Audioquest Angel vs Synergisitic Research Atmosphere Alive


I am currently running Synergistic Research's Foundation cable and want to upgrade the cable for more clarity. I had previously upgraded from Audioquest's Yosemite, which was a fantastic cable, but lacked high frequency detail. I wanted to move into using silver cables over copper. I saw the Synergistic Foundation line to be an affordable entry way into silver cables. It was an improvement in high frequency detail, but a loss in mid bass body.

This was not a big issue at the time, because I was running Audioengine's A2+ speaker system.  It had a 3 inch woofer which physically couldn't produce a robust mid bass sound. Now I have upgraded to Audioengine's HD6.  Now I have a 5.5 inch woofer and the Foundation is a bit too anorexic.  The HD6 is really revealing in high frequency details and it turns out that the details provided in the Foundation line are no longer enough.

After much research and discussion with some sales reps and the Synergistic tech, I discovered that what they say is an "air dielectric" is actually silver conductors inside a hollow tube.  That tube is Polyethylene.  This is the same setup that Audioquest uses in its lower end cables.  The Sydney and the Victoria both use a hollow Polyethylene tube as its dielectric. Polyethylene absorbs high frequency signals, including those that would be audible. That means the silver cable in Synergistic Research's Foundation line is being slightly rolled off.

In Audioquest's Yosemite, they changed the hollow dielectric to FEP, a fluorocarbon Teflon-like material. The Angel also uses the same FEP. The Synergistic Research Alive Level 1 is the same cable as the Foundation, but uses Teflon as a dielectric, as well as uses better connectors.

So the question is, which is better?  Does the Synergistic Research cable punch above its weight class with no active shielding but with graphene? Or do I get the Audioquest, which has no graphene but does have active shielding?

I do have other Synergistic Research in this system and feel like it would benefit from staying within the same product....but...if I am being honest, I can get the Audioquest Angel anywhere and quickly, but pay a bit more.  However, I can't get the rep I work with at The Cable Co to answer my request for purchase, and I would have to wait two weeks while the cable is being created and burned in. I am not exactly a patient consumer once I have made up my mind to make a purchase. ;)

In the end, I could save more money going with Synergistic and The Cable Co and wait, but I would be willing to spend the extra money and not wait to get Audioquest if that cable simply sounds better and resolves better than Synergistic's.

128x128guakus

Cable Stew is a killer of performance as well as potential. As in life, pick a chair. If you sit between chairs, you end up on the floor.

@guakus 

I agree with @audiosaurusrex  comments on matching cables. I have a full loom of Foundation cables in my system. The power cables were the last to be added and it has made an amazing difference. After hearing the changes I might add the SR Powercell 8 UEF SE to finish the set and eliminate that last gap. I don’t know what kind of magic is being weaved into these SR cables, but it really works. 
 

Also, I used to be a cable denier. I didn’t think cables could possibly make a difference. Now I have a full loom minus the power conditioner.  

@femoore12 

Well, that might just settle it. I should stick with Synergistic. :)

Blast my impatience, though.

Because I have to specialize my order, I can't just go on The Cable Co's website and just order it. There has to be some communication with a sales rep about the cable's specific design for this application.  I have to order the Phono cable, and specify 3.5 stereo mini-pin for the source end and L/R RCA for the downstream end in the notes and hope that info gets sent to Synergistic. At least, that is how we did it last time.

 

@ted_denney 

Just curious, does the Phono Atmosphere X Alive Level 1 cable have an upgraded 3.5 stereo mini pin over Foundation's Phono cable or will it be the same, at the source end?

We use different mini din plugs depending on needed pin configuration. All are treated and voiced with UEF Tech to match the geometry and materials of the cable they will be used with. In other words, the entire cable including the connectors are voiced as a single unit. So the connector that is used, is the best connector possible for sound quality. I hope this helps, but really the only way to be sure, is to try a cable in your system.

yours in music,

Ted Denney III

Lead Designer/CEO Synergistic Research Inc.