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Underrated Kenwoods?

jeeem

jeeem

Active Member
My first real stereo system was built around a Kenwood KR-5400. I've always loved the look of Kenwoods, as well as their sound -- and I actually prefer the handsome appearance of many Kenwoods (and Sansuis and Pioneers) to the more in-demand Marantzes (whose pretty faces are certainly nothing to sneeze at).

Today, I have a number of 1960s-1970s Kenwood receivers and integrated amps, including:
KA-7100
KA-9100
KA-405
TK-40
KR-5600
KR-6400
Model Eleven

Can anyone tell me about some other Kenwoods of this vintage that you think are worth looking into -- maybe favorite units of yours that tend to fly under the radar?
 
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Those are the everyday man's gear. The good stuff is the
L-0 series of gear
L-05M, 06M, 07M, 07MII, 08M and 09M amplifiers
L-07C and 07CII preamps
L-07T and 07TII tuners
L-07D turntable.

Some too expensive today to be easily obtained, the turntable and one of the tuners.

Integrated amps, too.

The more plebian still high end turntables manuals without tonearms generally.

And folks like the 500, 600, 700, 700T and 700C series.

Even their early gear top units the ATC pieces are very nice for their time.

The early 70s thick faceplate gear
F-6000 Crossover
KA-2600 Integrated
KA-4000 Integrated
KA-6000 Integrated
KC-6050 VU Meters
KC-6060 Oscilloscope
KC-6060a Oscilloscope
KF-8011 Denoiser
KM-4002 Amplifier
KM-8002 Amplifier
KN-6644 Quadrixer
KT-3000 Tuner
KT-5000 Tuner
KT-7000 Tuner
KT-7001 Tuner
KT-8001 Tuner
M-6000 Amplifier
MA-5100 Amplifier
MF-5010 Amplifier
 
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Well, in the "plebian" category, for those of us without such refined tastes or pocketbooks:

  • KR-7600 receiver (even though its case, with the fake heat sinks on the sides, is unfortunate)
  • KA-7002 integrated amp and matching KT-7001 tuner
  • KR-7200 receiver
 
While the kr-9600 receiver seems to be the one that everyone knows, the kr-9050 is the rare one and 200 watts per channel. Kenwoods most powerful vintage receiver. A real looker too! Due to their scarcity and TOTL status, the prices for these have really skyrocketed the last few years. DSC09377.JPG
 
gizzyman47 said:
While the kr-9600 receiver seems to be the one that everyone knows, the kr-9050 is the rare one and 200 watts per channel. Kenwoods most powerful vintage receiver. A real looker too! Due to their scarcity and TOTL status, the prices for these have really skyrocketed the last few years. View attachment 2117746
Click to expand...
I am drooling over your 9050. I have a 7050, two models below yours and it is one of my favorites.
 
The KA-x01 (501, 601, 701 and 801) series tends to get allot less attention than the previous four digit number series'. It came at the tail end of the silver face series (1980), quality was just starting to peel back at the edges and they had a short run, but they're very capable and pretty amplifiers.
 
In my opinion, I think all Kenwoods are underrated and have been for years. Pricing has also been low and that has been nice. Over the past 6 months, prices have been climbing, but still reasonable.

I have a 4600, 8010, 7050 and 8050. All them restored and updated. 8010 is in use in my studio. The 7050 drives Bose 901s in a home theater configuration.

8010 and 7050 pictured.20210206_115805.jpg 20201219_110139.jpg
 
Can anyone tell me about some other Kenwoods of this vintage that you think are worth looking into -- maybe favorite units of yours that tend to fly under the radar?
Click to expand...

1976-77 vintage KR-6600. And yes it sounds as good as it looks. This one is not mine but its identical twin.

822029-vintage-kenwood-kr6600-stereo-receiver-with-led-upgrade.jpg




I've always loved the look of Kenwoods, as well as their sound -- and I actually prefer the handsome appearance of many Kenwoods (and Sansuis and Pioneers) to the more in-demand Marantzes (whose pretty faces are certainly nothing to sneeze at).
Click to expand...

It's the hue of the blue man, at least that's how I see it. I find Marantz and Sansui are pretty spiffy too but there's something with their blues that's, I can't put my finger on it, maybe they were a tad bit on the light/bright side. Meanwhile, Kenwoods had that color sitting halfway between royal blue and sky blue that gave them not an overly fancy stance, but rather that sort of dignified stately elegance that commands respect instead of awe.

Their overall aesthetics were... I would say had a calming, reassuring effect especially at night when Dad listened to Chet Baker and the like. If I recall well he had paid nearly $800 for it, a small fortune in the day but he never expressed any regrets over the issue. I inherited the 6600 from my father who had purchased when I was 14 in 1977 and he lavished care at the slightless hint of troublesome behavior, frankly it annoyed me but now that I'm reaping the . rewards. Once I overheard a young tech at a the high-end audio store I take the Kenny to for maintenance say to one of his coworkers something like "Damn dude, that the best looking receiver I have ever seen in my life!" When I took possession of it in 2001 it was still so nearly mint I barely dared to touch it bur when I finally hooked it up not only did it work great but sounded better than the Nakamichi's, NAD's and Cambridge Audio equipment I had used over the years.The Japanese really knew their stuff back then.




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