Kenwood KR-6030

Kenwood KR-6030 Front

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.

Kenwood KR-6030 Knobs

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.

Kenwood KR-6030 Switch

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.

Kenwood KR-6030 Inside

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.

Kenwood KR-6030 Inputs

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).

Kenwood KR-6030 Ad

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.

Right Now on eBay 
Clicking a link to eBay may result in a referral commission being paid if a purchase is made.
Loading…

11 thoughts on “Kenwood KR-6030

    1. I think it originally came with just two wood side panels and not a full case. You might find them on eBay occasionally. Or, a decent woodworker could make a pair.

  1. It is very good receiver kenwood kr6030 , 80 watts of per channel but is not too much power to push my Jensen 15” speaker as good as my Kenwood M2a amplifier 220 watts per channel .It is good for push 10” speaker

    1. Greetings Jime
      I picked up this 6030 at TechHiFi back in the early 80s. a real powerhouse with a pair of Magnavox 3-way w a 10-inch woofer-, Recently I picked up two KR6600s. I got so tired of all the light-weight black jobs, not meant as a racist thing but black with a small window for an LED readout
      of the frequency and push button tuning is SO not for me. give me a weighted knob and that sweet pointer with a red lite at the tip, now that is character. . . both sound very good with the mag 3-ways and JBL A-180s as the Mg’s 10 incher adds the bass, I am thinking of CVeez SL-15. I hooked up my SX 650 to the Mag’s 3-ways, and got a very nice sound.

  2. Hello,
    I have the 6330 version of this receiver. It is restored and looks and sounds great. Looking to sell for 650 or best offer. Located in SF BAY area, will not ship.

  3. I picked up one at a yard sale for $25 . It does have the power switch issue but I leave the switch set to phones and just plug it in when I want to use it. Looks almost new and works great.

  4. I have a KR-6030 that I use with my Thorens TD160 mostly for headphone listening (Sony MDR V6). I got it the late 1980s to replace my first receiver, a Pioneer SX-636 with only 25 watts per channel. It had that on-off switch problem; buzzing and flickering before it turned on. I took the cover off, sprayed it with contact cleaner, and have not had a problem with the switch for 10 years. Still use it almost every day. Talk about getting your money’s worth. The Thorens is completely stock and 46 years old and also works perfectly. Vintage equipment from the heyday of vinyl is a beautiful thing.

  5. Just picked up a completely restored Kenwood 6030 for around 570.00 with shipping and I am VERY pleased. It drives my Cerwin Vega E712’s with ease and sounds awesome. Not bad at all for some old equipment. lol

  6. I bought a Kenwood KR6030 back in the early 80’s it lost a channel but a good tech got it back.
    While waiting I picked up a sweet PioneerSX650, a fine-looking rcvr w 35 wpc. There is something very nice about a good-quality receiver with an actual soft-lit tuning dial. A few weeks ago I bought at eBay a Kenwood KR6600 another fine piece to add and today yet another 6600 Kenwood that I think needs new CAPS or capacitors, I am telling you that these receivers in my humble opinion need no equalizer if you have a good pair of speakers with a ten inch or hopefully 12 or 15-inch woofer. I can say that getting into vintage stereo, and comparing speakers with different receivers is a great hobby.

Leave a Reply

Comments are manually moderated and may not show up immediately after posting. As long as they are not spam they will show eventually. No need to repost.