Website author headshot
Cameron Oatley
ExtremeHiFi
Website author headshot
Julian Shapiro
ExtremeHiFi

Note that this is a discontinued product. You may want to visit the brand's page here to browse their newer products.

What reviewers think

Bloggers and YouTubers have tried this product—so we've summarized their strongest opinions below. Links to full reviews follow.

Product Strengths

  • Lower noise floor and a 'blacker' background allow more details and subtleties in music to be heard
  • Improved clarity, detail retrieval, and harmonic density across the audio spectrum
  • Improvements to timbre, tone, and pitch lead to a more natural and tonally correct sound
  • EM cells within act as super capacitors providing high current on demand, which increases peak current, and allows components to draw more current for added headroom
  • Aesthetic features include an ammeter, a plexiglass window to view the internal circuitry, and customizable lighting options

Product Considerations

  • Synergistic Research makes between 20 and 50 Galileo PowerCell SX units per year
  • Synergistic Research only sells the Galileo PowerCell SX to existing customers with a full loom of Synergistic Research products in their system
  • The top and front ammeter are made of plastic or plexiglass, requiring special cleaners
  • To get the most out of it, users should consider pairing it with other Synergistic Research components and cables for synergistic benefits

Comparisons (according to reviewers)

  • Vs PowerCell 12 UEF, the PowerCell SX provided better focus, less haze, enhanced grounding, and larger surface area for EM cells
  • Vs Galileo PowerCell SX (limited edition), the PowerCell SX contains over 80% of the technology

Takeaway: The Galileo PowerCell SX is an extremely high-performing product that will improve a system's detail, clarity, and noise reduction, making the music more real. It is a worthwhile product for those looking for top-of-the-line sound quality and are committed to the Synergistic Research ecosystem.

What are hifi reviews useful for? (1) Identifying products you should demo in person at a dealer. (2) Learning which products reviewers unanimously praise as the best they've heard (this means they probably are legitimately great). (3) Identifying a product's attributes that satisfy your idiosyncratic needs and tastes. Beyond that, we often discount what reviewers say because they heap praise on most products—and are often apprehensive about publishing strong criticism or comparisons between products. Further, they seldom have more than a few products on-hand, often relying on their memories to compare past products. Always listen for yourself.

All

Galileo PowerCell SX

reviews

[{"title":"Part 1, $28,000 Synergistic Galileo Powercell SX Review","link":"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=47wc5tFR0f4","source":"YouTube","datePublished":"2023"},{"title":"Part 2, $28,000 Synergistic Galileo Powercell SX Review!","link":"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aD1YT1wUGL8","source":"YouTube","datePublished":"2023"},{"title":"Synergistic Research PowerCell SX Power Conditioner","link":"https://positive-feedback.com/reviews/hardware-reviews/synergistic-research-powercell-sx-power-conditioner","source":"positive-feedback.com","datePublished":""},{"title":"Synergistic Research PowerCell SX by Mike Girardi","link":"https://www.stereotimes.com/post/synergistic-research-powercell-sx-by-mike-girardi","source":"stereotimes.com","datePublished":""},{"title":"Synergistic Research PowerCell SX Power Conditioner","link":"https://www.soundstageultra.com/index.php/equipment-menu/974-synergistic-research-powercell-sx-power-conditioner","source":"soundstageultra.com","datePublished":""}]
An excellent review of a great product
/
Publisher
/
3/1/2022
An excellent review of a great product
Publisher
/
3/1/2022

Manufacturer details

  • Wiring: 59ft. Parallel 14 awg. 6N Pure silver airstring wiring
  • Output Connectors US: 12 each Purple UEF Outlets
  • Output Connectors International: 12 each Purple UEF Schuko outlets
  • Input Connector: 1 each Neutrik 32 amp PowerCon
  • Output Banks: 2 Isolated Banks
  • Ground Strap: 99.995% Pure Silver, 62 square centimeters
  • Dimensions: 5.5" x 17.5" x 13.5"
  • Weight: 39 lbs
  • Voltage Rating US: 20amp/125v
  • Voltage Rating International: 16amp/250v
  • EM Cell Area (Horizontal Plane): 640 square centimeters
  • EM Cell Area (Folded Carbon Fiber): 2343.15 square centimeters total
The 2021 Galileo PowerCell SX starts with a complete redesign of its PCB power supply and ULF Signal Generator while keeping all non-conflicting PCB advancements from last year's model. The first step was to create a multi-frequency ULF generator that splits the balance between intimate, focused recordings and large-scale recordings for a perfect yin and yang of the two.
The Red setting is voiced for smaller-scale performances and is especially suited to recordings of analog instruments. Setting Purple is voiced to portray large-scale recordings accurately. It is ideally suited to recordings with massive sound fields like Pink Floyd or any modern recording mastered to portray extreme stereo imaging.

To make this possible, we borrowed technology from our Atmosphere Acoustic Field Generator that generates the Earth's Shuman Resonance plus harmonics of the Earth's Shuman Resonance simultaneously over two channels to model different acoustic environments. As a result, the Galileo PowerCell SX is the first PowerCell to utilize more than one ULF frequency when biasing its internal EM Cells.

We then added technology from our Tranquility Pod to create a uniform EM field beneath the PCB and power supply for a lower noise floor with improved dynamics and soundstaging. We then improved fundamentals like 33% larger and more densely packed folded EM Cells for a significant increase in AC filtration that lowers a system's perceived noise floor with improvements in dynamics.

We then designed a new Purple Duplex with all Purple Fuse technologies for sonic improvements precisely like our state-of-the-art Purple Fuses. Finally, we revoiced the internal Gold UEF tuning circuits to tie the sum of all advances together with a focus on natural sound first, along ...
Manufacturer Site

Brand highlights

Taking a step back to look at reviewers' thoughts of the brand's entire lineup—not just this product—what stands out most is the following:

  • Synergistic Research products often include proprietary EM (Electromagnetic) cell technology to actively filter and condition AC power, without limiting current flow.
  • They provide a range of tuning options, such as selectable ULF (Ultra Low Frequency) generators and included tuning discs, to tailor the sound to specific music genres or system preferences.
  • SR power conditioners commonly feature isolated outlet banks designed to separate analog and digital components, reducing cross-contamination and improving overall clarity.
  • Synergistic Research bundles their power conditioners with high-quality power cords and upgraded wall outlets, offering a complete power conditioning solution out of the box.

SR30 AC

  • Positioning: The entry-level power cable in the Synergistic Research lineup.
  • Description: Offers a balance of performance and affordability, featuring 12-gauge OFC copper for high current delivery. It includes UEF Matrix Shielding, similar to higher-end models like the Atmosphere SX, to reduce noise and enhance resolution.

Atmosphere SX Euphoria SX Level 3

  • Positioning: A mid-tier power cable in the Atmosphere SX series.
  • Description: Uses Active Shielding and Swiss-made power supply, offering a sound profile akin to the premium Galileo SX. It combines copper and silver conductors.

Galileo Discovery Power Cables

  • Positioning: A high-end power cable series within the Synergistic Research lineup.
  • Description: Features an Active EM Cell and UEF Matrix Shielding for noise reduction.

SRX AC

  • Positioning: A premium power cable positioned just below the flagship SRX XL in the lineup.
  • Description: Made with pure six-nines silver conductors and advanced UEF shielding.

SRX XL AC

  • Positioning: The flagship power cable in the Synergistic Research lineup.
  • Description: Features additional pure silver geometries and advanced tuning modules.
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Avg. Product Price
$20,001-$30,000
Used For Sale
77
 Available (Scroll Down)
Brand Popularity
98
 of 900+
Badges
Top 50 Brand
Top 250 Brand
Products Listed
54
Founding Year
1992

Our take on the brand

Synergistic Research stands out for their Active Shielding technology, which applies DC voltage bias to cable shielding to reduce noise, and their dual ULF generator system in products like the PowerCell 8 SX that enables switching between different sonic signatures. Their product line includes distinctive electromagnetic cell-based power conditioners and the Tranquility Pod, which uses active EM cells and Graphene to condition the electromagnetic environment within audio components.

Look inside the brand

Brand Page

Our interview with the brand

What are two key technological innovations or strong opinions that differ you from other brands?

What's your approach to customer support?

What are your favorite tracks for showcasing the strength of your products?

What other products pair best with yours?

From our interview with
.
Brand Page

What if you spend more?

Product image
Stromtank
S-2500 Quantum MKII
30748
30748
/
1
Reviews
Stromtank is unique among power conditioner brands for completely disconnecting audio systems from the power grid and using lithium iron phosphate batteries to deliver pure sine wave power. Their battery management system, developed with the Fraunhofer Institute, actively monitors and balances cells while handling both front-end and power amplifier components, unlike typical power conditioners that only support low-power devices.
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Expand Details

Our summary

Product Strengths

  • Improved speed stability of the Air Force Zero turntable during analog playback
  • Increased resolution, improved enunciation, increased dynamics, and rendered background sounds more intelligible
  • Helped clean up fracturing that could take place on some LPs when piano keys were vigorously struck in the treble region
  • Lowered the noise floor, enlarged the soundstage, increased the sense of black backgrounds, retrieved additional detail, and fortified dynamic swells
  • Amplified some of the inherent strengths of digital recordings, adding another level of finesse to the proceedings and intensifying tonal density

Product Considerations

  • Plugging in amplifiers led to a somewhat more subdued performance—a 'plusher ride'

Takeaway: The S-2500 delivers on its promise to improve stereo performance and bring the listener closer to the musical truth. It has many positive effects and no negative effects.

Video review

Our take on the brand

Stromtank is unique among power conditioner brands for completely disconnecting audio systems from the power grid and using lithium iron phosphate batteries to deliver pure sine wave power. Their battery management system, developed with the Fraunhofer Institute, actively monitors and balances cells while handling both front-end and power amplifier components, unlike typical power conditioners that only support low-power devices.
Website author headshot
Julian Shapiro
ExtremeHiFi Writer
Product Page
Product Page

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