Hi Kevin,
I know exactly what you mean when you say that you are not too crazy about the Kenwood joystick remote for my VR2090.
I just got the Sony RM-AV2000 a couple of days ago. I now have it set up to control my entire system. I can turn it on and switch inputs by hitting a single button. The Kenwood's macro feature just does not work for me.
The RM-AV2000 is one way remote control, so you will not get the 2-way communication of the Kenwood. You will probably not be able to totally eliminate the use of the Kenwood remote especially for things like setting individual speaker levels and other setup procedures. But for day to day use, you will be able to put that cumbersome Kenwood remote away.

Kevin