PowerCell 12 UEF SE
See what condition your condition is in.
The PowerCell 12 UEF SE is more than your next generation power conditioner – it’s the heart of your audio system. With 10-gauge Silver Matrix point-to-point wiring and separate EM Cell filtration banks for the ultimate in component to component isolation and peak current delivery, 6 x UEF BLUE Duplexes, and utilizing Graphene, a near superconductor at room temperature, the PowerCell 12 UEF SE provides the purest and cleanest form of non-current-limiting power possible from today’s cutting edge components. Simply plug your entire system into the PowerCell 12 UEF SE to dramatically improve all areas of sound quality, guaranteed. Generating absolutely no heat or noise the PowerCell 12 UEF SE is perfect for all types of electronics including power-hungry mono block amplifiers. And with two separate Active EM Cell power banks feeding 6 UEF Black Duplexes each isolated one from another through direct 10-gauge Silver Matrix point-to-point wiring, your PowerCell 12 UEF SE isolates digital from analog components better than any other PowerCell line conditioner. Of course, our flagship model comes standard with our High Current Atmosphere Level 3 Active power cable and can be custom ordered with a High Current Galileo UEF power cord for the ultimate sound quality upgrade.
What’s inside?
The PowerCell 12 UEF starts with a high carbon steel chassis treated with a UEF Coating that blocks EM and RFI interference and is designed to function as a superlative conduit for our new Ground Plane Technology.
Developed exclusively for the PowerCell 12 UEF, the ULF (Ultra Low Frequency) Field Generator connects directly to the PowerCell 12’s (6) duplexes through the (6) Active EM Cells. It’s designed to clean your electric power by re-clocking the A/C with a rich, low-frequency harmonic that overrides noise and hash found in most common 50-60 cycle A/C.
Six separate UEF electromagnetic cells with graphene, act like supercapacitors to increase peak current on demand, allowing your components to draw more power than they would normally when connected to the wall. This gives your system added dynamic headroom while filtering the AC, all completely outside the signal path.
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The New PowerCell 12 UEF SE AC Line Conditioner is the culmination of 10 years of research into electromagnetic cell design starting with the first EM Cell prototype in 2007. EM Cells act to condition alternating current through the inductive coupling of differential EM fields and AC for an AC power conditioner that is entirely non-current limiting. The electromagnetic cells in your PowerCell 12 UEF SE operate in ways similar to a hydrogen cell, hence the name PowerCell, however, instead of a chemical reaction, an inductive coupling takes place between the plates. The effect of this reaction drastically reduces reactive capacitance in the AC signal transfer, preventing phase anomalies with a total absence of noise on the AC line.
The (6) Electromagnetic Cells provide two stages of filtration: (1) large 640 cm² “flat” cell covering all 12 outlets, and (5) 819 cm² ”folded” cells shielded and housed in carbon fiber cylinders. Four of the folded cells cover the outlets’ positive and negative poles or (2) cells each per three duplexes. The fifth folded cell covers the current’s ground plane system-wide. This new configuration makes it possible for the PowerCell 12 UEF SE to provide twice the filtration area of the outgoing PowerCell 10 UEF.
Altering the shape of the EM cells changes their inductance properties and thus their sound quality. Flat EM cells subjectively increase sound-staging air and liquidity while folded EM cells enhance detail, dynamics, and focus. Using both types of cells in unison gives your system the best attributes of both folded and flat EM Cells.
Further, the EM Cells now contain Graphene, a new highly conductive wonder material that consists of a single layer of pure carbon only a single atom thick. One of the many reasons that Graphene is so exciting is that it is almost a superconductor at room temperature. Superconductors are materials that can conduct electricity with almost no resistance when cooled to extremely low temperatures ranging from near absolute zero (-459.67°F or -273.15°C) to the temperature of liquid nitrogen (-140.8°F or -96°C). What makes Graphene so remarkable is that it can do this at room temperature.
The circuit board provides the foundation for the power that drives the EM Cells and ULF Field Generator, while Synergistic Power Transformers and Quantum Capacitors generate the purest electricity possible.
The highly conductive 62 cm² 99.995% pure silver Ground Strap is UEF treated and features Graphene for ground filtration borrowed from our award-winning SR Ground Block. In fact this Pure Silver Ground Strap is attached to each of the (6) SR Black AC outlet to Star Ground your entire system when components are plugged into the PowerCell 12 UEF. Star Grounding with UEF Filtration reduces series inductance in the ground path for a noticeable improvement in sound quality over traditional grounding options.
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The term “ground” refers to a connection to the Earth which acts as a reservoir charge. The highly conductive Pure Silver Ground Strap provides a conductive path for ground separate from the normal current-carrying path of your components which under certain conditions can add up to 10 dB of noise. The ground path with the least resistance is the best path to Earth and there is no better ground path than the PowerCell 12 UEF’s Pure Silver Ground Strap.
Plug up to twelve components into six of our highest performance BLUE UEF Duplex outlets (retail $250 each). BLUE UEF Duplexes were developed with the same technology found in our BLUE UEF Fuses and deliver similar benefits of a lower noise floor with improved frequency extension and sound staging. To further improve the quality of your analog and digital component’s performance, the six BLUE UEF Duplexes are divided into two banks, eliminating cross talk between components, and critically between analog and digital components, for the ultimate in component to component isolation.
PowerCell 12 UEF SE Specifications:
MSRP
Bundled with $3,495.00 Atmosphere SX Euphoria PowerCell AC Cable (5 ft.)
120V - $6,995.00
230V - $7,450.00
Bundled with $6,995.00 Galileo Discovery AC Cable (5 ft.)
120V - $8,995.00
230V - $9,450.00
- All 10 awg. Silver Matrix point-to-point discrete wiring
Connector Output US:
- 12 each BLUE UEF Outlets (Two stage Quantum Treatment)
Connector Output International (EU/AU/UK):
- 12 each BLUE UEF Schuko outlets (Two stage Quantum Treatment)
UEF:
- Graphene treatment throughout unit
- Internal “Active” power supply for biasing EM Cells
- 2nd generation Internal ULF (Ultra-low frequency) Generator to bias AC to the Earth’s Schumann Resonance for a dramatic drop in a system’s noise floor
- 2 each SR Power Transformers
- 8 each SR Quantum Capacitors in EM Cell power supply and ULF field generator
- High Carbon Steel/Aluminum “Ground Plane” chassis
- New 6 EM Cell topology acts like a ‘Super Capacitor’ to increase peak current on demand allowing components to draw more current than when connected directly to the wall for added dynamic headroom
Internal Active UEF EM Horizontal Plane Cell area:
- 640 square centimeters
- 5 x Internal Active UEF EM Folded Carbon Fiber Cell area: 2343.15 square centimeters total
Connector Input:
- 1 each Neutrik 32 amp PowerCon
- 2 Isolated Output Banks; can be used to isolate analog from digital components
99.995% Pure Silver Ground Strap:
- 62 square centimeters
- 1 each special 10-gauge Atmosphere Level 3 Active PowerCell power cord that does not require a separate MPC, just plug and play like standard non-active power cords—no extra wires
Weight and Dimensions:
- 5.5″ x Width 17.5″ x Depth 13.5″
- 19 lbs.
Voltage and current Rating:
- Input rating US: 20amp/125v
- Input Rating International (EU/AU/UK): 16amp/250v
- US Version: Rating is limited by the US Outlet rating of 20amp/125v
- International(EU/AU/UK) Version: Rating is predicated upon the Schuko Outlet rating of 16amp/250v
Atmosphere A/C Cable
Alter your surroundings.
Euphoria PowerCell Level 3 High Current A/C Specifications:
Air Strings:
- Silver Air String- 99.999% pure Silver signal conductor, Air (sealed) dielectric
- Tricon String- Teflon dielectric
- Ultra High Current Atmosphere String- Silver Matrix conductors, Modified PTFE dielectric
- Shielding- Atmosphere Active Shielding
Active Shielding
- Shielding- Atmosphere Active Shielding
- Premium Swiss-made onboard Power Supply
Cable Count:
- Each Atmosphere Level 3 PowerCell power cable is made from 6 separate power cords- 1 pair Ultra High Current Atmosphere Silver Matrix Strings, 1 each Tricon String, 3 each Silver Air Strings, 1 each Silver Active Shielding balanced DC geometry
Active UEF Circuit:
- Precious metals / Graphene
Passive UEF Filtration:
- Precious metals / Graphene / Teflon dielectric
Connectors:
- Synergistic Research G07 Gold Signal Path Wall and 32amp Neutrik Powercon connector
Upgrade (+$3500.00)
Galileo SX Power Cable
We recently upgraded to the Galileo UEF power cord (from the Level 3) on the PowerCell 12 UEF SE.
We were expecting appreciable improvements in clarity and perhaps resolution. Turns out, the benefits were far more substantial – especially from a “musical enjoyment” point of view.
More dimensionally layered sound
Imparts a nice vividness
More contouring and body
Warmer and richer
Much better bass definition and extension
Way smoother. This is probably the most obvious attribute
There’s more elasticity in the sound
Improved timbre
More snap and separation
The Level 3 already sounds great but the Galileo is something else entirely. Said another way – it’s very difficult to go back to the Level 3 cord. A worthy upgrade.
“One interesting option for those who own the Synergistic Research PowerCell 12 UEF SE power conditioner is to replace the Atmosphere power cable that is original to the PowerCell with a Galileo SX power cable. I experimented with this extensively. As those who follow my reviews know, I have stated many times that the PowerCell just might be the most important component in my system for best overall sound quality.”
Robert Youman - Positive Feedback - October 2018
“Then the Galileo SX power cord arrived. It’s been about a month of enjoyment via the Level 3 power cord, so this would prove to be interesting as I wondered aloud how could this get better than it already is? At first blush, the Galileo SX presented a sweeter and a tad more relaxed soundstage. Images had greater density and specificity as though they were being presented in higher resolution. Gregory Porter’s “Take me to the Alley” for example became even more realistic in terms of color and richness. The sweetness I first detected kept recurring over the course of many listening sessions. But that sweetness was a bi-product of the Galileo SX having less resistence and thus stress. Understand me, you do not get that impression listening to the Level 3 power cord at all, until you compare the two. Once you do that, it’s pretty easy to tell the Galileo SX is just performing at another level.y.”
Clement Perry and Bill Wells - StereoTimes - December 2018
Review
"Will the internal struggle to reach nirvana ever end? Probably not. As much as we like to complain about the journey, this is what provides much of the joy and interest in this hobby. The PowerCell SX has the ability to get us amazingly closer and without major upgrades to the rest of the system—closer than any other cable or power conditioner that I have heard in my listening room. The PowerCell SX clearly pushes the envelope.
Robert Youman, Positive Feedback, July 2020
Review
"The non-current-limiting PowerCell SX is one of the rare exceptions, and for that alone, it gets into the top tier and deserves high praise."
Alan Sircom, Hifi+, November 2023
Full Review
"An overview of Synergistic Research's product line will find something from a continuum of 'mild' to 'wild'. The divide is probably most noticeable between products in the signal chain – like the PowerCell SX tested here – and those outside (like the brand's Acoustic Dots). In fact, if you dig a little deeper, they are all part of the same developmental Unified Energy Field concept, and those who 'get' Synergistic Research will just counter that some struggle to intuit the company's whole systemic concept and just stay with the parts connected to the hardware. There are a lot of parallels between Synergistic Research and those making an ever-more intricate system approach to sound reproduction; it's that Synergistic Research goes deeper down the rabbit hole than most.
The PowerCell SX power conditioner features conditioning and filtration technologies drawn down from the company's no-longer-available flagship Galileo SX PowerCell. This means six active electromagnetic cells fed by the Galileo SX's power supply. These cells are improved over previous editions (trickle-down from the Galileo SX once again) and are a good source of power filtration (almost four times beefier than its predecessor) and EMI/RFI suppression.
That's not all If filtration, interference suppression and the consequent noise floor lowering were the only roles allocated to the PowerCell SX, it would still be relevant. But this is just the start. However, things get a little more 'out there' in Synergistic Research's classic style after this. First, it uses the company's Orange Capacitors and Purple Duplex power inlets. Then it adds field generators, bringing the PowerCell SX in line with the company's other UEF-based line. However, 24k Gold UEF circuits are drawn from the Galileo SX this time. That brings a next-gen level of fine-tuning to the PowerCell SX.
From here, the PowerCell SX adds a Schumann Resonance Generator to power and bias its active EM cells. A who in the what now? Schumann Resonances are low-frequency electromagnetic waves, caused by lightning discharges creating resonance between the surface of the earth and the ionosphere. Estimates say there are about 2,000 thunderstorms on Earth at any moment, and the EM resonance they create makes a set of spectrum peaks at 7.83Hz, with harmonics up to 33.8Hz. This Schumann Resonance has been dubbed the Earth's 'heartbeat', and the frequency is also generated in the PowerCell SX.
There is also provision to ground the PowerCell SX to a Synergistic Research Active Ground Block without using a power outlet. You also get a back-lit, semi-transparent power meter on the front panel. This is similar to the Ghost Meters used by Audio Research, but this one lacks the glowing tubes behind the glass. Still, it looks great!
Determining whether using the Schumann Resonance Generator and the like adds anything tangible beyond the PowerCell SX's intrinsic performance as a good conditioner is a bit of a tough call. If you get what Synergistic Research does, these are core elements in building a superior-sounding system. You'll know then, that the PowerCell SX and all its component parts result from extensive blind listening tests by Ted Denney and the Synergistic Research team. As a result, you'll consider the PowerCell SX as a core part of a Synergistic Research approach to system optimisation. If not, you are still left with a good-sounding conditioner.
Foundation or not? I am using the PowerCell SX in either an entirely non-Synergistic Research treated system or at most one with the Foundation SX cables (tested in Issue 217) and the Black Box bass resonator (tested in Issue 214) in the system. As a result, I will separate the PowerCell SX from its additional field-effect claims, as much as possible. As they are intrinsic to the properties of the PowerCell SX, that's a big ask, but at least I am trying not to place it in an entirely sympathetic system. Nor, for that matter, will I place it in an entirely unsympathetic system (such as mixing Synergistic and Shunyata, as they are like the Sharks and Jets of brands with 'Research' in the name, but with less dancing).
The PowerCell SX on its own does a lot for a system. Sure, it has the 'none more black' dark backgrounds and low noise presentation found in many good conditioners, and it leaves the sound in a good dynamic and rhythmic place, as befits some of the best in 'best for conditioners and filters. The 'first, do no harm' maxim is honoured surprisingly infrequently with power products, as many lean out the dynamic shading as they clean up power chow. The non-current-limiting PowerCell SX is one of the rare exceptions, and for that alone, it gets into the top tier and deserves high praise.
Where the PowerCell SX begins to step beyond 'high praise' is its ability to correctly deal with tonal densities of a note, the raw vibration that ensues, and to separate one from another. This gives the music a sense of harmonic and timbral structure that is often robbed by the juice and not fixed in many conditioners.
I made a rookie error here; I mistakenly thought the PowerCell SX was boosting the size and depth of the soundstage. However, on closer listening, it was more than a combination of better silences between the notes and the PowerCell SX's ability to tease out the structure of the music gave the impression of greater soundstage depth and width. That said, there was a feeling that music was unleashed from the cabinets more when the system was harnessed to the PowerCell SX.
Joie de vivre Most of all, however, the PowerCell SX simply brings out the joie de vivre in a recording. In making the track more engaging, it makes it more impassioned... no matter the music.
Now, back to the Synergistic Research concept album. Not only does the PowerCell SX work in that context, I'd argue it should be the beachhead for the Synergistic invasion. It brings a sense of order to even the least chaotic power, and that makes it hard to put back in its box."
Review
"Will the internal struggle to reach nirvana ever end? Probably not. As much as we like to complain about the journey, this is what provides much of the joy and interest in this hobby. The PowerCell SX has the ability to get us amazingly closer and without major upgrades to the rest of the system—closer than any other cable or power conditioner that I have heard in my listening room. The PowerCell SX clearly pushes the envelope. It's only July, but I now have my first nomination for the annual Positive Feedback Writers' Choice Awards. Highly, highly recommended!"
Robert Youman, Positive Feedback, July 2020