Synergistic PowerCells
REFERENCE AUDIO – WITHAM ESSEX
BOB’s Review Series - No 79 – Synergistic Research PowerCells and Active Ground Block
INTRODUCTION TO THE POWERCELL
This review started out as a look and listen to the new Synergistic Research Generation 2 PowerCell 8 SX which supersedes the 8SE, but as events unfolded the review grew to include the Generation 1 PowerCell 12 SX (now 4+ years in production), their updated Active Ground Block and the recently released new PowerCell 14. As it turned out I had less time with the PowerCell 8 SX than originally planned, and it was replaced with a longer listen to the PowerCell 12 SX which in turn led me to experiment with their grounding products in the form of the new Active Ground Block (AGB) and then the new PowerCell 14. Hopefully you will find my journey down the Synergistic Research path of interest and forgive me if this review wanders around a bit more than usual.
Synergistic Research are based in California in the USA where Ted Denney and his research team innovate, design, build and distribute their products worldwide. All this takes place in-house in their dedicated workshops. It’s probably fair to say at this stage of my review that they produce products that can often be described as controversial in their application of science and technology used in their conceptual design and production. Take for example their reasoning behind applying Schumann Frequency Resonance Generators in their PowerCells and in other products across their range, what does even this mean? I’ll return to this subject later.
Regardless of how much credence you give to Synergistic Research’s application of science and its relevance to audio reproduction those products I have tried at home do in my experience add to the enjoyment of listening to music, and that is after all what we are all seeking. Synergistic Research live to innovate, and they put innovation forward as their core driver when designing new products and this must be a good thing in our industry that still often utilises technology first developed half a century or more ago.
Those of us old enough to remember the wacky and somewhat controversial products produced by Peter Belt back in the 80’s will no doubt look closely at some of the Synergistic Research products and think, here we go again, but this time there is much more real science and application to their products that demand a higher level of respect from potential customers.
Products like their High Frequency Tuning (HFT) dots, their UEF record mat, the Black Box and those weird little dot things that stick to cables and devices probably don’t help when asking yourself just how serious and professional are Synergistic Research? The answer of course is that they are absolutely serious about all their products and whether you decide to accept them with a large pinch of salt or embrace them lock, stock and barrel is something I’m sure they are happy to live with. My personal experience of using their products is that they do all make a difference, and a positive one at that. Synergistic Research customers tend to buy more than just one of their products because they tend to work better when used in combination and this comes about by design. There is a reason they are called Synergistic Research.
So it was with an open mind that I decided to try out their new PowerCell 8 SX mains conditioner which now incorporates two of their 2nd generation SRX folded EM Cells, seven of which also now appear in their new PowerCell 14. Even their range topping Galileo SX doesn’t yet include these 2nd generation Cells and their 12SX PowerCell still uses five of the first-generation Cells. I had opened and used a brand new PowerCell 8 SX to great effect at the recent Ascot High End show and thought it would be good to try it at home in a system that I know very well. Unlike most other audio components installing any form or mains block or conditioner into an existing system takes more time and effort because of the need to rearrange the mains feed to all components, not something I was particularly looking forward to.
As the name suggests the PowerCell 8 SX has 8 UK outlets on the back and by sheer coincidence I have 8 pieces of equipment in my system, so it seemed like a non-brainer to connect them all up, but first I just connected my Statement streamer and Ideon Absolute Time to the 8 SX to get a feel for its performance. Synergistic Research do of course make bigger and theoretically better PowerCells (see footnotes below), but they all have more mains outputs and cost more. All their PowerCell units are high power non-current limiting line conditioners that use graphene treatment throughout that, according to Synergistic Research, allows high demand amplifiers to draw more current that they would if they were directly connected to a wall output. Sounds like magic but when listing there is clearly no loss of dynamics whatsoever and indeed my system did sound more dynamic with the PowerCell in circuit, so I guess they are right. Hopefully then it’s not all just smoke and mirrors. Do their products really work to enhance our listening experience? Let’s find out, but first what is a PowerCell and what does it do?
WHAT IS A POWERCELL AND WHAT DOES IT DO
The easy answer to what does a PowerCell do is that it provides a clean, filtered mains supply to 8, 12 or 14 items in your system (depending on which PowerCell you choose) and does so without limiting current to any of the outputs. Sounds simple but not all mains supply units available can do this without compromise to dynamics and although many of today’s products are a vast improvement over those made a few years back this dynamic compromise is something most manufacturers still find hard to overcome. The main reason behind this is that most mains conditioners include large transformers that, just by being there add distortion, limit dynamics and tend to buzz or vibrate. Synergistic Research products don’t contain these large transformers.
To answer to my question ‘what does it do’ is never going to be straight forward, this is Synergistic Research after all. The following is an abridged and edited version of the description of the PowerCell 8 SX available on their website at www.synergisticresearch.com where much more information can be found.
“The Synergistic Research PowerCell 8 SX reimagines power conditioning by incorporating every available technology from our portfolio into a compact, ultra-performance unit. Engineered from a clean slate, it brings together an array of advanced features with a chassis designed to control resonance and to perform as a non-current limiting line conditioner. The PowerCell 8 SX includes a reformulated Ultra Low-Frequency RF bias, and the same power supply technology found in the top of range Galileo SX PowerCell line conditioner, engineered to ensure the cleanest power delivery and the lowest possible noise floor for your audio system. The PowerCell 8 SX achieves one of the blackest backgrounds of any PowerCell to date, allowing the essence of your music to come through. A highlight of the PowerCell 8 SX is its comprehensive redesign of our patented electromagnetic (EM) cell, which, in turn, was taken directly from our work on the upcoming flagship 20-outlet SRX power conditioner, which will retail for over $50,000 when launched. The PowerCell 8 SX gets the first major EM Cell redesign in over a decade and this upgrade is complemented by significant improvements in the internal materials and assembly processes, setting the standard for efficiency and performance”. I thought it best to let them describe their product rather than trying to do so myself.
PowerCells are based around their interpretation and use of a Schumann Frequency Resonance Generator, yes it didn’t mean much to me either, so I looked it up. Schumann resonances are a set of spectrum peaks in the extremely low frequency portion of the Earth's electromagnetic field spectrum. Schumann resonances are global electromagnetic resonances, generated and excited by lightning discharges in the space formed by the Earth's surface and the ionosphere above. The Schumann Resonance is believed to have a positive effect on mood and emotions, promoting feelings of well-being. At any given moment, there are around 2,000 thunderstorms active on Earth, generating approximately 50 lightning bolts per second worldwide. The frequencies of these waves are approximately 7.83, 14.3, 20.8, 27.3 and 33.8Hz and are known as the Schumann Resonances and are often dubbed the Earth’s heartbeat. Synergistic Research generate the base 7.83Hz frequency in the PowerCells and other mains related products and this apparently smooths and conditions the mains source running through the cells. Any wiser? No, nor am really I but it sounds impressive. The 8 SX incorporates just two of their second generation SRX folded (rolled) Electro Magnetic (EM) Cells and one horizontal EM Cell, all of which are now biased and now have two user selectable bias options, in earlier products only the single flat Cell was biased. Some of their larger PowerCells have up to eleven of these EM Cells installed. The rolled EM Cells are inside the carbon fibre tubes you can see illuminated through the front panel. The 8 SX also has a grounding connection on its rear that can be connected to a Synergistic Research Active Ground Block or directly to a separate mains wall outlet and a button to select either of the two bias settings available to the user.
The EM Cells in the 8 SX have two user selectable ULF Bias Frequency settings said to influence the performance of the PowerCell when playing different types of music and are selectable via a push button on the rear panel which also changes the internal illumination colour. Synergistic Research say the Blue Frequency is voiced for acoustic instruments, vocals, and smaller-scale performances and the Red Frequency convincingly portrays large-scale performances and electronic music. The colour options used in the PowerCell 8 SX and in the new PowerCell 14 are not just for effect, they are there to illustrate which bias setting you have selected, although in the PowerCell 14 this is a little more complicated. The 14 has a button on the front that changes colour to show which of three available bias settings you have selected and a button on the back that changes the colour of the internal illumination that has no effect on the bias setting selected.
In older devices such as the PowerCell 12 SX the changing light show is purely for effect and has no sonic benefit as changes to the factory set bias settings are not available to the user.
THE SYSTEM
Initially, before taking the full plunge into rewiring my whole system I connected only the Innuos Statement NG and Ideon Absolute Time to the PowerCell 8 SX to get a feel of what it can do, and I was immediately impressed enough to warrant going the full hog and connecting all eight components as follows:
- Gryphon Essence Power Amp
- Gryphon Essence Pre-Amp
- Gryphon Ethos CD Player /DAC
- Innuos PheonixNet Ethernet Reclocker
- Innuos Statement NG Streamer
- Ideon Absolute Time USB reclocker
- Magnum Dynalab MD 106 Triode FM Tuner
- REL Carbon Special Subwoofer
The PowerCell 8 SX replaced my IsoTek V5 Titan and V5 Aquarius mains conditioners for the duration of this review.
PERFORMANCE OF THE 8 SX
By the time I got the 8 SX home it had about 25 or so hours use, but I’ve heard they can take up to 200 hours (around 8 days if left on 24/7) to come on full song. It was intended to stay in my system for a week or two to see how it changed over time, if at all, but as it turned out this didn’t happen, and it was needed back in the showroom after just two days. The only other Synergistic Research devices permanently in my home system or listening room is a pair of their XOT Carbon Crossover Transducers fitted to each of my speaker terminals. I have tried many of their other devices at home and have written a couple of other reviews about them, but none were present during this review.
The PowerCell 8 SX comes complete with their entry level 1.5m Foundation SX 10 power cable which on its own costs £599 and they suggest performance can be improved by using one of their better cables such as the Atmosphere SX Euphoria High Current at £3,895 but as the PowerCell 8 SX costs just £4,295 including the Foundation cable it seems a bit of overkill to use it with the Euphoria. However, I will try it when the opportunity arises.
The immediate impression once fully installed was one of greater background silence giving improvement to the clarity, openness and dynamic response of the system such that it warranted the time and effort involved in full system integration, and that’s how I continued to use it for this review. Two days in and the entire system was working fine and sounding better than before the 8 SX was installed, particularly in bass extension, dynamic control and a feeling that everything was a little more relaxed in a good way. With the 8 SX providing power to the whole system there was yet again an overall improvement boost that made listening to all genera of music a more enjoyable experience leading to longer and less fatiguing listening sessions. Dynamics are improved as Synergistic Research suggested they would be and those subtle yet so important fine details that we all seek are more defined, refined and noticeable. For me it’s always the fine timbre detailing of musical replay in the home that turns me on, gives life to music and moves me to carry on listening and that’s what I was hearing via the PowerCell 8 SX. Listen to Kanskje by Karl Bremnes (Tidal HD) and I was impressed by the tighter bass control and even more by its ability not to swamp the vocals on this track. The same goes to Come On, Come On by Mary-Chapin Carpenter where less resolving systems can lead to male and female vocal merging rather than resolving separately and the 8 SX helped in this regard.
Sometimes for no apparent reason my system just sounds much better than at other times, I’m sure you have experienced this for yourself. Perhaps it just my mood, what I’m listening to, mains purity or time of day I can’t really say but it does seem to be a factor of listening to music at home. With the 8 SX providing clean power I was experiencing those ‘just right’ moments much more frequently. But it was to get better still as my deep dive into Synergistic Research mains devices changed up a gear, see Footnotes below.
CONCLUSION
What exactly the Synergistic Research PowerCell 8 SX does on a technical level is beyond my understanding but that doesn’t mean I can’t hear the benefits. For this review it replaced my IsoTek devices and whilst both companies take a different approach to supplying clean mains to your equipment both offer a valid and worthwhile improvement over the use of a simple multi-outlet mains block. Is the PowerCell better than other mains conditioners? In my system I would have to say yes, although of course there are many I’ve not yet tried. How can that be? I honestly don’t know but the technology Synergistic Research are using, no matter how controversial you might think it is, does seem to tick all my audiophile boxes. All I can say is try it for yourself, it is seriously good. It takes up little real estate but benefits from its own equipment shelf and it looks cool, especially in red mode. Try it and you’ll buy it.
FOOTNOTE 1 – THE POWERCELL 12 SX
After installing the 8 SX to supply power to my whole system I had planned to keep it active for more than a week to fully burn it in for those 200 hours but after just two days it was unexpectedly required back at the showroom and had to be returned. Fortunately, we also had a PowerCell 12 SX and a PowerCell 14 on demo, so I replaced the 8 SX at home first with the 12 SX and then with the 14 for the rest of the review. The PowerCell 12 SX hasn’t yet benefitted from the latest 2nd Gen EM Cell upgrades now available in the 8 SX and PowerCell 14 and uses the older 1st Gen tech. It wasn’t therefore a straight comparison between the 8 SX and 12 SX as they use different technologies but still a worthwhile attempt to hear differences especially as the 12 SX costs £9,495, more than £4k more than the 8 SX even though it uses older technology, albeit with 5 not 2 rolled and actively biased EM Cells but without the user selectable bias setting now available in the 8 SX and 14 PowerCells.
The 12 SX comes as standard with a much better mains power cord in the form of the Euphoria SX cable and I’m sure it helps to deliver more of that Synergistic magic. Overall, the 12 SX with its 12 power outlets did allow my system to perform better than the 8 SX with a little less background noise and it slightly lifted openness and clarity but I suspect the 8 SX could be improved by using the Euphoria SX mains lead, unfortunately I wasn’t able to try that combination. I was able to leave the 12 SX powered up for more than two weeks, powering everything in my system.
I don’t know whether the 12 SX will ever see the 2nd Gen upgrades available to the 8 SX and 14 PowerCells and I suspect that over time it may just disappear from their catalogue leaving the PowerCell 14 in its place. The PowerCell 12 SX although not benefitting from the 2nd Gen EM Cell technology does have an advantage over the earlier PowerCell 12 UEF SE version in that it now biases all the EM Cells (the single flat one and the five rolled ones) whereas the UEF SE biased only the single flat cell. Is the 12 SX better than the 8 SX? Yes, as noted above but the build quality and external finish of the newer 8 SX and 14 are clearly in a different league to the older 12 SX. The internal lightshow in the 12 SX is purely for show as there is no useable selectable bias option, but it looks great lit up in any one of the 5 options available. In my system it allowed all components to perform at their best, but I suspected the new PowerCell 14 would allow even more performance from my system. It certainly performed well at Ascot in another of our systems.
FOOTNOTE 2 - ACTIVE GROUND BLOCK
I am a complete convert to the importance of a decent mains supply to provide clean power to your system and have tried many solutions over the years, including many from Nordost and IsoTek but never any specialist grounding solutions. Today there are many such grounding options on the market and if, like me, you attended last month’s Ascot high-end show you will have seen several of those in use and on display in many rooms and probably wondered what all those multiple cables are doing. Synergistic Research have been doing grounding for longer than most so whilst listening to their PowerCell options it seemed logical to also find out what their grounding devices can do.
I have already found that adding better mains cables, fuses, sockets and dedicated mains supply devices (filtered, non-filtered and regenerative) are the icing on the cake that helps bring out the best in any system. I can already hear many readers disagreeing vehemently with me here, legion are the audiophiles that just don’t believe cables, especially mains cables, can make any difference let alone a positive one. But they are wrong, there I said it, and I stand by my belief that they do make a difference for the better and in many cases those differences are not small. Can you measure them? Who cares, I can hear the difference.
It was, nonetheless, with not a little scepticism that I decided to try one of Synergistic Research’s grounding devices in my home system that sill included the PowerCell 12 SX at the time, but did I really want even more cables flying everywhere behind my equipment? Adding to this slight lack of enthusiasm was the cost, not so much of the ground block itself but the cost of those oh so thin grounding cables, up to £395 each for the better HD SX ones that have dedicated plugs at one end where they connect to components in your system via RCA or XLR plugs etc. But then I tried it, and now I’m a convert. As with all things SR they offer several different grounding block solutions from the small non active Ground Block all the way up to the Galileo Active Ground Block. I settled for the middle range Active Ground Block (AGB) although the newer SX version with its inbuilt active UEF devices as seen in their PowerCell products is probably going to offer even more performance. The Active Ground Block (AGB) retails at £2,195 and comes with a dedicated mains lead and half a dozen of the very thin entry level Foundation grounding cables that retail at around £150 each if purchased separately. The AGB can accommodate up to 44 connected devices including connections to their more upmarket mains cables that come with dedicated grounding connections for this purpose. I used a mix of the standard Foundation connection leads and three of the more expensive HD SX leads to connect all my equipment to the Active Ground Block and immediately the system sounded better, much better. As always how to define ‘sounded better’ is subjective but no matter what I played everything sounded cleaner, more involving and enjoyable, particularly in the lower and mid frequency range. Not unforgiving of poor recordings however, those shocking overly compressed 80’s and 90’s recordings were still rendered as too brightly lit and still became fatiguing to listen to for longer periods, just not as soon as they did without the AGB in place. With the AGB backing up what the PowerCell was doing the whole system was getting ever closer to its peak performance.
FOOTNOTE 4 – THE POWERCELL 14
And then came along the PowerCell 14 with its 7 2nd Gen EMC Cells and three bias settings, blue (default), green and red and retaining the five internal lighting options of the 12 SX. The 14 does away with the see through amp meter on the facia of the 12 SX which looked good but didn’t really provide much information, so I didn’t miss it much. Like the new 8 SX the 14 takes build quality to another level with an even wider clear front window and curved aluminium casework. I don’t really need 14 mains outlets, so it was a bit of overkill for me but they come in three banks of 2, 6 and 6 outlets that are independently isolated and filtered with the first two dedicated to high power devices such as power amps. In use it was clearly the best of the three PowerCells I tried improving in all areas and offering a more relaxing deep dive into my music collection. But it is also the most expensive, retailing at around £14,500. If you are in the market for a high-end mains filter this is the one to go for.
AND FINALY
The whole point of a home audio system is surely to entertain, provide an insight into new and old music and to move the listener emotionally. No matter what components are used it’s that involvement and inclusion in the event that makes us keep wanting to develop and improve our listening experience. I’ve tweaked and improved my system over many years and am always looking for that little something extra that moves me and adds a little bit more emotion to listening to music. This is where Synergistic Research comes in. All the components I tried added to my enjoyment, but my recommendation is to start with one of their PowerCells and take the deeper dive into their catalogue as time and money allows.
The Synergistic PowerCells don’t add anything of their own to the performance of your system, they don’t take anything away either. What they do is to provide a cleaner mains supply that allows every piece of equipment you plug into them release a little bit more of their already inbuilt performance that until now had been held back by less than capable mains supplies and earthing quality. When you plug your entire system into a PowerCell and an Active Ground Block all those little bits of released performance combine to create something wholistic and take your system to a level that you hadn’t realised it could reach. Tweaking is everything it would seem.
Whichever PowerCell or Ground Block you go for they come very highly recommended but do give them sufficient time to run in for a week or two before they give their best performance.
October 2024
Bob – Team Reference Audio