If you own some vintage audio equipment and would like an excellent way to control the volume the Audiocubics R-cube is just the answer. I recently purchased the R-cube from Curt at audiocubics.com. The R-cube consists of a simple, hand crafted 3"x3"x3" brushed aluminum cube. On the top front is a 192 color LED to give you a visual indication of the volume level. Below are the volume up and volume down buttons, and IR receiver. On the rear are the quality gold/teflon RCA inputs and outputs as well as the power adaptor plug. The remote control is equally impressive-carved from a solid hardwood with aluminum volume up, volume down and mute buttons. Construction of both the R-cube itself and the remote control are exceptional with great attention to detail.
Connecting the R-cube to your system:
For receivers and integrated amplifiers the R-cube inputs can be connected to the pre-amp outputs and the R-cube outputs can be connected to the amplifier inputs, with the bypass switch open or the jumpers removed. If there are no pre-amp outputs and amplifier inputs, a tape monitor loop can be used with the R-cube inputs connected to the tape outputs and the R-cube outputs connected to the tape inputs. For component systems the R-cube inputs can be connected to the pre-amp outputs and the R-cube outputs can be connected to the amplifier inputs or an equalizer, etc. If you use a single source of appropriate output voltage and an amplifier for a minimalist system, the R-cube inputs can be connected to the source outputs and the R-cube outputs can be connected to the amplifier inputs.
I have used the R-cube with both my vintage Marantz 2270 and Yamaha CR-1020 and have been more than pleased with the results. It not only looks beautiful, but works exactly as advertised. It seems to provide acoustically neutral remote volume control without any added noise what so ever.
Curt hand manufactures these and the quality shows. Although they are not cheap at approx. $200, the R-cube is dramatically less expensive (and in my opinion, looks much better on the audio rack) than the Placette Audio remote volume control (currently about $1000), currently the only other option I am aware of that would provide similar results.
ELECTRICAL SPECIFICATIONS
Bandwidth for measurements (unless noted otherwise) 10Hz to 20kHz
Attenuation Range (192 steps) -95.5dB to 0dB
Attenuation Step Size 0.5 dB
Attenuation Matching + or - 0.05 dB
Total Harmonic Distortion + Noise (VIN = 2Vrms, f = 1kHz) 0.0002 %
Input Resistance 10,000 Ohms
Input Voltage Range (without clipping) 2.5 Vrms
Input Capacitance 3 pF
Output Drive Capability 600 Ohm load
Load Capacitance Stability 100 pF
Output Noise (VIN = AGND, Gain = 0dB) 2.5 uVrms
Short Circuit Current 50 mA
Interchannel Crosstalk (f = 1kHz) -130 dBFS
Unity-Gain Bandwidth, Small Signal 10 mHz
Power supply 120 VAC, 5W, 60Hz wall transformer
PHYSICAL DIMENSIONS
R-cube 3" cube
R-cube remote 4" x 1.25" x .5"
R-cube power supply 2.5" x 2" x 1.5"
USER INTERFACE
R-cube front face
Volume indicator Single LED, 192 color spectrum from Blue to Red (lowest to highest).
(+) Button Tactile brushed aluminum pushbutton switch, increases volume and shifts display color toward red.
(-) Button Tactile brushed aluminum pushbutton switch, decreases volume and shifts display color toward blue.
Remote control detector Infrared.
R-cube rear face
Pwr Input jack for R-cube power supply.
L IN Left channel input, gold/teflon RCA jack.
R IN Right channel input, gold/teflon RCA jack.
L OUT Left channel output, gold/teflon RCA jack.
R OUT Right channel output, gold/teflon RCA jack.
R-cube remote
(Mute) Button Tactile brushed aluminum pushbutton switch, mutes volume and changes display color to flashing blue.
(+) Button Tactile brushed aluminum pushbutton switch, increases volume and shifts display color toward red.
(-) Button Tactile brushed aluminum pushbutton switch, decreases volume and shifts display color toward blue.
Battery CR2032 Lithium
Curt is wonderful to deal with and manufactures a high quality piece of equipment. So if you've been looking for a quality remote volume control for your vintage audio equipment I highly recommend the R-cube.
Connecting the R-cube to your system:
For receivers and integrated amplifiers the R-cube inputs can be connected to the pre-amp outputs and the R-cube outputs can be connected to the amplifier inputs, with the bypass switch open or the jumpers removed. If there are no pre-amp outputs and amplifier inputs, a tape monitor loop can be used with the R-cube inputs connected to the tape outputs and the R-cube outputs connected to the tape inputs. For component systems the R-cube inputs can be connected to the pre-amp outputs and the R-cube outputs can be connected to the amplifier inputs or an equalizer, etc. If you use a single source of appropriate output voltage and an amplifier for a minimalist system, the R-cube inputs can be connected to the source outputs and the R-cube outputs can be connected to the amplifier inputs.
I have used the R-cube with both my vintage Marantz 2270 and Yamaha CR-1020 and have been more than pleased with the results. It not only looks beautiful, but works exactly as advertised. It seems to provide acoustically neutral remote volume control without any added noise what so ever.
Curt hand manufactures these and the quality shows. Although they are not cheap at approx. $200, the R-cube is dramatically less expensive (and in my opinion, looks much better on the audio rack) than the Placette Audio remote volume control (currently about $1000), currently the only other option I am aware of that would provide similar results.
ELECTRICAL SPECIFICATIONS
Bandwidth for measurements (unless noted otherwise) 10Hz to 20kHz
Attenuation Range (192 steps) -95.5dB to 0dB
Attenuation Step Size 0.5 dB
Attenuation Matching + or - 0.05 dB
Total Harmonic Distortion + Noise (VIN = 2Vrms, f = 1kHz) 0.0002 %
Input Resistance 10,000 Ohms
Input Voltage Range (without clipping) 2.5 Vrms
Input Capacitance 3 pF
Output Drive Capability 600 Ohm load
Load Capacitance Stability 100 pF
Output Noise (VIN = AGND, Gain = 0dB) 2.5 uVrms
Short Circuit Current 50 mA
Interchannel Crosstalk (f = 1kHz) -130 dBFS
Unity-Gain Bandwidth, Small Signal 10 mHz
Power supply 120 VAC, 5W, 60Hz wall transformer
PHYSICAL DIMENSIONS
R-cube 3" cube
R-cube remote 4" x 1.25" x .5"
R-cube power supply 2.5" x 2" x 1.5"
USER INTERFACE
R-cube front face
Volume indicator Single LED, 192 color spectrum from Blue to Red (lowest to highest).
(+) Button Tactile brushed aluminum pushbutton switch, increases volume and shifts display color toward red.
(-) Button Tactile brushed aluminum pushbutton switch, decreases volume and shifts display color toward blue.
Remote control detector Infrared.
R-cube rear face
Pwr Input jack for R-cube power supply.
L IN Left channel input, gold/teflon RCA jack.
R IN Right channel input, gold/teflon RCA jack.
L OUT Left channel output, gold/teflon RCA jack.
R OUT Right channel output, gold/teflon RCA jack.
R-cube remote
(Mute) Button Tactile brushed aluminum pushbutton switch, mutes volume and changes display color to flashing blue.
(+) Button Tactile brushed aluminum pushbutton switch, increases volume and shifts display color toward red.
(-) Button Tactile brushed aluminum pushbutton switch, decreases volume and shifts display color toward blue.
Battery CR2032 Lithium
Curt is wonderful to deal with and manufactures a high quality piece of equipment. So if you've been looking for a quality remote volume control for your vintage audio equipment I highly recommend the R-cube.
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