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Impact of Walker Audio Extreme SST

I am ,like many of my audiophile brethren, always looking for a way to improve my system. For several months, I have followed comments here and on audio asylum about the benefits of Walker audio sst and extreme sst contact enhancer. I must say that I was a skeptic, cryogeniclly treated silver particals suspended in some sort of vegtable oil for $150. Well being the fool I am and believing what my fellow audiophile had written, I decided to take the plunge with both feet. The product seems absurdly over priced but the results were well worth $150. The benefits were across the board. In particular the soundstage is better defined, individual instruments and vocals are better defined and more 3 dimensional, bass seems more there and taunt and the highs are more airy but not at all agressive. I was wondering if any members have recently experienced this product. By the way my system is composed of Theta Basic II transport, Camelot Uther IV DAC (direct to amp), Tara Labs Air 1 interconnects and speaker cables, Rogue M-150 amps and Audio Physic Virgo II speakers.
sgunther
agaffer
256 posts
 
First, let me say that I have a very high opinion of Mr. Walkers analog gear. Just wish I could afford his table and phono stage.
I bought a jar of his Extreme and put it on my IC's and speaker spades and heard no difference whatsoever. I lent the jar to a friend who also put it on his IC's and speaker cables. He also heard nothing. I would say that it probably stops any oxidation of the metals though.
hooper
396 posts
 
It made a HUGE, across-the-board difference in my and my buddy's systems. Just be careful about how far you go on the connectors. FWIW, I preferred it to the QuickSilver and SilClear.
len3d
2 posts
 
I may be exceptionally clumsy, but after doing the pins on my all-tube monobolocks with SST, following the instructions, never going above 1/2 the pins, with what I consider a tiny amount of product, I turned the amps on and both blew. Changing (blown) fuses didn't help. Repairs: $600+.
FWIW,while on the subject of Walker Audio, I found VIVID to muffle sound, with great diminishment of mids and highs. Did tests with VIVID and Auric Illuminator on duplicate CDs.No contest: VIVID worsened sound, Auric quite noteably improved it.
tpsonic
1,092 posts
 
I have issues with Lloyd Walkers' instructions for use of his SST/E-SST.First,I believe that any male connector should be viewed as a "finger" and the SST/E-SST should not be applied below the "nail" portion of said "finger",as the substance tends to migrate.Secondly,I believe a small paint brush or nail-poish applicator should be used>>Less is More.Some may not feel the applicators are at fault,but said applicators can over apply and then Boom=sizzle.
I throw the applicators away and provide said brush.And yes,I sell Lloyds' products.
joncourage
185 posts
 
I'm not sure I understand how putting something between 2 contacts could enhance the sound, other than by keeping the surface of the contacts clean over time.

Logically, I look at it this way: the best contact you can get between to surfaces is mating those surfaces directly - it seems to me that putting material in between them could only diminish the contact not add to it, since you can't improve the fundamental transmission qualities out from one and into the other.

I'm no electrical engineer though, so maybe I'm missing some fundamental concept.
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