My Snubway and Main Stream Master Class Combo Review

Ozzy yes sometimes Hit or miss.

jayctoy,

Do you have or have you tried the SDFB?

ozzy

@ozzy I was remiss and should have mentioned that I gave VeraFi another shot and bought the SDFB when it was on sale recently.  Attached it to my Mac amp and was pleased to hear "more" there: bigger, bolder.  Overwhelming, no, but better. 

I have been researching power conditioners as another area for improvement.  All my equipment is plugged into my Furman PC.  Some indicate a better conditioner is no conditioner at all, plugged directly into the wall.  I gave it a whirl today, and will say (perhaps giving credit where it isn't due, but that's OK), my amp and SDFB plugged directly sound better than before.  It makes me wonder whether the Furman is holding me back, or are there myriad other issues as yet undetermined?  That is a topic for another thread, but I doff my cap to VeraFi for the SDFB and its positive impact.  Better is always better.

trabur,

Which fuses did you get for the SDFB?

ozzy

traubr, Sorry I misspelled your moniker previously.

What fuses did you choose to use with your SDFB? I am using the graphene's.

ozzy

@ozzy 

Sorry, did not see your post until today.  I started slow with the SDFB and opted for the included super sluggo fuse, which offered a bit of warmth (always good this time of year).  I felt that if something was lacking, I could always upgrade to the better fuses.

As the SDFB settles (ingratiates itself?) into my system, I am at a total loss now to determine its impact, as I have been on a tear of late to assist the audio industry's economy.  There have been way too many substantive changes in my system in the last month to isolate the impact of just the SDFB.  Scientific or not, for the short period where it was the latest addition, it was a positive.  VeraFi can take that as a win.

Robert

How does removing SDFB change the sound?

@sgordon1 

To my consternation, I've found additions (tweaks) like the SDFB or upgraded power cords have resulted in subtle to almost imperceptible changes, to the point I questioned whether I could notice any difference at all.  That said, I took your question as a challenge and climbed into the tangle of cables behind my system.  Removing the SDFB caused the overall sound and system clarity to shrink just a bit.  Replacing it added it back.  Big change?  No.  Better?  Yes.  Worth the expense?  To me, yes, at the discounted price.  I've read where others perceive a noticeable difference so, ultimately and obviously, it's your call.  Hope that helps.

Ultimately, I connected two sets of Snubway/Mainstream power plugs to my Ansuz C3 Power Distributor.

Due to having only one available wall socket for the Ansuz, I did not test alternative outlets.

The result is that my system now sounds better than ever. As I previously noted several months ago, these power plugs are remarkably effective.

Thanks @verafiaudio

@traubr 

Taken with great gratitude - Thank you... Hope you might consider Graphene at a later date. Best we can do

@miracle1980 

Many thanks - well appreciated (love the photo too)

Best as always - Mark
 

@verafiaudio 

Mark, I appreciate your feedback and am willing to give Graphene a whirl.  Will contact you privately.

Robert

I’ve had a mainstream, two of them actually, for a while and was using them on my tv with great success and now have moved them to the audio rig and just received a snubway last week. While still playing around with placement I’ve noticed the snubway does not light up when plugged in like the puron and mainstream. Just wondering if this is how the snubway is compared to the others. 

Yes, correct the Snubway does not light up.

ozzy

Thanks ozzy. 

So, I have a question for all you Snubway- Main Stream users.

Are you using these devices at the wall outlet or at the power conditioner?

I just tried the combo into my AQ Niagara 1200 PC which powers my subs instead of directly into the wall (dedicated line). And I think... its sounds better. Perhaps because it is closer to the action?

I ask this question because my main system is plugged into a Niagara AQ 7000 (another dedicated line) and plugging into that unit will require some contorting and swearing on my part to try it.

So, what is the preference?

ozzy

Well, I was hoping for other users to reply to my question, but...

I went ahead and tried the Snubway/Main Stream combo directly into my Niagara 7000 in the same first outlets that my amps are plugged into instead of the at the wall outlet(s).

The result:

Much more of the open, deep soundstage, charming results of these units. I can only conclude that placement of these units does matter. And I now believe that the closer to the "action" contributes more.

ozzy

Hey ozzy, in my moving the subway/main stream around I did find it better suited at my psm156 next to my amp and dac. More clean and detailed in that location than anywhere else. I have a second set of snubway/main stream that if I put them around my router area ( which is the same electrical circuit as the psm156 ) things get a little darker sounding. I didn’t leave them there long enough to see if that would have changed because I really love what they do for my oled tv in another room. 

Thanks for your response. I guess placing them close to the equipment being filtered is the best. I am fortunate to have 3 dedicated lines.

Perhaps too many on one AC line is overkill. Try placing the combo with your router on a different AC line, it could enhance that line too.

ozzy