Does this count as a Rack Rig?

[thegame]

Hey Synergy guys, I've no doubt these modules sound good but how is the feel factor? Are they close to being amp like with an interactive and responsive push/pull feel, etc?

 

[HellraiserJohnny]

Don't you get degradation from the MPX-1 running straight through it?

I look at it this way, after spending about 10 grand building the W/D/W rig and having the most pristine FX you can possibly get, the complications of making a single change (which affects the whole system) and re-balancing the system got to be a bit too much.

For the simplicity that my current rig gives me, I can swim in the waters of FX heaven anytime I want. It's not perfect but that's my comprimise.

My current rig . . .

The W/D/W Rack Rig. . .

My current rig is a LOT more FUN

 

[nightlight]

That's an awesome rack, man. Don't let anyone tell you otherwise.

 

[stratjacket]

Hey Synergy guys, I've no doubt these modules sound good but how is the feel factor? Are they close to being amp like with an interactive and responsive push/pull feel, etc?

Yes, it's a tube preamp going into a tube power amp (KSR for me). Has all the feel and response of a full head to me. It's the real thing, that's what I love about it. Are the modules 100% exact of the head preamps they are supposed to represent? I don't know, even if they are not, they are very close and perhaps small variants of the real head which can be seen as a different version of the same amp.

Like I mentioned earlier, it was hard for me to get to the point where I liked the sound and feel of these modules as much or better than full heads. But they are just the most fun to play right now and have been for me about 4 or 5 months. So I finally just admitted it to myself.

 

[thegame]

Like I mentioned earlier, it was hard for me to get to the point where I liked the sound and feel of these modules as much or better than full heads. But they are just the most fun to play right now and have been for me about 4 or 5 months. So I finally just admitted it to myself.

Thanks. Do you mean it was difficult to admit to yourself that these “lesser” modules are really just as good, albeit slightly different, as the real deal amps each one is based on?

BTW have you tried the built in XLR out cabinet emulation? I can’t find a single clip on YT that is this direct out (no external IR) only.

 

[JackBootedThug]

Can we come over and play?

 

[mentoneman]

looks awesome.

great rack fx sound clearer and deeper to me than pedals. racks are not supposed to be an issue of bigger is better but it usually turns into that, only meaning you have more room to house more instances of hand picked desirable legendary stuff and run them with mixers, switchers, etc.

common practicality, especially large city dwellers, would lead modern gigging players towards smaller/lighter is better.

 

[stratjacket]

Thanks. Do you mean it was difficult to admit to yourself that these “lesser” modules are really just as good, albeit slightly different, as the real deal amps each one is based on?

BTW have you tried the built in XLR out cabinet emulation? I can’t find a single clip on YT that is this direct out (no external IR) only.

Yes, I mean it was hard a hard pill for me to swallow that a $275 module that I bought used sounds and feels and I like as good as my $3k head. Of course there's more to it than just the module, I do have a power amp and OD pedals, etc...

I've never tried the straight XLR out, I love the KSR power amp and just go with that. It has Presence, Depth and NFB controls. So it's basically a full tube amp front to back.

I'm NOT saying sell all your amps and go with Synergy because it's better or anything. I still love my amps too. I just look at them all as different amps and all sound good. The Synergy stuff is not compromising to me, it's the real deal. I mean where else can I get an Uberschall, Killer Kali, Fender Deluxe, Val Legacy, VH4 and Herbert (with a SLO on the way) in a 3U rack and a 2u Power Amp. Some purist may argue they're not the "real deal" or the exactly the same as the heads and there's probably something to that but they are very close and sound great.

 

[DanTravis62]

I'm NOT saying sell all your amps and go with Synergy because it's better or anything. I still love my amps too. I just look at them all as different amps and all sound good. The Synergy stuff is not compromising to me, it's the real deal. I mean where else can I get an Uberschall, Killer Kali, Fender Deluxe, Val Legacy, VH4 and Herbert (with a SLO on the way) in a 3U rack and a 2u Power Amp. Some purist may argue they're not the "real deal" or the exactly the same as the heads and there's probably something to that but they are very close and sound great.

This was basically my experience too.

AS long as you have excellent gear around them, they sound great. I don't think any of them are *exactly* as good as the originals but every single one is damn close. Some have little variations, but in the spots where they don't live up to the original it's nearly always situational.

Ie you have a pittbull module and you're running it direct without a power amp and complain it doesn't have punch.

Well no shit.

I don't think "compromise" is the right way to think of it, I think of synergy as a halfway (or more accurately 90% of the way) between amps and modeling. And in that use case they are all absolutely killer as long as you are actually surrounding them with equipment that can live up to the original tones.

As in nice power amp, nice IRs, etc etc

 

[thegame]

Very cool and informative @stratjacket so thanks again. I already have a KSR 100 power amp that I got specifically for a huge dual cabinet W/D rig, which it does very well for that. I like the idea of dual purposing the KSR by building a smaller preamp based rig around it

 

[FLUXX]

Love your Rack Rig and your Amp Wall, especially your KHE System.
This is my Rack Rig

 

[Shask]

Hey Synergy guys, I've no doubt these modules sound good but how is the feel factor? Are they close to being amp like with an interactive and responsive push/pull feel, etc?

I think they feel like tube amps, since they are. However, I find Synergy just like any other rack preamp/poweramp system, where they tend to be a little tighter and clearer feeling and sounding than a full head. Full heads feel more sloppy to me after playing Synergy for awhile.

 

[stratjacket]

Very cool and informative @stratjacket so thanks again. I already have a KSR 100 power amp that I got specifically for a huge dual cabinet W/D rig, which it does very well for that. I like the idea of dual purposing the KSR by building a smaller preamp based rig around it

 

[Frehley12]

Fail! No Sonic Maximizer