Kenwood HTB-504 Theater System

Pros: Great receiver, potent sub, surround sound, DPL II.
Cons: Lightweight front speakers, no mounting points.

The HTB-504 home-theater-in-a-box (HTIB) system includes a Kenwood VR-507 A/V receiver, five surround speakers, and a self-powered subwoofer. If you already own a TV and a DVD player, this system is a nice value. You can get it at Circuit...

Pros: Great starter system, decent value with powered subwoofer. Fairly easy hookup.
Cons: Remote too small on early models. Later you will probably want better speakers.

This review covers the Kenwood HTB-503 which is similar to the HTB-504 (the HTB-503 is not listed here).

Even though I used to consider myself well informed on stereo components, I had lost touch over the past few years. I wanted to get a home...

Pros: Great sound, DTS and Dolby Digital Decoding.
Cons: Less than top of the line components, but you get what you pay for.

I bought by HTB-503 about two years ago. I've always wanted a home theater, and decided that I wasn't informed/interested enough in the hobby to buy a full blown system of separate components.

I did some research and decided on the HTB-503....

Pros: Great sound for under 400 bucks (from etronics.com)
Cons: Nothing considering the incredible price

This is the best Home-Theater-in-a-Box system out there at the moment. The receiver is an incredible piece of work, even those that upgrade in the future will end up sticking with the receiver because it is top notch. Inputs galore, plenty of power for...

Pros: Excellent surround sound, feature-packed receiver, outstanding value at less than $500
Cons: Speakers not high-style, comes in a BIG box, supplied wires could be better quality

Looking to take the plunge into the world of Home Theater, but don’t want to sell your children to do it? The Kenwood HTB-504 is the answer to big theater sound on a budget! This all-in-one home theater system will make the most out of your TV, DVD...

Pros: Great Bang for your Buck!
Cons: Small buttons on remote, not backlit. Throw out the cheesy wires.

I have to admit that I have always been skeptical of the whole 'Home Theater in a Box' concept. My experience has been that when everything is packaged together, it's usually cheap. The only cheap thing I can say about this system was the enclosed...

Pros: "Thump", Circle Surround, Looks good, You couldn't find anything better at twice the cost
Cons: Sound could be a little thicker

Receiver.... Excellent. Plenty of Inputs, I don't or wouldn't use Component outputs if a receiver had it either way, it adds distortion/noise to the video sources going back to your TV so video inputs to me are not important. Hook all video sources ...

Pros: Full range of sound, Excellent bass, solid black speakers
Cons: First receiver failed within 30 days.

Why I bought my Kenwood HTB-504
I purchased a DVD player and I wanted a good sound system, but I did not want to spend a fortune. The Kenwood Home Theater in a Box system looked like a good compromise between quality and price.

...

Pros: Outstanding value
Cons: Complex hook-up

I did more theater-in-a-box shopping before purchase than ten normal people. Money was of some interest to me and I wanted good value for my dollars. I purchased mine from MJShow.com on 6/7/01 for $399 + $35 shipping. It arrived promptly and well...

Pros: Great value and sound quality with all the features I need.
Cons: Setup can be confusing.

I bought the Kenwood HTB 504 on the recommendation of Consumer Report’s recent excellent review. Admittedly, this is the first video receiver I have owned but I’m very impressed with its performance and features for the price. I bought and returned...

Pros: price (400$); decent sound for movies; multi-device remote; easy installation; nice subwoofer; feature rich receiver.
Cons: thin wires; one speaker had rattling sound; no component video-in in a receiver.

I've been thinking of a home theatre system for long time. The guy in CircuitCity recommended me this model.

I chose it because I like the feature rich VR-507 receiver, which can have two main speaker pairs. After long thoughts, I decided that...

Pros: inexpensive, high quality system
Cons: wiring is weak

The audio electronic world is full of different companies, different parts and prices ranging ranging from low hundreds to high thousands. Trying to figure out what to buy can be daunting and difficult because there is over information. This could be...

Pros: worth the $$$, go get it. great amp and great sub woofer.
Cons: You will want to upgrade the surrounds. They look and feel cheap.

I bought mine in 2000 for $380 after much research. the amp is what you really pay for and is worth the $$. The speakers(except the sub-woofer) however are just thrown together so do not expect real quality sound. The sound is GOOD, maybe even great, ...

Pros: good sound. and ... Price Price Price!
Cons: Remote, sort of weak speakers

My reviews are based on the overall feelings of past consumers who I have come into contact with regarding their systems. Being in the electronics industry, I am hopefully able to give you an accurate picture of the overall consumer feeling on the products I review:

Aesthetic Appeal: A
Price: A+

Sound: A
Bass: A+
Richness: B+
No airiness or fuzziness: B
Max Volume: B+

Overall Sound: B+
Setup: A
Ease of Use: A

Notes: Granted, this is not the quality of sound you'd find in a Bose system, but for this price, we can't complain. Complaints are that the remote sucks and the speakers are a little weak. But this is by far the best system you'll find for this price.