Does remote control degrade the sound of tube preamps?

Interesting question.

Back in the day, a remote would trigger mechanical relays, servos or motors to increase/decrease volume or change a input. Today some of it’s the same, but…

VAC , Cary, aires cerat, and many others, fall very short not providing a fully functional remote. To not have a remote that controls standby. Volume and input selection is a major major disappointment. For the money people are spending on these pieces of equipment it deserves a fully functional remote.

People have families and want to include it in their home theater system and to not have a fully functional remote makes a decision not to buy it a given, cary conveniently excludes info on the remote in their manual. This is absurd.

It would be so much easier to choose a preamp if they had fully functional remotes. My family would never tolerate a remote that is not fully functional and you have to live with it for 10 15 and hopefully 20 years. No way

@blackdoghifi 

It would be interesting to see your system under your ID to see where you are coming from. What has been your  experience with remote control / non-remote / stepped attenuators. 

When listening I set my levels cue the music and sit and listen. I never use a remote.

@ghdprentice I think @blackdoghifi knows what he is talking about and here are pictures of the line-stages he builds.

https://www.blackdoghifi.com/