Do You Miss Knobs and Dials and Switches?

[cavedriver]

Like a Receiver, but sans power amplifier.

Here's one that's not European from back in the day. You'll like this one, too -- quad-capable!




Scanned from a Heathkit catalog in my - ahem - collection, but similar catalog copy is also available from WRH at, e.g.,
https://www.worldradiohistory.com/Archive-Catalogs/Heathkit-Catalogs/Heathkit-Christmas-1975.pdf
(beginning on pg. 30 of the catalog)

Those Heathkit units are gorgeous! Would be great for feeding my Heathkit Legato speaker I got from my grandfather, if only I had a pair...

 

[mhardy6647]

One Altec (Heathkit) Legato is well worth the effort to put to use!
Glorious loudspeaker(s).

source: https://www.worldradiohistory.com/Archive-Catalogs/Heathkit-Catalogs/Heathkit-1966-March-800-62.pdf
(Heathkit sold these for quite a while, and after they stopped, they sold an Altec Valencia variant well into the 1970s.)

 

[xanalog]

Will voice-commands finally end the reign of our much loved knobs and switches?

 

[Axo1989]

Folks,

In this modern digital day and age, when so many of us have moved to digital playback, very often using some form of computer control via a touchpad, smart phone, keyboard or whatever to control the system…

…. Does anybody miss the look and tactile experience of using volume knobs/dials/switches, etc.?

Or do you still have those in your system?

For a while when I first switched to a digital server system, when I ripped all my CDs, and later added streaming, calling everything up and operating it via my smart phone was kind of a cool novelty. “ A new world!”

Over time for me the novelty wore off, and it started to feel like one more damn screen I had to interact with, after interacting with the phone all day long.

And don’t get me started on using a laptop or a keyboard to interact with an audio system.
There is no interface I despise more. It feels so kludgy (and perhaps reminds me too much of work).

Anyway, that’s one reason why I had a remote control custom-made for me with a big volume knob, and which could do some other switching in my system. It’s really nice to use in a tactile and aesthetic way, and it’s part of my break from the digital world:

View attachment 432277

Aside from that, of course, my pre-amplifiers have their own buttons or volume knobs. But they are in a different room which is why I need to use a remote.

How about you folks? Still doing the tactile physical knobs and dials at all?
Or miss it?

(And yes, I resisted calling this thread “ Show us your knobs!”)

I've likely commented already (in this thread or elsewhere) but this is a very nice thing.

I'm not really old enough to have nostalgia for the many multi-knobbed-and-switched things from the 60s-70s-80s etc posted here. Not to criticise that taste, but I do like a good minimalist multi-function haptic interface more than a perhaps too-busy array of discrete knob/switch things. And while capacitative touch control surfaces have their applications they can be overdone for sure. So when it came time to replace our kitchen things I naturally decided an induction surface with a multi-purpose knob was the go.

Tap/tilt toward the target section, rotate to set the level with visual feedback, and so on. Magnetic so it lifts off entirely to clean. Also matches the (two) oven control knobs. Expensive to lose I imagine.

 

[Martin]

I had an SAE Two R6 in the late-80's and early-90's. It had one of the nicest feeling free spinning weighted tuner knobs.

Martin

 

[EJ3]

I had an SAE Two R6 in the late-80's and early-90's. It had one of the nicest feeling free spinning weighted tuner knobs.
View attachment 513053

Martin

I have a NAD 4300 TUNER and the FMtuners group have this to say about the tuning knob:
The overall feel and finish are just OK, but the tuning knob is far and away the nicest analog type digital I have ever come across. The knob is heavily weighted with a large flywheel and a frictionless optical pick up is used. (picture pulled from Ebay)

 

[xanalog]

It had one of the nicest feeling free spinning weighted tuner knobs.

I had a Luxman tuner with a flying tuner knob.

 

[mhardy6647]

speaking of Luxman... did we already mention the famous/infamous suckface Luxmans in the context of this thread?

e.g.,

Luxman RX-103 | Classic Receivers

Luxman is known for making extremely good looking and performing audio equipment. Especially their early amps and receivers. However, this Luxman RX-103 receiver may be one of the strangest looking stereos ever made. It's like some weird two-faced hybrid receiver - part silver face with knobs...

classicreceivers.com

 

[cavedriver]

this image got pushed to me a on mid-century modern fb page, very cool design with just enough buttons and knobs to share here:

 

[Peterinvan]

I am relieved to see car manufacturers bringing back real switches. I have been reluctant to give up my 2018 RAV4, the last model with a real key. IMHO scrolling on a touch screen is tantamount to “distracted driving”.

 

[xanalog]

I am relieved to see car manufacturers bringing back real switches. I have been reluctant to give up my 2018 RAV4, the last model with a real key. IMHO scrolling on a touch screen is tantamount to “distracted driving”.

What could possibly be next: Real knobs and real switches in y/our phones?

 

[Gorgonzola]

Way back in the early 80's when all the computer controlled receivers took over I started missing knobs, dials, and switches.

Man I hated these, nothing worse than push-button or slider volume controls!

View attachment 512013

I had this Pioneer SX-5 receiver back in the day from the same esthetic school as the above. It wasn't a great receiver in any particular way but at least it had a rotary volume control. \

 

[Mart68]

I had this Pioneer SX-5 receiver back in the day from the same esthetic school as the above. It wasn't a great receive in any particular way but at least it had a rotary volume control. \

Might have been nondescript back in its day but compared to today's horrors it's a masterclass of styling and ergonomic design.

 

[dlaloum]

speaking of Luxman... did we already mention the famous/infamous suckface Luxmans in the context of this thread?

e.g.,

Luxman RX-103 | Classic Receivers

Luxman is known for making extremely good looking and performing audio equipment. Especially their early amps and receivers. However, this Luxman RX-103 receiver may be one of the strangest looking stereos ever made. It's like some weird two-faced hybrid receiver - part silver face with knobs...

classicreceivers.com

View attachment 513060

With that look, it has to be from the 80's....

 

[DanielT]

Here for the Knobs and Dials lover. For sale now in Stockholm. The seller has recorded a video of the hifi being sold.

If you like vintage Pioneer (and AKAI) then take a look:

What's included:

Pioneer SX-1980 monster receiver (270w)

Pioneer HPM-100 and HPM-1500 speakers.

Pioneer PD-91 and PD-93 CD Players

Pioneer GR-777 and SG-9800

Pioneer CT-F950

Pioneer RT-707

Pioneer PL-510A

AKAI:

AM-2450

AT-2450

GXC-706D

Package Price: 250 000SEK ($26 371)

Pioneer high-end stereoanläggning, 70-tal | Blocket

Kollar om intresset finns. Allt säljs som paket till bästa budet. Det bästa ljudet man kan tänka sig. Rekappat 2022. Fantastiskt skick för sin ålder. Kontakta

www.blocket.se

 

[Thighsofsteel]

That is a knobs-fest. I real bit of audio porn.

 

[JiiPee]

Brand new: Tactile Tone preamp.

 

[JohnnyAudio]

This sequencer has some buttons and knobs to play with.

 

[xanalog]

Brand new: Tactile Tone preamp.
View attachment 522570

In the 21st century? A preamp? With output tape-loop? XLR and Trig I/O?
But the icing on the cake is this:

Impressive, even at its price-point.

Another cool Czechia product.

Precision Preamplifier - Tactile Tone

High-end audio devices manufacturer

tactiletone.com

Measured between the LINE3, and unbalanced output, tone control is off, and volume is set to unity gain.

ADD:
Frequency response (20 Hz - 20 kHz): +/- 0.025 dB.
THD+N: below 0.0008%.
Crosstalk: -101.4 dB.
Signal to noise ratio: 122.3 dB.
Maximum output level: 9V RMS.
Noise level: 15 uV RMS.
Power consumption: 0.3W StandBy, 30W during normal operation.
Dimensions: 360x98x250 mm.
Weight: 5.5 kg.
woot!

 

[Audionaut]

If you like vintage Pioneer (and AKAI) then take a look:

Love it