Like my ex: Incredibly sexy, but hard to work with
Written: Mar 23 '00
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Price, versatility, DD and DTS built in, ease of use, elegant look
Cons: Complicated remote, runs hot (supposedly)
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| happousai's Full Review: Kenwood VR-309 |
Before the metaphor with my girlfriend gets too out of hand, let me say that the back of this unit is labelled so clearly that I knew where everything was supposed to go, and except for minor issues, the initial setup was no problem whatsoever. (Just as a general hint, let me say that the monitor function has little bearing on the monitor connections on the back - suffice it to say that the monitor outputs on the back go to your VCR or TV.) As far as that goes one of the best features of the VR-309, and the reason I bought it, is the wide variety of input types that it supports.
Video Setup
As far as video goes, the VR-309 is simply awesome, IMHO, because it allows for three video sources (let's not forget that this is a sub $400 rig). The first (video 1, obviously) is analog only for both video and sound (which is fine as I hooked up my Playstation, N64 and vanilla - non SVHS - VCR into Video 1 via a switch box). Video 2 supports SVideo and (digital) component (but NOT optical!) audio. Video 3 also supports SVideo, and has optical (but not component) digital audio. Depending on your components, the audio setup for video 2 and 3 can obviously lead to some conflicts, though this was not an issue for me yet, as I only needed the optical. (If you're wondering what your DVD player has, don't worry as most DVD players support both optical and component digital audio. I believe that optical is the most common though.)
Audio Setup
Though the VR-309 does not have, as far as I could find, any real built-in equalizer - though you can adjust bass levels - it does allow, maybe encourages, you to connect an equalizer of your own. It even has a setting that automatically looks (this is the "monitor" function) for the presence of an equalizer. This is easy enough to set up once you realize that this is not the "monitor" inputs on the back, and it should be simple enough for home stereo neophytes. I can not, unfortunately, comment on the effectiveness of this (other than to say that the monitor function does work) as my outdated equalizer resulted in a great deal of static when used.
Everything else plugs in the way you would expect it to, with everything having the traditional analog (red + white RCA) inputs. The CD player can also be connected via component digital audio if you want. (Note: The factory default setting for CD is digital; if you do NOT use this for your CD player - read: you use analog - you will NOT get sound until you toggle the "digital" setting off, to analog. Just one more little surprise this unit gives....)
Performance
As far as performance goes, this thing is a beaut. It has both Dolby Digital and DTS decoding built-in, which is impressive in itself when it comes to sub $400 decks.
When playing DVDs (The Matrix and Saving Private Ryan DTS Edition), everything was crisp and punchy. (I use Kenwood bookshelf speakers, a JBL subwoofer, and Infinite center and rear speakers, BTW. My DVD player is a Sony 3000, I believe.) There was no distortion of either highs or lows at any volume, though sound was still crisp, and speech still distinct, even at mid to low volumes. (After all, almost anything can sound good if it's loud enough. :)
Same goes for the music (Lea Salonga, Carmina Burana, and Beethoven's Ninth), though I did learn to miss my equalizer after a while. (I got to test with it on, as the static was only intermittent.) The default setting for everything does not produce as much separation as I would like, and I will need to get a new equalizer to get the sound I want. Despite this, however, in the stretches where I could use my equalizer (which, admittedly, was pretty old and cheap to begin with), everything sounded perfect - vocals were clear and sharp, and all instruments sounded "live".
Overall
The VR-309 is quite easily one of the best receivers you can get for under $400 (I personally got mine for the astounding price of $250). It is a superb home theater component due to its SVideo switching capabilities and mix of digital audio types. The obligatory dimmer, by the way, has three settings, the lowest of which rendering it barely noticable in my pitch black "home theater." The on-deck controls are ridiculously easy to use though the remote control has a similarly ridiculous(ly steep) learning curve. As far as that goes, the remote comes with its own instruction manual, and that should say something for its complexity. But it's not impossible.
On a side note, the VR-309 is, according to some users, prone to running hot. I never ran into this problem, though that's probably because I've always had an extra cooling fan sitting atop my receivers anyway (not for any particular reason, just a precaution).
I just can't wait to use this baby during football season....
Recommended:
Yes
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Epinions.com ID:
happousai
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Location: Seattle, WA
Reviews written: 18
Trusted by: 4 members
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