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Is preamp remote volume a deal breaker for you?

I've been looking for a quality active tube preamp with remote volume control. Most high quality tube preamps that are reasonably priced (ie, under $4000) do not come with remote volume. Those that do use the cheap motorized Alps pot (I've had bad experience with Alps), probably because it's cheap and widely available. I've seen some very expensive preamps us this pot, unfortunately. The two very high quality preamps I've read about are the SAS Labs 11A, Don Allens preamp, and Atma-sphere M3, but the designers refuses to implement remote because they believe the sound will suffer. Atma-sphere uses a huge hand assembled remote volume only for there expensive MP1. A preamp without remote is a deal breaker for me. How about you?
dracule1
charles1dad's avatar
charles1dad
10,250 posts
 
A remote control is a nice convenience no doubt.The maker of my linestage believes that to reach the very highest level of sound quality you should avoid them(I don`t really know). To his credit this unit`s sound is stunning and oh so pure. I`m getting along without a remote just fine.
wrm57
1,054 posts
 
For many years I was completely a purist, which meant definitely no remote. Now I can't do without one in my main system, mostly because it doubles as a 2-channel quasi-home theater. In fact, I've slid all the way down the slippery slope and demand remote input switching! How I've fallen! But we all make compromises in our systems and that's one I can live with. BTW, the Aesthetic Calypso Signature is excellent with a full-feature remote (with inputs!) and can be had for around your price.
realremo
460 posts
 
A remote was a deal-killer for me when I was on the hunt for a pre-amp. I had to have one. My listening sessions are 2-3 hours long and I am behind a laptop for the duration. I don't want to get up constantly to adjust volume and change CDs.
I also was not anywhere near the price point of the above mentioned units. In my range (below $1400), I think most pre-amps have remotes.
I have a friend that runs GAS gear and he really misses having a remote. He connects to the variable outputs of his Sony ES changer because of this. For more critical listening, he goes through the GAS pre-amp. He's told me his next pre-amp will have a remote.
james63
534 posts
 
Yes it is a deal breaker, I would never own a pre without a remote.
dracule1 OP
1,085 posts
 
Looks like about half of you have to have a remote. I'm like Realreno, all my music is now on computer server, so you can switch between CDs on the fly. Problem is the recording levels between CDs can be drastic. It's too distracting for me to change the volume level between songs from different CDs and sometimes within the same song when dynamic swings can be very large. Speaking to designers, the volume attenuator seems to be one of the most important components of a preamp, and there just ain't any good commercially available remote volume controls. That's why some designer build their own remotes, but at a significant cost increase. I believe the remote control option on the Atma-sphere MP1 is close to $1000.
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