Remotes: Who needs 'em?


Just bought a nice used pre-amp, make and model unimportant, that is aesthetically and functionally what was needed for one of my systems EXCEPT... Other than a bedridden or legless person, what kind of inadequate, drooling idiot would need a 56-button remote? What happened with our society twenty years ago to convince marketers and manufacturers (no right-thinking person would EVER ask for this crap) that a remote with literally dozens and dozens of little buttons would ever appeal to anyone who is attempting to operate a machine for the purpose of listening to music? The only sane remote I have ever used is that on my 1985-vintage HK CDP (owned for historical reference only!), which has no more buttons than a touch-tone phone of the same era.

It is taking all of the reserve I have to avoid crushing the remote underfoot and pretending that it never existed. I'll get my lazy azz up and handle the limited faceplate controls manually rather than even open the separate manual for the remote, thank you very much! I came very close to purchasing the Vincent SA-31 and taking a hit on frequency extremes precisely because it does NOT have this ludicrous appliance included (and which a recent reviewer bemoaned the lack of...) just to reward them for actually having the chutzpah to offer a reasonably-simple component. Who is reponsible for the idea that every device I own must have a remote? Where can I send the mob of fellow luddites with their pitchforks and torches?

I listen to relax, not to go from my electronically-enhanced workplace to sit and fiddle with some idiotic plastic cell-phone wannabee!
morgenholz
Well, this one ran its course and finally reached its destination. It took a fellow Hoosier-- Timrhu-- to interpret my obsequious political aim: We don't need most of the crap being shoved down our throats, and we need to ask exactly what is being inserted when we buy new. Being the Fourth, I would defend to the death the rights of any of you to use remotes, automatic transmissions, power windows, elevators, etc., but I am also told by my wife that I am "rude" or "inconsiderate" when I merely politely question the purpose of some bill of goods being hawked to me.

Case in point: Living in central Indiana, when I tried to order our Cherokee (back in '99, still have it, I keep our cars for 15 or more years) with 2.5L four-cylinder, 5-speed, crank windows, and rear drive only, the salesman nearly went apoplectic that I wouldn't want the "power" and "convenience" packages that all of the ones on the lot had, "for resale value." I told him that I was buying a vehicle for my use, not to re-sell at a loss... now laughing as ours gets 24-28mpg... also don't need a 21-speed mountain bike...
Peace, brothers, and thanks for all of your comments. I walked in on a clearance sale at my local used record store right after they took in some old '60's collections last night and I've got a stack of 79-cent LPs to clean, including some real gems.
Mr M- Sounds like you are as pragmatic as I. All that power/convenience equipment is just 'more-stuff-to-go-wrong'/'more-money-in-their-pocket', in my experience. I like to get about 150K out of my vehicles too. I've owned the same Harley for 18 years now(and it's way over 150K). As a fellow Hoosier(though an import): Happy Fourth and relaxed/stress-free listening!
Sorry I got into this thread so late but, to those of you who suggest we members of the remote crowd are lazy: Ha!- I say - Ha!! I get far more exercise, walking around the house, searching behind seat cushions for my remote controls than you guys get, simply rising from you seats to access your components directly.
My remote has 120 buttons, I settle in to listen only after first spending 1 hour getting my system up and running. After hearing 1 song on a CD the repeat the 1st step......
I want to second Morgen's rant. After reading this entertaining thread, I inspected my Oppo DVD player remote yesterday (used as a transport). Between 40-50 buttons. The four that I use maybe 90% of the time (play/pause, stop, skip tracks back, forward) are the same size as all the other buttons (including things like "zoom" (???)) and are located in the middle of the keypad. Awful design.