Customer Reviews

Kenwood VRS-N8100 Audio/Video Control Center with Network Function

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

After 7 years with my old Kenwood 1080VR, I was in the market for a new receiver to take me through the next several years of technology. This VRS-N8100 Networked receiver does just that. Its all digital processing delivers amazing sound and the ability to stream media files from your PC or home network is a great addition.

PROS:
- Sound performance is great, while auto-detecting all the major surround audio signals
- Network capabilities ... allows you to take advantage of your PC media files without the need for a media hub
- Extremely easy on-screen setup process!!!
- 4 digital audio inputs (2 opt, 2 coax) are completely assignable via the on-screen setup
- Composite, S-video, and component video ins and outs ... HDTV ready
- Fully 7.1 compatible with LB and RB pre-outs (Surr Back speaker outs)
- Slim attractive design
- Many gaming and headphone options to enhance game play

CONS:
- Could always have more inputs, but the slim design limits space. I had plenty for my setup, but it is fewer than other high end models.
- I didn't see this one coming ... but the remote now controls both the old 1080VR (which is powering speakers in other rooms) and the VRS-N8100 simultaneously. I don't know if there is a way around this.

In all, you will be happy with this receiver. Just with my 5.1 setup and Dolby Digital movie, I could tell a substantial difference in sound quality over the 1080VR Dolby Digital. Maybe it's the ease that you can adjust the speaker settings or the state of the art digital processing. But what is for sure is that this little receiver packs a lot into its small frame.

I highly recommend the VRS-N8100 as a truly future-ready receiver, already!

I did a lot of research when looking for a new low profile receiver for my home theater. Being small was important, but I wanted something that sounded great too.
I read great reviews on the Panasonic SA-XR50S and Onkyo TXLR-552S which fit the bill, but I was really enticed by the Kenwood VRS-N8100 networking features. I didn't see many reviews on it, so it had me a little nervous and I was afraid I was going to compromise sound quality by going with something gadgety. Well I went for it anyway, and I'm so happy I did.

Just judging it as a low profile home theater receiver it more than justifies the investment. It sounds great with my S300 and MC300 speakers and subwoofer. I love the feedback of seeing the autodetect indicators on the front telling you if the incoming signal is DTS, Dolby Digital, or whatever.

It was also super easy to setup and get going with the onscreen configuration.

I highly recommend this unit.

I bought this unit in November. It replaced an older multicomponent Kenwood system. It was very easy to install and the overall performance has been great, both audio and video. I got a new 7.1 speaker system and have a 52" TV. Also have XM radio connected to it. The remote is taking a little getting use to, but even my non tech wife gets around with it. The NETWORK capability is working fine. I show video, pictures, and play music off my computer. Am using a ethernet set up to be sure I have the speed for the video's. I highly recommend it.

I was able to pick one of these up before Christmas at around $329 here at Amazon before they go away. Needed many digital audio inputs. This one fit the bill. 3 optical and 2 coaxial. The Dolby Digital works great. You can either use a powered or passive sub as I did. Tuner is ok. Needs an outdoor antenna. The network stuff works great. I used a Linksys Gaming adapter to bridge it to my network. The Kenwood PC software is a tad cheesy but it works. The front speaker connectors are cheesy also, the rest are great. Buy this, you will not be disappointed.

this receiver will do about anything but plan to spend some (a good bit of time) with the user manual. i have had this receiver for about two weeks and am still learning all the features. i have had some problems with the server software but am still working my way through the numerous forums on this receiver. if you are into networking your components this is an inexpensive way to get a receiver/media center on your network. so far a really neat product.

I was looking for a receiver with decent performance (wattage, THD etc), but my main requirements were network functionality and Dolby headphone. It also has a suprisingly large number of Inputs for such a slim form-factor.

First, the network functionality: I hooked the receiver to my router and installed the provided server software in one of my PCs. The receiver detected it, and displayed photos (JPGs), a couple home videos that I encoded as DivX AVI a some WAV music files, all of which I dragged-and-dropped into the software. The receiver played them all without any glitch. The software could have been a bit more poweful. It converts the JPGs that I imported and resizes them which results in a much lossy compression. Also, when we run a slideshow of the photos in the TV, there doesn't seem to be a way for speeding it up or pausing it. Also, it does not have parental controls. Would be nice if some of the digital media could be password protected. I've been researching for a media center solution where I can keep all my digital media in a remote PC and play them on my entertainment center as needed. I'm really glad I bought this.

Dolby Headphone: The second important feature. Helps while watching movies without disturbing the kids while they are sleeping. You'll have to really hear the Dolby headphone to believe it. The difference between this and the stereo headphone is like day and night. You can plug any normal headphone into the front-panel headphone jack and the receiver encodes the signals into Dolby headphone and sends it out, providing a very spatial 5.1 effect with just a normal headphone!!!

It also has Dobly virtual speakers if you don't want to run the wires for the rear speakers....I haven't tested it though since I have a 5.1 setup. I paired this with Yamaha NS-SP1600 5.1 speaker system and am not disappointed at all.

And for $250, nothing can beat it.

I've owned this receiver now over a year. Overall, it's been pretty good with the exception of the network function, which has never worked (cannot detect server). I've allowed it thru all firewalls and even connected a cat 5 cable straight from the cpu to the receiver( bypassing the router); same result! Kenwoods' online tech support takes forever to respond and insists it's a firewall issue. Also, the component assignment feature is difficult to set-up.

I ordered one of these receivers from Target. Had the same error as two other purchasers (straight into Standby mode after powering up) I returned it and ordered another (figured what was the likelihood it would happen again?) Guess what? The SECOND one was broken as well. All Kenwood's customer service department said was "take it to a certified Kenwood repair shop and they'll fix it." Well, I'm returning it and will NEVER buy Kenwood products again!!!

I have no idea how this product is supposed to perform. I purchased this unit against the recommendations of others, due to over 20 years experience with Kenwood products in my home, at work and in my car, but this was an unmitigated disaster. I accepted the limitations in connections (no HDMI, no upscaling, little flexibility) for the size and supposed features. I connected everything that needed to be connected, double checked all speaker connections to ensure no shorts, turned on the unit and it went into standby. After 3 hours of rechecking all connections, swapping out cables and resetting the unit, I still didnt get anything other than fault/stand by. I went so far as to disconnect everything, and the unit went into standby. I expressed my frustration to the Kenwood customer service people and they recommended I check my cables. When I mentioned that the unit faulted with nothing connected, they sent the address of a service center, 20 miles away and recommended I take it there for service. Not being an acceptable answer, I sent an email to Kenwood customer service, the response to which was the equivalent of "Who cares, send it back then." without any acknowledgement of the inconvenience or frustration of thinking I could get a quality product from a company I trusted for a long time. One would think the units are at least tested before leaving the factory, but apparently not. I returned the unit, went back to the recommendations of others and will be phasing out the rest of my Kenwood products simply for the reason of the uncaring customer service. If you get one that works, great, good for you, but why risk it? Better to buy a product that has all the connection flexibility you need for now and future use..stay away from this one unless you like frustration.

I bought this Receiver a few weeks ago in Germany and this is realy a very god and useful HIFI equipment... The Networking funktionality is the best Idea in this sector for the last 4? Years (Dolby 5.1) so... I cant only say, buy it!!!

BRGDS, Hannes

alphax23us-board@glbasusa.com