Call for a return of the Phono button

Hi-Fi Corner
21

A quick look at the likes of Denon, Technics and Marantz all show the phono stage alive and well

22

i’d pay good money just to be able to change my cd button to phono or LP

1 Like
23

TBH, labelling the inputs simply 1-6 is probably better than just taking a stab at 6 random sources customers might have. To me, labelling an input for Phono or MM/MC only makes sense if it has a built in phono stage. Anything else can just be numbered.

I dare say, few would agree with that though.

4 Likes
24

I agree with you, keep it simple , make it user friendly , I think the Japanese are well ahead of many European and American firms these

25

I realise the concept of bespoke won’t fit the mass market, but if I can spec the colour of the seats, paint and wheels on my new car, my HiFi (which costs about the same) ought to be a little more market sensitive - perhaps Phono, Tuner, Streamer, CD for the principal sources, Aux 1 and Aux 2 for others. On buying a new 202, 282, 252 or 552, those aren’t completely crazy options to add to the order sheet.

1 Like
26

Since I bought a RCA -DIN interconnect I use the ‘CD’ input for my TT. :man_facepalming:
The AUX1 input is RCA only, AUX2 is Snaic only. The HDD input is used by NDX2. The AV input is occupied by the AV system (HT bypass). Only the Tuner input is free at the moment.

The buttons should really be named 1, 2, 3 etc.

27

I’d be very much against 1, 2, 3 etc. I like the named buttons, even if they aren’t always quite right. It’s clearly not the biggest problem in the world but having buttons that do what they say is certainly a nice thing.

3 Likes
28

I agree. It’s way more elegant to have the real names on the buttons. I’m a little jealous of the new SN3 that have a ‘Streamer’ button instead.

In my case (with my SN2) where the names don’t match, I could live with 1, 2, 3.
I might have some light OCD about this. :blush:

1 Like
29

Obviously, but I’d still be able to press a “phono” button after plugging a phono stage into the Aux input of my 252.

30

However it also has buttons for cd and tuner without having a cd or tuner built in. The leap to considering a necessary separate phono stage a part of the TT is IMHO not so far

31

I could have bought a SN2 and saved quite a bit. But I was really keen to get the inbuilt phono stage and also the right buttons. My first Naim, back in 1983 had phono, tuner etc and it’s nice to have it again. It’s just as it should be. Imagine choosing minimum iron on the washing machine and having to remember it was really woollens.

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32

My first Naim didn’t have a phono input, instead it had a rather quaintly named ‘Gram’ input instead.

The joy of a Naim 12S.

1 Like
33

One aspect IMHO is also usability for other persons in the household. “Press phono to listen to records and streamer for internet streaming” is probably easier to explain and remember than numbers or “press Aux1 for records and hdd for internet streaming” or whatever other random designations

34

I like the design of this Dartzeel pre. It has “pleasure control” instead of volume and “enjoyment source” instead of imputs. There is a phono MM/MC inbuilt too.

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35

That’s pathetic. Is it designed for six year olds? Power nose indeed. Pleasure control - it’s not a vibrator.

5 Likes
36

I like it. But may understand that some can find it ridiculous.

37

Doesn’t bother me what it says on the button. It probably would if it was one of those digital displays that showed the selected input.

38

Correct. As did the 102… :slightly_smiling_face:

39

Hmm … So for the last 25 years I’ve been pressing Aux to hear a record when all along it could rightfully have been phono. I feel robbed :grimacing:

2 Likes
40

Now tell us you still get confused and need to consult the manual each time you change source…