August 2024

World Premiere Review!
Synergistic Research PowerCell 8 SX Review
Pushing your sound system to the next level with innovative technology.
Review By Rick Becker

   After catching more than 48 gigs during the nine-day 21st Rochester International Jazz Festival, I rode home after the final show with the sound of live music etched in my mind. The Brubeck Bros. had been scheduled for Kilbourn Hall, an acoustically rich 444-seat performance hall at the Eastman School of Music, but heavy rains overnight and during the day resulted in buckets spread throughout the hall to catch nature's dribbles. It was rescheduled for Kodak Hall, the main venue at the Eastman Theater with enough seats for everyone who wished to be there. I sat reasonably close, maybe 8 rows back in the center to catch a mix of the Steinway piano, the drums, the electric bass, and the electric guitar. Splendid. And easy to hear why this venue is used for the premium Headliner performances at JazzFest and the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra the rest of the year.

I typically buy a JazzPass, allowing me to attend as many performances as I wish among the multiple smaller venues. Fast footwork and careful pre-planning helped me maximize this annual music festival. It's one of the highlights of the year for people of all walks of life in Rochester, NY.

As often happens when I return from high-end audio shows, I had a yearning to fire up my rig and spin some jazz to compare the state of my rig with the superb sounds I had just heard. You've probably done the same after visiting a show or attending a concert. Over the years now, my brain has tricked me into thinking my rig was almost as good as the best I've just heard at a show. Those thoughts were probably distorted by the limitations of my bank account and retirement funds. But this night was different. True, my retirement funds are doing well during the Biden years, but my rig has improved substantially with the components I've had the good luck to review and acquire over the past year.

The music heard through any system is the consequence of all its components, as well as the AC feed and the room itself. As I learned in my review of the Acora speakers, simply moving the listening chair even closer to them dramatically improved the bass. The Acora QRC-2 was also a master of resolution and extended both the bass and treble for me. The Backert Labs Rhumba Extreme 1.4 also took the resolution up a significant step and extended both the bass and treble, as well as improved the transparency. The LessLoss BlackGround for Speakers, installed at the back end of the system between the amp and speakers, contributed an even quieter background. And the Synergistic Research Vibratron has added more realistic spatiality to the listening experience. Now it's time to turn my attention to the new Synergistic Research PowerCell 8 SX.

The Plug-in
While the very act of disconnecting and plugging in a power cord can wipe the prongs and improve the contacts, I wasn't prepared for the sudden change when I installed the PowerCell 8 SX into the rig. My original PowerCell8 SE (reviewed in 2017 and given a Blue Note Award) is designed to plug power cords into its top, making placement on the floor beside the equipment rack convenient. I used a piece of architectural slate and a small Symposium Acoustics Isis Platform to isolate it from floor vibrations. At times, I added Synergistic Research MiG footers underneath the PowerCell for additional improvement.

The new PowerCell 8 SX, however, is a completely different animal. Its increased weight (now, 11 pounds vs. 2.75) is immediately evident even before it is unboxed. The chassis is machined from billet aluminum. It has a carbon fiber top plate, a window on the front panel that reveals the two new Second Generation SRX carbon fiber encased EM cells, and four of the new Purple 2.0 UEF duplex outlets with two-stage Quantum Treatment which are located on the back panel like the more expensive PowerCells. The $3995 price (with the standard Foundation SX 10awg power cable) is about twice the price of the original PowerCell8 models which have now been dropped from their lineup.

Andy Wiederspahn supplied the review sample with an Atmosphere SX Excite power cord, a $2695 power cord offered at a $1395 upgrade price when bundled with the PowerCell 8 SX, bringing the total to $5390. Andy felt I should try the upgraded power cord as it was the same level used for most of my other components. Serious money for a much more serious component, but it's not out of line with the cost of many of my components.

What you are looking at through the front window is the two new Second Generation SRX folded EM cells which act like a 'Super Capacitor,' increasing peak current on demand, allowing greater instantaneous current draw than when connected directly to the wall. Also new is the 4th generation Internal, Dual Channel, Multi-Frequency, ULF (Ultra-low frequency) Generator applied to each electromagnetic cell to bias AC to the Earth's Schumann Resonance. This not only lowers the system's noise floor but it also allows tuning the PowerCell to provide two different sonic signatures that I'll get into below.

Given the power cords connected to the back panel, I rearranged my entire AC wiring to the opposite side of the component rack where I could stack the PowerCell on top of the LessLoss BlackGround for Speakers which were themselves stacked upon one of my tube monoblocks (with sufficient spacing for ventilation.) This offered two significant advantages. First, it permitted power cords to drape conveniently off the back of this pyramid, and second, it allowed easy access for connecting and re-connecting power cords during the review process. No bending over behind the amps or getting down on my knees.

I found that adding a short piece of 0.75" x 2" wood behind the unit, supporting the power cords, kept the weight of the cords from slightly disengaging the lower AC plugs from the power conditioner. When two Synergistic power cords with their thick AC plugs were used in the same duplex outlet, the lower cord supported the upper cord when the wood strip was used. That said, the new Purple 2.0 UEF duplex outlets with two-stage Quantum Treatment had a very tight grip on the cable.

There was a distinct snapping into place when the cable was properly seated which was both informative and reassuring. The power cable feeding the PowerCell 8 SX has also been upgraded from the 20A connector with slots for three horizontal blades to a Neutrik 32 Ampere PowerCon connector that locks into place – another very welcome improvement that is in keeping with my 30A Audience Hidden Treasure dedicated line.

It occurred to me that the PowerCell could be rotated 90 degrees with the window facing down and the outlets facing upward if that were a more convenient orientation for your particular situation. A couple of pieces of the OEM packaging suggested a solution to do this so you don't scratch the front window or chassis. The red or blue light within the unit subsequently gives it the cool under-lit look of custom cars when listening in the dark. A little creative woodworking could easily produce a more durable version than pictured above.

Hear Ye, Hear Ye
So what was the "sudden change" I heard upon first firing up the rig with the new PowerCell? I replayed the same cut I had last listened to and before I could get back to the listening chair I was struck by an increase in pace, rhythm, and timing, greater transparency. By the time I hit the seat, greater macro dynamics had also become obvious. When you know a song well enough, these things quickly come to light. Extended listening over the rest of the song revealed greater resolution, inner detail, and micro-dynamics. Since the unit was brand new, I didn't pay much heed to tonality, though it seemed consistent with my older unit.

While I'm not an electrical engineer, I have to suspect that these initial impressions stemmed from unimpeded current flow, faster rise times, and a lower noise floor which contributed to the instantaneous attack of the notes and greater transparency. It was a very positive first impression, but I knew burn-in would contribute to further improvements so I turned my attention back to other reviews in progress.

Fast Forward Two Months
By the time I had finished my recent reviews of the Acora QRC 2 speaker and Backert Labs Rhumba Extreme 1.4 preamp, a couple of months and several hundred hours had been logged on the PowerCell. As I said earlier, my rig was flying very high at this point. The logical move forward would be critical listening, followed by re-insertion of the original PowerCell8 SE and noting the differences. As you probably know, reverting to the previous reference component when reviewing a product often results in more obvious differences than when first installing the new one, even after it has been sufficiently burned in. To do this I had to install the original PowerCell8 on its side because that was the direction all my power cords were now oriented. The same strip of wood helped support the heavy power cords.

The difference was immediate and unmistakable. The music was still enjoyable but the cantaloupe was ripe and succulent. The resolution had dropped, along with dynamics and inner detail. It was relaxing in a very mellow way, stepping back from the "You Are There" perspective of the new PowerCell 8 SX to an enjoyable experience of what was more obviously a recording. Acoustically, it was easy to hear the $2,000 price increase of the new model. I could bore you with a detailed analysis of various tracks on my compilation CD, but the bottom line at this point was that I couldn't see going forward without upgrading to the new PowerCell 8 SX. It was that compelling.

I let the rig sit idle for a few days to let my memory of the new PowerCell 8 SX fade. (I do other things besides listen to music, after all.) Returning for a serious listening session with the original PowerCell8 still in the rig, I spun through my compilation CD. Hmmm...  this sounded pretty good, I thought. The benefits of the new speaker and preamp were still shining brightly, as you would expect. I then re-installed the PowerCell 8 SX.

Initially, it was not as big of a step upward as the downward step I experienced when I first removed the SX model. It took a few minutes and cuts from several songs to fully appreciate the sonic improvements of the SX that largely leaned toward an actively engaging "You Are There" perspective, which is my usual preferred listening mode. Life is too short for beer from cans, after all. Yet I can also respect listeners who seek a more relaxing sound like I heard with the original PowerCell8.

Blue Light / Red Light
Until now, I had been listening to the PowerCell 8 SX with the blue light illuminating the unit and my positive impression was firmly established. After all, it matched the blue circular power switches on my Eddie Wong tube monoblocks. But while ruminating in bed at night, I had a nagging feeling that I had overlooked something. Was that alternate red light inside merely cosmetic? Or had Ted Denney packed another of his brilliant tricks into the new SX? The flyer with the unit wasn't very revealing, but a close reading of their website indicated the review was not over.

While their top three power conditioners have 12 color options for illuminating their inner construction to match the lights on your other components, these lights are merely cosmetic. On the PowerCell 8 SX, the red and blue lights indicate different ULF (ultra-low-frequency) Generators with slightly different Schumann resonances. This dual ULF generator was new to the lineup. The higher-up models have only a single ULF generator, as did the previous PowerCell8 SE. Some designers don't care for this feature as the Schumann Resonance of the Earth is known to drift slightly over time, but I find the Synergistic power conditioners very engaging.

So it was back to the listening chair once again. I spun through the compilation CD with the blue light on to re-acquaint myself with the sound I knew well. Then I hit the button on the back side of the unit to bring up the red light to activate the alternative ULF Generator. It wasn't a night-and-day difference. It crept up on me in the first minute of the first cut. What first stood out was an increase in the bloom around Buddy Guy's electric guitar notes. Then a sense of a larger, though less distinct soundstage crept into consciousness. The resolution still seemed very good and the attack of the notes was still fast, but the notes themselves were very slightly blurred, giving them more body. And the decay of the notes was more pronounced.

The music grabbed me emotionally a little more and I found myself more relaxed. I didn't have to work so hard to enjoy the music, yet the resolution was still high enough that I didn't have to struggle with the lyrics. It was a step back from the more intense "You Are There" experience with the blue light. More relaxed, kind of like with a shot of cask-strength single malt whiskey under your belt. You might even call it a bit romantic, yet it was still a more refined sonic image than the relatively mellow presentation with the original PowerCell8 SE.

The Blue Light / Red Light option gave me the best of both worlds – the "You Are There" experience of being at the concert, plus the laid-back experience for when you're in a 'Round About Midnight or Sketches of Spain mood. (The correlation between the red jacket on the Miles Davis LP and the red light of the PowerCell did not escape me.) All this at the press of a button, which leads me to suggest you place the SX where you can easily get to it rather than on the bottom shelf or behind your rig. I have a feeling this button will soon become addictive. Fortunately, it is easy to find by touch in the upper corner without being able to see it, but I can easily think of a more convenient place to put it. Their web page describes the Blue and Red ULF frequencies in acoustical terms under the sub-heading "Two frequency bias; one perfect sound." I'd call it "Two perfect sounds for two different moods," as I tend to prioritize emotional response over acoustical analysis. Regardless of which approach you prefer, I think you're going to love this feature.

It is essentially the same shift in the acoustic atmosphere you get from their stand-alone FEQ Carbon, the third generation of the FEQ, and a scaled-down version of their Atmosphere Infinity series. But while the FEQ Carbon and Atmosphere Infinity broadcast the ULF effect into the room, the PowerCell 8 SX implants it into the circuitry of your system. The recently announced PowerCell 14 ($14,000) even adds a third ULF frequency (Green) that is said to offer a slightly more forward midrange and a touch more bass emphasis, so you can surmise where this is all heading with their new ultra-expensive flagship model currently under development.

"Ground Control to Major Tom...."
Also on the back panel is a red power switch they call a Breaker switch with the word "Reset" but there is no indication of any circuit breaker in this PowerCell. Most likely, it was selected for its quality. It is conveniently located on the back side if you wish to turn off your rig along with the red or blue light when not in use, though many of you will likely prefer to leave some of your solid-state gear powered up full-time. Below the switch is an input labeled "SR Ground Block" for a short banana plug like those found on ground cables for the Synergistic Tranquility Pods and Shelves. This is for grounding the PowerCell directly to an Active Ground Block SX. As my Active Ground Block is an original version, similar in construction to the original PowerCell8, I was unable to fully evaluate this feature without a ground cable with the short banana on one end and the mini 2mm banana that would fit the copper bar on the Active Ground Block.

However, I was able to borrow a Synergistic Hi-Def ground cable with a short banana plug on one end and an AC plug on the other from my Tranquility Pod. This cable is just one step down in quality from the current HDSX Ground Cables. I ran this ground cable from the PowerCell 8 SX ground outlet to a Romex 20A dedicated line that was not being used. There was no audible hum that might indicate a ground loop problem as my dedicated lines are close in length and grounded at the same breaker box. With the PowerCell thus grounded and in the Red mode, the music had a bit more "You Are There" to it without losing the relaxation brought by the Red mode.

Switching to Blue, I had a more discernable shift. The musicians were more "in the room." The music was more transparent and dynamic overall. And there was a more prominent and tightly resolved bass. Most notably, Bruce Springsteen's refrain in "57 Channels" from the far back edge of the soundstage on the left side was the cleanest I've ever heard it. This is one of many key signifiers on my compilation CD.

Upon re-examining my cable situation, I moved the ground cable from the Romex dedicated line to the Audience-dedicated line that was feeding the PowerCell. Running through my compilation CD once again there was a more noticeable improvement than with the ground cable plugged into the Romex line, proving once again that cables matter. There was more transparency, inner detail, and an even blacker background. Wilson Phillips' cover of Elton John's "Daniel" on the Two Rooms CD comes across as a "wall of sound" ŕ la Phil Spector under lesser circumstances. But now, there was a clear separation of singers and the various instruments in the orchestral background. The individual voices in this tight female three-part harmony were even more distinct. I was impressed as this is one of the most difficult signifiers on my compilation CD.

I would have to think about using the proper HDSX Ground Cable to connect the PowerCell 8 SX to the current Active Ground Block SX ($3k), which is built to the same higher standard, or the Galileo SX Active Ground Block, Mk II ($8,000) would provide even better results.

On the bottom of the PowerCell were four short black feet made from solid carbon fiber with a veneer of carbon fiber around the circumference to make them elegant. They were tall enough to keep a half-dozen protruding screw heads on the bottom from scratching a shelf. I used a piece of leather to protect the fine wood chassis of the LessLoss BlackGround for Speakers upon which I set the PowerCell. The leather also provided a non-slip surface. The footprint and weight of the PowerCell 8 SX suggest that MiG footers might offer some additional benefit but with all the cable reconnecting I do, I preferred the stability of the PowerCell alone.

Conclusion
In an age when similar products are going for twice the price they were sold for a handful of years ago, Ted Denney has come out with the Synergistic Research PowerCell 8 SX at twice the price of the original PowerCell 8 SE, loaded with newer technology, more robust build quality, and better sound quality than power conditioners he is currently selling at more than twice the price. Andy Wiederspahn told me the PowerCell 8 SX is the first to have every possible Synergistic Research technology packed into it, and it is more technologically advanced than the PowerCell12 SX. With the new dual ULF generators, it is practically two power conditioners in one.

More recently, the new Synergistic Research PowerCell14, offering an additional six outlets, has come out with a stronger implementation of the technology than the PowerCell 8 SX, plus a few bells and whistles. At a $10,000 premium, it seemingly invented the concept of "trickle-up" rather than following the more conventional path of "trickle-down." From a value standpoint, the PowerCell 8 SX is the sweet spot of their current line-up. Anyone with a rig requiring eight or fewer outlets should give this power conditioner a listen. And those who require more might well consider spinning off their less relevant components onto a power strip plugged into the 8 SX.

It has been seven years since its predecessor was introduced. The jump in technology and the accompanying improvement in sound quality have catapulted my system into Best Rooms territory at a price that would embarrass many manufacturers. Once again, Ted Denney continues to push the high-end industry to the next level with innovative technology. Stay tuned for my take on his new Pink fuses.

Specifications
All 12 awg. Silver Matrix wiring
Eight each Purple 2.0 UEF Outlets (Two stage Quantum Treatment)
Galileo SX ULF Generator
UEF: Graphene treatment throughout the unit
Internal "Active" linear power supply for biasing EM Cells
Two each SR Power Transformers
Five each SR Quantum Capacitors in EM Cell power supply and ULF field generator
High Carbon Steel/Aluminum "Ground Plane" chassis
Internal Active UEF EM Horizontal Plane Cell Area: 387 square centimeters Flat EM Cell
Two Internal Active Second Gen SRX UEF EM Folded Carbon Fiber Cell Area: 709.67 square centimeters total

Connector Input:
One each Neutrik 32 Ampere PowerCon
99.995% Pure Silver Ground Strap: 62 square centimeters

Weight: 11 lbs.
Dimensions: 4.5" x 12 x 6" (HxWxD)
Voltage and current Rating: Input rating US: 20 Ampere / 125 Volt
Input Rating International (EU/AU/UK): 16 Ampere / 250 Volt
USA Version: Rating is limited by the USA Outlet rating of 15 Ampere / 125 Volt

Price: $3995 for 110V, $4295 for 230V, both with included 5' Foundation SX 10awg Power Cable

Power Cable Upgrade: Atmosphere SX Excite +$1395 (MSRP $2,695) for 5' length (as reviewed)

Company Information
Synergistic Research Inc.
11208 Young River Ave.
Fountain Valley, CA 92708

Voice: (949) 476-0000
Website: SynergisticResearch.com