Synergistic Research Comes Down to Earth

Fplanner2000,
You stated, "The point here is VALUE.". I agree completely. For instance, I think that the Steinmusic Harmonizer System is a much better bet for sound transformation than one SR power cord. Some of the SR power cords cost way more than the Steinmusic System -- not to mention the cost of the Galileo MPC. Newbees may not know what direction to follow but people like you and me who have been around the block with this have more experience.

I agree with you about The Cable Company and SR's trade-up policy. I have talked about this extensively on the forums. Ted Denney of SR got mad at me on the forum a while back but, you know, there are two sides to the audio coin. There is the manufacturer's side and there is the customer's side.

Although I am keeping a few SR cables for now, I have also found MUCH better value -- and results -- with HiDiamond cables. You hit the nail on the head when you stated, "blatant audio cable greed".

Bacardi,
Your observation that SR has changed cable direct once again is spot on. I have commented on this myself in recent forums, incurring the ire of SR's Ted Denney. Who but the well-heeled can afford to go with a trade-up policy such as theirs or a pennies-on-the-dollar trade-in with The Cable Company every couple of years? My pockets are certainly not that deep. I have had to sell off a lot of gear on Audiogon. I'm glad they're here for the market they serve. But I take small haircuts most of the time and big ones when I am unlucky. I am about to take another big one with the pending sale of my Powercell 10SE MKII.

My guess is that HiDiamond will make quite an impact with SR customers. Many people like me and you are switching over -- with absolutely no buyer's regret.

@Bacardi, Synergistic has just released an entirely new line of power cables. Has anyone here heard the new Synergistic Research Element Hologram A and D and also the Element Copper, Element Tungsten and Element Copper/Tungsten power cords? And yes, these are replacing the older Tesla line of power cables. More importantly has anyone COMPARED these to HiDiamond? Cost set a side... I'm placing an order for the New Element CTS A (Hologram A) and Element CTS D (Hologram D) power cords to replace my old Tesla line power cables. I'm also getting the new Element Copper/Tungsten 32-amp power cord for my Powercell 10 SE Mk.III. This new power cords beats the Precision AC SE 32-amp in everyway. It really opens up the Powercell 10 SE the way you guys been hearing that conditioner is holding your system back. These new cables use an active shielded AIR dielectric in a power cord. I never seen an air dielectric used in a power cable before. So this should be interesting. I'll let you know when I get the new cords and let you know how they sound.

Joeyboynj,
I have not tried the new Element series so I cannot comment. But I can comment on your statement, "It really opens up the Powercell 10 SE the way you guys been hearing that conditioner is holding your system back." I can comment here because I own the Powercell. The fact that the new cord opens up the Powercell is an admission that the Powercell holds back the system, which is what I have recently discovered in my system. If you recognize that the new cord opens it up I must assume that SR recognizes this, too. Which means they realize that the Powercell holds back the system -- despite the assertions on their site written before the introduction of the new cord.

@Sabai, your comment makes 100% sense. I will later take everything out of the Powercell and reconnect the cords to a power strip and see how that sounds...

Bacardi,
I'd be interested in hearing the results when you take out the PowerCell. There was absolutely no doubt that the sound opened up -- in my system. The Powercell was choking it off. I connect everything to my Bybee Stealth now and the system hums. But I will be experimenting with removing the Bybee -- eventually, when I get a power strip -- just to hear what the system sounds like without it.