in the real world of rat race fatigue, pre-amps with their sound adjustments are just what the doctor ordered, the spectral tilt control in old quad pre-amps a case in point, some days you just need more mellow. some noisy old recordings could benefit from a true mono switch [discards the stereo difference signal and not just a mere fold-down] or groove selector to choose the quieter groove of a mono recording. a balance control for people with uncooperative listening room dimensions and poor/inflexible juxtaposition of listener and speakers within the room. EQ to improve listenability of subpar recordings and rooms acoustics. straight wire with gain is both a clear window AND a window in need of a shade at times.
