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Kenwood Owners Show Us Your Kenwoods!
- Thread starter Retro Stereo
- Start date
1farad1
Member
nope RSPM mk3
DatunWalnut
Active Member
I bought this Kenwood KA-3020 Special Edition with a dead channel. It seemed interesting as reading about it, it had uprated components - bigger smoothing caps and a much meatier transformer etc than the standard KA-3020. So after fixing it, I had a listen and decided it was worth giving it some TLC. Full service including the replacement of many caps that had drifted plus anything in the signal path swapping for higher quality Nichicons or polys. Finally, I thought: sod it, if it's a Special Edition' make it look like one. So I added wooden side panels to give it that Sony ES or Sansui vibe and make it look more of a beast. Not sure what to do now - I've grown attached to it, so I may keep it for a bit - I dunno.
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aileenamegan
Super Member
That's what Kenwood called brass. And brass stands for aniodised Metal fronts. Gunmetall always is painted/coated at Kenwood.
aileenamegan
Super Member
One of the most underrated series of Kenwood receivers. The KR-Receiver from 1970/71 with
KR-2120, 3130, 4140, 5150, 6160, 5170, 7070, KR-33L, KR-44SL and KR-6170 Jumbo.
Really valuable receiver. Massively built with excellent internal components and high-quality, above-average features. All were available with wooden cabinets. These always had very high-quality real wood veneer (walnut). The version having "only" a steel casing was rarer – although technically the standard version. I'll put them side by side. I don't have a picture of the 2120 anymore; it got lost along with a hard drive damage. I can't provide pictures of the 7070 and Jumbo yet – those still need to be taken. Since I was so impressed with the series' capabilities, I've owned each receiver at least twice, some up to four times... But it's getting less common.
I hope this provides a good overview of the qualities of this series. All knobs are turned from aluminum, without any plastic interiors.
KR-2120, 3130, 4140, 5150, 6160, 5170, 7070, KR-33L, KR-44SL and KR-6170 Jumbo.
Really valuable receiver. Massively built with excellent internal components and high-quality, above-average features. All were available with wooden cabinets. These always had very high-quality real wood veneer (walnut). The version having "only" a steel casing was rarer – although technically the standard version. I'll put them side by side. I don't have a picture of the 2120 anymore; it got lost along with a hard drive damage. I can't provide pictures of the 7070 and Jumbo yet – those still need to be taken. Since I was so impressed with the series' capabilities, I've owned each receiver at least twice, some up to four times... But it's getting less common.
I hope this provides a good overview of the qualities of this series. All knobs are turned from aluminum, without any plastic interiors.
This thing is of beauty!
BroncoJimbo
Well-Known Member
Finally found a KD-2055 for a decent price. The dust cover needs a polishing.
Very cool! Thank you for sharing pictures of these! I have had many kenwoods but never of this line.One of the most underrated series of Kenwood receivers. The KR-Receiver from 1970/71 with
KR-2120, 3130, 4140, 5150, 6160, 5170, 7070, KR-33L, KR-44SL and KR-6170 Jumbo.
Really valuable receiver. Massively built with excellent internal components and high-quality, above-average features. All were available with wooden cabinets. These always had very high-quality real wood veneer (walnut). The version having "only" a steel casing was rarer – although technically the standard version. I'll put them side by side. I don't have a picture of the 2120 anymore; it got lost along with a hard drive damage. I can't provide pictures of the 7070 and Jumbo yet – those still need to be taken. Since I was so impressed with the series' capabilities, I've owned each receiver at least twice, some up to four times... But it's getting less common.
I hope this provides a good overview of the qualities of this series. All knobs are turned from aluminum, without any plastic interiors.
The early 70s for Trio Kenwood were the years before the Trio/Kensonic(Accuphase) split. Should it be any surprise that their components are excellent? Given that the Accuphase aspirations were always there. The key to the excellence was a determined effort at the design and specification stage. Trio wanted excellence at affordable prices and built excellence to a budget. It was the aspiration to produce excellence without budget/pricepoint restraint which had always been present at Trio but never introduced that coalesced the formation of Kensonic. That brand was supposed to showcase the excellence which Trio regarded outside their market. Two companies committed to excellence. One affordable excellence. The other excellence unrestrained by cost.
As I said: the early 70s were before that was two different directions. Trio embodied both(at affordable prices).
As I said: the early 70s were before that was two different directions. Trio embodied both(at affordable prices).
hanksvintage
New Member
I was hoping that I could pick your brain. I put new belts on my KX-1030 but now it is running slow. Is there a place to adjust the speed?
There a trim pot behind the motor. Use like a jeweler screw driver to adjust. Counter clockwise to slow down
hanksvintage
New Member
Thanks for the reply. I gave that a try but it didn't make any difference. The screw only moved about 1/5th of a turn in either direction.
That doesn’t sound right. That speed pot could be bad. Have you tried different tapes
