Audio Research Metal Remote Control

High-quality hi-fi solutions are also characterised by the fact that the quality they are supposed to offer is conveyed in all respects as far as possible. This extends to the remote control, which should make a correspondingly high-quality impression. This is why the new Audio Research Metal Remote Control was designed.

With the newly designed Audio Research Metal Remote Control, the US high-end hi-fi manufacturer Audio Research Corporation wants to bring to a close what it considers to be a somewhat embarrassing episode, namely the period in which customers received solutions from Audio Research Corporation with a remote control that did not live up to the company’s high standards.

In the wake of the takeover by TWS Enterprises LLC.

As you know, it is almost exactly one year since Audio Research Corporation ceased to be part of the McIntosh Group and became part of TWS Enterprises LLC.

TWS Enterprises LLC. was founded by Trent Suggs in the course of the takeover of Audio Research Corporation, of which he has been president ever since.

It is obvious that such a takeover does not always take place without friction, even if in this case it is only a question of details, such as a remote control.

Plastic remote control does not meet high standards

For many people, it may be an insignificant detail anyway, because they see a remote control as a tool limited to its practical functionality. The material from which it is ultimately made is therefore of secondary importance to them.

Others, however, consider it essential that the remote control must meet the high demands of high-end hi-fi in all respects; plastic, for example, is not at all appropriate for controlling noble high-end hi-fi components.

This is also the opinion of Audio Research Corporation, but they found themselves in the unfortunate situation that the previous supplier of the remote controls simply no longer offered them in their previous form. It is not easy to find a replacement in a hurry, especially during a transitional phase when there is a change of ownership and thus of management.

In this context, one has to bear in mind that manufacturers like Audio Research Corporation do not deal with thousands and thousands of units, and that an individual adaptation of existing solutions on the market is therefore associated with quite high costs per unit.

Thus, as a temporary solution, they were forced to deliver the products with the old plastic remote control, although they were anything but happy about this situation.

New Audio Research Metal Remote Control

For more than a year, the company has been working on a completely new remote control, which will soon be available as the Audio Research Metal Remote Control.

According to the manufacturer, the new remote control is beautiful, heavy and still lies well in the hand. It is milled from a solid aluminium block and then coated with a black Cerakote ceramic coating. The upper edge is brushed and shows the aluminium, so one takes up the design language of the current Audio Research components here.

The front of the remote control is made of black acrylic, which is laser engraved directly in the factory in Maple Grove in the US state of Minnesota. The front is held in place by magnets, so there are no external screws. Instead of AA or AAA batteries, a long-life 3 V button cell battery is used for power. At the bottom of the remote control, four clear, dome-shaped rubber feet are embedded in the housing.

The new remote control will soon be included with the following systems from Audio Research Corporation: Audio Research REF10, Audio Research REF6SE, Audio Research REFPH3SE, Audio Research LS28SE, Audio Research PH9 and Audio Research DAC9.

Audio Research Metal Remote Control also for existing customers

As if that wasn’t enough, Audio Research Corporation will also be offering the new Audio Research Metal Remote Control to existing customers who have received their systems with the old plastic remote control in recent months.

The company makes the following statement on the matter:

“We were embarrassed that they received a cheap plastic remote control with their valuable and expensive new Audio Research components, they deserve a remote control of proper quality, so we’re going to make it right.”

Audio Research Corporation

Replacements will be made via retailers, with the relevant invoice to be shown as proof of purchase, of course. However, it is not yet clear exactly when this will be the case.

What is certain, however, is that the new Audio Research Metal Remote Control will also be offered separately, and that it will be adapted to older products from Audio Research Corporation. However, it remains to be seen when this will happen and at what price the new Audio Research Metal Remote Control will be offered.

However, the company states that they will first serve those customers who have received a plastic remote control in the last few months.

Getting to the point

It is to Audio Research Corporation’s credit that they really pay attention to every detail, including the remote control. They are convinced that the remote control has to meet the high standards of a high-end hi-fi manufacturer and are now offering the Audio Research Metal Remote Control, first and foremost to those customers who have received an old plastic remote control from the US company in recent months. Subsequently, the newly designed Audio Research Metal Remote Control will also be offered as an optional accessory for older systems, the manufacturer promises.