1) It is a cheap device. How is it embarrassing at it's price point? Is there another EQ at the same price that is appreciably better, and therefore not embarrassing?
2) It is unfair to Samsung to single them out. Can you name a company that makes inexpensive products that do not use a lot of plastic? In fact, the only plastic on the user controls are the input gain knob covers, and the clear LED push buttons. Both the front panel, side panel, top and back panel, and sliders are aluminum.
3) No product using switches, knobs, sliders, and buttons, even if constructed out of metal, is going to 'last a lifetime'. Of course it depends on whose life you are referencing, and how long the person is expected to live.
4) Can you clarify your procedure? By 'all gains' do you mean the frequency sliders, and by 'turn up the gains' do you mean the rotary input gain knob, and exactly what does 'no input is connected' refer to--running the EQ directly into the amplifier without being connected to the preamplifier, or signal source?
I have used a few EQs that are considerably less money and we're of comparable quality, the alesis 30 band comes to mind, priced under $80!
Although it's cheaper it comes with its own used issues, like DBX having a weak center detent, it's the opposite, such a strong detent that moving them from zero tends to be a 2 handed job. Plus the size of it and weight are less, you have to hold it if it's not mounted in a rack. Rack mounting will remove most of the negative used issues. Plus it uses an external ac power supply, removing any sheilding issues. The sliders are similar plastic but feel much tighter.
The OSP I'm currently using has a thick front plate and heavy steel cabinet, real compinents, lots of full sized components and 2 separate boards, I did add a sheild that covers much more of the power supply from the lower board while I had the cover off. I did that before I even tested it, so I can't say if it had noise, I just know that not having any sheild is not a good thing in most cases. The best feature is the volume controls go to zero output which allows it to be used as a pre amp! It would be perfect if it had a second input which most older big name EQs have. The OSP has an adjustable sub woofer output which I don't use but could be a huge plus for those who add on a subwoofer to their system.
Now I have to say that my Samsung conclusion is based on my working on many Samsung devices over the years. They have been the leaders of making things cheaper and using the least amount of metal on their products. They use the thinnest ribbon cables known to exist. You unplug it and you're likely to never get it back in. The ends will tear off or the coating peeks back flaring the thinnest metal traces, folding them back and shorting out. I have opened far more Samsung products that need repair than any other maker. They make their products to last only a few years before they fail. I have so much bad to say about Samsung you'd be better off to not even bring this up with me. I personally would never buy their products for my own use due to their design practices. Their lasers last 3 years before they stop reading, amp and powesupply boards have the thinnest cooper traces that peel off when you try to remove their junk components from the board. I quit working on their junk. Just wait till you start seeing all plastic speakers that use metal coated plastic for wires. If they can figure it out, they'll use it!
If you constantly use those switches and sliders made from metal they will tend to last for decades. The problem only comes in when they remain dorment. You know this and bringing it up to try and make it sound like I'm just making things up is absurd. I have 8 EQs here right now and the only one with a problem is the DBX. I have an Alesis 2x 30 band, Audio Control 4 or 5 band (I'm too lazy to go dig it out to check the model number right now), 2x ADC soundshapers (1 with 2x10 bands and 1 with 2x 15 bands), 2 sansui one has 2x 15 bands and a spectrum screen the other is a cheap dual 8 band), Azden Q50 I think, it has 2x 15 bands and has built in pink noise and pure tones with a mic input for correction. The OSD and DBX, plus all of those I have owned over the years and sold. None have ever been noisy or had bad faders but the DBX. I've owned many DJ mixers that have 1 slider that gets abused constantly and even 20 years old those metal sliders still work flawlessly. I'm talking very cheap Gemini or Beringer or Radio Shack stuff.
I think the max out test is obvious, sliding all bands to max will tell you everything you need to know about noise. Very few graphic EQs (even digital) can be maxed and stay quiet. Once you crank the gain up you'll not believe just how awful most EQs are. I have another gain on my active crossover to set as well as each output has a gain control, my amps have another gain for each channel so it's easy to find out exactly how noisy any piece is. I'll toss this one out there as well since I read a ton of negative stuff on the web bashing BBE maximizers, I have an d 422A and it's silent, I never move the controls from zero unless the recording is lacking highs, then 1 click is all it needs. A good recording nulls the BBE from doing anything but phase correction, turning it off and on has a very slight mid correction quality that's addictive. With my speaker and amp configuration I'm able to hear everything very clear and if there is anything causing noise or distortion you'll hear it. Ear close to electrostatic panels yeilds no audible sound running zero info tracks at typical volume levels.
When I chime in, it only will happen when there's something I'm familiar with. I'm not here to start any problems. Half of the tests I see here I don't even understand, others I see little use to even bother running. I can tell in a few minutes after flipping the switch if something is junk or not.
I don't rate any other way, everything needs to be connected to a real speaker before I can judge it. It's best to use a speaker you know will dip down to 2 ohms when testing, this weeds out those amps you could harm without even knowing. Quality stuff comes in all shapes, sizes and cost, some components might not appear to be what you think, others, as I have found, get consistently good praise while never impressing me, especially when they carry huge price tags.
New gear rarely seems worth the price when the gains are inaudible or worse, they can't even match the sound of older gear costing far less. Let's face it, this hobby is loaded with false reports, false reviews, confusing double talk with new terms and new findings that end up being untrue or make little to no difference in the end. I can't even count how many times I've read about the next big thing, subwoofers mounted on the sides of cabinets, coax drivers, metal dome tweeters, speakers that cost more just because they use more woofers and still can't actually reproduce low tones for sh1t.
Now it's all about beryllium tweeters, multiple tiny drivers, and to get people to buy it, the constant new findings and new standards set by a few who know all. Stupid test programs that are supposed to show you everything you need to know but no 2 will ever show the same results. Huge concerns over phase, lobing, floor bounce, decay, time alignment, reflection, refraction, wife approval, room modes, sound traps, on and on. The best thing is alm these terms seem to be based on these test programs that use a microphone that's the same exact one used in a $25 cell phone but they'll charge you up to $1000 and people buy it. I have a pile of microphones and tons of phones. Each one shows different results, some claim to be calibrated, run the same mic on different programs and get different results, my last $25 phone has a better mic than the last Dayton mic that cost more than the phone.
People are easily fooled and always worry about what others think, good, bad, ugly, big, small, subwoofers, digital correction, it comes down to making your own speakers or paying huge $ to get something that's just a fancy cabinet filled with drivers available from Parts Express. Go with an active crossover and you'll find a fast and inexpensive alternative to paying huge $ for a decent sounding set of speakers. There's lots of good used equipment that can put you in sonic heaven, I wouldn't suggest building an amp when there's so many for cheap available, bug I doubt you'll ever get there using a premanufactured speaker that costs under $10k.
These are my own views, I have no affiliation with any audio manufacturers and only dislike 1 brand, you can do whatever you want since it's your $ and time. I bass my thoughts on what I've personally experienced and have realized exactly why I couldn't find that realistic sound I desired until I pieced together my own speakers. I believe many will agree that you're spinning your wheels buying popular speakers that sell for less than $10k, if you have the cash to burn then you're set. If you think $10k is way to much for speakers but aren't willing to research making your own, good luck. Forget all the newest catch terms that are injected into these forums, forget what others say are great until you hear them for yourself, just being better than what you have is not worth buying, once you hear the sound that captivates you and makes you get chills, you'll hear things that make you turn and look to the side from hearing sounds that sound so real like it came from the walls or behind you but in perfect form, you'll know you are on your way to audio nervana. One last thing, I found a 2 way speaker (1 crossover point under 1000Hz) with each driver or group of drivers getting its own channel can cover the entire spectrum of usable sound, if 1 speaker could do it, I'd recommend it but it doesn't exist yet. Single driver speakers are what the audio industry needs to focus on, anything else is not even trying and a waste of time.