Is Synergy really that good?

[S̷͖͑m̵͎͂á̵̺s̸͚̈́h̴̬̑]

Yep. It seems to me the best way to think of the Synergy system is not so much a way to duplicate other amps, but instead so you can put together your own custom built multi channel amp nobody else makes. It's pretty unbeatable at that.

It really is.

 

[Rackman]

Yep. It seems to me the best way to think of the Synergy system is not so much a way to duplicate other amps, but instead so you can put together your own custom built multi channel amp nobody else makes. It's pretty unbeatable at that.

I agree. Prior to Synergy there were very few options for a good 4-channel setup, which is about what most gigs that need some flexibility require. Obvious there's the headliner solution of multiple amps, but that's not realistic for most gigs. But you put a TDLX and your favorite gain module (SLO II, Uber, Kali, BE-DLX etc.) in a Syn2 and add a stout power amp, and you're there. The only amp that really offered that historically was the VH4.

Now we've got some more contenders (Bogner 104, X88IR (technically 3 channels but with constant volume MIDI switchable modes it fits the bill)) but the Synergy system was one of the first options and still is one of the best.

 

[TheGreatGreen]

I agree. Prior to Synergy there were very few options for a good 4-channel setup, which is about what most gigs that need some flexibility require. Obvious there's the headliner solution of multiple amps, but that's not realistic for most gigs. But you put a TDLX and your favorite gain module (SLO II, Uber, Kali, BE-DLX etc.) in a Syn2 and add a stout power amp, and you're there. The only amp that really offered that historically was the VH4.

Now we've got some more contenders (Bogner 104, X88IR (technically 3 channels but with constant volume MIDI switchable modes it fits the bill)) but the Synergy system was one of the first options and still is one of the best.

And that's just if you get a single Syn2. Put two Syn2's in a rack at 2U, and you can get fancy with stuff like TLDX for crystal cleans and hot cleans, JMP for light crunch and ACDC, Killer Kali for one or two flavors of high gain rhythms, and hell I dunno, an Uber or even the Vai module for leads, and... I mean damn, that's it. Swap out modules to taste and maybe throw in a drive pedal or something if you want to get weird and I can't imagine needing anything more than that for any single gig (or multiple gigs tbh).

 

[Rackman]

Yeah I've got two Syn2s. I didn't gig it much, but usually I had:
TDLX for clean/SRV
Uberschall for metal
Killer Kali for most gain sounds
SLO II specifically for liquid leads

It was more than enough. I think I prefer the relative simplicity of a single X88IR though. That plus a SM-100R and an Eclipse, rack wah and QLX-D does a nice job for nearly any gig.

 

[MadAsAHatter]

And that's just if you get a single Syn2. Put two Syn2's in a rack at 2U, and you can get fancy with stuff like TLDX for squeaky and hot cleans, JMP for light crunch and ACDC, Killer Kali for one or two flavors of high gain rhythms, and hell I dunno, an Uber or even the Vai module for leads, and... I mean damn, that's it. Swap out modules to taste and maybe throw in a drive pedal or something if you want to get weird and I can't imagine needing anything more than that for any single gig (or multiple gigs tbh).

Not only that but you can do some fun stuff with some of the Synergy and old MTS modules running them through a bass amp & cab. I'll run this group through either my Mesa Titan or BlueVoodoo 300 into a proper bass cab. The "Silverbass" is the Synergy B-Man that I made a new faceplate for. The other 3 are modded MTS to a Lemmy Super Bass, HiWatt DR103 and Orange AD200B.

I have a few extra single channel MTS modules I want to get modded to other bass amp replicas. I'm thinking a Ampeg B15N and a Vox AC100 Beatle Bass.