Is Synergy really that good?

[romanianreaper]

MadAsAHatter, dude, rhat was an absolutely brilliant way of explaining it! It makes so much sense and that is really what it is about.

I hope a lot of forum members read what you put there. I think in my quest for tone in 40 years of playing I would always go "why doesn't it sound like (fill in the blank)". Like you said, you realize how much the power amp plays in the sound. There is a reason these amp builders have their signature tone that players lean towards.

So thd takeaway to me is if you want to play thru a bunch of modules, get a transparent power amp. If you primarily are a Mesa or a Fryette tone chaser, then get those modules but also get their power amp. Also though, all of them have their purpose like you said. An el84 power amp is going to sound great, just not ideal.

Like you and I both mentioned, just can't truly do that chugging metal sound. It is very similar to a 1x12 cab verses a 4x12 cab. Just can't replicate that but still sounds good and usable.

 

[Chronic Narnia]

I've run my Synergy modules several different ways, each giving slightly different results. It confirms in my mind how much the power amp plays a part in the final sound. Let me start off by saying nothing sounds bad, but some setups sound better than others.

SYN2 into an EL84 amp - It works, but is my least favorite setup. Playing metal doesn't work out well. Modules; like my Powerball, just don't have the girth that you'd expect. Tiny tubes = tiny sound; or something like that. It sounds good, but there's room for improvement and comparatively just doesn't have the same oomph as big boy tubes.

Randall RM100 - Being a 100 watt amp with big tubes and big iron, it fills out the sound. This is the setup that seems to add the most color to the final sound too. That's not a bad thing, but could be the 1-2% difference that determines if you love or just like the module. To me it's better suited for M-flavored modules than more American sounding modules. Then I do have it set up with EL34's so that's probably a factor.

SYN2 into a PS-100 - This is the most well rounded setup. The Powerstation has close to the girth/fullness of a 100 watt amp, but is very neutral sounding. In this setup the module does 99% of the lifting on sound. So it works well in pretty much any situation; assuming you like the module's sound in the first place. For most people; unless they have a preferred power amp, a PS2 or PS100 will likely be the best way to go when using a SYN1 or SYN2.

SYN2 into the same brand amp - Examples would be the Savage going into an ENGL amp, or the IICP going into a Mesa Mark amp. This setup is probably the closest you can get to the module sounding like the actual amp. You get the power amp characteristics that are meant to go along with the module. So the Savage module sounds more like an ENGL with that signature compressions. The IICP sounds more like a Mesa Mark series if that makes sense.

Are you sending the SYN2 output into the preamp input or the effects loop on your PS-100?

I mainly use all my amps through the PS-100 back into a modeler for cab, effects, etc. The option to run a SYN2 into the PS-100 (cranked) and back into itself to get a line level output seems very appealing.

 

[MadAsAHatter]

Are you sending the SYN2 output into the preamp input or the effects loop on your PS-100?

I mainly use all my amps through the PS-100 back into a modeler for cab, effects, etc. The option to run a SYN2 into the PS-100 (cranked) and back into itself to get a line level output seems very appealing.

I was using it solely as a power amp so the SYN2 into the line in of the PS100 like so...

 

[Chronic Narnia]

I was using it solely as a power amp so the SYN2 into the line in of the PS100 like so...

View attachment 455766

Right…then you can take the speaker out into the amp in and then the line out to your DAW, modeler, etc. to add cabs, IRs, effects, etc.

 

[MadAsAHatter]

Right…then you can take the speaker out into the amp in and then the line out to your DAW, modeler, etc. to add cabs, IRs, effects, etc.

Yeah, you can set it up to self attenuate like that, but I never bothered with it. I'm a guitar->amp->cab guy and don't do the line out, IR's thing. My uses of the PS100 have been as a power amp straight to a cab or attenuator on a couple amps.

 

[S̷͖͑m̵͎͂á̵̺s̸͚̈́h̴̬̑]

I would use it like madasahatter, but the line out would be fun to go in the daw to two notes so I could get the feel of volume while playing loud and be recording like I used to

 

[Shask]

Hey supposedly the Rockerverb one is coming out soon!

The ones I have my eye on are the Bogner Uber, TDLX, and BE DLX.

Yeah, the RD should be coming out soon, but not sure if I am into the Orange sound. I will have to listen to clips to see what I think.

I have a good feeling there will be a Marshall JVM module at some point, which will be an insta-buy for me.

I have the Uber and Be-Dlx, and they are both great. I call the Be-Dlx my Youthanasia module, because it reminds me of that smoother, slick 90s style Megadeth tone.

 

[Shask]

I've run my Synergy modules several different ways, each giving slightly different results. It confirms in my mind how much the power amp plays a part in the final sound. Let me start off by saying nothing sounds bad, but some setups sound better than others.

SYN2 into an EL84 amp - It works, but is my least favorite setup. Playing metal doesn't work out well. Modules; like my Powerball, just don't have the girth that you'd expect. Tiny tubes = tiny sound; or something like that. It sounds good, but there's room for improvement and comparatively just doesn't have the same oomph as big boy tubes.

Randall RM100 - Being a 100 watt amp with big tubes and big iron, it fills out the sound. This is the setup that seems to add the most color to the final sound too. That's not a bad thing, but could be the 1-2% difference that determines if you love or just like the module. To me it's better suited for M-flavored modules than more American sounding modules. Then I do have it set up with EL34's so that's probably a factor.

SYN2 into a PS-100 - This is the most well rounded setup. The Powerstation has close to the girth/fullness of a 100 watt amp, but is very neutral sounding. In this setup the module does 99% of the lifting on sound. So it works well in pretty much any situation; assuming you like the module's sound in the first place. For most people; unless they have a preferred power amp, a PS2 or PS100 will likely be the best way to go when using a SYN1 or SYN2.

SYN2 into the same brand amp - Examples would be the Savage going into an ENGL amp, or the IICP going into a Mesa Mark amp. This setup is probably the closest you can get to the module sounding like the actual amp. You get the power amp characteristics that are meant to go along with the module. So the Savage module sounds more like an ENGL with that signature compressions. The IICP sounds more like a Mesa Mark series if that makes sense.

Yes, the power amp makes a HUGE difference, and people always seem to downplay that. They think you can run into some little POS solid state poweramp and the modules should model the amps as if it were digital.

This really became apparent to me when I did ToneX/NAM captures of my modules. I used a few different poweramps, and it was super easy to compare when you can just click from one setup to the next by changing presets. For example, I used my Mesa 2:90 and it sounded good, but then when I used the power amp section of my modded JCA100HDM, and everything sounded more huge and chunky. I ended up re-doing them all with that poweramp. I still have a list I need to get to.