John DeVore talks about Knob Feel
Anyone here watched John DeVore discuss “knob feel” — the tactile, sensory interaction you have with your gear as much as the sonic result.
I know exactly what John DeVore means when he talks about knob feel. My Garrard 301, Degritter UCM and Softone Model IV phono are perfect examples — they exude that precise, tactile satisfaction that makes every interaction a small joy. There’s a deliberate weight and smooth resistance to the controls that you just don’t find often anymore.
It’s funny how something as simple as turning a knob can heighten the whole listening ritual — it connects you physically to the gear and, in a way, to the music itself. That sense of craftsmanship and intentionality reminds you why we love this hobby. Remote control be damned.
For those of us obsessed with system synergy, this is a reminder: don’t ignore the physical interface. The best sounding phono stage, tube amp or speaker might still feel “off” if the user interaction is clunky. That little detail influences how you listen, which affects how the music lands.
If you’ve got gear with excellent tactile controls (volume, input selector, tone controls, etc.), I’d love to hear: does the knob feel contribute to your listening enjoyment? Or do you consider it secondary to performance?
”You guys' down thread with your ultra-elaborate systems got to get your high waders on because you're really shoveling it today!“ Can’t argue with that — some of us do tend to get carried away once the gear talk starts flowing. BTW, Nice system, I counted 14 knobs :-) |
I have a Lab 12 pre 1 preamp. For the price I think it sounds really good. But the controls leave something to be desired. The volume control has a nice resistance to it which feels good and helps to allow small adjustments, but I usually change the volume with the remote. On the other hand I like to select sources from the preamp while I'm putting on a record or CD. The source selector has clicks and is one of those controls that doesn't point to the source but just rotates indefinitely in either direction. That knob isn't responsive and I have to turn it repeatedly for a while to get it to respond. Like I said, I'm happy with the sound which I guess is what's most important, and I like the small inexpensive oval shaped plastic remote that fits well in your hand, but in terms of user feel it leaves something to be desired. |
Control ergonomics was important when I had my old automatic turntables. My Dual 1019 had a horizontally sliding lever that actuated the arm lift off the record, and it responded to the lightest touch such that it could be actuated without disturbing my light-tracking Shure V-15 VxMR in the record groove, despite the springy chassis suspension. But even more impressive to me were the control buttons on my Miracord 50h, which could also be activated so smoothly so as not to bounce the stylus in the record groove. So far as controls on electronics, I liked the heft of the tuning knob on my Mac MR-78 which could send the frequency needle way down the dial with just one twirl. I also recall how good a Marantz flywheel tuning knob felt, tho I never owned one. Finally, it felt like I was spinning a safe combination lock while turning the volume knob on my Pass Aleph P preamp as it subtly clicked by its optical encoder. Very smooth -- no resistance and no end stops. |
