Synergistic New Tesla Line...Any comments?

Frankk,

With the Accelerator speaker cables and the Accelerator ICs between my CDP and preamp, female vocals (my favorite music type) had a metallic sheen to them (grayness). Even on really well-recorded female vocals like the XRCD2 CD "Best Audiophile Voices II", there was that metallic sheen and the vocal crescendos were almost ear piercing at higher volumes. Same with Nora Jones, Holly Cole, Linda Ronstadt, Shelby Lynn, etc. However, the soundstaging and dynamics were good and the bass was fast and tight.

When I replaced the Accelerator speaker cables with Precision Reference, the metallic sheen (grayness) went away and the peakiness on crescendos was reduced, although female vocal crescendos still had a glare that made me wince.

Once I swapped the Accelerator from the CDP to preamp position to the preamp to amp position and put the Audioquest between the CDP and preamp, most of this glare was eliminated.

Finally, when I replaced the T2 on the CDP with a Hologram D and the AQ Niagara on the CDP to preamp position with the Apex, the glare disappeared entirely and many other things about the sound got way, way better too.

The Accelerator ICs are working very well for me now in the pre to amp position, with Apex ICs on the front end and Precision Reference speaker cables.

I hope this is helpful to you.

Good luck.

I think that Dlcockrum's observations strongly suggest the strong points of Synergistic Research designs. They do make a difference. But, of course, without the sound advice of SR we are all faced with trial and error in choosing which cables are best for us. Every new devise reopens the issue. I love these cables but nevertheless I am frequently faced with issues of which is best. I just got a Oppo 83 universal player modified by Exemplar. It loves the Apex cables but the issue is still out about the Hologram D. This is all part of the quest.

Dlcockrum,
When you were listening to the Accelerators did you also have AQ cables in your system? From your post it seems you had a combo of AQ and Accelerators and later went all (upper end) Tesla? In my system the existence of cables from other manufacturers had a bearing on my perception of the Accelerators. They worked well enough that I bought two pairs, but I was still dealing with the same trade offs I had always believed to be a part of this hobby. It was not until I went 100% Tesla that I came to realize just how good the Tesla cables can be, and just how incorrect those assumptions are.

Tbg,
The synergy thing does not appear to be cut and dried however I can’t imagine the Hologram D not being the best choice for digital- perhaps the CD player is still breaking in?

I am still surprised by the transformation 4 Galileo MPC’s brought to my system. The highs definitely sound sweeter with more air. In fact the whole system sounds more “relaxed”. I'd say the sound is more correct if that makes any sence. I am more then just a little surprised by the improvement in dynamics and over all sound staging. Has anyone gone 100% Galilleo MPC yet? So far I’ve got them on a PowerCell SE and it’s power cord, Apex IC, P.R. IC, and Apex speaker cable. I’ve yet to experiment with them on the rest of my systems power cords. Last night I reconnected the original MPC's and after one song quickly went back to the Galileo's. I can't bealive that was what I had been listening to so I am curious to try more (God help me:)

Shellie,

Yes I was using the AQ Niagara IC along with the Accelerator IC and, yes, the Accelerator does work much better now that my system is all Tesla. So, as you say, it is possible that the results would have been different had my whole system been Tesla-loomed as it is now.

Regarding your query on the Galileo MPCs, I too have them on the Powercell 10SE/Pr AC, PR speaker cables, Apex ICs but have my fourth on my Hologram D and REL Spec 2 IC and have not had one on the Accelerator ICs between pre and amp.

"The highs definitely sound sweeter with more air. In fact the whole system sounds more “relaxed”."

Absolutely agree. It seems that adding more G-MPCs is like buying more real-estate in your soundstage as well as more wholeness and integration to the overall sound.

I added my fifth G-MPC today on the Accelerator ICs and they have once again proven to be the exception to the rule. So far, I actually prefer the Accelerator with the standard MPC. The G-MPC on the Accelerator ICs creates a noticeable loss in image focus and transient attack, although the sound is more relaxed with a fuller bass. The effect seems similar to the differences I found with the T3UHC vs Precision AC on my amp.

As I posted before, the G-MPC did make a very positive improvement on the Hologram D. I will try the fifth MPC on the T3UHC to my amp/T2 to my preamp and also on the T2 to my QLS9 and get back to you.

Update on listening impressions with the Galileo MPCs:

Over the past several weeks, I have added G-MPCs to my system one at a time. So far, these are the ones I have added and they have made significant improvements:

1) Powercell 10SE and included Precision AC cord
2) Precision Reference speaker cables
3) Apex ICs from CDP to pre
4) Hologram D power cord and REL Spec 2 sub interconnect

This leaves my Accelerator ICs from pre to amp, T3UHC on my amp, T2 on my preamp, T2 to the QLS9 powering the MPC's without G-MPCs until yesterday.

This morning, I roused my golden-eared wife into my listening room and tried the fifth G-MPC in each of the above locations:

1) On the Accelerator ICs from pre to amp

Nope. Although there was more ambient information with the G-MPC, there was a dulling of transients and a loss of image focus. Perhaps the razor sharp nature of the Accelerator with the standard MPC is providing just the right balance in this postion.

2) On the T3 UHC to my amp

Nope. Same as above but also too much warmth. The T3 UHC is a warm cord to begin with and adding the G-MPC took it too far in that direction. My guess is that a Precision AC with the G-MPC would be a good upgrade in this position at this point.

3) On the T2 to my preamp:

We could instantly tell that something had been inserted. Immediate increase in ambient information, but took things toward a slight congestion in the sound during complex musical passages. This one will definitely depend on personal preference and the overall system balance. We prefer it without the G-MPC in this position in my system.

4) On the T2 to the QLS9 powering all MPCs:

This one had pluses and minuses. Female vocals were spot on with just the right amount of air and texture (superior to the standard MPC), but drums lost macro dynamics and micro dynamics as a whole suffered slightly. There was again a slight congestion in complex passages. Don't like the trade off.

So, for now, the fifth G-MPC will remain unused in my system. The sound is just SO dialed in with the first four G-MPCs in place, I am choosing to leave well enough alone (for now!).

I will be the first to say that all of this is entirely system dependent and that your results may, and likely will, be different.

Don't know if it is just too much of a good thing or that the G-MPC is better for Powercells, speaker cables, and ICs than it is for power cords. I do know that adding the G-MPC to the Hologram D was a great improvement, so I can't really make a blanket statement on this. Just know what I (and my wife) are hearing.

I do feel that I have accumulated enough experience with the G-MPC to say that it could be a mistake to assume that completely G-MPCing your system will yield the best results. Maybe so, but definitely maybe not.