diff --git a/simulator/static/app.js b/simulator/static/app.js
index ed3eb9b..dbc492f 100644
--- a/simulator/static/app.js
+++ b/simulator/static/app.js
@@ -171,7 +171,12 @@ function preloadOrder() {
     }
   }
   for (const f of reachableMorphFiles()) add(f);
-  for (const f of preloadList()) add(f);   // sweep up anything not on the ring
+  for (const f of preloadList()) add(f);   // sweep up every base not already on the ring
+  // ALL morphs last: preloading every transition before interaction guarantees a
+  // smooth knob turn anywhere (any random pool re-roll lands on an already-cached
+  // morph). They're ordered last so the first scenes + nearest transitions cache
+  // first and the loading bar fills meaningfully.
+  for (const f of Object.values(morphByPair)) add(f);
   return ordered;
 }
 
@@ -720,7 +725,6 @@ let pos = 0;                  // continuous knob position; rest value == ringInd
 let activeSeg = null;         // { lo, clipLo, clipHi, file } for the segment being scrubbed
 let seekPending = false;      // throttle: at most one currentTime seek per animation frame
 let scrubDir = 1;             // last travel direction (+1 descend / -1 ascend) — which end we'll land on
-let settleGen = 0;            // bumped on every scrub frame; invalidates a pending "settle when the base is ready" callback so a stale one can't fire mid-new-scrub
 
 // Diagnostic seam (sibling of window.__hefMorphs): the committed altitude state, so
 // E2E can assert the locked clip mid-scrub when #scale-name (settle-only) is stale.
@@ -817,25 +821,9 @@ function rebuildSegment(lo, enteredFrom) {
     vid.style.filter = "none";
     vid.loop = false;
     if (vid.dataset.morph !== file) {
-      if (mediaBlobs[file]) {
-        // Cached → instant swap to the in-memory blob.
-        vid.dataset.morph = file;
-        vid.src = mediaBlobs[file];
-        vid.pause();
-      } else {
-        // Not loaded yet — HOLD the current frame (never point the visible element at
-        // a network src mid-scrub, which would blank it). Fetch into the blob cache and
-        // swap in once ready, IF we're still heading into this same morph. Meanwhile
-        // `vid.dataset.morph` stays unset, so the seek below is skipped and the last
-        // frame holds — keeping rapid altitude-clicking smooth.
-        cacheClip(file).then(() => {
-          if (activeSeg && activeSeg.file === file && mediaBlobs[file] && vid.dataset.morph !== file) {
-            vid.dataset.morph = file;
-            vid.src = mediaBlobs[file];
-            vid.pause();
-          }
-        });
-      }
+      vid.dataset.morph = file;
+      vid.src = mediaUrl(file);
+      vid.pause();
     }
     // Diagnostic seam (matches advance()'s old record): the logical morph path
     // played, reliable even when served from an in-memory blob.
@@ -861,38 +849,19 @@ function setPos(next) {
   pos = next;
   const { lo, frac } = HEFScrub.segmentOf(pos);
   if (frac === 0) {            // settled exactly on an altitude → lock + base loop + single soundtrack
+    busy = false;
     delete vid.dataset.morph;  // clear so re-entering the same segment reloads the morph (not the base)
     currentClipId = null;      // force ensureClipMedia to reload + loop the locked clip
+    playLoop();                // the loop element was preloaded to this clip @ tail during the scrub → instant, no reload
+    showActiveSource();
     setNeedle(ringIndex * dialStep());
     renderScaleReadout();
+    update();                       // ensureClipMedia: idempotent loadLoop + keep the loop running
     restAudio(ringIndex);
     refreshReachablePreload();      // warm the morphs now reachable from the locked clip
-    // Swap to the base loop only once it can actually play. The loop element was
-    // preloaded to this clip @ tail during the scrub, so the common case is ready
-    // immediately and lands instantly (as before). If rapid navigation outran the
-    // load, KEEP `busy` true — displayVid() stays the morph element, whose last frame
-    // already depicts this clip — until the loop is decoded. Never blank the stage.
-    const myGen = ++settleGen;
-    const landing = activeClip();
-    let done = false;
-    const settleToLoop = () => {
-      if (done || myGen !== settleGen) return;   // a new scrub started → this settle is stale
-      done = true;
-      busy = false;            // displayVid() → loopVid; the shader now reads the base loop
-      playLoop();
-      showActiveSource();
-      update();                // ensureClipMedia: idempotent loadLoop + keep the loop running
-    };
-    if (loopVid.readyState >= 2 && landing && loopVid.dataset.clip === landing.id) {
-      settleToLoop();          // already decoded (preloaded @ tail) → instant landing
-    } else {
-      loopVid.addEventListener("canplay", settleToLoop, { once: true });
-      loopVid.addEventListener("loadeddata", settleToLoop, { once: true });
-    }
     return;
   }
   busy = true;                 // mid-morph: block update() from reloading the base clip under us
-  settleGen++;                 // moving again → invalidate any pending settle-when-ready from a prior landing
   if (!activeSeg || activeSeg.lo !== lo) rebuildSegment(lo, ringIndex);
   // Preload the clip we're heading toward into the LOOP element (paused @ tail) so the
   // landing is a swap, not a reload+seek. dir>0 lands on clipHi, dir<0 on clipLo.
@@ -1331,16 +1300,12 @@ async function main() {
   dial.addEventListener("wheel", onWheel, { passive: false });
   $("stage").addEventListener("wheel", onWheel, { passive: false });
   update();                   // render the initial state (both toggles off → black, silent)
-  // Progressive boot: become ready as soon as the FIRST scene can play, then stream
-  // the rest in the background — don't block the visitor on the full ~2.3 GB. The
-  // graduated preload (bases → reachable morphs → sweep) keeps filling the blob cache;
-  // anything not cached yet falls back to the network path on demand (mediaUrl).
-  const firstClip = activeClip();
-  if (firstClip) await cacheClip(firstClip.base_file);   // just the first base (~16 MB)
+  // Preload BEFORE interaction: a base for every altitude + all related morphs, so
+  // turning the knob is always smooth (no on-demand stall, no blank next scene). The
+  // "Loading Universe…" bar tracks this; the universe stays gated until it's ready.
+  await preloadAllMedia();
   hideLoading();              // experience is ready — boots SILENT (video off, audio 0)
   $("run-sim").classList.remove("hidden");   // reveal the obvious starting point over the black stage
-  refreshReachablePreload();  // front-load the morphs the first knob-turn will need
-  preloadAllMedia();          // NO await — bases + morphs stream in behind the scenes
   // No un-gestured auto-start: a browser autoplay policy blocks an audio play() made
   // outside a user gesture (muted video survives, sound does not), so an auto-start
   // would show video but stay silent. Instead the experience waits for the operator to
@@ -1383,3 +1348,31 @@ function setLanguage(lang) {
 }
 
 main();
+
+// Temporary ?debug overlay: an on-screen readout of media/render state, for
+// diagnosing real-browser playback that headless can't reproduce. Add ?debug to the
+// URL to show it. Harmless/no-op without the flag; safe to remove once resolved.
+(function debugOverlay() {
+  if (!/[?&]debug\b/.test(location.search)) return;
+  const box = document.createElement("div");
+  box.style.cssText = "position:fixed;left:6px;bottom:6px;z-index:99999;max-width:96vw;" +
+    "background:rgba(0,0,0,.82);color:#0f0;font:11px/1.35 monospace;padding:8px 10px;" +
+    "white-space:pre-wrap;border:1px solid #0a0;border-radius:4px;";
+  document.body.appendChild(box);
+  let webgl = "?";
+  try { const c = document.createElement("canvas"); webgl = c.getContext("webgl2") ? "webgl2" : (c.getContext("webgl") ? "webgl1" : "NONE"); }
+  catch (e) { webgl = "throw:" + e.message; }
+  const errs = [];
+  window.addEventListener("error", (e) => { errs.push((e.message || e.error || "err").toString().slice(0, 80)); });
+  const m = (el) => el ? `rs=${el.readyState} ${el.paused ? "PAUSED" : "play"} t=${(el.currentTime || 0).toFixed(1)} err=${el.error ? el.error.code : "-"} ${(el.currentSrc || el.src || "(no src)").slice(0, 46)}` : "absent";
+  setInterval(() => {
+    const cfg = window.HEF_CONFIG || {};
+    box.textContent =
+      `cfg: static=${cfg.static} base=${cfg.mediaBase}\n` +
+      `webgl=${webgl}  visual=${(document.getElementById("visual") || {}).checked}\n` +
+      `loop : ${m(document.getElementById("vid-loop"))}\n` +
+      `morph: ${m(document.getElementById("vid"))}\n` +
+      `aud  : ${m(document.getElementById("aud"))}\n` +
+      `errs : ${errs.slice(-3).join(" | ") || "none"}`;
+  }, 400);
+})();