Have Real Aluminum Volume Knobs Gone the Way of the T-Rex?

IntelliVolume

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Is there any A/V receiver manufacturer still offering a unit with a real machined aluminum volume knob, or are they all made of plastic?

I ask because I noticed when I look at units in local retail shoppes, even the higher-end Denons and Onkyos are still coming with cheap plastic bits, even on the knobs; indeed, my Onkyo 605 came equipped with a limp-feeling, cheap plastic knob which is totally not reflective of the kind of muscular power the amp puts out...but the Onkyo 8555 stereo amp in my two-channel system is decked out with a solid, heavy, smooth-rotating machined aluminum knob that feels really upscale to the touch.

Aside from maybe the Marantz receivers, are there any A/V amps coming with aluminum volume knobs today? I think even the more "esoteric/boutique" brands like Arcam and NAD aren't using real metal in their knobs, unless I'm mistaken; but do, for example, the Onkyo RZ premium line of amps come with metal volume controllers?
 
Why do I want additional cost in my AVR because:
Machining costs
Raw material cost
Additional shipping cost

to have a chunk of metal that is totally superfluous to requirement and adds no extra functionality stuck on the front of my amp?
let’s not deprive the drinks industry of 20 more aluminium cans.
 
Okay...

Anyone else with less of an opinion-driven response?

To me, the addition of such a knob isn't superfluous -- it's the mark of a more premium touch that some enthusiasts appreciate...
 
I have never, ever used it. There is no point in me getting out of the seat to adjust the volume when I can use the remote control.
 
I have never, ever used it. There is no point in me getting out of the seat to adjust the volume when I can use the remote control.

Thanks...but I do use it from time to time (mainly the remote) when I'm up and, for instance, loading a disc into my player and want to drop or raise the level while I'm up there...

At any rate, I appreciate such elements on the face of an AVR...so are there any manufacturers that still make a metal knob?
 
I just did the feel test on all the AVR volume knobs in my house and they all feel metal to me.

Arcam AVR550, Marantz NR1508, Yamaha RXA810, Sony 3500ES
 
I appreciate the usage of quality materials and proper build, and am prepared to pay for it.

Unfortunately though, most consumers share mushii's opinion. It just doesn't pay for the manufacturer to invest in quality when nobody buys his more expensive device. We have recently seen a few such manufacturers register for bankruptcy (e.g. Loewe :()
 
I just did the feel test on all the AVR volume knobs in my house and they all feel metal to me.

Arcam AVR550, Marantz NR1508, Yamaha RXA810, Sony 3500ES

That Sony is a bit older now, no? I was referring more to the latest AVRs on the market...

Which brings me to the Marantz and Yamaha you cited; I assumed Marantz was still making receivers with metal knobs, but always thought Yamaha's AVRs -- even those from the Aventage line -- came equipped with plastic ones.

At any rate, if it's true that these units are coming with heavier metal knobs, it's nice to know.
 
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I appreciate the usage of quality materials and proper build, and am prepared to pay for it.

Unfortunately though, most consumers share mushii's opinion. It just doesn't pay for the manufacturer to invest in quality when nobody buys his more expensive device. We have recently seen a few such manufacturers register for bankruptcy (e.g. Loewe :()
What is "Loewe"?

And how much more can an AVR cost to manufacture if the company adds a metal volume knob? I mean, they're already including (most of them anyway) brushed aluminum-esque faceplates...
 
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Overpriced TV brand that appealed to lifestyle customers due to the aesthetics and superior build.
That's the first time I'm hearing of it; were the products available only in the UK or Europe?
 
It's a German brand. The products wouldn't be something you'd find in your average high street store and were more the kind of thing you'd see in specialist retailers such as Harrods.

 
It's a German brand. The products wouldn't be something you'd find in your average high street store and were more the kind of thing you'd see in specialist retailers such as Harrods.

I think some folks forget that there are a few members here from outside the UK/British Isles and won't immediately recognize some of the brand and store names being tossed around; still, I did recognize Harrods, as I recall seeing the stores when I was in London many, many moons ago (and have seen their stores appear in films like Nighthawks). :thumbsup::):smashin:

Thanks for the info, though.
 
WOW is their stuff esoteric...

And the company has declared bankruptcy?
 
Oh on the cost of an Aluminium knob, I asked one of our manufacturing cells roughly what materials and time would cost on one of our machining centres, assuming large scale runs, tooling, aircraft grade Al bar stock, QC, yada yada, all in maybe £10 for manufacturing and maybe an extra £1 on shipping. It doesn’t sound much but add that additional cost over 100,000 units, in a cut-throat market where you are looking to save pennies, it adds a sizeable chunk of additional extra cost. Now if you are some esoteric small British manufacturer selling to the slippers and pipe brigade (or Welsh ex-firemen 😉) then an extra £11 on your £4k amp is neither here or there, but when you know your product will be heavily discounted within months of going to market you need all the margin you can get.
 
WOW is their stuff esoteric...

And the company has declared bankruptcy?


Yes, which is I believe the reason that they were mentioned. They made TV's that aren't doing anything that sets costing an aweful lot less cannot do, but they are made to a higher standard, using better materials and subject to higher design ideals.

The issue is that not enough products sell due to their price so the company goes out of business.

The nearest manufacturer you can equate to them is probably Bang and Olufsen. Again, they appeal more the the lifestyle buyer than to home theatre or audio enthusiasts. Posers in other words LOL, but posers with lots of money.
 
That Sony is a bit older now, no? I was referring more to the latest AVRs on the market...

Which brings me to the Marantz and Yamaha you cited; I assumed Marantz was still making receivers with metal knobs, but always thought Yamaha's AVRs -- even those from the Aventage line -- came equipped with plastic ones.

At any rate, if it's true that these units are coming with heavier metal knobs, it's nice to know.
You missed out the Arcam.
 
You missed out the Arcam.
Noted.

It's difficult to tell in the pics I'm seeing of the 550 whether that center-mounted knob is actually metal or a textured plastic...
 
Oh on the cost of an Aluminium knob, I asked one of our manufacturing cells roughly what materials and time would cost on one of our machining centres, assuming large scale runs, tooling, aircraft grade Al bar stock, QC, yada yada, all in maybe £10 for manufacturing and maybe an extra £1 on shipping. It doesn’t sound much but add that additional cost over 100,000 units, in a cut-throat market where you are looking to save pennies, it adds a sizeable chunk of additional extra cost. Now if you are some esoteric small British manufacturer selling to the slippers and pipe brigade (or Welsh ex-firemen 😉) then an extra £11 on your £4k amp is neither here or there, but when you know your product will be heavily discounted within months of going to market you need all the margin you can get.
I still say it wouldn't be an end-of-the-world scenario for a company to add such a premium touch, perhaps exclusively on their upper-tiered models (for example, with Onkyo's RZ line).
 
I believe Yamaha still implimente turned aliuminium source and volume knods on at least the top three Adventage models. Not sure about the models below the RXA1080 though?

I think some manufacturers put less importance upon such things because of how seldom it is that their customers actually physically touch or use the volume dial these days. You could technically do away with the knobs entirely and replace them with buttons. There's no practical reason to still employ rotary dials on AV receivers any more. The inclusion of the knobs is more to do with aesthetics than it is a proctical consideration.
 
I believe Yamaha still implimente turned aliuminium source and volume knods on at least the top three Adventage models. Not sure about the models below the RXA1080 though?

I think some manufacturers put less importance upon such things because of how seldom it is that their customers actually physically touch or use the volume dial these days. You could technically do away with the knobs entirely and replace them with buttons. There's no practical reason to still employ rotary dials on AV receivers any more. The inclusion of the knobs is more to do with aesthetics than it is a proctical consideration.
Perhaps; but there are some of us who still appreciate good solid knobs (especially on hi-fi gear)...I do realize that there are some manufacturers that don't even include knobs on the faceplates anymore (there's a British brand, I believe, that has done away with them on A/V receivers but the name escapes me right now).

At any rate, I just wanted to know if there were actually AVRs still being made with metal volume knobs, and I suppose everyone's input here has kind of answered that; as for the "big brands," can anyone confirm if the higher-end Denons and Onkyos have plastic or metal knobs?
 
The higher tier Denon models use the exact same plastic dials as you'd find on their entry level models.
 

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