Remotes: Who needs 'em?


Just bought a nice used pre-amp, make and model unimportant, that is aesthetically and functionally what was needed for one of my systems EXCEPT... Other than a bedridden or legless person, what kind of inadequate, drooling idiot would need a 56-button remote? What happened with our society twenty years ago to convince marketers and manufacturers (no right-thinking person would EVER ask for this crap) that a remote with literally dozens and dozens of little buttons would ever appeal to anyone who is attempting to operate a machine for the purpose of listening to music? The only sane remote I have ever used is that on my 1985-vintage HK CDP (owned for historical reference only!), which has no more buttons than a touch-tone phone of the same era.

It is taking all of the reserve I have to avoid crushing the remote underfoot and pretending that it never existed. I'll get my lazy azz up and handle the limited faceplate controls manually rather than even open the separate manual for the remote, thank you very much! I came very close to purchasing the Vincent SA-31 and taking a hit on frequency extremes precisely because it does NOT have this ludicrous appliance included (and which a recent reviewer bemoaned the lack of...) just to reward them for actually having the chutzpah to offer a reasonably-simple component. Who is reponsible for the idea that every device I own must have a remote? Where can I send the mob of fellow luddites with their pitchforks and torches?

I listen to relax, not to go from my electronically-enhanced workplace to sit and fiddle with some idiotic plastic cell-phone wannabee!
morgenholz
I for one would not be without a BASIC remote for my preamp - volume and mute (polarity would be nice, too).
I'm wondering if we can dispense with the hyperbole...

What audiophile, 2-channel preamplifier has a remote with 56 buttons? A 2 channel preamp has only so many functions: Volume, source selection, mute, balance controls. Maybe a unity gain/HT bypass button, a button to reverse polarity, a Standby/On button, CD player functions if the preamp has a matching CDP in its lineup.

Surely a far cry from 56. Maybe I'm missing something, but can you please cite some examples of 2 channel preamps with 56 buttons on the remote? Heck... find one with 30 buttons.

An A/V Processor or receiver is a different beast. With those pieces your dealing with way more functions.
There was a piece about this very phenomena on some Sunday night hour long news show a while back. It seems the short time from design to market is blamed as engineers don't have time to create intuitive remotes. Some MIT prof said he couldn't figure some of his out either!
the concern with a mechanical device such as a remote, is a trivial pursuit. there are many more important things in life to complain about than a remote.

why make a fuss over a mere bagatelle ?
Holz

If you're a "retro-grouch", all you have to do is toss the remote and be done with it.