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Synergistic Grounding Block and Tweaking it.
I would like to include that I tried posting this same subject on Audiogon and it was blocked!
I always like the Synergistic Products and I have to give them credit for bringing out some of the most unique tweaks available today. There interconnects, speaker cables, and power cables were always top notch, perhaps a little pricey, but I always hated all of those extra mini couplers wires! So, I moved away from their wires. I think there new series does away with the extra mini couplers, but they are still IMHO still quite pricey.
I wanted to try the Synergistic Grounding Block. The price was not too expensive, so I ordered one form my dealer. Did I mention I always hated all those darn extra SR wires? This grounding block better impress.
Once I received it, I couldn't believe the size of it. It is about 6 "long and maybe 1 ½" thick and about 2" inches high. At one end it has a hole for accepting a regular size banana plug and on the top there are 18 pin hole openings. The grounding block comes included with six (6) of the skinniest wires with the smallest banana plugs I have ever seen for grounding! There is also included another skinny wire that is connected to an AC plug (ground only) that plugs into the wall outlet with the other end having a standard size banana that connects to the side of the grounding block.
Well, since I only own one other SR product, I changed five (5) of the rest of the banana plug ends to RCA so I was able to try it with my own non SR equipment.
To my surprise, it did indeed make the soundstage purer and deeper. I don't understand it? All of my equipment is plugged into dedicated grounded outlets, so why would this little diminutive grounding block with all those skinny wires do more?
Now, the tweaker in me took over. It seems SR also sells higher grade connection ground cables, but boy, are they pricey! Two of them cost more than the block itself! And the Synergistic grounding block can accept 18 of these ground connections!
I had some pure .9999 22 gauge silver wire left over from another project that I installed an RCA connector, sleeved it through some Teflon tubing and pushed one end into one of those 18 pin holes in the grounding block. To keep the wire from falling out of the pin holes, I pushed cut 2" lengths of some .999 18 gauge silver wire also into the pin hole which tightened up the connection. On the end, the RCA was connected to an unused RCA on my equipment. I also had some pure .999 16 gauge silver wire, so I installed this on one end with a regular banana, and then installed an AC plug (ground only) to the other end. This replaced the skinny wire that SR supplied to connect from the wall to the grounding block.
Sounding better… interesting!
On line I found some 12 gauge .9999 silver wire about 6 foot long, that cost about $50. But with this cable, to keep it pure throughout I used no connector on either end. I did this by shaping the wall outlet wire end into a V and pushed it into the wall outlet for a tight fit. The other end was crimped tight and shoved into the regular banana hole into the grounding block.
Each "upgrade" in wire went through a minor break in period. (hours not days) and doggone it, it did increase the purity of the sound.
So, now with the 18 available pin holes in the grounding block, I have all of my system connected. That includes my video and subwoofers!
Someday, I would like to try one of the higher grade SR cables to compare to my DIY version.
Folks, this little grounding block does work wonders and far exceeds the price to performance, but it is still a mystery to me.
Follow Ups:
For those of us, me included, who knew nothing about this device, I found there page of info. [see link] I see they have a bunch of ways/things you can hook up to it.
I learned some things from Waldrep, but he seems to be a science guy. If he can't measure it, it can't work. You know, bits are bits. After I heard the improvement from the AQ Jitterbug, I kind of stopped taking everything he says as gospel.
The grounding block is interesting, I'd like to know what is inside it.
Mark Waldrep of AIX records stated the the SR Grounding Block was hocus pocus. Total bull on his part. The Block works extremely well.
Audiotunesx:
I am glad you are liking the Synergistic Research Black fuse. As you pointed out they do add a very engaging clarity to voices. I am very glad I have them in my system.
Ozzyboy:
I will have to keep an eye out for the Bybee product. Congratulations on your experiments to improve your system.
Mercman:
I thought your observations and descriptions of the Synergistic Research Grounding Block were quite accurate. I applaud you to publish your findings on this product as the closed minded such as Mark Waldrep are way to quick to throw stones without personally evaluating such a product.
I am sure we will find additional ways to enhance the Grounding Block's effects
. It certainly is a lot less costly than the Entreg, Tellis, and Telos grounding products, and to me more effective than the Acoustic Revive RG-24 product.
Plus the Synergistic Research Grounding Block's are sold with a 30 day
trial.
David Pritchard
David,
Try a Bybee signal enhancer underneath it.
Ozzy, I haven't tried the Synergistic Grounding Block yet, but have a number of the small Entreq grounding boxes (Minimus). For a long time I had been using 12 and 14 AWG solid core UPOCC wire's made by Neotech. I still can't afford the Entreq wires, but noticed parts connexion selling Duelund silver wire. My components sit very close together so I only need 2 foot runs. I wasn't expecting much, but the Duelund hookup wire (3.0) provided a tremendous upgrade in sound, similar impact to changing interconnects. It has the warmth of a UPOCC copper cable, but the clarity of a silver cable. Soundstage depth, width and instrument separation is impressive and the bass is very realistic. Micro details are better revealed painting a more complete picture. Silver ground cables are the real deal!
David, I saw your notes on the Synergistic Black fuse. I bought one for my Pre and it is as good as you say. It's still breaking in, but most impressive has been the new found clarity in voices, and better bass in every way (compared to the Red fuse).
Ozzy:
The Synergistic Research Grounding Block is the real deal. I have two. One in the dedicated headphone system and one in the speaker ( Terasonics) system. I like what it does for the sound. The wire absolutely makes a difference. Congratulations on your DIY improved wire. I do use a full loom of the Synergistic Research wiring and it is better than the standard wire and also expensive.
The system can be further improved by putting a Mad Scientist Black Discus on top of the Grounding Block at the end where the lead to the wall outlet is inserted. Also using a destatic device such as the Furutech or Orb and blowing a stream of negative-positive ions on the grounding block greatly increases the Grounding Block's effect. This effect lasts about 30 to 60 minutes .
I am very impressed with the Grounding Block and think they are well worth the price and effort to install.
David Pritchard
Thanks David. I will try your suggestions.
But, why does it work?
I have no real idea how the Grounding Block, Black Discus or the ORB static neutralizer causes a sonic change. But in my systems they do and the music enjoyment now is much greater.
I think the Grounding Block is a good buy. I do like Synergistic Research's 30 day return policy- which they are very good at honoring.
Enjoy great music this weekend>
David Pritchard
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