Most often I use two sets of twisted pairs so that the L and R channels don't cross. Some have said that braided cables will increase crosstalk although I've never seen any measurements to back it up.
In my book the table being sold "as-is" in no way excuses the crappy shipping. I'd insist on a refund and file the appropriate paperwork with paypal if you get the slightest hint that he's dicking you around.
My prediction is that you'll waste a lot of quality listening time waiting for a 32 and given my own Buffalo experience thrice's DAC will sound outstanding. And I also think you'll have a hard time finding a well built example with the options that you're looking for in the ~$1200 ballpark. I wouldn't do it.
You will have an awfully hard time getting sound out of the ground channel. Do a little looking around the Right channel and find out what the gain is. I might have a spare working channel in the drawer.
Donald,
One other thing to consider, I see that you are using a JJ GZ34 for the rectifier. I have been told by multiple sources that there was a rather large batch of bad tubes produced last year that tend to arc and fail in a rather catastrophic manner. If you are running the rectifier very hard you might consider using another brand of rectifier. I had one of the bad JJ's in my personal headphone amplifier (which runs the rectifiers quite hard) and thankfully its failure didn't do any damage down stream.
Uh, Donald, no offense, but some of us have been doing it for years.
Yes, you can still see the fasteners but it's a lot less obtrusive looking in my book.
I can understand the desire front mount them if you're going to hand-fab the panels but if you're going to go to the trouble of having a front panel made there's not much of a reason not to rear mount them. And if you are going to front mount them at least use something that looks decent.
.
And yes, I know, I'm a fussy bitch.
Can you take a picture looking down on the top of the front panel? I'm not sure how they could be using a hidden mount unless there's a false front of some kind.
I would contact Stello and see if they are willing to send you a new jack already mounted to the small daughter board pcb. From there I'm sure you can find a way to get the old material out and get the new one in. Kind of disappointed to see that the jack is just glued in though, that's pretty weak.
I believe there are currently no less than 4 sets of cups that were heretofore abandoned because they were too thin to drill. I think they all stand a good change of being able to be milled on the chuck.
And Steve, yes the chuck is the tits, especially with the soft jaws.