I have reviewed almost every Synergistic Research (SR) Power Cord over the last ten years. Each generation made a significant step forward in sound performance. In my opinion, each was a competitive, if not superior option at every price point.
My last review included a full loom of the flagship Synergistic Research Galileo SX cable throughout my entire system. This included interconnects, speaker cable, and power cords. With the appropriate caveat that I have not heard everything in the market place, I stated that the Galileo SX was possibly the finest cable available at any price based on several in house comparisons. That was a bold affirmation, and I received plenty of strong feedback from valued readers with both supportive and different opinions.
As we all know, this is an extremely subjective hobby when it comes to sound and value, so this was not unexpected. I still stand behind that statement, but then the world turned on its axis (sorry for the drama).
Word started circulating about a Synergistic Research 25th Anniversary Limited Edition power cord. At $20,000 each, only 100 were made. Key design elements included the unique combination of six-nines pure silver conductors, silver ground plane connectivity, DC biased active shielding, and new Carbon Fiber IEC connectors and Rhodium contacts.
Based on reputation and past product performance, I knew that these would sell quickly, and I hesitated to seek out a full review for such a limited production. Feedback from several highly respected sources was quite startling in its praise, though again, I never listened to it in my system.
Andy Wiederspahn at Synergistic Research gave me a call and offered me the opportunity to review the new Synergistic Research SRX power cord. The SRX was an exact duplicate of the 25th Anniversary power cord, with the only difference being the use of a different grade of pure six-nines silver. This cut the cost of the SRX to half that of the 25th Anniversary cord at $10,000 each.
Yes, at this price, we are still talking about a very very expensive power cable. Rather than wire my entire system with SRX power cables, we decided to take a first step and use it with my Synergistic Research Powercell 12 UEF SE power conditioner. With this strategy in mind, we could evaluate the impact of feeding the entire system through the SRX driving the Powercell.
Review System
- Sonus Faber Stradivari speakers
- REL No. 25 Reference subwoofers
- VAC Signature Mk IIa SE preamplifier w/phono section
- Pass Labs XA100.5 monoblock amplifiers
- VPI Avenger Plus turntable
- VPI Unipivot Fatboy Tonearm w/Nordost Reference Phono Wire
- van den Hul Crimson XGW Stradivarius moving coil cartridge
- dCS Bartók DAC
- Aurender N10 music server
- Synergistic Research Element CTS cables throughout
- Synergistic Research PowerCell 12 UEF SE power conditioner
- Synergistic Research Passive Ground Block
- Rix Rax Hoodoo component rack
- Adona Zero GX1 amplifier stands
- Custom Isolation Inc. acrylic shelves
- Magico QPod footers
Caveat Emptor
System synergy and personal taste are critical when evaluating high-end audio products. This review is based on my subjective requirements, my subjective ears, my specific system, and my specific listening room. This combination is only one data point of many that exist out there for these components. Please consider my comments and analysis accordingly.
Design
Rather than paraphrase the design choices for the SRX, I copied the following directly from the Synergistic Research website so that we get the technologies and materials correctly described.
Each SRX power cord is fabricated by hand in our California factory, including a flexible pure silver signal path ribbon laminate that acts as an Electromagnetic Cell running the full length of the cable from the wall plug to the IEC. Additional AC conductors are made from pure six-nines silver in an Air Dielectric for a total of nine gauge of pure silver each for the hot and neutral run.
In every respect, the SRX represents the zenith of what we currently know on building the world’s state-of-the-art power cord. SR technologies include the most advanced UEF shielding we have ever developed for a power cord and the most complex duel folded electromagnetic cells we have placed in a power cord made from pure six nines silver for both the hot and neutral AC leg. With a long flexible flat EM Cell and two folded EM Cells all made from pure six-nines silver, you have in effect a pure silver PowerCell line conditioner in an AC cable format.
Additional SR25 technologies include a pure silver Ground Plane that can be connected to our Active Ground Block for a lower noise floor and added holographic sound staging and dynamic impact and a Swiss Made power supply developed to optimize the pure silver EM Cells.
SRX has the exact same wall and IEC connectors developed for the SR25 made from Carbon Fiber and special Rhodium contacts selected in blind listening tests for their perfect sonic balance within the sound of the cable itself.
Each SRX power cord comes with two carbon fiber UEF Tuning Modules specially voiced for the SRX so you can strike the perfect balance between detail and musicality for your system. To voice SRX to your system listen to the Gold (warm) and the Silver (detail) bullet and select the option that makes music in your system. Needless to say, this is the most holographic, lowest noise floor and dynamic and musical power cord in our line-up
Sound
Once connected to my Powercell and burned in for just over a week, I sat down and listened to my standard digital file set list for an initial evaluation. I have been using this group of tracks for well over five years and without much change. Typically, I bounce through the first dozen or so just to get a feel for what to expect. This time, I was immediately locked into each track from beginning to end and without interruption for several hours of listening. I cannot remember this ever happening before.
Why? Well, I could talk about the deeper blacker noise floor, the expansion of the sound stage in all directions, the holographic pinpoint imaging, and the rich full bodied textures, but there was something so fundamentally different with the SRX in place that I could just not skip through the music as usual.
Maybe I am just getting older, but these days I seem to be more and more sensitive to sibilance and glare—especially in the mids for male and female vocals, and the highs for strings, cymbals, and snares. Even woodwind instruments and piano can be impacted when pushed hard in the recording venue. This has always been a slight concern for digital, but it can really distract and lessen my enjoyment of the music regardless of the source (digital or analog).
Again, with the SRX in place, there was now a new dimension to the listening experience that sounded so correct, yet almost like something had dramatically changed. I soon realized that the difference was this lack of, and in some cases the total elimination of the grain and edge that was so prevalent with most cables regardless of the brand and model.
This issue has unexpectedly become the expected norm for me. My ears were conditioned to these results. With the SRX, I was hearing it all with the improvements described above, yet still with all the dynamics, air, and ambiance of the real thing. Typically you can get some of these variables correct, but not all, and now with so much energy and quality for each. This was very unsettling at first, but I soon wondered how I lived with and and accepted this anomaly before.
It is difficult to further articulate what I was hearing, but vocals and instruments just jumped out of the soundstage in a much more solid and coherent way. There was a liquidity and three dimensional presence at every frequency that was truly compelling. I have used the terms tangible and palpable in past reviews where appropriate, but the SRX has redefined the meaning of these terms for me.
Music
Bob Dylan, Blood on the Tracks (LP)
The new MFSL UltraDisc One Step 45 RPM release is simply outstanding. With or without the SRX, I was truly impressed with the improvements heard on this pressing. Originally issued on the Columbia label in 1974 with mixed reviews, it is now considered one of Dylan’s most cherished efforts by both critiques and fans. An emotional homage to his divorce from his then wife Sarah Lowndes, Dylan reminded all that he was / is one of the true masters of the lyric and melody. The SRX stepped the listening experience up another level.
"Simple Twist of Fate" is a prime example of what I described earlier. Unlike earlier pressings, when Dylan hits his peeks before each chorus, his voice has plenty of attack but now there is no sibilance or edge—just a relaxed timbral purity and roundness. Guitar and harmonica each jump from the dark black background with an eerie lifelike immediacy, but are not in your face—just a solid and naturally fleshed out presentation.
Ellis & Branford Marsalis, Loved Ones (WAV 44.1 kHz)
Released in 1996 on the Sony label, this recording of Branford and his father Ellis is one the most intimate and distinguished of all the Marsalis family albums. Originally intended as a solo recording from Ellis, with songs about "the romantic effect of ladies upon American songwriters," Branford soon joined in at the studio, to make it one of my favorite duet recordings ever.
"Stella by Starlight" will have you mesmerized. Yes, this is a closely miked recording, and on some systems it can be too aggressive on the top end, but the SRX brings out the the very best of both musicians. Saxophone is presented with all the proper bloom and texture, even as Branford reaches high with his many solo improvisations and crescendos. Piano has a weight and harmonic density that will quickly grab your attention while pulling you into the performance. Very subtle, yet finally detailed even when setting the stage for Branford. Highly recommended!
Final Thoughts
The Synergistic Research SRX power cord has me rethinking my entire system configuration and performance. When only one SRX power cord was used with the Synergistic Research PowerCell 12 UEF SE power conditioner to drive my entire system there was a clear correctness of presentation that had not previously been realized. I can only imagine what might happen if I used the SRX for all my components! Caveat emptor. Never say never. If you audition the SRX, you may never go back.
Late Addition – Synergistic Research Galileo SX Ethernet Cable
It has taken me some time and effort to embrace the idea of streaming music. I have dabbled with MQA via Tidal, and Hi-Resolution via Qobuz with some excellent results for each. I will not comment on the differences here. That will remain for an article to come after much more personal experience. I will say that the music selection from both of their vast libraries is a joy to behold! Seeking out and experiencing new music and recommendations from family and friends has become so much easier and less expensive! Keep an eye out for an extensive review.
Having said that, I will also say that until now my "go to" sources for critical listening have been my own personal vinyl and digital file collections. I no longer have CD, SACD, or Blu ray discs. I am confident that many will disagree, but I have been very satisfied with my digital file collection after purchasing the Aurender N10 music server and dCS Bartok DAC. I have no desire to own and store the aforementioned discs going forward.
Along with the SRX power cords, Andy also sent me a Galileo SX Ethernet cable to try between my router and the Aurender N10. I was using an off the shelf inexpensive Cat 5 Ethernet cable that came with some home router hardware (I know, sacrilegious at the very least). I also experimented with the Audioquest Vodka ($339/1.0M) and Nordost Heimdall II ($699/1.0M). Both were clear upgrades from the standard Cat 5, but neither persuaded me to use either Tidal or Qobuz for serious listening.
The Galielo SX Ethernet Cable ($2995 /1.0M) was a different story. Yes, based on MSRP alone, this is not a fair apples to apples comparison, but the differences were substantial. For a more detailed description of the sound, you can check out my earlier Galileo SX review that included interconnects, speaker cable, and power cords (HERE). The difference that the Galileo SX Ethernet cable can make was relatively the same as the other cables described in the review. I am sure that most are not surprised, but the bottom line here is that cable quality can make a difference—even for streaming, and even for Ethernet cable! I am now digging deep on Tidal and Qobuz, and just for the record, I am greatly satisfied by both!
Synergistic Research SRX Power Cord
Retail: $10,000 (6 Ft)
Synergistic Research SX Ethernet Cable
Retail: $2995 (1.0M)
Synergistic Research Inc.
1736 E. Borchard Ave.
Santa Ana, CA 92705
949.476.0000
