Kenwood made some excellent quality audio equipment including Walkmans. I just received the CP-R950 Recording player with AMORPHOUS HEAD.
The sound is awesome with amazing clarity midrange and spacial separation is perfect with centering of common sound spot on. Totally resistant to wow/flutter when walking as I used it at gym today. The loudness ability of this unit is like oldest units it will melt speakers out of the Koss Porta pro's WOW must be 30 mwh per channel at least. This really surprised me as very few newer units play very loudly. The bass boost is excellent not over done at all. It really only boost lows as sometimes when you switch on you dont hardly notice sound difference unless bass part of music. IMPRESSIVE little player.
Thankfully has the add on 2 AA as it uses a lead acid 2volt battery like AIWA... AWFUL stupid idea and totally unavailable today. Advantage of 2 volt probably is extra power to produce better sound/performance? NOTE : has what appears to be Stereo TV selection.

This is also the 3rd to last player Kenwood made!!!

KENWOOD CP-R950

Build quality is very high on this player and its HEAVY ! Very solid feel.
VERY LOW SERIAL NUMBER #329 !

Now we go WAY BACK to the early 80's this is the SECOND Kenwood Walkman made CP-20. LOVE the all clear cassette window. Also a HEAVY solid very well put together player. It needs a belt so cant comment on sound but motor is one of the most silent I ever barely can hear! Have original box and headphones.

KENWOOD CP-20

And now I present the LAST KENWOOD MODEL MADE ! The CP-S710 and is a recording model also. Odd the the CP-R950 has the head in the door opposite logic controls while this model has no logic controls head on same side. Note the very familiar button layout just like AIWA. Was Kenwood a division of Aiwa back then. ALso odd that it uses the lead acid 2volt battery. This player also plays loudly but not as much as the CP-R950.

KENWOOD CP-S710 LAST KENWOOD !!

john,,,you could do that belt standing on your head. that Cp-20 is as easy as they get. i grabbed a belt out of the pile i had and hit it the first try. i should have measured it but i still have the old brittle belt that i could pick out of my used pile . that belt hadn't turned that player in 20 years. it was an ebay deal that was to be running perfectly. i told the gentleman the thing was dead. i also told him i would take a chance if he knocked 10.00 off. the main reason i did it was it was in such nice shape but had crummy box. anyway it sounds great except a slight tick wich cannot be heard above the headphones.

Hi ya George ;-) my mentor you always trying to get me to open one of these beasties up. Ok well just got set of tools so lets make this one the first to fix. If you can find a belt I will pay you to mail to me and give me a few hints as to where to take it apart first in what order. I will " HAVE IT A GO" ! DrMR2000 look out .. yeah right ... NOT. Thanks for always telling me how easy it is. I can PM you my address.

To all members I am very curious if anyone knows if KENWOOD made any other amorphous head models. Is the CP-C7 dolby C have amorphous?

Also what about KENWOOD be associated or part of AIWA late 80's /early 90's? See my post on CP-S710 last Kenwood above as it has many features /buttons exact as Aiwa. thanks guys

Hi John,

Liking your Kenwoods very much especially the CP-20 very similar to my Akai PM-R2 which has the same transport as a JVC CQ-22 and a Ferguson 3T29, the CP-R950 looks almost identical to Aiwa HS-JX50 recorder also with AMORPHOUS HEAD and CP-S710 looks very much like an Aiwa, I have several which look very much the same, I think the more cassette players you collect from different brands you soon realise a lot of them share the same internals. I'll add some photos later if you don't mind.

Absolutely Do please add some pictures and of inside head area to as that really tells story if similar. I have the Akai PM-R1, R2 and R3 and your right the button layout same just the volume Akai moved to corner which is pretty unique placement as most player have it elsewhere.

Here's the Aiwa HS-JX50.

Here's a few pics of some of my Aiwas:

HS-T303









HS-T800









HS-P202MIII









Sadly none of these are recorders or AMORPHOUS heads

Thats great pictures and helpful post Dave. You have some EXCELLENT Aiwa's. The Aiwa HS-JX50 is identical to my Kenwood CP-R950 even the internals appear same. Amazing so it appears that Kenwood in later years was owned partially by AIWA ? The Aiwa HS-T800 also appears nearly identical with functions/buttons in same location and layout and internally comparing heads /inside also this seems same. I never knew Kenwood was in some way part of AIWA.

CAN ANYONE VERIFY KENWOODS INVOLVEMENT WITH AIWA ? ? ?

Since this has turned into also a Aiwa post here is my collection of Aiwa's with model listing. I will be taking pics of each one this weekend and doing a Aiwa collection posting later this week.

My Aiwa's
1. HS-J700
2. HS-JS415
3. HS-PX610
4. TPS-30 w mint orig. owner manual
5. HS-P06 with FM tuner module
6. CR-D3 Digital Radio
7. HS-J02 incl. mic /accessories
8. HS-P05 Mk II
9. HS-GS183
10. HS-P1 Japan release w Orig. Headphones( P01 USA release same)
11. HS-J202
12. HS-F505
13. HS-PX101 Rare Dolby C
14. HS-F02 in parts
15. HS-J360
16. HS-RD10 wireless Remote Rare missing headphone
17. EX-200 Blue
18. HS-J02 with TP-S30 rare owner manual
19. HS-PC202 Rare Dolby C
20. HS-J09 w orig HP, Case, A/C adapter, owner manual
21. HS-PL77 RARE GREEN
22. LX200 Red

Aiwa was never a part of Kenwood (Sony had a stake in Aiwa for many years, in 2002 acquired it in full).

JVC now owns Kenwood (JVC-Kenwood holdungs).

KENWOOD Corporate History

The company first started in 1946 as the Kasuga Radio Co. Ltd. In Komagane City, Nagano Prefecture, Japan. In 1960 the firm was renamed "Trio Corporation". A group of Japanese American audio enthusiasts consisting of Bill Kasuga, Yoichi Nakase and George Aratani, who also founded Mikasa & Company started an import company in 1961 that would satisfy their desire for high-quality audio recording equipment. They came across Trio, and started importing their electronics. During that period, Japanese manufactured goods were considered low-quality but Kasuga had faith in Trio's products and decided to create an American-sounding name for them. He described the origin of Kenwood as being an alliteration to Kenmore Appliances, with "Ken" being a Japanese and Western name, and "Wood" being a reference to the durable substance as well as Hollywood. The brand recognition of Kenwood would surpass that of Trio's, and in 1981, Trio decided on using the Kenwood name worldwide and renamed itself Kenwood Corporation in 1986. Kenwood introduced its Sovereign line of components in 2001. This high-end line competes with prestige brands of other manufacturers such as Pioneer Elite, Sony ES, Onkyo Integra, and Matsu****a Technics. In the car audio market, the "eXcelon" line similarly competes Pioneer Premier and Sony Mobile ES brands.

Kenwood announced its intention to merge with JVC after Matsu****a spun off the company. The new company formed JVC Kenwood Holdings on October 1, 2008.

Lamborghini Murciélago

Kenwood Corporation Multimedia Car Audio Products are standard equipment on Lamborghini Murciélago models.
KENWOOD CORPORATION Global web site

Kenwood booth information at the 2010 International Consumer Electronics Show (CES)
Kenwood Promotes the World of Advanced Mobile Entertainment
with Its Theme of, “Live Connected. Drive Connected.”

Kanagawa, Japan, December 25, 2009 — Kenwood will be exhibiting its products and technologies at the 2010 International Consumer Electronics Show (CES) — the world’s largest electronics show, which will be held at Las Vegas, Nevada from January 7th to 10th, 2010.

Kenwood booth location and number: North Hall #1801

Major attractions

* The display of car navigation systems with further enhanced design and operability characteristics made possible by the adoption of features such as a new graphical user interface (GUI), in addition to offering compatibility with a variety of digital music and video media.
* The display of a mobile audio lineup featuring new concept models designed to answer specific market requirements.
* The display of Car Portal™ and a marine audio lineup designed to stimulate demand and fully realize market potential.
* The display of speaker systems delivering premium sound and multi-channel amplifiers that realize high power even with one of the smallest profiles in their class.

Love Kenwood walkmans. I have a couple myself and they are pretty unique. Mater of fact, I love Kenwood car stereo stuff, too.

CP-R950 is the Aiwa HS-JX70.

john,,,didn't you get that belt on i sent you for the kenwood. mine is still working fine. i did a couple of aiwas and they weren't bad. the worst thing now,, it seems ,,is getting the correct part. that is really getting frustrating.