Stepped Attenuation

I hauled myself up the chassis screws of the stereo receiver to reach the master volume dial. The knob is a solid block of milled aluminum, cold and etched with fine knurled ridges along the edge. It doesn't spin loose like cheap plastic gear. I planted both platform boots on the narrow metal ledge beneath the bezel, gripped the knurled rim with both hands, and leaned my weight into a turn. The internal potentiometer yielded with a heavy mechanical click into its first detent. Each notch has clean, weighted tension. I shifted through four clicks until the indicator line settled. Proper damping beats digital switches every time.