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Corey, you need to use a loop to loop connection between your braided leader and your fly line, and its got to be connected right too for best control, no real knot, you put your leader loop over your fly line loop then run the tip end of the leader through the fly line loop. When you draw it up tight you will see a very smooth connection.
Ive not had any good results trying to couple a transition line between fly line and leaders. Also tell us more about the leader your trying and the tippet material as well. Fly size and type would help identify your problem as well. Once you get the combination down its really better than anything else Ive ever tried. I put two reels or at least an extra spool for the reel in my vest, ones a sinking line, the other floating, both made up ready to go with leaders and tippets, works well for me.
Richard

Hi Corey, Yes Im suggesting you try our handshake method of connection without the maxima transition piece. If your not comfortable with tying a small loop into both ends of your DT, then buy a couple of those woven fiberglass end loops, you slide them on, superglue etc, do an extended nail knot over the woven and glued loop extention then with your fingers us something like Plyobond to finish it off very smoothly. You can pick a half dozen of those loop extensions on ebay either for 30# or 50# ratings, use the lighter ones for 5wt and under.
I use Joni's tapered furrled sinking leaders alot, she adds Kelvar thread to the mix to help uniform sinking. Her floating furrled leaders are a blend of mono and florocarbon I think. In either case I try to scale my tippet to the fly line weight and leader length, Im thinking your tippet might be a tiny bit to short, on a leader the length of yours I would start at 2 3/4ft to 3ft and see what happens. Depending on the strength of your tippet material (mono has different charactoristics than does florocarbon or mono flororbon blends) I would gauge my tippet by the total package. I fish alot of 6wts, with alot of what I call medium sized flys (8-12) with short rods too. My average furrled leader is about the same as yours or a little longer (6ft for my 6wts), with such I pretty well stick to at least a 3ft tippet and if the fly is size 8-12, I use tippets of 2X, 3X and 4X I dont drop down in tippet size until I get out my smaller flys.
A wild guess is that most of your problem is related to that transitional piece of line and perhaps to fine a tippet with your larger flys. Also if your not trying some of the new florocarbon or mono florocarbon tippet material give it a try, it lays out much flater and straighter than pure mono tippets.
Richard