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Published LessLoss Reviews Now Number Over 727

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Firewall Module; C-MARC bulk wire and cable

Date Added: 06/18/2019 by Michael Sadighpour
This week-end I decided to install the C-MARC Firewall 64X units on my KEF LS50W active speakers. (One on each speaker) along with 2 C-MARC power cables per speaker and 1 for my power conditioner. At first I was somewhat disappointed and underwhelmed. I let the system play music, lowered the volume and listened again the next day. You know you have something special installed in your system when you start listening to your usual test tracks and you won't go beyond the 1st one because the difference is so big and the sound is so pleasing to the ears that you just keep listening! In the past few years of getting into audiophilia, this was the learned lesson! When you keep changing tracks or don't listen for long sessions to the system, many a time, it is not the music, but the incorrect presentation of it that is subconsciously non-engaging and bothersome. With new C-MARC power cords and C-MARC FW64X filters, there is no extra emphasis on highs or lows. It's just a proper presentation of music across the spectrum. I don't even turn it up that much as the music is all there. Highs, lows, vocals with exceptional details, all flowing in liquid form. The music just flows as if l have added a Chord DAC with crazy high number of taps! A great way to improve the sound in your system. These are component level improvements. Great for folks with all in one active speakers with built in DAC and streamer who think they can't upgrade their sound. Well done Louis and the LessLoss team.
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C-MARC Classic loudspeaker cable, stereo pair; Firewall Module

Date Added: 06/10/2019 by Aleksander Astrov, Estonia (currently based in Hungary & Austria
One word that seems to pop up more often than others in the reviews of LessLoss products is 'natural.' But what exactly is 'natural'?

I was born on the 'wrong' side of the Iron Curtain. So my love-affair with recorded music began through reel-to-reel machines (luckily, good Soviet rip-offs of ReVox or Akai ones). When, at some point, I first saw The Beatles on VHS, I had to leave the room. The 'real' fab four looked utterly disappointing; certainly less real to me than the image I already had in my mind. And 'image' here refers not to visual representation, but to 'imagination.'

The point I am trying to make: I do not expect recordings to transport me to the venues where they were made, be it a studio or a concert hall. I want them 'to take me places' instead, imaginary places that artists created while recording them (in an attempt, I suspect, to 'escape' any studio or a concert hall). That is what music is for me: human creation that, once brought into the world of nature, sounds like it belongs there. If 'nature' is 'creation' in the biblical sense, then 'art' is a continuous quest for extending 'nature,' premised on the belief that humans, as part of creation, are capable of - or even tasked with - providing such an extension.

I guess, you may call me a 'romantic' listener, as opposed to the 'analytical' one. I won't argue with that, as long as my 'romanticism' is not confused with a tonal preference for mellower, euphonic sound often described as 'musicality.' I think 'musicality' is a concept useful for distinguishing music, as an artistic extension of nature, from just any sound. Yet, its usefulness is mostly limited to the realm of composition and performance, and becomes more questionable once we are talking about reproduction. You cannot turn sound into music by putting it through a high-end amplifier. You can, however, turn music into sound by playing it through some inadequate gear.

My main 'players' are: an R2R DAC (Metrum Acoustics Pavane), a valve pre and a hybrid power amps from Croft Acoustics, and the full-range Eclipse TD712zMk2 speakers. Common to all of them is priority given to speed, dynamics and timing. (It is not by chance that with all these three brands sooner or later you run into some, however distant, reference to Quad electrostatics.) Also of note with Crofts and Metrum is their tonal richness, and with the Eclipses, the lack of internal resonances inevitable with more conventional speaker designs. Consequently, Eclipses are sometimes accused of being 'cold,' 'dry,' 'lean' or 'strident.' In my experience, this is where cables begin to matter.

With the LessLoss speaker wires, Eclipses sound anything but dry or strident, and not because of some added 'warmth.' What happens here is rather different. Whereas with other, perfectly revealing cables, instruments appear as flat placeholders located in a pseudo three-dimensional space, with C-MARC in the same system, there is a dense, continuous, breathing space entirely made-up of transients. Physicists have recently discovered that even the 'quantum leap' - the fastest event known to science - is in fact gradual, rather than instantaneous. Needless to say, so is the pluck of a string or a hit at a drum or triangle. If the components are literally up to speed with these musical events, transients are omnipresent. And then everything unfolds in time. Even space - the much-talked-about soundstage - becomes infused with skilfully controlled timing. And this is when sound becomes music. For this to happen, nothing should hold the components back; and it is cabling - internal, interconnects, and power - that often does.

In my system, the addition of C-Marc speaker wires moved the overall performance further in that specific direction: from sound to music. The fact that this move was due to the cables was confirmed when later I added new C-Marc Firewall modules: one before the power distributor, one before the DAC, and one before the preamp (other configurations are possible, each resulting in a distinctively different flavour, but I found this one to be the most satisfying). I suspect, with the power-conditioning modules, the physics of it is somewhat different from that of the speaker wires, but the nature of the overall improvement is easily recognisable.

If you are interested in the physics of it all, I suggest you ask Louis. Personally, I found his responses to my questions to be not only absolutely honest, but also intellectually illuminating. To stay true to my own 'romantic' disposition, I wrap it up with one example from extended listening sessions.

I cannot say LessLoss cables allowed me to hear sounds I never heard in recordings without them. But it was only with them in the system that I realised, for example, that Dino Saluzzi and Anja Lechner were not just playing tango on their Ojos Negros album; they were 'dancing' it with their instruments. I could vividly experience clouds of audible air bouncing off each other and then blending into some new sounds, no longer identifiable exclusively with either bandoneon or cello. 'You take two bodies and you twirl them into one,' as Paul Simon once put it in his poetic take on love-making…
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Firewall Module

Date Added: 06/09/2019 by Joerg Meinhardt
Daisy-Chained 4 Firewall 64Xs

Last year's Firewall 64Xs were in my system between distributor and the devices. One for digital Music Server, 2 for the DAC, 1 for the integrated Amp. For this setup, please see my comments from June 25, 2018.

Now while waiting for the ordered upgrade to the C-MARC Firewall 64X; I started a discussion with Lessloss's Louis and asked about a distributor with these 4 firewalls on board, one for each device and the forth shared by all. Fortunately, Louis shared his experience, that all firewalls shared by all devices would lead to a way better result.

So I tried this with my existing 4 firewalls being daisy-chained before the distributor. My concerns were, that the digital devices would be polluting the power after the filters and affect the partner devices.

But once I switched over, my jaws dropped again, just like last year. Just take all the effects from last year's comments and multiply. Less sibilance, bigger and more defined soundstage ... and the bass, deeper, stronger, and better controlled.

And on top of this: I suffer from pretty polluted power brought to my door. And it got a lot worse earlier this year, which made me add 2 more power filters with "conservative" electronics (not from Lessloss). Now, I tried to disconnect them, and it was great, all the mids resonances and colorations were gone. This was not possible without the daisy-chaining. The Lessloss filters now have a lot more lively and believable presentation, than with the electronic filters.

Try it, you'll like it :)

As soon as I tested this, I changed my upgrade order into a custom made distributor from Lessloss with 5 outlets, internal C-MARC wiring and a 6 times Firewall power. So exciting to get it !!!

Thanks so much, Louis, for your guidance!!!
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Firewall Module

Date Added: 06/08/2019 by mdc
My impressions of the 2 units 'C-MARC' Firewall 64X that I have now used since about one month.

I am happy to report again a clear upgrade of the sound of my system.

Nothing special to say about the first weeks (the usual step back followed by a period of strange ups and downs) but ever since a few days ago, my system is really singing.

All the ‘traits’ of each and every previous upgrade are present but it’s clearly, and again, a much better sound: the music simply sounds better. More details, more slam, more ‘finesse’, more involvement and more emotions. A certain ‘richness’ now, also.

As reported previously, and I've been a LessLoss customer since many years, and this new upgrade is again transformational to the sound of my system.

And again, as before, it’s not limited to more and better bass or a more refined treble or anything/everything in-between.

The whole system simply sounds better and the music is elevated to yet again another level…

There is an example that I want to use but I fear it might be misinterpreted. Anyway, here we go: I have a ‘Loudness’ function/button on my Accuphase amplifier that I actually use when listening (more casually, obviously) to music at low level.

I like what this function does. The music is not bass heavy but on the contrary sounds very good.
I sometimes use it on some cd’s, even at somewhat higher volume level, as it clearly adds a round and more pleasant sound without boomy bass that is often linked with these 'loudness' type tone controls.

My attention was caught by the music sounding so good, at rather high volume, and I believed that this loudness function was on while it was in fact not.

I know that purists hate tone controls and it may be that Accuphase has mastered this 'loudness thing,' but with the addition of the 2 C-MARC Firewall 64X units, the music sounds like I have added tone controls ‘in some perfect way’ with just that touch of perfectly rounded emphasis that makes everything so involving.

The example I use may scare potential customers, hence my warning.

I am not an audiophile and I don’t master the vocabulary.

But what I mean is that the C-MARC Firewall 64X takes the sound to a richer level, more ‘organic’ as in ‘less digital’, i.e. more pleasant, more detailed with a richer and more informative treble as well.

Also, and I will use this expression for the first time, there is more silence between the notes, as if a remastering engineer removed the ‘noise’ on the cd’s.

I simple hear more music.

I have used repeatedly ‘rich’ and ‘richer’ to define my impressions. Again, it is meant in a good way: the sound is now clearer but addictive, adding another level of detail and involvement, a new sense of discovery, as well.

And yes, I listen to entire cd’s; I don’t limit myself to test cd’s I know, the usual suspects that are always used to test new equipment. Those, also, sound better which is a very strange feeling when it comes to music that I have been listening to in some cases for 20 years: ‘that’ was there for all those years and I only hear it today?

I am sure the sound will further evolve during the next weeks but this is again very, very promising.
And all this is experienced in connection with using the custom made power distributor which still "only" uses the previous Firewall technology...
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Firewall Module

Date Added: 05/26/2019 by Jeff W
I am listening to Born To Run (album) for the first ( the 1,000th) time. I am experiencing the excitement of a live concert two rooms away from the stereo in my home. I think it is important to start with that. This upgrade (from original to new 64X) is all about emotion and musical expression. The sound is much better to be sure but the MUSIC!

This is my fifth generation of FW modules and having been less than blown away by the step from 5X to original 64X (better but not huge) I felt foolish going for these. I really felt like it was purely OCD to have to have the latest- I mean it was still 64- no bigger number and I have a LessLoss power distributer with 5 of the 64 modules- and about double the list price - but I was "weak" and placed my order.

I fear that others may follow this logic and abstain. That would be a huge mistake. In my system, even with the loaded power distributer and excellent cables and a dedicated power line this is FAR and away the biggest upgrade ever. If you led me into the room blindfolded and told me my speakers and amp had been changed out for components of 5 times the price I would say it's worth the money with no hesitation.

I am not sure where to start with sonics. Clarity, detail ( but NOT treble edge), the most incredible soundstage and imaging I have ever heard, bass that no stand mounted monitor should be capable of- my wife says it hurts her chest cavity in the next room-but with tremendously increased tonality in the bass region.

The expressiveness keeps coming back as the main issue. It's not just that you don't want to change to the next track- it seems like it would be rude to the performer!

Three week break in so don't fret. Highest recommendation. No looking back!
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Firewall Module

Date Added: 05/26/2019 by Jörg Stanislawski
New C-MARC™ Firewall 64X module


When I received the news that there is a new "C-MARC" Firewall module coming, I thought to myself whether it would be worth upgrading with these relatively minor changes to the former normal lead 64X. But I ordered one new Firewall 64X module.

So my configuration until the new one arrived looked like this:

Wall socket —> best C-MARC power cord —> old standard lead Firewall 64X module —> passive power distributor (no filter inside)
—> preamp (no change of power cable possible, captive)
—> power amp (no change of power cable possible, captive)
—> best C-MARC power cord —> LessLoss Echo’s End DAC
—> DAC to Preamp —> LessLoss Anchorwave cable
—> DFPC Original —> CD-player, used as Drive Transport only —> Light Harmonic AES/EBU cable (has to be replaced also with C-MARC cable at a later date) into DAC
—> Pre- to Power amp —> LessLoss Homage to Time XLR cable
—> Power amp to speakers —> C-MARC speaker cables

When the new C-MARC Firewall 64X module arrived, I let the the normal 64X stay and connected the new one directly to the CD-player. Right after installation the difference was shocking. I expected minor changes to the better, but this was extraordinary. It sounded better focused, instruments could be located more easily, I heard much more detail, absent before, and bass response had more depth and punch than before. So again, all the frequency parameters from the low end to the highest highs improved in a way that could only possibly be had with a change of gear that would cost several times the price of the new C-MARC Firewall 64X module.

Then I removed the new module from the CD-player and connected it to the Echo's End Reference DAC. I didn't expect a big change here, as the DAC received its power through the best C-MARC power cable anyway. But I was wrong again, the improvement was in the same league as it was on the CD-player. The differences are only slight and I couldn't pin it down exactly, sorry. That was amazing. It would be an interesting comparison to replace the C-MARC power cord with a DFPC Original on the DAC with the new 64X module in place. I can't try this, as I have only one DFPC left.

Could it be that it is a better way to get the new Firewall 64X module first, and upgrade to the best power cord later? If I could afford it, I would install the new C-MARC Firewall 64X module on every piece of gear and maybe a second one on the power distributor. I can't imagine how that would sound, but it seems to me that this would achieve a gigantic improvement.

So in the end I removed the normal 64X from the power distributor and replaced it with the new C-MARC Firewall 64X, so that everything in the chain could profit, but to a lesser degree each. And that was what I expected after trying the new module on the DAC and the CD-player.

So the new Firewall 64X module comes with a big improvement in overall sound quality. And the best is, that all these improvements come with no downside at all. The presentation after several upgrades over the years has improved yet again. The musicality is outstanding without any annoying artifacts at all. What I have now is a total relaxed and satisfying listening experience. The C-MARC Firewall 64X is an upgrade with the biggest bang for the buck. It may seem expensive at first, but it is not, when you consider what substantial improvement comes with it.


Thanks for this great product.
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Firewall Module

Date Added: 05/22/2019 by Colin Gray
[C-MARC Firewall 64X]

Just a quick update on initial impressions. My normal policy is to make only one change at a time and in the context of the standard lead Firewall F64X, I only added them one at a time about one week apart. With that previous experience and knowing the very long burn-in times, I confidently chose this time to break with tradition and add two C-MARC Firewall 64X, to the front end (CD transport and DEQX) and leave the remaining three to be added to the power amps after my holiday.

After adding these first two at about 1130 am, I did not listen to any music until my normal listening session at 7 pm, so only some 7.5 hours of burn-in. Given my original FW64X were in my system for many months and well burned-in, I was initially expecting a slight drop off in SQ with the new versions as they would still need much longer burn-in.

However.......... improvements were immediately obvious;
First was the bass – clearer and better defined.
Then the vocals – same as above and therefore also more real.
Of course, by now I was hearing this to be true for all instruments and backing vocals.
It now seemed that every aspect of the track(s), vocals and instruments, were now enjoying so much more of their own space in the soundstage. For example, hearing backing vocalists further back in the soundstage and much clearer is simply fantastic.

One song nearly had me in tears such was the emotion in the female vocalist voice and that she sounded like she was in my living room !

Brilliant result, yet they are nowhere near run in and there are three more to be added to the power amps !!!!

Congratulations to you and your team, you have done it again.
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Firewall Module

Date Added: 05/02/2019 by GERARD FRANCE
In September 2018 I upgraded 10 Firewall 1X units to 10 Firewall 64X (1 of which was placed on the power inlet to the entire system). Results were excellent. Then later I experimented with a new configuration: placing two Firewall 64X units on each power inlet for prepreamp and 2 mono amps. Results were substantially better. A really new summit of sound quality. Then I tried the same idea with two FW64X on CD transport and on the DAC. Result: the same performance that I previously got only from analog sources. But it is very interesting that the sound is now not only better but also different. For the first time in my long life of listening to music I now feel with this setup as much pleasure when I listen to CD as I do listening to analog on vinyl.
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Firewall Module

Date Added: 04/15/2019 by Michael Sadighpour
The USB Firewall key outperformed the Audioquest Jitterbug, ifi audio's i-defender and i-silencer. Just one of these transformed my car audio to a new level. Using it with an iphone with Audioquest Carbon usb wire and listening to Tidal and lossless files reveals never before heard nuances of music. worth it!
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Firewall Module

Date Added: 12/14/2018 by Colin Gray
Over the many years (40+) I have been improving my system, it has been said to me many times, by people in the industry, that you can have all the ‘boutique’ components you can inside your equipment, but unless the power supplies are the best possible, these components are a waste of money.
Some years ago, I added 4 of the original DIY Firewall modules into my system and the point made above was proved yet again to be true. On news of the latest generation 64X version, I placed an order for 4 units. Not to replace the originals which are still in my system, but to be additional to those.
I read all the positive reviews of those who had their units before me and this only added to the frustration of waiting.
However, it was worth the wait! Yes, they do need significant time to burn-in, but these new units are simply superb. I won’t repeat what others have said, simply take it as true and in no way exaggerated.
Last year I upgraded my amps to Gato PWR-222s and this brought about a tremendous improvement in SQ. However, now feeding the AC power to the amps through the Firewall F64X has brought about a bigger improvement in SQ than the amps on their own did.
I have absolutely no doubt that any system, no matter how expensive, will sound better if the power is fed through a Firewall 64X.
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LessLoss History From the Very Beginnings

LessLoss started its business on Audiogon in late 2007. Within the first couple of month, word about LessLoss spread like wildfire among Audiogon members. Here is the feedback received from our clients during our first year of operation. This is from even before we had our own website.

Louis is one of the best in the business, truly professional and very fast production and delivery. I am very satisfied by your superb service. Many thanks.

Positive by Buyer Sebastian (135) on 07-29-2008

Excellent transaction with Lessloss on dynamic filtering power cord. Good communications & fast shipping. A+++++

Positive by Buyer Sennett (45) on 07-03-08

Bought 3 pc's from Liudas in Jan/08. Outstanding product as advertised. Performance is everything and more than I expected. Kudos to Lessloss cable for a great product. Very highly recommended...A+++

Positive by Buyer Phillykid (33) on 06-19-08

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