Anyway , what was main quality of (then) newly explored territory for Mighty ZM …. I couldn’t easy describe what that was , and only after few years I came with explanation how I understood it – what I was hearing ( and I hear that even after all these years) is result of important phenomena – Signal Energy Preservation.
Simple – with resistive loading – efficiency of stage is always low , while with inductive loading it is way higher …… energy of signal isn’t dissipated along the chain (as with resistor) , it is being transformed in ratio of intrinsic values (voltage , current , thus impedance).
Remember that I’m not formally educated in electronics , so I’m pretty much free to invent new postulates whenever I want .
During the years , having direct contact with plenty of pro gear (in radio production), I started noticing signal iron in plenty of positions , my Guru discover to me how versatile can be all sorts of so called repeater coils , scavenged from old telephone equipment …
To cut (some , not all ) story short – I started collecting all sorts of signal Iron , thinking how one day I should/could/would use them in something ( that behavior is , I believe , familiar to every Greedy Boy around). Besides my (very successful) experiments with xformers as main DAC I/V conversion elements , especially when used fully differential ,and numerous more or less successful attempts to include Iron everywhere in audio chain , I was (not worthy) given by pair of (so called basic ) Intact Audio 200$ AVCs; my own personal German ( known around as Golden Ear-ed Generg ) sent them as Geschenk .
They’re ( realized as basic passive box) pretty good sounding , combined with papa’s Koan M2 : AVC & Input Selector for Papa’s Koan M2 ; temporary case ? | Zen Mod Blog
So , What is Gain structure > What is Gain Structure? , I’m pretty happy with recippe – efficient and sensitive speakers ( not necessary synonims!) , good amp with power in regular FW bracket , few or none db of gain in box intended ffor selecting and adjusting signal source .
However , during the years , playing with all sorts of signal attenuating devices ……resistive (P&G, Noble, TKD, ALPS,all sorts of stepped attenuators,blahblah) , LDR based Dropbox - PSM LS Cook Book.pdf
inductive (Intact Audio , Sowter) , I came to conclusion that – besides principle of Signal Energy Preservation , impedances are also very critical , so buffer is conditio sine qua non ….. one step back , but that one step is what is necessary to achieve further two steps in front.
It’s not easy to make both cheap and good soundiung buffer ; complementary Toshiba JFet buffer (see PSM LS CookBook) is becoming more and more PITA to make (money not being crucial , but hassle in obtaining them ) , while all other ones are either crude or bulky in comparison .
To latest idea about no gain/small gain preamp I came by chance , already written here : What's wrong with the kiss,boy ? and Iron Pre | Zen Mod Blog , so I’m not going to repeat that.