Rega Elex-r owners, Rega Elex-R volume control issue.....or maybe not?

[Sandm0n]

Hi All,
I purchased a new Rega Elex-r amplifier few days ago, I purchased it (online) without listening to it as there is no dealer in my area....as for now

I'm very impressed with it's sound.
There is one thing that bothers me a little, when I raise or lower the volume using the remote controller, the first (short) push on the +/- button the volume knob moves but it's seems that there is no change in the volume level, only when I hit again the +/- (and the volume knob moves again) there is a change in the volume level, does it also happen with your Rega Elex-r?
Thanks

 

[Al ears]

Hi All,
I purchased a new Rega Elex-r amplifier few days ago, I purchased it (online) without listening to it as there is no dealer in my area....as for now

I'm very impressed with it's sound.
There is one thing that bothers me a little, when I raise or lower the volume using the remote controller, the first (short) push on the +/- button the volume knob moves but it's seems that there is no change in the volume level, only when I hit again the +/- (and the volume knob moves again) there is a change in the volume level, does it also happen with your Rega Elex-r?
Thanks

Welcome to the forum.
To get a quicker reply it might be worth your while phoning a Rega dealership or even Rega themselves.
I don't have a Rega but if it is anything like my remote you do need to press and hold the button before volume level changes, a short push does nothing on mine.

 

[Sandm0n]

Welcome to the forum.
To get a quicker reply it might be worth your while phoning a Rega dealership or even Rega themselves.
I don't have a Rega but if it is anything like my remote you do need to press and hold the button before volume level changes, a short push does nothing on mine.

Thank you for your suggestion.
I'm almost sure that if I'll contact Rega or my dealer with this question I'll get a "it's normal" answer, this is why I would like to get an answer from Elex-r owners.

Just to clarify, when I first push the +/- on the remote the volume knob moves but it doesn't sound like it change the volume level, only after I push again it increase/decrease the level.

 

[GSV Ethics Gradient]

Doesn't sound quite right to me.

Same thing if you move the dial manually?

 

[DPD]

Hi All,
I purchased a new Rega Elex-r amplifier few days ago, I purchased it (online) without listening to it as there is no dealer in my area....as for now

I'm very impressed with it's sound.
There is one thing that bothers me a little, when I raise or lower the volume using the remote controller, the first (short) push on the +/- button the volume knob moves but it's seems that there is no change in the volume level, only when I hit again the +/- (and the volume knob moves again) there is a change in the volume level, does it also happen with your Rega Elex-r?
Thanks

Just press the button and keep the pressure on and the volume will smoothly increase / decrease. Superb Amp with impressive sound and good onboard features. Love it...

 

[Sandm0n]

Doesn't sound quite right to me.

Same thing if you move the dial manually?

Changing volume manually it's okay.

 

[Sandm0n]

Just press the button and keep the pressure on and the volume will smoothly increase / decrease. Superb Amp with impressive sound and good onboard features. Love it...

I do agree that this amp is superb, just this small thing that bug me.
My intention is to increase/decrease the volume level in small increments.

 

[Gray]

Same thing if you move the dial manually?

That's the question.
No doubt, with the equivalent  slight manual movement it will be the same.

Regardless of volume control being motorised or electronic, I doubt anyone gets a noticeable change with one quick stab on the remote.

 

[Sandm0n]

I doubt anyone gets a noticeable change with one quick stab on the remote.

Well....the Elex-r is not my first amp, I had the Exposure 2010s2, Exposure 3010s, Atoll IN80se , Naim Nait XS and many many more, I could notice a volume change even with one quick stab with all of them, I'm wondering if the "issue" with the Elex-r related to the fact that it's kind of electronic using passive pot volume control.

 

[Gray]

Changing volume manually it's okay.

You must just be moving it more (and likely faster) than the motor does.

 

[DPD]

That's the question.
No doubt, with the equivalent  slight manual movement it will be the same.

Regardless of volume control being motorised or electronic, I doubt anyone gets a noticeable change with one quick stab on the remote.

I agree totally. One quick stab at the button will do nothing. I think I did read a review somewhere where the volume adjustment was criticised on both the new Elex and Elicit amps...

 

[matthewpianist]

I've owned an Elex-R and Brio-R, and what you describe is perfectly normal. I have experienced similar on other amplifiers too, and the great thing about the Rega control is that it allows for finer adjustment than some.

 

[Sandm0n]

You must just be moving it more (and likely faster) than the motor does.

Nope, I actually move it slower and in smaller increment than the motor does (one short press on the vol +/-).

 

[GSV Ethics Gradient]

Regardless of volume control being motorised or electronic, I doubt anyone gets a noticeable change with one quick stab on the remote.

I ended up using the attenuators because mine is very sensitive to any such input - being able to use a broader spread of the knob's travel means I have finer control.

Sounds odd if using it manually is OK. Perhaps @DPD can tell you whether he gets what you describe - and I mean exactly what you describe.

 

[Gray]

I'm wondering if the "issue" with the Elex-r related to the fact that it's kind of electronic using passive pot volume control.

 If it is a motorised pot, then the motor effectively does what your fingers do to the knob (turn it).
The gain, relative to the knob position can only be identical (although that gain slope can be an issue with the pot resistance - but then you'd notice that remotely or manually).

 

[Gray]

I ended up using the attenuators because mine is very sensitive to any such input - being able to use a broader spread of the knob's travel means I have finer control.

Seems like he might have the opposite.
Rather than all or nothing, he's getting nothing (at least with the quick RC stab).

 

[Gray]

I've owned an Elex-R and Brio-R, and what you describe is perfectly normal. I have experienced similar on other amplifiers too, and the great thing about the Rega control is that it allows for finer adjustment than some.

Is it actually a motorised control where the knob physically moves Matt?

 

[Al ears]

W

Thank you for your suggestion.
I'm almost sure that if I'll contact Rega or my dealer with this question I'll get a "it's normal" answer, this is why I would like to get an answer from Elex-r owners.

Just to clarify, when I first push the +/- on the remote the volume knob moves but it doesn't sound like it change the volume level, only after I push again it increase/decrease the level.

Well it seems the one person who has actually owned one says it is normal, even if it is a pain.

 

[Sandm0n]

I've owned an Elex-R and Brio-R, and what you describe is perfectly normal.

Thank you for confirming it.

 

[matthewpianist]

Is it actually a motorised control where the knob physically moves Matt?

Yes.

 

[Sandm0n]

W

Well it seems the one person who has actually owned one says it is normal, even if it is a pain.

It's not really a big of an issue, just wanted to be sure that I don't have a defective or "misbehaving" amplifier.

 

[Sandm0n]

Rega's description about the volume control:

"The volume control and pre-amplifier used in the Elex-R is designed to overcome the problems associated with the standard arrangement. This design uses a custom chip along with peripheral support IC’s like a microcontroller and a custom made rotary volume control.

The Elex-R uses a combined feedback and passive volume control, where the feedback and input levels are varied to set the required volume level. The level and tracking between the two channels is set by the close tolerance parts in the pre-amplifier circuit and less by the actual potentiometer itself, thus keeping the mismatch of channels due to volume control tracking irregularities to a minimum. As well as keeping tracking irregularities to a minimum, this method also reduces noise and input overload as the control will only ‘use’ the required gain to amplify the signal.This form of volume control is normally only found in professional broadcast environments where accurate low noise control of levels is required. "

 

[GSV Ethics Gradient]

However they describe it, it still seems odd that there is a difference between how the amp responds to manual and remote increases in volume. If you can live with it and are otherwise happy, that's all that matters!

 

[npxavar]

Rega's description about the volume control:

"The volume control and pre-amplifier used in the Elex-R is designed to overcome the problems associated with the standard arrangement. This design uses a custom chip along with peripheral support IC’s like a microcontroller and a custom made rotary volume control.

The Elex-R uses a combined feedback and passive volume control, where the feedback and input levels are varied to set the required volume level. The level and tracking between the two channels is set by the close tolerance parts in the pre-amplifier circuit and less by the actual potentiometer itself, thus keeping the mismatch of channels due to volume control tracking irregularities to a minimum. As well as keeping tracking irregularities to a minimum, this method also reduces noise and input overload as the control will only ‘use’ the required gain to amplify the signal.This form of volume control is normally only found in professional broadcast environments where accurate low noise control of levels is required. "

The TL;DR version of this is that volume control also increases/decreases the amplification gain.

 

[Sandm0n]

Thank you all