I agree that the VAC Ren has a great remote. Mine is as above, but input toggle is on top, volume toggle next and 4 others are large round buttons in a diamond pattern below the volume. All buttons are large and hard to mistake for another. BAT remote has very nice digital volume display and is nicely made, etc, but other buttons are a bit hard to distinguish and if you ever mistakenly hit the unity gain button, your family, your neighbors, your ears and your speakers may never forgive you.
Best remote with preamp
After using various preamps where the remote control interface left me wanting more, I'd like to see what is considered the best or perhaps 'perfect' remote for a preamp. Note I don't mean cdps, or other remotes. (Integrateds qualify but aftermarket remotes don't).
So many of them (even those supplied with expensive units) are gimmicky, or oddly-shaped to the hand, or have poor tactile feel, etc.
What is critical is the volume control, its feedback to the user, both tactile and visual, and its 'connectedness' to the unit, that is, how responsive is the unit to the remote.
So points would be scored heavily for an easy-to-read volume setting from across the room (doesn't have to be a numerical readout but if so it should be well-executed), fine-control of volume, in-the-dark usability, balance, weight and button size and such things.
For this exercise assume cost is no object.
So many of them (even those supplied with expensive units) are gimmicky, or oddly-shaped to the hand, or have poor tactile feel, etc.
What is critical is the volume control, its feedback to the user, both tactile and visual, and its 'connectedness' to the unit, that is, how responsive is the unit to the remote.
So points would be scored heavily for an easy-to-read volume setting from across the room (doesn't have to be a numerical readout but if so it should be well-executed), fine-control of volume, in-the-dark usability, balance, weight and button size and such things.
For this exercise assume cost is no object.