So the reason I’ve been MIA on this thread is because of two main reasons:

1) Struggling to spend time in the rig.  This is due to some healthcare concerns with my parents over the past two months plus the heatwave in NJ is making it exceedingly hot and stuffy in the basement.  It’s not atypical for me to do 30 min sessions and bolt.

2) I’ve been busy tweaking and evaluating the following:

AUVA EQ footers from Stack Audio
Teddy Pardo LPS for my first switch in the chain (Netgear) that is connected to my modem
SDFB and super piggy for my Phoenix Net
SmoothLAN Network Filter from Stack Audio

I first tried the AUVA EQ on my DAC and was very happy with the result.  Night and day difference from the isoacoustics Zazen Platform it was resting on.  I was so enamored with it that I ended up getting footers for my Phoenix Net Switch and Streaming Transport and they too, added further refinement.

After mulling, trying, failing, and then mulling for another year, I ended up getting a Teddy Pardo LPS for my Netgear Switch.  That too was a positive. More subtle than the AUVA EQ’s, but still there.

Getting my fourth SDFB and power cord from Mark for the Phoenix Net was yet another enhancement—that was a forgone conclusion based on the SDFB track record to date.

I also decided to checkout the Stack Audio SmoothLAN Filter and got some positive results there as well.

All in all, I’m getting much better bass, much more detail (I don’t know why that surprised me), better soundstage/layering (with a special nod to depth), more dynamics and increased resolution.  There is this sense of undeniable sonic mass in the notes, which I can’t get enough of and the vocals are even more intimate, clear, and in the room.  A lot of the recordings that I’m intimately familiar with sound new—and that can only be a good thing!

Hey Kamran. Sounds like the Auva EQs are doing the right things for you. I find all the more worked out feet help in their own ways, but also adjust the sound differently...especially those with "compliant damping" seeming to be more difficult to work out with a high level of transparency and neutrality.  Though perhaps sounding great to a lot of folks, to me some I have tried were a little over damped. As a point of comparison, I wonder what feet you used before these?

Great to hear about the Stack footers. I read good things about them on another forum. One person replaced VooDoo Cable IsoPods (which I use) with them and said they were a little better. I ordered a set of 4 to try under my PS Audio P15.

Beautiful photos Kam. An absolute work of art!

My first year anniversary with Sarah!

Congratulations indeed! I've followed your journey, and that too has been fun. May the next year be even better!

It's an amazing machine, and I think you'll agree it educates you. And though you think by now you have a Master's Degree, if yours is like mine it is pushing you towards a P.H.D.!

Thx Geno—time does seem to fly by when you’re having a good time!

Lon: Educational experience for sure!

Thx Dom!

Speaking of new journey—-I was able to snag a great deal on Pure Audio Project Duet 15s with Voxative PiFe drivers (vs. the AC 1.6) and their beautiful Walnut Baffle with IsoAcoustics GAIA footers.  The story of how I got them is pretty epic, but it’s going to get too long to write and it’s better told in person—Dom and Nigel can attest to that.  Let’s just say I was partly in the right place at the right time, partly faster to act, and partly very very lucky.  Word on the street is that I left someone heartbroken at CAF…

Extremely happy with how they’re pressurizing the rig but still in the early stages of getting to know them, especially understanding the external crossover topology.  I’ve already changed the orientation of one of the jumpers (on each crossover) that attenuates the high frequencies (suit to taste) and was pleasantly surprised how I nailed the placement without listening first.  And when I tested the center imaging:

‘Jennifer was dead center.’

Imaging is sitting higher now (which I dig), the soundstage increased in size and there is more scale. The Voxativ’s are very natural compared to the decidedly spicier nature of the Fast 15s (which will take some getting used to), and they also are bringing this undeniable sonic mass to the presentation, which is fascinating.

Initially, I heard the left driver sputter with no rhyme or reason. It happened randomly (and very briefly) 3 times in six hrs of initial evaluation—so anything but constant.  I then untucked the crossover cable to the Voxativ between the frame and wood baffle (so it hangs more freely) and tightened the screw in terminals on the crossover and made sure it was not co-mingling with the crossover cable for the Eminence bass woofer (both their separate ways)— that has seemed to fix it.

Needless to say, I’m going to have to let my beloved Fast 15 Baffles go.  Will be posting on Classifieds by tomorrow.

Wow, Kam!! Those are really beautiful! Congratulations. Those have been on my “interested in” list for years now, but I need another pair of speakers like I need another hole in my anatomy. Enjoy, and good luck with the sale of the magnums.

Randy

These are really great speakers and very difficult to tire from.  I've had mine for around 2 years.  If you do hear any strange sounds coming from them it's many times the wiring in the crossovers which has been pretty easy to fix by moving and tightening them by elimination. I had one finicky resistor that was sympathetically rattling.  Nothing since. Glad you got it fixed.