When I first read about the introduction of the Synergistic Research Tranquility Base at the last CES, I was somewhat skeptical that a platform could condition a computer by simply placing it on the platform. But having previously been impressed with Ted Denney’s creations while visiting his factory, I was more than willing to give this platform an audition.The Synergistic Research Tranquility Base allows one to place active components on the base for active signal conditioning within the component. First developed for computer conditioning, it has proved to be equally successful with other audio components. I will be focusing my review solely on the Tranquility Base used with my Early 2011 MacBook Pro. My MacBook Pro is a 2.3GHz i7 Quad Core with 16 GB RAM and an OCZ Vertex 3 240GB SATA 3 drive for the operating system. The Music library is on a Promise Pegasus 4TB Thunderbolt drive. The DAC used for the review is a Wavelength Crimson HS with Denominator module and Silver transformers. The excellent Pure Music 1.86 with OSX Lion was used in both listening sessions.
The Tranquility Base is beautifully finished with Aluminum sides and Plexiglas top and bottom. The base has a 9 layer laminate for mechanical isolation, a Ground plane, and Active Signal Control. The Base comes with 6 MIGs (Mechanical Interface Grounding) footers. 3 are placed beneath the base, and 3 beneath the component. They can be tuned depending if they are placed up or down. The Base has a Ground Wire that plugs into the base and the other end into the AC. The Base is powered by an MPC (Mini Power Coupler) that is plugged into your AC. There are 2 Enigma Bullets provided for fine tuning the sound. In summary, there are 3 connections to the Base; the Ground, MPC, and the Enigma Bullet.
One should experiment with the MIGs and Enigma Bullets for optimum sound. I found this process easy with minimal effort. The MPC provided can be upgraded to the Galileo Mini Power Coupler for an additional $400. This provides enhancement in sound staging, definition, noise reduction, with greater clarity than the standard MPC provides. I used both MPC units and felt that the Galileo was a significant upgrade.
There are three models of the Tranquility Base. There is a Basik model for $998, The Tranquility Base I purchased for $1998, and a larger XL model for $2998. Ted recommends that the computer and hard drive be placed on the Base. His advertising shows a Mac Mini and a Western Digital HD sitting on a Tranquility Basik.
The 1st day listening session:The first title I played was Carl Kidd Tell Me Once Again. A Linn 192/24 recording that features Carol Kidd’s singing with a guitarist. The most obvious change to the sound with the Tranquility Base powered on was a larger soundstage. The soundstage was not exaggerated, but wider, deeper with greater sense of height. Carol’s voice was projected forward into the room. Turning off the Base resulted in a significant collapse of the acoustic space with Carol’s voice and the guitar now sounding somewhat two-dimensional. The background was darker with the Base energized.
I then played Patricia Barber Modern Cool MFSL SACD rip 176.4/24. The soundstage became very holographic in presentation with a slight reduction in hardness of the piano with the Base. Voices were projected into the room with a greater sense of ease and dimensionality. Instruments and voices were better defined with the Base.
Fourplay 96/24 and Fouplay Energy SACD rip 176.4/24 displayed stronger, better defined dynamic bass with greater slam with the Base. As with the other two titles, the soundstage opened up considerably. Also, the midrange and high end were smoother with superior resolution when listening with the Base.
Don Grusin The Hang, a 96/24 DVD-A rip was “energized” by the Tranquility Base. This live recording’s acoustic space opened up with the Base and provided better high end detail with increased smoothness in the sound. The dynamics with the Base were quite astounding.
The Reference Recording 176.4/24 HRx Exotic Dances from the Opera with Eije Oue sounded more open and alive with the Base. The Base not only provided a huge soundstage, but instruments within the soundstage were more easily identified particularly front-to-back perspective. It also appeared that background noise was reduced by the Base.
The 2nd day listening session:
I invited two friends, both hard core computer audiophiles that own fine systems. I enlisted them for the “blind testing”; not telling them when the Base was on or off. We listened to a variety of music - James Taylor, Dave Alvin, Alison Krauss, Stevie Wonder all ripped SACDs at 176.4/24. Several Reference Recordings HRx titles 176.4/24, and several HDtracks titles 192/24 including Fleetwood Mac and Cat Stevens were also listened to.
The boys had no problems identifying the Base every time. It is really a night and day difference. Both easily heard the soundstage changes with the Base. Dr. Bob felt that the midrange definition was vastly improved. Both of my friends heard the same things that I had heard the previous day.
The Synergistic Research Tranquility Base has been a real eye opener for this audiophile. The improvement that the Base delivers is substantial and easily heard. The Tranquility Base allows one’s DAC to fully realize it’s potential. I don’t feel that the Base will turn a $200 DAC into a $20,000 DAC, but the Tranquility Base will get the best out of your present DAC. The Wavelength Crimson HS/ Denominator puts out one of the finest soundstages in the business. I was amazed at how much better the soundstage sounded with the Base. Bass had more impact and was more dynamic in presentation. The noise level dropped with enhanced “black” background. Highs and midrange were not only more detailed and transparent, but smoother sounding. The Tranquility Base delivers the goods promised by Synergistic Research.
After a great deal of consultation with Lucy, she has decided to award this product her highest rating of Four Paws Up.
Thanks to Peter Hansen, the National Sales and Marketing Director at Synergistic Research, for delivering the Tranquility Base and showing me the fine points of setup. I have no financial relationship with Synergistic Research. My Tranquility Base was purchased from The Cable Company.
Steve
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Topic - Synergistic Research Tranquility Base/MacBook Pro - Mercman 11:05:37 03/23/12 (158)
- RE: Synergistic Research Tranquility Base/MacBook Pro - michaelhigh 07:27:23 03/28/12 (1)
- RE: Synergistic Research Tranquility Base/MacBook Pro - Mercman 07:45:34 03/28/12 (0)
- Perhaps this belongs in the Tweaks forum? (nt) - Scrith 10:35:00 03/27/12 (4)
- Mercman Said He Does Not Get Into Audiophile Tweaks... - Dynobot 10:41:16 03/27/12 (3)
- RE: Mercman Said He Does Not Get Into Audiophile Tweaks... - Mercman 10:52:21 03/27/12 (2)
- RE: Mercman Said He Does Not Get Into Audiophile Tweaks... - Dynobot 11:33:15 03/27/12 (1)
- RE: Mercman Said He Does Not Get Into Audiophile Tweaks... - Bob_C 19:55:41 03/27/12 (0)
- Hey Merc - Sordidman 14:39:19 03/26/12 (1)
- RE: Hey Merc - Mercman 16:49:28 03/26/12 (0)
- RE: Synergistic Research Tranquility Base/MacBook Pro - hiphiphooray@earthlink.net 05:00:21 03/26/12 (0)
- RE: Synergistic Research Tranquility Base/MacBook Pro - Scab 20:26:10 03/25/12 (0)
- Does it have the same effect if the laptop is not sitting on it? - bwb 16:22:24 03/25/12 (4)
- RE: Does it have the same effect if the laptop is not sitting on it? - Mercman 16:32:59 03/25/12 (3)
- What is generating the elctromagnetic field? - fmak 06:11:40 03/26/12 (2)
- See figure 6 ??? - Tony Lauck 09:01:59 03/26/12 (0)
- I would not be suprised to find crushed crystals inside suspended in a gel... - Dynobot 06:32:21 03/26/12 (0)
- Thanks for the review... - Archimago 14:59:56 03/24/12 (33)
- RE: Thanks for the review... - Mercman 16:11:32 03/24/12 (32)
- RE: Thanks for the review... - Part-Time Audiophile 09:34:04 03/25/12 (0)
- RE: Thanks for the review... - Bob_C 21:03:33 03/24/12 (2)
- RE: Thanks for the review... - Archimago 22:51:40 03/24/12 (1)
- RE: Thanks for the review... - Bob_C 09:20:06 03/25/12 (0)
- Obvious differences, blind tests and white lies - Tony Lauck 19:10:22 03/24/12 (26)
- RE: Obvious differences, blind tests and white lies - Archimago 15:11:40 03/25/12 (7)
- RE: Obvious differences, blind tests and white lies - Mercman 15:52:28 03/25/12 (6)
- Absolutely true: for the naysayer with his agendae - Sordidman 09:23:22 03/26/12 (0)
- RE: Obvious differences, blind tests and white lies - fmak 22:09:03 03/25/12 (4)
- RE: Obvious differences, blind tests and white lies - Mercman 12:25:39 03/26/12 (0)
- RE: Obvious differences, blind tests and white lies - Tony Lauck 08:37:03 03/26/12 (2)
- RE: Obvious differences, blind tests and white lies - Mercman 12:14:51 03/26/12 (1)
- RE: Obvious differences, blind tests and white lies - Tony Lauck 13:41:22 03/26/12 (0)
- RE: Obvious differences, blind tests and white lies - Bob_C 21:10:49 03/24/12 (0)
- Blind tests are an invalid measure of sound quality. nt - Norm 20:29:12 03/24/12 (16)
- Blind tests are an education. - Tony Lauck 13:56:51 03/25/12 (3)
- Double Blind tests are an amusement. - Norm 18:00:28 03/25/12 (1)
- RE: Double Blind tests are an amusement. - Tony Lauck 18:22:42 03/25/12 (0)
- RE: Blind tests are an education. - Mercman 14:07:19 03/25/12 (0)
- BS --) RE: Blind tests are an invalid measure of sound quality. nt - Archimago 22:48:03 03/24/12 (11)
- "Blind tests are the highest level of evidence..." - no, they are not. - carcass93 09:23:26 03/26/12 (0)
- Many think the measure is invalid. Certainly, I do and would pay no attention to it results. - Norm 13:35:24 03/25/12 (9)
- Sorry... Disagree... RE: Many think the measure is invalid... - Archimago 14:51:26 03/25/12 (8)
- Isomorphic mean related to or characteristic of. - Norm 17:54:58 03/25/12 (7)
- RE: Isomorphic mean related to or characteristic of. - Archimago 21:50:45 03/25/12 (6)
- If you read what I said, I am talking about the double blind tests advocated and used by some psychologists. - Norm 11:23:14 03/27/12 (0)
- Norm is 100% right when it comes to the Null hypothesis - Tony Lauck 08:49:03 03/26/12 (4)
- RE: Norm is 100% right when it comes to the Null hypothesis - Archimago 17:27:37 03/26/12 (2)
- RE: Norm is 100% right when it comes to the Null hypothesis - Tony Lauck 06:27:37 03/27/12 (1)
- RE: Norm is 100% right when it comes to the Null hypothesis - Archimago 19:04:52 03/27/12 (0)
- Null? - fmak 09:13:11 03/26/12 (0)
- RE: Thanks for the review... - Archimago 17:11:04 03/24/12 (0)
- RE: Synergistic Research Tranquility Base/MacBook Pro - Bob_C 19:55:24 03/23/12 (0)
- Review is SUSPECT, I See A CLEAR Pattern.... - Dynobot 17:58:43 03/23/12 (66)
- RE: Review is SUSPECT, I See A CLEAR Pattern.... - Tony Lauck 11:59:26 03/24/12 (14)
- helps to have a very high end system... - Dynobot 12:55:04 03/24/12 (13)
- RE: helps to have a very high end system... - Tony Lauck 13:29:17 03/24/12 (12)
- Excellent point - mls-stl 14:23:59 03/24/12 (10)
- RE: Excellent point - Dynobot 14:58:34 03/24/12 (9)
- Especially when it sounds so much worse than good - Sordidman 11:09:39 03/26/12 (8)
- the "live" caveat - mls-stl 15:53:28 03/26/12 (7)
- My sarcasm aside - Sordidman 17:09:07 03/26/12 (6)
- Poor Guy - Dynobot 06:43:01 03/27/12 (4)
- RE: Poor Guy - Bob_C 22:51:06 03/27/12 (3)
- Me neither - Sordidman 15:06:39 03/28/12 (0)
- RE: Poor Guy - Dynobot 03:59:16 03/28/12 (1)
- RE: Poor Guy - Tony Lauck 09:52:58 03/28/12 (0)
- Sorry your experience... - mls-stl 19:43:55 03/26/12 (0)
- RE: helps to have a very high end system... - Dynobot 14:12:02 03/24/12 (0)
- interesting observation, so is bigger always better? - bwb 08:39:39 03/24/12 (37)
- bigger than his house by now. - Dynobot 08:53:44 03/24/12 (9)
- Nothing that you say must be true. - Norm 09:05:12 03/24/12 (0)
- RE: bigger than his house by now. - Mercman 09:04:47 03/24/12 (7)
- nobody is "picking on you" - bwb 10:00:20 03/24/12 (2)
- RE: nobody is "picking on you" - Mercman 10:16:18 03/24/12 (0)
- RE: nobody is "picking on you" - Dynobot 10:07:10 03/24/12 (0)
- RE: bigger than his house by now. - Dynobot 09:24:06 03/24/12 (3)
- RE: bigger than his house by now. - Mercman 09:34:37 03/24/12 (2)
- RE: bigger than his house by now. - Tony Lauck 12:23:33 03/24/12 (0)
- RE: bigger than his house by now. - Dynobot 09:40:17 03/24/12 (0)
- RE: interesting observation, so is bigger always better? - Mercman 08:49:41 03/24/12 (26)
- If "Most of my observations about soundstage are based on orchestral recordings" - bwb 09:43:33 03/24/12 (25)
- RE: If "Most of my observations about soundstage are based on orchestral recordings" - Mercman 09:55:31 03/24/12 (23)
- OK, I have no reason to doubt you but you still haven't addressed my original point - bwb 10:20:51 03/24/12 (22)
- Uh oh. Worm can.... - Presto 14:50:01 03/26/12 (0)
- RE: OK, I have no reason to doubt you but you still haven't addressed my original point - Mercman 10:28:20 03/24/12 (20)
- Revealing as in Micro and Macro Details??? - Dynobot 10:38:58 03/24/12 (19)
- RE: Revealing as in Micro and Macro Details??? - Mercman 10:46:29 03/24/12 (18)
- Micro and Macro Details??? - fmak 06:17:48 03/26/12 (17)
- RE: Micro and Macro Details??? - Dynobot 07:21:34 03/26/12 (16)
- Not convinced - fmak 09:02:40 03/26/12 (3)
- RE: Not convinced Okay I Can Live With That - Dynobot 19:18:13 03/26/12 (0)
- RE: Not convinced - Tony Lauck 09:09:30 03/26/12 (1)
- RE: Not convinced - Mercman 10:11:34 03/26/12 (0)
- RE: Micro and Macro Details??? - Mercman 07:38:06 03/26/12 (11)
- RE: Micro and Macro Details??? - fmak 08:57:48 03/26/12 (9)
- RE: Micro and Macro Details??? - Mercman 10:03:08 03/26/12 (8)
- RE: Micro and Macro Details??? - Dynobot 06:29:21 03/27/12 (0)
- RE: Micro and Macro Details??? - Tony Lauck 12:36:58 03/26/12 (2)
- This comes from a system that will play at peak SPLs about 118 dB - Dynobot 06:36:12 03/27/12 (1)
- RE: This comes from a system that will play at peak SPLs about 118 dB - Tony Lauck 07:11:22 03/27/12 (0)
- RE: Micro and Macro Details??? - fmak 11:20:56 03/26/12 (3)
- RE: Micro and Macro Details??? - Mercman 11:26:09 03/26/12 (2)
- RE: Micro and Macro Details??? - fmak 21:57:47 03/26/12 (1)
- RE: Micro and Macro Details??? - Mercman 05:36:02 03/27/12 (0)
- RE: Micro and Macro Details??? - Dynobot 07:43:58 03/26/12 (0)
- RE: If "Most of my observations about soundstage are based on orchestral recordings" - Mercman 09:51:12 03/24/12 (0)
- RE: Review is SUSPECT, I See A CLEAR Pattern.... - Mercman 18:14:25 03/23/12 (12)
- For some - fmak 22:52:29 03/23/12 (1)
- Soundstage is great - Dynobot 04:54:55 03/24/12 (0)
- RE: Review is SUSPECT, I See A CLEAR Pattern.... - Bob_C 19:54:22 03/23/12 (5)
- RE: Review is SUSPECT, I See A CLEAR Pattern.... - Dynobot 03:18:23 03/24/12 (4)
- RE: Review is SUSPECT, I See A CLEAR Pattern.... - Bob_C 10:11:08 03/24/12 (3)
- RE: Review is SUSPECT, I See A CLEAR Pattern.... - Dynobot 12:06:59 03/24/12 (2)
- Blocks of iron. - Tony Lauck 12:38:58 03/24/12 (1)
- RE: Blocks of iron. - Bob_C 13:59:10 03/24/12 (0)
- Okay nice - Dynobot 18:41:29 03/23/12 (3)
- Oi, "But I sure would like to know about other aspects concerning the sound" - Sordidman 11:04:17 03/26/12 (0)
- RE: Okay nice - Mercman 18:59:14 03/23/12 (1)
- I think your review is excellent. - Norm 08:48:32 03/24/12 (0)
- RE: Synergistic Research Tranquility Base/MacBook Pro - rick_m 14:30:57 03/23/12 (6)
- RE: Synergistic Research Tranquility Base/MacBook Pro - fmak 22:55:58 03/23/12 (4)
- RE: Synergistic Research Tranquility Base/MacBook Pro - rick_m 06:28:54 03/24/12 (0)
- RE: Synergistic Research Tranquility Base/MacBook Pro - Mercman 04:35:39 03/24/12 (2)
- RE: Synergistic Research Tranquility Base/MacBook Pro - rick_m 06:25:25 03/24/12 (1)
- RE: Synergistic Research Tranquility Base/MacBook Pro - Mercman 08:52:38 03/24/12 (0)
- RE: Synergistic Research Tranquility Base/MacBook Pro - Mercman 14:43:02 03/23/12 (0)
- Thank you Mercman - Sordidman 13:10:12 03/23/12 (1)
- RE: Thank you Mercman - Mercman 06:47:59 03/24/12 (0)
- RE: Synergistic Research Tranquility Base/MacBook Pro - Gary G 12:39:36 03/23/12 (0)
- How does it work? What does it do? - AbeCollins 12:11:41 03/23/12 (29)
- I think the bullets are the same value resisters but of different manufacturers. nt - Norm 08:52:28 03/24/12 (0)
- RE: How does it work? What does it do? - Mercman 12:31:23 03/23/12 (27)
- RE: How does it work? What does it do? - joneill 12:40:38 03/26/12 (10)
- The ripped SACDs at 176.4/24 must be heard - fmak 06:16:23 03/27/12 (8)
- RE: The ripped SACDs at 176.4/24 must be heard - joneill 07:04:29 03/27/12 (6)
- Why - fmak 08:10:35 03/27/12 (5)
- RE: Why - Mercman 07:15:01 03/28/12 (0)
- RE: Why - joneill 16:46:15 03/27/12 (2)
- RE: Why-this - fmak 01:38:45 03/28/12 (1)
- RE: Why-this - joneill 14:05:39 03/28/12 (0)
- RE: Why - Tony Lauck 09:05:56 03/27/12 (0)
- RE: The ripped SACDs at 176.4/24 must be heard - Mercman 06:30:12 03/27/12 (0)
- RE: How does it work? What does it do? - Mercman 12:47:59 03/26/12 (0)
- RE: How does it work? What does it do?If - fmak 22:59:47 03/23/12 (12)
- RE: How does it work? What does it do?If - rick_m 07:54:22 03/24/12 (5)
- RE: How does it work? What does it do?If - fmak 05:45:24 03/25/12 (4)
- RE: How does it work? What does it do?If - Tony Lauck 08:32:09 03/25/12 (0)
- RE: How does it work? What does it do?If - rick_m 08:02:34 03/25/12 (2)
- RE: How does it work? What does it do?If - Mercman 08:22:14 03/25/12 (1)
- RE: How does it work? What does it do?If - rick_m 09:01:19 03/25/12 (0)
- RE: How does it work? What does it do?If - Dynobot 05:34:20 03/24/12 (5)
- RE: How does it work? What does it do?If - fmak 05:49:06 03/24/12 (4)
- RE: How does it work? What does it do?If - Tony Lauck 11:47:14 03/24/12 (1)
- Not Broken...millions of dollars can be wasted - Dynobot 19:40:39 03/25/12 (0)
- physical and scientific principles = Pproprietary secret ingredient - Dynobot 05:57:12 03/24/12 (1)
- RE: physical and scientific principles = Pproprietary secret ingredient - fmak 07:19:38 03/24/12 (0)
- RE: How does it work? Mechanism of Action is Unknown...nt - Dynobot 17:59:57 03/23/12 (2)
- RE: How does it work? Mechanism of Action is Unknown...nt - Tarquineous 17:00:22 04/16/12 (1)
- RE: How does it work? Mechanism of Action is Unknown...nt - Archimago 13:43:34 04/17/12 (0)