Hi Y'all. Well, I just had a very cool telephone chat with the
Real Chucky4032 down near Melbourne, Australia We discussed a number of things but one issue I brought up with him seemed to strike a chord. It was regarding something I touched on in my first post in this forum back in July. It wasn't really commented on much so I let it drop until now since I've had my phone chat.
The issue is this: The Surround Master V3 cries out for a
REMOTE CONTROL!
I have personally found that almost every source that I put into the SM3, whether analog or digital, the input level to the decoder and channel output levels for a F/R balance, varies widely. SQ encoded vinyl seems to be the worst with widely varying levels from record to record and in some cases, cut to cut. According to Chuck, these level changes are common and actually somewhat expected. As part of its design, the SMs have front-panel user adjustments to compensate for each of these variables - plus, the ability to audition different decoding algorithms and speaker arrays. Because these various signal parameters are constantly changing, I have found that I have to tweak these adjustments just as often, almost every time I change the record or other source. The issue is that I can't optimize these adjustments on the SM3 from my optimum listening position which is much closer to the rear speakers. If I'm standing by the SM3 in my audio rack, its on almost the same horizontal plane as the front speakers, far away from the rears, It is next to impossible to set a pleasing F/R balance from the SM3's location, so, I may have to run back and forth from the unit to the couch and back a few times to get the sound balanced right. It just disturbs the flow in my room. I can control just about everything else in my system without moving from my listening position.
After discussing my concerns with Chuck and also pointing out the ergonomic and audio advantages of having a remote, especially since they come standard with almost everything in the house these days, I can say here in the QQ forum, with his permission, that he agrees that a remote control might be a useful additon to the product. He mentioned that he hadn't put much thought into the points that I raised, during the design of any of the SM models, but we left the conversation with the understanding that he would definitely consider including
remote control capability in SM4. We both agreed that I would post about this and get some feedback from the community.
In a specialized technical device such as this, which does
require a certain amount of regular user interaction, and because of its typical physical location in most home audio systems, its not currently acoustically easy to achieve the proper adjustment levels for the rear speakers if you're standing much closer to the fronts while adjusting the SM3.
I've only had my unit for a few weeks and I love it! But I don't love running all over my living room to constantly adjust it.
I'm over it and have and gotten used to it.
Talking with Chucky was a good thing.
Whaddya'll think about having a remote control for the Sound Master? Perhaps an interim model V3 w/remote could be marketed. Call it "Surround Master V3-
R. Especially if V4 is most likely a long way down the pipeline. Just sayin'
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