (the one i'm looking at is fall/winter 2002)
cheers
 

David, you're right that if the range quoted from the Best Buy site were correct, there would be no holes. The fronts and rears are 2.75" X 6" X 5", though, and it's just not possible for a speaker this size to go down to 28Hz. The Best Buy figures must be in error.

Keith, the sub will pick up only the frequencies below 80Hz, because that's where the crossover is. If the satellites only go down to 90Hz, say, as danil says those Sony satellites do, bass between 80-90Hz has nowhere to go. If we take the 90Hz figure seriously, this is not much of a problem, for the surrounds anyway, because it's only a small hole, not much bass gets sent to the surrounds, and because the 80Hz crossover doesn't cut off frequencies it filters out, rather it just reduces their volume. I'm not saying it won't sound good -- just saying there will be some holes.

Using the set up Polk recommends solves the difficulty of having small front speakers by using the sub's crossover, but it doesn't help with bass sent to the surrounds.

Being concerned with holes, myself, I just bought a pair of old Kenwood speakers for $40 at Salvation Army for my back surrounds, to replace small Aiwa speakers that had cost me $12, also at Salvation Army. Avoiding holes doesn't necessarily get you into the big bucks.

Greg
 

LucaBrasi
Check out this Information from Polk's website regarding speaker/subwoofer hookup...there is a special note at the end regarding THX receivers.
Excellent Information.
http://www.polkaudio.com/home/faqad/advice.php?article=bassmanage
Thanks to Greg Lee on that link regarding speaker wire...
 

David H
I just bought a pair of Sony bookshelf speakers for my 6070. The max wattage on the speakers is 140. I was reading in the manual that low powered amps can cause damage to the speakers. I called Sony and the rep said I needed a receive that produces 140 amps. Of course the 6070 produces 100 peak. Am I going to damage my speakers with this 40 amp difference? I haven't seen any recevers with 140 watts per channel. The speakers have an impedence of 8 ohm.

David H
 

I just bought the VR-6070 and played with it a bit last night. One thing I notice different from my old JVC receiver is the sounds don't sound crisp enough when playing DVDs. And from what I read in the manual the bass & treble can only be adjusted for stereo and PCM signals. I'm a novice so I don't know if maybe there is another way to get the highs up a bit more when playing DVDs, in DTS, Dolby Digital, etc. Is there an adjustable EQ on the receiver? The bass sounds great btw. Any help would be appreciated.
 

David, no, you won't damage the speakers that are rated 140W. The 140W rating is supposed to be an indication of the maximum power the speakers can tolerate, not a minimum that they require.

Jim, there are several adjustments that affect tonality. There is no adjustable EQ (though I don't know just what the "active eq" and "speaker eq" adjustments do). I'd suggest first making sure you have the speaker volumes balanced and THX, speaker eq, active eq turned off. Then tell us just what type if signal you're playing (DD 5.1, or whatever) and your speaker set up. May someone can then make a useful suggestion.

Greg
 

David H
Greg, that's what I thought but I've read that if the amp is too weak for the speakers then you could have the tweater go bad such as here http://www.nissanperformancemag.com/december01/speakers.shtml. Unforunately Sony doesn't tell you what the minimum amps are and of course their customer service is clueless. I'm debating about whether I should just go back and get the 100 watt speakers so they will match the 6070s power. Anybody else have speakers with more wattage than the 6070?

David
 

" Is there an adjustable EQ on the receiver? "

You won't find EQs on many equalizers. The Pioneer Elite 45TX has one for each of the 7 channels, but it's only 5 band, and the receiver is something like $1100. The high band may max out at 12k also IIRC. And if you don't know it, you can't simply add an equalizer to receivers either, especially not for multichannel playback. To use a standalone EQ of all channels, you need to have 3 equalizers to EQ all 6 channels, and you need a separate receiver or amplifier to feed the EQ output into. (See one of my recent posts.) I'm going to do this by using a Pioneer VSX-D811s as my secondary-preamp/amp.
 

I don't have the VR6070, but I've had speakers that handle 400 watts for years, and used it with 3 different receivers that put out 50 watts, 60 watts, and 100 watts respectively, and I never blew a tweeter. However, if you distort your audio by cranking it too high or if you use an EQ or loudness/midnight to boost the high frequencies too much, you could blow a tweeter... especially when coupled with high volume distortion.
 

David, I read the reference you supplied, and it does say in two places that amp power should be matched to speaker power rating. I don't think it's right. Speakers' power handling seems to have nothing to do with whether the amplifier clips, which is the way underpowered amplifiers can blow tweeters. If you read the text carefully, I think you'll see that nothing there shows that high power-rated speakers are more likely to be damaged. Other things being equal, low efficiency and low impedance in a speaker should make it easier to damage, but not high power handling.

Besides, the very healthy power specs of the 6070 is one of the reasons some of us bought it. It's just not a problem.

Greg
 

Oh, the matter of clipping is relevant both to David's concern about speaker damage and Jim's concern about the missing highs. I have some acquaintance with what clipping sounds like through working on a music synthesis program, and I'll tell you a mild amount of clipping doesn't sound bad. In fact, you may like the edginess it gives to music. The parts of a waveform in music that are clipped first are the transients you get with note onsets, and the high frequency content added by clipping makes the reproduction sound crisper. I think that when people refer to an amplifier's sound as "laid back", at least sometimes they are really referring to the absence of the clipping distortion they've gotten used to from listening to amps that clip.

The KSTAT technology that Kenwood advertises presumably limits the signal excursion when the output transistors heat up to prevent clipping. So if the 6060/70 sounds a little mellow, well, that may be a good thing, from the standpoint of high fidelity reproduction.

Greg
 

Jim didn't indicate whether this was only a problem at the highest volume levels or not. At most volume levels, especially the lower/medium levels, there should be no clipping.

Has anyone else noticed a rolloff of highs compared to other receivers they had (when not driving the amp near high-distortion/clipping levels)? There's been some comments again recently on AVSforum that the VR6070 was bad for music, but I still haven't heard anything specific as to why anyone has generated this opinion.

I have a question about the VR6070. Does the subwoofer pre-out work in stereo mode also? The Polk site mentioned that some receivers don't.
 

Hello Everybody!

I just purchased my 6070 on Friday (2 days ago). I am enjoying the receiver so far, but, I believe I am having one of the most common problems that is represented on these posts and wondering if you could possibly help me before I call technical support on Tuesday.

I am having trouble getting my 6070 to enable the DTS or DTS-ES modes. When I purchased the receiver on Friday I purchased a brand new Sony Multidisc DVD changer as well, the DVP-NC655p progressive changer. Let me tell you how I have the cables hooked up and tell me if that is my problem.

1) I have the optical cable running from the DVD player to the DVD input on the top of the receiver. I read one post in which they purchased a coaxial cable and ran that between the DVD and the 6070 as well as the optical cable, but that did not work for me. The LCD screen states that I am working in Optical mode and I have it in Digital Manual. I have the DVD player operating on the CD/DVD button rather then the DVD 6 Channel.

2) This does not matter but I have a THX S-cable running between the Receiver and the DVD player, as well as, an Audio L/R Line from the DVD to the 6070.

3) All the speakers are in Normal/THX mode and I have those mix modes off as well as the 6th channel off (I hope you understand my acoustic ebonics!)

What am I doing wrong??????

When I play Chicken Run (which is playing in DTS-ES) I can not get any sound out of the intro that advertised the DTS sound logo, it is nothing but silence.

Any help would be appreciated...I would even love to take a digital picture of the back of the DVD and 6070 for anyone that could help me!!!

Thanks for all your help...respond here or email me at wilsondavidp@hotmail.com
 

mainframe
Is anyone running a Passive Sub in 6.1, I have an old passive sub and was thinking of using it instead of buying a powered sub.

Also still looking for anyone using the Sony "SSCR305" speaker package, or the Sony "SAVE335" Surround Package, to add comments about these speakers.
 

David, no DTS is indeed a common problem. Usually the solution is to enable DTS in the DVD player's setup menu.

Greg
 

David H
Greg, I agree with you that I don't think that one should have to match the power (amps) on the receiver and the speakers. It seems as though one might have clipping damage if somebody uses a high volume combined with a big difference in speaker/receiver power. The 93 RMS of the 6070 I would think would be ok for the 140 watt speakers. I talked to Sony and the rep said that Sony recommends matching the two and even a slight difference will cause damage. I spoke to a sup and he said that unless my amp is only around 40 or 50 amps then, the speakers should be fine. However, that was more of a guess on his part since Sony didn't give him sufficient info. He also said that it is recommended to match the wattage. It is interesting how this speaker/receiver discrepency is mentioned as a problem in some places such as Crutcthfield who says, "Actually, an amp or receiver with a high power rating is often safer for speakers than one with a low power rating. A low-powered model may "clip" and produce distortion at high volume levels, which is a common cause of tweeter damage." The web site link is here.
http://www.crutchfield.com/S-HUtBjyDT3ik/infocenter/home/speakers_faq.html However, what seems to be a bigger cause of speaker damage are the things you mentioned like impedence. It is frustrating that when they do mention that the difference in wattage can cause tweater damage, they don't provide a threshold so you can know how much of a difference you can be ok in.
 

David H
Oh and another thing, with my wattage being off by over 40 watts between my receiver and speakers going to cause a degredation in sound quality? My guess is no, although it will take more power to push my speakers than if I had a 140 watt amp.
 

Whatever it takes to push a speaker to a certain volume is a charactoristic of the SPL/efficiency of the speaker, not the power handling. The maximum power handling is the maximum the speaker can handle before distorting and/or failing. My speakers handle 400 watts, but they have a very high SPL, and they are very loud at 50 watts/channel, yet I often am playing them at just a few watts (during the peaks.) Excellent quality playing just a few watts to 400 watt speakers. As far as degradation in sound quality, you won't get this until you hit the max power handling recommendation of the speaker or exceed the power handling recommendation of the amplifer (cranking it up too high.)
 

Does anyone know why each time I turn on my amp with only speakers B on the receivers defaults to stereo but if I turn it on with both speakers A and B on it defaults to DSP modes?
 

Great source of information here> but looking over it from the incept I find nothing about connecting to tha cable box. I have a digital box, with all the premium digital channels...from where almost all of my viewing time is derived. I rarely look at a disc, hardly ever listen to the radio. I either watch the evening news, several favorite sitcoms, or movies from the cable. I am surprised that no one else seems to do likewise. Of course I do have a DVD player, a VCR, as well as a great turntable, none of which I use to any greate extent.
Question: is there any special way that anyone has learned to connect the 6070 to the cable system, anyone out there who uses it as I do and under these circumstances?
 

Bill, that's what I use my receiver for mostly, too. There's nothing special about the hook up -- just L and R RCA plus one digital connection between cable box and receiver. I'm sorry to tell you that the 6070 has some bugs and a misfeature that make cable surfing less fun than it could be, at least using it with my cable box (SA2000).

The misfeature is that the remote doesn't have punch through for the receiver volume control. Changing the volume switches the remote into receiver mode, then you have to punch another button to get it back to cable mode.

The bugs are (1) changing channels to a digital channel sometimes leaves you with no sound, since the listening mode is not correctly reset, and (2) the listening mode you select for Dolby Digital 2.0 is not retained when switching channels.

I'll be most interested to know whether these bugs bite you.

Greg
 

Greg...exactly. I thought I was doing something wrong, but you're unfortunately having the same problems. It seems like almost everything I watch requires a new setup and I don't really have that much of a handle yet on what I'm doing. Why in the world they make these units so seemingly unnecessarily complicated I'll never know. I may end up returning it to Best Buy, but I don't have a second choice. I tried a Yamaha 5560, easier to use but the sound is so "brilliant" that it is annoying. Too much treble (and oddly enough I normally like right much treble due to my high frequency hearing loss). I appreciate your sharing your experience with me.
 

Uh oh, that's another post that implies the Kenwood is rolling off on the high end. Is this only noticable when using the digital modes, or from 2 stereo analog audio also? I've read on some other webboards that this sound tailoring is done in the digital processing section, which means it should not affect 2 channel stereo analog if that's true. I still haven't heard specifics as to why the Kenwood is bad for music.

Has anyone compared the 2 channel audio to a Pioneer 811s?

Does the subwoofer pre-out output when using 2 channel stereo?

I've seen MANY posts on the AVSforums about speakers or receivers sounding warm, bright, brilliant, colored, unbalanced, poor tonal quality, shrill, boomy, etc. etc. Obviously, the advantages of an EQ still exist as much as ever. It sucks that they don't make it possible to use them for 6 channels without using a separate amp or receiver (as I'm going to do.)
 

David H
I was turning up the volume on my 6070. While having it at a low volume and while turning it up I noticed a slight 'static' sound. Is this what they mean by clipping or is this normal while turning up the volume? On my old stereo my Sony speakers would do the same thing on rare ocasions.

Rex, I use two channel stereo right now until I get my surround speakers. The failure to changing channel decoding problem does occur with just 2 channel stereo as well as digital it seems. When I listened to CD's with 2 channel audio on the 811s, it is pretty impressive IF you have the midnight mode on. In that case it is better than the 6070. It seems like the 811s is better for music and the 6070 for movies.

David
 

David: That static when changing volumes is something I occasionally hear, also. It's not clipping, I don't think. Just static.

Concerning using midnight mode on the 811 -- that's not midnight mode you're using, really, it's the loudness control. Midnight mode is a feature of Dolby Digital, which makes use of the dialog level information in a DD signal. My old receiver, similar to (but not as good as) the 811, did this, too. The midnight mode control turns on midnight mode for DD and loudness for the pcm signal from CDs. If you want to compare with the 6070, you ought to turn on the 6070's loudness control, since the midnight mode control on the 6070 is effective only for a DD signal. And you can use treble and bass controls for a pcm signal on the 6070, also (presumably -- I haven't tried it).

Greg
 

The Pioneer has both a loudness and a midnight mode, so you could compare loudness to loudness. But, to compare the natural sound of each receiver on even ground, it's best to compare sound quality without the loudness, midnight, bass, or treble controls being used. It should be done with everything "flat." The loudness controls and bass/treble controls may be calibrated differently as far as bandwidth, frequency, etc, so I would leave them out of the comparison so you can hear the natural response.

I know where you're coming from about using midnight/loudness for better 2-channel sound. It boosts those lows and highs, but it's just too much. That's why I like an EQ, you can adjust everything just how you want it. The Pioneer has the advantage of using an EQ for 2-channel audio without needing a second amp by patching it through the tape monitor, but since I want EQ of all 6 channels, I will need to use a second amp/receiver anyway.

Is this "static" sound heard when using the remote control for volume also?
 

audio
I remember someone posted a question regarding
the VR 6070's headphone output, so I just test the headphone output with my Sennheiser HD 280 pro. It sounds great, I turned up to -43dB to -38db, and I think that is a good comfortable listening range. One thing I noticed is that when you plug in the headphone, there is no auto mute for the speaker output. I have to turn off my A speakers manually.
 

I must be stupid, but I'm having a time getting the remote control programmed to operate other devices. I wish the owner's manual would come right out and say "press and hold button A while pressing button 10 AFTER pressing the CBL button (for example)and then you will be able to operate the CBL device, etc., etc." But I can't even get the thing to turn on the power to my cable box... As I said, I must be lacking something mentally, but the manual reads as though it is a direct and literal translation from sanscrit, or worse. Can anyone who has figured it out give me a few pointers? I will be forever grateful.
 

audio
Bill,
Actually, it is pretty simple.

1. Press and the SOURCE key next the the main POWER key on the remote controller.

2. Refer to page 43 of your owner's manual,
and locate the model of your CBL device.
and while holding the SOURCE key, enter
the 3 digit code. After that you will "OK"
on the LCD panel.

3. Release the SOURCE key.

4. Press CBL key. and that should be it.

For me, my cable converted was not list on the
chart printed on page 43, so I have to use the
LEARN function to program the keys.
Hope this helps.
 

Just bought the vr-6070. I haven't got all my surround speakers hooked up yet, but the sound is great using the b output to my Bose 701's and using my A output to an AR subwoofer for Music and DVD.

Have questions on remote? Does anyone know how I can get my Kenwood DV-505 to work with the remote.

I also have a Pioneer CD Player - no program code supplied.

I'll write more when I get everything hooked up and tested.
 

You can always use learn mode if nothing else works.
 

Punisher75
Hey all... been scoping out the 6070 for a few months now and am finally ready to make the move after I get my tax check in a couple days. Was hoping to get it last week at Best Buy since it was on-sale but, Uncle Sam decided to take his sweet A$$ time in getting my money back to me, but I digress. Did an online search and found a few places that had the 6070. Etronics.com has it for $380, don't know what shipping is. My question I guess is what is the best deal currently for the 6070? Thanks for any info...
 

Audio... you've helped me over the hump, thank you very much. Problem was same as you I had to input my cable box manually. Now I have programmed my VCR, DVD player and CD player, as well as my big screen Sony. I have also found that you can "add" keys to a device whose code you have successfully input.

Now I'm working on trying to understand the input keys at the bottom of the remote...totally foreign to me and seemingly redundant with those at the top...but I'm certain I simply don't (yet) understand.

I really appreciate your taking the time to help me on the programming...as you say, turned out to be simple (as most things are once you understand them).
 

"I have also found that you can "add" keys to a device whose code you have successfully input."

Yes, nice feature. My Pioneer 811s does the same thing which is very handy for the keys that don't get programmed automatically.
 

Dick Stern
Punisher75,
I just got mine last week through PC Mall for 479.00 less a 100.00 mail in rebate good through 3/31/03. Free shipping up to 40.00. Hope this helps.
 

Guys be on the look out for the new released STARGATE Ultimate edition that was just released yesterday Tuesday 2/19/03. It has DD 5.1 EX and 6.1 DTS-ES Discrete surround!

Whoo hoo! just got it last night and i'm gona pop it in soon and check it out. First 6.1 DTS Discrete movie i own and its one of my favorite movies.
 

heh WOW WHAT A DVD! SOUNDS AWESOME! Tip.. chair durring the Stargate teleport sceen! The muilitary guy in the movie said it best "What a rush!".. yup.. i totally agree ;)
 

I just returned this system after trying it out for 2 weeks. No matter what settings I tried, it sounded like it was coming from an underwater pipe. I traded up to the Onkyo SR800 and this systems blows the Kenwood out of the water! Both were easy to setup, although I do have to say the Kenwood manual must have left out most of the pages. Maybe I got the lemon, who knows.
 

Punisher75
Just visited PC Mall and couldn't find the 6070 there. Looks like you got the last one....

Anybody else know of any deals???
 

No, Mark, your manual wasn't a lemon. Mine is like that, too. I've also gotten the underwater pipe effect, but I've managed to tune that away, or so it seems to my ear. The distance/delay setting for the center speaker is critical, in my system. Just one foot or millisecond off either way, and it doesn't sound right. That also applies to the delay setting in CS2 mode.

Greg
 

Mark....how much did you pay for the Onkyo? And where did you purchase it?

(PS... I know what you're talking about with the sound quality of the 6070. It just has a lot of variables. But once one learns it it's terrific).
 

Tim Cardona
The new Kenwood Vr-7080 is schedule to hit the stores at the end of April. The Vr-7080 have some minor changes, now it features 20.000hz-20.000khz 100 x 6ch at 0.07% THD in surround mode except for the surr. channels that are rated at 0.2% (L/R). Stereo power is now 110w x 2 ch at 0.07% THD. It seems now that Kenwood is listening to music lover's. The Vr-7080 has a new silver finish color with aluminium front panel. Dolby EX/DTS-ES/THX-EX/PL II/SRS/5 DSP modes/ are all handle by a 32-bit SHARC processor. 10 audio inputs/5 Digital inputs/1 Digital out-put/ Pre-outs are for L/C/R/R. Surr/Back Surr. Right/Back Surr. Left/L. Surr & Sub-Woofer/6ch input. Video component signal switching is now 54 mhz instead of 10 mhz as the Vr-6070 (thank God). My Kenwood sales representative told me about a new feature called Cinema Bass for Dolby Digital & Dts (tentative that could be a new Speaker EQ II). I'll keep everyone inform of new changes.
 

Mark Peterson said: "No matter what settings I tried, it sounded like it was coming from an underwater pipe. I traded up to the Onkyo SR800 and this systems blows the Kenwood out of the water!"

Very strange, I've never heard anyone else mention this. Maybe this guy got a defective receiver. I've never experienced this from my $285 Pioneer VSX-811D or my older Kenwood receiver. The sound was always top notch. Does everyone agree that the VR6070 produces outstanding quality sound? Does the subwoofer pre-out work in 2-channel stereo mode?

As far as the manual, I downloaded the VR6070 manual from the website, and it says how to use all the features, so I'm not sure what the complaint is there. Of course, I'm already familiar with 6.1 products, so that probably helps.
 

Regarding the Vr-7080 and Kewnood listening to music lovers, I would rather that indicate that there was better musical sound quality, NOT a color change. I much prefer black as I've got a stack of about 10 components that are black. This has NOTHING to do with music quality. The 32-bit SHARC sounds good though. A learning remote is a must for me, so I hope they aren't dropping that. But you can get a VR6070 for $400, the first 7080s are bound to sell for a couple hundred more making consideration of alternatives a recommendation.
 

David H
Ugh, it's kind of depressing when you think you have a great deal with getting a 6070 for about $400 when it looks like the 7080 may blow the 6070 out of the water. Anybody know how much the 7080 will be?

Speaking of water, the 6070 sounds great to me. I never heard the under water pipe problem. Sometimes you do have to tweak the settings though. The ironic thing is that I tried an Onkyo (forgot the model number). It was highly rated and I thought it sounded dull and lifeless. On the circuit city website and another one (can't remember), it had rated the sound quality of the 6070 about a 4.9 out of 5 of all of the people who rated it (about 30 something). Evidently it probably has a rather decent sound quality. What do the rest of you think? I even got it to sound as good as the Pioneer 811s that I though sounded better. I had to enable the Active Eq for music. When I needed a little extra kick I enabled Loudness and it rocked.

David
 

"I even got it to sound as good as the Pioneer 811s that I though sounded better. I had to enable the Active Eq for music."

That's not really a fair test. As I mentioned, you need to set everything flat without any special effects to compare the natural sound of the amp. Also make sure the volumes are the same. When you start adjusting bass, treble, loudness, EQ, you're throw everything off. I use an external equalizer, so I can adjust for tone differences, but I was interested in if the VR6070 was naturaly warm, neutral, or bright in 2-channel & dolby/dts modes compared to the 811s, and just how clean it sounded.

I have an older Kenwood (Pro Logic) that I was going to compare to the Pioneer for 2 channel, but there's not much point. They both sound good, so I expected the VR6070 to also. With the new Kenwood on the horizon, I'm tempted to wait, although I've also been having second thoughts about the Sony DA4ES, and maybe adding a nice 3rd party remote for another $120.

DavidH, you should know the prices usually vary a lot, so it's going to depend where you get it. And prices usually drop over time, so it will depend when you get it also. But I doubt it's going to be $400 anywhere for a while, although that would be nice if I wait.
 

Rex says: "That's not really a fair test. As I mentioned, you need to set everything flat without any special effects to compare the natural sound of the amp."

But amps don't have a natural sound. Amps have flat frequency response. Preprocessors contribute various tonalities, depending on how you set them up, and if they have the right features, can adapt the signals produced by the receiver to your room, speakers, and speaker placement. Choosing "active equalization" or not is part of the setup process. The only appropriate way to compare two receivers (not amps) is when they have been properly set up.

Greg
 

Tim C.
The suggested retail price for the VR-7080 should be around $600-$700 since Kenwood will launch two models featuring THX Select (Vr-7080 & Vr-7070) only difference is that the Vr-7070 is rated at 100w x 5ch with DD-EX/DTS/PLII. I'll keep everyone inform of any new changes. If any one is looking for the new 2003 Pioneer receivers let me know for future specs.
 

mainframe
Speaker Symbol Question.

Along the back row of the speaker symbols there's an icon marked "S" that shows up with some DVDs, but I can't find this mentioned anywhere in the manual, does anyone know what this symbol represents?
 

I've now listened to the Onkyo SR800 and compared it to the 6070 as much as is possible in a store; Nice, but no readily detectible sound difference in the Circuit City display anyway...certainly not a scientific test. Has a backlit learning/preprogrammed remote... And it sells for a grand.

I'll stay where I am.
 

Dick Stern
I am in the market to buy a powered subwoofer to use with my new Kenwood 6070.

Any recommendations? Any warnings?
 

Greg Lee said: "But amps don't have a natural sound. Amps have flat frequency response."

Amps most certainly do have a natural sound. Ever heard of tube warmth? Of course nothing is truly flat, rolloffs at the top or bottom aren't uncommon either - even though they may be slight, and there's more to an amp than frequency response. There's slew rate, damping factor, THD, ID, dynamic range, phase issues, crosstalk, etc. These things can make an amp sound colored, distorted, warm, or what have you. Also note we are talking receivers here, so you can factor in some other issues such as the "preamp" since it can't be isolated unless you have other equipment to patch into. What CAN be isolated to a degree is sound shaping caused by tone controls, loudness, processors, etc... so that's why I recommend leaving them off or flat for the basic test. Of course, additonal testing can be done for those other things also... DD/DTS, etc, but then you're factoring in a lot more issues. Now remember, I do not "yet" have this receiver, BUT I've seen it posted a few times that the VR6070 is "bad" for music or "isn't very musical" in relationship to stereo music. I was hoping someone could give a little more detail about that rather than get into a deep technical discussion which has come up thousands of times in the past.

Mainframe - You must have not read this thread before asking. The S has already been discussed.

BillB, I believe that Onkyo can be had for around $800 or so, but it's still not worth it IMO. I read another review where someone was not impressed with it compared to his old cheap receiver.

Dick, I've heard a lot of good things about SVS subwoofers. They are directed marketed via the internet. They have links to many reviews on their site. I've heard Onix is coming out with one which should be good if it holds up to the reputation of their Rockets. But if you want the ultimate in bass reproduction, you might want to consider building an infinite baffle system such as with a 600 watt amp ($300 to $400) and 4 15" Daytons IB speakers (4@$109 ea) in a manifold under the floor, behind a wall, or in the ceiling.
 

JasonK
I have a MX-500 learning / macro remote with LCD screen. It can learn infrared commands from other remote controls. I see the VR 6070 uses an RF remote for its features. Does it also put out an Infrared signal so that I could program my MX-500 to control the VR 6070? Is the new model going to have an RF remote also with this same problem for people who want to use more sophisticated remotes?
 

Punisher75
just ordered a 6070 through B&H audio for $424.10 including shipping... place got good reviews so I gave it a shot... will update you all when I get it in 3-5 days
 

David H
Rex Carson said, "That's not really a fair test. As I mentioned, you need to set everything flat without any special effects to compare the natural sound of the amp. Also make sure the volumes are the same. When you start adjusting bass, treble, loudness, EQ, you're throw everything off."

You are right that to have a 'pure' test you would have to strip it down to the basics to get a basic idea of whether the 6070 or 811s sound better. In that case the 6070 has somewhat more power and overall better sound. The 811s is rather weak with music without midnight mode. Now the point I was making is many people will not play their receiver without tweaking it somewhat. Most people want the best and most realistic sound possible. At least with the 6070 and the 811s it may be achieved by making adjustments. My preference for sound is with the midnight mode on 811s (many people on CNET who reviewed the 811s also had this observation). On the 6070 it sounds best to me with the active 'EQ music' on during music playing. In addition at some times I like having the loudness on for the extra kick. With these adjustments I'd say the 811s and the 6070 are about equal on music quality. You are complaining about technical crap but I'm definitely not an audio techie. It is not that difficult to figure out how to turn on the active eq, midnight mode, loudness, etc. My point is to obtain the best and most realistic sound it is sometimes necessary to make adjustments on top of the basic sound settings. In the end the most important thing is which one sounds better with the optimum settings. Of course this is often more of an art than a science since people have their own tastes. All in all, if you are happy with the music on the 811s you should be pleased with the 6070. I now own the 6070 and the 811s and I think they are very similar in music quality. To me the THX sound was what helped me decide on the 6070.

David
 

Keith
Mark Peterson said: "No matter what settings I tried, it sounded like it was coming from an underwater pipe. I traded up to the Onkyo SR800 and this systems blows the Kenwood out of the water"

I'm thinking of getting the 6070. Has anybody else had this problem with music or movies? I've never heard anybody else complain so I'm curious. Is the overall sound quality as good as most people say it is?

Keith
 

"In that case the 6070 has somewhat more power and overall better sound."

I doubt you could tell much by listening unless going directly from A to B with a switchover to the same speakers. You have to double the watts to make just a 3db difference, and both receivers are rated at 100 watts, so the max should be within 1 db between these 2. This is nothing compared to the difference speakers and the room will make. In my case, I will probably keep the 811s as an amp and the VR6070 as a preamp.

"The 811s is rather weak with music without midnight mode."

While I agree any receiver will sound weak or too empty without adjustments, I find the midnight/loudness modes too overbearing and not "curved" to my preference. Of course, with a simple on/off, you can't expect it to suit all situations, they're meant for low-volume listening. So what I do is use an equalizer, much better than those built-in EQs you find in high-end receivers like Sony DA5ES and some Pioneer Elite models. My EQ can be tweaked precisely to adjust for the speakers, room, volume, source, music, etc. I started using EQs over 20 years ago, and have never been without them since. They really do wonders, and making listening a pure pleasure. 6-channels complicates things more - it takes 3 EQs to get everything balanced properly. And 1/3 octave or parametrics are needed for more detailed response shaping.

"Most people want the best and most realistic sound possible."

Well, to a degree. However, a lot of people just want something that puts out a lot of power with bass they can feel.. .even if that bass it strong or boomy in the 60hz range and nearly non-existant at 20hz... and with room resonance/standing waves/harmonics like it's nobody's business. The environment is one of the most overlooked things in home audio. That new shiny receiver or amp might be tempting, but it's amazing what an equivilent amount of time and money spent on the acoustics of a room can do to improve the sound quality much more... and it won't be obsolete in a few years. There are some DIY cost effective treatments/methods to do this, although some people will pass entirely on the concept because of asthetics or SAF.

"I'd say the 811s and the 6070 are about equal on music quality."

That's great to hear. My 811s sounds excellent when EQed.

"You are complaining about technical crap but I'm definitely not an audio techie."

Sorry, I wasn't complaining. I was just mentioning things that can contribute to receiver sound quality, and that they shouldn't all be considered "flat & equal." I was just wanting some objective feedback, which you have provided at this point, so thank you for that.

"It is not that difficult to figure out how to turn on the active eq, midnight mode, loudness, etc."

Certainly not, but when you get used to a true 1/3 octave EQ and parametrics EQs, they are not really difficult to use either. When I listen to music, I can usually pickout which frequencies need adjusted and to what degree before I ever touch the EQ. I don't mean to imply I get it perfect the first time without readjusting, but close enough that it makes for quick adjustments and satifaction. It doesn't take 20 years to figure it out. :)

"My point is to obtain the best and most realistic sound it is sometimes necessary to make adjustments on top of the basic sound settings."

Absolutely. You know I agree with you don't you? I don't know how many times I mentioned using an EQ in this thread, but more than once I believe. :)

"since people have their own tastes."

Aint that the truth!

"All in all, if you are happy with the music on the 811s you should be pleased with the 6070."

Thanks, I was pretty sure that I would be. But some of these naysayers and rumors about the musical quality had me a tad worried.

"I now own the 6070 and the 811s and I think they are very similar in music quality."

So what are you going to do now? Setup systems in 2 rooms or sell the 811s?

"To me the THX sound was what helped me decide on the 6070"

Me too. Plus, another Pioneer was out of the question due to the conflicting remote issues I mentioned earlier. I would say that I'm stuck between 4 options right now:

(All receivers listed have DD, DD EX, DTS, DTS ES Matrix & Discrete.)

1) Kenwood VR6070 - does it keep track of DSP modes last used for each input?

2) Kenwood VR7080 (not available yet)

3) Sony DA4ES (7 channel amp, elite series, DTS 96/24, 5 year warranty, 32bit RISC DSP, you can adjust the tonal quality (bass, midrange, treble level) of each speaker using the EQ menu, separate bass and treble gain controls and freq adjustments for each DSP mode, good reviews from some seemingly very picky listeners. Doesn't have a learning remote, but my Pioneer already has one.

4) Harman Kardon AVR525 (7 channel amp, 2 year warranty, Logic 7, 192kHz/24-bit DACs, learning illuminated IR remote w/macro capability and EZset microphone,50mhz component switching, triple crossover bass management; you can establish different configurations for the speaker configuration, digital input, surround mode, delay times, crossover frequency and output levels for each input source... apparently to a greater degree than the Sony.)

5) Separate 6+ channel amp (good ones are pretty expensive compared to a second receiver)
 

I meant to say 4 "receiver" options, and 1 separate amp option (which would mean additional options at that point.)
 

Keith...get the 6070. Be prepared to spend some time learning its features and getting it all hooked up. I'm two weeks into mine and still learning.

You won't be disappointed.
 

Actually, instead of my #3 and #4 options, I think the only other receiver I would consider at this time would be the Sony DA2ES. As I'm integrating with 6.1 channel equipment, the 7 channel amp receivers are unnecessary/overkill. The DA2ES is much like the DA4ES with 50mhz video switching, 92/24 DTS, and On-screen display, composite-to-Svideo upsampling, and 5 year warranty, none of which you get with the Kenwood VR6070. Comparing the DA2ES to the DA4ES, it has 6 full-range channels instead of 7 (to match up with the 6 channels of EQing I am doing) and only a tad bit more THD at full output, but it has an IR learning/macro remote (hopefully could be set to turn on both my receivers at once.) It's about $110 less expensive than the DA4ES, but still about $120 more than the Kenwood VR6070. Ahh.... decisions, decisions.
 

JasonK, the 6070 remote does put out IR signals, so it seems another remote should be able to learn its commands. But I haven't tried it.

Greg
 

Greg is right that that the 6070 remote puts out IR signals (at least to control "other" equipment), so another learning remote could learn these codes to control that "other" equipment. The BIG question is whether the remote's IR signals are for "other" equipment (only) in the rack or whether the VR6070's controls themselves can be controlled with both RF & IR. It would be easy to test for someone who has this receiver and an IR sensor or learning remote. Just manipulate some receiver specific controls while checking for IR impulse output (or capturing with a learning remote.)
 

JasonK
Thanks guys.

Someone mentioned that the subwoofer preout might not work in stereo mode. This worries me because I bought my subwoofer for use with stereo music also. I dont want to use prologic or other such modes for two channel music. I also want to keep my mains on small. My sub only accepts a low level preamp signal, not high level signals. Does anyone know for sure about this?
 

Rim
Keith,

I have been toying with the 6070 since Christmas. I am happy with it now that I understand it better. As I was modernizing my 15 year old stereo, I kind of expected improvement on audio (cd and records) quality with the new stuff. I did not get that. 6070 does a credible job of running my front speakers (Snell JIV with 8" woofer and 1" tweeter rated to 48Hz) in the stereo mode but my 15 year Adcom amp and preamp brought out more tonal depth. Furthermore, none of the combinations of 7 speekers and a subwoofer ( I added Aperion 5.1 system with 12" powered subwoofer as center, surrounds and rears) driven by 6070 produces the same quality of sound as that of 2 Polk SDA II's, each with 12" woofer, 2 midranges and a tweeter driven by the Adcom amp.

I think if you are a purist for music, not just 6070 but all home theater system with satellite speakers and subwoofer will not deliver the same rich and balanced sound as that of a pair of traditional, full-range stereo speakers driven by a good clean souce of power. Given the size limitation of satellite speakers and the size of the 6070, you are dealing with a limited range of tonality and power. 7 of them does not broaden the range. The critical thing is to get a good subwoofer that will make up the lower range but MORE IMPORTANTLY, it has to be adroit enough to dance with the rest of the speakers to create a synchronous and balanced coverage of the aural spectrum. I have not yet found the perfect placement/setting/connection for great music reproduction, and I may never with satellites and subwoofer, BUT IT'S OK.

Because this set up with 6070 is AWSOME with DVD movies. I have had friends over to see Spiderman who were whipping their heads left and right reflexively from very realistic surround sounds. And the subwoofer really shines in reproducing those booms and thuds in the movie. Pearl Harbor is just a totally different movie with this set up(I saw it on a normal TV before).

In conclusion, 6070 is great home theater receiver that will make your movie watching a totally immersed experience.
by the way, I think THX is worth the money -- it makes the overal sound fuller without being louder. The 7.1 set up with 6070 really matches sounds with moving pictures to create a visceral movie viewing/hearing/perceiving experience. It is a new and kinetic way of reproducing sound that is best suited for depicting action.

For your old fashioned stationary concert experience, dedicated stereo amp with full range stereo speakers form the best sound stage. 6070 isn't bad, but per channel power is too weak and "slightly tinny" for the stereo mode for me. When you use CSII, the additional speakers and subwoofer improves the overall sound but it's still lacking some cohesion.

I hope this rather long post helps. It's like having a HDTV -- once you have heard various dts and THX sound in a movie, you can't go back to plain stereo even if it means you have to give up a little on your music listening. Or just keep you old stereo in the basement -- I did.

Rim
 

Derek Vinson
Too weak? LOL! People are usually listen to their systems at a few watts per channel at the peak, they just don't realize it because there are no meters on most current systems. And the Kenwood was measure to produce 92 watts continuous through ALL channels simulataneously, so I just don't buy this "power" thing.

What you describe as slightly tinny is referred to as precise, detailed, or bright by some people. It's funny how when someone uses a different word, it really expresses an opinion rather than an objective fact. The relatively flat response of the amp in 2 channel mode without the processing should not product any negative "tinniness." So there's something wrong there.

"dedicated stereo amp with full range stereo speakers form the best sound stage. "

Practically no full range speaker can touch the low bass prevented by a quality subwoofer. There is basically NO "sound stage" with a subwoofer because those low bass tones are non-directional and bouncing all over the room, and you'll still get the high frequency harmonics and direct stereo sounds from your full range, book shelf, or satellites. If you know what you're doing, and have a good parametric EQ, you can blend a sub very well with standard stereo speakers (full range, satellites, bookshelf, in-wall, etc.) There have been plenty of threads about this over the years. You CAN produce equal, and even better, overall stereo sound by using a subwoofer in addition to decent speakers (although something that is too limited such as a small satellite would not be appropriate.) Crossovers and such come into play also.
 

Hello Dick Stern,

The JBL S120PII is a 400 watt RMS powered subwoofer that has a frequency response down to 22Hz. I would recommend going to: www.audiovideoman.com to purchase this item.
Steve is a good guy to work with and has outstanding prices on the items he sells. This item sells for $700.00 + tax at Best Buy... The audiovideoman price is $399.00 + $45.00 to ship within the U.S.

Good luck, John B. =]
 

Coondog
Just ordered my 6070 from Teppermans. $750 Cdn...cheapest I could find in my area....SW Ontario.
 

"Just ordered my 6070 from Teppermans. $750 Cdn...cheapest I could find in my area....SW Ontario"

I'm very excited for you.

Can anyone answer my question about the subwoofer output in two-channel stereo? Does it work?
 

Rex, every time I think of your question about the sub in stereo, my wife is watching TV or asleep. I might have an answer to whether the remote sends IR commands to the receiver. The receiver's rf reception can be set to one of two bands or set to "off". I just changed it to "off", pointed the remote at the rf antenna, tried to use it to change the volume and failed, pointed it at the receiver and tried again, this time successfully. Then I changed the receiver back to using the 1st rf band and did the same thing. Now it works both when pointed at the antenna and at the receiver. I infer that the remote does send IR commands to the receiver.
 

daniil
REX
remote control can work both IR and RW but not all together at the same time,so any other remote will work with it,but you need to switch RW to off
 

Greg Lee & daniil, you both answered my questions, so thanks for that information. That's nice. That means I can program my learning Pioneer remote from the Kenwood's remote using IR if I would prefer to use it, or another learning remote if I want. It may not matter in the end, but it's another plus for the VR6070 to know I have that option, especially if I decide to get one of those deluxe macro capable learning remotes like the MX-500.

I've pretty much got things narrowed down to the VR6070 or a Sony ES (4ES or 2ES.) I'm still trying to get some questions answered about the Sony also. I don't have anywhere near me to go check one out personally, and some of the things I want to check out can't be done unless they're willing to connect things up as I request.

I'm curious about the subwoofer output in stereo mode on the VR6070. On my Pioneer 811s, 2 channel stereo will direct the low hz to the subwoofer preout (and optionally to the SB/sub speaker posts) based on my chosen crossover 100, 150, or 200 hz as long as I have the subwoofer enabled and the front speakers set to "small."
 

Greg Lee
Rim says: "Given the size limitation of satellite speakers and the size of the 6070, you are dealing with a limited range of tonality and power."

What size limitation? You can use speakers as big as you please as center or surrounds, side and back. If some of your speakers are too small, that's not the 6070's fault. With an 80Hz crossover, there's no way to use tiny satellites without frequency holes, as we've discussed earlier in this thread.

The power could be rather limited, that S&V test result nonwithstanding. For one thing, the watts per channel figure with all channels driven is really not meaningful, since for music and movies, equal power is not required from all channels. For another, the dynamic range may be limited by this KSTAT feature of Kenwood's. I don't know what the point of putting temperature sensors into output transistors could be unless it's to limit the output when the transisters get hot.

I have no problems at all with 6070 power, but then I have efficient speakers, and I don't turn the volume up high.
 

Greg Lee
I converted my old receiver to an amp for the 6070's back surround pre-outs. Works ok, except I have to turn the old receiver's volume up all the way, and I do hear noise from my back surrounds with my ear within 18" of the speakers.

Now that leaves me with an unused amp, which could be used for an unpowered sub, but my sub is powered. It so happens that Parts Express is selling Bass Shakers at less than $30 a pair right now, so I ordered some. That's the point of this post, in case any of you find yourself in a similar situation -- need work for an amp channel. I'm a little concerned that the 6070 will overdrive the shakers. We'll see.
 

I agree. The VR6070 should have more than enough power, especially if using a powered sub for all the low bass (which is where most power is needed.) If it's not enough, get a separate amp rated at 200watts/channel or more so that you can get an extra 3 or 4 db/channel at a premium price.

Greg, you have me very curious here, why were you using your old receiver to power your surround-back speakers when the Kenwood already has an amp for them?... especially considering you get additional noise by using the second receiver? It's clear from your post that you aren't using the surround back speaker posts for a subwoofer because you have a powered sub. You could use the old receiver to drive the bass shakers with full control over the power & no noise rather than the Kenwood.

Doing something similar, I've experienced a similar noise problem when running the gain up on a second receiver after feeding my source receiver pre-out to an EQ, probably even more noise from an EQ than what you were getting. The solution to the problem was to not use any of the built-in amps on the source receiver, turn up the volume significantly on the source receiver so it drives the pre-outs into normal line levels and drives the EQ into a normal operating range (which is well above the noise floor and improves its S/N ratio), and then operate the volume to the speakers with the secondary receiver (which would need to have 6 channels.) I was doing some testing with my Pioneer cranking the volume up, and the internal fan was going on even though no speakers were attached - I was just using the pre-outs! And it wasn't hot either, although the SB/subwoofer speaker posts were set to "subwoofer". I only did this a few seconds at a time, I'm not sure if the fan would have stayed on. Does the Kenwood do the same thing? Does it have an internal fan?
 

Greg Lee
Rex: I had two speakers connected in series to the 6070's 6th amp, used in back surround mode. Then changed to using the back surround pre-outs to my old receiver since (1) I had the receiver (so why not?), and (2) this way I can adjust volumes and distances for the two back surrounds independently. There is some point to the change, since one back surround is 4 feet from my head and the other is 9 feet away. But I have no idea yet whether there is actually any improvement in the sound.

I don't know the answers to your last questions. I don't feel or hear a fan in the 6070. I haven't had it apart.
 

What a great forum! I was surprised to find so many people comparing (as I am) the VSX811S and the VR6070. I haven had much luck with pricing though. Best Buy has it for $570.00. Sounds like too much from other quotes on here.
I have a room that is not ideal for HT set-up, is it true that the 6070 allows you to individually adjust each speaker and will that help my situation? I've seen the VSXD811S for $380.00 vs the Kenwood for $570.00, is the Kenwood's speaker adjustability, THX and Multiroom Capability worth the $200.00 difference?
Any thoughts suggestions or advice on this matter would be appreciated as I am hot to get SOMETHING. Tired of shopping. Thanks-
 

Forgot to ask, can I connect a turntable to the VSXD811S or not? Specs say "Phono Input: NO" but then they speak of "4 audio and 4 A/V inputs with S-video (provides connectivity for analog components like VCR's, cassete players and turntables)". What gives? Does that mean your turntable has to have an S-video connector?

With regards to the poor HT aspect of my room (mentioned in previous posting) I mean that my entertainment center has to sit in one corner of a rectangular room.
Thanks
 

Greg Lee
Matthew: I doubt that the 6070 is worth $200 more than the 811. I bought my 6070 for $398 a couple of weeks ago, mail order from 6ave (who were out of stock, however, last I checked).

The 6070 does have individual volume and distance adjustments for all eight speakers, though the two back surrounds can only be set independently if you use their pre-outs to another amp. I can't say whether it will help you. I have a rather strange arrangement of speakers, myself, with no two speakers at equal distances from my listening position. I am getting a much better sound stage using the 6070 than I did with my previous receiver. Maybe it has something to do with the independent settings.
 

Matt, you might read over some of my posts. I have the 811s and have learned quite a bit about the VR6070 from the manual and forum. Anytime I've mentioned my Pioneer in this thread, I'm referring to a VSX-D811s, and I've sprinkled bits and pieces of information about it compared to the VR6070. I bought my 811s from 6ave.com for about $285. They say they're an authorized dealer. You can get a Kenwood there for about $400, but temporarilly out of stock.

I should mention that for me, I'm not talking about choosing between the 2 receivers mentioned, but combining them into a single system separated with 3 EQs - the Kenwood proposed to be a pre-pro. But I haven't ruled out one of the earlier mentioned receivers to combine with the 811s yet. I'm still trying to find out a few last minute details of both the VR6070 and the Sony ES models such as the subwoofer preout function in stereo mode.

"is the Kenwood's speaker adjustability, THX and Multiroom Capability worth the $200.00 difference?"

The level is adjustable for each speaker on the 811s, and it's actually better on the 811s than on the VR6070 in that you can adjust the speaker levels independently for each DSP mode where the Kenwood has a global setting. But, like the Kenwood, any surround-back speakers (for 6.1) use the same settings for each speaker (they are essentially wired in series.) The Pioneer has a global adjustable crossover settings which applies to all modes also (as mentioned ealier.) BUT, the thing that can get overlooked is the DISTANCE setting. If your left and right speakers of a pair are at different distances from the listener, the VR6070 allows you to adjust them indepently for each speaker to keep proper phase while the VSX811D allows you to adjust the lefts & right only as a pair. So yes, in your case, that would be a big plus for the VR6070 if you're closer or farther to the left vs right, especially if you're considerably closer to one side vs the other. Warning - some receivers like Sony 4ES do not allow the center to be configured for a greater distance than the left & right. This isn't a problem for the 811s, don't know about the VR6070. This would be an issue with a corner placed center channel for example where the mains might be considerably closer than the center.

"THX and Multiroom Capability worth the $200.00 difference?"

These are purely subjective comparisons, so there is no right or wrong answer. To some people, an RF remote and THX Select certification might be worth a great deal. To me, they have only some value, but not $135 worth in themselves, but those are merely a couple poitns. You can attach a second pair of speakers to the Pioneer also, but there are some limitations (I don't recall what those were since I haven't ever used them.)

Personally, I think the Kenwood is worth considering at about $140 more. At $200 more, I don't think I would do it unless I needed the phono input or the independent L/R distance setting. If you really wanted a tape monitor, you would need the 811s. It all comes down to what matters to you. But while you're looking at receivers, you might check out the 2ES (or maybe 4ES) for about $500 which has 50mhz component switching, built-in adjustable equalization, learning remote w/macro, DTS 96/24, 5 year warranty, 32bit RISC DSP, and some other cool features. I would say it receives the most overall praise from owners of it, although I'm not aware if the distance settings can be independently set for L/R speakers.
 

Matt & Greg both posted before I came back to finish and submit my post, so there is some redundant information.

"Forgot to ask, can I connect a turntable to the VSXD811S or not? Specs say "Phono Input: NO"

The specs are correct. No phono input. I mentioned this in my last post and much earlier in the thread also.

"Does that mean your turntable has to have an S-video connector?"

??? S-video is for video, not audio. If you need a turntable, then get the VR6070. Based on what you added in your last post, about the corner placement, the Pioneer distance settings and level settings will be fine as long as you don't sit much closer to the left speaker vs the right speaker of a pair of speakers.
 

I know nothing about this stuff, maybe you can help me. My husband wants surround sound and so far what we have come up with are the following components:
Kenwood vr6070 Receiver
Bose A16 speakers (for room)
Center speaker - don't know which one
Dual dvd/vcr player - any suggestions?
Kenwood DV605 5 disc cd changer
Kenwood VR605 receiver (for outside pool area)
2 outdoor speakers (for outside pool area)
Zenith 65" High Def. TV

Will this work? Any suggestions?

Thanks,
Sue
 

Greg Lee
It seems it would work. I've never heard Bose speakers, but they have a terrible reputation among folks who post to these forums. There's even an anti-Bose web site, somewhere around. I hear good things about Paradigm speakers. You'd probably get lots of good advice if you are specific about your room size and budget and post at avsforum or hometheaterform. Some would disagree, but I think choices of receiver, main speakers, subwoofer are essentially independent.
 

Room size is 15'x25', cathedral ceiling, window wall on 15' side, TV on 25' side. 4 speakers will be mounted 7' from floor where wall & ceiling meet. I have given in to carpet instead of hardwood floors, to reduce echo. And have agreed to the ugly sectional to absorb sound. My concern is that this system will be too loud. I am always telling them to turn down the tv now. I like my Led Zepplin loud, but not my tv.

Thanks,
Sue
 

Greg, Rex, thanks for responding. Muddling through the set up of my new 6070. Doing OK, but have a few questions. Using 2-channel set-up (can't swing the SS speakers yet). Heres my existing connection arrangement:
-DVD to TV directly via component line (video) and DVD to TV via analog RCA cable (audio).
-DVD to 6070 via digital coaxial cable.
Q1:Should I purchase another component cable so that I can go from DVD to 6070(component), then 6070 to TV (also component)? Will I then receive OSD (which I can't now)?
Q2:Would conecting a "return" RCA line (out from TV) to the 6070 let me listen to television shows through the receiver? If so, where is the best place to plug in on the back of the 6070?
Q3: Pushing the DSP key seems to do nothing, obviously I can't see any OSD but I see nothing happening on the front of the display either. Any ideas?
Sorry about the elementary nature of these questions but I'm new to HT and am trying to get it right the first time.
Thanks again, Matthew
 

Greg Lee
Matthew: Q1 -- No. The 6070 remote has a button for OSD, but no OSD. April fool.

Q2 -- Yes, I'd think so, assuming you're not on cable or satellite. Preferably two RCA lines, for analog left and right. I don't know which inputs to plug them into.

Q3 -- When I push DSP the new mode does show on my display and I hear its effect. I don't know -- maybe the surrounds have to be on for this.
 

Rex: I finally got around to testing sub output in stereo mode. There is output to the sub pre-out. I played the 200-20Hs frequency sweep and sub level check from Home Theater Tuneup and checked with spm, as well as listening.
 

Matthew.... I'd be interested in knowing how you get your TV signal; antenna? cable?...and if cable, do you have a cable box...and if so, is it digital? Makes a difference when setting it all up (as I finally learned).
 

Greg, thanks. That's what I was expecting, but wanted to hear some confirmation. Thanks.
 

Susan, it will be too loud if the volume is turned up. I don't know to avoid that for a high fidelity system. But what is most irritating about loud sound is the distortion that accompanies it in low fidelity systems, so maybe you will mind it less. That's a big room you've got, so you'll need fairly big speakers. I'm sorry that I just don't know enough myself to make specific recommendations. Seven feet off the ground is pretty high -- the best position for front and center speakers is generally at ear level for seated listeners. Maybe it will be ok.
 

Gandalf
About the SUB in STEREO...
Not only it is working, but I found a great solution (well, great at least for me...) for who has satellite speakers and is not satisfied with the stereo sound but STILL don't want to spend a lot of money for an extra pair of full range stereo loudspeakers.
I have Bose speakers, which are great for home theatre but not for stereo (and I don't like listening music using pro logic, dsp effects and so on). So I plugged in the B output a pair of old "2 WAY + Bass reflex" JBL speakers. The way they sound alone are not really great (they lack in basses) so I just turn on both A and B outputs. This way from the A loudspeakers set only the subwoofer and the two left and right front satellites are working (plus of course the two stereo JBL speakers), getting this way a full range speakers stereo set (low freq from the subwoofer, mid-low from the JBL's woofer, mid freq from the Bose satellites (they are the dipole Bose satellites) and high freq from the JBL's tweeters). Maybe that a single pair of 800 euro 4 way full range B&W loudspeakers will sound better, but if u cannot afford them this is a cheap compromise (better anyway than listening to stereo music using small satellites).
in any case don't do like a friend of mine did: he put as front left and right a couple of the above mentioned B&W, a good subwoofer and a very cheap central and even cheaper surround speakers. U might have good stereo music but what about the movies? The left and right front speakers are too powerful in respect of the central (ok, let's put it better: they are not timbre matching) so the voice is overwelmed by the main soundtrack.
Any comment about that is of course welcome and appreciated for an exchange of opinions :-)
 

Gandalf, that's a very interesting set up. I wonder how much contribution is made by the Bose speakers connected as A left/right. Did you try simply substituting the JBLs for the Bose speakers as A left and right?
 

Anonymous
Don't you people get tired of talking about this kenwood 6070. Every time I read this forum I see the same questions all over again. Hellooooo! don't you people know how to read or how to operate an audio equipment? I can't beleive this trash. The 6070 sucks!

Denon Rules!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
 

Jim Costas
What the F*** is wrong with this Denon guy?
 

Susan Martin
Greg, thanks for the feedback. Do you suggest 2 different setups, one for theater and one for music? Maybe I'll use the Bose A16 for the home theater and B&W for the music. If I do this should I connect the B&W to the Kenwood VR605 receiver which will provide the music for outside or add another 6070 instead? My budget is $6000, not including the TV. I appreciate any suggestions, as I obviously have no idea!

Thanks,
Sue
 

Kerry Lane
Denon? LOL! $10 says this guy is some spankster who is jealous, and doesn't have anything better than to do than to read what all of us living the good life have to say. hehe

Think about it. If someone had a Denon and was happy with it, would he be hanging out on this forum? LOL!!!
 

Eric Powell
I heard rumors that Yamaha and Sony are developing a new DSP chip based on 2.4ghz technology that will be capable of handling new surround sound formats like SDDS. Does anyone has new information?
 

G. Van de Lay
I got my 6070 last week from 6th Ave. and have been very satisfied so far. I bought a Kenwood DV-605 DVD player Saturday from BB and can't get the 6070 remote to control the DVD player. Has anyone else had this problem? The 6070 manual list 2 different codes (805, 808)and neither one works.

I haven't had any problems getting the 6070 remote to recognize any of my other components (JVC DBS & TV, Toshiba VCR). I would think that if the Kenwood VR-6070 remote can control other companies components it would surely work with another Kenwood product.

So far I haven't been able to make it work. I know I can make it "learn" from the DV-605 remote but that shouldn't be necessary. If anyone knows whether this is a design flaw or a faulty remote please inform me.
 

Caesar Cardona
Well, Eric:

Sony could be launching SDDS (Sony Dynamic Digital Sound) in upcoming months on their new line of receivers but this format still exclusively to theaters. I think Columbia/Tri-Star DVD's are likely to have the new SDDS flag since Sony owns the 2 film companies and also SDDS is a proprietary sound format from Sony. This format is almost like Dolby Digital exept that SDDS use an array of 5 front / 2 surround and sub woofer speakers. We have to see and wait if Sony will make some new changes for home theater application because of new formats like DTS-ES & Dolby EX. Movie lovers are getting into 6.1 & 7.1 but SDDS is the only true 8ch digital format set-up with a specialize decoding process for Left center and Right center channels fully discrete. Right now Sony has no current plans to develop a consumer version of SDDS. I just heard rumors that Sony is thinking very seriously in the introduction of SDDS for home theater application as soon as 2004 since DVD's and home audio equipments are taking America by storm. So this means SDDS could be the real contender for rival formats like DD EX & DTS-ES. Regarding to the DSP based on 2.4ghz technology I heard this will be future for home theater. This chip can process all audio format up to 16 channels (you heard right), High Definition T.V. & High Definition DVD signals with ease.
 

Eric, relax. There's always something new in development or on the horizon, but when you are an early adoptor, you pay a lot more and find that there's not much media to take advantage of it. Heck, I'm still wanting more media to take advantage of EX and ES DSP modes!

Well, I finally made my decision on what receiver to buy to combine with my Pioneer 811s and multiple-EQ setup. I have chosen the Sony STR-DA4ES 7 channel-amp receiver for just over $600 at jandrmusic. One of the big reasons I chose it was the feature of multiple EQs (3 band & 2 band with frequency and gain adjustments) for different speakers AND other EQs for the DSP modes. I might be able to tweak it enough so that I won't need 3 external EQs and 2 receivers to adjust to my taste, and may be able to get by with just the Sony DA4ES and one external EQ (and use the external EQ just for CD and DVD-A where I can fine-tune better than the built-in EQs.)

If not for the built-in adjustable EQ's, I most likely would have gone with the Kenwood VR6070 for $200 less. If I can sell a couple EQs, and maybe my old receiver, I'll actually come out ahead with the DA4ES.

Thanks everyone for your feedback. VR6070 will continue to be one of the receivers I recommend others check out.
 

Susan,

Does Bose A16 refer to Acoustimass 16? I looked at the Bose web site to find out about these. The information there is quite vague about specifications. There are many user reviews of the Acoustimass 15 speaker system at
http://www.audioreview.com/Main+Speaker/Bose+Acoustimass+15/PRD_119191_1594crx.aspx
and the first few that I read are very unfavorable. I didn't see reviews of the AM16 system. Because Bose speakers generally are by reputation terrible, because of the bad reviews of the AM15, and because the VR-6070 does not go well with small satellite speakers since it has a fixed 80Hz crossover, the Bose system seems to me to be a very bad choice. B&W speakers, on the other hand, have a very good reputation.

I don't think you should set up separate music and HT systems. Just one good system.

There is a good reason for buying your 7 main speakers from a single manufacturer, so they will match in timbre, but the subwoofer can be chosen separately. There are many highly regarded subwoofer brands, among which SVS and Hsu stand out as fairly economical. The Hsu VTF-2 has gotten very good reviews, though I'm not sure it's big enough for your room. Surely, though, it would be much better than the AM16 subwoofer.

I'll suggest again that this thread of this forum is not the best place to get advice on speakers.
 

Gandalf
Greg (and Susan),
if I had, instead of a pair of old 2-way JBL, a pair of brand new 4-way full range B&W, then I would just run them alone on the B output: there's no need to use the subwoofer with such a pair of loudspeakers. But since, for the moment, I don't want to spend money, I'm happy with my setup. as I said, I don't like listening to music using 5 speakers and dsp modes or pro logic.
I wouldn't connect the JBL speakers as L and R front for two reasons:
1.they are too powerful in respect of the center (and the surrounds, but mainly to the center), or better (to use technical words) they don't have the same dymamic as the center, which would lead to the voice coming from the center being overwelmed by the main soundtrack coming from the 2 front speakers.
2.choosing stereo I would run the front JBl speakers and the subwoofer, missing the mid-range frequencies from the two front Bose satellites; the JBL can provide mid-low and high but lack in low (provided by the subwoofer) and in mid (provided by the Bose).
But still, if I had those B&W than I would certainly run them alone on B for music and Bose alone on A for movies.
 

Gandalf
One last word about Bose and the 80Hz.
It is true that the receiver does not go well with small satellites, BUT...
First of all we have to specify which Bose system, because the new ones are slightly different from the old ones
I have an Acoustimass 10 SERIE III, which has a subwoofer completely different from the SERIE II.
The system works this way: the satellites are ALL connected to the subw AND the output from the receiver (5 + the LFE) are connected to the subw as well. The subw, collecting all the 5+1 output makes its own processing on the signal to reproduce correctly all the low frequencies and send to the satellites only the frequencies they can drive. Actually on the manual there is written "IF THE RECEIVERS HAS A CROSSOVER, SET IT TO 80hZ".
I think this should end here the "Bose is crap" issue. it might not be the best for music but is very good for HT. that's way i added an extra pair of stereo loudspeakers.
And by the way: none of what is said here is crap, so just ignore whoever is trying to be a professor.

Cheers.
 

Rim
I had previously posted that 7 satellite speakers and a sub run by Kenwood 6070 does not form as good a soundstage for music as a pair of Polk SDAII driven by Adcom amp/preamp (250W). I still stand by that statement, but the gap is closing fast now that I have discovered a flaw in my 7.1 setup.

EXTRA! EXTRA! READ ALL ABOUT IT!

EVERYONE, you must run AVIA or some similar diagnostic tool on you system to calibrate and adjust the speakers. I though I got red to red and black to black on the speakers, but I must have goofed. (In retrospect, it's easy to get tangled up when you are running wires all over the room to connect 7 speakers, 4 of which are wall mounted) According to AVIA I was out of phase between the fronts and the surrounds. I switched the plugs on my right front speaker and, PRESTO, every thing just clicked. Actually, I still had to adjust the volume (with a sound meter and all)and check the subwoofer.

Once I got every speaker set correctly, not only in volume but also in phase, I am hearing a world of difference. Before, with one speaker out of phase, I had to keep my sub volume way down to avoid excessive booming. This, in turn, meant that I was losing alot of sound just below 80Hz. BUT NOT ANYMORE! With all speakers in phase, I am able to set my sub at proper power level (between 1/3 and 1/2) and it's great. On AVIA diagnostic, I didn't lose any signal between 120-40Hz. Overall, music in CSII is much more cohesive and clean.

With 5.1, 6.1, 7.1 or even 2.1 speakers, it is CRITICAL to get the phase right. Kenwood's speaker tone test does not check phases bewteen speakers. I suppose you can also double check polarity on all your speaker connection for this, but it is nice to be able to test the speakers after they are connected. AVIA is absolutely worth the $35 and I swear i don't work for them. I will report further improvements.

Happy Sounds,

Rim
 

Tina Ferrero
Hello:
My name is Tina, I'm 25 years old and this my first time in this forum. My brother gave me a birthday present and for my surprice it was a Kenwood 6070 digital receiver. To be honest I love dvd's but I don't know how to much about home audio, so I went to electronic store and I brought some vr-speakers including a sub-woofer & surround speakers from Boston Acoustics, they gave me a great deal (I think). I went back home and did all the set-up, but I'm not getting any sound from the sub and center channel, also I would like to know if the optical cable is better than a coaxial digital cable. Thanks for anyone that would help. Girls can also have fun with men toys.
 

I have played around with set up for a month now and still don't think it's right. Can any one help?
I have a Hitachi 53SDX20BB high definition TV, Magnavox MDV450 DVD player, and Kenwood VR6070 receiver and am hooked up to HD cable. The receiver has two component video inputs; one labeled DVD and the other labeled video 3. All the inputs for the receiver are: DVD/6CH, CD/DVD, PHONO, TUNER, VIDEO 1, VIDEO 2, VIDEO 3, MD/TAPE, AV AUX. The TV has two component inputs labeled 4 and 5.
The receiver has optical inputs labeled: Optical CD/DVD, Optical Video 3. The receiver also has two coaxial inputs labeled: Video 2, and DVD/6CH.
Now to connect. I connected the DVD to the Receiver's Component DVD and the Optical from the DVD to the receiver Optical CD/DVD. So far so good. The receiver's component Monitor Out is connected to the TV Component input 4 or 5 (I don't think it matters.) The only component input left on the receiver is Video 3 which I connect to the cable box. Now a problem. The cable box does not have an optical out, only a coaxial out which I connect to the receiver Coaxial Video 2. So to get a picture I have to be on Video 3 and audio is on Video 2. I have connected everything through the TV and it works but the switching is a pain.
Please show me if it is possible to take all components through the receiver. Thanks Clyde
 

Greg Lee
Tina, lucky you to have such a brother. Optical and coaxial digital cables are the same (but people argue about this). Are you getting the receiver's calibration tone from the center speaker? If not, all I can think of is to recheck the speaker wire connections and swap speakers around to see if the center speaker is functional.

Clyde, I think you want to avoid switching video through the 6070, since you'll lose picture resolution. The 6070 switches are rated only to 10MHz -- HD signals require more. Can you hook up all your video signals directly to the TV? I know, that means you have to switch TV input modes as a separate operation, which is a pain.
 

Dexter Carter
Rim, I'm a little surprised to hear you had wired your speakers out of phase. This is EXTREMELY important for 2 channel stereo. If you wired them out of phase, it will absolutely kill those large wavelenght (the low frequency bass.) I learn many years ago how to easily double check this simply by moving the balance from left to center to right and back to center. The center position should have the most bass. If the bass drops off, then you know you're speakers are out of phase. AVIA is a nice utility, especially for HT where you are factoring in a lot more variable.
 

Susan Martin
Gandalf, thanks for the input. I am posting my speaker issues on the speaker thread. I am at least informed on the receiver now. Confused, but informed.
 

Thanks for the reply GREG
I was looking the Audio Authority 1154 switch which states," Bandwidth 100MHz @ -3db " and yes conecting everything to the TV creates switching problems!
 

Dexter Carter
HD signals require a minimum switching freq of 27mhz (I think this is the freq mentioned at Crutchfield), but many suggest using a receiver with 50mhz video switching to make sure there is not visible quality loss.
 

Punisher75
got my 6070 a few days ago from B&H for $424 including shipping... set it up and things seem to be working pretty well... I have the old school Bose Acoustimass speakers and they sound good to me after tweaking the settings on the 6070. The only problem I've encountered is getting the digital out on my Audigy 2 soundcard to be recognized by the 6070. The digital out from my dvd player is recognized but not from the Audigy 2. Anybody have any info on this???
 

Anonymous
I was planning on buying a 5.1 receiver as i plan on only using 5 speakers. After reading this thread, am wondering if I should go for 6070 instead 6050 even though I may never use the 6th channel? What other (other than 6th channel) features/improvements/quality does 6070 have over older kenwood receivers?
Thanks
 

K-MAN
Great board for the vr-6070! :-)

I am deeply saddened that the vr-6070 as some people claim, is going to be discontinued, they still advertise the vr-6070 on kenwoodusa's site?

Anyway, so am I fond on the Kenwood, well so far. A revelation came to me when my college who sits in the cubical next to me bought the vr-6070. We conversed and he said, "yeah I am having sound issues, I have to change the input select when I don't get sound from the speakers..."

Oh My! I am having the same problem. Mine is that when I surf using my digital cable which is connected to the receiver, fyi I have the receiver set to auto, on some channels sound does not come out? The only way I get the sound back is, I go up or down one channel and then sometimes the sound comes back, what gives?

Anyone having the same problem?

I bought my receiver from B&HPhoto great price great company

Thanks
 

JasonK
Before asking a question that has already been discussed twice, how about reading the entire thread first????

These auto detect problems happen with a lot of receivers.
 

K-MAN
JasonK,

Just finished reading, wow! your right...

Oh, is this a feature or a bug?
 

Greg Lee
K-MAN, it's a bug. I dropped email into the question box at Kenwood's web site a week and a half ago. No reply.

My $30 Aura Bass Shakers arrived yesterday from Parts Express. I hooked them up in series to the 6070's 6th channel amp, and they work fine.
 

brian moser
hi got a comment possible question here
when watching movies and had the choice of dts or dolby digital i always chose dts because i believe it's superior over dolby digital.but with the 6070 it seems that the dolby digital sounds just as good or in many cases better than dts.i;ve had several other recievers and always dts blew dolby away but it almost seems just the opposite with the 6070.has anyone else noticed this?or is it just me?
p.s.dts-es6.1 in that mode still kicks any mode including thx-ex
 

Anonymous
Has anyone wondered if the (7.1) Back surrounds preamp connections work in stereo or just mono? Well I'm here to tell you they are stereo. I've got a multichannel amp to the back and side surrounds to take the load off of the 6070's internal amp so it will not heat up as bad. Only in Dolby Prologic II I have found that when you set surround Re-mix on that it produces stereo back surrounds. I realize it's a matrixed stereo but cool none the less. Best music to listen to are song's like (Money) from Pink Floyd. I have my DVD player connected both in digital and analog. I have the DVD player Coaxial Output to the Reciever's DVD/6CH Input for digital, DVD player RCA analog Output through my EQ. to the Reciever's CD/DVD Input for analog. The EQ. helps a lot on the midtone that that the 6070 puts out at a louder volume when I play music.
 

Greg Lee
Yes, I did wonder. When I was debating buying the 6060 or 6070, I asked around about whether the signals to the back surround pre-outs were always the same, but noone seemed to know. Since the side surrounds in DPLII are chorused, perhaps that means the left and right back surrounds are derived respectively from the left and right side surround signals.

Thanks for the information.
 

Tim P
Sound and Vision Magazine's review of the 6070 said that the levels were off and they needed to be adjusted up 3db for the center and surround speakers. Do most of you seem to be able to get a better all around realistic sound with the speakers all set at 0 for level or as the S&V magazine said?
 

Greg Lee
Tim, balanced levels depend on your speakers, their placement in your room, and your listening position. They are not going to be 0 except by extraordinary coincidence. I believe the way to interpret the remark from S&V is that if you use the 6070's calibration tones and set the speaker volumes to equal loudness at your listening position, you will find that the levels for the surrounds are 3db too soft.

I did use both the 6070's calibration tones and the calibration tones from the S&V Home Theater Tuneup dvd and I did find the difference the review refers to. I couldn't say whether it's exactly 3db. I didn't compare the realism of the sound, but I just assumed that the HTT calibration tones were correct.

Balancing speaker volumes by ear is very difficult, and the Radio Shack sound pressure meter is easily, easily worth the $35 it costs. If you are doing it by ear, however, when you're comparing loudnesses, close your eyes and try to ignore how far away the speakers are.
 

RNBfan
i want to get this reciever, but if i do i wont have money to get some good speakers for a couple of months, can anyone tell me that if i get this cheap set of klh speakers

http://www.bestbuy.com/detail.asp?e=11083653&m=1&cat=15&scat=23

will it damage my reciever?i dont want to fry my reciever because of speaker mismatches, i need to find a heap solution to my speaker set, while i save for floor standing ones. i was thining about those klh ones.

so can anyone tell me, will these speakers work fine on this kenwood reciever? or will it kill my reciever because of impedence/frequency mismatch, sorry, i dont know about all the technical stuff so i need your help guys.

also, i noticed that the speaker level settings reset to 0 when powered off, is this a glitch?
 

Hello, everyone. I've been lurking and reading this huge list of messages in amazement. You guys and gals definitely know more about this than I ever would. Here is my "long time listener - first time caller" question for you.

I can get the Kenwood VR-6070 from 6ave.com for $393 shipped. Are they good, there? How good of a deal is that?

Also, as a gift, my dad gave me 2 boxes of JBL N28 speakers, so 4 in all. If I were to match these speakers with the Kenwood VR-6070, would it probably work pretty well? I plan on purchasing a JBL N-Center II speaker as well, eventually going to full surround sound in my set-up. Am I on the right track? Thank you very much!

Paul
 

Greg Lee
Paul, I bought my 6070 from 6ave. No problem ordering it or getting it delivered (except UPS to Hawaii is expensive -- $70). I don't fully understand the warrantee issue. 6ave says they are an authorized Kenwood dealer, and according to the dealer locator on the Kenwood web site, it is true that 6ave is an authorized dealer for New Jersey. However, Kenwood doesn't include 6ave in their list of authorized *internet* dealers. I ordered mine by phone.

I've read positive comments on those JBL speakers.
 

RnBfan
i dont understandthis warranty thing, so if i were to buy this from best buys, this reciever would not be covered by the manufacturer warranly? im confused!!??
 

Shadow
Hello all...

A few questions for everyone here... I am upgrading from a JVC RX-8000 to a Kenwood 6070 (its shipping now). First of all, is this true 6.1 sound or is the rear center a mix of the 2 rear surrounds, like pro logic? Also, will the component switch on the 6070 handle HD signals? I understand HD requires 30MHZ bandwidth and the kenwood component inputs are only 10MHZ.

Oh yes 1 other thing... on my rx-8000 i ran a splitter from my sub channel to a 2 channel DJ amp to power my subs... dont do this. After about 8 months a noticed a hum coming from my sub channel... turns out I messed up the sub output on the rcvr. Switching over to a Samson F1200 bridged amp powering 2 Pioneer 15" car subs (wired in series) in a bandpass box.
 

G. Van de Lay
Paul R.

I got a VR-6070 from 6th Ave about 2 weeks ago and recommend them whole heartedly. It will probably be the best $393 you'll ever spend.

The N28's and N-Center II should work just fine. I use the N-Center, N24's for surrounds and backs, along with a pair of JBL Century 100's for the mains and am very happy with the results.


Don't worry about the warranty issues that Greg Lee raised. Before buying from 6th Ave. I called and emailed Kenwood and verified that they are an authorized Kenwood internet dealer.

Enjoy your new system!

GVD
 

Greg Lee
Kenwood lists Best Buy as an authorized internet dealer (but check the kenwoodusa web site), so there should be no warranty problem there. (And I'm not saying there is a warranty problem with 6ave.)

The back surround is the 6 in true 6.1 on the 6070 for DTS ES matrix or discrete and for DD 5.1 EX; for 2 channel surround processing with Circle Surround 2 or Neo 6, it is of course derived. It can also be derived in other modes using the receiver's "SURR MIX ON" setting.
 

Anonymous
Best Buy has the Kenwood on sale this week for $449.00. I'm very tempted to buy because I want to upgrade from my 1977 Kenwood KA 7300 integrated amplifier which finally bit the dust after 25 years. Yes, it's been that long since I've upgraded.
To be honest, I'm not sure what I want but this AV Reciever seems to be quite popular, or so it seems from reading this message board. I have yet taken the plunge to dvd or hdtv. I'm still listening to record albums and cd's and watching movies on a vhs recorder.
I've been reading this board and it's interesting that so many of us have different speakers, but I haven't read anywhere anyone having my speakers. I have 2 Celestion DL8's (impedance 8 ohms, amplifier range 10-150 watts, sensitivity range 89db) and 2 Celestion 3's (impedance 8 ohms, amplifier range 10-60 watts, sensitivity range 86db). I'm curious as to how these would sound with this reciever. I know I would still have to buy a front and back center speaker and probably a sub-woofer. Am I thinking proper here?
Another question, especially for those of you who listen to music (seems most of you bought this reciever for movies), how does it sound for record albums and cd's.
When I purchase this reciever, or some other new reciever, I also plan on buying a dvd player. As I stated earlier in this message, I don't have hdtv yet and probably won't for a few years, so I'm guessing you smarter people would tell me I don't need progressive scan, right?
Anyway, sorry to take up so much space on here for stupid questions, but I'm new at this.
 

JasonK
When everything is set flat, your speakers won't sound much different from one amp to the next. Not many receivers have tone control for the dsp modes.
 

Dantejay
Great stuff on this forum. I love this receiver! I also went through the annoyance of realizing that my DVD player defaulted to DTS off, and everything worked great re: DTS & DD after changing the setting. I run this through a complete set of HTD Level 3 speakers (4 towers w/ center & sub, would like to rave about these speakers too but that's for another post!)
CD music plays great also, for those that are concerned. I think music sounds even better when using the receivers CSII setting. Try it!
 

Anonymous
RNBfan
KLH HTA-4906 6-Piece Home Theater Speaker System should work O.K. in (5.1) - still short one rear speaker for (6.1) - if movies is your only use for this speaker set, but for music you would need a larger floorstanding or tower speaker to get full depth out of your music. You would be demanding a lot from a 50 watt subwoofer to do this. All my speakers are floorstanding with 12" woofers, because all channels are full bandwidth in digital so I get a fuller sound out of both movies and music. I have two 12" powered subs. One sub in front set at 150 HZ and the rear set at 50 HZ. The THX subwoofer test on movies like Starwars gives me a panning effect front to rear. Sorry for rambling, I've got a lot of time invested in my setup to get maximum performance.
 

dave
can anyone help me?

This just started happening with my remote...

When I push CABLE for the remote mode...then I push the channel up button (or down)..the channel changes, but the remote suddenly switches to RCV again..Let's say I want to watch channel 56....I push "5" and the cable box shows my 5 and then the remote mode switches to RCV before I can push the "6"..

Anyone have this problem...I'm sure I'm just an idiot and it's easy to fix...

thanks
 

dave
Well...I told you I was an idiot...

I just changed the crappy panasonic batteries that were 2 months old for new Energizers...

BINGO!!
 

Gary S
RNBfan:

I picked up two KLH speakers for my rears, they look like the cube speakers in the picture they work fine with my 6070. Of course I do have a pair of 25 year old Pioneer HPM100s for my front rt and front lft and an Eosone center speaker. Never have added the sub yet as the PIoneer's go great with the low end. All in all a wonderful receiver.

Gary S.
 

RnBfan
i just got the 6070 and its sitting in my room, waiting, i cant use it yet, all i did was pulg it in to see if it turns on and unplugged it hah.

i was going to get the klh cube speakers, but i did a listening test at the store, and they sounded horrible, the satelites, sound as if there was a sheet of paper covering the grill of the speaker, sounding muffled, and the subwoofer sounded like it was burping hah. i got a headache actually, so i think ill just buy good speakers piece by piece and totally forego these klh speakers.
 

Mainframe
Where do you buy AVIA and has anyone used "Ultimate DVD: Platinum" to set up their speakers and Video?
 

Bob W
I am seriously thinking about buying the 6070 from Best Buy this week for $450. I am upgrading from a Sony Pro Logic surround system I got in '93(no digital decoding).I was going to get the whole Kenwood home theater package with speakers for $400 with the satellite speakers, but have reservations about the small speakers and weak subwoofer. So I am leaning more towards the 6070 and going with my old speakers. I have Kenwood tower/floor speakers from '88(and still sound great), and have older Sony center and rear surround speakers I got in '93.

Here's what I'm wrestling with. Do the satellite speakers sound better with today's receivers? Should I just keep my existing speakers? Will I still notice a sizable improvement in sound from my existing set up? And how about connecting a dvd player, an Xbox, a Gamecube and an N64 to the Kenwood 6070? Is it possible with all those inputs on the back of the 6070 instead of routing through a cheesy switch box? That's one of the things that is making me go with this model. I could live without the N64 hooked up to it, but would really like to have the rest hooked up directly. I am also disappointed with the THX filter, hearing the truth about it. It sounds like something I wouldn't want to use with my setup.

I realize the new models will be coming out next month, but I don't have the cash for those anyway. Is the 6070 really a good buy? I read most of this thread and it seems so, but I didn't really see anything that was close to my situation that answered my concerns directly. Also, would it be a good idea to purchase an extended warranty from Best Buy? And one more question. Does the 6070 have Midnight Mode featured in many receivers today?
 

Greg Lee
Bob, do keep your old speakers. The advantages of satellite speakers are small size and low price, not better sound. You will notice a sizable improvement over a ProLogic-only system.

For switching all the video devices you have, you will need to depend on switching among input modes on your TV, since the 6070 does not convert one type of video signal (component vs. S-video vs. composite) to another. If you need to know more about whether the 6070 has enough switching for all your gear, you should say more about your TV and just what audio and video signals you need to switch.

The 6070 does have Midnight Mode -- I think all DD receivers have this.
 

Tony
Is anybody running HDTV through thier component inputs? Supposedly they are non HDTV compliant just standard RGB.
 

Greg Lee
Bob, do keep your old speakers. The advantages of satellite speakers are small size and low price, not better sound. You will notice a sizable improvement over a ProLogic-only system.

For switching all the video devices you have, you will need to depend on switching among input modes on your TV, since the 6070 does not convert one type of video signal (component vs. S-video vs. composite) to another. If you need to know more about whether the 6070 has enough switching for all your gear, you should say more about your TV and just what audio and video signals you need to switch.

The 6070 does have Midnight Mode -- I think all DD receivers have this.
 

Tim Robinson
Just wanted to make clear any questions about using this receiver with a HDTV. This is from Crutchfield.com:

Component Video Bandwidth

The bandwidth available to send component video signals to your receiver. You'll need bandwidth over 10 MHz to pass on progressive-scan video without noticeable softening of the picture. And for HDTV signals, you'll need bandwidth in the upper 20s or higher to avoid noticeable softening of the picture

If you are ever want to have resolution gretter than 480p then this receiver is not for you.
 

Bob W
Thanks, Greg. My TV is a 32" Magnavox purchased in '96 I believe. It has one S video input and one set of RCA input/output each. I am currently running everything to the RCA component switch box, with S video going straight to the TV, and the rest come off the switch box to the VCR, then to the TV. All sound goes to my receiver from all inputs. To watch S video feeds, I switch the TV to S video. To view the rest of the feeds, I turn the TV to ch.3 and the VCR to input and view through the VCR.

I hope I'm making sense. I'm not very well schooled in audio/video lingo and what is what. I know S video and RCA component input/outputs, and that's about it.
 

Greg Lee
Bob. I don't understand what "one set of RCA input/output each" means. Each what? Does this refer to audio left/right inputs or sets of 3 component video inputs. How many switchable input modes does the TV have? (Two?) Does the "RCA component switch box" switch component video signals? (I guess not.)

If the TV has a composite video input (does it?) and an S-video input, but no component video inputs, I don't see any difficulty in having the 6070 do all the switching for both audio and video. (Except you'll still have to switch TV input modes to go between composite and S-video signals.) However, this assumes your TV and VCR both have three RCA connectors for audio left+right and composite video. You can't connect an antenna-type RF signal through the 6070.

The kenwoodusa web site has downloadable .pdf manuals, and there are connection diagrams in the manuals, in case you didn't know.
 

John Hackman
Tuesday, October 15, 2002 - 02:00 pm
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Has anyone got and tried the free DVD demo from Kennwood? They use to give it free but I don't know if they still do. You will get new product info as well as THX sound demo and music demo. Great to test your Kenwood receiver... You may request it directly at Kenwood.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

FELLOW VR-6070 OWNERS: lend me your great knowledge. Has anyone else besides our beloved John "the longest thread on the net" Hackman been able to get their hands on this above mentioned "THX Demo DVD" ???

Emailed Kenwood three times, no reply. Called, but was bounced around like a game of PONG. Went to the THX.com site, and found out that Kenwood should provide this Ultimate THX Demo DVD to owners of THX Certified products. It's one bad azz DVD, just search eBay - it sells for over $200.

I registered my receiver, but no confirm email. Site indicates that the registration was accepted.

Any suggestions, Kenwood contacts? Anyone able to just burn me a copy? I'm tired of doing the program edit on THX DVD's I rent/own, in order to blast the THX trailer more than once.

Thanks,
Roger
 

csantelman
Bob, Let me describe to you how I accomplished video switching with my 6070.

TV - composite & s-video inputs
Sat box - composite & s-video output
DVD - composite & s-video output
VCR - composite only input/output

Based on information from this discussion group, the 6070 can switch either all s-video or all composite only. Meaning if your inputs are coming into the receiver as s-video - the output from the reciever will be s-video.

If you look at the list of my components, that was going to be a problem for me with the vcr not having s-video. What I ended up doing was purchasing two of these (http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=3010813237&category=15066) to change my composite input to s-video at the reciever.

This eliminated the need to ever switch the inputs on the tv, which made the family happy!
 

4 Speaker sound with/Cassette tape deck. When I run my stereo cassette deck thru the vr6070, I can only get the rear speakers to work on the CSII Mono setting. They aren't very loud with the CSII Music setting, and they're silent with most of the others.

Is there a setup problem? ALSO: I have two HUGE Peavea PA speakers I'm using on the front, but theyr'e only 4ohms each. Will this cause the unit to overheat? Can't get an email answer from Kenwood (thru their website).
 

Greg Lee
Pastor John, does "rear speakers" refer to the side surrounds or the back surrounds? The back surrounds will give sound (1) from DD 5.1 EX or DTS ES sources, (2) using CS2 or NEO6 mode from 2 channel analog Dolby surround sources, (3) using the SURR MIX ON setting from DD 5.1 or DTS 5.1 sources, or in PrologicII mode from analog Dolby surround sources. At least, I think that's right. So you should get some sound from stereo cassette tapes also in NEO6 mode or by setting SURR MIX ON in the speaker setup menu.

I think it's possible that the 4ohm speakers might couse overheating. Rest your hand on the receiver to see.
 

Mainframe
I also would love to get a copy of the THX Demo DVD. If you read the following note from THX unfortunatly it was never intended for Consumers.

http://www.thx.com/mod/company/demoDVD.html

Where did you hear/see that it came with Kenwood recievers?
 

Has anyone connected the Audio Authority 1154 to the Kenwood VR6070?
Why I ask is that when I make the connections,(DVD,Cable Box to the AA for video,audio from the same components to the AA, and audio out to the receiver)the only way I get sound from the surround speakers is when the input is in the DSP mode. Other modes like Dolby Digital, THX etc. do not produce sound to the back speakers. Any one know how to correct the problem? Thanks
Clyde
 

Caesar Cardona
A sound preassure meter is an important piece for every audio aficionado. It will let you get the right tonal balance for every speaker. Calibration always must be done every time you change speakers, wires, audio component such as dvd's, vcr and cd players also even if you change your home theater from one room to another. The environment will also affect the equipment tonal balance. Why? very simple, is because every audio/video component and speakers have a different output level by factory. Some people tend to do this by ear but you will never get an accurate sound distribution and balance. There is no difference between 1db+ but you'll definitive will have a difference between 1db and 3db+. To explain things more likely decibels are part of the receiver amplification, as more space you have in a room more decibels are necessary to gain amplification in a bigger environment. For example every receiver should be set with a master volume reference (-20db in most receivers otherwise consult your receiver manual for details) and the sound pressure meter should read 75db in all channels. In theaters the calibration set-up is 10db higher (85db) because of the size of the room and accoustics. How many of you have gone to a showroom demostration and listen to a particular A/V receiver and when you decide to take it home everything from that awesome sound effects that you were listening now they sound as cheap as a $2.00 headphones from Wal-mart? I think everybody. You should listen better ambience effects and channel separation with a good calibration process.
Recommendations: Radio Shack Sound Preassure meter (analog or digital)
A tripod for the SPM (for better level readings because body precence will affect the SPM readings) Avia or Video Essentials calibration disc. P.S. This Vr-6070 Forum still going strong thanks to everybody.
 

Caesar Cardona
A sound preassure meter is an important piece for every audio aficionado. It will let you get the right tonal balance for every speaker. Calibration always must be done every time you change speakers, wires, audio component such as dvd's, vcr and cd players also even if you change your home theater from one room to another. The environment will also affect the equipment tonal balance. Why? very simple, is because every audio/video component and speakers have a different output level by factory. Some people tend to do this by ear but you will never get an accurate sound distribution and balance. There is no difference between 1db+ but you'll definitive will have a difference between 1db and 3db+. To explain things more likely decibels are part of the receiver amplification, as more space you have in a room more decibels are necessary to gain amplification in a bigger environment. For example every receiver should be set with a master volume reference (-20db in most receivers otherwise consult your receiver manual for details) and the sound pressure meter should read 75db in all channels. In theaters the calibration set-up is 10db higher (85db) because of the size of the room and accoustics. How many of you have gone to a showroom demostration and listen to a particular A/V receiver and when you decide to take it home everything from that awesome sound effects that you were listening now they sound as cheap as a $2.00 headphones from Wal-mart? I think everybody. You should listen better ambience effects and channel separation with a good calibration process.
Recommendations: Radio Shack Sound Preassure meter (analog or digital)
A tripod for the SPM (for better level readings because body precence will affect the SPM readings) Avia or Video Essentials calibration disc. P.S. This Vr-6070 Forum still going strong thanks to everybody.
 

Roger
Mainframe-

I included the post I was talking about at the top of my post. John did a few posts regarding this demo DVD.

As for consumers, you need to go back and re-read. It's not for the general public, you are supposed to be able to request it from your component manufacturer.
 

Roger
Here's a sweet Hacker collection of THX & DTS goodies I found. The guy is really cool, if you buy one let him know I sent ya!

http://home.insightbb.com/~thx1999/wow/
 

r.wheatley
Great info. In 2 weeks I will able to put a system together for the 1st time in 10 years. Am I
looking at a Kenwood 6070 and adding a Bose Accoutimas 10 speaker system. Is this a good
direction for home theater and music listening.
Would it be best to wait for the new Kenwood
2003-04 models.
 

meek
the dvd is made for display purposes at the store not for home use, i doubt youll get one unless you manage a major electronics store hah
 

Greg Lee
r.wheatley, audiophiles hate Bose systems. There are 302 reviews of the AM10 at
http://www.audioreview.com/Main+Speaker/Bose+Acoustimass+10/PRD_119191_1594crx.aspx

It you do decide to get it, according to the comments at Home Theater Spot,
http://www.hometheaterspot.com/htsthreads/showflat.php?Cat=&Board=UBB90&Number=311212&page=0&view=collapsed&sb=5&o=&fpart=1
you'd probably want to add a subwoofer. Also, there's some question whether the 6070 would have enough power for the AM10.

There is some info about the new line of Kenwood receivers above in this thread, as I recall. Not much different -- the remote buttons light up, which is nice.
 

Jasonk
"A sound preassure meter is an important piece for every audio aficionado. It will let you get the right tonal balance for every speaker."

Of course to change the tonal balance (rather than just the volume level) of each speaker, you would need EQs for every channel - preferrably 1/3 octave as well as parametric.
 

Punisher75
Greetings boys and girls... I'm having some issues with my 6070 and thought I'd see what the collective has to say about them. My setup has my Apex DVD player inputting into the DVD/6ch input of the 6070 via both the Digital coax and the standard RCA inputs. I have the old school Bose acoustimass system with two sets of cubes and the sub along with a Polk center channel speaker and some off brand speakers for my rears. I do not have a separate sub as the Bose system has enough bass for my tastes. Technically though I only have 5 speakers setup(L,C,R,LR,RR). I should say that I am getting very nice sound coming out of these speakers. It takes a little tweaking of the settings but movies and music can be made to sound equally great. So what is my problem? The Apex DVD player outputs DTS and Dolby Digital. I set the Apex to output via the digital coax and I set Star Wars Episode I to play in Digital 5.1. So, why doesn't the 6070 indicate a DTS or Dolby Digital signal is being input? I do get fantastic sound with Neo6:cinema and I have sound coming out of all my speakers. But, the 6070 doesn't indicate DTS or Dolby Digital. Thoughts??? Recommendations??? Any help is appreciated... thanks all.
 

Greg Lee
Punisher: When the DVD is playing, does the 6070 panel display show "coaxial" input? If it shows "analog", change the input mode to digital manual or full auto. If you haven't checked the options on the DVD player's setup menu, change the output mode to bitstream and enable DTS. If you've done these things, and you still don't see "coaxial" on the 6070's display, check the connections. If the 6070 still won't go into DD or DTS mode, then I don't know what else to do.
 

Punisher75
Greg I do see coax... if I select dolby digital in the dvd menu the 6070 recognizes it as coming from the coax... if I just select dolby surround it comes out analog and the 6070 auto-detects it as analog. Those things work. The 6070 just doesn't display DTS, or Dolby Digital like it should. I mean I'm assuming I'm getting the decoding because the sound comes out the speakers and all. I just don't know why the display isn't reading what it should...
 

I'm having a similar issue. I bought the 6070 this week, and spent today setting it up in a 7.1 config. I ran through the test tones and verified all 7 speakers working properly. I popped in the EP2 DVD to see how it would sound, and noticed that it wasn't recognizing the Surround EX and not using the SBL/SBR speakers. It correctly recognized the digital coax, Dolby Digital, and THX, just not Surround EX. It showed the speakers in blue on the display, but just no signal going to them.

I went through my DVD player menu and verified all the settings, i.e. Dolby Digital and DTS output enabled, and downmixing off. I checked the digital coax connection, which is a new Acoustic Research cable from Best Buy. I backed out to the DVD menu, and made sure to select 5.1 EX from the sound option menu. Tried again, still no luck with getting EX on the receiver. Backed out to the DVD menu again and ran the THX optimizer. Worked perfectly...got the tone out of the speakers when their turn came. Tried playing the DVD again...but still no Surround EX. Played around with the manual input selection, but it was auto selecting correctly anyway, so it didn't help. Used the THX button to force it into Surround EX mode, but it still showed no input to the rear speakers. I verified that their is indeed no sound coming from the rear speakers. It's only during the DVD's THX optimizer and the receiver's test tone routine that I get anything out of them. Haven't tried any other DVD's yet, which is my next step, but I'm really stumped as to why the receiver won't go into EX mode for the movie, but everything else that could conceivably be leading to it checks out just fine, and the rear speakers do work using test tones and THX optimizer.

The DVD player is a Sony, about 3 years old. Since the EX isn't a discrete channel, but carried on the SR/SL channels, am I correct in assuming that the age of the player shouldn't matter, so long as it has 5.1 output?

To ward off any of the obvious questions, here are some of my receiver settings:

1) 6ch amp = off
2) Surr mix = off (also tried on for kicks, but no difference)
3) Front speakers = large w/ SW remix = on (also tried nml/thx w/ SW remix = off, but no difference)
4) All other speakers = nml/thx
5) Rears are run off a Sony stereo receiver

My theories so far are:

1) AR doesn't make very good digital coax cables, and I need to exchange it for a Monster cable.

2) DVD player doesn't recognize EX encoding and/or isn't outputting the digital signal properly.

3) DVD has a defect.

4) Receiver has a defect.

I'm getting ready to go back downstairs with some more DVD's and work on eliminating (3). Does anyone else have any ideas of what might be going on?

Thanks in advance,
Steve
 

Follow-up:

1) I was mistaken on the THX optimizer. I thought I was hearing the rear surrounds when the optimizer showed them selected. However, it was playing the tone through both side surrounds instead.

2) I tried EPI, EPII, LOTR, and Signs....none of them will activate the THX Surround feature of the receiver. Even when forced into this mode, it does not send a signal to the rear surrounds.

3) I had bought two of the AR digital coax cables the other day, so I swapped the cables and also reversed signal direction. No difference. I then swapped from the DVD/6ch coax input to the Video 2 coax input. No change.

I may go to Best Buy tomorrow to select a progressive scan DVD player, and pick up some Monster digital coax and optical cables. I think this would eliminate everything but the receiver.

If anyone thinks this may be a receiver setting issue, I'd appreciate your help in getting things squared away.

Thanks,
Steve
 

me is a audio noob
does anyone know if i can hook up two powered subs to this reciever at the same time? and not damage or overwork the reciever? sorry im new to audio, and i just wanted to have a sub in front of me and behind me. my room dissipates a lot of the bass the acoustics of my room is horrible.

how is it possible to make this reciever into 7.1?
how did you do that? sorry for the dumb questions, i just got this reciever, and its just sitting there, i still havent gotten the speakers for it yet.
 

Greg Lee
Punisher: You didn't say explicitly whether you selected "bitstream" in the DVD player's setup menu. Did you?

The 6070 can usually not recognize DD EX. To be sure you have a problem with EX, you have to listen for the back surrounds when you have manually selected DD EX or THX EX on the 6070. And also, of course, you have to be playing something that does have EX content. When I put the 6070 into DD EX mode and listen to the calibration signals on the Home Theater Tuneup DVD, I do hear the back surrounds, clearly and unambiguously.
 

Punisher75
Greg, I noticed two SPDIF choices... Raw and PCM... which one would you classify as "bitstream"? I have it set up for PCM... I will try the Raw and see if that helps... will update... thanks
 

Punisher75
Greg, I got it taken care of... switched it to Raw mode and voila... Dolby Digital... thanks a ton... now I have to play with it and see what the difference in sound is
 

Greg,

You've been a big help. I was getting ready to go to Best Buy to get some different cables and decided to check the message thread first. Went downstairs to give it one more try, and sure enough, putting it in THX surround manually gave me sound through the rear speakers, even though the display doesn't show any signal going to them.

IMO, that's one of the few weak points of the receiver. If you're going to have indicators, make sure they work properly. Also, on the bottom row of speakers, there's a little gap between the first and second speaker. Below the gap there's an "S". On a couple of occassions, like in DVD menus, I've seen it go into stereo mode, and show FL, FR, SW, and S. Is the "S" supposed to be some sort of virtual surround mode, giving you something from the SL and SR even if there's no discrete signals encoded for those channels? Not a big deal, just curious.
 

Greg Lee
Steven: I don't think the 6070 is at fault in not lighting up an indicator for DD EX. It probably does light up when the source has a flag properly identifying it as EX. Due to a rather involved technical mixup, many DD EX DVDs are not properly flagged.

I guess the "S" icon means monaural surround. There was some discussion about it earlier in this thread. It lights up for Dolby ProLogic (1 not 2) processing mode, and sometime for the digital signal I get for the Encore channel on digital cable. So I think it can be either a matrix derived channel (analog) or a discrete channel (digital), and the same signal goes to both side surrounds.
 

Anonymous
It is possible to split Subwoofer Output for two Subwoofers. Put a spliter at the Subwoofer RCA out on the reciever for better response rather than daisy chaining one Sub to the next. I have one in front, a front firing and one in the rear behind my couch which is adown firing. Front I set the crossover to 150HZ and rear I set the crossover at 50HZ. Through one output I get a panning effect depending on the Bass Frequency. Starwars DVD has a THX Test for the Subwoofer Check it out.
To get 7.1 you need a External Amp. connected to your rear (Back) Surround outputs on your 6070. At least a stereo Amp for rear (Back) Surround Left and Right. Some people use old recievers to accomplish this, but I find the volume you must turn the stereo reciever up to produces a lot of THD (Background Noise). Hope this helped ------------------ Audio Noob
 

stevenmh
Greg: I don't disagree with you on the DD EX indicator and the DVD flags. I wasn't really referring to the indication of input/playback mode, but rather to the blue/white speaker icons. I think it's very confusing to have an indicator that's not consistent...I'd have saved a lot of time the other night if the icons hadn't been there at all. I verified during the receiver setup test tones that the rear speaker icons were lit when the receiver sent a signal to them. I then verified during non-EX THX playback that the icons were NOT lit when the rear speakers were NOT playing. I therefore assumed, not unreasonably, that from that point onward, I no longer needed to keep getting up and walking over to the rear speakers. I stayed at the receiver and let the rear speaker indicators be my guide as to whether anything was playing through them. So when I manually put it into THX EX Surround mode with the SW DVD's, and the icons remained unlit, it never occurred to me to go stand under the speakers and make sure that the display was providing accurate information.

I realize that some DVD flags may not be present or may be in error. However, regardless of input/playback mode, the 6070 knows that a certain number of speakers are physically present. It knows when it's sending a signal to them, especially the rears using the pre-outs. One could make the argument that since the rear speaker(s) isn't a discrete channel in a 6.1/7.1 setup, that it's appropriate for the speaker display to only show a 5.1 speaker setup during 6.1/7.1 playback. However, that argument would also apply to the speaker setup test tones, and therefore preclude the need for the rear speaker icons to be present at all. I seems like it would be an error on Kenwood's part that the rear speaker icons are lit SOMETIMES when they're playing, and also sometimes not lit when they're playing. But this is my first surround sound setup of any kind, researched in less than one week and set up in one day, so maybe this is standard.

I'm not trying to bash the 6070. I love this receiver, and find it amazing that I was able to buy a brand new THX-certified unit at my local Best Buy for $450. I'd recommend it to anybody, and already have. I just think the current interface and user manual have some bugs, and plan to email Kenwood about it so they can make improvements on future products.
 

audio nOoB
speaker/reciever decible compatibilty issues ....

noob question alert!!


i just got the kenwood thx select 6070 reciever 100 watts per channel, and i was considering the onkyo 6 piece speaker set they sell for 200 dollars or so everywhere 100 watts max power handling,

the onkyo speaker decible levels are 85, which bothers me since i see most speaker decible levels are at 89 and up

the kenwood reciever is low current i believe,(i dont know if itll affect decible compatibilty)

but, i want to know if these onkyo speakers will overwork the kenwood reciever since their decible rating is so low, i dont want my reciever to have an early death before i can upgrade to jbls which have like 91 decible ratings or something.
 

Greg Lee
I don't claim to have any great understanding of this high vs. low current business, but I don't know of any specific relation between low sensitivity (which I guess is what you're talking about) and high current demands. Speakers that demand high current are those whose impedance is low for some frequencies. Since the VR-6070 has respectable power for receivers in its class, I don't see why it would have a problem driving comparatively low sensitivity speakers.
 

Anonymous
How can I use my old reciever for 7.1 I know the surround back preouts go to it, but im not sure what input to plug them into. Does it matter? Thanks for any info.
 

Anonymous
Hi everybody,
I just bought this unit a few days ago and can't wait to try it out (have not had time to hook it up yet). Since I can't afford an amp right now for 7.1 (any cheap suggestions?) I want to wire two speakers in series to the 6th binding post. My question is how do you exactly do this? Also is there any danger of damaging the receiver? Do the speakers in series sound better then the single channel? Thanks!
 

brian moser
hi anonymous-i have wired two speakers in to the back surround terminal to get a broader back surround experience.it works great and have had no problem with the receiver.sounds much better with 2 back surrounds for more of a 360 experience
 

Greg Lee
In using an old receiver to amplify the SBL and SBR pre-outs, I don't see why it should matter which of the receiver's inputs you use. I'm using AUX inputs.

To connect two speakers in series, connect the receiver's positive binding post to the positive terminal of one speaker, connect the receiver's negative binding post to the negative terminal of the other speaker, then connect the remaining speakers' terminals to each other (negative of first speaker connects to positive of second speaker).
 

Anonymous
audio nOoB, I have this receiver with the Onkyo SKS-HT500 you are talking about. I am very happy with the combo. Just make sure you buy some decent speaker wire as opposed to what comes with the Onkyos. Add the SKB-100 matching center surround speaker, and you have a great sounding 6.1 setup.

As for your decibel question, I have had no problem. The speakers certainly don't tax the receiver and I have plenty to spare in the volume department. My viewing room is 16'X 24'X 8'. I can't handle the volume higher than -15db and I like it loud. In fact, The Lord of Rings DVD rattled the clock of the wall when Lord Sauron implodes/explodes at the opening battle scene at -20db.

One word of advice. Check www.shoponkyo.com on prices before buying them from Circuit City. I bought the 5.1 speaker set a few weeks ago at CC for $286. If you set up an account with shoponkyo.com, you can get the SKS-HT500 shipped to your door for $255 plus another $10 off for setting up a new account. $245 is a good deal!

If you want the center surround speaker and want to be really frugal, don't order it till you recieve your SKS-HT500. You will get $2 off for ordering with them $5 off when you register the HT-500. The whole 6.1 speaker system will run you $278 this way.

Make sure you have some space because these speakers aren't tiny. I use omnimount steel 10.0 ceiling mounts for all the surrounds. Good luck.
 

audio NoOb
anonymous, ive decided to forego the entire onkyo speaker package (hey have them here at frys for 200) and order jbl studio/northridge speakers instead, jand.com has them for a lot cheaper then my local BB, so i think im gonna get those instead of onkyo. thanks for the input though!
 

Hey guys great forum! I just picked up the VR-6070 from 6th Ave for $377 (not bad eh =)). I want to get all necessary components before actually hooking it all up. So I have a few questions for you. I have seen a lot of people recommending speaker wire from knukonceptz.com. The speakers I am going to be using are Sony's. I have 4 2-way bookshelves for FR, FL, RL and RR (they are the equivalent of this years SS-MB100H --100watt, 8ohms). Also plan on buying another pair of them for surround backs (so I can get 7.1). I then have a Sony center speaker (again equivalent to this years SS-CN495H --150watt, 8ohms). I am thinking of ordering 100ft of Klear Kable Blue 12 Gauge Speaker Wire for all these speakers. Does that gauge sound about right?

All speakers have a frequency range of 80-50,000hz. The VR-6070 filters out SW above 80hz. So I should be okay if I hook up my sub (180watt powered) to the SW preout and set its crossover to 80hz, right?

One more =). Is there any problem with my center being 50 watts over the VR-6070 max power output? Will it cause any damage to the unit or speaker? Okay that's all for now. Thanks for any help provided I really appreciated it =).
-Mike
 

Greg Lee
12ga speaker wire is more than adequate. Don't set the sub's crossover to 80Hz, since you don't want two crossovers; disable it or set it to the max. There's no problem using the 150W speaker -- it tolerates 150W, but doesn't require it.
 

Greg,
Thanks for the info I just ordered the speaker wire. So I should turn the cross over all the way down or up? I thought I needed to set it to 80hz so I could get all the frequencies under what the bookshelves can't handle since they are only 80hz and up. Also any probs with plugging the powered sub to the back of the receiver? This way it only has power when the receiver is on. Or would it be to much for the receiver to handle (180watts 20" woofer). Thanks again for all your help.
-Mike
 

Hi, I saw your forum and you excited me to the point of going out inmediately and buying my own 6070. I had a Technics receiver that worked fine but didn't come with prologic. Ok my set up is like this

kenwood 6070
2 jbl control 5 front speakers
2 jbl control 5 sl, sr
1 jbl control 1 front
1 jbl control 1 sb.

Now my concerns are as follow:

Is there a way to keep the tones, bass and treble working with digital signals?

Is there a way to work the receiver with an extra equalizer(monitor)? (since I use an external art equalizer and bbe sound maximizer that improves sound greatly).

Why do the set up that i currently have sounds so weak compared to thew way it was before with my old technics receiver...

What is the best set up in this case...

Do i need to buy another speaker to make the pair for sb?

Well thanx in advance for your help...
 

Greg Lee
Mike, assuming the sub is connected to the receiver using the line output, low level, then you will be using the receiver's crossover. That's why you don't need or want to use the sub's crossover, also. (However, if you connect the sub in series with your front speakers using speaker wire, then you will be using the sub's crossover.) If there is no way to disable the sub's crossover, dial it all the way up.

You probably don't want to plug the sub's power cord into the receiver, which may not be able to handle that much current.
 

Greg Lee
edgarin8: The tone controls don't work with digital signals, except for pcm. I don't believe you can use a separate equalizer, but you might look earlier in this thread for Rex Carson's description of his plans to equalize, using another receiver as amp.

There's no need to be in a hurry to buy another speaker (or two); it's nice to have back surrounds, but they don't make a huge difference in the sound. I don't know why your set up should sound weak, but if you haven't yet bought a Radio Shack sound pressure meter and used that to calibrate volumes, I suggest you do that.
 

Greg,
Yeah I can not disable the crossover. It is either 40hz or 180hz, so I will just turn it all the way up. Thanks again for the help, when I finally hook it all up I'll let you know how it worked out.
-Mike
 

JohnD
I just purchased a 6070 and a DVD player.

For the digitial audio connection between the two components, should I use coax or optical cable?

Thanks,

John
 

dantejay
JohnD-- By using the optical cable for your audio you eliminate any impedance issues associated with coax/copper cabling. I've tried it both ways and I feel I get the "cleanest" signal from optical. Using optic also eliminates an additional "ground loop" possibility (causes sub-woofer "hum").

Thanks for keeping this post active, all. You've helped me "tons" on a few tips and tricks with this great receiver!
 

Thanx Greg Lee, I read some reviews and I sadly comfirmed what you told me. But this morning, after 5 hours of setting up the sound of my home theater last night, I woke up to find out that the sound is amazing, specially for the bass. I think I wont go back to my tecnnics because the surround sound diference would be to noticeable. I will see what I can do for the cabling you mentioned using an aditional ampli. By the way, what is the price of those sound pressure meters that you mentioned...
 

Greg Lee I checked you posted this :

No, Mark, your manual wasn't a lemon. Mine is like that, too. I've also gotten the underwater pipe effect, but I've managed to tune that away, or so it seems to my ear. The distance/delay setting for the center speaker is critical, in my system. Just one foot or millisecond off either way, and it doesn't sound right. That also applies to the delay setting in CS2 mode.

Mine also has that feeling, how do i fix it?...
And what is cs2
 

Greg Lee
The Radio Shack SPM is $35, about. I saw it was on sale recently for $29.

"cs2" is for Circle Surround Sound II, one of the surround processing modes (available only for analogue or pcm signals).

I don't have the "underwater pipe" sound for DTS or DD, only for analog signals sometimes. I've swapped around my center speaker, elevated all my speakers to ear level and brought them out from the walls, fiddled with delay settings (as I mentioned), set the dimension setting for PL2:music mode all the way to the front, turned off the speaker/active equalization. I don't blame the receiver for this difficulty; it's my speakers. I'm looking forward to buying one or more Axiom M2i speakers in a month or two. Then I expect the sound to get much better.
 

Thanx Greg, this is what i did to overcome the eq problem. I used the technics receiver to power the front speakers through the pre front output of the 6070, and the technics allows me to use the loop monitor to conect the equalizer and maximizer. I just hope i am not loosing digital sound in the process, although it doewsn't seem to be that way because now the sound is superb. Is this the way you meant when you said to read about using another receiver as amp?...
 

Anonymous
edgarin8: Any signal out of the preamp outputs is analog. The receiver decoded the information from the source component, which sent digital data through a coaxial or fiber optical cable to the receiver. you could connect a EQ. up to the preamp output and then from it to an amp instead of looping it through the tape monitor of your old stereo receiver. If you had a multichannel amp able to power seven channels you could run EQ's after each preamp output then to an amp. External amps produce less distorion than using old stereos or older prologic surround sound receivers with multichannel inputs due to the fact that you have to turn the volume up so high to get the performance you would desire.
 

Thanx for the feedback. There is something I couldn't get straight though. How can i get the signal of 7 chanels into one receiver if there is only one input at a time, cd, video, tape, etc, or you mean that there are receivers that accept simultaneous signals in various inputs,(7 in this case), and process them separately... something like a dvd with 6 outputs that conects into a receiver with 6 inputs. And what do you mean by external amps... And finally,
"you could connect a EQ. up to the preamp output and then from it to an amp instead of looping it through the tape monitor of your old stereo receiver"
will there be much diference in this case?. Why i conected it this way is because i use the old receiver to listen to music with the front speakers and i can use the eq with it. If i do it the way you say i wont be able to use the eq unles i send the signal from the 6070 and that would be to much. of course you know better than i do because i am new in this stuff. But your comments are wellcomed.
 

daniil
hi everybody
i bought my vr6060 in january but only 2 weeks ago i bought front speakers so now i have
front Polk audio rti 70
centre Polk audio csi 30
rear Polk audio r20
sound is great with music ( some music sounds better with stereo some music sounds better with surround) movies, and computer games.i have enough bass without subwoofer
i think both vr 6060 and vr 6070 is good especially considering money they cost now
i'm using regular speaker wire 12 gauge for front and 18 for other speakers
thanks everybody for helping me to choose this receiver
so far my major complaints goes to radio
1 no memory for stations, if you unpluged it you gonna loose all pre set stations
2 no rds even though on pictures on the kenwood website you can see RDS sign on front
3 no clock and alarm.i just like to wake up with music
4 you can not enter the name for stations
and the sad thing is Sony micro system i had in Russia 7 years ago have all of this ,is it that hard to do this now
but just like to complaint
just play with you reciever and you will find wright settings for you
thanks for you time and have fun with you reciever ( music that sounds great on his reciever is Metallica with the San fransisco symphony orchestra, Pink Floyd "Dark side of the moon", movies LOR , Die Hard trilogy, Armageddon, games Gran turismo 3,Metal Gear Solid 2 ( the only thing is even though you can switch game to 5.1 setup it's not changing to dolby digital on reciever)
what else can i said enjoy
 

I've done tons of research on Audio Receivers and after reading all of the posting Q & As I decided to go with the vr6070 over the Harman Kardon ARV525. I picked it up from ABC Warehouse for $319.00 - no kidding! I merely asked the store manager if he would sell the 'floor model' and he agreed. It came with everything, including the box. It was on the floor for only a few weeks and no visible scratches or damage. I'm sure I'll be visiting the board more often once I hook it up. Great discussions, great site!
 

Anonymous
bought mine couple days ago and i am not satisfied, I would return it but i can only exchange it for something else since they have a no refund policy, and I dont need anything just yet. So if anyone is interested for the 60 70 and live in the toronto area reply to my post or send me an email...

padresincabeza@hotmail.com
 

Greg Lee
daniil: RDS is only available on the KRF-X9060D, for the UK, according to my manual. The support for FM does seem perfunctory, but then probably a fair number of US customers are like me and don't even use the radio tuner. I get FM stations over cable TV with better reception than I could ever get over the air. I'm glad you're enjoying your 6060, despite its shortcomings.
 

Greg Lee
Ah, sorry, I should have said RDS is on the KRF-X8060D, the UK version of the 6060.
 

daniil
Greg Lee
thanks for feedback that what i was thinking about picture on web site you can clearly see RDS
i have question for you about bass shakers you bought are they any good? and is that a big difference in sound quality between 5.1 and 6.1.right now i have 5.0 but thinking of adding 6th chanel and may be bass shakers but not a sub.thanks
 

Anonymous
How do i turn the surround on manually?
Any comments about bass shakers ?
 

bellman
Glad I found this site...new bookmark! I'm thinkning of getting a 6070 from a Kenwood factory store...it's refurbished but with full warranty.
 

Greg Lee
daniil: I really like my bass shakers. I have reservations about using them without a subwoofer. Ideally, you want to both feel and hear the bass. Feeling it without hearing it makes it seem artificial. I didn't think I needed a sub, either, until I got one.

For me the 6th (and 7th) channel speakers are only marginal improvements. But I have hardly any EX/ES material to play, so that's why.

Anon: Playing a 2 channel source with Dolby surround, you turn on the surrounds by selecting a surround processing mode with the "listen mode" buttons on the remote. Playing a 5.1 source, the surrounds should start playing automatically. (Is that what you meant?)
 

daniil
Greg Lee
thanks man.
i have really good front Polk Audio RTI 70,with more than enough bass,so at list now i dont need a sub.i'm living in a condo so i dont think people next to me will like even more bass.how you connect bass shakers, to sub output?
thanks
 

Anonymous
yeah, thanx Greg Lee
 

Greg Lee
daniil,
Since I'm using my old receiver as amplifier for the two back surround speakers, I have the 6070's 6ch amp free to use for the bass shakers. So I have "6CH AMP" set to "SW", the corresponding positive binding post connected to the positive of one bass shaker, the negative binding post to the negative of the second bass shaker, and the negative of the first bass shaker connected to the positive of the second bass shaker.
 

Thinking of picking up the Panasonic DVDS35K. It is packed full of features and only $99. However it lacks a digital coax, just optical. It does say the optical supports dts and dd tho. Anyone one have this unit or any suggestions? Thanks.
-Mike
 

Jim Morris
Is anyone using an RCA>digital coax converter from their TV tuner to the Video 2 digital coax in? I do not use a cable box, and thus am stuck with using the audio outs from my TV set for the TV audio...Any benefit by using the RCA>Digital Coax converter, or is it just a waste of money?
 

Greg Lee
Jim: Sounds like a waste of money. A digital signal can preserve more audio fidelity, but it has to be there to preserve. Converting from analog to digital can't put back information that's not there in the analog signal.
 

Jim Morris
Thanks Greg-that was what I was thinking...on a similar thread:
My TV only has a composite RCA video in...can I use my s-video from my DVD into the Rec., and then the composite monitor out to my TV...also, if I am using composit in for my VCR, how does that affect my video connections?
In a nutshell, can I mix composite and s-video input on the Rec. and have them be output via the composit monitor out to my TV, or should I use one of these s-vid to composite cables that I have seen out there.
BTW: Just got my 6070 2 days ago, and LOVE it, just looking to set it up the "right" way....
Thanks for all the great posts on this forum-they were a huge help in my decision to go 6070 over the Pioneer vsx-d811s!
 

Anonymous
Any problems with stacking the units? Like a vcr or dvd on the kv-6070. I am kind of lacking space.
 

daniil
Greg Lee thanks man for information i'll gonna check price and see how cheep they are
by the way Polk Audio have promotion if you gonna buy speakers worth 499$US(or 799$CND) they gonna give you free sub you may check at www.polkaudio.com
ANON i dont have a lot of space also so i put my VCR right on top but it wasn't enough so i raise it about 10cm so feels ok now not getting to hot, but the funny thing is if you gonna read manual it said you need 50cm!!!! from top i dont think it's possible in most stands
 

Very helpful forum!

I am contemplating between getting the VR6070 or the yet to be released: VR7060, 7070 or 7080. It is important that the remote control be RF capable, which the VR6070 has, but I would prefer to get one of the new models. Can anyone in the know (e.g. Mr. Tim Cardona or others) confirm whether the new models will be RF capable such as on the VR6070.
 

jim Morris
Just tried out LoTR:Fellowship Extended Edition last night to see the difference between DTS and DD...Wierd thing happedned: If I setup the DVD to use DTS 6.1 audio signal, and had the rec. set to DTS:Discrete, all I got was a really annoying squeal from all speakers! switched to DTS:Matrix, and sound was fine! Anyone have this problem?

My setup:
vr-6070:
Passive sub through 6ch amp
No 6ch hooked up (yet)
Optimus Lineum bookshelf speakers for mains
Optimus Center Chan.
Optimus "dual cube" surrounds
Sharp dv-701 DVD player.
 

edgarin8
Just browsing the net I came along this website. They list the 6070 as the 3d top selling a/v receiver just after 2 denon receivers...

http://products.consumerguide.com/cp/electronics/browse/index.cfm/type/prod/id/11597.htm
 

Jim,
I am not an expert but I think your problem is you have a sub hooked up to the 6th binding post. In order to get 6.1 discrete you need a rear center speaker, you have a sub instead. So you only have 5.1 sound. However I am not sure why DTS matrix works as it also needs a rear center, only difference being it is not a separate signal like discrete.
-Mike
 

Greg Lee
Daniil: www.partsexpress.com for 25W Aura Bass Shakers at $30/pair.

Jim: I don't understand the squeal. I suppose LOTR does actually have a DTS discrete channel? My LOTR is not the extended edition, so I can't try it. Mike is wrong in thinking you can't play DTS ES discrete or matrix without a 6th speaker hooked up. If you just inform the receiver that the SB speaker is "off", it should downmix the 6th channel information to the side surrounds.
 

Well like I said im not an expert. Just figured I would give it a whirl, jeesh. =)
-Mike
 

Well like I said im not an expert. Just figured I would give it a whirl, jeesh. =)
-Mike
 

Sorry did not mean to post twice.
-Mike
 

John
I've been lurking and learning and now I have a question for the borg! Of course after much review, I too am now a 6070 owner - thanks for all of your help and direction!

Question:
What are your thoughts, warnings and solutions for HEAT and COOLING?

I have a common TV entertainment shelving unit and it includes the equipment rack with glass door and cardboard backing (with punchout patterns.) I have a list of equipment stacked in the unit (including an extra receiver/amp for the SBL/SBR) and it get's hot in there!

The physical space requirements in the manual are not releastic for a standard rack. I was able to leave only about 1 inch headroom and only about 1/2 inch on either side of the unit.

I have the VR-6070 at the top inside of the shelving unit. Then the VCR and cable box underneath. Then the second lower shelf has the 2nd receiver and the bottom has PS2.

I know it's best to keep the equipment as cool as possible. I was wondering if anyone could recommend a very quite fan unit. I had better look in the manual for the operating temperature and place a thermometer in the unit to know exactly where the temp is. I think that some basic air flow will help.

Please post any experiences or suggestions in this thread.

BTW - I went to Radio Shack to but the analogue sound meter for $30. When I got there I saw the digital meter next to it for $50. Instead of buying a new meter (that would not have been needed very often anyway,) I went home and used my laptop (w/Microphone.) With the LED display in a recording application and using test tones, I was able to balance the 6070 just fine. :-)

Thanx again all!
 

danjaymor
John, same problem here regarding heat, and am also interested in any tips and hints. I was looking at the fans at Radio Shack and am considering setting one/installing on the back pressboard, not sure about controls yet but wondered about a thermostat.
It hasn't caused a problem yet with the receiver, but I definitely operate with the doors open. My wife forgot to do this the other night and I did get a heat warning message from my sattelite receiver, which is located above the VR6070 in the same cabinet. Not good!
 

rim
John and Danjaymor,

I had the same problem. I had one of those enclosed base accomodating up to 32" TV. To fit 6070, DVD, CD, amp for 6th channel, and DirectTivo, I took out the shelf, basically tore out the back. They all fit,(Satelite was on top of TV) but it was getting way too hot, and I was worried that 6070 would eventually cave in a slimline Philips DVD. As I was upgrading my TV to a 36" tube HDTV (very heavy) I got an open TV stand with a glass shelf. I actually chose a tube tv not only for picture quality (I can't afford plasma) but also for its ergonomics. Most projection TV's have stands with small enclosed space for components, and I don't have the space to put side shelves. I now have a lot more space and surprisingly clean look -- you really can't see any wires and cables. I even have room to add more stuff in the future. Because it has no walls and just posts, it looks smaller than its actual 38" width. I highly recommend open shelf style.

Rim
 

G-DawG
I am considering buying a Kenwood Vr-6060/70 and I am wondering everything in this forum is about hometheater, Is it good for music too or just home theater, like loudwise and bass response.thnx
 

danjaymor
Thanks, Rim, I'm sure it's an airflow problem, and I'm looking at ways to set it up accordingly for my room. I am curious if anybody else out there has also encountered this and can think of and alternate solution.

G-Dawg, I use this receiver for music more than anything else, and find it extremely clean sounding and versatile for the various audio discs I use (both cd and dvd-audio). It's got plenty of power for whatever type of speakers you're driving. I am experiencing my heat problems mentioned above when "cranking the tunes", but that's because I'm using it in an enclosed cabinet.
 

G-DawG
ok Thanks i think i am gonna buy one most likely when they blow them out because the new models are coming out mid-april.Good buy Pioneer ElitE!(check my post on why it sucks so much!)I am just doubtful because the horrid experiences I have had with Kenwood,(vr-509)it was VERY bad with music but im putting my 800$ on danjaymor's post (and the other 1134!)
 

Hey I finally hooked everything up and wired all speakers with knukonceptz.com 12ga wire. I just have 5.0 up right now but want to get the 6.1 going eventually. It is auto detecting everything fine also. However I have to turn it up to -50db before I start to hear the faintest sound. I have it around -30 -20db for normal listening, movies I go higher around -15db. Is this normal? It just seems odd that there is a big silent gap between -80db and -50db. Thanks for any advice.
-Mike
 

Anonymous
Whenever audio type switches (dd, dts, etc) i get a scrolling message that says dialnorm offset 4+ db. Any idea what it means, i can't find it in the manual? Thanks.
 

danjaymor
Mike- I see the same ranging on my volume set, have not played around that much @ -50db (probably 'cause I don't think I hear anything), and when I dial it up to -20db +/- it's as about as loud as I need/want it to be without pissing off the neighbors!

Anon- I get the same scrolling message, I'm no help, I assumed it was a "volume override" flag coded in the dvd for referenced volume for the movie. This is on a movie, right? I don't get the message when playing CDs. Anybody else have more light to shed on this?
 

danjaymor
BTW, regarding Jim Morris' post above in regard to a "squeal", there is a warning box in the manual near the DTS description that cautions that "noise" may be output when playing, it recommends that you use the digital optical connection for DTS, according to your post it sounds like you were accessing from the analog 6.1 inputs of the receiver? I'm just guessing, but it may be related. Sorry, don't remember the page number but remember reading it in the online posting of the manual on the KenwoodUSA website.
 

G-DawG
Ok, i just bought the vr-6070 but i think its a faulty one, I have it plugged into my dvd player(ps2), cd player and vcr, none of them work. I have the amp on max volume but still no sound from either speaker, I tried using coaxial, optical, and the 5.1 input,i even played around with everything, still nothing, am I doing something wrong? THNX lots
G-DawG
 

G-DawG
I am so mad i have tried everything if the amps are blown it better not have harmed my speakers.I dont wanna say by to Kenwood too because of one faulty unit but I hate stering at this reciever that doesnt work, I wanna see what THX is like and play with neo:6 and PL2 so plz help me im in desperate need h1pst3er plz! or whoever helps me add 10 years to your life span!
 

Jeffrey
G-Dawag, try resetting the 6070 by unplugging the power cord, holding down the power button and replugging it back in. But just hook up some analog CD player and the front l/r speakers and see if you can get those to work at a minimum. Do not connect inputs while the unit is powered, it will cause the internal circuits to trip up and get corrupt at which you have to reset to overcome.
 

Dion
I'm trying to record some audio via the 6070, I have connected analog rca cables to "video 1 rec out" and lead them to my computer line in port. I notice that I am able to record from all sources EXCEPT for whatever's plugged into video 1 input. How can I go about getting around this problem?
Thanks
 

Dion
Then again I may have plugged the analog rca cable into the "MD/Tape rec out" I can't remember which specifically. How would I go about the problem nevertheless?
 

Greg Lee
G-DawG, follow Jeffrey's suggestion. Also, with receiver turned off, disconnect everything, then reconnect one speaker, power up, switch to the FM tuner, and try to tune in an FM station. The idea is to eliminate as many things other than the receiver itself that could be going wrong. A shorted connection to a speaker, for instance, might be the problem.
 

danjaymor
G-dawg, have to ask: Is the "A" speaker button activated? Don't mean to insult, but you have to use process of elimination, it's highly unlikely that your receiver is faulty out of the box.
 

Brandon
First time poster to this BB. My DVD player is capable of outputting a 96 kHz PCM signal (pioneer dv-440). Is my Kenwood 6070 capable of processing this, and what would the benefit be? TIA, Brandon
 

G.DawG
Thnx anyways u guys but it WAS faulty, I took it back today to best buy after work(just got back)if anybody is wanting to get one gey one now bestbuy only has 500 wordwide left they are blowing them out for 379.99(were 599) they are not on the website anymore. Anyways once I got the new one back at my house it took me a bit to set up and then I put in my favorite DVD Pearl Harbour ,when the planes fly over your head and when they launch bombs at the battleships) i was blown away. my pro-logic reciever could not have done anything near this kind of audio THX does make a difference, or maybe its just Dolby Digital EX and DTS-ES compared to pro-logic(I was watching it in dts with the rear center matrixed)I am going to rent Star Wars Episode One right now so ill be back later tellin ya how much better it is than pro-logic!G.DawG
 

G.DawG
O ya i forgot to say I can actualy hear my rear speakers now what a difference!, And my sub works better then I thought it ever would! My Pioneer ElitE(and this post)was the reason I bought the 6070, but now off to blocbuster!
 

danjaymor
Right on, G-Dawg! Sorry to hear about the initial problem, but it's pretty fun, isn't it to hear those sound effects like you've never heard'em before?
 

danjaymor
Hey, Brandon, welcome to the board. It seems like on some of the previous posts that I've read you are better off connecting the DVD video connections directly to the TV and connecting the audio connections to the receiver. I've also seen direct video connection recommended on other audio/videophile websites. Doesn't matter how good the receiver is, the more devices connected between the video signal and the TV the more degradation you'll have of signal.
 

danjaymor
Duh---sorry...just dawned on me you were talking audio. Not sure of the specific specs but this is one nimble receiver at handling just about any current audio format you throw at it....I'm pretty sure that the PCM signal relates especially well to DTS decoding, my early opinion is that DTS seems to add just a little something extra to the sound quality than Dolby Digital.....okay...I'll now step off my soapbox and quit pretending to know what I'm talking about.....
 

Anonymous
Hi,
I have a gamecube hooked up to input 2. If I use s-vid the picture is black and white! Regular rca (yellow) works fine tho. I noticed when i first turn to the input on the reciever it is the right color for a split second then turn to black and white. Any idea why?
 

Hi,

I've had my 6070 since October, but have never actually used my Pioneer CLD-D604 Laserdisc with it. My problem is I'm not getting any Dolby Digital out of it. Yeah, I have the RF coaxial connected at both ends but playing DD discs like ToyStory or Star Wars SE, i don't get the DD option. I've tried connecting the Optical (according to the LD manual - it's just the stereo tracks) and made certain the LD is set to Digital Audio, but nothing.

Anyone have a suggestion?
 

Jim P
Ken, do you have the AC3 RF connected through a demodulator, or right to the reciever? You need a demod to hear any digital tracks on a laserdisc, except for newer discs with DTS.
 

Thanks for replying Jim.

No I don't have a demodulator. But I never had one with my old Kenwood Receiver (can't remember the model # but it was the first AC-3 model on their consumer line about 6 years ago - maybe longer) and it worked fine. What's changed between the years?
 

mike
I know that has been addressed before, but i looked at the earlier posts and tried most of the suggestion but nothing has worked, Any help would be appreciated. My 6070 will not recognized DTS dvd's. It defaults to DD in auto mode. I have the dvd player set to bitstream in the audio settings and it is connected to the reciever using a coax cable. I have a 5.1 setup with a passive sub connected to the 6th ch amp. SB remix is on. Are any of the setting wrong? I have tried manually but DTS is not an option. What am i missing?


Also could someone explain what the SW remix does?


Thanks
 

Greg Lee
Mike, my DVD player has an option in its setup menu to enable DTS. So, look for that.

SW remix is for directing bass to the subwoofer from speakers set to "large". With this setting, bass frequencies can potentially be played twice: by a "large" speaker and by the sub.
 

Jim P
Ken, Some older receivers had an AC3 RF demodulator built right into them, in fact some of the current flagship models like the Denon 5803 and Pioneer Elite 47 and 49 still do. Your other unit must have had this. None of the current Kenwoods, including the Sovereign series have one. You can usually find a demod on eBay. Pioneer, Kenwood, Yamaha, and Lexicon make one. I'm using a Kenwood DEM-999D with my 6070 and Elite Cld-79.
 

Anonymous
All

As posted earlier. Best Buy is closing out the VR-6070. Got mine for $379. Looking forward to hooking it up.
 

meek
are you sure anonymous? i called my bb and they told me its 429, i bought it for 449, i think ill go ask if i can get the 20 dollar price difference,

i looked on the website and the 6060 is 379 not the 6070, where did you get you 6070 for 379?
 

JT
Wow, talk about cramming in all this info. I finally purchased the 6070 from Crutchfield today. (5 different BB's all sold out) It cost me a little bit more ($20), but they're a reliable company. My question is one somebody may have asked earlier but I never saw any good recommendations. I was originally looking at purchasing the BOSE Acustimass 15 Series II system until I read a few of these messages. I'm looking for awesome sounding speakers without any of the crossover or tinkering problems you were all talking about. You see my budget with the BOSE, but If I can get better for less that's always a plus. Any thoughts?

Thanks,
JT
 

Dman
JT - in general what you need to avoid all of the tinkering issues that have been discussed (I assume you mean frequency crossovers, sub/sat blending) you need to make sure your front L/R and centre speakers play down to 80 Hz with no dip in volume ( -3 dB is the usual standard) If they do that then you can use the LFE output on the 6070 (it's cutoff is 80 Hz) and avoid 'alternative' wiring schemes that are required typically with small satellite speakers. If you shop around there are many speaker setups available. Find a salesperson you can trust to help you. One suggestion to check out is the Athena .5 system. For the price they are really quite amazing. They are like large sats or small bookshelf speakers with a very compact sub, and they come with the wall mount brackets. Hope that helps.
http://www.athenaspeakers.com
 

Jim P
JT, like Dman says shop around. Just remember, those cute Bose cubes only have a midrange in them and the bass module really only has woofers in it, not sub-woofers. There's a reason you won't find real specs posted anywhere, there's a couple of holes in the frequency range with the Bose system.

Surf a couple sites like, http://www.hometheaterforum.com , and http://www.avsforum.com.

Check out the speaker forums to see what people are recommending for different price ranges. You'll do much better for less than the Bose system. I have the AM7 and AM3 right now and I'll be eBaying those and looking into the Mirage Omni-sats that are being talked about at the AVS forum. I listened to a set today and I'm pretty impressed with the sound.

Good luck with whatever you decide.
 

Coondog
JT, I just bought a sub/ satelite system for my 6070....Energy Take 5.2. Very nice sound, great styling/ small. $1200 CDN They are not a mass-production speaker company like Bose, Infinity, or the bigger brand names. Instead, they are a top middle class speaker that will live up to the expectations of a home theatre enthusiast.


http://www.energy-speakers.com/take5-2/take5-2_speakers1.html
 

Anonymous
Hi, I have been reading the posts on the 6070 prior to purchasing as an upgrade. Looks like this is the unit to get. I have learned alot but have a few questions.

1) My DvD player is a Panasonic RV-31 with only optical outs. No digital coaxial. Will I be able to play DTS? I don't want to spend for a new player yet. Looks like most have had to hook up using both optical/coaxial.

2) I wonder about the various posts and reviews I have seen regarding heat build-up. I will be able to provide plenty of room/fresh air around the unit where placed and since my room is not too large I do not expect to be playing at extreme volumes.

Thanks for any assistance.
 

meek
dont get me started on bose, i used to think they were good, until i heard mirage and enerfy speakers, regarding performance over price is just ridiculous. with the price of an acoustimas 15 you can get a mirage omni microsats which use sound reflective omni polar techonolgy at a much higher level. aka better then bose direct reflect imo. they also use titanimum hybrid tweeters and drivers that arent made of paper, bose uses only paper drivers and have limited frequency range imo, the clarity in the micro sats beat bose accoustimass hands down imo
 

Jim P
Anon,

1) The Dvd/Cd connection on the back of the 6070 is an optical one, so you should be all set for both DTS and Dolby Digital tracks. The other optical is labeled for Video 2. The coaxial imputs are marked for Video 3 and 6ch/Dvd.

2) My 6070 is in an a/v rack with a glass door. It gets very warm to the touch, but so far I've had no problems.
 

Anonymous
What do you think abou the jbl control 5 for this receiver?
 

JT
Thanks for input on the speakers.

JT
 

Ok, doe anyone know much about the IR repeaters and Receivers for this? I see Kenwood has a IR-999 Transceiver for the unit for $300 (sad if you compare it to the pricing for the receiver these days) which I'm guessing will control something somehow.

Are there other alternatives?

I'm looking to control my other devices (e.g dvd player) from another room.

My older Kenwood Receiver came with a repeater (mainly because the actual remote didn't do the signal sending) that was strung across the room and assisted the remote in controlling the other devices.

Now the 6070's remote controls the devices fine on it's own, but for the Dual Room stuff all I can do right now is adjust volume/inputs and Receiver only stuff.
 

Jeffrey
Ken,

All you need is a IR stick on emitter like this one found at partsexpress.com
070-049 IR FLASHER w/6' LEAD
Smarthome.com has some as well. I have these plugged into the back of the 6070 and positioned to control the other devices and it works flawlessly. This, as I said in an older post, is an overlooked feature of the 6070 that even the high end units do not have.
 

G.DawG
Hey Guys sorry for the late posts but ive been toying around with my 6070 for a while and found 2 questions.#1 was already answered(sw remix) so heres #2.I wanna get the dts-es(im using E.T. the new dvd its recorded in dts-es)well I cant get dts-es the display says dts and only 5 speakers are working is it my dvd player do I need a new one?? THNX
 

meek
best buy does have this reciever on sale for 428.99

i got it for 450 and went there today since i got it 3 weeks ago, and they gave me back the difference, so i got an extra 22 dollars back.

cool, 430 for this reciever isnt that bad either.
 

Jeffrey
G.dawg, when playing the DTS track and DTS is displayed, press the listen mode buttons on the upper right on the remote to toggle between DTS, DTS ES, and stereo. Same works for Dolby to Dolby ES. If that doesn't do the trick, then you probably need to try a different bit stream out of your DVD which is accessed via the DVD root set up menus.
 

coondog
JT

Try this too:

http://www.home-theater-advice.com/www/speakers.htm
 

meek
hey, i noticed that when i raise and lower the volumes on the reciever it pops, it makes a strange click noise, is this normal for all recievers, is it because the reciever is low current?

or does this mean that my reciever is defective?
should i return it? i think i still have like 4 days left to exchange it but i think my local best buys is all out of stock, they were on clearance i think because kenwood is releasing a new line.
 

Anonymous
Hey for some reason i am getting bad picture from s-video. It will either be black and white or grainy. If i remove the connections and reconnect it sometimes goes away. Any reason why I have this problem? I am using good quailty monster cables.
Thanks
 

Anyone try Lord of the Rings? Was wondering if you got DD EX to auto detect. DTS-ES works fine, but no surround back signal for DD EX.
-Mike
 

Jim Morris
Jeffrey,
Do I need to get the IR reciever module as well? I have not seen anything that says the 6070 has a built-in IR reciever.....
 

Hey Jim,

Actually on Kenwoods site:

http://www.kenwoodusa.com/product/redirectFeature.jsp?goToUrl=product.jsp%3FproductId%3D2452

Under the General Features it lists:
- IR Repeater Outputs: 2
- IR Sensor Input

It's not needed if your controlling everything in the same room, but if you want to put the equipment in a hidden rack or control them from another room the IR repeater is handy.

And thanks Jeff!
 

Hey all, This is my first post, although because of coming here and reading what everyone has had to say about the VR-6070 I just went and bought one at BestBuy. (I got the last one hidden behind the masses of VR-6060's they had), and all I have to say is WOW!!!!, I used to be all about Technics, I thought they had the best sound for the money... but no more, Kenwood Rocks!! I have been looking at specs,watching posts, everything possible to make an educated decision on buying a new HT reciever, and all I have to say is NOTHING beats the 6070, or even comes close for the money!, I have a pretty big room in my house 19x36 no kidding, and my Technics model sf-dx7 just seemed to be overpowering in the front speakers and have hardly any sound out of the rears,(even in DSP modes) especially during Tv stereo broadcasts! but the Kenwood 6070 in any surround mode is far superior to anything I have heard. I have had none of the problems that I have read in these posts so far, (knock on wood), but my reciever is sitting on top of my entertainment center not in it, although this may not look the best it sure seemes to work the best, and to me thats what matters, absolutely no heat probs, even at -5db for hours on end Cranked!!. I am using two cerwin vega vs 100's as my fronts, all KLH as my center and surrounds and a cerwin vega v-12f as my passive sub, with a technics 2 channel amp running as a pre-amp to power my sbr and sbl speakers. (I know I have a choppy system, but I think it sounds pretty good for the $ invested).
if anyone has any questions or advise for me (as I dont know everything but have a general knowledge of alot) please E-Mail me.@HavinABud12@yahoo.com. look forward to hearing from ya.
 

stevenmh
Has anyone had any problems with using an active sub with the subwoofer pre-out? I've got an AudioSource SW Fifteen sub, 200W, connected with a Monster sub cable and y-adapter. It sounds good except during certain low frequency situations, such as the LFE channel on DVD's. I have to keep the bass peak management at -30dB, and can't turn the sub up past 25%, otherwise I get distortion with low frequency stuff. I can also reproduce the problem by playing the bass peak test tone...turning it up to -25dB is enough to cause distortion, again with the sub volume only at 25%. It's not very loud at all to be distorting...when Amidala's ship explodes in EP2, it'll cause the sub to distort with the receiver volume at -20dB and the sub volume at 25%, with bass peak off. I can get my cheap 15" Jensen front speakers to handle a -20dB test tone under the bass management before they start to distort. I've read tons of reviews on this sub, and the conclusion is pretty consistent...I should be able to crank it up way more than 25% when I've only got the receiver at -20dB during a movie.

When playing CD's, radio, or movies without low bass, I can crank the sub volume up all the way without any distortion. I previously had the sub connected to a stereo receiver, and never had it distort during movies, and the sub volume was at 50%. I've had AudioSource send me a replacement woofer, but that hasn't solved the problem. I ordered a 600W high excursion woofer from Parts Express and tried that today, and it still does it. It's either got to be the sub amp or the receiver output. I can send the subwoofer back to them and have them check the sub amp under warranty, but in the meantime, my 30-day Best Buy return warranty will expire. I guess I could send it back to Kenwood if it turns out to be the receiver, but who knows how long that'll take.

Is it normal for the bass peak test tone to be quite "rumbly"...ie. not a smooth, consistent tone, but rather a choppy tone that somewhat pulsates in volume? Somewhat like what you'd expect in a movie explosion, and therefore not surprising that it's during both the test tone and explosions that I'm seeing the distortion. It's during the "peaks" in the test tone volume that it really seems to distort. This is true whether I run the tone through the sub or through the front speakers. My guess is that the receiver is pushing the sub amp to the point of clipping...but don't know whether it's the receiver pushing too hard or the sub amp having a defect and not being able to handle a signal that it should be able to. As I said, the Jensen's are handling more output from the receiver right now than the sub, but then again, the speakers aren't amplifying the signal before playing it, so it stands to reason that they might take more from the receiver before gagging.

This is my first surround sound setup, which I've had for a month, and I just don't have the experience to immediately eliminate certain things. I'd appreciate any input you folks could give, and perhaps save me from returning a working component and instead point me towards the problem component. Thanks in advance.
 

On Sunday, March 16, 2003 - 07:14 pm

Daniil said:
-snip-
so far my major complaints goes to radio
1 no memory for stations, if you unpluged it you gonna loose all pre set stations
-snip-
- - - -
I was disappointed to see that because I always switch off the power strip into which my 6070 and computers, subwoofer, etc. are plugged. Saves a lot of energy. Testing this morning, however, reveals that presets are retained. I'm talking about preset 01 = 90.7 FM, preset 02 = 90.3 FM, etc. of course.
 

Anonymous
The Vr-7080 will rock your world. Some pre-sell orders are been taken and some retailers are telling that Kenwood might change the specs to a 6ch 130watts receiver with 0.09%THD in surround mode (L,C,R,RS,SB,LS). Realese date could be on June 2003, suggested retail price $600.00-$700.00 THX Select DDEX/DTS-ES-PLII/SRS 6.1 all process by a 32-bit Shark Processor and 196/24bit D/A Converters.
 

Greg Hammer
Does anybody knows if the Vr-7080 will be THX ULTRA? so far I have heard that the 7080 & 7070 will be Kenwood top of the line receivers.
 

Anonymous
Anyone interested in a new 6070 in the downtown toronto area?
 

G.DawG
I heard(when i bought my vr-6070from best-buy) that the 7080 will either not be THX certified or not have its"K-STAT" amplifiers anymore because of THX's standards for amplifier design.
 

Need advice setting up my active subwoofer with the 6070. Have the out coming from the Subwoofer Pre to my sub. SUB: ON.

My sub has two inputs: one as a normal in, the other is for an external crossover in.

Should I use the normal in and use and adjust the settings on the sub itself(low pass filter and bass frequency level) or should I run the line into the external crossover in and let the 6070 do the work.

I now have it plugged into the external crossover in and have tried to adjust it with the BASS PEAK function on the 6070. However, I notice little difference from -30 to 0.

Any advice?? Thanks if you do.
 

Dman
Coondog - use the external crossover input on the sub, this is often referred to as an unfiltered input as it bypasses the subs internal crossover. Do not confuse the Bass Peak setting with crossover - they are very separate settings. The crossover sets the freqencies that the sub will play (ie below 80 Hz) whereas the Bass Peak is a max 'volume' setting to ensure your sub is not driven beyond its capabilities during intense sonic passages with low frequencies. By setting the bass peak you establish a max point the 6070 will drive your sub to during movie playback.
 

Hi,
I had a question. I've got an old Yamaha subwoofer that has a built in 25 W amp. can I hook it up through the pre-out SW on the VR-6070? Will it work? what kind of settings do i need to make on it? The SW is an Active Servo Processing SW System.
Any help on this is greatly appreciated.
Thanx
 

Anonymous
Hi everyone,
Let's not forget, one thing that always helps to reduce heat problems is the old $9.99 clip -on fan in the back. It does wonders to keep this receiver cool!
 

danjaymor
Geez, Anon....that's not complicated enough!!!
 

PJRossett
I thought I would continue on the Best Buy thread...I just got the 6070 on an "open box" special for $299 just north of Chicago. If the box has been opened, for any reason, they'll reduce the price for another $25. This one still had the remote batteries in the shrink wrap. Some BB have the closeout listed for $324-$378 depending on each BB. Some stores have only 1 (demo which I wouldn't buy) while some have 2-3 left. BTW, I'm, using Bose so we'll see how they sound with a "real" amp.

Happy shopping...I'm anxious to set it up, but taxes first!
 

Hello stevenmh,

Try turning the bass peak level manager OFF and do away with the splitter or "Y" adapter.

Using one sub cable, connect to the left input of your sub and go into the "manual test tone" portion of the 6070's setup menu and set the output level there.

Save your settings and see if that helps.

Regards, John B.
 

Brandon
Gotta question regarding the CSII and other listening modes. Does your VR6070 remember the settings? For example, does it remember what you had set for Center, SR, SB, and SL speaker setting levels? It seems I have to change them all from 0 again as soon as I shut it off. Is there a "memory" for this that I'm missing? It seems to remember the center focus, delay, gain and trubass settings, not the speaker setting level? This is also the case when I slide in a DVD and Dolby Digital or DTS kicks in, all the surround speakers and center are set to 0 Any ideas? Or is this how its suposd' to work. Thanks, Brandon

Kenwood VR6070
6 JBL Northridge series N26 II speakers
Pioneer DVD-440, plays everything
32 Toshiba
shopping for sub
 

Coondog
Brandon, these adjustments are only temporary within these listening modes. Only the adjustments in set-up are permanent.

See Pg 38 of the manual.
 

Hi guys,
Ok so i'm a igmohump when it comes to all electronics. I recently bought the VR-6070 and am looking for some help with the hook ups. i've read the manual a few times now and am still a bit confused about the speaker wiring. I've got left, center, right, rear surround back left, rear surround back right and a powered subwoofer (25 W internal amp). The sub has left & right RCA plugs or a 3.5 mm Line In. Which one should I use on the sub and where to connect it on the receiver? Could someone please let me know the best way to hook these up so I can get the most out of my speakers.
Any response is greatly appreciated.
 

Hi everybody. I just purchased the VR6070 and I was wondering if the sony speakers SA-VE335 would be an honest addition to my kenwood receiver (quality wise) Do u have any suggestions for other good speakers in the same price range?
thanks in advance!
 

Brian Anderson
Hi. First I would like to say thanks for the great board. You guys are great. Anyway, I'm going to buy a new receiver in the next few months, and I was going to buy this one, but then I read about the discontinuation of it and the new ones, I guess the 7070, 7080, etc. (a while ago, someone posted they would be released in April). I was wondering if I should get the 6070 or wait for the new line to come out. Does anyone know if the prices will be comparable? Thanks for your help.
 

Brian Gorrell
I also am wondering about the new 7070 or 7080. I've found very, very little information about these new models on the web. Anyone know if the 7070 will have all the features of the 6070? One tidbit I read said the new line "introduces Kenwood's new universal learning remote." Anyone have any details on the differences with the 6070 remote?

I am returning my 6070 because it was damaged in shipping. It works well enough to have tried it out though. I was about to order a replacement 6070 when I found this thread.

I only have three complaints with the features and I'm wondering if the 7070 (or perhaps another brand/model) will resolve them.

First and foremost, the remote switches to Receiver mode anytime I press the volume keys. This is very, very annoying as 99% of the time my next command will be to the cable box, VCR, or DVD (whichever was active before I pressed the volume) and requires an extra key press. Constant volume adjustments are normal for me due to different cable channels, commercials, etc. I try to keep the volume down since I'm in an apartment. Other than this I like the remote (although it should have a record button for VCR without programming an illogically labeled key). I'd look for a replacement but I love the RF feature, don't see that feature on others, and don't want to spend an extra $100+ to replace this otherwise fine remote.

My second complaint is the need for an equalizer. I'm not entirely satisfied with all the pre-programmed settings. I want tone control for surround modes. I can live with this though. I guess I'm just used to my old fashioned stereo components with an equalizer for cranking up the mid-range, bass or treble depending on my mood and the source.

My final feature complaint is the component connectors. I bought this receiver with the thought that I will have an HDTV within a year or two. Apparently these component connectors don't have the bandwidth to handle higher than DVD progressive scan resolution (480p) without loss of sharpness (i.e. 720p or 1080i from an HDTV tuner). I find this a major "future proof" flaw.

So, anyone have details on these features being addressed on the 7070 or 7080? Perhaps someone knwos of an alternate brand/model that addresses these features for under $500?

Thanks!
 

Hi everybody! Now I seriously need help connecting my VCRand Digital cable box on my VR6070. The cable come from the wall to my Digibox.Then my 3 RCA (red,white yellow) go out from the box to my VCR (in) (to be able to record cable). and Then????? I tried connecting the 3 RCA coming out from my VCR to the Video 1 play-in connection on my receiver but i just get the sound without the picture!!!. I connected the receiver (svideo out -monitor) to my TV with a S-video cable thought!!!
Waht's wrong? I would appreciate yuor expertise!!
Thanks
 

Ricardo,
If your video input from the VCR to the receiver is using the yellow cable, then you will have to connect from receiver to TV using a yellow cable. Try that and see if it works. S-video connections will work only for the components that you are connecting to the receiver using the S-video, if that makes sense. Basically, you can't mix n match video.
 

Web Greger
Breaking News

Go directly to Kenwood.com/au for a sneek preview of 2003 Kenwood Top Receivers. Like the new Vr-9995-s (U.S.A) model that is THX ULTRA Surround EX/DD EX/DTS-ES/PLII with a whooping 200w per channel (you heard right).
 

G.DawG
Does anyone know about the new Pioneer Line they look pretty nice, Im actualy thinking about trying one for my upstairs room or son.(vsx-d912k)
If they dont get good reviews I'll just buy the new 7080 and put the 6070 upstairs.
 

G.DawG
hey guys go to www.kenwood.com and click on "germany" and look at the new 7080!!!!!
 

G.DawG
well its called 9070 there... It shows the new remote but the reciever looks exactly the same whats different?I know its new because the old one is called 9060 so this must be new, plus there is a big flashing NEU!(new in german) above it I dont think Kenwood did anything new (for cosmetics at least) is it all in the inside or what?
 

Greg Hammer
Damn lucky Australians. They got the 2003 Kenwood receivers. I saw two powerful new models featuring THX ULTRA EX/DOLBY EX & DTS-ES KRF-9995S
(VR-9995S U.S.)with 200w per channel and KRF-8090S(Vr-8090S U.S.)110w per ch. same as above exept is THX EX only. I call Kenwood today and they told me that the KRF-9995S (Vr-9995S) still on hold if they are going to release it for U.S.A.
 

Cesar Cardona
Every country have a different model number also watts power is different for every region due to power specs. I own a home theater store in P.R. and so far the Vr-7080 and Vr-7070 are the same as previous models exept for the color. This new models are going to be available in summer 03 or late fall. Regarding to the Vr-9995 and Vr-8090 my Kenwood sales representative told me and I quote "there is high possibility that these models could hit U.S. in winter 03 but there still on hold for marketing reasons and may not be part of the Vr series because of the price range wich is $1000.00+". The KRF-9995S is the model available in Australia so this means specs are subject to change even the model number for U.S. Relax everyone and keep your enjoyment for the Vr-6070 besides this is one good receiver that will last for a long time.
 

Anonymous
KRF-X9070D
6-Kanal THX Select-Receiver mit Dolby Digital 7.1 EX, DTS-ES, Dolby Pro Logic II und Circle Surround II


als KRF-X9070DS auch in silberfarbener Ausführung lieferbar:
kenwood 2003Vr-9070



Circle Surround
Dolby Pro Logic II
THX

Ausstattung und Technik:
6 x 100 Watt Ausgangsleistung im Surroundbetrieb
6. Endstufe umschaltbar auf rückwärtigen Center-Kanal oder Subwoofer
2 x 100 Watt Ausgangsleistung im Stereobetrieb
Linear TRAIT-Transistortechnik
THX Select-Lizenz für natürliche Heimkinowiedergabe
Tonformate Digital Surround:
- THX Surround EX (7.1)
- Dolby Digital
- Dolby Digital EX
- DTS
- DTS-ES (Discrete, Matrix)
Tonformate Analog Surround:
- Dolby Pro Logic II
- Circle Surround II für 6-Kanal-Wiedergabe auch von Dolby Surround- und Stereosignalen
- DTS Neo6
Decodierung mit 32 Bit-Melody 32-DSP
5 Stereo-DSP-Programme: Arena, Jazz Club, Theater, Disco, Stadium
elektronische Klangregler
Active EQ-Schaltung für eine bessere Basswiedergabe kleiner Satellitenlautsprecher
Speaker EQ-Schaltung für eine optimale Frequenzgang-Anpassung von Satellitenlautsprechern
Subwoofer Remix-Funktion
Muting-Schalter
UKW/MW-Quartz Synthesizer-Tuner
Radio Daten System RDS mit Programmartenerkennung (PTY) und Radiotext
40 UKW/MW-Festsenderspeicher
automatischer Senderspeicher
Eingänge analog Audio: Tape /MD, CD/DVD, Phono MM, Video1, Video2, Video3, 6-Kanal-Eingang (auch für DVD-Audio), Front A/V
Eingänge Video: Video1, Video2, Video3, Front A/V, DVD (FBAS und S-Video), 2 x YUV-Komponenteneingang
Eingänge digital: 2 x optisch, 2 x koaxial (24 Bit, 96 kHz)
Ausgänge analog Audio: Tape/MD, Video1
Ausgänge Video: Video1 (FBAS und S-Video), Monitor (FBAS und S-Video und YUV-Komponentenausgang
Ausgang digital: 1 x optisch
Vorverstärkerausgänge für alle Kanäle
Source Mode Memory speichert Wiedergabemodus und Eingangspegel für jeden Audio- und Videoeingang
stabile Lautsprecherschraubklemmen für alle Kanäle
Lautsprecherumschaltung A bzw. B und A+B
Metallfrontplatte
energiesparender separater Stand By-Trafo (Stromverbrauch weniger als 1 Watt)
getrennte Stand By- und Main Power-Schalter
zwei geschaltete Netzanschlussbuchsen
Netzteil mit speziellen ELNA-Kondensatoren
lernfähige und vorprogrammierte Systemfernbedienung mit LC-Display im Lieferumfang
Systemsteuerung mit Systemprotokoll SL16
 

Coondog
Ricardo

I had that same problem with my VCR.

Here's what I had to do:

Ran S-Video from the 6070 monitor output to my Video 1 input on the TV. My DVD player is connected to the 6070 by S-Video.

Ran RCA yellow from RCA monitor to my Video 2 input on the TV as my vcr does not have S-video.

I could have connected my DVD player with RCA but S video is superior so I went this route.

What I am going to buy now is RCA to S video adapters so all my connections will be inputted into the 6070 in this format to avoid 2 runs to my TV.
 

Ricardo
Hi !lostin plugging and coondog!!

Thanks a lot for your help guys. I solved my problem!! Did not realized that I could use Svideo and RCA at the same time on the monitor out connection from my receiver to my TV!!

Again thanks a lot!


Ricardo
 

Brian Gorrell
For english descriptions of the new models, click on the "Europe" link from www.kenwood.com or go directly to http://kenwood.nl.ims.hr/First.aspx. The KRF-9070D is the Europe equivilant of the U.S. VR-7070. The only exception might be the remote. It doesn't have the RF feature, but neither does the current KRF-9060D (the european version of the VR-6070). Hopefully the VR-7070 will still have RF.

The only other change I noted was a "new ELNA chemical condensor" including a terminal for it. I have no idea what that means.
 

Anonymous
I dont see anything worth calling home about on these 2003 receivers either! In fact, unless I'm wrong (hopefully I am) the power rating seems to have gone down. The VR-6070 was rated at 100 watts per channel and most reports were getting about 92-95 watts RMS with all channels driven at 8ohms. This new receiver is listed as being 100 watts/channel but only with 1 channel driven at 6 ohms!! Drive ALL channels at 8ohms, which is going to be the case with most people buying this amp, and thats a huge difference! Please someone tell me I'm wrong and that Kenwood isn't cheaping out on us!
 

G.DawG
http://www.geocities.com/Area51/Hollow/3401/ratevsac.htm - copy and paste into your browser, you will LOVE this page!I guarantee it!
 

G.DawG
You wanna know something funny? the vr-6070 was brand new when this post started by the time it ended(well it STILL hasent) it is already discontinued!
 

G.DawG
hahahahah check out the sony and the message at the bottom of the link! what a joke!, sony thinks that the reciver was not meant to deliver power to all channels at once, they advertise 100 wattx6 clipping but with all channels driven it comes out to 31 watts(all channels) clipping power!what a joke!on the other hand......the kenwood vr-6070
gets an astounding(at this price I mean)92 wattsx6 all channels driven what an amazing machine!
 

Coondog
Got my 6070 pretty well tuned to my liking. Quite the piece of machinery....and I don't even have 6.1...just 5.1.

Haven't had the volume in the plus numbers yet. the power of this thing is amazing.

No problems with the hookup except configuring my sub. Have figured it out.

Have had these DVDs in..Fast and the Furious, Star Wars/ The Phantom Menace, Pearl Harbour, Saving Private Ryan. All were amazing!!

Tried changing bits of scenes between DD and DTS but I can't hear the difference. Should I??

Anyways I would highly recommend the 6070 to anyone looking for one before they are all gone!
 

Ditto Coondog,
It sure is an awesome piece of machinery. I too had some figuring to do with the sub, but now i have it all where i want it.

I had one question though. When I play in THX On and DD mode, THX lights up on the display and the THX indicator lights up too, but, when i use the Active EQ set to Cinema, the THX goes off the Display but the THX indicator stays lit up. I can tell that THX is On but why does it not show up on the display?

Any comments are appreciated.
 

Brian Gorrell - You are right in that the 6070 does lack the bandwidth to support HDTV component switching. However, I've seen it said that this is not important. The reasoning is that it's not a good idea to run your HDTV signals through a receiver in any case (i.e. no matter what the bandwidth for component switching) since some degradation is likely. It's generally considered best to run your HDTV signals directly to your HDTV set/monitor. Doing that would render the limited bandwidth (10 MHz, IIRC) a moot point. Of course, f you anticipate having more than one such signal you want to get an HDTV set/monitor with as many inputs as you will require.
 

danjaymor
G.Dawg-

Thanks for the link, that is pretty funny when you look at some of the other brands "actuals". I'm also pretty pleased to see that the 6070 specs match up pretty well with some other makes of receivers that cost 2-4 times as much! I used to be pretty high on Sony....don't know why, I guess I'm just another sucker for advertising gimmicks! Sony -and- Bose....pay twice as much for half the performance....
 

Bud
I just went out and bought the VR-6070 reciever, and I was wondering what would be a good reasonable powered subwoofer to purchase, my living room is pretty big 18x36, my viewing area is the long way of the room so I am pretty far away, all of the subs I have looked at all have low level inputs but not a LFE input, if I buy a sub without a LFE input which input should I use, I assume I use the left one am I correct or is there something else I should do? any response would be very helpful
 

Hello Bud,

You do not need to have an LFE sub to enjoy the benefits of LFE. Just use the left line level input on the sub that you are going to buy and enjoy!

Subs with an LFE switch or input just bypass the adjustable crossover on the sub. A sub that has a frequency response down to at least 22Hz is desirable.

The best bang for the buck sub I have found is from: audiovideoman.com
Check out the JBL S120P ... you should be able to find something nice for about 50% off retail. Let us know what you decide on.

Regards, John B.
 

G.DawG
I am using two subs in my system,JBL PB10 and Jensen js-1000-a they both rock with my 6070
 

The JBL is my music sub because it is way better with music its not so "boomy" it has a amaller woofer(10")which makes it faster and that is what makes a sub "anti-boomy"also with 150 watts to drive it, it rocks!Then theres my Jensen, with 120 watts and a 12" driver(which is paper, I still have to change that)they are both awsome but as I said earlier my JBl is far superior for music but my jensen is a bit better for movies (due to the bigger driver) It actualy is louder than my jbl powerbass 10 but when they run together well you get the point... 270 watts all on one wall well thats enough aboot subs eh?
 

Bud
Hey John, it's funny you should mention the JBL subwoofer because I was looking at the downfiring version of that sub, but for the price of the front firing I think that is the route I will go. BTW thanks for the link great prices. One more question what is your opinion between downfiring and front firing Subs, I had always heard that downfiring were superior to front firing, any thoughts?
 

Hello again Bud,

A down firing woofer can be subject to a sagging cone caused by the mass of the cone. Down firing offers a potential benefit:

A down firing sub CAN reduce the audibility of harmonic distortion and MAY help the sub to acoustically "disappear" better.

I vote for NOT down firing. Reasons: If you send the sound exactly where you want it to go, there will be less room modes and resonance issues - which are basically uncontrollable. Also I do think they sound mushy - but then again all the ones I've heard were cheap. (Just my opinion)

In my view anything that impedes the air movement changes the transient response... and the floor certainly does that. Next, shaking the floor may get you more bass, but it won't get you better bass because the floor's resonance is a hugely out of control peak that causes other problems in phase linearity.

For example, wood transmits sound faster than air does so the floor starts producing its resonant note all over the place phase canceling itself and producing standing waves with the ceiling and so on. :)

The S120P II sub does have a polarity switch on the back witch changes the firing direction from outward firing to inward firing. This is for room acoustics and or placement issues. In other words, if the sub does not sound good in the corner, flip the switch.

next victim =]
 

Bud
Thanks for the input on the downfiring issue, I have another question for you, have you actually bought anything from audiovideoman.com, I am curious because their prices are almost too good to be true, I was not sure if their stuff was reconditioned or not. I think I am going to order the s120p II sub from there, I listened to it at my local BestBuy $599 and it was mind blowing, I cant believe they have it for $399
 

Bud
Another question for the masses, is there anyway I can run 2 surround back speakers from my 6070 without the use of an external amp? sorry for all the questions I am new to all this.
 

Yes I have Bud..

So far, I have bought 1 pair JBL N28, 1 JBL S-Center II center channel, 3 S120P II subwoofers.. (1 for my friend). Steve sells only factory sealed, non-refurbished items and ships UPS ground.

You may also find audiovideoman.com on ebay at the following link:

http://www.stores.ebay.com/id=23223962

The S120P II sub has a buy it now price of $385.00 + shipping, witch should be about $45.00 and no sales tax. A quick shipper and a hassle free transaction will be the outcome of your experience online with AVMAN.

As far as the external amp goes... you could physically hook up two speakers to the sixth channel binding posts, but I would not recommend it personally. If you want to go with a 7.1 setup it would be best if you used the 6070 as a pre amp and use separate amplifiers to power your speakers. (just my opinion) Otherwise, a 6.1 configuration will work very well with the VR6070.

Any one else?
 

G.DawG
I heard something about running parralel or something like that how do you do that?I remember something about that it doubles your ohmes or... I have a seperate amp(vintage kenwood reciever) that I can use but if I dont have to would like to try that paralel thing because I dont wanna run the kenwood thing with my steup THNX.
 

Anonymous
Here is the link to the new KRF - X9070D...

http://kenwood.nl.ims.hr/products/ListProduct.aspx?k1=1&k2=2&k3=14&pr=1099
 

G.DawG
DAMN IT DAMN IT DAMN IT!!!!!!!my 6070 is faulty....AGAIN!when I play something on the reciever, cd player or ps2(as dvd) the amplifier keeps cutting out, it just shuts off only my subwoofers work(pre-outs)then in about 45 seconds the amplifier turns back on and keepsl playing until it shuts off again not sure what it is why the hell would it do that?the actaul display stays on but all I hear is my subs(JBL pb10&js1000)until it starts playing again.I think I am goin to try the H/K avr-125 or Pioneer vsx-d912k, although the H/K has reliability problems too although I loved the 6070(while it worked).
 

Anonymous
G. Dawg,

You know this receiver runs on 8 - 16 ohms speaker. Double check the speakers you connected. It may be below the required impedance. Connecting a 6ohms speaker per channel makes the Receiver Produce 50% more of its total power (600W total becomes 900W) forcing the receiver to protect itself. And also, connecting speakers below 8ohms contribute to the receiver being hot. I connect mine to 8ohms speakers Minimum and does not have the kind of problem you have even at a volume of -5dB for about 30mins.
 

G.DawG
my speakers are 8 ohms, and it does not run hot just turns the music/sound offall my speakers are 8 ohms(fronts are 250w towers actualy ill just give u a link to save typing...http://www.pro-linear.com/5series.htm#56x2t the ones at the top with dual woofers and then my center and rear are the http://www.pro-linear.com/5series.htm#plcensat
I also use an old energy speaker as my rear center speaker if all this helps anymore ideas???
 

G.dawG
by the way......CANADIAN SPEAKERS ROCK!!!!!!:)
 

Anonymous
G. Dawg,

Try resetting the microcomputer if you haven't done that before.

Look for that in the Manual (how to reset)

Good Luck.
 

Anonymous
I use the VR- 6070 with the DV-6050 DVD. 6ch input and Digital Coaxial. I'm using the Bose Acoustimass speakers. The sound is excellent, but Bose has never been a deep base sound. I know this for I have the only 10" 501 Bose has ever built. I have built a 10" powered subwoofer using a Punch by Rockford and this will shake the house. I suggest using the Acoustimass speakers if you dont have the room. On the VR-6070 settings make sure the front and center speakers are set to large and the rear are set to small.
 

Anonymous
Not too much activity going on here... Lets keep it going!
 

To all of you thanks for these notes. Last night, I bought the vr6060 at Best Buy. I've tested it and it sounded pretty well. the cost was 238 + tax open box. Well, After reading all these notes on the VR-6070, I decided to bring it back and then stopped at Circuit City nearby where they had a last floor model at 449.00 and I managed to get them bring it down to 349 +tax -and I bought the 3 year service plan for 34.00.
Well, I will be putting it to some heavy duty testing, and I think it will be fine. Hopefully, I won't get the scenario of G.Dawg--
Thanks a lot to all of you--
-pierrebo
 

Cesar
I have been reading the posts in this forum for several hours now...lot's of great info! I too just got a VR6070. I got it as an open box from Best Buy for 250.00 and also purchased the protection plan. I'm having a problem though, and was hoping someone could help me before I take the unit back. At this time I'm trying to connect 2 front speakers (am just starting and am on a tight budget, so I'm building my home theatre piece by piece) they are Infinity Entra 2 floor standing 15-125watts and 8ohms. I'm also connecting them with 14 gauge speaker wire. I've got all the connections working, but when I turn on the reciver it cuts off and goes into stand-by. I've tried resetting it and it doesn't work. Also if it is a defect with the reciever, should I hold onto it until the new 7070 comes out (heard in june or july) or should I have them repair it? Thanks in advance from a dumb newbie!
 

Cesar,
If I understand you well, the receivers just cut off by turn it on.
Well, Have you tried to put the 2 front speakers in Speakers B? The others could be used for your surround? As a matter of fact, I tested mine last night
let me go crank up the volume to see the results. My Speakers are 2 pioneers (8 ohms maximum -160 watts each)--)

Well, I just blasted mine to -1 DB) it never cut off-- the test was only done using front Speakers B--

You got it for a great price, I hope you test it again and see what happens! if it is defective then you have to return it and get another one. but it could be costly. But if you can wait for the 7070, you can go for it, but guys like me just can't wait.

Hopefully, some other experts in this panel will be able to help you--
good luck cesar
 

G.DawG
Well.... I got yet ANOTHER 6070 and it is working, so im back engoying all the 16 dvd's i just bought, although only 2 are ex/es encoded well I hope that this 6070 is good, It was really hard to find the 6070 I had to get one shipped up to my local best buy I also just bought a new dvd/vcd/cd player(RCA)which has component in's but is it even worth using them through the 6070 I heard it was low bandwidth so will I get picture quality loss?If so is it even noticable?
 

G.DawG
I would test it myself, but I dont have the cables yet so I dont wanna buy them if I dont use them(I think they are around 80 dollers cdn. for high qualtity ones) I would like to hear some feed back on this of anyone uses the component ins.
 

GDawg, I'm glad you get another one. I hope Cesar will find a solution to his.
take care
-
pierrebo
 

Cesar
Pierre-
Thanks for the suggestion. I just got home from my friend's house. I took my reciever over and we hooked it up. We connected 2 fronts a center channel and a sub(don't know the specs but everything was high end infinity). The 6070 worked fine, but when we cranked to 0dbs it shut down. But I'm gonna try your suggestion right now. If it works out I'll post and let you know.
 

Anonymous
GDawG, I agree with you Canadian speakers do rock! I'm using Dahlquist QX10's as fronts and Energy's as rears and sub.
 

Coondog
Yeah, my Canadian made speakers do the trick....Energy Take 5.2 satellite/ sub system. Amazingly crisp sound with all the booms and tweets in the right places!

I have a question with the CSII mode. My sub works even with the sub re-mix in the off position. Also, the SW indicator on the display is not lit. Any ideas?

Also what has most people found to be the best listening mode to play VHS tapes in?
 

Cesar
Well, I still can't get my 6070 to work with just 2 speakers. When i put the volume up from 00db it shuts down. Could the problem be the speakers(infinity entra 2 125w 8ohms)? I tried pierre's suggestion and that didn't work for me either. I'm just confused as when we connected it at my friend's place everything worked fine.
 

Matt
eclypse:
Like so many others after finding this thread I bought the VR6070 last week. Thank you all for the advice. Reciever works great, I did notice like gleem that the right of the lcd dims and brightens continously, you need to be close to notice it. Is this a defect, I don't see how a power cable could cause this problem. Thanks for the advice.

Matt
 

Cesar,
Perhaps, the issue could be with the speakers. Perhaps, you could go by one speaker ( 8ohms -160w to 200w) and see it it works. Then if it works, return it and shop around for a cheaper price)

That way you could make sure that the issue is with your type of speakers, it seems to work at some point at your friend's place. If you have the funds go to Best Buy or Tweeter, but one speaker and test it out as I say.
If it fails take the receiver back and get your refund and shop somewhere else where. Since you have paid for the service warranty, have them fixed it and if they can't fix it, they may offer you another one or an upgraded version.

Good luck and I hope you can resolve it --

Take care,
-pierre
 

G.DawG
I am still wondering about that component thing will it make my picture worse does it have enough bandwidth I heard that from crutchfield (my favorite online store) you need at least 20 mhz to get non degraded signals and for hdtv you need 30 mhz is this true how much does the 6070 have?I dont seem to get any degradation with composite video but thats low bandwidth.
 

G.DawG
Has anyone ever heard of Pro-Linear? They are awsome speakers (well they are Canadian so thats obvious)when I bought them the salesman was comparing them to 1100$cdn. Energy's(cant remember the model, but they were beish towers)anyways they sounded better than the Energy's on the Yamaha reciever he played'em on, they had a warmer sound and had better detail but they were only 500$cdn. If you are looking for a great canadian speaker go to the link above or here-http://www.pro-linear.com
 

Anonymous
Asked and answered gdawg
 

Speaking of Canadian Speakers, has anyone heard the Fluance speakers? Reviews seem to indicate that they are definitely a huge bang for the buck.
http://www.fluance.com

Has anyone heard these speakers first hand?
Any input is appreciated.
Thanx
 

I am looking for a pair of KENWOOD LS-P5000 speakers. Please email me if you have a pair for sale or know where I can find them.

Robert
brewhawk@pacbell.net
 

Anonymous
would like to try that paralel thing because I dont wanna run the kenwood thing with my steup THNX.

lame...
 

Paul R.
Hello everybody,

Can someone please summarize the main difference between the 6070 and the 7080? I think they're the same line, just one is older...

Thanks,

Paul
 

Anonymous
1.) The VR-7080's has a new TouchZone remote. While providing control of an entire home entertainment environment, TouchZone is a "smart" remote that illuminates only the buttons that are active for the selected component. Buttons which are inactive become virtually invisible to the user, reducing confusion, even in complex, multi-component systems.

The remote's EL (electro-luminescent ) backlight is activated by simply picking it up. A battery-saving mode automatically shuts off the remote's illumination during periods of inactivity.

2.) S-Video switching is provided on the VR-7080 VR-7070, VR-7060, and VR-707.
 

G.DawG
I think that they will be just like the jvc 8010 and 8020 they both look the same and sound the same but some fixed things on the new kenwood receivers, like they wanted to make higher bandwidth component switching( by the way my local electronics store figured all that out 4 me, so im now usin component)more power,better remote,more imputs,new amplifier technology's and stuff.
 

G.DawG
hey guys check out this link! http://www.crutchfield.com/cgi-bin/S-pGakKFZVa22/ProdView.asp?a=&s=0&cc=01&g=10420&id=essential_info&i=113VR7070
 

Anonymous
The 7070 only has 6.1 preouts and its $100 more. Think we got the better deal with the 6070.
 

G.DawG
ok... I retract my previous statement it only has 10 mhz:(
 

Jim M
That "fancy" new remote can be bought off the shelf at any Radio Shack for about $60 (if you can find one instock) I have it, and am using it with my 6070-it is really cool-all buttons are "learnable". My guess is that the pre-packaged version that comes with the new rec's just has Kenwood specific keys on the screens, rather than the pretty generic ones on the "Kameleon" remote from RS....
 

Anonymous
i dont understand why you wanna change perfect radio/infra red control just for IR
 

G.DawG
Actualy I personaly think whoever designed the 7080 is not doing a very good job (either that or they were drunk) they gave it less inputs less bandwidth no learning remote only a 6.1 out and silver doesnt suit the 7080 as well as black did. Whoever said Quote,"The 7070 only has 6.1 preouts and its $100 more. Think we got the better deal with the 6070."Unquote, is right. hopefully the 8090 will be better.
 

edgarin8
Dolby Digital EX or not Dolby Digital EX that is the question...

Ok there are some movies that are Dolby Digital, and although they are not marked as Dolby Digital EX in the back of the case this option is available if selected in the receive. Now, if I select THX Dolby Digital EX goes back to Dolby Digital since they apparently cannot be selected both at the same time. In your oppinion, which option should I select for better audio results...

Now when I select Dolby Digital EX the SB does not light up in the receiver, is that normal? I still get sound in the SB espeakers though...
 

Anonymous
What do you think are the main differences between the 6070 and Marantz 6300? http://www.av-land.co.uk/marantz/sr6300/
And which one shoul I get....
 

Anonymous
How can I play DTS NEO:6. Does that refer to an extra function on DTS playback or is it only talking about simple NEO:6 for analog sources...
 

Hey, I just notice. Remote Control for the 6070 and the Marantz 6300 looks like the same - the shape, the joystick, layout of buttons. Just wondering.
 

Anonymous
If you notice the marantz receiver has all the same functions as the 6070 except that it is not thx certified... I wonder too?
 

Anonymous
anybody buy a 6070 for $4oo or a 7070 for $350 will the 7070 have rf remote
 

G.DawG
Anon, neo:6/pl 2 isnt avialable during 5/6/7.1 playback only during 2 channel try scrolling the listen mode.
 

Help,, owner of a brand new 6070. I cant get any sound except for FR,, some miner tones from left. done a reboot and tested speakers on a another amp, ok. I am suspecting a bad unit. Is there some master set up thing ive missed. if it sounds that good on one speaker, I cant wait for 7 of them, grin.
 

G.DawG
hah yeah, it sounds good until your going back to get a new one everyday and the salesmen know u....i went through 3 of them Kenwood has some reliability problems....take it back
 

Brian
I've had a vr-207 for like five years without a single problem. I just got a 6070 for my b-day, but I haven't had a chance to set it up yet. I hope it's as reliable as my 207.
 

G.DawG
Well its not bad at all; in fact, my favorite song(Eagles-Hotel California) sounds wonderful on the 6070; full of detail and not bright or dull just right. I didnt say it was bad just im kinda mad going through so many, but my new one has been good for about a month now though.
 

Brian
That's good to hear. I hope mine is the same.
 

chuckc
The 6070 sounds like agood deal for the price. What I would like toknow is it better than the new 7070 or are they basicaly the same? I am thinking of replacing my kenwood 1080vr because it doesen't have dts sound. I could still get a 6070 if I decide in a day or so. Anybody with thoughts please help. Will check back later tonight.
 

Brian
You should read all the posts. Pretty much everything has been talked about already.
 

dave
Has anybody had this happen to them?

My receiver will suddenly shut off and the standby light will blink continously....I checked the speaker wiring..

It just started happening when I bought my New Toshiba TV...but I don't think that has anything to do with it...

Could it be because I have too much plugged into one outlet? It is an old house and no 3 prongs, either?
 

Dave-
Your reciever went into protection mode most likely. You may have a short somewhere. If the wiring seems to be right then disconnect one speaker at the reciever end and play the sytem loud, if it shuts off then reconnect and try disconnecting the next speaker. If this doesn't work in locating the problem then disconnect all speakers except one and connect each speaker in turn. If you succeed in isolating the problem then check the wiring very carefully. If you don't isolate a problem speaker your reciever could be at fault. Consider using banana plugs on the cable if your speakers and reciever can accomodate it. If it isn't your wiring but you've isolated the speaker you could have a short in the speaker, not likely or you would probably hear it. good luck and e-mail me for specific questions
 

Rob
Help update from previous --- sound from RF speaker only.

The unit was fried. Replaced, all is well in the world. Now what the hell is dts-es(the fun starts) grin.

ps. using B@W vm1 lm1 and as1 speakers,, awesome!! anybody else with that configruation.
 

dave
It has only done it a few times ...I reconnected all speakers and so far, it is ok....I may get banana plugs because of no wires being exposed..

thanks
 

TeeVee Boy
Regarding HD component switching and the supposed 10mhz restriction, I am using my Kenwood 6070 component switching with a (1) 480p DVD signal and a (2) HD XBOX signal and I notice absolutely NO signal degredation on my Samsung 32" HDTV...after several A/B comparisons. Others report similar success with true 1080i HD signals on the 6070 over on hometheaterspot.com's Kenwood forum. Are we *absolutely sure* this is not supposed to work, or is everyone talking theory and looking at published specs? It works for me.
 

Rick MP
My Humble Op....
To those shocked at the video bandwidth switching spec: THX means absolutly nothing anymore!

Compare a DVD like "Strange Days", THX stamped, yet it's not anamorphic(enhanced)?!?
Also, what the deali-o ...THX DVD soundtracks in DD, which is usually inferior to DTS, and always inferior to full bit rate DTS?!!??

Come on already...do they consider us fools?
Yes they do!!

Even Superbit whose DVD's have darn decent video, though usually cost more, are only audio encoded at half bit-rate. My theory here is that they are a subsiduary of Sony, so Sony don't want to show the world how good DTS can sound, since DTS competes with DVD-Audio against SACD.

Listen to Thin Red Line, or Hell Freezes Over in full bit-rate DTS, then ask.... why is Dolby more "standard" for DVDs, answer is THX and Sony pushed for it even though it's inferior!!
Thank's for nada THX!!!

(Set-up: VR-6060, 4 Athena F2's, Athena Center, No sub, lot's o' carpet)
 

Anonymous
FYI: Strange Days THX on DVD is only a Laser Disc Transfer. It has never been proper re-mastered to DVD.

THX is not a sound format that you can compare against dts or Dolby Digital. THX is a set of technical standard to raise the perfomance level of the hardware. THX does mean something, and it does make a difference to the human ear. However, I believe THX is hyped up to be much more than it really is. But to say THX means absolutely nothing is a subjective point of view that has no value.

By the way, rumour has it that Sony some time in the near future are trying hard to push their SDDS(Sony Dynamic Digital Sound) onto the next generation of A/V receivers. SDDS are capable of handling 8- channels og audio tracks.
 

Kid Man
Guys,
I have a problem with my VR 6070. The receiver won't respond to the remote! Everything was fine till one day this happenned. Any ideas? Why would this happen? I use the remote to control my CD changer and DVD player and they work fine with it - so the remote is not dead.

Please advise.

-Kid
 

DTS-ES adds a rear center channel to the mix. They figure it will be good for fly-overs and such. he recommended configuration for DTS-ES is 2 rear speakers. Now your previously considered rears are now side surround speakers more appropriately located on your side walls. Envision most theaters you visit and you'll get the idea.

Dolby Digital is the standard for DVDs because when the commitee for DVDs was putting it together they thought that it would be a better idea. Maybe for taking up less space, maybe because it was already being used on laserdisk or maybe because Dolby is a more recognized name. Whatever their reasons, Dolby Digital, being the standard for DVD (and now for HDTV) is not going anywhere.
Also THX has a very close working relationship with Dolby Labs. DD-EX is the collaboration between them.
 

I had the 6070 a month ago until I returned it. It was my first receiver and home theater set-up. I have Polki RTi70 fronts and some cheapo KLH rears. I noticed that the sound from the rear speakers was very quiet. I could barely hear anything, even after adjusting the db on the receiver. I am thinking of picking up the receiver again (same one, open box), but can anyone tell me why my rears were so quiet? Could it be that they're not very good? Or was the receiver defective?
 

Brian
It could be that the speakers are crappy. The sensitivity on those speakers could be really low, which essentially measures how loud they are with a given amount of current. If their sensitivity is way lower than the others, they would sound quiet.
 

G.DawG
Check to make sure they are 8 ohm because the surround channels will work hard to run 6 ohm or lower speakers, thus; making them sound quiet. If they are 8 ohm and a sensitivity higher than 85db THEN its a problem. Also take into consideration that the rear speakers(now sides)are further away than your used too, so that will lower db PLUS your not supposed to be able to tell they are there some people think that you should hear them all the time but that isnt true. They are supposed to blend in not sound distinct.
 

daniil
dan
hi i have 6060 and Polk's all around rti70 front csi 30 center and r20 as rear and everything work perfect the other thing you can check if you playing stereo signal with Pro logic or dolby surround the sound may not be coming out from rear speakers all the time you need a dts or DD to get the sound from them all the time
 

Rick MP
Dan,
8 ohm's speakers will play twice as loud as 16 ohm ones, all else being equal. Sensitivity is a good measure of how loud they will go, if you can find reliable specs. The lower the nominal impedance, the harder/hotter the amp will run, but it will also play louder.

As Dannil says, it was likely the source material (Ex: Dolby surround TV often has very little in the way of sounds coming from the rears, Even Dolby Digital 5.1 mixes are often lite in the surround speakers, depending on the program). Also could have been a bad speaker connection or really long shitty wire compared to what was used for fronts.
 

Anonymous
Kidman....

Check the selector switch on the back of the remote and try changing it. I know I read there are two postititions for it on the remote and somewhere on the rear of the receiver and one may have gotten accidentally changed.
 

Anonymous
Cheap Monster Cables

I got my 6070 earlier this year and decided to take the costly step of upgrading all of my connecting cables to good Monster Cables. All of mine are now there THX-Certified cables although they do have higher quality ones available.

I came across a dealer on eBay and was stunned at the price differences. In all I've saved a boatload of money by using him as my source.

Everything is brand new in package, shipped fast, and he combined the shipping charges for me (after I asked via email and provided id#'s)to make it cheaper as well.

Anyway's check it out and save some cash. Been very reliable so far for me.

eBay username: cmhowell5@aol.com

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewSellersOtherItems&userid=cmhowell5%40aol.com&include=0&since=-1&sort=3&rows=25
 

Anonymous
Remote RF

This is by far the best feature of the remote (second only to the learn feature). If anyone did not know, if you utilize the IR repeater outputs on the rear for your IR equipment, everything that is connected that way now becomes RF controlled. Apparantly, the recevier RF sends the IR information to the receiver and then it goes back out the IR out cables in the rear.

Something else I've noticed is that the 7070 is now in atleast some Best Buy's and it doesn't appear to have the RF function, no THX certification and the rest appeared to be the same as what we have on general inspection. It looks to be a slight step down in my opinion. Grab up a 6070 if you can find it.

Also, a great aprtner for this receiver is the Panasonic F85S 5 disc carousel DVD player. Circuit City just started getting them in at $149.99. They'll play CD-R, CD-RW, DVD, DVD-Ram, MP3's, DVD-Audio, Windows Media, JPeg, and HighMat (whatever that is) and of course have the 5.1 channel output.

Seems to be a great bargain and featured well in the store. Can't wait to hook it up and check out the new audio DVD music I got.

Also, a Huge THX to everyone posting here. Tons of great info that has helped me quite a bit in my setup.
 

DVD/6-ch input

Is anyone using the 6 audio cable connection from DVD player? If so what is the function of the DVD/6Ch input of Dig.Coax? Do you need both?
The manual is useless on these questions.
 

G.DawG
Reply #1300:)Its just so that they dont have to make another input like having two dvd inputs
 

Anonymous
6070 for sale, new. padresincabeza@hotmail.com
 

Paul R
This is just a quick reply to Anonymous about the vr-7070....you said it has no THX certification, right? Crutchfield has different info.

http://www.crutchfield.com/S-26tzEq5leS2/cgi-bin/ProdView.asp?i=113VR7070

I don't think it says anything about the RF capability, though.

Paul
 

Rick MP
Lou,
If I understood you're question, I think you're best of with Coax. The 6 channel RCA's are for SACD or DVD-Audio player's that don't have digital out's.
 

Scott
The Reason DVD'S use DD instead of dts as their primary sound is because of space on the DVD. DTS takes up 12 times as much space on a dvd as DD does thats why dts sounds so much better. If I remember correctly dts is compressed in half, where as DD is compressed 12 times. Think of it this way, take of a piece of 8 1/2 X 11 sheet of paper, that paper in DD would half to be folded 12 times (try it) to be as compressed as DD sound. Now unfold the paper, WOW! look how wrinkled it is, now think of all those wrinkles as loss of sound. with DTS the paper is only folded in half, it takes up more space but much less wrinkles. I hope that makes sense. dts rules!
 

Anonymous
I guess the 7070 does have the THX. It could have been because of the color of the face but I could have sworn that the logo wasn't there and the info card for it mentioned nothing. Also the remote they happened to have with it was not the one pictured on Crutchfiled but they could have mixed it up with the wrong unit I guess.
 

Anonymous
Lou,

Check the manual for your DVD player and see what it recommends. I just got the Panasonic F85s from Circuit City for $150 so I could play Audio DVD music. (It's a steal for the price and features). Anyways, I'm looking through the manual and although you can get surround sound with both, if you use the digital coax hookup it's utilizing the receiver's decoders for the surround.

Using the analog 6-RCA cable connection uses the players decoders and it says there are no limitations on sampling frequency with this kind of connection (whatever that means)

But what I care about it also says to obtain maximum performance of DVD Audio multi channel linear PCM sound, the analog connection (rca) is recommended.

So, to make a long story longer, mine is hooked up with the 6 rca's.

Something I did just notice is that since it is telling each speaker on its own what to play, mine has an area for speaker setup with size and delay time (distance) just like the receiver. Hmmm, something I still need to do actually.

Now I'm unsure if I'll want to use this hookup alone. Because I'm using the rear surround pre-outs from my receiver and use the mix feature to get a 7.1 sound but I won't get that via analog connection because it's a discrete 5.1 signal for each of the six channels so I may use both and play with the options for sound. rca's for dvd audio and digital for movies???

Yep, that's what I'm gonna do for mine.
Sorry, instead of helping I've probably just confused the situation more.
 

Anonymous
Hi guy,
I have the VR-6070;
It is a great receiver, but I have problem
to set a limite to the volume, so that it
won't go too much up when a child try to turn
it up. Can anybody help.
My second problem is that the receiver is
not getting a DD or DST input. What am I
doing wrong?
 

Brian
Just so you guys know, DVD-audio MUST be run through the 6 channel outputs on the DVD player. If you try to use a digital connection for DVD-audio, it will just read the DD or DTS track on the disc, not the true DVD-audio. So yes, rca's for DVD-audio and digital for movies is a good idea.
 

chuck
For general info bought a 7070 sat. It is thx select certified no rf remote though. I have had it up a running since sunday. I'm testing it out to see if i will keep it. I don't knoww about the 6070 but there is no on screen guide and unlike my old kenwood you can't label the video sources with what is connected unless I'm doing something wrong. Setup was pretty easy though. The manuel is helpful to an extent however their are a couple of questions Ihave if anbody can help. First - Does the speaker distance you set the speaker afect its loundness ex- further away = louder. Second - I have a 5.1 setup with jbl's now am wondering if the six speaker set is worth getting into right now or down the road, also why would you hookup a second sub as opposed to a rear center or what is the best setup? My room is 12X18 if that helps.
 

TeeVee Boy
On the 6070 the audio inputs are "fixed" and are not assignable. This is a small weakness of this GREAT receiver...one that I can easily overlook!
 

Sam
Hi guy,
I have the VR-6070;
It is a great receiver, but I have problem
to set a limite to the volume, so that it
won't go too much up when a child try to turn
it up. Can anybody help.
My second problem is that the receiver is
not getting a DD or DST input. What am I
doing wrong?
 

Sam
make sure that only the optical or coax digital connection is going from the dvd to reciever. No red and white cable. Then make sure that the right digital output mode is selected on the DVD player in the setup menu. Also make sure that you have the input mode set to digital or auto on the receiver and set the surround mode to Dolby Pro-logic.
 

Hi guys,
I have a question that I hope someone can answer. I'm trying to record a DVD onto a VHS tape. All my audio and video hookups are through the 6070. For some reason, the video that's recording is really bad. The audio is fine, but no luck with the video. Does anyone have any suggestions as to what I may be doing wrong?
I tried recording regular TV broadcast through my Dish and that's working fine, so the only problem seems to be in recording video from the DVD.
Please help !!!!!

Thanx a bunch
 

TeeVee Boy
It is probably Macrovision on the DVD.
 

TeeVee Boy,
What's "Macrovision on DVD"? and what if anything can i do about it to get a better recorded picture?

Thanx
 

krusty2084
Hi all,
I just purchased the 6070 from Circuit City for an amazing $260 (including tax) and had a question about properly calibrating my speakers. I am using Paradigm Atoms as my L/R/SL/SR and a Cerwin Vega as my center. My listening position is about 10' from the fronts and 6' from the rears. I keep reading that I should use a Radio Shack Sound Meter to improve the sound (which is already impressive), but what exactly am I supposed to do? Please help this newbie. Thanks.
 

Robm
Could someone explain how surround sound from TV works with the 6070, what settings on the receiver should one use to get this surround sound. Have connected cable to TV and len audio outs from tv to receiver. thanx
 

Braz
Hi all,

Hoping someone can help me out here, bit of a newbie at this. Just bought the 6070 and got everything working OK except the sub. It's a powered sub and I've got it connected to the preout sub connection. I dont have a SB and I've set the 6ch amp to Off and SW on in the speaker setup. The only time I can get any response out of the SW at all is when I mess with the Bass Peak and then it's just a crackling sound. The sub also has speaker inputs/outputs. Any help would be appreciated.

Thanks.
 

edgarin8
I've just noticed something very interesting on the 6070. While watching amovie I realized that the sub was off so I disabled it on the receiver and the sound was considerably bettered, I dont mean on sound volume but quality. The surround and dts sound was like in the movietheaters. But when I enabled the sub all went to something like monoaural. Considering that the actual subwoofer was off ther shoul be no big difference between enabling or disabling the sub from the receiver. The bad news now is that I appreciate more the sound without sub enabled but the lack of bass is there since I cant adjust the bass to the normal speakers when listening to dolby or dts signals... So is this a factory error or there is something wrong with my receiver???????
 

Brian
When the sub is enabled on the receiver, it usually goes into THX mode, which means it only sends frequencies above 80 Hz to the other speakers, and everything else to the sub. If the sub is not on, you won't hear anything below 80 Hz, so you'd have to turn it on. If you disable the sub on the receiver, it sends the full range to all the speakers, at least that is my understanding. You should read the manual. It tells you how to have the sub on without THX mode. In other words, it tells you how to get the full range to all the speakers and have the sub on. Hope this helps.
 

Lou
Surrond Back Speakers (wiring)

How do I hook up the two SB speakers? Connect the positive of one to the negative of the other and run to the 6070 with one wire from each?
 

Jeffrey
edgar, set your speakers to large instead of nml/thx and see if this resolves your problem.
 

edgarin8
Brian, I tried the sound with the sub off and changing the receiver sub to on and off and to be honest the only difference I can see is the surround feeling, when I turn on the sub on the receiver the sound gets a little crappy( not as impressive). Now when I turn on the sub on receiver and my subwoofer the sound is not as good as when listening with the subwoofer off and the sub off on the receiver (Not taking in consideration bass but surround involvement). "You should read the manual. It tells you how to have the sub on without THX mode." Iwent up and down on the manual and I found nothing related to what you say. Jeffrey No it doesn't, I tried but it gave even less bass and the surround feeling dissapeared as well... But thanx for the advice though.
 

I've browsed through almost all the messages in this area and have found several that indicate trouble with getting DTS sound or other such problems with the VR6070. However I didn't see any for no sound at all from DVD through the COAX connection. Mine worked for a couple of disc's and then died. I got it working briefly by switching from the DVD/6ch connection to Video 2 coax but then it died again after a couple of minutes. Can't get it working at all now. I'm running the sound from the RCA right/left connections of the DVD into Video 1 connection. Anyone else have this problem? Should I return the receiver? I have about a week left on the store return policy. If you have any suggestions you can email me at lmunroe@bigfoot.com Thanks.
 

BJ Desmond
I was all set to buy a VR-6060 or 6070, but can't find one anymore. Went to the store and saw a real sleek all digital receiver called the Panasonic SA-XR25 for under $300.

After checking out the specs at http://www.prodcat.panasonic.com/shop/NewDesign/ModelTemplate.asp?ModelId=17860&show_all=false&product_exists=True&active=1&ModelNo=SA-XR25&CategoryId=2600 I noticed that THD was rated at 0.9% compared to the Kenwood's 0.09%. That's 10 times more distortion!

If the intended use is home theatre and not audio, can that distortion be heard or noticed?
 

Lostin-
Macrovision is the copyright protection method used to distort the picture when run through a recording device.

Krusty-
Using your Sound pressure meter you will put the reciever into its test mode where it will send a pink noise signal through to each speaker in turn. Make sure that you start with the volume high enough to judge differences. As each speaker plays you will read the meter and adjust the output to each channel as needed to make sure that they all read the same on the meter. This will ensure that the movies sound mix plays as intended.

RobM-
The mode most designed with surround decoding from stereo in mind is Dolby Pro-Logic II.


Braz-
I am guessing but you probably have large speakers in front or you at least have the parameters set to large front speakers. In that case the sub may only play when a track is recorded for the sub(specifically in DD or DTS). I don't know if you can set the sub to also recreate what is happening in the fronts. If so it will be a parameter in the setup that reads
BASS [Mains] [Sub] [Both]
and you would want to select both if the speakers are large or sub if the speakers are small. If you can't get it to work that way then you could always diconnect the sub cable and run it through the high level inputs.


Edgarin-
Do a couple of tests. What happens when the sub output is enabled but the sub is disconnected? Listen very close to each speaker to tell what changes have happened and to see if each one is still playing. Also make sure no changes have happened in the surround mode between tests. What are the speakers you are using and what are the size settings on the reciever? It may seem rediculous but also make sure your speakers are connected properly and in the right spot. Some of these may sound strange but so does the problem. What is the location of the sub in relation to the listeners?

Lou-
If you connect your 2 speakers in series you will double your ohm load and possibly damage something. If you connect them parralel you cut the ohms in half and possibly damage something. As long as the speakers are not too demanding you may be fine but will probably be better off just using one speaker.

Lawrence-
Return the reciever to the store but go in with enough time to test it out there using a different cable and dvd player. You must test the possibilities or else you may find that your newly exchanged reciever is having the same problem. It does sound defective though.

BJ-
Yes you can hear the difference but will you notice it? Honestly the most THD comes from the speakers but you also need to look at how the company arrived at that distortion. Did they test from 20Hz to 20Khz or only 1Khz? Did they only test in stereo mode to make it easier. Sony has a digital amp reciever in their ES lineup that goes for $800 and has similar ratings and I don't think it sounds that great for demanding speakers but if you have smaller and more efficient speakers it will probably do fine.
 

Jeffrey
edgar, you sub is probably playing out of phase, switch the polarity of the signal coming into it if possible and see if this solves your dilemma.
 

Anonymous
What's the best way to hook up a Direct TV receiver through the VR-6070? It has the three RCA outputs (R,W and Y) and an S-Video Output. My tv only has RCA Inputs No S-Video, No Digital or HDTV, yet. I have read that you can use a Coax cable to plug into the receiver. What can I use the Coax inputs for? I am currently running the Satellite outputs into my receiver, but the receiver only indicates that it is receiving an analog signal. Will it always be this way until I use different cables?
 

Anon,
Use the 3 RCA outputs from your Direct TV receiver to Video 2 RCA inputs on your 6070. Then run just the Video RCA output (Y cable) from the 6070 to your TV. That way, you run the audio throu the 6070. The RCA signals are analog signals. The analog signal applies to the audio signal (RCA connections). Digital signals are received using Optical or (I think) co-ax (audio) outputs.
Hope that helps
 

Anon,
if you want digital sound you need to replace your DirecTV reciever with a Dolby Digital output reciever. It will have the optical output which will replace the red and white cables going to the reciever. Cable companies use Coax digital outs from their digital boxes and many DVD players have them as well
 

edgarin8
Thanx for the advice Jeffrey but it didnt work. I am using 5 jbl control 5 speakers an a JBL S-Center II set to normal/thx. Wiring is fine. If they are set to large the sound gets kinda crappy, if the sub is disabled and sub disconected the sound is still crappy, so the only solution i found is to disable the sub...
 

Anonymous
i just bought a kenwood 6060 i was just wondering if 300 watt subs is to much power for the amp and what will it do if i leave them hooked up to it
 

Anonymous
To get the best video image possible connect the DVD Player directly into the TV. Do not bother to run the video through the receiver. This will only degrade the image. Rule of thumb: The shorter the way, the better.
 

Anonymous
Thanks to those who replied to my Direct TV posting. I just upgraded my stereo after ten plus years of a great, still working Kenwood Surround Sound (not Pro Logic) receiver. I finally got the PS2 DVD set up correctly and this receiver totally rocks. The receiver instantly detected THX when I played Attack of the Clones.

I am bummed however, that I now have to upgrade just about everything. My older Kenwood CD player does not work through the new remote along with the tape deck. They have the older incompatible system control cords. Why would Kenwood do that? Also no codes to program my remote. My Direct TV receiver is also analog, not digital, I also should buy a powered sub. Ugh, my $349 receiver is now costing my triple in upgrades.

I do have a question, though. What is the benefit of running the video cord from the Direct TV receiver through the 6070 prior to connecting to the TV? I currently use Coax to connect from my Sat. to my tv. Same with S-video, I don't understand, the 6070 is a stereo receiver, not a picture monitor. What advantage is gained by routing S-Video cables through the receiver before going to the tv? Thanks, this is a Great Forum.
 

dave
I think the reason for the video inputs on the receiver is because not all tv's have s-video inputs or component..
 

Rick MP
Hey Anonymous,

You can always buy a learning universal remote, should solve most of your control problems. I needed one cause my STUPID kenwood "learning" remote would change device back to RECeiver every time I adjusted volume. (STUPID! STUPID! STUPID!)...Oh wow! I can adjust BASS Boost on my friggin remote, yet I can't adjust the volume withoud switching out of DVD mode?!!?!?!?!

Sorry, I just wish the bozos would stop and think once in a while.

Routing video through amp is for switching purposes. I.e., when you switch to Video 1 from Video 2, the sound AND the Video will be sourced from, say your VCR instead of your DVD player. And, yes this can be very convenient if you lack inputs on your TV. And, yes this can be very useless if you are forced to buy a remote that has good MACRO capabilities.
 

dave
Yeah, that is pretty lame that you can't switch the volume without keeping the source on cable or whatever..

Plus...how can you NOT have back lighting with such tiny buttons?

what is a good remote to get?
 

Lou
Little light for Surrond Back Speaker will not light up.. Connected 2 speakers in series to the rear and getting sound when forced THX-EX, but the speaker indicator on the receiver does not light up.

Any ideas?
 

Anonymous
There are some movies that are Dolby Digital, and although they are not marked as Dolby Digital EX in the back of the case this option is available if selected in the receive. Now, if I select THX Dolby Digital EX goes back to Dolby Digital since they apparently cannot be selected both at the same time. In your oppinion, which option should I select for better audio results...

Now when I select Dolby Digital EX the SB does not light up in the receiver, is that normal? I still get sound in the SB espeakers though...
 

Ali
Can anyone based on an educated/researched facts tell me which is a better receiver for the money if they were both prices the same? the Kenwood VR-7070 or the older Kenwood VR-6070? What would be the "major" pros and cons of one over the other?
 

Lou
X-BOX component input for HD

Can the 6070 handle the bandwidth? If I input component from the HD cable box and also from the HD X-Box, will the 6070 be able to output to the television properly.

If not I will need a switch box. Any ideas?
 

Ali
come on, no one can answer my question? :(
 

Brian
Ali--read the rest of the posts. The question has been answered many times.
 

Ali
that's true brian but I just don't have time to go through 1600+ posts specialy on a crapy forum like this where most everything is on one page an it takes for ever for a page to load etc...anyways thanks for your help.
 

Anonymous
Do some research by yourself ali, you are not handicapped, most people in here had to find information on their own to be able to make educated questions, not just general questions that cant be answered in a radical yes or no, since finally the answer depends on what you are looking for.
 

Ali
Don't fill up this forum with more crap then it alrady has. I don't need more then one preacher to give me life lessons about the internet etc...Too many dick heads like you. Big mouth on the internet, small weener/no balls in real life.

Now if you got some brains answer my original question or STFU and keep your thoughts to yourself :)

FYI... I have ADD so yet I am handicaped and can't research. Research what ADD is and you'll know what I can't "research" things myself.

(God please less dick heads in this world, and more helpful people, thanks you and amen)
 

Anonymous
Well, I thought I was talking to an adult but for what I can see I am either communicating either with a child or a red neck. Moreover, I feel pity for a human being with such ignorance. Please, for your own good learn to express your ideas in a written manner. You are just making a fool of yourself...
 

Anonymous
Ali, take your make-believe handicap and crummy attitude and shove off. Since no one here is your momma, no one is obligated to listen to your whiny pity party either.
 

Scott
Ali, The only difference between the two recievers other than the color is the 7070 has a different remote and it does not have RF abilities (remote doesnt work through walls) like the 6070 does. there may be other differences but those are the only ones that I have read about. I have the 6070 and it is a terrific reciever, in my opinion the 7070 would be equally as nice. I hope that helps you. And please everyone do not turn this into a profanity slanging hate forum this forum and everyone who uses it is better than that.
 

I've recently purchased the Kenwood 6070 reciever as a gift for my former, who was quite the audiofile. Well, guess who got dumped so things fell through. I've used it three times - just having it set up and tested out for the 'big surprise'. Untouched since. Since it's now an unpleasant memory, I'd like to sell it without taking too bad of a beating from what I'd paid. I'd done a lot of research before ordering it and it's supposed to be all set for what's 'up and coming' tech wise. If anyone's interested, it's perfectly intact, stickers and all. Just email me with (Please!) a *_resonable_* offer, it's only six weeks old, shipping would depend upon location. And *Please* no nonsense emails or ridiculously low offers, stupid remarks or spam mail.
Thank you.
 

Ali
Thank you for the helpful reply Scott.
 

Anonymous
Fuckk off already aliiiiiiii... pusssy.
 

Mother
CHILDREN!!!!

Please keep is civil. We are coming up to the one year anniversary here (June 6), let's not lose it now.
 

Canuck
BJ DEsmond...keep shopping there are still some units out there...don't settle for something else( assuming of course you really know what you want)... You may try the Canadian dealers such as Future Shop ... they have the 6060 at 399 CND$or Vision electronic they have the 6070 at 575 CDN$...
 

Tom Grant
Can anyone tell me if the multi-room capability on the Kenwood VR-6070 enables you to play two sources at the same time (e.g., TV in one room while a CD is playing in the second room?)
 

Brian
I'm pretty sure it only allows one source. You would need another receiver to do two sources I think.
 

Hi.....
I know that it has been discussed already..... But I have a hard time understanding why a new product would be cheaper than an older model. Any ideas why? I have found a new 6070 for 385 and the new 7070 silver model for 339. What gives? Which should I purchase?
 

Brian
The 6070 is better. I beleive the comprable model is the 7080, but I could be wrong.
 

Dank
I purchased my 6070 a couple of months ago and I must say that I couldn't be happier. The only unfortunate thing is that I haven't purchased a house yet, and I don't think my apartment neighbors would appreciate me testing the full capabilities of the reciever.
My question is this: I have digital cable which require a seperate cable box, and I would like to split the signal coming out of the box to the other tv's in my apartment. Is there such thing as a rf repeater? I would like to use my 6070's remote to operate the cable box from any room in the apartment.
Thanks and great forum.
 

Rod
I just bought a VR 6070 and like it very much, however when I went into CSII mode to set it up I discovered something strange with the trubass adjustment. The manual says there are four settings SW, LR, SW+LR and off. When I first got to this setting it was in the off setting, however when I turned the multi control knob it went through the SW, LR and SW+LR settings but it cant be set to off. I reset the microcomputer and again the trubass function starts out in the off setting but once turned to the other three settings cannot be returned to off. I was wondering if it is supposed to be this way or is something wrong with it. Everything else works fine of the reveiver. Any help would be greatly appreciated!
 

G.DawG
Dank:
haha There is no such thing as an RF repeater because RF means you dont need a repeater to use it in the other room. By the way in case you didnt know...RF stands for Radio Frequency.
Rod:
I doubt it is a problem with the 6070 because(I just checked)mine does it too I think that once you change the "Listen Mode" it goes off but im not positive so dont quote me on that one.
 

Anonymous
Dank...

You just add an IR repeater from the receiver's ir output and then place the sensor over the ir receiving window on the cable box. Anything that you hook up in this way with the IR repeater's will then have the same range as the receiver does as for the remote control. I currently have my TV, dvd player, and vcr player connected with these so I can control them outside the room if desired.
 

Great thread--thanks for all the postings. I was considering purchasing a re-manufactured model through e-cost.com (around $280). It seemed like a good until I read about the number of units that people have returned. I guess its given Kenwood lots of practice on fixing them...

Any thoughts?
 

Larry Bud
Just bought a 7070, best as I can tell it is a 6070 in silver with an IR remote and the 7080 has a fancy remote. Otherwise, I can't find any differences.
 

JohnB
Meek:
I notice the same popping with my 6070. Also, my left surround speaker pops every time I switch listening modes. Is this channel defective? Has anyone returned their reciever for this? Has anyone had luck with Circuit City replacing a discontinued reciever with the latest model (7070 or 7080)?
 

Well, I just ordered a Kenwood VR-7080. It will be delivered on 6-27-03. I'm upgrading from a Sony P.O.S. Ill let ya know in a few days what I think o fit.

johnnycorona@mac.com
 

Peter Schroeder
Can anyone confirm that the VR-7080 has video component signal switching above 10mhz (as in the 6070)? Crutchfield lists it as 10mhz, but I've read several posts on this site that say it is higher.
 

Dion
Hi, I just wanted to know something about my VR-6070. I have 2 devices plugged into the Optical In sockets, 1 has a DVD player the second one has an Xbox console. I also have an Optical Out running from the Amplifier into my computer's sound card (SB Audigy 2 Platinum).
Sound works fine on the VR-6070 through my speakers, however no sound at all is passed through the cable connected to Optical Out on the Amp. When the Xbox console starts up, on my computer speakers I hear the boot up sequence just fine, but when a game begins, I hear nothing at all. Same with DVD movies when I try to play them through my computer's sound card, it's just mute. Is this some kind of protective feature, sort of like macrovision but for audio? Is there anyway to fix this so I can hear sound via Optical Out?
thanks
 

Brian
You might check on the games and DVD's to see if Dolby Digital is selected. I don't know if that is the problem or not, but you might want to check it. Good luck.
 

Anonymous
Hey All, yes I have heard and own 2 systems from Fluance Speakers that I bought from http://www.fluance.com/ They sound excellent to say the least. I added 2 sets of the AV-BP2 for my 7.1 system. Wow was I shocked at how good they sound! I previously had a Bose system and they just can't match the sound I am getting now with the Fluance stuff.
 

G.DawG
Hey guys just for fun I re-hooked up my old Pioneer Elite too see how much of a difference in sound my Pioneer had from my 6070(also cuz I was showing my freind; he wants to buy it)I popped in a cd--Dire Straits-Sultan Of Swing--which I am used to listening to all the time now on my 6070, I was amazed at how good it sounded on my Pioneer it had a great sound stage and it had so much depth. Then I re-hooked up my Kenwood vr-6070 and it lost so much depth in stereo that I never noticed before. So, now I am thinking of moving up to a better brand than Kenwood.Dont get me wrong it still sounds great. I am now looking at the Pioneer 43Tx or the Harman Kardon AVR-325. Are these receivers great for music9dont care too much abouit home theater i found out i use my receiver 90% for music.
 

I noticed on the 6070 that it does not have a separate AMP for the Room B Speakers (Correct me if I am wrong).
And it may be that the Room B Speaker Terminals may just be connected with the Front Main Terminals either in Series or Parallel inside the unit.

Any idea how would I know if Main Front and Room B are connected in Series or Parallel without opening the unit? I am just curious.
 

Wow I can't believe all the information on this board about this receiver. I just bought a KRF9060D from a military catalog sales for $379.00. I am stationed here in the US and saw that receiver in the catalog and thought how great this item would be. It took 10 days for delivery and the price included shipping which was really a bargain. I had problems with the first one because the voltage selector switch was broken so I had to return it, I ordered it again the very day I returned the broken unit and so it took another ten days of waiting. I enjoyed it for about 30 days when the power protection kept turning off the receiver indicating a short with the speaker wires, which I found very odd. I finally did some checking and then I realized that the Bose speakers I was using were only 4 ohms. I had to return the darn thing and told them it was broken...no problems there. I just ordered another one when I found out that the model was discontinued but they have a replacement model, the KRF9070D that comes with the luminous remote for $299!!! They have some sort of Kenwood summer savings sale going on. Again, it's coming from Japan so it will be another 10 day wait....aaaaaahhhh! I guess it would be time to look for new speakers...the Bose 401 served me well but they gotta go...i think! Anyone has this unit yet???
 

G.DawG
Burnman u in Canada or U.S.A?
 

G.Dawg I'm in the USA...just got back from Kuwait...the 9070 was present from my wife for coming back home in 1 piece. Just got word from reps...they just shipped it from Japan
 

G
oh cuz I was gonna say that the pro-linear speakers are great with the 6070.but they are only avail. in canada.
 

G
oh cuz I was gonna say that the pro-linear speakers are great with the 6070.but they are only avail. in canada.
 

G.DawG
sry 4 the double post
 

G.DawG
Does anybody know where I can find a photo of the Pioneer Elite 43tx's backpanel? I cant seem to find one or a picture of the remote.
 

Anonymous
Anyone know of a universal remote that will control the kenwood vr-6070
 

Claudia
If I have a receiver VR-6070 that has Dolby® Digital and DTS, Is necessary that I have a DVD player that has the same characteristics(Dolby® Digital and DTS)?
 

Yes, of course.

Anyway, it is now a standard for DVD Players to have its own Internal Processor. Do not worry that you might buy a player without a processor.
Anyway, to be sure if a player has, check the Dolby Digital Logo and DTS in front.
 

Well, my Kenwood KRF-9070d finally came in. I have a dilemma, will the Bose 401s, with an impedance of 4 ohms work fine with this unit...I recently burnt out a previous Kenwood KRF-9060d, in which the protection circuit turned on and I couldn't get the receiver to work anymore so I had to return it. I am just hypothesizing that it could be the fault of the 401s. I want to run a 7.1 set-up using an older Kenwood. I am using a JBL SCS150 for my surround set-up but that is only a 5.1 set up...I want to use the 401 for the fronts..do you guys think it may be a problem?
Thanks
 

pioneer vsx-d557 help i really need a remote for my reciever its a pioneer vsx d557 email me at socoguy234@aol.com thanks
 

What a wealth of info. I am sure this question has been posed but I have gone through many, many of the entries and feel I need to ask.
Got a brand new 6070 on ebay for $ 280.00. Hooked it all up last night.
I have it set to full auto. Speaker EQ at normal.Popped in Episode 2, switched to THX EX and all sounds good.

I put in minority report. In movie sound lets you chose DTS. When movie starts playing it is very muffled and the DTS light on the receiver does not light up, or any other for that matter.
Do I need to set the receiver to manual and chose my setup for each DVD??
I also do not get an option for Dolby Digital whith the input. Best I can see is Pro Logic.

In case it matters I have AMP SB OFF because I do not have a 6th yet.
Thanks

Thanks
 

Hi Paul,
Are you using any of the digital or optical inputs?
 

paul
Berny

I have optical. I did find out one thing. Before putting a dvd in, if I select the Neo Cinema listening mode, the receiver now reads Dolby Digital and eveything seems good. I still however cannot get DTS.
 

Brian
Does your DVD player have DTS output? Some older ones only have Dolby Digital. That might be the problem.
 

paul
brian,

yes, i have always been able to play dts. The only change is the receiver, from an old kenwood 407 to the 6070. Now though when I choose the dts option on the movies menue, the DTS light does not come on.
 

Hi,

I'm new here, so bare with me. I also have a Kenwood VR-6070 and so far was really happy with the unit. However, we just got a Widescreen TV and a Progressive Scan DVD Player (Panasonic S35). Ago I would connect the receiver with the coax cable and get the 5.1 sound no problems. However, now I connect the receiver and the DVD player via optical cable, since the player doesn't have a coiax, and I can't seem to get 5.1 ! All I get is Pro Logic and I can't set it to anything else. I have to set the receiver to CD/DVD, coz if I set it ti DVD/6ch input, I get no sound at all. I don't need 6.1 as I don't have the speaker system for 6.1, I'd be glad to get 5.1. Any help would really be appreciated...
 

Brian
Paul,
That's weird, I don't know what to tell you. Maybe your receiver is bad or something.

Chris,
The reason you have to put it on CD/DVD is because that's what the optical input is assigned to on the 6070. The coaxial is assigned to DVD/6CH, which is probably what you were using before. As far as the 5.1 goes, my suggestion is to make sure you go through the set up on your DVD player, since it's new. Make sure you have 5.1 channel turned on. Some of them come with only Dolby 2-channel surround enabled, so you have to turn on Dolby Digital 5.1. You can probably find out how to do that in the owner's manual for the DVD player. Also, make sure you have it set so the audio output goes through the digital (optical) output, rather than the analog output, if that makes sense. Again, that should be in the owner's manual. Hope that helps.
 

Paul, turn off the THX selection on the Kenwood. I have noticed that if the THX is set to "on" all the other features on the audio selection is disabled. Let the receiver do the selection if it is on automatic detect. Turn off the NEO. Also check the set up on your DVD player. Hope this helps..I only had 30 days worth of experience on the 6070 (KRF-9060) but that is what I noticed during its short life...thanks to the Bose 401s and its 4 ohm impedance. I had it replaced with the 7080 (KRF-9070)...hopefully it will last longer than the last one. This time the 401s are now relegated to the kids' playroom...may try to get the fluance.
Cheers
 

Brian, thanks for reply. I think I didn't put my question clearly enough. Anyways, the problem is that I get the sound from all the 5 speakers and the sub, but what I want, is for each speaker to have a separate channel. Now it seems that while the front speakers have seperate channels, the back speakers share one channel. In the manual, it says that if I want to get 6 channel audio, I should put the receiver to DVD/6ch Input. However, when it's set to that, I get no sound at all. I tried a lot of settings, but nothing seems to work. Is it because of the Optical cable? I'm really desperate and might just have switch to another DVD player, which I don't really want to :(
 

Chris S,

The 6 channel Input is only for DVD AUDIOS and SACD's output provided ou have a Universal Player (Plays both SACD and DVD).

Now, if you want to hear 5.1 Discrete channels (Discrete means each Speaker Channel is reproducing different sound), use a fiber optic cable or toshlink or Coaxial Digital Cable then connect to CD/DVD input of the receiver. Try that first. You may have to turn on DTS or DD decoding from the DVD Player (if possible).

Post your feedback.
 

Paul F
Thanks for the input.

I agree with some of the other comments when it comes to making sure you go into the DVD players setup menu. After 3 days of fiddling I finally have it all working perfect. I feel this is the single most important thing to do(the DVD menu). As noted in my past strings, I could not get DD or DTS, only pro-logic, just like so many other strings have stated. For my DVD player,(panasonic s35) under the audio setup, all I had to do was set DD and DTS to bitstream and all is good.
Beside this,I do feel that leaving the receiver on full auto detect is the best scenario. Any DVD I put played in the correct format. The only exception was DD-EX or DTS EX which at times once the DVD started had to be choosen by the listening mode knob, no big deal.

As far as sound is concerned, everybody will have their own scenario but for me I have the AMP SB etc set to off, I also have all the re-mix options set to off. I have all of my speakers set to THX/NML,I have the speaker EQ set to NML,(makes a good bit of difference) and per one suggestion I have the rear surrounds set at +3. I can barely turn up the recever volume over -20. LOTR and Episode 2 need to be -25 or lower or the whole house shakes.

Paul
 

There are too many people named Paul on this board! I noticed that ECOST has the VR-7080 on sale right now for less than $350 and I was wondering about people's thoughts on that machine. I am due a birthday present and I haven't said what I want yet! My birthday was a week ago. Would the 7080 be a good present? or Not?

Paul R
 

Anonymous
yes it is a great present! Go get it!
 

ApaJR
Hello all!! I am having trouble getting my subwoofer to work. I have a JBL PB-12. All of my other speakers work but I can't get the sub to work. Could someone help me get this damn sub to work on the VR 6070? All comments will be helpful to me since I am a novice.
 

Merv
I have an old Kenwood KR-V6060 Suround Sound System, Boss cube speakers Left-center and right, my rear speakers are KLH speakers. My problem is I get a hessing sound in the rear speakers and they cut in and out.The system is connected into a Sony HDTV, Toshiba SD1600 DVD player and a Sony VHS. I checked all my wire hook-ups and there OK. Any suggestions?
 

G.DawG
ApaJR,
I used to have the 6070 and I think I still remember it. I also have the same sub(kinda I got the 10)Anyways are you sure all your speakers are set to NML/THX? make sure that the subwwofer out is set to on and surround out to SB then if it still doesnt work, you got a problem. by the way if you have large front towers set them to large and then set the subwoofer remix to on. Hope this helps!
 

Andrew
Holy Poo! I thought the post on Pyramids was long, but this one takes the cake!!!
 

AllenA
I am a novice in this field of suround sound and hope someone can help me. I recently purchased a HDTV and when they hooked it up, they also hooked up my suround sound. The installers hooked everything up to my TV then the TV to my Receiver. All the speakers are hooked up to the bass box, then the box to the receiver, the rear speakers are hooked up to the receiver. I am having a problem with the rear speakers. Should everything be hooked up to the receiver then the TV? I have a Kenwood KR-VR6060
 

Anonymous
Hi,

Wow this is a long thread. If someone can answer my question that would be great. I went through quite a bit of posts and didn't see anything about HOW the 6070 sounds. I can't believe all the features you get for the price. And I'll be ordering today or tomorrow for next weekend so time is getting short. Basically, I want a "warm" sounding receiver. I've heard that about the H/K's that they accentuate the midrange and have a laid back sound. Also, I have the JBL S-centerII and S38II's. Is it worth getting the 6070 for the THX or economically speaking can I do OK with the 6060. Are there any other benefits? They both seem similar except for the THX certification.
Thanks!
 

daniil
anon
i have 6060 for more than a year good sound,good features,love it .best one for that amount of money.buy if you can find one.same as 6070 minus THX sertification.
 

coondog
I did a bit of research on the 6060 vs 6070.

Yes the 6070 does have THX which is a certified filtering an output process. This is why I bought it. I thought for the extra cash, I must as well get the 6070. Also, I think the 6070 comes with a RF/ infrared remote, not sure if the 6060 has the RF part.

I'm really happy with mine. Sounds great with the sub/ satellite system I have. Lots of options too.
 

daniil
coondog
yes 6060 have RF part
6070 have aluminum front panel insted of plastic
6070 have 1 digital audio output
6070 have pre outs on all chanels 6060 sub/surround back
6070 have zone B video output
6070 have multi zone operation audio/video 6060 audio only
thats about it
and THX its a matter of taste
 

StarsCup2003_2004
I can't seem to get the DTS or Dolby Digital lights to come on when I run a DVD through my
Playstation 2....my gut feel is that I really need to go ahead and get a "real" DVD player...if that's the case I'd appreciate some mid level
recommendations (up to $400, but preferably less).
Thanks ! Great forum !
 

StarsCup2003,

hey, I also have PS2 as my temporary DVD Player. And it is connected to my VR-6070 through fiber optic cable. Turn on the optical out on the PS2. On the PS2, go to "System Configuration" and turn on "Digital Out". Your receiver should now be detecting DTS or Dolby Digital signal.
 

StarsCup2003_2004
nels76 -
Thanks for the info....got a fiber optic cable and put in the Matrix...I see OPTICAL lit up and the sound seems improved and my speakers all have the white background on them but I still don't see Dolby or DTS lit up..any ideas ? Thanks for the info so far and sorry if the questions are newby-ish (grin)...thanks !
 

Stars,

That's kind of weird. In my setup, I did not have a hard time detecting DD or DTS Signal on the receiver from the PS2.

By the way, are you just really interested to have DD or DTS Diplayed on the window?

5 White Background under the BLUE SPEAKERS + LFE means that a DD or DTS has already been detected. You can also confirm this by checking if the red light indicator on the left lits up either for DD or DTS. Check it once again. If you really want the window to display DD or DTS, go to set-up menu and go to DISP MODE.

Give me again a feedback.
 

StarsCup2003_2204
nels76 -
missed the part about configuring the second ps2 screen for dolby digital / dts...now the red light comes on next to dolby digital

one more question though...if i have a movie like "twister" that is rated with both dolby digital AND dts which one should show up or does one take precedence over the other...when I'm watching "twister" it only shows the dolby digital red light...thanks for all your help...the receiver sounds better everytime I have time to make a few more adjustments..thanks again.....
 

Stars,

If a DVD Movie has been encoded on both DD and DTS, DD automatically switches on. It is the default mode. To change to DTS, press select on the PS2 Controller (while the movie plays), then the PS2 DVD Menu appears on the TV Screen (this is the case on my PS2 Model No. SCPH 15000). When the PS2 DVD Menu appears on the screen, select the "music note" symbol then press "circle" button until the DTS lights on the Receiver.

Hope this helps you a lot.

To excite your ears some more, press SPEAKER EQ and ACTIVE EQ on the Receiver or on the Receiver Remote Controller until you feel like "heaven".
 

Sal Leno
Hello everyone - I just bought a used vr-6070 with no remote. Any recommendations on what to buy for a replacement? Thanks
 

Berny
Hello Sal,
Try getting a universal remote from Radio Shack called the "chameleon".
 

Sal Leno
OK Berny, thanks a lot for the advice. I will look into it.
 

Has anyone had problems with video inputs on the 6070? I have a problem with video 1. I can hook up the composite or s video (that I am certian are working) and switch between all of the different inputs. All of the other lines work fine. Video 1 does not have any visual output. The sound for video 1 works fine.

Any help would be appreciated.
Thanks
Wade
 

nels76
BUMP
 

Wade Markham
Didn't work!
I also took it apart and reassembled without finding a problem. I am now ordering the service manual.
Thanks for the reply!!
 

Rod
I have had my 6070 for about six months now and have had no problems with it. However I have noticed something peculiar on this receiver in regards to the display. If you get right up to the receiver and look at the display it says active eq and cinema eq right above where it says dsp. The dsp indicator lights up in the display when I have this function on, however the other two do not light up when I have the active eq on and or cinema eq selected from the active eq setting, however the red indicator on the left side of the receiver does light up for the active eq setting. When I looked at the display diagram in the manual it shows where the dsp light is in the display but it does not show the active eq or cinema eq that are above it. Is this a problem with my receiver or is this display used in other models also and is not functional for this receiver as it does not show these in the 6070's manual. Any help would be greatly appreciated!
 

Iceman
need help setting up back surround speakers. in the manual is shw a setp for 2 back surround speakers, but there is only 1 output on the back of the receiver. how do you hook up 2 or yoi just connect 1 and then the other to it. thanx in advance
 

Iceman
need help setting up back surround speakers. in the manual is shows a setup for 2 back surround speakers, but there is only 1 output on the back of the receiver. how do you hook up 2 or yoi just connect 1 and then the other to it. thanx in advance
 

nels 76
Iceman,

Yeah you can have two surround back speakers but you need an external amp to power them.

From tne 6th and 7th channel pre-out of the receiver, connect it to an external amp then connect the 2 surround back speakers from the external amp.

Acdcording to the Manual, if you have the 6th and 7th chanel activated, you can now turn on THX Surround EX by pressing the THX Button. But for favoarable results, turn THX Surround EX only when the source being played is a 6.1 (Dolby Digital EX or DTS ES)

It's all in the manual. You just have to read it from cover to cover. It is the arrangement which is the problem.

Rod,

I think it is not a problem. Maybe, the display being equipped on the 6070 is not exclusive to it and also being used to some other models. I think that Cinema EQ and Active EQ on the Display is for some other models who do not have Red light indicator on them, say lower models than 6070.
 

ritualdelo
Can someone explain the differences of all the THX sound modes in the vr6070 simplistically. What sounds best and WHY?
 

G-Man
thx surround ex just helps play encoded dolby for a 6th speaker surround. THX isn't sound formats, but mainly a series of specifications a receiver or other consumer device must adhere to to get thx certification.

The formats for sound are mainly done by Dolby, DTS, NEO, and a manufacturers proprietary DSP's.

For basic 5.1 playback no one needs or uses the 6th speaker surround--so THX EX, Dolby EX and other 6,1 formats are useless. Most people sit with their couch or seat against the rear wall--hence there is no room for a 6th speaker. In general--don't bother as the 6th channel isn't discrete--it is just an algorithm that mixes the rear surrounds into a 6th rear center channel matrix. No big deal.

Dolby Prologic !! is good for playing stereo and changing it into a pleasant 5 channel surround. Dolby Prologic II comes in music and movie mode. Try both and see which you like better. Normally when playing stereo CD's or tuner the music mode makes it sound better when it converts it to surround. For 2-channel VHS the movie mode often makes it sound better when it converts it to surround.

For DVD playback I usually stay with either DTS surround or the more common on the dvd discs--Dolby digital surround. Most manufacturers usually then let you add different proprietary DSP's--such as action, rock, chamber music, drama, mono, 5-channel stereo,etc.

Different DSP's sound good or bad to different people. There is no best. Try playback without them and then try with various other ones. What you like will depend on the disc you are listening to. Keeping it in straight dolby digital generally gives you what the engineer had in mind.

Your question is almost like asking--is it better to have the treble turned all the way up or down? Or do you think having a lot of reverb or delays is better? There is no better answer. You will like flat playback on many discs and you make like reverb and other dsp's on music concert dvd's.
t
It is like how much salt is the best on all different cuts of steak?
 

R.J.
Hi guys I am new to this but i have to ask this question I saw the new Kenwood THX Receiver the model number is VR-7070. I was wondering what is better the Kenwood or Yamaha's new THX Receiver RX-V1400. I know that there is a price difference. but I really don't care! Either go with the Kenwood that does 6.1 and all the formats or the Yamaha that does 7.1 and all the formats plus Dolby Pro Logic IIx? Please Help!!!!!
 

G.DawG
Reading again through this thread, anybody still looking for the review from S&V Magazine will find it here...

http://www.soundandvision.netscape.com/electronics/ns/article/0%2Caid%2C192%2C00.asp
 

pecto
hi! i just bought a Kenwood VR 7070A just 2 weeks ago from vann's.com. you might probably wonder about the letter "A" at the model number. well, lucky for the recent buyers of VR 7070/7080, Kenwood upgraded that particular models with 120 watts x6 from the previous 100. it has also a component video switching for HD users.
so far, im enjoying this receiver for its THX feature especially for watching movies but for music listening, my brother's HK AVR 7000 is far more better when listening to stereo formats. but i guess fifteen hundred $ difference doesnt feel bad at all. i would recommend this model for all those people who want to enjoy quality sound but on a tight budget.
btw, i bought Wharfedale Diamond series center channel speaker and a pair of Wharfedale diamond series 8.1 for the surround. my question is, according to Wharfedale's manual, those speakers have an impedance of 6ohms but they also noted that is ok to use it on an amp with
8 ohm output; my concern is, would it affect my receiver or speakers if they dont match in resistance measurement (impedance)? my front speakers by the way has an impedance of 8 ohms. thanks!
 

Gandalf
Got a question about THX.
When I enable THX, any SPEAKER or ACTIVE EQ turns off, but I can turn them on again without disablong THX (and I like it better actually). Am I doing something wrong? i mean, is it a good idea to turn on active eq when THX is on?
 

Berny
Depends on how you like the sound. The THX feature is a pre-set of sorts that THX labs or LucasArts have defined. So when you turn on the feature, the receiver adjusts everything according to THX specs, all other like EQ and Speaker EQ is just to set the parameters according to THX.
It's like a program... the THX has to first be established then re-equalization is re-defined according to the speaker type that you have.
cheers
 

Berny,

Very well answered man.
I also notice the same thing and actually like the sound when both the THX and EQ settings are engaged.
 

Gandalf
So am I not the only one who likes speaker and active eq? i put speaker eq on LARGE (I have BOSE AM III but they suggest to put speakers to large since everything is being filtered by the active SW) ane the ACTIVE EQ to MOVIE ane well IT SOUNDS GREAT, specially with THX on (with enabled DVDs, like the new INDIANA ones: have u heard them: gosh!!!! SIMPLY AMAZING)
 

nels76
Gandalf,

Wait 'til you hear THX Surround EX engaged and still EQ Mode ON. OH MY GOD. This receiver really kicks butt - even the butt of the higher priced receivers.

One thing I really like about this receiver is its distortion free sound on all channels AND EVEN THE SUB AT HIGH VOLUME.

"ROCK THE HOUSE, YO"
 

Gandalf
Now, a hard question: how would u listen 2 stereo music with this receiver?
 

Berny
Turn the listen mode knob until it goes through all the options like CSII Neo:6, etc. until you get to "STEREO".
If you have the new remote with the backlight, there is a button that just says "STEREO" on it.
cheers
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