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.
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?
- ...
- 68 posts total
- 68 posts total