Synergistic Research

mdkim

mdkim

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Apr 5, 2013
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Manhattan Beach, CA
Currently demo'ing a full set of Synergistic's cables with their Powercell. After roughly 20 hrs. imaging is more focused and there are better spatial cues coming from my speakers. The sound is ever so slightly "softer." Not rolled, just a touch softer across the entire range. I'm trying to decide if I like this more. Bass has improved spatially and has more weight. I have noticed a slight narrowing of my soundstage, however. The tiny blue LEDs on each and every cable are pretty if you're into that thing as well :baby: I'm going to let them settle for a week before I start swapping cables back and forth but I wanted to post my initial thoughts. Anyone else have experience with Synergistic Research?
 
thnx for your initial impressions- I also am considering powercell 6se vs Audience adept 6. Active vs passive. Surge protection or no surge protection. I struggle as to the coloration SR may bring is pleasing or not after the initial wow of how different a system can sound with them. Let us know how they sound after a week or 2
Nick
 
So I've lived with a complete Synergistic Research "loom" for a few weeks and I have decided that it is hands down better than my prior cabling. It has given me such pinpoint focus of all images that I'm still in awe. There is more detail with a touch of smoothing and the noise floor - not that I had anything readily discernible - is deathly quiet. Depth, separation, AND accurate imaging to the inch!

My demo started with the Powercell and power cords for the first few days. Then we gradually added speaker cables and interconnects. Let me say, whatever Ted @ SR is doing, it's working. I couldn't be happier.

I cannot recommend an audition strongly enough. And if you are lucky enough to get one with a complete complement, give it a few days to really gel together. That is when the magic starts to happen. I could not overstate what it's done for my system even if I tried. Other than my Xs amps, NOTHING has made such a clear and convincing difference in my system. Enough said.
 
mdkim said:
So I've lived with a complete Synergistic Research "loom" for a few weeks and I have decided that it is hands down better than my prior cabling. It has given me such pinpoint focus of all images that I'm still in awe. There is more detail with a touch of smoothing and the noise floor - not that I had anything readily discernible - is deathly quiet. Depth, separation, AND accurate imaging to the inch!

My demo started with the Powercell and power cords for the first few days. Then we gradually added speaker cables and interconnects. Let me say, whatever Ted @ SR is doing, it's working. I couldn't be happier.

I cannot recommend an audition strongly enough. And if you are lucky enough to get one with a complete complement, give it a few days to really gel together. That is when the magic starts to happen. I could not overstate what it's done for my system even if I tried. Other than my Xs amps, NOTHING has made such a clear and convincing difference in my system. Enough said.
Click to expand...

Mike, I've always liked their stuff. What line/models did you go with for sp and IC's?
 
Mike:

All Element CTS series; right before the Galileo where prices shoot into space. Like you and so many others I've spoken with, I always had a disdain for any amount of silver in my cables. But, I realize that it's not so much the metal as how it's implemented...at least to my ears. Of course, YMMV.

The greatest part is I got to listen to the cabling with Magico, Raidho and, of course, my Dyns! So there are at least three manufacturers I hope to look to in the future without concern over synergy.
 
Michael, did you try the different tuning bullets out? I use pretty basic cables but where a lot of people see boxes and things like these "bullets" as absurd, I think it's fascinating. As much technology and thought goes into some of these cables as other pieces of gear. Many of these cable manufacturers have been in business for a number of years so there has got to be more to it than just "snake oil." I was hoping to get the scoop on these bullets from a consumer and not a review.
 
mdkim said:
Mike:

All Element CTS series; right before the Galileo where prices shoot into space. Like you and so many others I've spoken with, I always had a disdain for any amount of silver in my cables. But, I realize that it's not so much the metal as how it's implemented...at least to my ears. Of course, YMMV.

The greatest part is I got to listen to the cabling with Magico, Raidho and, of course, my Dyns! So there are at least three manufacturers I hope to look to in the future without concern over synergy.
Click to expand...

That's great to hear. I always like to find the sweet spot in a cable line. Spending 10 times to get that last .1% is not worth it IMO. I'm going to check them out a little closer at RMAF.
 
Doug:

As absurd as they look, the bullets do make a difference. I'm still running the demo units until my set arrives so I haven't entered full experiment mode but the silver bullets add a touch more air and extension. Too many and it adds a bit too much reverb/Hall effect for my tastes. Currently I'm running mostly grey (balanced) with I believe four silver bullets (in the power conditioner, digital cable, and speaker cables). I have not toyed with the black bullets yet.

The surprise for me was the effectiveness of the Tranquility Bases. They're easy to switch on and off so you can play with them to hear the difference. A touch of smoothing, better resolution and less noise.

I'm not sold on the Chinese tea cups they place everywhere but who knows since I thought the bullets were just a pretty blue light to try and justify pricing.

A one week demo should make anyone a believer. For me, the things sold themselves. If they were cheaper I wouldn't have even given them a second thought.
 
Mike:

Have Ted, or whoever else is showing them, switch the bases and active shielding on/off. A real eye opener for me.

Scott Walker, my local SR dealer, is bringing Ted Denny over to listen to my system in a few weeks for some personal tweaking with the bullets. I'm pretty excited :woot:.
 
I have a little experience, but with older Synergistic cables. I can say they were a big improvement over Kimber 8TC & PBJs as well as Tara Labs Prism speaker cables and several Tara ICs.

I am running with Kaleidoscope II ICs, and Signature 2 speaker cables.
 
I made the mistake of asking for an audition of Synergistic Research's Galileo LE cables a few weeks ago. These are not the best pics but here they are in all their glory:

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In a nutshell, they are what the Synergistic Research "house" sound is (at least the Element CTS), but with more of it. The music flows incredibly effortlessly with a smooth and liquid presentation. Detail, while not the most revealing, is very good. The strength, however, of the SR cables is how well they pinpoint image everything/everyone and separate all of it on stage. Even at louder volumes there is no smearing. There is a sense of everything being less dynamic because of how smooth it sounds. That is until you put on a track you know well and realize that it's just the ease of the music's flow. I'm struggling with how I'm going to justify buying these things but I've found it difficult to go back to my CTS cables after swapping them in tonight.

I highly recommend an audition of SR if possible. They don't get as much press and their pseudo-science is difficult to grasp but, in my system, they sound ridiculous!
 
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