This is a nice Kenwood offering from circa 1978 until about late 1979. It's the Kenwood KR-6030. It has the classic look of 1970's Kenwood's with the exception of the large push buttons that the earlier models used. Instead Kenwood went to toggle switches. The KR-6030 generates plenty of power at 80 watts per channel into 8 ohms and total harmonic distortion of 0.1%. Like a lot of the other Kenwood models it has a great FM tuner section as well. Not bad for a retail price of $525.00.

 

 

 

The KR-6030 also has a loudness switch, tone defeat switch and a subsonic filter switch. The analog meters are for tuning and signal strength. Options for the KR-6030 include the CB-12K walnut veneer cabinet, the B-12 simulated walnut veneer side panels and the D-7 rack mount handles.

 

 

The dark dial face and amber white lights make for a nice looking display in a dark room though the KR-6030 is not usually mentioned as having a great look aesthetically.  Without the wood cabinet or side panels there is nothing to mute the overall metallic look of it. The orange stereo and phono lights don't help much either.

 

 

As with any vintage receiver the Kenwood KR-6030 is not without its problems. The most common is probably with the power switch. The switch is under engineered and tends to arc internally causing a build up of carbon which can lead to the switch failing. When this happens either the switch will not work at all or you will see the stereo's lights flicker and perhaps hear a buzz when turning the unit on. There is a fix but it's not for the layman. You can find more information HERE.

 

 

At roughly 19 x 6 x 16 inches it's a decent sized receiver and it weighs in at a shade over 34 pounds (15.5 kg).

 

 

The Kenwood KR-6030 is a good stereo. Plenty of power and enough features for the average user. It doesn't have the reputation of equivalent Marantz or Pioneer units which makes it a little bit of a sleeper.  The power switch issues is a problem but can be fixed by a good technician.  A really nice KR-6030 will sell for $200 to $250. An average unit for around $100 to $150. That's not a bad price for a receiver with its power and performance.

 

The Kenwood KR-3600 receiver was one step up from the bottom of the line KR-2600. Both the KR-2600 and the KR-3600 utilized slightly lower grade components relative to their upper end brothers the KR-5600, KR-6600 and the top of the line KR-9600. They had JT-FET transistors as opposed to the better MOS-FET and SIL-IC  in the amp circuit instead of the Dual Range Operational Amplifier used in the larger models. Still, the KR-3600 is a good receiver. It's 22 watts per channel can fill a room with sound.

 

 

It has the signature styling of the mid 1970's Kenwood stereos with fat push buttons and a big weighted tuning knob. It also has the basic features any music listening would need with a high filter button, loudness control, tape monitoring facilities, a protection circuit and connections for two sets of speakers, a tape deck, phono, auxiliary jack as well as headphones.

 

 

The dial face has the beautiful Kenwood blue and amber glow to it and incorporates a dual purpose signal strength tuning meter as well.  The KR-3600 was introduced in 1974 and was on the market until around 1978. It retailed for around $250 and, as mentioned above, was at the lower end of Kenwood's receiver line.

 

 

Made in Japan by known as Trio most everywhere but the US it was probably one of the best values at its price point at the time. For those interested, it does have an Aux input which can be used for an MP3 player if you have a 3.5mm to dual RCA connector cable. Make sure your player uses the 3.5mm plug. Most do but there may be variations.

 

 

Kenwood is one of the iconic names in vintage audio. While their lower end models aren't heavily sought after they are still in demand from anyone wanting to build a good performing vintage system on a budget. With good performance, good build quality and the basic features one would need it's a pretty good choice for entry level vintage audio enthusiasts. A really nice version of the KR-3600 will cost you around $100. Not bad if you're on a budget. Average condition units sell for about $50.