diff --git a/piker/data/_sampling.py b/piker/data/_sampling.py
index 7e6fef54..0bb9a247 100644
--- a/piker/data/_sampling.py
+++ b/piker/data/_sampling.py
@@ -95,6 +95,12 @@ class Sampler:
     # history loading.
     incr_task_cs: trio.CancelScope | None = None
 
+    bcast_errors: tuple[Exception] = (
+        trio.BrokenResourceError,
+        trio.ClosedResourceError,
+        trio.EndOfChannel,
+    )
+
     # holds all the ``tractor.Context`` remote subscriptions for
     # a particular sample period increment event: all subscribers are
     # notified on a step.
@@ -258,14 +264,15 @@ class Sampler:
         subs: set
         last_ts, subs = pair
 
-        task = trio.lowlevel.current_task()
-        log.debug(
-            f'SUBS {self.subscribers}\n'
-            f'PAIR {pair}\n'
-            f'TASK: {task}: {id(task)}\n'
-            f'broadcasting {period_s} -> {last_ts}\n'
-            # f'consumers: {subs}'
-        )
+        # NOTE, for debugging pub-sub issues
+        # task = trio.lowlevel.current_task()
+        # log.debug(
+        #     f'AlL-SUBS@{period_s!r}: {self.subscribers}\n'
+        #     f'PAIR: {pair}\n'
+        #     f'TASK: {task}: {id(task)}\n'
+        #     f'broadcasting {period_s} -> {last_ts}\n'
+        #     f'consumers: {subs}'
+        # )
         borked: set[MsgStream] = set()
         sent: set[MsgStream] = set()
         while True:
@@ -282,12 +289,11 @@ class Sampler:
                         await stream.send(msg)
                         sent.add(stream)
 
-                    except (
-                        trio.BrokenResourceError,
-                        trio.ClosedResourceError
-                    ):
+                    except self.bcast_errors as err:
                         log.error(
-                            f'{stream._ctx.chan.uid} dropped connection'
+                            f'Connection dropped for IPC ctx\n'
+                            f'{stream._ctx}\n\n'
+                            f'Due to {type(err)}'
                         )
                         borked.add(stream)
                 else:
@@ -562,8 +568,7 @@ async def open_sample_stream(
 
 
 async def sample_and_broadcast(
-
-    bus: _FeedsBus,  # noqa
+    bus: _FeedsBus,
     rt_shm: ShmArray,
     hist_shm: ShmArray,
     quote_stream: trio.abc.ReceiveChannel,
@@ -583,11 +588,33 @@ async def sample_and_broadcast(
 
     overruns = Counter()
 
+    # NOTE, only used for debugging live-data-feed issues, though
+    # this should be resolved more correctly in the future using the
+    # new typed-msgspec feats of `tractor`!
+    #
+    # XXX, a multiline nested `dict` formatter (since rn quote-msgs
+    # are just that).
+    # pfmt: Callable[[str], str] = mk_repr()
+
     # iterate stream delivered by broker
     async for quotes in quote_stream:
         # print(quotes)
 
-        # TODO: ``numba`` this!
+        # XXX WARNING XXX only enable for debugging bc ow can cost
+        # ALOT of perf with HF-feedz!!!
+        #
+        # log.info(
+        #     'Rx live quotes:\n'
+        #     f'{pfmt(quotes)}'
+        # )
+
+        # TODO,
+        # -[ ] `numba` or `cython`-nize this loop possibly?
+        #  |_alternatively could we do it in rust somehow by upacking
+        #    arrow msgs instead of using `msgspec`?
+        # -[ ] use `msgspec.Struct` support in new typed-msging from
+        #     `tractor` to ensure only allowed msgs are transmitted?
+        #
         for broker_symbol, quote in quotes.items():
             # TODO: in theory you can send the IPC msg *before* writing
             # to the sharedmem array to decrease latency, however, that
@@ -660,6 +687,21 @@ async def sample_and_broadcast(
             sub_key: str = broker_symbol.lower()
             subs: set[Sub] = bus.get_subs(sub_key)
 
+            # TODO, figure out how to make this useful whilst
+            # incoporating feed "pausing" ..
+            #
+            # if not subs:
+            #     all_bs_fqmes: list[str] = list(
+            #         bus._subscribers.keys()
+            #     )
+            #     log.warning(
+            #         f'No subscribers for {brokername!r} live-quote ??\n'
+            #         f'broker_symbol: {broker_symbol}\n\n'
+
+            #         f'Maybe the backend-sys symbol does not match one of,\n'
+            #         f'{pfmt(all_bs_fqmes)}\n'
+            #     )
+
             # NOTE: by default the broker backend doesn't append
             # it's own "name" into the fqme schema (but maybe it
             # should?) so we have to manually generate the correct
@@ -757,7 +799,6 @@ async def sample_and_broadcast(
 
 
 async def uniform_rate_send(
-
     rate: float,
     quote_stream: trio.abc.ReceiveChannel,
     stream: MsgStream,
diff --git a/piker/log.py b/piker/log.py
index 56776e1e..dc5cfc59 100644
--- a/piker/log.py
+++ b/piker/log.py
@@ -19,6 +19,10 @@ Log like a forester!
 """
 import logging
 import json
+import reprlib
+from typing import (
+    Callable,
+)
 
 import tractor
 from pygments import (
@@ -84,3 +88,29 @@ def colorize_json(
         # likeable styles: algol_nu, tango, monokai
         formatters.TerminalTrueColorFormatter(style=style)
     )
+
+
+# TODO, eventually defer to the version in `modden` once
+# it becomes a dep!
+def mk_repr(
+    **repr_kws,
+) -> Callable[[str], str]:
+    '''
+    Allocate and deliver a `repr.Repr` instance with provided input
+    settings using the std-lib's `reprlib` mod,
+     * https://docs.python.org/3/library/reprlib.html
+
+    ------ Ex. ------
+    An up to 6-layer-nested `dict` as multi-line:
+    - https://stackoverflow.com/a/79102479
+    - https://docs.python.org/3/library/reprlib.html#reprlib.Repr.maxlevel
+
+    '''
+    def_kws: dict[str, int] = dict(
+        indent=2,
+        maxlevel=6,  # recursion levels
+        maxstring=66,  # match editor line-len limit
+    )
+    def_kws |= repr_kws
+    reprr = reprlib.Repr(**def_kws)
+    return reprr.repr