Integrated: for me, remote volume, mute, and I wish it had remote balance from my listening spot.
You are so right!!!!! 2 points to your house.
I’ve been doing design on an integrated with full remote for (a long time, going on 2 1/2 years but i digress...) and while i find all the remote features addictive and near impossible to give up, the ability to tune the balance - and therefore the off-center image jumped out at me as both convenience and critical sonically. In my downstairs (aka open living area, not reference) system there is no sweet seat. All listening positions are compromised but its a great gathering area and I read and listen a lot. Flopped in an easy chair. Significantly off center. The ability to go "click click click, that’s it!) is pretty great.
The problem is that so many solutions compromise sound - and the venerable conductive POT is well among those (think about what’s happening with a carbon strip or plastic with graphite/carbon impregnated, and a wiper - its not pretty). "digital" volume as done in Linux, MacOS/iOS, Sonos, and Windoze is maybe worse, with bit depths plummeting to ~ 11 with heavy attenuation (yep, do the math).
While the prototypes are for testing and then evaluation by "people who matter" (e.g.; not for me), I’m on withdrawal so building units for me.....PITA but worth it)
I’m amazed at the units that cost $10k and up that have no balance. I understand why (cost, complexity, power - i faced them all) but one just has to bite the bullet and do it right.
G
