Diamond Buffer - Super Buffer

I've built several diamond buffers with BC550/560 and BD137/138, basically the same as you use, but with JFETs or resistors as current sources/sinks. I think the DB sound is very transparent, and to me it sounds better than simple emitter followers. The versions with active current source/sink sound better. I'm sure this buffer sounds good.

It would be cool to build something around BC857BPN. I know you've used them. How difficult are they to solder, and how difficult was it to lay out the board?
 
peranders said:
The gold is not electroplated. It's immersion gold.

It's unlikeiy to be gold only, it's too porous to provide an acceptable shelf life.
Standard industry practice for ENIG finish is an electroless nickel layer 3-6um capped with an immersion gold finish of 0.05-1.0um. If accurate process control is maintained, then embrittlement should not occur.

Brian.
 
Looks good but I am hoping there is a non surface mount version 😛. I already have lots of transistors I want to use too.

I was thinking of using a volume control with a buffer like this super buffer as a headphone amp/preamp. But how to solve the problem of DC offset? Would it be possible to keep it all DC coupled, no capacitors in the audio path?