Kenwood KR-9600 - Worth my $1,000?

In my never ending search, I have come across a KR-9600 - "Fully refurbished and fully functional"

Should I go after it?
For that kinda money, I'd want some proof that it actually was refurbed. Refurbed means different things to different people. For me, it means it still specs out to factory wattage and distortion levels via the same methods they tested the distortion when it was new. If they can't check that, its not refurbed to me.

Also, do you want it? Is it "the one" you always wanted? Not one that you heard about, and wanted based on what you read about it. One that you or a friend used to have.

Do you like the equalization parameters? Lots of receivers use eq's based on frequency centers, which I personally hate. I like Baxandall Eq's.

Will you be angry if it breaks in ten days, and you have to put some $ into it? Old electronics are old and unpredictable. Do you have the spare money or skills to hire a tech or fix it yourself? Do you know a good tech?

I've had my heart broken a few times, so tread lightly.
 
Good advice above. I'm out of the collecting game and any receivers I get will have to fall in my lap. Not much help speculating on if it will hold its value but IMO vintage gear is at or close to peak right now.
 
Thanks for the insights @Gazdatronik - All good questions and I understand - I liken it to vintage automobiles which I dabble in. so I get it. The proof of "refurb" is what I wrestle with - I'm not a circuit head (no offense meant) Seller claims a detailed refurb sheet is available. I have been a Kenwood guy since the 1970's (still have my KA-3500) and this would be my 5th Kenwood unit - always attempting to best the last purchase.

I am suppose to be getting more details in the AM.

I had a lead on a Marantz 2330b - but I fear that has dried up.........
 
Refurbish is to rebuild or replenish with all new material; to restore to original (or better) working order and appearance. At that price, it would have to be pristine. I have a 4600 and love the looks of that series, but I do not know if I would spend that much.
 
A grand for something that could boat anchor in a day or two, or years in the future, I don't know that I'd pull the online trigger. If you know the person selling it has the skills and tools and integrity, that would be easier to consider shelling that much out for something you've wanted.
 
I see that serviced or refurbished ones on ebay are selling in that range. One even had an output transformer replaced as part of the refurbishing. LOL.

Let's see the refurb sheet.
 
My KR-9600 came from a guy who is selling for an estate. Apparently it was a father-son electronics and audio store, the father passed away a couple of decades ago, and the son is like 75 now and not doing too well. The shop has been closed up for a decade now, but they pay the electricity bill and keep the heat on. The guy who sold me the amp is a friend of the family who also happens to be a collector. He brings out a half dozen or so components at a time and sells them.,....then rinse and repeat. He says he has a ton of stuff to go through.
 
Thanks for the additional replies. The unit I found is not on FleaBay. It is local to me as is the electronics repair shop that seller said did the work. The repair shop is legitimate. I am suppose to be getting additional photos and a copy of the work done sometime today. Being local saves the cost of shipping as well as the stress and trauma of a bad shipping scenario. Seller has even offered to bring it down to the city (he is up in the hills) and let me hook it up to my system, in my space to audition. He may be a flipper. He may be an axe murder too. (Warning Will Robinson! Warning!!!!) I will engage the seller in conversational exchange to get a better feel for what and who I am dealing with.

Interesting story you have there @Raven50. I’m sure we are all waiting to see this unit that has crossed your path. I’m sure you will enjoy it.

Buying used vintage equipment is a lot like buying used vintage cars. I have been to my fair share of Mecum and Barrett Jackson auto auctions, and I can tell you that after those cars cross the block on TV, the real action starts. I have seen countless buyers being disappointed with their new to them winning bid. Cars not starting, cars starting but not running well, keys not working, tow trucks picking up, knobs falling off, doors not closing after opening, etc, etc, etc. The list, like the bids go on. It truly is something to watch. If you ever get the opportunity to go to one of those auctions do so. Watch the car roll off the TV stage and the new owner follow it to the back all grins. Most leave happy, some will be disappointed. It’s the same with this vintage stereo gear.

Sure, I could take my $1,000 - double it, go down to BeastBuy and plunk down that hard earned cash on something that everyone else has. Bring it home, hook it up and be happy with it The new gear. What would be missing is the beauty, the sonics, the legendary history of vintage silver face beauty.

More as I get it.
 
While the KR-9600 is an interesting Monster Receiver, it is not the most desirable of the Kenwoods. As mentioned earlier, the KR-9600 has Power Pack outputs which IIRC are difficult to adjust for DC offset...and no longer available. Look for a KR-9050 which has replaceable T-03 outputs.
 
Really good points about future replacement parts. I looked at the KR-9050 and what a beast. Beautiful. The one I saw on FleaBay was $5K
 
Really good points about future replacement parts. I looked at the KR-9050 and what a beast. Beautiful. The one I saw on FleaBay was $5K

$5k is too much. Be patient, a KR-9050 will come along. Send it off to be recap-restored and you are set. If you have to have something now, the second in line KR-8050 is very affordable. At a 120 wpc, It is still a legit monster. The following year's KR-8010 at 125 wpc is also an option.
 
KR-9600 has Power Pack outputs which IIRC are difficult to adjust for DC

That is true. In fact, DC offset cannot be adjusted in usual sense of turning a pot. Instead, on each channel two transistors -- which must be matched, need to be replaced. In addition, IIRC, another weak point is a resistor which gives off alot of heat on a board and can weaken the board. There is a fix which involves moving the resistor off the board. There are threads here on AK on both issues.

I have a KR9600. Sounds great, works great, and I'm very fond if it, but it is not a unit that I'd consider for restoration -- mainly due to the power pack output issue.
 
UPDATE: Photos have arrived and the unit is cosmetically a 5 out of 10. Scratches and dents to face plate and top of case. Knobs are very worn, dented, scratched and one missing. Seller had a receipt for work done - and it looked fairly complete, but as I stated above - these things are not my strong point.


Too bad the cosmetics are so rough - A perfect or near perfect face to me is part of the beauty of a vintage unit and the battle scars suggest that the unit had a hard life. My 42 year old KA-3500 and KT-5500 that I purchased NEW the year I graduated high school still look almost perfect! Seller said he would come down off his $1K but I gotta live with the unit in my living room - Oh well - I'll add this to the list of pass and continue on down this long and winding road.

Thanks again everyone for your input - I do appreciate greatly and I am glad Audiokarma is here.
 
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Good choice of 5 out of 10 WTH !

If something looks cosmetically bad that just is a big turn-off and telling of how not so well taken care of a piece of equipment was!
 
As a footnote, as risky as it is to buy the KR-9600, it will never completely become a "brick". In fact, if you get one cheap enough you can still come out ahead just by parting it out. I feel pretty confident that I could get half my investment back just on the face plate and the cover, seeing as they are mint.

About a decade and a half ago I bought an old motorcycle. It was a mid 80's Suzuki GS-550. I paid $100 for it and had to drag it out from behind a barn. It was a royal pain because the grass had grown up and around and through it, and kind of anchored it there. I only bought it for one reason....the two dual throat carbs that I needed to fix another bike I was restoring. Long story short, after taking the carbs off, instead of trashing the rest I decided to strip it down and and clean up the parts on put them on Ebay. There ended up being a bidding war on the gas tank, the gauge cluster and the fairings. In the end I ended up making around $1500 US of a bike I paid $100 CDN for. I put $500 into my pocket, and took the other $1000 or so and went out and bought 6 old Suzukis that I knew that most of the parts were discontinued. I kid you not, within a month or so I sold most of the major parts like gas tanks, gauge clusters and fairings, and was around $8k ahead...off an initial investment of $100. It grew from there. I hired my two nephews to strip down the bikes, wash up the parts and label and box them, while I was out shipping parcels or scouting for more bikes. I even rented a commercial space because I outgrew my garage. I did this for about 10 years and was raking in the "tax free" cash.

Now I am not saying that these old amps are as lucrative, but I am not saying that they aren't, either. I don't know enough about the "supply and demand" to make that determination. But I will say this......if my nice mint KR-9600 was missing the volume knob, and I was having a hard time finding one, and one popped up on Ebay for $50, I would probably buy it. ;)
 
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