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.  

Happy New Everyone! I was on vacay for 2 weeks.  It’s so nice to be listening to music again!

First new item for 2025 expected on Monday—-SRA’s Signature Series crossover cables for my Duets.

Kamran,

I haven't often seen something built to this level in some time. This is actual craftmanship. I took a closer look at the speaker build and envy this solid work.

Thx 4krow—-The build quality is indeed top notch—I understand that the Walnut, Oak, and Bamboo baffles are sourced from Germany, with longer lead times and cut to maintain original wood grain.

Thx HK—I’ve been eying them (and saving up) for a long time and yes, GS’ rig is definitely an inspiration! The SRA xo cables were a very noticeable improvement—I always knew that I was going to get’ em since I wanted to extend the same sonic signature from all the other SRA cables coming in to the amp and going out via the speaker cables. I had Jonny cook mine a little longer than usual as I was on vacation and couldn’t receive them.  He was very reasonable in pricing considering mine was a custom order—he also convinced me to go with bare wire on both ends (which he tinned so I wouldn’t have to worry about loose strands), which also kept the cost down..  And you’re right on—-it’s as if Sarah was showing only partly what it is capable of on the Fast 15s.  The way these speakers are pressurizing the room and providing a sense of sonic mass, is just unreal…and addictive.

Triple Whammy

They say good things come in threes.  I think there might be something to it.

Many thanks to GroovySauce for all of the following.  His influence and guidance continues to drain my bank account, but at least I have something to show for it!

Let’s dive in.

Power—Grand Activation AC-55 Bulk Cable with MMAT Tech:
This might be the find of 2025.  Seriously.  Who doesn’t want a (comparatively) cheaper PC that does what higher-end cables do?  Isn’t that the holy grail? Well, I think Groovy stumbled on to it and told me about it and I asked him to build two small cables for my DAC and Streamer, with entry-level Furutech connectors as a proof of concept.

Even in the first few hours of listening, I was blown away.  The soundstage stage exploded in all directions (and I don’t say that lightly), the background got noticeably quieter—resulting in more clarity, resolution, and the best Dynamic range I’ve experienced in the rig to date.  I value a natural presentation and this cable gave it to me in spades.  Suffice to say, I’m planning on getting more of this, with potentially even better connectors.



Stack Audio AUVA Speaker Isolation:
Those of you who have been following my journey know that I’m anal about isolation and you also know that I’m a big fan of Stack Audio Products.  I couldn’t really get their speaker isolation feet for my Fast F15s, but now that I have the PAP Duets, it was game on! Wanting to leave nothing on the table, I opted for the AUVA 100s.

However, things didn’t go as planned.  Without going in to a lot of detail, the installation of the footers was less than optimal—not for any fault of Stack Audio.  PAP had to send me two replacement bases and Stack had to send me a different thread.  I had to use the speakers in this condition (with footers barely hanging on) for about two weeks before I got all the necessary replacement parts for a proper install (more of that in the next section).  But here’s the part that will blow you socks away—even in this severely compromised position—-the sonic result changed for the better, especially bass.

No Rez:
People familiar with GR Research are probably familiar with their proprietary sound damping sheets. Groovy used it with much success in his Quintets and had some extra sheets laying around.  He offered to install it for me and I took him up on his offer.  So last week, Groovy and his bro came to my place and helped me with both with the proper installation of the two bases and Stack Audio footers, but also precisely measured and cut the No Rez sheets in my garage.




We had listened for a bit prior to the above installations, but we were all equally stunned by the difference when we listened post install.  It sounded like a new system.  The impact was throughout the frequency spectrum, with better, tighter, feel it in your chest lows, delightfully sparkly highs, enhanced clarity in the mid-range, and increased mass and density that I didn’t know I needed.

What does it all mean?

Well, it’s been a couple of days since the install and I can say that it sounds damn magnificent! The grand summation of all three changes have resulted in:

1. Soundstage that is just breathtaking, in its size, scale, depth, spacial cues, and immersion. And this is hard to explain, but while the speakers were already disappearing, they just seem invisible now.
2. Tonality that is more true to life and natural—with noticeably more realistic body/mass/density—I just need to raise my hand to touch it.
3. A blacker (less noisier—not that it was really noisy to begin with) background resulting in increased clarity from vocals to pinpoint imaging of instruments within the soundstage and a sublime dynamic response.   I can’t get over how I easily I can pick apart different instruments with no muddiness or overlap whatsoever or when it suddenly gets loud or soft (that on occasion, has tricked me into thinking that the track had finished) on a dime.
4. Subterranean lows, while the highs—-well I could get high, just describing them.

Best part—my son is home on spring break so I explained all the mods and had him listen tonight.  A couple of his rap tracks and a couple of tracks that I chose, including Santana’s ‘While the Guitar Gently Weeps’.

I loved watching his jaw drop.

Gobsmacked (and emotional), he asked: How can you even better this?

And while Santana is far removed from his genre of choice, he said that it was one of the best tracks he’s heard in the rig.

I don’t think he’s sleeping tonight because he’s going to be reflecting on what he heard.  Well, I can certainly wish…but you get the drift.

Kamran and GS- Fun stuff and thanks for sharing your improvement tweaks.  Love my Stack SmoothLan and Stack component isolation feet. I need to get on board with the Speaker isolation feet on my new DIY Sonido speakers. I have made several DIY cables and am enticed to try the AC-55 cable.  Is the cable heavy and stiff or easy to bend?  Where did you purchase the cable and connectors?  Tweek Geek?  Kamran- what cables did these replace?  Many Thanks!

Adding onto what Kamran said. The cables are stiff. I'm super impressed with the cables! They do need a lot of burn in time. I found 3+ days on the Frycorder from Hagerman Labs really moves things along.

The Furutech FI-11s that Kamran's cables have are a chore to get the cable to fit. The FI-28 are much easier to work with.

Yes, Tweekgeek.com and VHaudio.

GS continues to ruin me.

Behold the Stradi 5U4G — a South Korean new production tube company, with some ties to Allnic Audio.  

I kid you not—this rectifier has now become my favorite. Copying my notes to GS below:

This rectifier is hands down the quietest I’ve ever used. On both days, during tquiet passages or in-between tracks, my brain thought the system  had turned off. I think this leads to some of the other qualities listed below
It’s been a long time, but I’m hearing more details, and not just those that you always sort of heard on the periphery, but now they are more resolute and resolved, but details that I swear I never heard before and was dumbstruck.

It is both delicate and clinical when it needs to be and thunderous and brooding as the track demands. In other words, it does not sound one dimensional.

This is going to sound really bizarre, but I’m getting a sense of better timing?? How is that even possible? In other words, due to the better timing it sounds more musical then any rectifier I have used before.

I think while there is a sense of bigger scale and soundstage to the proceedings, what is more evident is the holography and the enveloping nature of the tube.

Vocals are magical—more intimate—more 3D.

I have a 100 + hrs on this rectifier as I finish my Sunday listening session.  I’d say break-in is about 50 hrs or so—-after that I didn’t notice any changes. I can’t gush enough about it.  I was heartbroken when my Aqua II arced, but it paved the way for me to experiment with this. And boy, I’m glad I did.

The packaging is solid and pretty unique.

Looks like a great rectifier, thanks for sharing. Some of what you are hearing, coming off the Aqua II, is similar to what I am hearing using the Linlai 274B-D Dream Series rectifier in comparison to the Aqua iI (which is in rotation here). I am finding interesting combinations of rectifier and output tubes (I am rotating two 300B pairs) to be really interesting listening.

I have another 274B on the way to audition, a Psvane WE replica. And I'll consider this one in the future.

I love the Stradi 5u4g it's a fantastic tube. I loved the EML 5u4g in my Torii MKV, They are very different.

The EML has similar characteristics of GL KT77s top to bottom solid density expansive soundstage and layers of texture . It does soften at the extreme top and bottom, never felt like I was missing anything.

The Stradi is a magician as Kamran mentioned, a raw quote from my listening notes: "When it comes to bass things tend to lean one way or another. Quick-tight-precise or slow-full-fat. Explosion vs Distant rumbling thunder (not the close thunder with a sharp crack). The Stradi 5U4G seems to take on both these at the same time and do a marvelous job at them."

For those of you with the Sarah, Stradi does offers two different 300B tubes which also get great reviews.

Will, Quote:


I'm with you on this, you inspired a consideration just now, they are related. If the speed and dynamics are the same from top to bottom it will give a great sense of timing. When the speed and dynamics are different levels at different frequencies this can mess up timing. I still need to ponder that more.

My brother is using a Linlai 274B.... don't remember if it's the E-274b or 274b-D either way, he keeps saying he will bring them over and leave them with me a for a few days. He really likes the Linlai Rectis. The Aqua II is a solid recti as well.