Rottweiler
Active member
100% agreeI think I've about gotten myself talked out of this Synergy rabbit hole, unless I can find a screamin' deal on one somewhere that I could buy/try and could move it easily later without taking too much of a loss. Lots of great insight in this thread, but a few things kept creeping into my head while I was reading through it all:
- No matter what amps I have access to now, or have owned in the past, I always seem to dial them in to sound like "me".
- Do I really need a platform that allows several different variations of "me"? Knowing "me", I'd likely load up a Syn-50 and then find one module I liked for clean and one for dirt and stick to it. So, what would the point be for all that versatility if I would probably try to make them all sound the same (like me) or just outright not like them because I couldn't? I have amps now that I like, are capable of both clean and dirt and there is no cost of admission because they are already here.
- Decision paralysis... I tend to just shut down when there are too many choices.
- Lots of talk about the power sections making the difference in how an amps sounds. 100% agree with this so I could see how a EL34 vs. 6L6 power section could make a difference. Save for a rack mount tuner, I'm out of the rack gear realm and I have no intention of going back into it. I thought about getting a Syn2 rack mount when I still had power amps (Carvin Ts100 that could run both EL's and 6L6's), but didn't pull the trigger then.
- I'm looking back at my experience with modelers and all the choices allowed (specifically Kemper). See points one, two and three.
Thanks again to everyone for helping me work my way through this, but I think I'm just going to end up keeping at least one amp from what I have. Maybe more, or all of them.. who knows. I'm still curious about Synergy, and maybe one day I'll try one if I can do so without too much risk. Thanks all!
I got into the pod and pod live 20 years ago and sold them because I always gravitated towards the plexi/800 boosted sounds. I bought a THR 30 5 years ago and guess what? I only use 2 or 3 of the sounds in there also. Its cool to try them all out, but after a while, the endless options are too much.
I will say that (20 year old tech aside) I absolutely prefer tube vs digital every time. I turned off the onboard gate and compressor in the THR 30 and it became a little more dynamic, but there is no replacement for the feel and response of a tube amp for me.
For practice, I bought a GPDI/IR and an interface. I couldn't be happier. Lots of tweaking available, but again I have 2 or 3 sounds that I like. Best of all, it feels and reacts exactly like the real deal.
I also contemplated on the synergy and still do. I already have a PS100 so If i did buy in, I'd probably start with the SYN1. Knowing that there might not be the magic between the pre and power amp like the head provides.
Maybe start with the Syn 1 plugged into the loop on an amp you already own?
