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Published LessLoss Reviews Now Number Over 698
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Firewall Module
Firewall Module
The improvement in going from 5x to 64x is so obvious that I am ready to talk about them after only 100 hours.
The improvement in sound is so great that it creates a paradigm shift more than an upgrade. Dynamics are stupendous, both in quality and in quantity. Onset of notes is instant but without edge. Sustain and continuity of escalation and deescalation of volume within a note is quite like live music and the notes end very realistically. Tonality is vastly better across the frequency spectrum (bass tone- OMG Paul really could play that Bass!). Distortion is much lower as well.
Though finely recorded albums sound almost alive the transformation is most apparent on old favorites that are more problematic sounding. As a better vinyl playback system seems to place hiss and music on different temporal and spatial planes; the 64x does the same for ALL distortion on digital recordings. An example of the result is that I can hear the Beatles PLAY at the Hollywood Bowl and I FEEL like I am in front of a loud PA system in an open space. The notes of the Bass are clear and melodic yet separate from this is a wall of blurry and forceful bass from the PA system that washes over you just as I remember at outdoor concerts in the 80's and 90's.
I have never been a big fan of imaging. A funny statement but hear me out. Specificity of image placement always seemed to rest on a little spur of treble or upper midrange that sharply outlined sounds in a way I have never experienced live. With the 64x in place images are MORE specific than ever and utterly free of edge, outline or pointedness. Mid-bass centered instruments are as clearly placed as cymbals and have heft and body.
I have ordered a custom power distribution unit with 4 of the 64x units inside. I don't even know what to expect.
Firewall Module
Opened the package before my birthday … just to burn in on time :) … and will be celebrating now for many days to come, far beyond the 27th :)
So much more reality, the closest to musicians in my living room!
The soundstage widened and everything is placed more precisely with more space between.
Everything seems more fluid and easier to listen … again possible to play louder, without instant tinnitus alarm.
Dynamics are excellent, e.g. plucking strings and percussion. Less aggression, but more punch … contradiction?? … regardless, I heard it like that.
Bass is richer, deeper, more powerful and precise.
Improved textures and details I never heard before!
I could hardly stop to play more and more. Had to try on all my albums to see if it works on all, still wanted full length of each to enjoy … so very time consuming :)
Finally, when I put on the Holst Planets Uranus (Seiji Osawa, Boston Symphony, Decca 1979), I got goosebumps all over my body and watery eyes. It was so real and close … even though the recording has some ground noise.
All this was very amazing, after already having tweaked the hifi power with quite some efforts: new fuse box with exclusive phase and melting fuse for the hifi, with direct special cabling through the house, many parallel filters and other “informed obsidian voodoo” (Vortex Hifi).
Still hoping for the burn-in to melt the occasional high sibilant sounds, especially with female voices. With everything else so smooth, they stick out more. But depending on the recording, there might be none anyway.
Just had another impressive experience with good old Andreas Vollenweider, Caverna Magica … The stage is not only wide but it has a clearly defined end, which does not have to end at the walls of my living room!! And every one of the instruments sounds so much more natural !! Just love this !!
Funny, that this 3D effect seems to get stronger, if you leave your sweet spot for a minute and then return. My brain seems to adjust to the new standard quite fast and you have to show again, that it is so much more than ever before … :)
Very, very happy with your firewalls 64x !!!
Thanks again, Louis. A wonderful invention and very nicely packaged !!!
Best regards, all the best,
Joerg
PS: The delivery was impressively fast with 24 hours!!
Firewall Module
Having been a long-time fan of LessLoss’s superb products, I presently have their DFPC Signature and the C-MARQ power cables,C-MARQ interconnect, the original Echo’s End DAC, USB Firewall, and the 5X Firewalls in my modest system (Response Audio’s RA-801 tube amp and RA-100A tube CD player / and a highly-modded PrimaLuna Prologue Premium integrated amp), I have come to expect incremental sonic improvements with each addition or upgrade of their components. I am first and foremost a music lover and at this stage have been very happy with my system and enjoying my music. I should declare that I have no commercial interest or any ties with LessLoss.
I was therefore not prepared for the jaw-dropping sounds I heard after installing the new 64X Firewalls which had undergone only 15 hours of incomplete burn-in. I’m no professional audio reviewer and will therefore use my own simple descriptive terms.
I was simply astounded by the fluidity and ease of the flow of sound against a very black and silent background while the top-end sounded sweet and clear with no harshness and bass was superbly natural without any ‘boominess’. Everything sounded alive and dynamic yet natural with great depth, wider extension of both ends of the audio spectrum, spatial orientation and soundstage; female voices sounded exquisite and musical instruments sounded ‘live’ in good recordings. Close your eyes and you cannot place the speakers.
Some of the tracks I often use for testing include the following:
(1) Liszt’s “La Campanella” (Yundi Li – A Portrait) – you can hear the crystal glass-like ‘plinking’ sound of the top notes at the beginning of the track and distinguish practically every note played.
(2) Beethoven 5th Piano Concerto (Wilhelm Kempff –DG from the early 1960s) – Even such an early recording and my favourite version can come to life, especially the piano.
(3) Duet from Delibes’ “Lakme” (Lesley Garrett) – the clarity and spatial orientation of voices.
(4) The recently released remastered album “The New Sound of Maria Callas” – sounds more like a recent recording.
(5) Wagner’s “Ride of the Valkyries” (Die Walkyrie) (Solti’s original 1960s Decca version)
- Takes you on a ride with the Valkyries.
(6) Beethoven 5th Symphony (G. Solti – Decca 1988) – experience the uplifting power of the final movement
(7) Vivaldi’s Concertos for the Emperor (Harmonia Mundi). – the strings in this recording often sound harsh and brittle in most systems but now sounds sweet and ‘tamed’.
(8) Cecilia Bartoli – ‘The Vivaldi Album’- listen to her incredible vocal pyrotechnics
(9) Rostropovich playing the Bach Suites – relish the” bite” of the cello’s glorious sound
(10) Diana Krall – “Temptation” from ‘The Girl in the other room’. Listen to the clarity and metallic timbre of the cymbal and of course, the wonderful husky voice of Diana’s.
On track 9 (‘Narrow Daylight”) – you can hear what real electronic guitar “distortion” is all about.
(11) Frank Sinatra – Track-8 from “Nothing But The Best” album:
(12) From a collection of test tracks including the best from Chesky’s collection.
The 64X Firewalls have been returned to the AudioDharma Pro Cable Cooker for full burn-in. I can anticipate further improvements. IMHO, I honestly reckon the 64X Firewall would simply be the single most effective component when it comes to sonic enhancement for any decent audio system.
Of all the LessLoss products, the Firewall 64X is the one that has singly produced the greatest sonic improvement, at least to my system, bearing in mind I have all the other components already installed.
Firewall Module
Firewall Module
Note: I used the first FW1x and upgraded to the FW5x when they became available and now to the new FW64x.
I replaced 2 daisy chained FW5x that I had on a Torus Power which powers the whole system with one FW64x.
Wow, what a difference!!!
The FW64x unleashed the music, beside being more quiet, cleaner, smoother, flow easier, it is more real sounding and let the energy of the music flow with what seems to be with no restriction. You can hear better the start and stop of notes. The instruments and voices sounds much more like the real thing.
It is more dynamic with great PRaT which makes the music more fun to listen to.
It's like the FW5x held back the music. which obviously one can't tell until hearing the FW64x...
It extends both sides of the frequency range, making the bass goes deeper and fuller and the highs, well, higher, with lovely sparkle to them.
There is a better grip of the music and more presence.
And all of these with much more emotional involvement.
When adding a couple more, one on the music server and one the DAC, you get everything described above to a much higher degree, really put a smile on your face :-)
This upgrade is much more significant than the upgrade from the FW1x to FW5x, and you can immediately hear it.
I'm very happy with it !!!
Firewall Module
The power system has now played some 300 hours and the resulting sonic performance is striking. The noise floor is extremely low with a background that is pitch black. The perspective and depth is very clear and pronounced. Texture and microdetails at all frequencies are coming through with wonderful resolution. In short, music is being played with great emotional impact.
In my opinion, there is no other part of a HiFi system that can be improved as much, with the limited cost involved.
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