A good remote is hard to find...

[Leo7124]

I am looking for a preamp but I can't seem to find something that is well measured/reviewed and also has a high quality remote. Aside of managing music on the phone, using the remote for volume is the primary way I interact with the device, and it's a shame when it feels poor quality.

The schiit Freya's remote feels unfinished and rough and the buttons are hard to press. The SMSL/Topping preamps look pretty cheap and plasticky. Lumin has a nice one but that's neither a preamp nor affordable. Hegel has a nice feel but I'm not really sold on the P20.

Does anyone have any suggestions?

 

[kchap]

Sorry for going a little off topic early but, what made a streamer attractive proposition was the ability to select tracks and set the volume via the LAN using my phone, tablet or PC.

 

[Leo7124]

Hm that's a good point, maybe you're right. I guess I always thought that you were supposed to keep the sources at full volume and only adjust volume on a preamp, but I don't really know where that thought came from.

 

[amper42]

I am looking for a preamp but I can't seem to find something that is well measured/reviewed and also has a high quality remote. Aside of managing music on the phone, using the remote for volume is the primary way I interact with the device, and it's a shame when it feels poor quality.

The schiit Freya's remote feels unfinished and rough and the buttons are hard to press. The SMSL/Topping preamps look pretty cheap and plasticky. Lumin has a nice one but that's neither a preamp nor affordable. Hegel has a nice feel but I'm not really sold on the P20.

Does anyone have any suggestions?

I would have to agree. All the Topping remotes feel really cheap. Pre90, D90SE to lower Topping models. It's like no one at Topping understands the value of a good remote.

On the other hand, the RME ADI-2 DAC FS remote is extremely well laid out and has a nice weighted feel. It's obvious they understand how to make a quality remote. In addition, with the ADI-2 DAC it serves as one of the best pre-amps I have owned. The auto gain function is superb. I like the RME ADI-2 DAC FS by itself much more than the Topping D90SE/Pre90 combination. The RME offers more gain, sounds cleaner and the remote is miles ahead of Topping. When I compare the two setups the RME wins decisively on several fronts.

 

[gaburko]

Why not a Harmony universal remote? I use only my harmony to all the devices at home including the lights

 

[Berwhale]

Topping make a nice remote hewn from aluminium, the RC-21. https://apos.audio/products/topping-rc21-remote-control

There a picture of the RC-21 next to the stock remote here: https://www.head-fi.org/threads/topping-d90.926531/page-11

There's a picture of mine on the iLoud MTM thread showing how I use it to control my Topping EX5 and my MTMs (using IR controlled mains switch): https://www.audiosciencereview.com/...iew-active-monitor.18347/page-22#post-1039267

 

[Berwhale]

Why not a Harmony universal remote? I use only my harmony to all the devices at home including the lights

Maybe because...

Logitech says it's the end of the line for its Harmony remotes

Support will continue though

www.techradar.com

That said, i'm still keeping an elderly Harmony 785 running in the family room. I've retired the one I had in the lounge as the smart remote from my Samsung TV does everything.

 

[amper42]

German versus Chinese remote engineering. It's a major difference in form, function and capability. Use them both for 20 minutes and you realize a lot more thought went into the RME remote. Add the continual firmware updates from RME that regularly add new remote options and the difference widens even more.

 

[ZolaIII]

Generally remotes are gone to hell and even more so regarding home audio equipment. Logitech ended up their universal learning line's and phone (IR) solutions being rather very limited (Xiaomi and such). To be honest most of the remotes in home audio system had a horrible layouts (huge number of buttons) always. Some solutions over WiFi (OEM limited) do the yob good like Yamaha musiccast while the remote controller's are horrible, other do it horrible while remote controler is rather good like Panasonic. There are even BT controller's that do the job good like HiBy link.

 

[Berwhale]

German versus Chinese remote engineering. It's a major difference in form, function and capability. Use them both for 20 minutes and you realize a lot more thought went into the RME remote. Add the continual firmware updates from RME that regularly add new remote options and the difference widens even more.


View attachment 177374

On the other hand, I rarely use more than 3 buttons on the RC21 and I prefer it's simplicity over the RME remote. Is the RME remote machined from a block of aluminium?

 

[Berwhale]

Generally remotes are gone to hell and even more so regarding home audio equipment. Logitech ended up their universal learning line's and phone (IR) solutions being rather very limited (Xiaomi and such). To be honest most of the remotes in home audio system had a horrible layouts (huge number of buttons) always. Some solutions over WiFi (OEM limited) do the yob good like Yamaha musiccast while the remote controller's are horrible, other do it horrible while remote controler is rather good like Panasonic. There are even BT controller's that do the job good like HiBy link.

I have a Philips Pronto RU940 with charging dock sitting in a box somewhere. It cost me £300 at the turn of the millennium. I'd have to find a PC with an RS-232 port on it to see if it still works

Vintage software...

 

[amper42]

Don't know how RME remote is produced but it feels much nicer in my hand than the Topping. In addition, the ability to turn EQ on/off, Loudness control, Bass/treble and directly go to source inputs is very nice. By comparison the Topping is really limited with off/on and volume being it's main function. If you don't care about remote options and you just want volume Topping will do - but even then it's not as satisfying to use or own.

 

[ZolaIII]

@Berwhale luckily biggest Honeywell heretige (RS232) still lives (especially in automative industry).

Amazon.com : Serial Port Cards

Unfortunately paper dream of one to rule them all is long dead.
I hate cheap remotes which don't feel nice in hand especially when I have to use them like content provider equipment supplied one's. Last deacent one I got whose Panasonic TV one good enough layout and rubber buttons. I love to use my mobile (a Sony with nice tactile feel on volume rockers) with my Yamaha amplifier while remote control is among worst ones (couple Denons and some Sony's had worse layout) I ever seen (bad layout and hard plastic) or had. I even have RF mechanical keyboard with nice horizontal wheel volume control.

 

[bloodshoteyed]

Topping make a nice remote hewn from aluminium, the RC-21. https://apos.audio/products/topping-rc21-remote-control

There a picture of the RC-21 next to the stock remote here: https://www.head-fi.org/threads/topping-d90.926531/page-11

There's a picture of mine on the iLoud MTM thread showing how I use it to control my Topping EX5 and my MTMs (using IR controlled mains switch): https://www.audiosciencereview.com/...iew-active-monitor.18347/page-22#post-1039267

agree, it does look way better....but, does it also work better (range, angle..) directly with the gear, not over 3rd party IR receivers?

 

[amper42]

agree, it does look way better....but, does it also work better (range, angle..) directly with the gear, not over 3rd party IR receivers?

Topping Remote requires it be pointed with laser precision at the DAC or Preamp to work. If you're 10 feet away that requires more focus/attention than when used within 3 feet on a desktop configuration. RME remote works within 30 degrees of each side of the unit so it's much easier to use without having to focus on exact aiming of the remote to be recognized. That may not sound like a big deal but if you're use to the flexibility of the RME and switch to the Topping remote you notice the inconvenience immediately.

 

[restorer-john]

Get an older Sony universal remote. Indestructible. Learns or already knows everything worth controlling and if it doesn't, it's not worth bothering with.

Can operate gear from around the corner in another room because guess why? It has powerful IR LEDs and plenty of them, sometimes four, facing in all directions. Batteries last for so long they leak before they go flat.

 

[Berwhale]

....but, does it also work better (range, angle..)

No idea, mine is used in a desktop setting. It's 20cm from the EX5 and 40cm from the mains switch sensor

About 10 years ago, I replaced a failing IR emitter in one of my Harmony 885 remotes. It cost me £1.30 from Maplins in the UK and was described as a 'high power emitter'. The new emitter had a noticeable effect on the range of the 885, in fact, I could point the remote in any direction in the room (approx. 6x5m) and the reflected IR signals were sufficient to operate all my equipment.

 

[restorer-john]

in fact, I could point the remote in any direction in the room (approx. 6x5m) and the reflected IR signals were sufficient to operate all my equipment.

And the neighbours across the street.

 

[bloodshoteyed]

Topping Remote requires it be pointed with laser precision at the DAC or Preamp to work. If you're 10 feet away that requires more focus/attention than when used within 3 feet on a desktop configuration. RME remote works within 30 degrees of each side of the unit so it's much easier to use without having to focus on exact aiming of the remote to be recognized. That may not sound like a big deal but if you're use to the flexibility of the RME and switch to the Topping remote you notice the inconvenience immediately.

i know, i've got one that's why i was asking (before i throw it out the window)...and i'm using the topping as a preamp so it's even more of a PITA

 

[Berwhale]

Maybe Topping's remote manufacturer has used an emitter with a narrow beam angle? They ranged from 13 to 40 degrees when I looked for a 'high power' one on Mouser...

https://www.mouser.co.uk/c/optoelectronics/infrared-data-communications/infrared-emitters-high-power/?q=ir%20emitter&mounting%20style=Through%20Hole&package%20%2F%20case=T-1%20%283%20mm%29

Being made of aluminium, the RC-21 is screwed together, so it would be trivial to replace the emitter...