Should maufacturers offer alternative better quality remotes?

[zekezebra]

I know many folk are happy with the cheap remote some manufactures supply or use universal remotes but when I buy quality equipment I feel a bit let down by the cheap plastic remote that is sometimes supplied.

I have the Marantz KI Pearl C.D. and the Plinius Hiato amplifier, both supplied with quality metal remotes, that look like they will last as long as the equipment (yes I'm aware this adds to the cost), but this gives me the feeling that I have bought a quality product.

I would like to see a situation where equipment could be supplied with a "standard" remote with the option to have it supplied with a better model.

 

[bandit pilot]

:shock:

:doh:

I know what you mean. But have you seen the price of potatoes lately? Bloody disgrace it is.

 

[tkimages]

The Meridian learning remote is a bit substantial to say the least. Most people who see mine think they are notebook PCs!

 

[AmDismal]

The high tech learning remotes, with screens and macro facilities, are generally very nicely built - why not get one of those?

 

[Chumpy]

It is usually quite possible to buy nicer remote-control devices than those usually supplied by manufacturers - FME.

'Ones' supplied by my manufacturers are fine, and I can pay more if I desire for something more expensive.

Often, digits/toes etc are a great analogue alternative.

 

[Beobloke]

Although I suppose I am spoiled by having a house full of lovely, chunky, solid, Bang & Olufsen remote controls, the feeble remotes suppiled with a great deal of equipment are one of my pet hates. Much as I love my Naim Supernait to bits, the remote a disappointment and not a worthy partner for a £2500 item, IMHO.

As I've said many a time, if Cambridge Audio can supply a very nice remote with their £200 amplifiers/CD players there's no excuse for anyone else not to to the same or better, especially if the item in question is dearer.

 

[vacdac]

The high tech learning remotes, with screens and macro facilities, are generally very nicely built - why not get one of those?

This. :^

The Logitech Harmony range are most excellent......Love mine & ergonomically they're spot on too.....TBH I'd take one of these in preference to most of the ones that come with pricey kit as they're much better thought out/executed. The brushed aluminium one that came with my C.A. SM6 streamer is one of t' nicest I've come across of those that come supplied with kit.....everything that's needed no stoooopid 'button clutter, v well laid out & with its nice weight in t' hand it just feels right.

Although I doubt niceness of remote would ever make or break a buying decision for me personally, I do agree that more mfrs should make a better effort. If C.A. can do such a sterling job on their sensibly priced kit I don't really see why pricier mfrs couldn't manage better....However in the case of lower volume kit & cottage industry mfrs. I'd rather see them concentrate elsewhere on stuff that will improve SQ or indeed actual kit build/appearance & see t' obvious sense in them sourcing a generic remote from an OEM & spend on build costs where it actually matters.

 

[AmDismal]

lovely, chunky, solid, Bang & Olufsen remote controls

I really like B&O remotes. They are weighty, cool, easy to use and operate most of your B&O kit. What is kinda best of all is that they unashamedly sell them at quite a high price - with some products you get the basic remote (which is still bloody lovely), and if you like you can spend fortunes on the premium ones. I think this makes perfect sense - make it a revenue generator for those customers that want it. Even cottage industries could come up with a premium remote (nicely machined wood or metal) for £400, I would have thought. Why not?

 

[Tons of Fun]

Although I suppose I am spoiled by having a house full of lovely, chunky, solid, Bang & Olufsen remote controls, the feeble remotes suppiled with a great deal of equipment are one of my pet hates. Much as I love my Naim Supernait to bits, the remote a disappointment and not a worthy partner for a £2500 item, IMHO.

Speak for yourself, the remote for my Supernait rocks- I can even watch scrot on it;

 

[Guest]

The remote for my pre looks and probably costs a tenner but works faultlessly . The remote for my long gone Wadia weighed a ton and would only work pointed head on at the Wadia . In essence a 20 degree range before inoperable and buttons had to be pressed two or three times to work. Sometimes a metall billet and heft is not what its cracked up to be

 

[Beobloke]

Speak for yourself, the remote for my Supernait rocks- I can even watch scrot on it;

If I knew what scrot was, I would offer some suitably pithy response. As I don't I shall merely content myself with "that's nice, dear".

;-)

 

[The Strat]

Much as I love my Naim Supernait to bits, the remote a disappointment and not a worthy partner for a £2500 item, IMHO..

Naim used to do a very upmarket job as standard with the 500 series. Don't know if it's still done though.

 

[Guest]

Speak for yourself, the remote for my Supernait rocks- I can even watch scrot on it;

How do you use it as a remote? Some kind of IR repeater thingy?

 

[Tons of Fun]

How do you use it as a remote? Some kind of IR repeater thingy?

If you go all in with the church of Salisbury, the streamer ap can be set to control a Naim integrated/pre via a 3.5mm jack-jack cable. A repeater would also work.

 

[Guest]

If you go all in with the church of Salisbury, the streamer ap can be set to control a Naim integrated/pre via a 3.5mm jack-jack cable. A repeater would also work.

Right, thanks. I dem'ed a Supernait once and it has to be said that the supplied remote was total arsebiscuit.

 

[Clive197]

I think you are very lucky. My new Technics SL1210M5G doesn't come with a remote at all. I am forced to stand up and walk over to the thing and change the bloody record myself.

 

[bandit pilot]

All the remotes I've had sound pretty crap. So I give them no thought. Not even a little bit.

 

[hifinutt]

yes remote is so important, one uses it many times a day

the bel canto remotes are superb

when i got my first ref 5 i couldn`t believe a 12k amp came with such a cheap rubbish remote but the latest remotes are first class metal and solidly made

 

[AmDismal]

The remote for my pre looks and probably costs a tenner but works faultlessly . The remote for my long gone Wadia weighed a ton and would only work pointed head on at the Wadia . In essence a 20 degree range before inoperable and buttons had to be pressed two or three times to work. Sometimes a metall billet and heft is not what its cracked up to be

Yeah another big plus to B&O - you could point their remotes anywhere in the room and they just worked. Good 'hand feel' cannot compensate for crap design.