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BlackGround Power Base

Date Added: 03/07/2023 by Jens Thorsen, René, & Felix
"A BlackGround 24X experience"

I had Felix and René, a couple of LessLoss fans over for "lunch & listening" yesterday. They both brought their BlackGround 10X units and - not unimportantly - a stack of good beer :)


So, after a hearty lunch with a somewhat modest intake of beer to ensure that our golden ears' capabilities were intact, we sat down to listen to some music.

Just to set the scene BlackGround-wise, I will mention that my system already has 4X BlackGrounds built directly into my power distributor, where they are connected directly to the solid copper bars and the star ground. The whole system is grounded to a true earth connection on my mains.

Additionally, there is a Blackbody on top of each loudspeaker. Each Blackbody is grounded via a BlackGround connected to the same true earth. Since the BlackGrounds serving the Blackbodies are not connected to the power line in any way, I normally consider my system to be a BlackGround 4X system.

We started out listening to a number of music tracks of large variety to ensure everyone was familiar with the sound of the system at its current BlackGround level. Music was streamed via Qobuz and from the storage drive of my Innuos Zen mk 3 streamer. We actually went through quite a lot of different music before one of my guests (not mentioning names here ?) became very impatient and fidgety and wanted to have one of the BlackGround 10X units installed. We then went on to install one of the BlackGround 10X units, which had until then been stored in a lead-insulated case (it felt that way ?) at a safe distance from the system. The other BlackGround 10X was still in the hallway to minimise pre-influence!

The first 10X was connected to the empty socket on my double Furutech gold-on-copper power outlet. The power distributor is connected to the other socket of this outlet via an Entropic power cable.

Thus, the BlackGround level was raised from 4X to 14X!

We then went on to play some of the same tracks that we had listened to previously ......
...... or were they really the same tracks?

Well, of course they were - but they sounded differently! Not in the sense that the inherent sound of the individual track or the system in itself had changed, but all the "fine stuff", the stuff that promotes the sense of authentic/natural sound had improved - and not in a subtle manner!

Here I need to interject that the same thing happened when I first introduced BlackGrounds in my system. The difference from then and to introducing the 10X is in the magnitude of the improvement ?

I would say that the improvements the BlackGrounds bring about are mainly in the areas of reverb/decay and clarity, which has the effect that what I call "room description and ambience" becomes much more precise, augmenting the reality of the recordings where this has been captured really well - but even on recordings where this does not happen, the intentions of the people behind the mixing console became much clearer.

Also, the decay of sounds of instruments like the piano became much more natural, and the "leading edge overshoot" (for lack of a better word), e.g. when striking a piano key forcibly, was seriously minimised.

And then we went to BlackGround level 24X!!!

We inserted the second 10X unit into an empty outlet on my power distributor. While listening to Bill Evans 'Peace Piece' performed by Igor Levit, our "piano man" (Felix) exclaimed: "now the piano sounds real!".

Perhaps I should mention that this particular track has been on my radar since I heard it on the Danish Radio's classical channel a month or so back. First of all, I like the interpretation, the nerve in it somehow got to me. Secondly, after listening to it on my big system (I first heard it on my home office system), I realised that the recording was really good. As a result, I tend to use this track, among many other tracks, when assessing other systems - and when I make changes to my own system.

At the 24X level, we listened to a lot of other tracks - including some we had listened to previously - and the improvements, even compared to the 14X level, were obvious. Perhaps, and I am saying this because I am not entirely sure about this, the improvements from the 14X level to the 24X level were not of quite the same magnitude as the improvements from the 4X level to the 14X level - although they were definitely there.

But the improvements were the same, just building on the improvements of the previous level, and what we ended up with was a system that was so much more natural-sounding than before, which is somehow horrifying, because how are we ever going to be able to afford this BlackGround level? And even more horrifying - will an even higher BlackGround level be needed, bringing financial ruin to us all? ?

I am not going to delve into discussions about how much influence on/interaction with the BlackGround improvements the other LessLoss stuff I have gives (Entropic Power Cords (x3), Firewall 640X, Firewall 64X (x2), Hookup Wire Small (from amps to treble/midrange drives), Blackbody (x2) connected to BlackGround (x2) - but it's definitely there!

However, I do believe that the Blackground is the single most efficient item in the LessLoss arsenal for removing unwanted noise/artefact from our systems ...

If we take a few steps back and look at what happened here yesterday, it becomes very clear that even systems based on relatively modestly priced components (compared to what is otherwise called high-end and sold at prices 10x to 100x higher than what it cost to build my system) can be taken to a very high performance when all the crap that they get infested with from outside sources gets removed ...

... and then music happens!

Musical greetings

Jens

P.S. Felix and René - please feel free to add comments if I missed something or you disagree with my long rant ?

------------

Nothing to correct, we both agree to all the above. For us living daily with the wonders of the 10x Power Base the most interesting part of the session was, one, to combine the two 10x Bases with the four BlackGround units already present, and two, to hear them at large as life volume which is impossible for us living in apartment buildings.

  1. There was not the slightest notion of The Law of Diminishing Returns when going from "only" one 10x to adding the second. This is probably the only thing the two of us heard differently than Jens. The first few bass notes on the grand piano demonstrated a similar improvement in the ease with which the system played back the now even more life like size of the Steinway. Compare it to the ease of the giant Gulliver lifting some of people of Lilliput and you get an idea.

  2. Both of us have for the past month enjoyed the incredible ability given by each our own 10x Power Base to play dynamically satisfying, even explosive, at very low volume presenting all forms of music interestingly whether it be chamber music or Jimi Hendrix’ Voodoo Chile. To hear these qualities amplified to levels where ears would normally beg to lower volume now with no audible sign of distortion and still being able to hear subtle information in the far away background during the most incredible heft in the foreground was nothing short of divine. I think that pointing out our listening session lasted for a full nine hours without any fatigue says it all.


Honestly, you have no idea what your setup is capable of until you introduce some BlackGrounds. No matter what kind of music you love you’ll gain a friend for life with your own 10x BlackGround Power Base.

Hats off to LessLoss once more!

Felix and René
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BlackGround Power Base

Date Added: 02/23/2023 by Joshua J. Wright
Adding the Blackground 10x Power Base to the system has been one of the most interesting experiences yet. Upon considering the addition of the Blackground 10x, I was initially skeptical as usual that the sound could become any more transparent, phase coherent, involving, or any other superlative. Given that the system was already star grounded, and already incorporated an abundance of LessLoss Technologies, how much better could it get? That happens to be what I thought before each and every LossLoss addition in the past.
  1. Entropic Power Cables to all source components, and C-MARC PCs to both amplifiers.
  2. Firewall For Loudspeakers X 3 stereo pairs (6 pairs total), one for each speaker driver, and 1 ENTROPIC custom made discrete driver distribution junction box cable.
  3. BlackBody (3 units)
Each LessLoss component progressively elevating the sound to higher levels of enjoyment.

(See previous review) Date Added: 07/18/2021 by Joshua J. Wright


On initial installation there was a very disconcerting exaggeration of leading transient edges along with a wholesale sort of sonic suck-out that I had also initially experienced with the other LessLoss devices. (Each device which ultimately remained in the system).

Particularly interestingly was that the music encoded with MQA became peaky and a bit shrill, making those recordings difficult to listen to. Typically on my system music which is MQA encoded plays pleasantly with more clearly delineated transients which normally translates to more inner detail and musical information.

As time passed and days turned into weeks, ALL of these anomalies gradually dissipated. After week 5 the sound had once again morphed into a yet another unheard of level of musical involvement. For me the break in transition was longer than for any of the other LossLoss devices I have incorporated in the past.

Rather than use the usual list of audiophile superlatives to describe the changes, let me just say that since installing the BlackGround 10x Power Base I have experienced an irresistible desire to sit down and listen to more music, as well as more types of music. This increased attraction I can only attribute to the level of musical satisfaction and involvement that consistently sucks me into each performance. Being transported into the event in a way that connects me to the emotive aspect of the performance is the essence of what the BlackGround 10x has injected on a level previously not experienced. I can only measure this experience relative to the degree that the system previously affected me before the Background. It is true that certain aspects of the presentation have been modified from before, but in my estimation the changes are for the better since the music now saturates me with a joyous satisfaction that was not present to this degree in the past. I just can’t seem to find any limit to my desire to sit and listen, and then listen some more. While listening I am not finding myself concerned or distracted by the typical audiophile neurotic types of concerns; because I am too busy getting lost in the music. This to me is the ultimate litmus test of what defines a system that performs up to its best potential. Listening to tracks randomly served up by the Tidal/Roon algorithm is now like getting Christmas gifts, each with new sonic delights to be explored.

I would also add that the assessments offered by the professional reviews that have already been published mirror my experience in terms of the positive attributes afforded by the Background 10x Power Base. I can also say that in the context of my system I have not noticed any detrimental sonic effects.

Kudos to Louis and his team once again. I can’t wait to hear what’s next.


Updated Associated Equipment:

The entire system has evolved over the last 19 years. The only original components that still remain are the speakers and upgraded version of Audiopax Model 88s which were upgraded to MkII status in 2009. Every component listed below including the cabling, electrical conditioning, vibration control, and room treatments were all selected after careful auditioning and confirmation of their sonic synergy with the overall system. Consequently, each addition has advanced the sound in a desirable direction. Many components have come and gone to arrive at its current state.

Avantgarde: Trios with stereo Bass horns.

Audiopax: Model 88 MK II Monoblock Amplifiers.

Roon: Nucleus music server.

Lumin: U1 music streamer.

AQVOX: Blaze CAT 7 ethernet cable on all internet connections.

AQVOX: Ethernet Switch (between internet router and Lumin streamer).

AQVOX: USB Detoxer QL2 - USB Terminator Type A (Applied to empty USB ports on the back of Lumin, Router, and Oppo)

AQVOX: Detoxer Fuse - Audio Tuning Fuse (Applied to Berkeley DAC, and Lumin music streamer’s power supply)

AQVOX: LAN-Detoxer RJ45 Caps, LAN Caps, Network Decontamination (Applied to unused open LAN ports on router)

Netgear: Nighthawk 6-Stream AX5400 WiFi 6 Router (RAX50)

S-Booster: MKII Power Supply (Used to power Roon Nucleus)

Berkeley: Alpha DAC Reference II with MQA.

PS Audio: Signature BHK Preamp.

PS Audio: Stellar M1200 mono amplifiers.

PS Audio: Stellar Power Plant 3 (Used to isolate and power the fiberoptic internet converter, internet router, and the Roon server)

Video: Oppo UDP-205: Universal DISC player.

High Fidelity Cable: Ultimate Reference Double Helix Signature Power cord. (Used to discretely power the PS Audio: Stellar Power Plant 3, which powers fiber optic internet converter, Internet router, and Roon Server)

High Fidelity Cable: Ultimate Reference Double Helix Signature RCA and XLR Interconnects on line level analog and digital components.

High Fidelity Cable: Professional Series power distributor. (Used as a Component Power conditioner and star grounding block)

High Fidelity Cables MC-1 Pro Double Helix Plus Signature Power Conditioner (Used as a Wall socket line conditioner)

High Fidelity Cables MC-0.5 Power Conditioner X 3 (Used as a Wall socket line conditioners)

LessLoss: ENTROPIC C-MARC Reference Power Cables to all source components, C-MARC Reference PCs to amplifiers.

LessLoss: Custom made ENTROPIC junction box jumper speaker cable allowing for discrete connections to the bass, midrange, and tweeter, drivers on the Trios, as well as the basshorn subwoofer driver connections.

LessLoss: Firewall For Loudspeakers (6 pairs, one for each driver on the Trios)

LessLoss: Blackbodies (3 units)

LessLoss: BackGround 10x Power Base

Room treatments:

ACS: Two 20 inch diameter stereo Super tube traps in front corners.

Corner ceiling traps X 8.

Grand Prix: Monaco Equipment Stands with Apex footers and ceramic ball bearings.

Grand Prix: stand legs filled with ferrous steel shot. (Per recommendation by Louis Motek) Previously filled with lead shot

Grand Prix: Equipment stand shelves upgraded to custom made 3/4 inch ferrous green glass. (Per recommendation by Louis Motek) Previously acrylic

Herbie’s Audio Lab: equipment footers, shelf spacers, and tube dampers.
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Blackbody

Date Added: 02/09/2023 by David
My history with the black bodies goes all the way back about 2011 when I happen to acquire a few.

Being the compulsive tweeker that I am I'm thinking they might be of help in what seems like an eternal struggle to get to a place where you stop thinking about the "sound" of a system and start enjoying the "music". Over the years I took them in and out not really taking them as seriously as I should have while I changed equipment and speakers tried new cables and vigorously attacked the power supply noise issue with many tweeks. I can't begin to say how much money I spent.

So recently I pulled the four black bodies (version 1) out of moth balls and made one final attempt to get them set-up and pointed in the correct direction. I sat back in my chair and after a while, to my amazement ,it finally dawned on me after a familiar piece was playing, that something had happened that made me take notice that i was hearing improvements to the music that were making me very happy.

Increases in detail without making things brighter sounding. A cohesion of the sound as if musicians were playing together better. An increase in musicality and a broad sense of greater harmonic structure flowing to the surface that had seemed to have been buried beneath layers of noise.Most importantly was a dramatic decrease in tension that always seemed to follow me no mater the source material. A sense of deep relaxation came over the presentation.. what a relief!

This whole episode led me to recently purchase two more of the new version two and they have only added to my greater pleasure. I'm so enthused about them I have made a commitment to completely re-cable my system with LessLoss products. (I'll have more to say about that in the future)

I always say.. "proof is in the ear of the beholder" and to my ears i have the proof that there is something going on in town..in building ...in the office of a company in Lithuania that's changed my perspective for the possibilities of achieving greater enjoyment of music. After all music is man's greatest attempt to reach out and experience the eternal love that surrounds and binds us together and in my opinion we seem to be closer than ever to that elusive goal thanks to the efforts of LessLoss.
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Power Distributor; Firewall Module; C-MARC XLR balanced signal cable, stereo pair; C-MARC Prime Power Cable

Date Added: 01/23/2023 by Greg Bauch
I am listening to some nice jazz this morning and can hear the musicality that has emerged through the use of your power distributor, power cables, interconnect and firewall for speakers. I always knew something was missing, but was not sure what that was. Congratulations on your fine work.
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C-MARC Classic Power Cable

Date Added: 01/18/2023 by Luc Richard, Québec, Canada
I continue to discover the great qualities of the C-MARC Classic. 

As many reviewers and passionate audiophiles like myself, I do have dozens and dozens of songs that I use to analyze different behaviours while testing a device, cable, or anything else.

And tonight it was with Michel Camilo, using the song Suite Sandrine Part III, from the amazing album One More Once, recorded in 1994.

I use this specific track to analyze as per if a device will bring the outcome to be more, or less 'confused'! What I mean, there is so much different information on this song, from complex and virtuoso piano playing, to the amazing and highly complex drum and bass from Cliff Almond and Anthony Jackson, adding to this mix a huge and complex Brass section, and zillions of percussions!! All of this produces tremendous melodies and solos, with tricky rhythms and powerful punches! 

During the Piano solo, and also at the Percussion solo over an amazing and powerful Montuno, there are many activities with the percussion, and this is where the 'confusion' may appear!
 
With the LessLoss Classic AC cable on my Esoteric X-01 D2 CD player, you can hear every single percussion in these moments, but on top of that, they get separated from each other in such a way that you can not only distinguish every single attack, but it generates a better rhythmic flow, while bringing more space and air between each other. You also get a better sense of space as per where each musician, and their own percs, figure within the scene. You also feel every nuance in their lighter to heavier attacks. And all of this, while keeping an organic experience, without falling on the over-analytical result, which is quite impressive.

And trust me, I have been using this song on all my tests for more than 20 years!

I really look forward to adding the 640X in the line.

From what I have read, I should prepare for an audio therapy!! :-)
Kudos to you and the entire LessLoss Team!
And thank you once more for your amazing support and collaboration.
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Echo's End

Date Added: 01/04/2023 
Being a truly analog guy, I have always struggled with my digital front-end unit. I have owned my fare share of streamers, servers, DACS. I was getting to the point that I was going to sell my Moon by Simaudio 680D and 280D and just spin records. Not that the Simaudio products were bad they were just, well, too digital still ... and really my favorite DAC was a Border Patrol DAC I had years ago. Maybe it’s all these “Chip’s” in these modern DAC’s and the quality of the components surrounding these chips?

So, I decided to take a step backwards ?

Let’s get a separate server and streamer (Innuos … from Constantin at Atelier 13 Audio) and let’s go back to the future and go with an R2R Ladder DAC ... but who’s. Well I got on all the forums, read the trade rags, and got even more confused. I had done home demos of a some of the more popular DACs the reviewers rage about and still was looking for more.

I reached out to Constantin at Atelier 13 Audio in Nashville, TN. A man I truly trust and have done business within the past. He recommended that we give the LessLoss Echo’s End DAC a test along with the LessLoss 640X, and I agreed. I was going to be out of town for a couple of weeks, so Constantin burned in the DAC for 2 weeks while I was out on the road, and shipped it to me in time for my return.

Okay let’s get to the point. I got home, the box was sitting in my listening room, and I tore into it. The build quality is fantastic. Looking at this wooden box one would think it is a piece of furniture not stereo equipment, same for the 640X. I connected it all and let it play in background for a week before sitting down to give it a serious listen.

So, the evening came to sit down and put the Echo’s End through its paces. Blacker than black background was the first thing I noticed; dead ass silent. Dynamics are astounding, range, depth, detail, breadth, hell it was like listening to my analog front-end. As matter of fact it may even be better in some respects. No digital edginess or shrillness, even with poorly recorded music.

I can not say enough about these wonderfully crafted LessLoss products. I am a customer for life, and I will be buying all my gear from Constantine at Atelier 13 Audio.

The devil is in the details.

Jeffrey Strickling MSME
Dallas, TX
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BlackGround voltage-ground interface

Date Added: 12/31/2022 by Michael Ross, Southfield Michigan
Hi everyone. I'm a longtime user of LessLoss products. So this time, after buying 5 of the Blackbodies V.2, I decided at Louis's suggestion, to purchase 5 Blackgrounds to properly ground them. I had already heard some subtle improvements with the V.2s alone, but because of past success with other Lessloss products, I bought 5 Blackgrounds. After getting some directions from Louis, I then played my system ..... What an improvement! More "Living Presence", more oomph to the sounds, like it was being pushed out of the speakers more powerfully. Just more power to the music.
The scientific explanation for this can be found on the LessLoss website. I recommend reading it. I'm very happy and plan to buy more Blackgrounds in future!
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BlackGround voltage-ground interface

Date Added: 12/18/2022 by Jörg Lemann, Germany
Yesterday my first Blackground order has been delivered.

And of course I could not resist to prepare the setup connecting the Blackgrounds to the speaker terminals of my mono amps.

The first listening experience was very promising* ... and that with the smallest solution possible ?

Instantaneously the idea arose to divert 2 additional Blackground 10x Power Base for this use case. But then I remembered that you wrote somewhere that you plan to launch another product (similar to the 10x Power Base) for that.

Best regards,
Jörg

* I didn't use my standard "test" LPs (like Sound of Jazz from Analog Productions) but a few that I hadn't listened to for a longer time and it was a gorgeous sound experience.
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BlackGround voltage-ground interface

Date Added: 12/13/2022 by Poul Svensgaard
I received my 5 BlackGrounds today and hurried to build 4 of them into my homemade power distributor. It looks a lot more pretty with the lid on ? – but it works!
 
Immediate and huge improvement in detail, resolution, ambience and dynamics. Simply much more music! I have recently invested in many upgrades for my music system and none of them made this huge an improvement and those were all much more expensive. Very excited.

Just tonight it has developed much further compared to when I first wrote. Great product!

 
Best regards
Poul
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Firewall Module

Date Added: 12/07/2022 by Sincerely, Bob, Boston
Met close to all expectations for upper frequency changes in clarity and smoothness and still breaking in.
Reinforces loyalty to your products, several of which I have!
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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

Read feedback