Grounding system experience report

Dear Subbase audio team,

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I would like to thank them again for their great support. Unfortunately, not every manufacturer/hi-fi retailer is as helpful as yours. I would like to take this opportunity to give you a brief summary of the tested products (MMGA plug, ground box and the various cables).

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My system consists of an exposure pre-amplifier combination and a phono amplifier from EAR, the entire system is connected to an Audioquest Niagara 300 power conditioner/filter, the power cables are completely from Wireworld. The Harbeth SHL5+ (40th Anniversary Edition) are used as speakers. Basically, the Groundbox invites you to experiment, as you can connect up to eight devices to it via a grounding cable. This is in turn connected to the MMGA plug so that the grounding is in contact. After I received the ground box, including two cables for two devices and the cable for the MMGA plug, for testing without obligation, I immediately set about assembling it. For this purpose, the cables also included copper screws so that the grounding cables can be connected directly to the devices. First I connected the power amplifier and listened in. I mean a subtle change was made (towards a somewhat quieter background and more details) but wasn't particularly impressed at first. But I remembered how Mr. Schlipper said in the preliminary interview that the things needed some time in and so I connected the phono preamp with the second cable to the ground box and went on vacation with the family for a week. I left the system on during that time. Returning from vacation, I almost forgot that the ground box was still attached to the system and sat down to listen to music. The saying may sound a bit corny, but I was suddenly sitting in front of another plant.

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It wasn't subtle at all anymore and the system showed details that I didn't know before. Paired with a raven black background that made the sounds come out of nowhere, amazing! Now I was hooked up and immediately called Mr. Schlipper to order another cable for my preliminary stage for testing. At the same time, I asked him to make me an extended Y-cable so that I could connect the MMGA plug without a ground box (i.e. connected directly to the system). As before, he built the cable for me almost overnight and two days later the package was already with me. Now I connected the ground box with all three devices and was excited to see what else would happen. But that was almost a bit too much of a “good thing” for me, because the system received another boost in detail, but this led to less musicality and was no longer quite as “in flow” as before. As a result of all the replugging and testing, it turned out that my power amplifier and my phono stage benefited the most from the cables. As a last test, I connected the MMGA plug to the Y-cable without ground box and that was the right match.

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Everything was on point now: The details, the “blackness” and the musicality were in perfect harmony, great. It's going to stay that way now. Thanks again for the nice loan of the Subbase products. I'm certainly a hifi freak and like to try out a variety of things. Many items were returned after the loan because they had no effect or led to effects that disrupted my investment. The effect of the grounding cables (and in my case in conjunction with the MMGA plug) only brought advantages for me. Thank you very much for this experience.

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Regards H.G. (Erfurt)