I think having remote control is almost essential for sound quality reasons. The ideal volume setting changes from recording to recording, and even from track to track, and often lies in a surprisingly tight range. Finding that volume is next to impossible without remote volume control. The ideal channel balance is easier to find without a remote, but, even that task is easier with remote. I frequently make small channel balance adjustments, which are very easy to do with a remote.
I also don't like ANY control that don't allow for small incremental change. For setting balance, one really needs steps as small as .5 db or smaller. One cannot reliably hear .5 db as a change in absolute volume, but that small a change in one channel can easily be heard as a change in balance.
I also don't like ANY control that don't allow for small incremental change. For setting balance, one really needs steps as small as .5 db or smaller. One cannot reliably hear .5 db as a change in absolute volume, but that small a change in one channel can easily be heard as a change in balance.