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My Snubway and Main Stream Master Class Combo Review

I must admit I am a sucker for tweaks.

I have owned and tried so many. I have always admired those who think outside the “box”. Some of these items were great, some maybe? And then some were just a “swing and a miss”.

I have communicated with Mark through the years and have used several of his products. So, I ventured into the Vera-fi Audio filters that many of you have expressed that you have liked. That is specifically; the Snubway and the Main Stream filters. I’m not sure if that is the appropriate category but I think that is what they do.

When I first received them, I tried them on my Audio dedicated AC line. First listen, the music sounded louder and more in my face. I was concerned that perhaps they were too much for my already “clean” audio system.

I then moved them to my dedicated Video AC line. On this line, I have an AudioQuest 1200 conditioner, an 85” Samsung TV/LED, Oppo 205, Satellite Dish, Apple TV and a 7 channel Outlaw amp. And I also had a Puron filter. When I first viewed this Video system with the filter combo now in use, boy, was I impressed! I watched a few pre-season NFL live games and the image was fantastic! So clean, immersive, with deep contrast, and deep colors. I knew these units would be a permanent part of this system.

So today, again, I tried that combo on my Audio Dedicated line. On this line is my AudioQuest 7000, Lumin X1, and 2 Michi 8 power amps. But now this time I did not get the image overload, perhaps these take some time to burn/break in. I will let these units percolate for a few days before I pass additional comments. But… I did order another set of them.

ozzy

128x128ozzy
verafiaudio
739 posts
 

Ah Luigi

Thank you so much 

Pleased to meet you here

My best wishes - Mark

 

ozzy's avatar
ozzy OP
7,461 posts
 

Another Update:

I have 3 dedicated lines.

1. I line for my Audio System with Snubway/Main Stream filter

2. 1 line for my (4) JL Audio F-113 Subwoofers. Set to 45hz.

3. 1 line for my Home Theater Video system with Snubway/Main Stream filter.

I just tried the Snubway/Main Stream Filter set from my Video system on the Sub line, and they are not going anywhere. It seems when the bass is right everything else just locks in. Center image really locked in, hard to believe that the bass with these filters could affect the image specificality. And, with really deep tuneful bass.

So, I ordered one more set to re-insert into my Video system. Each dedicated line will then have a Snubway/Main Stream filters.

ozzy

gladmo's avatar
gladmo
364 posts
 

I’ll do a report: I bought the Main Stream + Snubway combo from Mark and have had it in the system for 6 days now. I liked MS right away when plugged into the first outlet of my main power conditioner, but SW was a degradation of quality during the first day. Sounded harsh and less nuanced. So, I plugged the SW in an outlet in another room and left it there for three days. I’ve now had both the MS and SW plugged into the first outlet of my main conditioner using a splitter/adapter for another three days and the system is singing with higher resolution. Sounds awesome, no more issues with the Snubway unit, no additional tweaking was necessary for me to have the freq response that I want. I don’t even want to try positioning them somewhere else in the power chain. That initial issue with the Snubway degrading my sound was, and still is, confusing to me, but it’s totally absent now. 🙏

ozzy's avatar
ozzy OP
7,461 posts
 

gladmo,

Your experience sorta mirrors my first reaction as in my original review. I think... they take time to breakin or maybe the word is adjust?

ozzy

gladmo's avatar
gladmo
364 posts
 

Yeah, I don’t know. That’d why I said confused. Wasn’t the typical phases of cable and electronics burn-in that I’m so familiar with. At first with the Snubway, I was just thinking "Ummm, no". I even texted a friend that I would probably return it for another Main Stream unit. But then the wiser, more patient part of myself realized that I hadn’t given it any time to settle or whatever. Happy I gave it a chance. And they were both sounding pretty good after 4 days, but 5 or 6 days seems to be revealing the sweet spot with whatever had been occurring.

I also a have a handful of strategically placed Purons in my system, but I have modified them all to my satisfaction, so I decided to leave that info aside for the report. Altogether, the whole system is so complex, that I can only merely share my observations. I don’t have an explanation for the warm-up period...

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