Centered volume knobs

[Geert]

Cambridge Audio Edge A integrated amplifier. The volume knob is also the input selection!

Normally I'm a rational person, but I find this amp really attractive.

 

[Kal Rubinson]

View attachment 88026
For @renaudrenaud

I think you mean Knobsound.

 

[Chrispy]

A thread about knobs in the center? So weird to fetishize a knob.

 

[Kaiede]

I still have one of these:

I have a soft spot for both that amp and tuner. They belong to my parents though, so I’d have to chase one down if I want one for myself.

Cambridge Audio Edge A integrated amplifier. The volume knob is also the input selection!

Normally I'm a rational person, but I find this amp really attractive.

I can’t stop thinking of that as a Mac Mini with a knob on the front.

 

[daftcombo]

Voici la correction d'enceinte par convolution pour les ELAC (sans correction de pièce).

 

[Feanor]

I had to think about this for a minute... it's not an aesthetic I am generally crazy about.
Then I remembered one.

View attachment 87946
Unassailable aesthetics. (yeah, OK... de gustitbus non est disputandum)
Sounds good, too.

Wish I had one.




h/k made a couple of runners up. The smaller/cheaper one (A401) was the aesthetic winner, IMO, but the big sibling's nice too... and I do have one of those (A402)

View attachment 87947

hkA402 by Mark Hardy, on Flickr

(oops, they're not quite centered, are they?)

I'll get back to all y'all on this anon...

Oh yeah, those early Luxman tended to be gorgeous.

 

[Soniclife]

I thought what a silly thread idea, then I looked to my right.

Have I discovered a previously unconscious bias.

 

[amirm]

Please post your favorites. And away we go:

Yamaha RX-V6A / TSR-700

I just measured the RX-V6A. Will post tomorrow. For now, that is one terrible feeling volume control! Not that they are usually nice but this one is just horrible. In looks it mimics the great volume controls of 1970s and 1980s but not remotely in feel. The rest of the look is innovative though which I like.

 

[SineWave]

I just measured the RX-V6A. Will post tomorrow. For now, that is one terrible feeling volume control! Not that they are usually nice but this one is just horrible. In looks it mimics the great volume controls of 1970s and 1980s but not remotely in feel. The rest of the look is innovative though which I like.

I agree about the knob. Was just playing around with this last week and it felt weird. The front plate also looked too shiny. Like a shiny plastic (didn't try to see if it was metal or plastic). Looked cheap. Much prefer the brushed aluminum that's been around for decades.

 

[infinitesymphony]

I just measured the RX-V6A. Will post tomorrow. For now, that is one terrible feeling volume control! Not that they are usually nice but this one is just horrible. In looks it mimics the great volume controls of 1970s and 1980s but not remotely in feel. The rest of the look is innovative though which I like.

That's a bummer. Seems a lot of companies are moving to the super lightweight plastic knobs rather than something with a smooth, heavy taper. The weighted, motorized volume pot is another thing I like about the A-35R, but I s'pose the days of analog pots are numbered.

 

[infinitesymphony]

Here's a less common vintage example, the Panasonic RA-6100. Asymmetrical. Brownish champagne? They were definitely doing their own thing, but the layout seems practical.

Emotiva BasX A-100

 

[mhardy6647]

The great (IMO, that is) ol' Yamahas had big knobs all righty -- but not centered big knobs. (FWIW)

DSC_6689_z by Mark Hardy, on Flickr

DSC_0576 by Mark Hardy, on Flickr

DSC_0180 by Mark Hardy, on Flickr

 

[andreasmaaan]

Luxman knew how to centre a knob:

Tuning knobs too:

So did Kenwood:

Wish Marantz did, I really love the aesthetic of their old gear. But I'll have to settle for a centred mid-volume knob unfortunately:

 

[Guermantes]

Here is my humble acquisition:

 

[Zensō]

 

[highender]

Cambridge Audio Edge A integrated amplifier. The volume knob is also the input selection!

Normally I'm a rational person, but I find this amp really attractive.

This one is very nice indeed, but I don´t know how solid it feels.

The following AVI amp had a very fine and smooth feeling volume controller, and overall a very solid and compact design, but it´s not in the center thus in the spoiler.

Spoiler: AVI amp

I find this one also nice.

 

[Apesbrain]

 

[Vini darko]

My first amplifier still one of my favorite designs.

 

[restorer-john]

Unassailable aesthetics. (yeah, OK... de gustitbus non est disputandum)
Sounds good, too.

Wish I had one.

We have three. Two L-81s and an L-85V.

 

[mhardy6647]

The only Luxman piece here currently* is also, I'd opine, of the unassailable aesthetics school but the big central knob's not a volume control.

DSC_5978 (2) by Mark Hardy, on Flickr

______________________
* It is actually out on indefinite loan to a friend at the moment -- which is good because it deserves better than just to gather dust on a shelf.