My Snubway and Main Stream Master Class Combo Review

After having found additional receptacle space on my Zerosurge to plug in the Main Stream, I can state confidently that the Main Stream is the missing piece of the audio puzzle. The Snubway works great on its own, but both of them working in tandem have raised the listening experience to an entirely new level.

In particular, micro-detail now is off-the-charts as I am hearing things on very familiar recordings that apparently had been blocked due to "dirty" electrical lines. We all likely have heard about "blacker backgrounds," but I’ve experienced that with these products first-hand as I now have a prior point of reference.

I don’t think that folks realize the large degree of hash and other noise residing on their electrical lines, particularly where the line isn’t a dedicated one. We spend so much time and money on components, but don’t give much, if any, attention to power concerns. That may be due to ignorance or the ridiculous cost of many "audiophile" power conditioners, many of which have a deleterious effect on sound quality. These products are the antithesis of that general reality.

You know how you can have a great listening session one day and a not so great one the next? I think that inconsistency is due to what’s going on at any particular time with the amount of line noise. Nights are usually better because there’s less equipment operating. Well, that’s not the case with the Snubway and Main Stream. So far, my listening sessions have been consistently good and satisfying with both of them in the system.

To me, the Snubway and Main Stream, when combined, are the equivalent of a huge component upgrade at a very reasonable price. I really am floored by these little wonders, and am getting so much more from my system than I did before. It’s really quite astounding.

@rlb61

+1

Combo of Snubway and Mainstram gave significant upgrade.

It removed remaining hash and made soundstage wider and deeper.

Thomas

I’m currently running 3 pairs of Snubs & Main Streams. Using 3 of the 10 gauge 1ft 3 outlet extension cords mentioned in one of my previous posts above, there is 1 Snubway & 1 Main Stream on each cord. I plugged one combo into wall receptacle of dedicated circuit, one combo in top left receptacle of Equi=Core 1800MK3 & one combo in SR Powercell 8SE distributor that feeds A/V equipment. Very worthwhile improvement over the 4 Purons I’ve been running since they burst on the scene.

Recently received 2 sets of Heartsound Audio HoloStages. Initial impressions are frankly mind blowing! I’ve tried many tweaks & this one moves the needle more significantly more than some others that address the acoustics of the room. These are completely passive devices that are out of the signal path. 

My audio/ video system runs from a single 20-amp dedicated line using 10ga (30 amp rated) wire from panel to outlet.  I am in a rural area, my house is 225+ years young and the stone foundation has 6-inch hand-hewn posts at the base of the walls, making electrical work and modifications a nightmare.  Wall outlet is Cardas, plugged via Shunyata Alpha to a Furman IT-REF 15i power conditioner.  A Wisdom power distribution box adds more outlet capacity to the Furman.  Instead of a long ethernet cable from router to my system on the other side of the house, I use fiber optic cable with converters to minimize electrical noise to feed the streamer and home theatre.  My system grew from 5.1 to 7.2.4 home theatre, then I added a separate audio setup to it to stream music.  With all the gear, I have 15 devices plugged in, 17 interconnects and 13 speaker cables; a huge tangle of spaghetti behind the rack.

I’ve been upgrading everything on the audio side, driving myself crazy in the process to reach some level of audio contentment.  My room layout is far from ideal, but it is a shared space with the wife, her daytime office and my listening/ HT area at night, so it is what it is.  One of the upgrades/ tweaks I tried were various flavors of the Synergistic Research HFTs, which my wife calls “bugs,” placed as unobtrusively as possible around the room.  They were additive, not game-changers, but enough of a positive to keep them. 

Cognoscenti on this Forum consider power cords as a reliable upgrade path.  My foray with cords from quality manufacturers, albeit from the modest, not top end of their lines, has produced small yet not transformative improvements.  Even buying used, I have a hard time rationalizing a low to mid four figure investment to get to the next level.  (Yes, I am familiar with The Cable Co’s lending library as a resource).  I also tried Herbie’s footers to reduce vibrations (no discernible help but kept them just in case) and a Synergistics Research Tranquility Pod, but the results were marginal at best, and back it went.

Having read the positive reviews, I thought the Snubway would be a cost-effective means to improve SQ.  I hate to be a naysayer, but after 72+ hours of it being plugged into the unused outlet on the Cardas duplex receptacle, with my system/ room/ ears, I could hear no difference when plugging and unplugging the Snubway.  After a week, there was still no joy.  As you can see, I am all for tweaks and modifications.  Depending on the device, I can hear changes with a new streamer, DAC or better interconnect, but the Snubway didn’t do it for me.  I am very happy for the many satisfied users out there and do not for a moment question the positive impact on your systems.  It just didn’t work for me.  Oh well, my loss.

Btw, I tip my hat to Vera-Fi, as they were honorable and efficient with their 30-day no questions asked satisfaction guarantee.  Dealing with them was easy-peasy, to the point where I would give another of their products a shot when I have an audio itch that needs a good scratch.  Best in the new year to all,

Robert

traubr,

Very interesting and well written post. Sometimes these "tweaks" are a swing and a miss.

I have never tried just the Snubway, it was always in conjunction with the Main Stream device. I am not sure what the Snubway by itself is supposed to arrest. Perhaps with your clean power it accomplishes nothing.

I know you have already returned the Snubway, but perhaps in the future you can try the Snubway/Main Stream Tandem, it would be interesting to hear those results.

ozzy