A big Amen to that. I’ve had all the ‘high end’ Naim remotes from Flash to R-Com, but used each for around 24 hours before getting fed up with the weight, the hard coldness in hand and the lack of intuitive user experience. I’ve reverted to the lightweight, nice in the hand, ‘does what you need’ plastic version each time. I guess I just don’t get the ‘heavyweight handset as a sign of quality’ concept. Very happy to accept that I’m the minority for sure…
To OP. Enjoy the 552. It will slowly, but constantly bring you transformative musical joy. Expensive, but absolutely worthwhile IMO.
I absolutely agree regarding the heavyweight remotes and I’d add the ND555 remote to your list of Flash and R-Com. These are all fine examples of where form has led function, the inverse of normal good design principles.
Worth adding too that when I complain about the weight of these remotes, it’s not about the burden of lifting the weight as such. A large, full glass of Red Wine probably doesn’t weigh that much less and I’ve never had any issues lifting one of those .
But the ability of the heavyweight ‘quality’ metal remotes to bury themselves in the cracks between the cushions of my sofa or randomly dive from soft furnishings to the floor with a worrying thunk is pretty irritating AFAIC.
Same here. Also, I had no idea the “native” 552 remote was such silly money.
My favourite was the one with the 282 so, one of the first things I did after getting the 552 was to find a similar remote on the 'bay. The one I found is slightly different from the 282 remote – the keys are thinner, harder, not as comfortable, and it doesn’t fit in the hand as well – but it’s broadly the same, and vastly preferable to the weapon-like 552 counterpart.
I really like my 555 remote, which I bought used to control the NDX2. Its functionality is identical to the nasty cheap looking plastic item that comes with the NDX2, but is just so much nicer.
Hi Corry. Your 552 should have come with both the heavy remote and a Narcom (?). I just used the Narcom. It can’t switch the inputs like the heavy one can, but since I only ever switch between the streamer and the LP12 anyway, I find myself standing next to the 552 in any case and switch inputs by hand, so no loss there. Did you get a Narcom with yours?
For my 2p’s worth, I’m not a fan of the ‘heavy metal’ R-Com either. To me it’s a statement piece, where function and general utility was below form in the design & execution criteria. The Flash was so much better IMV - which, obviously, had to cease production.
If you have things like glass tables and wood floors, the R-com is quite dangerous, what with the sharp edges and its mass. Mine’s been sat in its box for many a year now.
Perhaps worthy of a dedicated thread to understand who actually uses the R-Com?
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. Plastic fantastic!