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The Problem with Synergistic Research

The problem is one that a number of cable makers suffer from. I preface my remarks by noting this not a problem that is exclusive to Synergistic Research. I use SR as an example because I am more familiar with their cables than with the cables of other companies that have the same problem.

The problem is the cost of incremental improvements. SR makes some great products. But, in spite of their copy writing, not all SR products are great, IMO. Some SR products have made great improvements in my system -- like the Tesla SE Hologram D power cord. That having been said, in retrospect, despite the bally-hoo that surrounds SR product launches, most of their products have brought no more than incremental improvements to my system. Products from other cable companies have brought equal or greater improvements for me -- often at much lower cost.

The problem is that SR has such fast-paced marketing with products coming out at a gallop supplanting recently released products -- such as the SR line of PowerCell conditioners -- that I sometimes feel I have been left in the dust.

We cannot stop the relentless march of technology. But at the high price of most of SR's offerings one is often left with sense of being left out instead of left in when new products come on the heels of products one has just purchased. The SR trade-up program does not remedy this problem at all, IMO.

There are many other cable companies without fast-paced marketing that provide equal or better value for the money, IMO. Companies like Bybee, HiDiamond and Cardas. I am probably not the only one who feels as I do about SR and other companies with fast-paced marketing.
sabai

Showing 8 responses by fplanner2000

fplanner2000
616 posts
 
I just realized today that there is no power conditioning or surge protection whatsoever in the SR Powercell that my entire system is plugged into. That was a bit unnerving considering the investment I have made into my system. As a result, I will be trying PS audio's p-10 on 1 of my home amplifiers this weekend. It is currently in my office system.

It is a regenerator as well as surge protector, etc. I've heard both that it limits dynamics and that it improves dynamics. I'm not an engineer, but when I see it can hold 70 amps in storage ready for instant usage, that seems better than just 15-20 amps out of the wall. I could be wrong - this weekend should tell.

If the p-10 works, I will get 2 with 1 for each amp. The amps draw 450w each, with peaks to 900w. Each p-10 will do 1250w w/peaks to 1500w, so there is enough room to plug in all my components and TV within the 20 outlets. Undecided whether to keep the Powercell - if the p-10s work as I think they will, the Powercell will belong to somebody else in the near future. If not, Plan B.
fplanner2000
616 posts
 
I asked Kevin Hayes whether there was any power conditioning in the 450's and he said there was not. Thanks for the VAC pre suggestion - I'll probably have to try that.

Al- Thanks for the suggestions. I've recently heard that from Elliot at Synergistic as well. Not sure that meets what I am trying to do. I like the combination of surge protection and power regeneration, providing that doesn't limit dynamics. My thought is 2 p-10s. The P-10 supposedly stores up to 70 amps in reserve, so it would seem that it would handle amp dynamics much better than just plugged straight into the wall at 15-18 amps from my 20 amp lines. I'm not an engineer, but it seems like common sense. I'll have a better idea after this weekend.

Thanks again for the suggestions.
fplanner2000
616 posts
 
Thanks Ozzy - I'll check into them as well.
fplanner2000
616 posts
 
Thanks Knghifi. Dev will be trying a Burmester piece and will report his results. I am hoping the extensive upgrades made to the P-10 by PS Audio are sufficient to do what I want without noticeably limiting dynamics. If it works, I will use 1 for each amp. One works fine in my office system, which has minimal current requirements, so we'll see. I'm cautiously optimistic.

Thanks again.
fplanner2000
616 posts
 
The P-10 from PS Audio ACTUALLY WORKED GREAT on 1 VAC 450amp in our testing today.

No dynamic limitations whatsoever - as a matter of fact the sound from the connected speaker sounded both more detailed and musical than the other amp/speaker!! All the other components remained plugged into my Synergistic Powercell.

We also discovered 123.7 amps were being fed to the rest of the system while we were listening. That is exactly why I like the P-10 - I want a steady 120 going to my components, not 115 or 125; plus the surge protection, etc..

I will be ordering a pair of these Monday. The search is over. Tomorrow will try to ascertain how "feeding cable sensitive" the P-10 is. Stay tuned.
fplanner2000
616 posts
 
Joey- I think you may be missing my goals here. The Powercell does NOT protect my system AT ALL, per Elliot at Synergistic. Nor yours, nor anyone else's. I am after protection of my system investment, which I had erroneously thought the Powercell did.

The new P-10 has several orders of magnitude more capacity than their old product, with the additional benefit of keeping the input to my components at a steady 120v. I auditioned it in my system this weekend and found it to be exactly what I was looking for. No dynamics limitation, no negative effects whatsoever. I have 2 on their way to me for my home system - putting the other backinto my office system this morning.
fplanner2000
616 posts
 
Apparently my post of this morning got trashed/misplaced. Joey- I believe you are misunderstanding my issue. I want to PROTECT MY SYSTEM. The Synergistic Powercells do not protect mine, yours or anyone else's system, per Elliot at Synergistic a few days ago. I don't even think they surge protect.

The new PS Audio P-10 has many times the capacity of their old products - 1 on each amp will work fine for me, as I discovered this weekend. No limitations, quieter noise floor and a steady, clean 120v - that's what I am looking for, as well as good protection. Kills several birds with 1 stone, and exactly what I was looking for. I ordered 2 yesterday.

I can't address their prior gear, but I can the current P-10 and my system had absolutely no problem at any volumes - musicality in fact was even better through the p-10 than the Powercell, since some edginess I hadn't noticed before was gone in the P-10 speaker, but of course that's subjective
fplanner2000
616 posts
 
J-
I stand by everything I said above. You have not tried what I have, but I have tried what you have. I don't have the need for any tone controls in my system - they went away when I de-Synergized. In other words, I can now hear what my components are really doing. There is no protection in the Powercells. That was unacceptable to me.

I now have a much lower noise floor and very good protection. My system doesn't lend itself to being 'unplugged" to prevent surge damage - what you're missing is that you might not have any idea a surge is coming - then where are you? I don't have to worry about this, but you still do. That's the point.
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