Any suggestions, anyone?

No, it does not.  There are all these switches, no main one that I can see.  I'm not worried about the tone control, I just do not want to have schock waves hitting the speakers or amp due to a sub-optimal switching sequence.  The manual doesn't show this either.

I could leave everything ON, and simply use the main powering switch from my isolation transformer. Yet, I'm not sure this is advisable either.  What would happen with someone not using an isolation transformer or a dedicated Mains circuit in that case?

I think if I kill the switches on the back side first (transformers I believe), there's no thump.  There's a thump when I do the opposite (turning off the ones in front for each channel first, in a reverse sequence).  From the little I know about tube amps, some components should be energized before others, to avoid some kind of accumulated energy jump or something.  This may explain the design need for having 3 switches per side (not counting the tone control).

Let's see if someone else with a M-T has some clues.  Thanks, Lon.

By the way, is there a owners manual on line for the Mini-T?

I looked, couldn't find one....I have to admit I didn't give it much effort!

Hey Fireblade,

I believe the two switches on the front are to switch between sources connected to the two inputs on the back of the unit...I used to think it was some sort of standby switch because when I flicked it off I heard no music, but that's because I only have one source connected to it..

I have a headphone mod on my MT and those switches are to the far left and right on the back. When I switch those (headphone) switches on, my speakers are cancelled and the headphone input (on the front of my unit) is engaged. I haven't messed with the tube regulation switches yet. I just leave them on...

I do hear a little "thump" when I turn the MT on...it happens just as the OA3 and OC2 tube regulators "pop" to life. The thump doesn't bother me at all and I don't think it's doing any harm to my system so...

Anyway I'm probably not really answering your question so I hope the others chime in once they can

Heyyyy that's cool, glad I could help somehow

I was slightly embarrassed when I finally called Steve to ask about what some of the switches were for haha...I thought I could figure it out on my own, but then I was a little confused. Glad to see that it wasn't just me He of course cleared that up for me in 2 seconds.

It turns out the switches up front are not for input selection but control the volume pods.  I guess the inputs are directly connected and the signal coming through either pair is processed accordingly.

The amp is sounding better all the time!

Well, the way I found out is I turned one of the switches off while playing, and that side's volume went off.  If it was a selector, either volume would have remained on both channels or both channels would have been off.  Not the case.  Funny!

The switching setup in my M-T is fine with me, mind you.  I just wanted to know the value added on those individual switches.

I see what you're saying.  Being a dual mono amp, these switches toggle between those two sets of inputs provided you switch them together ... makes sense.  That explains what I found out by turning off only one of them and getting to the wrong conclusion because I thought all these switches were ON/OFF but these are not, they toggle between those inputs.  Being dual mono you have to toggle them together ... DUHHH again!!!   Sorry, and thanks for the help  

Switches at the front switch between two possible sources. Remeber this amp really is very dual mono; switch only one of the two switches and your signal will drop out on that side only.

The amp is always going to show you how brilliant the rare recordings are, and how not brilliant most are. I've worked with my tube sets to find a set where most things sound as good as they potentially can. I've sacrificed the totally awesome good as it can be so that the mediocre ones shine a bit more brightly.

It's an amazing journey of sonic discovery you've embarked on.

You've pretty much outlined the steps, though I bristle at your mention of "not more capable gear." Nothing incapable about gear that has a natural and "non-audiophile detailed" sound.

The treble cut circuit is a godsend for me. And the power conditioning is something I now won't do without. I spent too much time with the isolation transformers which I can now clearly hear give the sound a pinched unnatural quality. Power cables have also really gone a long way towards making the sound more natural and giving the best qualities of the material a boost. I think that comes from the midrange. I'll chose tubes and cabling that will give an open window into the midrange and won't emphasize other frequency areas with energy.

It's a personal thing that I've had to face because . . . well two reasons I think. One, no matter how much I'd like it to be digital is not analog. I love digital, but analog has something that my ear wants and needs and I have to work on digital playback in order to sidestep some aspects about it that are no problem for me in analog. I have spent a few decades making digital work for me. The last five have been the best, really great sound. Secondly, I'm voracious in my need for music, and I couldn't for example be like a friend of mine: have about three hundred recordings that are loved and sound great and always looking for the best sound of those three hundred recordings. I have rooms of recordings, literally. I have recordings I love that were recorded by musicians and fans that really need a lot of help to sound right. I was just listening to some yesterday, recordings made over a week's time in the late fifties in an LA club where the Maynard Ferguson band was booked. The drummer recorded it. Great music, that I've learned how to listen to and which my system at least gives a fair shot. I took a disc over to a trumpeter friend's house at his request and we couldn't listen to it.

So I really don't think I can go into detail after detail, and it's a very personal thing, all I've done is find ways to make these incredible products play back in a way that my mind and heart wants to hear playback. Every step might be different done by another.

A big step in the right direction for me was the Radial speakers that Steve and Bob started making. These really allowed the sound to break free of the box, and that space and the way the tonal balance was presented allowed me to make further inroads. And then Steve came up with the treble cut circuit, which really added a valuable resource. Power regulation and cabling was the finishing touch area. The combination has really had me listening for hours and hours with enjoyment and impact and no fatigue.

Thanks Sam. I agree, take the time, and enjoy the ride. I think that's quite fitting and par for the course with this forum, where we all enjoy the ride!

Even if we sometimes don't enjoy the wait.

I know you'll easily find your own path and walk along at your pace. You're built that way. (Takes one to know one).

I think you'll discover what many of us have: the system will season in and you'll learn to hear your recordings in new ways and your further journey will manifest itself.

The key is enjoying hte music, which you have down pat.

It's more like Schubert's Winterreise (a winter's journey)  :) .  Seriously though, that journey will end when I feel I'm almost totally satisfied with the way my music sounds, which shouldn't be that far off.