Decky

I can see a lot of lawyers in the audience - using a lot of words without actually saying anything.... To answer the question... it is just another way of saying: we are (almost) smart to design the thing but way to special to make it (for the price that you dumb assess are prepared to pay for it).

I would say that it is an absolutely perfect design that will stimulate our vibrating western economies for years to come. Planned obsolescence, substandard design practices that force people to buy new instead to repair old....come on - that is all sissy talk. 😋 On a serious note - what is the point of complaining. If we really want to fix that and many other design solution implemented by other IT companies we should look at a bigger picture. How did we come to worship perpetual expansion of our economic system that does not take into account finite resources that we have on this planet? How did we define "progress" something that pollutes the planet and destroy human lives? After we answer those question an issue of a micro USB (already obsolete) or a great new wander called USB-C becomes a relative non-issue.

Buffers are not used to create "warmer" sound but to correct for impedance mismatch between a pre (source) and a power amplifier. Some people rightfully called them distortion injectors. If you are after a "warmer" sound just buy a cheap Chinese tube amp and embrace the distortion wholeheartedly.

Now you have to drop the other one in exactly the same way - hi-fi is all about stereo symmetry and consistency.

If the signal looks at 0ohm impedance line, I would guess. Then again, the damage is already done just by forcing signal to go through a pot anyway - so, you are right. The best pot is no pot at all.

I would use a different denominator to describe your "spare" pre-amps - maybe "excess and ripe for sale" You are not really gaining anything - you create gain just to burn it through attenuators and ruin the output impedance. Also I do not understand what do you mean by "passive volume control". GES has an Alps volume pot like most of the head-amps that is further attenuating the signal that is coming in, after that you have an active gain stage. You also need to decide which volume control you want to use (one needs to be fully open). If you use both you are again ruining the signal twice. Remember, volume control pots are pure evil but are cheap and convenient control devices. Otherwise, why would anyone pass a signal through a poor quality resistor after spending so much effort to amplify and condition that very signal. Less is more - as people said before.

Where did you get it? Got it - did not see the link.

Another option http://shop.diyhifisupply.com/product-category/chassis-shop/transformer-cover/?_route_=Catalog/hardware/Transformer-covers

Why are you trying to listen to the radio and LPs at the same time? That is doomed to create some undesirable results 😶 On a serious note - Your arm is an antenna that has a very sensitive resonant circuit at its tip. RF noise pickup is only one of the possible problems. Look into shielding and grounding as usual.

No need for drilling. They are pre-drilled and M4 tapped with zinc plated steel mount plates, powder-coated mild steel sides and nice brushed aluminium tops. I used them for some external speaker crossovers that I built some time ago. From memory I think they have polished SS covers as well if you prefer shiny things 😜.

Check vt4c.com - they have some nice trafo covers. Their web site is down at the moment but they should fix it soon(ish). Also, mild steel is much better for magnetic shielding than stainless.

https://www.wires.co.uk/acatalog/ptfe_sleeving.html https://www.wires.co.uk/acatalog/ag9999_bare.html

Do NOT use silicone (RTV). It is acidic and it will cause corrosion of exposed metal parts.

I am terribly sorry, but my vast experience on this forum taught me that assuming sarcasm or, a higher power forbid, using it, is a very dangerous path that no person should attempt to follow. I rather sound socially inapt and autistic than engage in mindless ego battles 🤐. I was vaccinated as a kid so at least I have an excuse for it 😉😋. To correct myself- of course that directional cables work - there is an arrow on them! The question is - where should I point it at. 😕

What is the replacement Craig?