Chuck A. (Marina Del Rey, CA)

Review on Dakiom Stabilizers.
First of all, Dakiom provides a very proactive customer service. When my order fell through because of shipping issues, Dakiom was behind me all the way until my shipment arrived. I laud their patience and commitment.

I ordered the Dakiom stabilizers with the special promotion on Audiogon. My first test system was with a

Harmon Kardon Avr 320 receiver,
AE Aegis 2 speakers with
Van den Hul the second i/c and
Goertz M-1 speaker cables.

The amplifier side stabilizers were quite a task to install, especially when you try to tread the binding post with such thin bare wire in the restrictive area in the deep recesses of my cupboard. Nevertheless, I managed to get it set up in ten minutes.

The sound that was to unfold next was really quite amazing for the price. Previously, i found my system lacking in true lower end extension. Dakiom certainly cleared up the lower registers, making everything less congested and hence more transparent. There was the right amount of clout, depth and timing. My friends whom i ushered in, at my revelation, shared more of the same sentiment. Within careful listening, i found better sound staging, the speakers seem to disappear a bit more. Voices seem to have a more analogue quality, sounding less cupped. Instruments are delineated into their own sound space. Albeit not as solidly as some. On really well recorded CD's, this system could reproduce music to a much higher level than it would suggest. Of course, proper positioning of speakers and sensible layout of cables also contribute to a better sound, but i say this system could rival that up to 2000 bucks and more.

I am truly glad with my purchase and i hope to keep it as i upgrade my current system. Then when the summer holidays come, i will bring it back home to test it on my Bowtech- CJ-Westlake system, my big rig. Thank you once again Dakiom! 
 

Jorge F. (Palo Alto, CA)

I would like to start my review stating that I am not a high-fidelity guru, but someone who enjoys good sounding music and movies.

For several years I have accumulated mid-fi / low-fi components and here is my current set up:
- AV Receiver – Integra 6.3
- CD – Dennon dc660 – old model with pitch control
- Onkyo turntable –(Do you know what that is?) (Joke)
- Sony dvp755v – DVD/ CD player
- Front speakers – Bose AM5 – first generation
- Rear speakers – AR215PS –
- Center Speaker – Vidsonic MG-84C

As you see the hodgepodge of equipment, I try to make the best of it. My room measures 18’x12’
speakers wired with 18 gauge monster cable.

Well, now that is out of the way, I proceeded to install the stabilizers to the Sony DVD/CD DVP755v and hooked them to front and rear speakers. First on the player, I put in Telarc “Los Angeles Guitar Quartet” LAGQ a high fidelity acoustic guitar recording and quickly noticed the little AR speakers that usually do not do much, bloom into a nice sounding backstage speaker sound. The Bose Am5 was more precise, neither boomy nor sharp ear piercing. Instead, a clean and accurate sound. As I listen longer, I notice the clarity of separation of both highs and lows on all speakers. Nice natural sound with very little ear fatigue.

Next, I played Kruder and Dorfmeister KD sessions. Electronic music that has very low bass and good highs. There were more noticeable effects I never heard before. The lows are low with no distortion, highs with no ear piercing effects. I approve this test.

The third test, I played the super audio sampler that came with the Sony dvd/cd 755v and played Herbie Hancock’s “Watermelon man”. This was disappointing and it may be the way I hooked up my system, very little output. The main melody was out like it was missing a track. I had to increase the volume level and it sounded very muffled not all instruments came through. Disappointing and will go back and research my setup later.

Ok, lets put a movie; Ronin was chosen as the subject. Wow big improvement! Since I placed the stabilizers on the front and back speakers, which I think is a good setup for music, I need to place one for the center. I noticed the difference right away. The surround sound was very clear and clean. The effect sound in the background kept me thinking there were people out side making noise, -very realistic.

One thing for sure, DakiOm has made my cheap rear speakers gain some meatJ and my system sound noticeably better. This DakiOm gadget is a must if you want to make your mass produced mid-fi / low-fi system sound like an expensive system. Good Job!
 

I started with 2 R103's. One connected to the pre-amp out and one to my DAC out to see if this made any noticeable difference. I have to admit that if anything, it was subtle and I wasn't sold. I then placed 2 A103's at the speaker outputs and sat back and waited for my amp to warm up before forming any further opinions. Now, the wizardry behind these 4 little electronic boxes began to bloom.

My first impression was that instruments and voices had a greater degree of separation. I also noticed an expanded sound stage wherin the speakers dissappeared to an even greater degree than I am used to. Instruments in the soundstage could be placed further back and to the sides by what perceptually seemed to be around 8-10 feet. The clarity and definition of all instruments in the soundfield increased noticeably, particularly the bass which was decidedly tighter and truer to a live performance.

Full well knowing the power of expectations on desired outcome, I asked my wife to come up and listen to the 1st track from Stings The Soul Cages. She typically could care less about the quest for accurate musical reproduction so I felt she'd be a good unbiased candidate for an opinion. She described what she heard as a feeling, not an intellectual comment as I was expecting. She felt the music "moving around and through her", something she was struck by. Her next comment was, "how much were they?" When I told her, she said "oh, that was worth it!"

When you couple this with Kim's 30 day in-home trial period and the low special pricing he is offering, it is a no-brainer. My system was already quite well put together IMHO but Kim's stabilizers ratchetted it up a notch or two. This without having spent the otherwise anticipated amount that this type of upgrade should have cost! Do I hear SACD/HDCD anyone?! 

My system components include:
Vandersteen 2C's(circa 1990)
Odyssey Stratos(120 Cap upgrade)
Audio Experience MKII Pre Line amp-tube hybrid (Best buy ever on audiogon) NJOE TJOEB 4000(Stock)
Soundstream DAC1
Hsu VTF-2 subwoofer Power
VAR line conditioner
Assorted high end interconnects and power cables
 

Dear Dakiom- it's been about 2 weeks since I installed your products into my system. You sent me 2 sets each of A103 and R103 "Audio Feedback Stabilizers" on a 30-day full refund trial basis. I first installed a R103 between my CD player and pre-amp. The soprano (Lott) singing Richard Strauss's Orchestral Songs vol.1 (Chandos 9054) seemed more musically expressive and purer of tone. Next, a R103 between pre- and power amps further "relaxed" the musical presentation- the upper strings glowed from within, eliminating the slightest glare I had been chasing for months. Finally, adding both A103's, I was amazed. My listening concert hall position has been relocated from way back underneath the low-slung first balcony to about 15th row, center section orchestra floor. These little boxes are now an integral part of my *system- Relaxation, Greater Detail AND more Natural (S)Pacing- thanks Dakiom!

*CD player: Jolida JD100 Pre-amp: Sound Valves VTP-101i Power amps: AMC 2100 (x2) Speakers: Dunlavy SC-III misc: Mapleshade, Rotel, Versalabs, MIT
 

First, let me give you a little background. I've been an audiophile for over 25 years. I've owned so much equipment its hard to remember it all. I currently use custom-made G3 speakers by Audio Concepts Inc, an Audio Experience Symphonies+ preamp with Bugle Boy tubes, a Philips SACD1000 player and a B&K ST-140 amp.

My system is in my office so I listen to it for at least 8 hours a day. Consequently, I know the sound of this system VERY well and know exactly when something has changed for either the good or the bad.

I was concerned the Dakiom Audio Feedback Stabilizers would somehow screw-up the sound I have worked hard at obtaining, but their website and their money back guarantee convinced me to give them a try. Much to my surprise the stabilizers made a very worthwhile improvement. They simply made things better. The soundstage is deeper and wider. The low end is tighter. The mids are more fleshed-out and the treble is clearer but with no added brightness. Since I listen all day long, I am very sensitive to bright and edgy treble. The Stabilizers made the treble clearer but with more "air" and depth.
Bottom Line: Excellent product and well worth the money!
 

Cathy R. (Tucson, AZ)

The Dakiom feedback stabilizers arrived nicely packaged with easy to follow instructions.

Having one R103 and one A103, I plugged in the R103 into the output of my Phillips CDR-950 CD player. Then I installed the A103 to my Linn Powertek power amplifier. I used the recommended 20 ft pair of Radio Shack 16 gauge speaker wire in place of my 8 foot pair of OFC 12 gauge. I then dimmed the lights and began playing. (the best of Buddy Guy). I didn't notice any thing different except the bass sounded clearer and tighter. It was getting late so I went to bed. Over the next few evenings I listened to my system with the Dakiom Feedback Stabilizers installed, then I disconnected them for two days, then re-installed them. I'm no stereo magazine reviewer but I think my system just sounds better! I definitely notice better bass! Thank you

Equipment:
Phillips CDR-950,
Preamp- Linn Pretek,
Linn Powertek power amp,
Linn Nexus speakers,
Radio Shack Interconnects.
 

James G. (Seatle, WA)

Hello, I received my DakiOm feed back stabilizers as I was trouble shooting a problem with one channel cutting out. I had an opertunity to try my Stereo stabilizer on two spspeakers and two CD players. 

I have 
an Arcam Delta 290 integrated amp,
a Parasound 1500 CD and 
owned a pair of Silverline Panatella's. I Now have pair of Ruark prelude 2 speakers.

After solving the "problem" (connection)now with AQ crystal wire and cinema berilium banana plugs, I tried the R 103 on the Parasound, it sounds slightly bright and potentially harsh, and I noticed that the "personality" of the player had softened and was slightly warmer. The voices, Casandra Wilson, betty carter, Sound slighty more breathy. My Panatella's were nice but not for my room, It lacked deep base and had slightly boomy mids. The mid bass heaviness was less apperent, and bass was Slightly lower and tighter. The sound stage was deeper as well. I Recently traded my Panatellas for the Ruarks. They are a much better fit in my room. So I added the A-103 after hearing my Ruark demos for a few days. The Ruarks are Honest and more ballanced tonealy. The A-103 rounded out the sound, made it less harsh, the Bass was extedned slightly. Some of Quieter passages felt slitghtly Veiled, then I tried it for some time with out the R-103, the sound is sligthly bright overall and that "Veiled" quality is gone, sound stage is not effected. Then I put the R-103 on the digital out of my Low-Fi DVD player. The Bass sounded tighter than ever, so much so I able to better time align my sub. the sound stage on DVD audio is much wider with a deeper floor. Clearly the cheeper players sound was improved on. I've paid twice this much money for cones with questionable improvement, the DaKiOm as a tweak, gave me much more bang for the buck. Thanks for the opertunity to review this product.
 

I read about these frequency stabilizers on audiogon's website. I decided to make the purchase and see if they would help my system out. I have invested alot of money over the years and figured a little more wouldnt hurt. My system is completely broken down into individual components. I use the cal labs delta transport which is then linked to a gw labs jitter and upsampler unit. From there the signal goes to the musical fidelity a3 24 bit upsampling dac. That is my complete digital front end. After the dac the analog signal goes to the b.a.t vk-20 preamplifier and then to my classe 101 amplifier. I am using nordost blue heaven speaker cables which are linked to 2 b&w cdn7 speakers. After installing the dakiom stabilizers, 1 at the amplifier output and the othe at the da converter output, i wasnt sure if i detected a change in the music coming from my system. So i decided to pull them out of the circuit and listen without them for a while and then put them back in. Sort of like ab testing. After i reinstalled the stabilizers it became evident of what change it had made for the music. The first thing i noticed was a stronger midrange band or frequency in the music, also it was obvious that the music was more transparent and had more air. It also seemed like the high frequencies were clearer and more extended. My system tends to be on the bright side and i could tell a noticeable difference with the stabilizers installed. With the b&w speakers, sometimes highs tend to be a little bright or grainy. The stabilizers made a noticeable improvement there which is something i have been trying to remove from my speakers for awhile . I have swapped so many speaker cables i lost count. Also the nordost cables tend to be a little forward so dakioms product had its work cut out. I can honestly say that these devices do make a difference and i do mean a real audible one. Now that they are in my system i will not remove them even if i decide to upgrade components in the future. I listen to all types of music and i can hear the upgrade in sound with all genres of music. I have no regrets with the purchase of these stabilizers and recommend them to anyone looking to improve the sound of there audio system. they do work and are more cost effective than alot of other upgrades out there such as cabling and even component upgrade.
 

The addition of the A103 to the front, center, and surround channels and R103 to the preouts made a dramatic difference in the overall surround sound. Specifically, the bass was much tighter and more defined and the overall sound was cleaner and more open. At first, I listened to music I was familiar with and noted that the vocals were very slightly deemphasized but very clear and open. The instruments including guitars, violins, keyboards, piano, and drums had detail that I had not previously heard. In fact, I noted on several CDs where notes were misplayed thus demonstrating the additional detail using feedback stabilizers.

I also listened to several DVDs that I previously believed had either been poorly recorded or had limited dynamic range. When using the feedback stabilizers the music came to life to the point were I listened to one complete DVD.

In summary, the improvements to the bass and musical clarity are quite noticeable and well worth the cost of the feedback stabilizers.

Review for R103 CD Stabilizer:

OK, I am a tweakaholic. Each time I hear someone talk about making my system much better for modest sum of money, my ears perk up. The Dakiom R103 is definitely a worthwhile tweak. I installed it on my MusicHall CD25 player a couple months ago and instantly heard the improvement. The low end of music was tighter and more realistic. Mids and highs were clearer. I liked it so much I forgot to take it off to compare/contrast and write my review (d'oh, and sorry Dakiom). I just got around to it today, and it will DEFINATELY be staying in place. I went back and forth several times and the difference was clearly noticeable...not one of those marginal differences where you are trying to talk yourself into believing it's a little better.

I also tried the A103 on my amplifier, an Odyssey Audio Dual Mono. This is a very good quality 180WPC solid state amp with LOTS of current reserves. My results for the A103 were not as clear cut. It may have been a marginal improvement, but I can't honestly say I was certain it was making an improvement.

In my particular setting with my ears, the R103 was an excellent value, the A103 was not. To be fair, I am going to try the A103 on a few other receivers I own and give it another chance.

Configuration:
Harman Kardon AVR7200 receiver,
MusicHall CD25 CD player (R103 test piece), 
Odyssey Audio Dual mono amp (A103 test piece),
Infinity Interlude 40 speakes (modified),
Signal Cable and AudioQuest speaker cables, interconnects, and power cords 
 

I used the R-103 DakiOm between my modified Shanling SCD T200 SACD player and a Musical Fidelity TriVista integrated amp. With either the Straightwire interconnects or my reference Bradley interconnects there was an improvement. In my system the change was small but worthwhile. A layer of veiling (noise?) was removed. Music was cleaner. I did not notice any difference in bass (but then my amp does a great job of puttin out and controling bass). Speaker cables used were Monster Cable M2.2, Synergistic Research 10X, and new reference homemade 6awg. Noticed the most difference with the Monster Cable. The DakiOn seemed to take some "life" from the Synergistics. When I get my second A103, I can let you know how DakiOn worked on the amp. Existing system: Shanling SCD-T200 (modified) SACD plyer Bradley Tech interconnects Musical Fidelity TriVista integrated amp Custom (homemade) 6awg speaker wire Linaeum Model 3 speakers (3-way, full range speaker)
 

I decided to give the Dakiom Feedback stabolizers a try after reading about the performance advantages when installed in an audio system. Having a basic system consisting of a Sansui 99002 Receiver , Nakamichi MB2 CD Player, and older Advent speakers, I connected both of the Feedback stabolizers as directed, first to the outputs of my CD player, then to the speaker terminals of my receiver. I then played Cloud nine by George Harrison. After listening to the entire disc I didn't hear much difference. Perhaps the bass was a little better. I then remembered that they have to break in. So I turned on the radio and left it on then went to work. That evening I listened to various CDs, and as I listened I definitely noticed an overall improvement in the sound. The sound was smoother and the music just seemed better sounding! Great product!
 

At best this must be considered a provisional or incomplete review since I do not have all the R103 Modules (2 out of 3) recommended for my particular system configuration (Source Player + Preamplifier + Power Amplifier). It is already clear, however, that increasing the number of modules (as per the recommendations provided on the Web site) can result in an enriched listening experience.

I don’t consider myself to be one of the "golden ear boys" (although I try to be an attentive listener) so most folks should hear the same level of difference that I do. My system can be considered to lie somewhere between entry level and "mid-fi". It consists primarily of the following:

CD Player: AMC CD9
Preamplifier: Musical Fidelity Elektra E20
Power Amplifier: AMC 2445a
Speakers: Vandersteen 2Ce (mounted on optional metal stand with spike feet)
Powerline Filter: Monster Cable HTS 1000
Removable AC Power Cords: PS Audio Lab Cable II (for preamplifier)
Audio Grade Wall Outlet: Furutech 15Amp FP-3G (gold plated duplex outlet)
AC Power Cord Filter: Highwire Powerwrap (for all non-detachable power cords)
RFI Shield for unused RCA Jacks: Cardas Caps

- All AC Plugs treated with Flitz Metal Cleaner to remove oxidation (not for use with gold plated contacts).
- All AC Plugs, interconnects, and speaker connections treated with CaigPro Gold and Mapleshade SilClear contact enhancers.
- All Cables and components treated with Nordost ECO3 antistatic spray.
(these tweaks will also do some nice things for your video signal!)

With this system configuration (and interference reduction techniques) in mind let’s proceed with the essence of the review.

For my audio system configuration, the recommended approach is to attach an A103 module across the Power Amplifier’s speaker terminals and a R103 module to each of the following:

1. The source player (such as a CD Player) output
2. The Preamplifier output
3. Tape 1 Record output

The modules are to be deployed in the above sequence (if the outputs exist).

At first I ordered one R103 and one A103. Attaching the A103 to the power amplifier’s binding posts (terminals for the speaker wire) resulted in a slight improvement. Adding the R103 again caused another jump in the clarity of the audio signal (best when placed at the CD Player output). Instruments and voices took on a more natural timbre. The edginess of voices and "hard struck" piano keys mellowed. I substituted a pair of plain 20-foot 16-gauge Radio Shack parallel speaker wire for the pair of "double 8-foot runs" of Audioquest Type 6 that I normally use (bi-wired). The Radio Shack cable sound wasn’t bad but (to my ears) it was grainy and lacking some resolution, soundstage depth, and bass "oomph".

I decided to purchase another set of the R103 and A103. I attached the new R103 module to the Preamplifier output. Again there was an increase in the clarity of instruments and voices. The bass really sounded tight and solid while strings possessed more "body" and resonance. Voices became more "breathy", silky, and "sensual" in character. Soundstage depth increased. And imaging became more stable. Over an extended period of listening, these characteristics become much more evident and you found yourself being drawn into the music rather that suffering from "listener’s fatigue".

With the two R103 modules in the system, the Radio Shack cables also sounded much closer to the warmth and depth of the Audioquest Type 6 cable. Gone was the graininess and lack of bass slam. However, the Audioquest still gave a smoother, more seductive presentation for voice and a clearer rendering of instruments (particularly strings). And it also did a better job of imaging.

As a further experiment I also swapped generic RCA cables for my regular interconnect cables:

  -Alpha-Core micro Purl silver connecting Preamplifier to Power Amplifier
  -Kimber Kable PBJ connecting the CD Player to the Preamplifier

There resulted a small degree of graininess and loss of some "air", definition and sweetness in the overall sound. Not unbearable but quite audible.

From the above results it is obvious that I achieved a more musically satisfying experience by using these modules in my audio system. And the results got better as I added more modules. Whether or not using these modules would actually result in achieving an equal or better sound with generic cables (rather than expensive cables) is still an unresolved issue for me. However, it is evident that you can get very listenable sound even with generic cables.

So for those music lovers who can afford $400 to $600 (roughly $100 per module), I highly recommend trying these modules in your system before laying down long green on expensive cables and/or component upgrades.
 

Brian T. (West Bend, WI)

After reading all what everyone had to say about these I decided I'd give them a shot, and got two of the R103 and two of the A103s. My amp's speaker binding posts are too far away from each other to use just one A103 and 

the R103's are placed after my Scott Nixon Tubedac and after my Philly Audio 7b preamp.

The rest of my system consists of
Sony DVP-S7700 transport (modified by me),
Odyssey Stratos Stereo Extreme amp,
Odyssey Lorelei speakers,
Groneberg TS Premium cables,
Stereovox HDXV digital cable.
Also in the mix are a couple Tritium Triphazers.

I listened for a little while prior to putting in the Dakiom goods. When I sat back down after putting them in the chain and listened to the same songs again, I noticed things but it was subtle. The major thing I noticed is that I really felt like turning it up louder now. Not because I needed to, but because I could. Things were cleaner, quieter, but more real and natural, I hate to say softer but it was softer, in a good way though. The detail was still there as was the placement and soundstaging but things seemed quieter in the background. Oddly, to me anyway, the desire to turn the volume up depended on the song. It seemed as though things that were recorded well really really benefit from these, while other songs that may have not been so lucky during the recording process - turning them up just emphasized their warts. To me, they seem to definitely add something good to the chain and the resulting product getting to my ears is more pleasing. That's a good thing, and for the relatively low cost, it makes much more of an improvement than other things in that price range, like any of a zillion isolation devices, or some cable swaps I've done. It's not on par with Isolation transformers or room treatments, but I'm not sending them back and would suggest you give them a listen to see what you think with your gear! Thanks!
 

John S. (Belleville, IL)

Hello, I have had the opportunity to use your products in my system for some time now. My current system is as follows: 

Shanling CD T100 cd player
Legacy Streamline Preamp
Legacy Powerbloc 5 Amplifier
Legacy Classic Speakers 

As I am biamping the Classics with the Powerbloc and ordered only one A103, I tried it on both the treble and bass. At first I most noticed the difference in the bass - more definition, more distinct tone. Later, after I switched it back onto the treble, I noticed that it smoothed the touch of sibilance that I found popping up on certain, generally well-recorded, cd's.

It was difficult to determine the effect of the R103's - I decided to leave them in and listen for awhile. Removing all the stabilizers led me to remove the R103's, while leaving the A103 on the treble side of the amplifier. I found very little difference in the sound of the cd player and preamp with and without the stabilizers, and seem to like the sound a bit more without. I would be interested in trying stabilizers on both the treble and bass, and may do so in the future. I am keeping the R103's to try in future equipment. Thank you.
 

Ross L. (Columbus, Ohio)

One day while browsing the Audiogon web page I happened across an advertisment for the Dakiom stabilizers. After reading the material at the Dakiom web site, my curiosity grew about the workings and effectivness of the model A103.

I went to my library to consult two of the audio amplifier design books that I own in order to refresh myself on output stage stabilization. Every solid state commercial amp has components on the output stage transistors to prevent oscillations when driving a capacitive load. Most solid state commercial amps have what is called a Zobel network and a large air-core inductor. Neither book recommended varying from the tried and true compromise of the standard Zobel. Douglas Self (1) mentioned that at times he has seen designs with the standard Zobel after the air-core inductor instead of before, but he didn't know why. Neither Self or G. Randy Slone (2) mentioned anything about the possibility of an ultrasonic AC termination network after the air-core inductor, and that is my understanding of what the Dakiom does according to the advertising material. I would welcome a response from Dakion if this assumption is not correct.

~~~ Technical section: An AC termination is a network at the end of a transmission line that absorbs standing waves. In this case, the transmission line is the speaker cables and the standing waves would result from an impedance discontinuity when a rapidly changing amplifier output waveform arrives at the crossover network in the speakers and some of the energy reflects back along the speaker cables. ~~~ 

Most manufacturers of solid state commercial amps will not design in components that they deem not necessary because that would make them more costly. Anyone who has studied amplifier design will tell you that theory is only useful up to a point when you must listen to the results. Since the Dakiom devices come with a free return policy, I decided to give them a listen.

My system is a Sony DVD player with the coax digital out connected to a Parasound 1600 HDCD DAC. The DAC is connected to a Parasound 2000 preamp with balanced XLR cables. I use the Parasound preamp in "direct" mode, which removes tone controls and extra circuitry. This makes the preamp nothing more than a fancy volume control. The direct mode out goes through balanced XLR cables to the Adcom 5800 power amp.

I do not have RCA cables in the signal path, so I ended up placing the R103 unit on the output of my Panasonic stereo TV. Actually, I am not interested in "tweaking" the sound of the DAC with the R103 unit because I do not think it needs it.

The Adcom drives Infinity Kappa 8.1 speakers through 20 foot long speaker cables. Each wire pair are 12 gauge "Monster" wire that is available at both the local "Best Buy" and "Circuit City" stores. They have gold plated "Monster" banana plugs attached to each end. I have Bi-wired each of the Infinity speakers. This means I have 2 seperate fat wire pairs to each speaker box, one pair each for the woofer and tweeter network terminals. I probebly wouldn't have done this except a friend sold his speakers and gave me an extra 40 feet of the same 12 gauge wire that I was already using. I listen to music in stereo and do not have a surround system. The "list price" of these components totals up somewhere near $9000 and all components are several years old.

I attached the Dakiom A103 units to the amp terminals that connect to the tweeter network wires. I ordered seperate A103 units for each channel and taped up the extra red wire per the instructions. The installation took just a few minutes. The Adcom has binding posts that allow a wire to be screwed in and a banana plug to be plugged in at the same time without interfering.

I did some normal listening to CDs and DVDs for a few days to break in the Dakiom units. I listened for any bad effects or instabilities. I didn't hear anything bad and the A103s did seem to enhance the soundstage somewhat. I believe a "tweak" should at least do no wrong to the sound. For example, tone controls add an extra haze to the sound, so I would rather switch them out and re-arrange the room and speakers so that the tone adjustments are not necessary. In fact, I spent more money on speaker stands than what these Dakiom units cost. The stands get the speakers at a height and position that gives excellent soundstage imaging.

After a few days I did the A-B tests where I played a song twice in a row, once with the A103s and once without. This was somewhat cumbersome because I turned off the amp each time while uninstalling and reinstalling the A103 units. This is not a good test like a double-blind A-B test, but it shall suffice.

The units do make a subtle difference in the sound. I will skip the flowery adjectives that you may see in the likes of Stereophile magazine. The A103 units do seem to make the sound more detailed. It did not jump out at me at first but takes a while to sink in. It in kind of like listening to a newly remastered CD of some old music that was not mastered well back in the 80s when it was released. At first it may not seem much different but after careful listening, you know it is better. However, I imagine that a lot of folks would be better off buying better speakers in the first place rather than spending money on tweaks.

References 
1- Audio Power Amplifier Design Handbook, Douglas Self, Second Edition 2000, ISBN 075064527X 
2- High Power Audio Amplifier Construction Manual, G. Randy Slone, 1999, ISBN 0071341196
 

Kheng T. (Hong Kong)

The Dakioms have been in my system for a little over a month now.

Overall, I find that using the Dakiom filters has a positive influence on the sound of my system. I hear more details, tighter and better defined bass and a more fluid midrange. However, the ic filters were probably not used to best effect as I encountered some interface problems with my tube pre-amp, tube DAC and balanced connections. The Dakiom filters may not work well with every component (tube equipment users take note!), so experimentation is essential. 

First Impressions 
After a couple of informative and pleasant emails, I ordered 2 amp filters and 2 ic filters from Kim to outfit my whole system. I received them promptly and installed all the filters at once (not a great idea but I was pressed for time). Immediately I was struck by how utterly smooth and sugar coated my system sounded. But I soon realized that I lost quite a bit of high frequency detail and output. The sound was rolled off to a fault. 

IC filters (R103) 
I discovered (and Kim agreed) that the ic filter was incompatible with my high impedance tube DAC. Taking the filter out restored the highs. The second filter on the output of my ARC pre-amp made a subtle difference but I had to use an rca/xlr adapter to accommodate my balanced cables. The improvement is quite subtle and I'm not convinced that it is better than using balanced connections throughout. At Kim's suggestion I tried using a filter in parallel on my tape output but I couldn't tell much difference. 

The ic filter did improve the sound of my Sony XA777ES SACD/CD player and LG cd-recorder but I still prefer the sound of my tube DAC sans filter. The sound is more vibrant and alive with the tube DAC although it is slightly grainier. I must add that my ARC pre-amp is quite merciless in revealing all shortcomings/flaws upstream. I guess this means that I will have to upgrade my source next. 

All in all, I feel that the ic filters confer only subtle benefits in my system. I gather from Kim that it's a hit and miss thing using the ic filters with tube gear. 

Amp filters (A103) 
I had to use 2 amp filters as the binding posts of my Jeff Rowland 8T amp are quite far apart. I installed them on the same binding posts as my speaker cables. Again I felt that the effect was quite subtle. This was not surprising to me as the Rowland amp has a huge power supply (640,000uF) and its own dedicated 20A line with a custom Chris Ven Haus Flavour 4 cord. How could these dinky filters help further? 

Well, one day I decided to hook the amp filters to the amp's 2nd pair of binding posts that were not used. Good golly! The sound became more open, with greater separation and better-defined bass. It was a subjective 10% improvement! One thing to note is that the amp filters are only rated to 165watts. I have a 250 wpc amp, so I may look into the new higher wattage filters. 

All in all, the Dakiom's are well worth checking out, especially at the current promotional prices. Even if the ic filters aren't performing optimally in my system, I'm still keeping them as they will come in useful if/when I no longer have tubes in my system. Recommended. 

System
-Tyler Linbrook Signature speakers w/bass modules 
-ARC Reference 2 MkII pre 
-Jeff Rowland Model 8T amp 
-Sony XA777ES 
-pencil tube DAC 
-Cables Audioquest Amazon/Anaconda/Kilimanjaro
 

Associated Equipment:
- EVS-modified Pioneer DV-45A universal player
- Red Rose Music Spirit integrated amplifier
- Red Rose Music Spirit LS-1 speakers
- Stan-Warren designed interconnects & speaker cables (cryo-treated multi-stranded copper)
- Triphazer inline RCA interconnects (level 25) [not used at same time as Dakiom R103]
- Bybee Inline Purifiers [not used at same time as Dakiom R103]
- Triphazer speaker boxes [not used at same time as Dakiom A103]

Music
- Eleanor McEvoy - Yola (SACD/CD hybrid)
- Alison Kraus & Union Station - Live (SACD/CD hybrid)
- Durutti Column - Vini Reilly (CD)
- Mary Fahl - The Other Side of Time (CD)
- Dead Can Dance - Toward The Within (CD)
- John Zorn - Tao (CD)
- Loreena McKennitt - the mask and mirror (CD)


Initial setup: I set up the Dakiom R103's in a bedroom system, and then in my main system. From the initial point of insertion, and even after several hours of burn-in time, the sound was much less then spectacular: recessed midrange, a softening of the sound overall to the point of lost air and "snap," and a flattening of the center of the image. However, signs of what good things they were capable of were also evident: a wider and deeper soundstage at the outer edges, and deeper & tighter bass.

I email'd Dakiom to ask about the issues I faced. After a bit of research, they got back to me with the thought that the modifications done to both of my players made them more susceptible to the slight capacitive load of the R103's. They recommended I put the R103's in another system without a modified player. I put this story in to make others aware that there may be incompatibilities (noted on the Dakiom web site, BTW).

So stage two: I put in a stock Pioneer DV-414 DVD player, and hook up the R103's to that. I also hook up the A103's to my integrated. Just in case, I let some obnoxious music play through it on repeat for a few hours.

How did it sound upon first ? Very nice indeed, much better than previously heard. As good as my modified player ? Well, no. But I'm comparing a digital playback system of less than $200 (and older technology, too) to a system costing almost $1400.

What I heard in my system was the same increased soundstage compared to the stock DV-414, the same increased bass quantity and quality, and the same smoothness. The midrange recess was still there a bit, but not as pronounced as with my other player; still, I found it a little too noticeable as I listened to many different pieces of music. The softness was also there a bit, but again not as bad. The whole soundstage gained a certain weight and fullness. In some ways, it almost sounded like reverb ! But it wasn't so artificial, and it definitely enhanced the musicality. The music overall was definitely more enjoyable than through the stock player.

When I took the Dakiom's out, the soundstage constricted, the bass lessened, and the sense of naturalness lessened a little. I did gain back the air and snap; this was very evident in acoustic stringed instruments, and somewhat on female vocals. Also, that recessed midrange came back forward, seeming to mix better with the other sounds/frequencies. Even with the slight midrange recess and softness, I liked the sound of the Dakiom's in better than out.

I have owned in the past, and still own now, some tweaks that might be considered competition to the Dakiom's. None of them I believe use the same technology as the Dakiom's, but they each clean or process the signal in some way. In this aspect, I have some perspective on the relative merits of each - in my system (!).

I have owned a Taddeo Digital Antidote II (DAII), both the active version and the small passive version. The effects of the passive DAII reminded me a bit of the effects of the Dakiom's: a smoother sound, with a better soundstage. Both slightly softened the upper treble region, causing a slight loss of air or sparkle. The passive DAII did not make the midrange as recessed. And the Dakiom definitely improved the bass more. The DAII passive sells for $99, so it is comparable in price if not technology.

Two other products I still have in house include Bybee inline RCA connectors, and Triphazer interconnects and speaker cable boxes. Again, both products use different technology than the Dakiom, but each is used to improve signals in the line and/or speaker level.

I first compared the R103's to the Bybee's. I tried several combinations: R103 & A103, R103 plain, Bybee plain, and Bybee with A103. Compared plain to the R103, the Bybee had more effect on the focus and clarity of the music. It also improved the bass slightly, but not as much as the R103. The R103 presented a wider soundstage, but was beaten in the areas of tonality: that recessed midrange still bugged me just a little bit.

With the A103 in the chain, I ended up preferring the Bybee's in combination with it. I got some of the strengths of each, and less of the problems I heard with the R103 alone or the R103 with the A103.

The Bybee's cost $350 for a pair of connectors (need 2 for stereo). Despite some of the things the R103 did better, I would recommend spending the extra money if you have it to get the Bybee's. They did less harm to the music, even though some things weren't enhanced as well as with the R103.

The next comparison was with the Triphazer interconnects. These are expensive models, retailing for perhaps over $800. So the fact that I preferred them to the Dakiom's didn't surprise me. They did almost everything that the Dakiom's did well, but did a lot more. The soundstage edges opened up like the Dakiom's, but the mid's weren't recessed or flat sounding at all. Focus and clarity are there in spades. One of the Dakiom's strengths, its bass capabilities, did show up the Triphazers, but everything else was in the Triphazers' favor.

The Triphazers also matched nicely with the A103, just as the Bybee did. But strangely enough, this combination seemed to cause more midrange recess than the Bybee/A103 combination (though everything else was great; all the benefits of Triphazers and the Dakiom's shone through).

I also have Triphazer speaker boxes; they connect between the amp and speaker, with binding posts for input and output. These units, also very expensive, were the overall champions of all the units; much like the interconnects, they beat out the Dakiom's in almost every area. Again, I'm comparing the <$100 Dakiom's to something 7-8 times as expensive, so it's not exactly apples to apples. The Triphazer speaker boxes mated very well with the Triphazer interconnects and Bybee's, and only marginally less well with the R103.

I think the bottom line is this: the Dakiom units, in my system, are proven to be a very good deal at retail $100 each. They do more good for musical enjoyment, but aren't perfect. I would definitely recommend them to someone who has a simpler, more mid-fi system, or even a high end one that tends to be a bit bright.

But if you can afford one of the more expensive tweaks, like the Bybees or the Triphazers, I'd recommend those over the Dakiom's. Of the two Dakiom units I tested, I think the A103 is the better deal; it seemed to do more good with less of the negatives I found with the R103 in my system. These units will find a permanent home in my video system (run stereo only). An unmodified Sony SACD/DVD/CD player into a Harmon-Kardan receiver both seemed to benefit from having the Dakiom's inserted, based on a brief listening.

Congratulations are definitely in order to Dakiom. They have something that does a heck of a lot of good for a heck of a little money. In my system, they were bettered by other products, but they all use different technology for different purposes, and each "better" unit was at least 3 times as expensive as the Dakiom. 

They offer a trial period, so it is a no-brainer to at least give them a spin. You might find a possible incompatibility like I did. But I would guess that most folks will like them enough to keep them for somewhere in their system(s).

DakiOm: It is unfortunate that there was some incompatibility between the R103 and the modded Pioneer DV-45A as we would expect good results with a stock DV-45A. Also unfortunate is that this system does not have a separate preamp or an integrated amp with pre-outs that the R103 could be attached to either. Despite not being an ideal system for the stabilizers, Mr. S. still heard many of the good qualities of the stabilizers (increased soundstage, increased bass quantity and quality)  that others have written about.
 

My original intent with this tweak was to clean up the sound on my main stereo system. That system consisted of a Wadia CD player connected to two tube mono blocks and legacy signature speakers with more money in cables than most people spend on their entire stereo system. In this
application, the Dakiom Feedback Stabilizer did not make a noticeable change*. Perhaps it was too much to expect for a less than $100 tweak to add much to a system that already cost over $20,000. So I moved down to my least expensive setup which was a Sony DVD/SACD/Stereo surround system attached to my TV. Although the Feedback Stabilizer did make a difference here, in this case I viewed the results as an improvement that was wasted on a low end media system geared more to the "wow" effect than good music. So my final and most successful attempt was to add both the Feedback Stabilizer products to my bedroom sound system. This system consists of a McIntosh 4300V receiver which is a quality product but with dated technology. Predictability, it responded with a very noticeable improvement in the depth and clarity of the sound. As is the case with many stereo tweaks, every system responds differently. I would recommend at least trying this tweak as in one of my systems it more than earned its acquisition costs. 

- The CD player is a Sony 333ES SACD changer that has been highly modified by Warren Gregoire.
- The speakers are Sonus Faber Concertino.
- The cables are Purenote pure silver biwire for the speakers and Purenote Epsilon for the RCA interconnect to the CD player.
- The stabilizer is connected between the preamp out and the amp in on the McIntosh 4300 receiver along with a RCA Y cable that also connects the system MMX subwoofer
- The Wadia is a model 861ix which has its own volume remote control

*Only the RCA stabilizer was used and the Amplifier output stabilizer was not used due to the separation of the mono blocks
 

Jwo C. (Hong Kong)

Hi Kim, Below is my review of the A103 filter.

I knew about Dakiom not from Audiogon but from my friend. He showed me an AB comparison with and without Dakiom filters on his Hi Fi system and I was very stun with what Dakiom can do to his system. I then borrowed his Dakiom R103 and A103 and put them on my system, however, I still prefer my existing XLR connections than the Dakiom RCA connections. However, the Dakiom has given me a very good impression and I was wondering how good would be my system if Dakiom release its XLR version for R103. Later I received good news from Dakiom and the XLR version has been released. I bought a set and tried them on my system. My system consists of Meridian 588 CDP, PS Audio PCA-2 and HCA2 amps and ATC A7 speakers. When I hooked up the set onto my system, there was a distortion on my left channel. I contacted Dakiom and Kim has been very helpful and confirmed that my Meridian 588 CDP is not compatible with X103 and I have to return the X103 and keep the A103. With the A103 in my system, I can hear the sound stage is wider and vocals is more separated from the music. The bass is better with no lost of details. I do not know what is inside the little box but it somehow makes the sound more analog and adds a little warm to the songs. My comment about the Dakiom filters:

a. Check carefully to see whether your system is compatible with them or not. My Meridian 588 CDP does not.
b. I still think you can get a lot better result with the combination X103+A103 or R103+A103 then single R103 or X103 or A103. If you want to get all the juice out you must try the combination.
c. If your system has XLR connection, try to get the X103+A103. I have tested in my system, I prefer my existing XLR connection than the R103+A103.
d. Finally I must praise Kim for his fast service and prompt respond. You are great.

 

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