the issues with the crossed wires for the diodes, and the crossed legs on the +15V regulator were to correct board layout errors -- this was a prototype board. this is likely the first KGSS ever built, sometime around the end of 2003. the build quality is obviously not indicative of a current model. i do not remember if the Alps potentiometers were the original volume controls.
by the way, everyone is always the 2nd or 3rd owner.
a while ago Asr was selling a pair of HD600s, and I think he said he was the 2nd owner. Just for fun I traced the pair's history on the Head-Fi for sale forums. I was able to trace it back to 9 or 10 owners before the trail went cold. And the price was only 10-20% less than a new pair...