Ref6SE plastic remote

[Charles]

I have been very happy with the new Mac remotes (on the left). It took me about a month to receive them but I paid for them in advance and this helped. I forget the cost but they were not at all expensive. These are remotes to my MCD1100 SACD Player and MVP881 BR player. The other remote is to my D1100. No more sticky plastic. These remotes have an excellent feel and work perfectly. I have had metal cases remotes in various gear in the past. The old Krell had superb light metal remotes. I hope AR is successful under its new ownership. I totally agree that the Mac/AR relationship was not good. I think they are direct competitors to each other. AR will be much better off on its own. It's a question of AR having the money necessary to keep up with the competition. Unfortunately, when supplies are short the company with the most money receives the needed parts.

As I understand it, Mac is busier than they have ever been but are keeping up with orders. This helps keep prices down.



____________________
Charles Updated System: Wilson McIntosh Audioquest
Most recent updates: AQ Diamond USB replaces AQ Coffee; Wilson Audio Specialties Alexx replaced by Wilson Audio Specialties XVX Chronosonic; new subwoofer crossover; new Galaxy Grey Thors Hammer; Wilson Pedestals
Amps: McIntosh 1.25KW’s (3) set on floor on custom made cultured marble slabs
Preamp and DAC: McIntosh D1100
Sources: McIntosh MCD1100 SACD player, MVP881 BR player, MVP851 DVD player, MR87 tuner, Marantz 510LV Laser Disc player, ASUS laptop USB (JRiver Media Center 23)
Speakers: Wilson Audio Specialties XVX Chronosonic
Sub-woofer: Wilson Audio Specialties Thor’s Hammer (1) horizontal lie and Wilson Watch Controller (abbr: WC)
Cables main system: Audioquest Wel Signature speaker cables and balanced IC (preamp to amps); Wel Signature AES/EBU balanced digital IC for CD playback; Audioquest Diamond optical (1) for tuner, (1) for BR player, and (1) for LD player for total of (3); Diamond USB cable; McIntosh MCT cable for SACD playback; Dragon power cords (5 HC cords and 3 source cords for total of 8); Thunder HC power cord for tuner; cables for DVD player not listed
Cables subwoofer system: Audioquest Redwood speaker cable (1); Wolf balanced subwoofer IC from WC to amp; Wind balanced IC from preamp to WC; Hurricane HC (2) and Dragon HC (1) power cords
Power conditioners: Audioquest Niagara 7000 (1) and Niagara 5000 (3); (4) dedicated 20-amp lines with no. 10 wire straight out of fuse box
Isolation: Wilson Pedestals
Cabinet: Double Custom Woodwork & Design (CWD) solid walnut cabinet on large casters; holds all sources and preamp; also, Niagara 7000; 11 feet minimum distance from speakers
Acoustic Treatments: Room and Echo Tunes
AC: Dedicated to this room only, an ultra-high efficiency and quiet recently installed Ruud split system 3-ton heat pump.
Room (mancave): 40’L x 15.5’W A-frame; max ceiling height 8’ min 5’; wall within wall construction built of 2 x 6’s; built over garage with custom hardwood floor with gym seal with over 40 Lowes stiffened wooden I-beams supporting floor; complete isolation from rest of house.

[Andik777]

The best remote that I have ever seen

[Hopkins97]

You are lucky!

[Charles]

I got into high end audio very early in life. Probably about the seventh grade. Grew up with vinyl and analog tape, which I preferred to vinyl. Very little tape hiss with a good deck on prerecorded tapes.

Obviously, with vinyl there is no remote and no possibility of one. You have to clean the record, the stylus, then there is the inherent record scratch, some of which can be quite loud and intermittent. When I listen to a track or disc with my remote or mouse I have total control. With a record you must carefully place the stylus manually on the desired groove. The more you play the record the worse it sounds. I've never heard anyone address or admit to any of these issues. I learned to hate records as a child for many reasons.

I am very thankful for remotes that allow me so much convenience. I've even had remotes with cables, i.e. not wireless. Even the worst remote provides infinitely more flexibility and convenience than a record.

Best

Charles

p.s. Listened to prerecorded cassette tapes through Nakamichi Dragon with great enjoyment for years but no remote. Has better sound than vinyl, required little maintenance, little space requirement, no acoustic feedback, a tremendous piece of gear. Also, I could record a record and the recording was indistinguishable from the record. Then store the record. The more you play a record the worse it sounds. I think a good plastic remote the equal of a metal remote.

[cleeds]

Originally Posted by Charles

... Obviously, with vinyl there is no remote and no possibility of one ...

Charles , you might want to look into the old ADC Accutrac. It had a remote! It worked but wasn't exactly what I'd call high-end, even then.

Originally Posted by Charles

The more you play the record the worse it sounds. I've never heard anyone address or admit to any of these issues.

I've addressed these issues many times and would be happy to review them again, but it is way too OT for this thread.

[djcxxx]

Agree that with proper care of record (storage,cleaning)and stylus (which includes geometry and tracking force as well as cleaning) records can be kept quiet and sonically intact for decades. Not convenient or cheap, but well worth the musical satisfaction.

[Charles]

Originally Posted by djcxxx

Agree that with proper care of record (storage,cleaning)and stylus (which includes geometry and tracking force as well as cleaning) records can be kept quiet and sonically intact for decades. Not convenient or cheap, but well worth the musical satisfaction.

Possibly. I dealt with records for years. I stored them correctly. Kept them clean meticulously. However, I well remember the frustration of putting a carefully cleaned prized record in its sleeve and pulling it out 6 months later only to discover new noise that was not previously on the record. That ended my participation with records. Also, records do not remotely have the low frequency capability or high frequency capability of digital. Records are about 30 Hz to 12,000 Hz. They have a high noise floor. It's easy to hear and always there.

The operative word is "can". A properly stored CD will be kept intact. There is zero guarantee with a record and they are extremely expensive. Also there is the issue of wear. Every time you play a record there is wear and it is not negligible.

When you play your record the stylus must be carefully examined and cleaned. I know about dust and when the record is played the stylus collects dust. This alters the sound and creates pops and scratches. It also exacerbates record wear. Does everybody use Accutrack? Doubt it.

Best

Charles

[JoeN]

Pass Labs remotes are bricks. Solid!

[Charles]

Originally Posted by cleeds

Charles , you might want to look into the old ADC Accutrac. It had a remote! It worked but wasn't exactly what I'd call high-end, even then.


I've addressed these issues many times and would be happy to review them again, but it is way too OT for this thread.

Certainly, there is always an exception. I don't think this is off subject because a remote with a digital playback is an integral part of it. As opposed to a record where essentially there is no possibility. And all the inherent other issues I mentioned that are analogous to the problems with remotes. Problems with remotes pale in comparison to problems with records.

I'm not against records. I totally support records turntables etc. because they are part of the high end structure and would be sorely missed. However, records have little useful bass below 30 Hz and not much above 12,000. This is the record, not the gear.

Best

Charles

[Charles]

Originally Posted by JoeN

Pass Labs remotes are bricks. Solid!

That's an excellent example of a well designed beautiful metal remote.

Best

Charles