Battle Royale #3 - Remotes, To Have Or Not To Have!

VR3

Yes, Remotes! This is the question!

Here is my argument...

I own two preamps currently. Both preamps have a remote, but completely different designs.

First preamp is a NAD 917, back in the day when surround sound first came along, pro logic, etc -- and the remote powers a motor that turns the actual volume knob... this actual creates very audible noise as you turn it up...

This is where I agree...remotes are bad...


NOW...

I have the B&K PT5, this remote does not make the volume knob move at all, instead it is a digital volume meter, now my question is - is the remote STILL making a motor of some type turn to turn the volume up...if so...what is it?

And if its not, are remotes still bad...

And if they are bad, how bad are they actually effecting the sound if your not **** with the remote and volume while listening to music?

And possibly - if your CDP uses a remote to, wouldnt this cause a distortion of some type? Any component with a remote? It is a remote as a whole, or just volume...?

Also, if you use the remote to your the turn volume up, it is turning a motor - right? And the motor is powered by the power supply, but once u stop - the motor is no longer using the power, so would this no longer effect the draw of power?

VR3

That isnt the argument. This isnt my personal perference.

I want to know WHY, in detail why remotes are bad, and if the power is only used periodically as you turn it up or down, how does it effect the sound?

This has nothing to do with me.

bknauss

If you read what you wrote, you could answer your own question. First piece of equipment uses a motor, the other one does not. Motors can cause noise due to emissions. If the NAD didn't have the motor to due the worthless knob turning (assuming its using a digital volume control), you wouldn't get the noise.


No, remotes don't cause noise for human hearing.

nadams

On receivers/pre's where the volume knob doesn't turn, there is no motor at all. All the volume adjusting is done electronically. Even on motorized knobs, the actual volume adjustment is made electronically.

My JVC receiver does not have a motorized knob, but with every click of the volume buttons (up or down) I can hear a slight tic from the speakers. Simply a poor volume circuit. I also get this tic when I turn the knob by hand. Interestingly, when I turn the knob by hand, the faster you turn it, the faster the volume goes up. IE- If you crank the volume hard, you can max the volume in 1/2-3/4 of a turn of the knob. If you turn the knob slower, it takes 2 or 2 1/4 turns to max the volume. Therefore you know that it's totally digital. There are no "end stops" on that knob at all...

unc2701

Originally posted by nadams
On receivers/pre's where the volume knob doesn't turn, there is no motor at all. All the volume adjusting is done electronically. Even on motorized knobs, the actual volume adjustment is made electronically.

I've actually seen one with a motor attached to a pot, if you can believe it... it was a cheap POS, which is why I was inside it in the first place, but there was a motor... can't remember the brand, though.

TN_Polk_Lover

My older model Yamaha 2 channel receiver (R9) has a motor that turns the volume knob. It does not make any noise. The only draw back is that it tends to be a little hard to adjust. It is designed to go up or down exactly 3db with each push of the up or down button. If you hold the button down it will start turning continuously, not it steps.

I also have an Adcom GTP 500II preamp with remote. It also has a motor that turns a real knob. It is silent also. Plus, it is much smoother than the Yammie. You can adjust the volume with the remote just as easily as you can with your hand.

I've never thought of the remote as being bad. It seems that I did read somewhere that the electronic volume controls (no moving parts) were not as good as a real potentiometer that they introduced distortion. I have no idea is this is really true. I just remember reading it somewhere years ago.