You said that you fixed the Kenwood, but didnt tell us where we could find it.

No I didn't.

I have to add my thanks to everyone who contributed to this thread. While visiting my brother, he mentioned to me that he was going to buy a new receiver because his Kenwood VR-509 was no longer reading the IR signal. He has a Logitech 720 running his system and would have to get up to control the receiver.

I decided to Google "Kenwood receiver IR problems" and it led me right here to one of my favorite forums.

The 509 was very easy to fix. After taking off the cover, which easily slid off, I could turn the receiver on its side to do the soldering. I was a little surprised at how tiny the three pins were. So far, so good. The IR sensor is working great. My brother saved several hundred dollars and all is well.


Art

I just wanted to say many thanks for all the help in finding the cause and cure of my Kenwood VR-507 ailments. I performed a triple solder last night and everything seems to be working properly.

Thanks,

Thanks a bunch to Post 52.. This link is still active and the parts look the same on my VR-307.
It worked like a charm. I just wish my eyes and my soldering techniques were a little better! Magnificators and bright lights saved my wallet again!

Huh, my 405 isn't responding to IR again...perhaps my own crappy soldering...we shall see...

Wow. I can't believe so many people have had the same problem. I have had my Kenwood vr505 since around 1999 or 2000. It really has been a rock. I have ashamedly really abused this thing, and it has never once missed a beat. I finally one day decided to take it out of the wall, because i felt bad for cooking it with improper ventilation. Kapoof, remote no longer works, or is at least sporatic. I left if for a while, and then tried a universal, with the same results. right before taking it out of the bar, I decided to google the problem, and here I am. It took longer to take the thing down, than it did to fix the problem. you dont really have to remove the whole front, just enough wires to give yourself some room. bright light and a magnifying glass are essential. again, it took longer to find these, than it did to fix the problem. Like others, I didn't add any sodder, I just heated up the old, and when they cooled they were back together again. Put everything back together again, and it works fantastic. I put a cooling fan in the side of the wall, (with dust filter), and put it back in the wall where it belongs lol. I also bought a set of speakers with built in powered subs, instead of the passive ones. Now my beloved receiver can enjoy the rest of its days in comfort and ease. I would never hesitate to buy another kenwood, but would it kill them to get some halfway decent service? Thank you to Plazman, and all others, for this great post. Kenwood should be paying you guys!!

I just discovered this forum a few days ago, and I am so grateful!. I purchased a Kenwood KR-407 in 2000. The IF remote control started to work erractically a few years ago. Like others on the forum, I thought the problem was the remote control. Tried to program a different remote device - with the same result.

I gave up trying to fix the problem and resigned myself to operating the receiver manually. The warrantly had long expired and I did not contact Kenwood. I had no idea that my problem was so widespread.

Fast forward five years and I stumble across this thread!. Thanks to the many useful contributions by members (particularly plazman30 & moerk) I am very happy to report that my remote is now functioning as intended.

It was not a difficult 'fix', but 'm not very good at these things, and it took me about an hour.

The many 'happy endings' on this thread is testimony to the usefulness of the internet. I don't know how anybody could live without internet access. Thanks Again.

Well I found this site only a couple of weeks ago and am very happy that I did.

Well My VR-507 problem only started about last year and I have had the receiver for probably about 10 years.

Just wanted to say thanks to the person who solved this mystery and say thanks to all the people on the site as well for having the information here on how to fix the problem. I had a feeling that is was the IR Sensor in the receiver that was the problem, but I didn't/don't use it enough to warrant my opening it up to fix it at the time, but since finding this site and thread, I gave it a go and fixed it.

Now it is working like a charm!!!!

For my fix I added a bit of solder as I know that over time from heatup and cooling down that it does affect solder joints.

My theory for my situation is that over time of the heating up and cooling down caused the solder joints to expand and contract hence the cracks in the joints.

Anyway Thanks Again!!!!

Thanks to whom ever started this thread! I've been having this same problem with my VR-407 for years now! Thank goodness I didn't turn it on (movies only) that often so it didn't bother me all that much if I had to get up and turn it on or adjust the sound. Now because am looking to buy an LCD TV and learning most of the speakers in those sets suck I will have to be using the VR407 more often so I had better fix it or get a new one.

How in the heck does this happen to so many of us and yet NO one from Kenwood recalls these receivers!

I going to give this fix a try and hopefully I do the work right without breaking something else.  Thanks again to those of you who posted the fix!

UPDATE 3/22/09
I took mine apart and fixed it over the weekend.  So far so good the remote now works again and I hope my first attempt at soldering continues to work also!  lol

Thanks Again!

I wish I found this thread sooner because I've been having this problem for about six years on my VR-409.

I just took my cover off and looked around. I didn't take the circuit board out because I couldn't get all of the screws out. But from looking at [Link: moerk.org] I can see where the three offending solders are, however mine all look perfect to me - they all look like three perfectly shaped smooth nipples. Is that what they should look like or am I missing something?

Thanks.

Don’t know your age but my eyes couldn’t see the tiny cracks. Try using a magnifying glass to see the very tiny cracks.

The VR-509 looks identical to my krf-v7030d from Australia. Thanks to the 2 guys who posted web sites with pics that are active even now, and everyone else for their input. I was also able to fix my amp by resoldering the pins.
I agree with as someone also mentioned that it is mainly vibration that causes the cracks because of the long pins that go to the IR eye.
The main thing that didn't stress me too much about not having remote control of my amp for 6 years is that everything could be controlled from the front bezel, unlike more modern products or lower-end models where you lose the remote you're screwed.

Thank you so much!

Why did I not find this thread before?

Being an electronics engineer it was a breeze for me.

By the way I have VR-507

Thanks for your info in '05 and '06. I used the diagram to fix my Kenwood 705!!!
The remote works perfectly; its been several years since I've been able to use it.