Post by michaelw on Jun 22, 2017 12:51:28 GMT 12
Increasingly more and more electronics are coming between the listener and the music. The user interface with many components is now driven exclusively by the remote control or via mobile phone app. So digging into your memory banks what are your highs and lows of operating hi-fi gear ? Let me start with the not-so humble volume control... Two highlights... The rare Lyra Connoisseur 4.0 preamp with it's beautifully made stepped resistor volume control nestled into a simple source selector.   Currently my favourite volume control is on the Pure Audio Control preamp, luxurious feeling and another very expensive stepped resistor arrangement. 
|
Post by guitardude on Jun 22, 2017 15:21:00 GMT 12
In terms of volume controls it's pretty hard to go past some of that top of the line 70's Japanese stuff to be honest. I've a 1982 luxman that has a beautiful feeling set of controls and I nce used a mid 70's ES series Sony preamp that had a lovely volume control. Other ones of note were a Burmester pre which had a lovely detented volume control and the ARC SP9 which also had a nice feel to it.
|
Post by Owen Y on Jun 22, 2017 20:18:28 GMT 12
My own humble DIY effort line preamp... 
|
Post by michaelw on Jun 22, 2017 23:17:32 GMT 12
what's behind the dials ? 
|
Post by Owen Y on Jun 23, 2017 10:10:10 GMT 12
Shaft extensions connected to 24-position Elma switches operating Sowter Transformer Volume Controls....  
|
Post by colinf on Jun 23, 2017 10:30:09 GMT 12
Aiwa AD6500 cassette deck. The mechanical piano keys were lovely and solid and made operating the deck a real pleasure. Also the satisfaction of watching a cassette load horizontally with its motorised mechanism. 
AMR-iFi R&D
|
Post by Owen Y on Jun 23, 2017 10:39:35 GMT 12
Shhh....you'll wake nakmad up again 
|
Pundit
Post by nakmad on Jun 29, 2017 22:15:38 GMT 12
eh? what? sorry I'm distracted watching Nakamichi UDAR's dance 
Never play Leapfrog with a Unicorn.
Cassette Fetishist
219 posts
|
Post by michaelw on Jun 30, 2017 0:06:56 GMT 12
do you have a nak rx-series ? 
|
Post by colinf on Jun 30, 2017 7:37:07 GMT 12
Forgot about the Nak UDARs. If you had one you were coolness personified! Also love the classic Sanyo DAD M15 from 1983. Showing my age here :-) 
AMR-iFi R&D
|
Post by Owen Y on Jun 30, 2017 10:58:00 GMT 12
My lowly BX-2 has these 'microprocessor controlled' button pads, which have always been nice & snappy to use: 
|
Post by colinf on Jun 30, 2017 11:08:20 GMT 12
I repaired one of those a few weeks ago. You're right, they are nice to use! My ZX-7 has a similar feel. But where it goes wrong is where the power switch and eject buttons are right next to each other on the left, and look the same. I'm always hitting the power switch when I just want to open the cassette drawer. 
AMR-iFi R&D
|
Pundit
Post by nakmad on Jun 30, 2017 17:42:57 GMT 12
I repaired one of those a few weeks ago. You're right, they are nice to use! My ZX-7 has a similar feel. But where it goes wrong is where the power switch and eject buttons are right next to each other on the left, and look the same. I'm always hitting the power switch when I just want to open the cassette drawer. I know the feeling!. They reversed them for the lower CR series, sensibly placed, then went back again for the DR's. Never play Leapfrog with a Unicorn.
Cassette Fetishist
219 posts
|
Pundit
Post by nakmad on Jun 30, 2017 17:45:09 GMT 12
Cassette Fetishist
219 posts
|
Post by michaelw on Jun 30, 2017 18:01:18 GMT 12
three of them !
you greedy bugger, share the love !
lol
|
Post by michaelw on Jul 1, 2017 13:26:42 GMT 12
how many naks does one man need ....
|
Pundit
Post by nakmad on Jul 1, 2017 15:27:32 GMT 12
collect the set
Never play Leapfrog with a Unicorn.
Cassette Fetishist
219 posts
|
Post by Owen Y on Jul 1, 2017 15:35:24 GMT 12
A Completist
|
Pundit
Post by nakmad on Jul 1, 2017 15:55:13 GMT 12
A few gaps Owen, and will stay that way I suspect
Never play Leapfrog with a Unicorn.
Cassette Fetishist
219 posts
|
Post by colinf on Jul 1, 2017 17:23:19 GMT 12
You mean you have most of the Nakamichi cassette deck range? Wow! What's missing now?
AMR-iFi R&D
|
Post by colinf on Jul 1, 2017 17:37:04 GMT 12
As this is a Hifi ergonomics thread, I thought I'd put my two cents worth in about using a turntable and using a CD player. I once had a discussion with my brother about the aesthetics of these, in the late 80s when cd was beginning to become the new music standard. I argued that turntables were more pleasing to the eye and far easier to cue through a track than both cd and tape. He argued that cd was more convenient in that it wasn't prone to external vibration like a turntable, and that he would rather press a button on the remote to select a track than cue a tonearm. And that an electronic box was all you needed for music to proceed. "Yes but turntables are nicer to look at!", I persisted. We have still not agreed to this day.
AMR-iFi R&D
|
Post by michaelw on Jul 1, 2017 18:11:13 GMT 12
funny thing is some of the best cdps are top loaders that are operated in a similar manner to a turntable... eg, reimyo cdp-777  photo hosting service
|
Post by michaelw on Jul 1, 2017 18:16:04 GMT 12
any love for non-knob actuated volume controls ? i've had this krell since 1996 and the volume buttons are still nasty. the clickety clack remote isn't much better. 
|
Pundit
Post by nakmad on Jul 1, 2017 18:54:53 GMT 12
You mean you have most of the Nakamichi cassette deck range? Wow! What's missing now? A few Colin, a few,....... in rough chronological order, and none high on my must get list I must add, 1000II, 481Z, 581Z, 660ZX, ZX-9, 700ZXE, 700ZXL,BX-1, BX-100, RX303, Cassette Deck 1, Cassette deck 1.5, CR-1, MR-2, CR-7, DR-1, DR-8, DR-10, and Dragon. (I had a CR-1, but it was cosmetically damaged in a move, and so has become a gear kit donor for one of my RX-202's, when the day comes to replace the idler tyre)
Never play Leapfrog with a Unicorn.
Cassette Fetishist
219 posts
|
Post by michaelw on Jul 1, 2017 19:33:25 GMT 12
thought you had a zx-9 ?
|
Pundit
Post by nakmad on Jul 1, 2017 23:44:03 GMT 12
No, always a bit too far out of my range even back before prices went really crazy.
Never play Leapfrog with a Unicorn.
Cassette Fetishist
219 posts
|
Post by michaelw on Jul 2, 2017 12:17:28 GMT 12
oh i thought you left one at gennadys.
|
Pundit
Post by nakmad on Jul 2, 2017 13:41:43 GMT 12
Ahh, that was My 670ZX, and a ZX-7 
Never play Leapfrog with a Unicorn.
Cassette Fetishist
219 posts
|
Post by guitardude on Jul 3, 2017 16:53:37 GMT 12
Note to colinf: If you try dropping in on a track on one of my LP's again I'll chop your hands off. I'm a FERVENT believer that lp's should be listened through completely: no dropping into tracks or suchlike as it produces pops and crackles. If you want to listen to particular tracks choose a CD. Rant over.
|
Post by michaelw on Jul 3, 2017 17:02:29 GMT 12
depends on the album. lt kije, kind of blue, sgt.pepper, dsotm et al, yes. most modern albums are so incoherent it doesn't matter much which order you listen to the tracks in.
|
