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DFPC Signature and Reference: Silent Cables with a Message

October, 2014, author: Werner Ero
As a matter of policy, Dutch audiophile print magazine Music Emotion only reviews gear distributed by official local Benelux distributors. On this occasion, they make an exception to their policy and feature a rare review of the DFPC Signature and Reference power cables, available directly from LessLoss.com.



"LessLoss products possess sonic characteristics that are clearly different and in some cases even better than most others."

"They are very balanced and smooth, without tiring fake accents or exaggerated highs."

"The first thing I was struck by was their unique nature compared to many others. Typically any such outstanding features would soon arouse my suspicion, but in this case it was an audible experience of positive technical characteristics."

"Largely neutral, smooth and highly resolving, coupled with a large and well layered sound stage."

"Both LessLoss cables featured a welcome black background and a structure of sound notably more stable than usual."

"The very high information density (DFPC Reference) is one of the first things you will experience with these cables. The beauty is that in this case it doesn't come at the expense of dynamics, expression or liveliness compared to many conventional filtering solutions."

"The Reference sounds more open, more refined in detail, somewhat more spacious and extremely well defined and delineated."

"In direct comparison, the Signature sounds somewhat more closed in and has a somewhat darker timbre. The advantage here is that where the Reference offers extremely high resolving power, where it may be just too much, the Signature can fit just perfectly."

"Considering their high performance, robust construction, tightly gripping plugs and very high standard of fit and finish, the pricing is relatively friendly. It's a healthy price / performance ratio."

"Their approach and their ideas are indeed refreshing, unusual and professional. Add to this their no-nonsense marketing, excellent workmanship, and product quality, we can rejoice in this valuable addition to the market. Their price tag is remarkably attractive, and delivery is notably smooth and hassle free."

"A must therefore for everyone who is in the market for really good power cables that not only offer high resolution, are 'honest,' tonally balanced and musical, but also provide an excellent means of protection from the effects of dirty power."
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DFPC Original: Dynamics remain perfectly intact

February, 2015, author: Matteo Turotti
Test setup includes:

Sources: PC with Jmedia River, Exasound E20 with Teddy Pardo power supply, Yulong D200, Ratoc RAL DSD2
Amplification: 2x Questyle CMA800R, Schiit Asgard, Eam Lab Element 202
Headphones: Sennheiser HD800 and HD650, Hifiman HE500, HE560 and HE400i, Audeze LCD-X
Loudspeakers: Kef LS50


"The improvement is immediately recognizable and very distinct on both DACs used."

"The detail increases while not fatiguing the listener. An improvement also occurs in musicality in general, especially in the deeper bass and articulation."

"The dynamics, despite the filtering, do not suffer compromises and remain perfectly intact."

"The soundstage is clearer and the effect is most obvious. The music seems to come from outside the headphones. The result is very natural and pleasing, very similar to a line conditioner while being much less bulky and does not present the disadvantages of the cutoff frequency."

"The most worrying thing is that usually when power stages are filtered, dynamics suffer as well, but with the LessLoss DFPC Original this does not happen and the dynamics are played at their best, even with the powerful 250W Eam Lab Element 202 amp."

"The result obtained with the entry level DFPC Original power cables is close to that obtained with the Reference Series while not quite reaching its peak performance, but considering the much lower price, we can say that the quality/price ratio is superior with the DFPC Original."

"The LessLoss DFPC Original are excellent power cables, while costing much less than the top of the line Reference, offer excellent performance and the opportunity to try the unique technology of choice at a much better price."
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DFPC Original: Outstanding Product Award!

April, 2015, author: Danny Worth and Dominic
"extremely well made and solid in construction."

"flexibility of the cable is very good"

"[the sound] really came to life conveying intricacy and naturalness."

"vocal was on the money with a great range of tone."

"violins and cymbals were very palpable"

"the cables didn't restrict spacious decay bringing a sense of realism that was clearly noticeable."

"Bass notes were full and allowed for the large lower end to be truly conveyed with all of its masculine weight and extension which never over-shadowed the sultry vocal."

"The Originals seem to strike this wonderful balance where gritty meets sultry, rough meets smooth and tight meets loose."

"a balance which I could refer to as very universal"

"extremely easy integration into most systems"

"refinement increased allowing for upper end micro details and micro dynamics to become more apparent and bass notes had more information."

"the upper bass registers had more definition and detail."

"great value for money"

"good tonal balance."

"will wow the listener"

"a truly fantastic cable at a very reasonable price"

"My bottom line is the DFPC Originals are the baby of the line but what they may lack in ultimate refinement and detail retrieval they more than make up in musicality, balance and flexibility of synergy with equipment and music alike."

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As the cable under review here has achieved a score greater than 8.5 out of a possible 10 marks, our policy at Hifi Pig is then to forward it to another reviewer.

[Dominic]

"My first impression of the sound then can be encompassed within only one word - SOLIDITY. From that first note onwards everything sounded solid and complete, wanting for nothing obvious in the sounds I heard. The sound seemed almost constructed of granite, so that the shape of notes was defined within an envelope that had textures and layers within too, with the power and weight that should be there, was there, yet never once excessive or overblown, with not a trace of overhang or muddling."

"It was that same absence of overhang that gave the impression that the music had slowed down, because once the bass note ceased, I was greeted by a swift silence between the notes so the end of one note and the commencement of the next seemed longer because of that brief pause. That silence was indeed 'silent', as background noise just wasn't there, a dark quiet that shows the cable itself isn't introducing hiss or hum into the system."

"Kick drum was recreated accurately and I could clearly tell if a soft or hard face was being used on the beater, with the weight and power of the strike easily discernible"

"I found the treble to be very natural and organic which is my own personal preference, rather than being spotlit and etched sounding"

"Cymbal strikes had a crisp metallic "ting" to them with the decay shimmer of the instrument heard clearly and the high hat was very easy to follow with any genre of music, particularly so with high energy or frenetic rock music which often drowns out this instrument."

"The mid band too was also a pleasant organic natural sound, so female vocals were clear and uncluttered, soft and beguiling with soft undertones easily heard. Male vocals had the throaty bass growl where needs be and in particular Mark Knopfler's voice had it's gravelly texture as it should"

"The Lessloss cable left me in no doubt that all the sounds were present and correct."

"guitar plucks, strums and finger work on the frets was recreated with startling reality and I could clearly distinguish between steel and nylon strings on his guitar, with the rich tones of the instrument's body also shining through."

"There was never a clash either between drums and guitar, so the whole performance remained cohesive and very easy to listen to."

"allows the system to perform at its best."

"It really is a product that you set to its task and it will quietly and efficiently give a solid uncluttered sound without drawing attention to itself"

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6moons focusses on Firewall's unique clarification of audio signal

June 2015, author: Srajan Ebaen
[On the C13/C14 version:] "Despite their added funky connector junctions, I'm very clear that their benefit was exactly like a first pair of mild reading glasses. Time to go four square or rather, four in series over just two. And indeed, the same quality or attribute moved more into the foreground. I'd call it crispness were it not for hifi lingo's reflexive tie-in with sizzly treble and spot-lit transients."

"Imagine driving in inclement weather as your car window begins to subtly fog over with condensation. One press on the defog button and a few seconds of strong cold air blowing straight up at the windshield render the scenery patently crisper. Think of the LessLoss boxes as our hifi equivalent for such cold strong air and what it does to subliminal condensation."

"It removes a stain the other power-line detergents and bleaches don't get at."

"Removing my play set of eight modules to return to the earlier status quo missed out on that certain enhanced contrast which they had added."

"The new LessLoss modules at a fraction of the sticker shock of former solutions in this catalogue seem like attractive circuit enhancements."
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Russian press names DFPC "without peer"

July 2015, author: Alexander Chechelev
"The effect of using LessLoss DFPCs in our systems is so clear and palpable, that it frankly seems improbable."

"In most other cases, their impact on the sound is barely noticeable or ambiguous at best, but here no one had any doubts about the benefits of the use of these cables in the system."

"Already during our very first listening session it became apparent that the improvement in sound quality covered all possible aspects - the stage depth, the clarity and articulation of the bass, the clear focus of various sound source images, etc."

"Indeed, compared with traditional filtering circuits, one doesn't feel a loss of dynamics, and the rate of attack does not suffer."

"The concept and implementation behind the LessLoss DFPC definitely works."

"This is a rare case of competent implementation of the original technical solution. It really helps to improve the sound quality of the system."

"Never before have any of us encountered power cords which were so effective that our entire jury was unanimously positive upon evaluation."
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Firewall Module receives Mono and Stereo's Best Buy Award

September, 2015, author: Matej Isak
"The tonality is spot on and the Firewall Modules perform in this respect impressively."

"In a way, the Firewall module re-injects a remnant of real life to the sound image. You begin to hear not only the musicians' sound, but their effort as well."

"With the Firewall module, it becomes easier to comprehend the distinction of the individual within the section. You can literally hear their effort at maintaining the ensemble sound."

"This is how I would describe one of the Firewall Module effects. Imagine the clarity of Carl Zeiss optics being introduced while you're slowly zooming in to the focus point. After 30+ minutes everything is resolving and slowly being revealed in just the exact same way. Unclear pieces of the musical signal start to gradually become more vivid and make sense."

"As with the LessLoss cables, a unique black canvas appears, one that projects a more clear interpretation of the music. But this time, as the focus continues to sharpen and become more revelatory and informative, it begins to seem like the canvas turns out not to be a black surface at all, but deep space."

"There is something about the unfettered resolution and timbral correctness that is revealed with the Firewall modules in action. This potency was acknowledged whether the modules were set before the DAC, the phono preamplifier, the power amps, or preamplifier."

"The achievement of a great system would be when our left-brain analytical decoding vanishes. And this is exactly what happened with the insertion of the LessLoss Firewall module. With familiar classical material everything becomes more immediately evident, of much more notable transparency, and all becomes more detailed and revealing. It is easier to know what you are hearing, without having to constantly doubt or think about it. And it is definitely not an artificial etching or embossing effect."

"The Firewall Module provides a pleasing absence of coloration, where tonal color and timbre take on much more believable manifestations. Tone, timbre and color are depicted in a much more realistic and coherent way. Their subtle yet distinctive nature is preserved, lending an overall authenticity which is undeniable."

"All in all, the low-level resolution and thoroughly maintained transient response creates a notable change that one usually relates only to upper echelon solutions."

"Louis Motek did indeed advance his art and created with the Firewall module a new horizon of attainable performance, the impact of which is impressive even to an experienced reviewer such as myself."

"Louis Motek is [...] bringing his unique company tech down to the mortals. It is still thoroughly possible for those with more available funds to go nuts with any desired number of Firewall modules. Here only the sky is the limit. Or should I say, the blackness of deep space."

"Louis Motek's, shall we say, "half-altruistic" endeavor marks an interesting shift in this company's vision. And given the new price/performance ratio, a very welcome one."

"The LessLoss Firewall module is this company's most intriguing and resolving product so far."

"For what it represents, and at what value, the LessLoss Firewall module clearly deserves Mono & Stereo's Highly Recommended Award!"

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Russian press finds Homage to Time interconnects convey "perfect sound"

October 2015, author: Alexander Chechelev
"Homage To Time is strongly influential, and really helped ensure the correct transmission of the LessLoss commitment to rhythm and tempo."

"And these are unlike other cables, which put the emphasis on attack and simplify complex "tails" and retract from subtle reverberation, or try to convey to the listener an exaggerated sense of detail, but are unable to combine these into a single musical event, where music is perceived as a properly cooked meal with a perfect balance of ingredients. With Homage to Time, there is no unnecessary pressure on the midrange, nor too emphasized is the treble, nor is bass bloated."

"Across the frequency spectrum a great detail is retained, but no one area is dominated nor attracts undue attention. If you are used to cables that supply music with "special effects," initially you will always miss something in the sound."

"However, if within a few hours you revert to your favorite spectacular cables in your system, believe me, you'll be surprised how you did not previously notice how severely they distort the rhythmic pattern of the music. Moreover, this applies to both the direction of acceleration and deceleration. In contrast, the LessLoss Homage To Time is perceived as riding behind the wheel of a well-balanced and finely tuned car, after a hard race in a barely controllable Towncar with already run-bald tires. The music does not throw you into a fever, nor does it lull you to sleep; you just get pleasure from the process of listening. All events begin and end in rhythmic time, without emphasis on any of the phases. Eventually, your consciousness begins to accept the reality of the illusion created by the system, as you gradually sink into a contemplative, but at the same time moderately alert, state."

"With the Homage to Time interconnects, no restrictions could be detected, whether in dynamic response or in the transfer of the subtlest nuances. Comprehensiveness on fortissimo is excellent. Nothing escapes the attention of LessLoss."

"Rating: perfect sound, outstanding neutrality, high quality manufacturing"

"Using LessLoss Homage to Time interconnects, don't count on any coloration, but they will completely reveal the talents of your system. If it is good, the incorporation of LessLoss Homage to Time interconnects will make it even better."
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LessLoss Firewall Current Conditioning Module: Simply Brilliant!

March, 2016, author: Werner Ero


"... does more than just evoke astonishment."

"...significantly more life, freedom and color and playback is simply much more balanced."

"Another nice, likable, and interesting design, and also actually an ingenious invention of LessLoss."

"Something which actually defines only the sky as the final limit."

This test report is now also online right here in the Dutch Hifi.nl website. Hifi.nl is the largest audio oriented website in the Netherlands and is partnered with Music Emotion magazine.
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6moons caught off guard by Firewall module effectiveness

May, 2016, author: Srajan Ebaen
"A compact $410 sticker for the type of audible effectiveness I observed with these wooden modules meant good ROI."

"In their current form, these devices gain a very solid recommendation even if you've already invested in a proper AC conditioner."

"rounder, fuller, more fluid and suave [sound quality]"

"They were more effective than I expected!"
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USB Firewall Key "better than most cable swaps"

June, 2016, author: Srajan Ebaen
"Without the Key, solo and chorus vocals were a bit hashier around the edges; dirtier."

"Perhaps the best way to explain the Key action is to consider the multiplicity of music. How much of it actually registers at your ears as such? How much do you focus on lead vocals or instruments instead whilst the rest acts as more or less fill or atmosphere?"

"The LessLoss wood blocks made it easier to experience all of it weighted equally. This doesn't give preference to the obvious foreground stuff, then downgrades all else as secondary or less. Put different, the USB Key softened the psychological zoom function on the central stuff."

"On the level of attention, it 'zoomed out' to consider the whole as a simultaneously happening whole."

"To me, then, the real benefit of these LessLoss boxes wasn't so much better sound per se as it was a more wholesome less piecemeal or partial participation in the music. If that makes sense to you, nothing else needs saying. If you only accept hard sonic 'facts' as proper review commentary–the primitive more treble, less bass etc.–I don't have anything except less hash and grain. On pure quantity, that effect was quite marginal. On quality, it was a more relevant matter."

"Falls under more of a gestalt changer. Here the usual audio lingo reaches for words like flow vs. choppiness, organic vs. mechanical."

"The ears of our species don't connect to computers and analytical software code but to minds and hearts which embed in human psychology. That's a different perspective than decibels and THD. It really needs other language to talk about in any meaningful ways. For a harder qualifier in that realm, I'd rate the efficacy of the LessLoss USB Firewall Key as higher than most cable swaps."
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