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I love, love, love, love, love just flat out love...


thebes

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..knobs, specifically, shiny knobs. Silver-faced, copper-faced, brass-faced, black surrounds accenting a silver button, the brass, then brown, and then brass back knobs on the old Fishers, love them all.

 

A knob, unlike a switch, is a tactile experience.  Not a particular fan of stepped knobs, cause I love to envision myself to be in total control of the sound, my tactile grip and highly honed musculature combining to dial in the sound to the precise aspect of audio nirvossa. But on the other hand, a knob is a knob, a wonder to behold.

 

Staring right now at the wondrous knob display of a Setton RR 220  silver-faced receiver. Probably the best knobs I own. Simply magic.

 

So my brothers and sisters, who sometimes feel that good ole Thebes, is simply garrulous old Thebes, with no happy talk to contribute,

have I struck a sympathetic cord in the Forum consciousness?

 

Righteous Thebes

image.jpeg.1f5e540d703e2997a135973789061c10.jpeg

 

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47 minutes ago, thebes said:

..knobs, specifically, shiny knobs. Silver-faced, copper-faced, brass-faced, black surrounds accenting a silver button, the brass, then brown, and then brass back knobs on the old Fishers, love them all.

 

A knob, unlike a switch, is a tactile experience.  Not a particular fan of stepped knobs, cause I love to envision myself to be in total control of the sound, my tactile grip and highly honed musculature combining to dial in the sound to the precise aspect of audio nirvossa. But on the other hand, a knob is a knob, a wonder to behold.

 

Staring right now at the wondrous knob display of a Setton RR 220  silver-faced receiver. Probably the best knobs I own. Simply magic.

 

So my brothers and sisters, who sometimes feel that good ole Thebes, is simply garrulous old Thebes, with no happy talk to contribute,

have I struck a sympathetic cord in the Forum consciousness?

 

Righteous Thebes

image.jpeg.1f5e540d703e2997a135973789061c10.jpeg

 

https://fontsinuse.com/uses/163/setton-rs-220-receiver

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Well @thebes I'll chime in again, am I totally wrong to think you've usually got a smirk on a mischievous face when you post?

Potentiometers aren't used a lot anymore, our new (used) car has a touch screen volume control for the car stereo. It ticks me off.

Didn't see highlighted black knobs mentioned.

I had to cut some lime green painters tape and put on the amp volume knob because the indent was hard to see when it's dim in the room.

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I HATE black components.  Not buying any more.  Knobs, or no.

 

I do like knobs.  It's cool to sit in my chair and change inputs and channels, but a knob is such a simple, direct control method.  We need more knobs on fronts. 

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36 minutes ago, JohnA said:

I HATE black components.  Not buying any more.  Knobs, or no.

 

I do like knobs.  It's cool to sit in my chair and change inputs and channels, but a knob is such a simple, direct control method.  We need more knobs on fronts. 

Morning. You know after I bought these components starting in 2016 I've got to agree with you on that. Especially after seeing some old HKs and then Technics amps with the VU meters taking up the entire sparse front of the amps. Too late now, sure I'd lose too much for my liking and all those tube beauties in the Garage Sale the last three or four months are gone!

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16 hours ago, JohnJ said:

Well @thebes I'll chime in again, am I totally wrong to think you've usually got a smirk on a mischievous face when you post?

I'm innocent I tell ya!

 

Knobs have to be the most primal mechanical devices.  Just look at a baby's fist, and recall how many times the little darlings have gripped your finger and held on. We were designed to grasp knobs.  I guess mother nature anticipated the age of electronics.

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I agree thebes....  I enjoy the tactile experience plus I love being able to make small adjustments to the music.  Claims that such controls/knobs unavoidably degrade the signal through some black-magic process are nonsense IMHO.  Take one look at a mixing board and you'll see that well engineered controls will not necessarily alter the signal when left at "0".  Of course, some equipment manufacturers participate in this myth b/c minimalist gear (think integrated amp w/ just source selector and volume knob) is easier and cheaper to design and manufacture.   I didn't really get into hifi until the late 80's, which was after this minimalist nonsense took hold.  ..I'll bet hifi was more fun in the days before.  More choices, more knobs, more knobby choices :)

 

As an owner of one of their Integrateds,  I love that McIntosh still includes tone and stereo mode controls on virtually EVERY one of their integrateds and Pre-amps.  But I strongly dislike that all of their beautiful knobs and rocker switches have been replaced by one or two multi-function push-and-scroll knobs.  Ugh.  I find these to be nowhere near as satisfying to use.   See the C22 below - have you ever seen a piece of hifi gear more beautiful than this...?  Now look at the C47 - kinda boring by comparison.   And these multi-function knobs are nowhere near as snug or snappy feeling to use; in fact, every one I've tried felt kinda wobbly.

 

Here's what I'm referring too (and yes, I know the pic of the c22 is of their recent re-issue)

 

 

Screen Shot 2018-04-15 at 6.28.34 AM.png

Screen Shot 2018-04-15 at 6.38.17 AM.png

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On 4/15/2018 at 6:32 AM, ODS123 said:

I agree thebes....  I enjoy the tactile experience plus I love being able to make small adjustments to the music.  Claims that such controls/knobs unavoidably degrade the signal through some black-magic process are nonsense IMHO.  Take one look at a mixing board and you'll see that well engineered controls will not necessarily alter the signal when left at "0".  Of course, some equipment manufacturers participate in this myth b/c minimalist gear (think integrated amp w/ just source selector and volume knob) is easier and cheaper to design and manufacture.   I didn't really get into hifi until the late 80's, which was after this minimalist nonsense took hold.  ..I'll bet hifi was more fun in the days before.  More choices, more knobs, more knobby choices :)

 

As an owner of one of their Integrateds,  I love that McIntosh still includes tone and stereo mode controls on virtually EVERY one of their integrateds and Pre-amps.  But I strongly dislike that all of their beautiful knobs and rocker switches have been replaced by one or two multi-function push-and-scroll knobs.  Ugh.  I find these to be nowhere near as satisfying to use.   See the C22 below - have you ever seen a piece of hifi gear more beautiful than this...?  Now look at the C47 - kinda boring by comparison.   And these multi-function knobs are nowhere near as snug or snappy feeling to use; in fact, every one I've tried felt kinda wobbly.

 

Here's what I'm referring too (and yes, I know the pic of the c22 is of their recent re-issue)

 

 

Screen Shot 2018-04-15 at 6.28.34 AM.png

Screen Shot 2018-04-15 at 6.38.17 AM.png

Actually that is not their most recent reissue. Here is the current reissue 

26958D3E-AF70-4319-ADDD-386A13B8B6B2.jpeg

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1 hour ago, jimjimbo said:

Definitely considering a C22 Reissue....

 

A HUGE hats off to McIntosh for still offering it.  

 

..Some of their older pre-amps had an amp section that could deliver 20 watts or so to "monitor" speakers.  ..This one doesn't, which is a shame b/c 20 watts to my cornwalls is about 3x the wattage I'd ever need :)

 

While I love my MA6600 for it's functionality and build quality, it's nowhere near a beautiful looking as a c22.  ..To me, present day Mac gear is kinda joyless looking.  ..but still far better than the myriad single or double knob pre-amps and integrated amps from nearly every other mfg. today.  

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