Transparent vs Synergistic Research?

I am currently auditioning Transparent Super, Musiclink Balanced, high performance/premium digital cables. I can't tell a difference between the digital cables and the 25.00 audioquest cable I already own. Poor me. But on the other hand, the Super/Balanced cable are outstanding. My reference interconnect is Kimber KCAG. Both the Super/MusicLink balanced outperformed the KCAG. Specifically Transparent sounded fuller/more forward, and acoustical when feeding my manley amps, my LP-12, or coming out of my Benchmark DAC1. The cable nerd has some interesting things to say about Transparent Cable, however I know what I heard and I am 90% sure that I will be purcahsing these cables unless the Nordost audition goes better. Another you may want to evaluate if not already is a Analysis Plus.,

I use Synergistic throughout my system except for the Digital AES/EBU connection. For this I use to use a SR Digtal Corridor Reference and thought it sounded great, but a friend gave me a Transparent Reference and it sounds much better in all regards. In your system you out to be auditioning SR Resolution or Designer Reference I would think.

I have not heard the SR Corridor Reference digital. I have heard the Transparent Reference Digital and thought it was quite good. Have you heard the Synergistic Designers' Reference digital cable? If so, how did it sound in comparison to the Transparent?

BTW, I have read what the cable nerd has to say and I know my ears aren't lying. I like the way Transparent sounds. I just want to make sure the Synergistic wouldn't be better -- especially since it is cheaper.

Synergistic works well with my V3, driven with a passive pre (quite a demanding cable application). I had the Resolution Reference with active shielding & liked it; later upgraded to Designers Reference X-series-active using the Master Controller SIII power supply (vs. the economy mini-power-couplers which are somewhat a compromise). They now offer a newer less expensive alternative to the M.C. sorry I have no experience with that. I very much like Synergistic Designer Reference Squared AC X-series-active for the V3's power as well as on some other components (I think they call it Absolute Reference now).
If you like the Transparent line then you should probably also audition some MIT product; contact Audiogon member Joeabrams for some great recommendations & pricing in that regard. I use MIT MH750 Magnum biwire speaker cable with highly satisfactory performance. Sorry no experience with Transparent here; it's more expensive yet & I have about $15K in cabling alone so I'm not exactly cutting corners.

Has anyone else heard both Synergistic and Transparent? What did you think?

I got a chance to demo the cables I mentioned earlier in this post and was very impressed. This is the best cable line that I have heard so far and I've heard quite a few. I must admit though, that I did not feel that the mini power couplers helped the sound. In fact, I think they may have made it worse. I must say that they were plugged into a surge protector due to a shortage of outlets so this may have impacted the quality. I would also like to mention that there was a large difference betweeen the Designers' and Absolute Reference digital interconnects. The soundstage was much larger with the Absolute and everything that I felt was missing at the bottom and top end of the Designers' Reference came back. Is the Absolute almost twice as good as the Designers'? That's up to the individual I suppose, but on my system it is worth the extra cash.

The Synergistic had better mids and highs on my system. The Transparent had more bass and sounded more electronic. Overall it was a tough call for me.

There truly is a synergy that is created by using all Synergistic cables. With just the interconnects and digital cables, I felt some bass, air, and high end were missing. When my Alpha-Core MI2 speaker cables were replaced with the Resolution Reference, all these problems disappeared. Regardless, if you are in the market for a high-end cable, these are definitely worth auditioning.

UPDATE - I found that one of my mini power couplers was defective. They really do make a big difference in the sound - much better clarity and soundstage.

Hey Killer, I finally auditioned the SR Resolution Reference vs Transparent Ultra. It was SR all the way. BTW the Kimber Bi-Focal was just as good as SR in my system.

I use Synergistic and TP power cords and interconnects XLR's are TP's but sound great but it really depends what there connected to, so it hard to say that one brand is better than another this goes with every cable mentioned,Shunyata cables get great reviews but on my gear TP was superior at half the price but on someone's other gear Shunyata might sound better.You have to audition cables for sometime to break in to real know what they will sound like.

kmiller5

 

SR and TA are top-tier Cable systems. Best practice is to spend much time auditioning each brand. I look forward in reading more about your impressions and thoughts. I am a prior TA MM2 series owner. Super music link models.

 

Happy Listening!

Guys the Synergistic cable models mentioned above were designed by me in the 1990s, and were in production in different incarnation‘s into the early 2000s. A lot has changed for the significant better in the intervening 30 years, including ease of use, and much higher performance for lower cost. If it all possible, compare the two brands you are interested in as a full loom or, loom versus loom.

Yours in music,

Ted Denney III

Lead Designer/CEO Synergistic Research Inc.

The OP last updated this now ancient post in 2005……

so much for attention to details….

@tomic601 I didn’t look at the date, couldn’t believe some of the models I was reading, 15 - 20 years old.

@ted_denney Happy New Year to you Ted ! i learned to look at dates…the hard way :-)

Jim

For what is worth Transparent are consistent in their "levels" of cables and simply update the generation.

I run Transparent Ultra Generation 6 analogs for Interconnects and speaker runs. Love the the stuff. When I went from Super Gen 5 to Ultra Gen 6 I was truly blow away by the difference - which I am glad there is because they are not cheap but the audible difference is easy to hear,

Been a customer since 97’ and I can highly recommend them.

Yep I'm still a Transparent customer too and satisfied although the Kimber KCAG is still on my phone stage.   However I am updating my system and in evaluating the Vimberg Tonda Kubala Sosna has been brought to my attention but I have no experience at all.  Now that this post has a new life what are a few speaker cables people are hot on?

dvddesigner

 

Thank You for the TA GEN6 update. This series is very new. Good to see one of the 1st customer's review.  I have yet to demo the GEN5 series.

 

Happy Listening!