Buffer amp no gain

Yeah, I actually had to read that twice in the original post before I caught on.  When he said "phone inputs" he was talking about what many would call an rca connector or an rca chassis mount socket.

It's PHONO.

UK phone connectors are similar to a Ethernet jack with pins on the side. See https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_telephone_socket

Autocorrect?

Yep autocorrect, it is indeed phono.

Bumpy had "phono" in his original post. The use of "phone" in my post was either an auto correction or more likely the result of a brain to finger malfunction.

@larryi - Thank you for the link to information about transformers. I have tried transformer volume controls and was not a fan, although I could see the appeal as they have a smooth sound.

Transformers are also used by some preamp/amplifier manufacturers on the input/output sides of things as they can offer benefits related to impedance matching and galvanic isolation, can be used to convert balanced signals, and can add about +6dB gain. The SMc mods to my TLC-1 preamp (now buffer) included Lundahl transformers on the output side, the same as used in their VRE-1 preamp. In addition to their already well-regarded line of transformers, Lundahl offers two higher level (or at least more expensive) transformers - one wound using Cardas copper wire and one wound with silver wire. My TLC-1 has the Cardas wire version as the silver was quite expensive. I never thought about the contribution of those transformers to the sound of the preamp so your linked article was quite interesting to me.

I never thought about the contribution of those transformers to the sound

E V E R T H I N G contributes to the system sound, including the room, furnishings and weather!

So when someone says a specific product is the MIRACLE CURE, hightail it in the opposite direction.