[eril]

Hi

I am wondering if it is possible to have the Signature 70's with the DACT CT2 volume control, AND a remote volume control.

I only have one source: CD, and given the very positive response to the Sig 30 as an integrated, I am thinking I can avoid having a separate pre-amp.

I have a bad back, a wonky knee and a dud ankle, so do not want to get up to adjust volume.
If they are set up next to one another on a wide rack, or immediate vertical to each other on a rack - would a remote control suffice?

If not - I'd appreciate any suggestions on suitable remote control pre-amps. The Modwright? The Bent Tap?

I am in New Zealand so have no opportunity to audition any of this gear.

Many Thanks and Happy New Year to all

Eril

[fu_man]

Gee Eril,
sorry to  hear about the  bad  back, wonky knee and  dud ankle.
Are you in Auckland?  I  have a  beautiful  Omega Sig 30 and I  know  what it  is  like not  being able  to audition  gear... if you are on the  edge of a  decision but need a  bit of convincing you can get in touch. What  speakers do you have?

My Sig 30 doesn't have a  remote  volume because I use a  squeezebox to control the volume.  When I turn on the amp i  set the  volume  to about  where i  want it and  use the  SB to go up or  down from there... also  to  pause, stop, play, AND  select all music ... if you don't  want to get out of  your  seat  this  is  perfect, you don't have to get up once.  The SB is modded by RWA but  Vinnie has  switched  focus to the Olive players  now...  with the  Nokia  770  you could even   browse  you  album art from your seat!

[Vinnie R.]

Hi Eril,

Thank you for your post.

I do like your idea on not using a preamp in the signal path, but regarding a remote option for the Sig 70s, I don't offer this on my site because I wasn't sure if controlling the volume of both monoblocks at the same time would work perfectly 100% of the time.  If you were to stack them and use one remote, they *should* both see the remote signal and be "in sync" (and I'm not talking about the boy bad n' sync!  ).  If by chance one monoblock were to see the signal while other other one did not, even for just one "click", then one channel will be a tad louder than the other.  You would have to manually increase the step of the lower side and then they should be back being equal when controlled via the remote.

Based on testing two different Signature 30 amps with remote control option, stacked together, one remote seemed to work fine as long as you aimed the remote at them and didn't have anything blocking the IR sensors on the amps.  From time to time, you still might want to check that they are in equal positions. 

The remote control kit that I use is the one designed and built by Bent Audio for the DACT stepped attenuators.  It is very high quality and as I mention on the Sig 30 website:
 
-- Direct coupled stepper motor using custom machined mount and coupling
-- Any universal remote can be programmed to run the board
-- All clocks shutoff and go into 'sleep mode' between commands for EMI/RFI noise free operation. NOTE: The remote control option does NOT effect the sound quality in any way.

I talked to John at Bent about the possibility of having one monoblock have the IR sensor, and it would feed that unit and a hard wire would connect to the other unit to control it at the same time.  He didn't suggest doing this and was concerned that there could be hick-ups when trying to drive two of his remote board from one IR sensor.

My Sig 30 doesn't have a  remote  volume because I use a  squeezebox to control the volume.

The SB is modded by RWA but  Vinnie has  switched  focus to the Olive players  now...  with the  Nokia  770  you could even   browse  you  album art from your seat!

Fu_man is doing what quite a few of my customers are doing (a nice approach IMO!).  The use their volume controlled source to feed their Sig 30 or 70s, and set the volume control on the Sig 30 or 70s to a fixed position that gives them the best useable range of volume control out of their source. 

And yes, you can use an active preamp with remote volume control as well.  Your results may vary depending on the quality of the preamp in the chain, but there are good ones out there (but they ain't cheap!).

Best regards,

Vinnie

[eril]

Hi Vinnie

Thanks for that.
So there is a risk that they might get out of sync.
I imagine I could live with that.
But John at Bent's concern could be a problem.
I'm still undecided about new speakers - I was thinking the De Vore Super 8, which I have heard in Auckland and really like, and the remote controlled Sig 30 would be fine for them, but my main room is large - 33' x 15' x 10' - and I am advised I might need the soon-to-be-released Gibbon 9 with the Sig 70's. In which case I'd be wise to try the Sig 70's on my current Jean-Marie Reynaud Evolution speakers.

I'd prefer to go direct if possible but my CD source does not have a suitable means of adjusting level.

I'd appreciate anybody else's experience on remote controlled pre-amps with the Sig 30 or Sig 70's.


Hi Fu_man

I live at Lake Ohau, deep in the Southern Alps, where I can look at lakes and mountains from my home.
I'd like to hear your Omegas and Sig 30.
Where are you? I get to Auckland 3-4 times a year.
My email is errol.hudspith@xtra.co.nz
However my back/knee drama is not getting better so I might have to move to Christchurch to be close to medical services - there is nothing within 2 hours from here.
In which case I'll live near Sumner beach in a much smaller apartment.
So it all could change dramatically.

Life? Music makes it worthwhile.

Cheers
Eril

[SteveParsons]

I actually asked Vinnie the same q a couple of days ago.

A thought I had is that you could use an IR system to control the two amps using a pyramid  wrieless IR system & a dual blink emitter (you stick the emitters on the front of each monoblock & plus the other end into the pyramid).  See links....

http://www.asihome.com/ASIshop/product_info.php?products_id=667

http://www.letsautomate.com/10404.cfm?

I use something similar to control my CD player.

Cheers,

Steve

[Vinnie R.]

But John at Bent's concern could be a problem

Hi eril,

His concern is if I were to actually hard-wire the two remote control boards together, like a daisy-chain.  This is different than using one remote to control two units.... which does work, as I mentioned above when trying two remote controlled Sig 30s.

So there is a risk that they might get out of sync.

Exactly... nothing that can't be easily corrected if this were to happen, but I just wanted to make sure everyone was aware of this, and for this to work, the Sig 70s need to be close together.

I have a customer who really, really wanted remote control for his Sig 70s.  I am shipping them to him with this option by the end of next week.

NOTE: This feature would add $299.00 to the cost of each monoblock... so $598.00 total.  While the Bent Audio DACT remote control kits are excellent, they aren't cheap and installation is time-consuming 

and I am advised I might need the soon-to-be-released Gibbon 9 with the Sig 70's.

I was able to hear a prototype version of "The Nines" with the Sig 70s a few months ago... they were most impressive!!!   

A thought I had is that you could use an IR system to control the two amps using a pyramid  wrieless IR system & a dual blink emitter (you stick the emitters on the front of each monoblock & plus the other end into the pyramid).

Hi Steve,

This might be helpful, but I'm not sure how necessary it is unless you will be quite a distance away from the 30/70s, OR if the 30/70s are tucked away where it is hard to aim the IR remote.  Thanks for sharing!

Happy New Year!

Vinnie