To Synergy or not to Synergy, that is the question. Discuss......

rockmonster

Been looking at the Synergy range. Looks interesting! Should I bite the bullet or not? Any naysayers or advocates of the range out there? What are your experiences? What have you liked/not liked? Please all feedback appreciated!

rockmonster

Interesting!

Jetfire

I think you'll really struggle to find anyone who actually has had one or used one, esp as Covid struck around the same time a big push marketing wise. Have you tried one yourself? @FelineGuitars is a resident expert on the Randall/Egnator modular system but I couldnt comment on his experience of the newer Synergy stuff. 

Essentially, do you have £750+ to spend on an amp? This system strikes me as blooming expensive.   

rockmonster

Jetfire said:

I think you'll really struggle to find anyone who actually has had one or used one, esp as Covid struck around the same time a big push marketing wise. Have you tried one yourself? @FelineGuitars is a resident expert on the Randall/Egnator modular system but I couldnt comment on his experience of the newer Synergy stuff. 

Essentially, do you have £750+ to spend on an amp? This system strikes me as blooming expensive.   

No not had a chance to try any myself. Expensive yes but are they worth it?

webrthomson

I've got some - love it so far:

I've got some of the amps that I've got modules for (VH4 and JCM 800) and I've A/B'ed them with someone else switching and I cannot tell the difference. When we ran the VH4 module throught the VH4 power section the amp and the Synergy preamp were basically identical.

The Synergy modules are very close to the amp, granted there is some compromise in the power section, depending on what you are running. I've tried it with a Mesa 90/90, 20/20 and finally settled on the Fryette power station as I dont want stereo.

Stand out modules for me are the SLO, BB/BE, Vai, 800 and VH4 - didnt really like the HBE but I'm not that big a fan of the actual amp either Need to try the Fryette and Bogner modules as well!

Only down side is the cost, preamp + 2 modules is £1500, but is cheaper than buying the actual amps in question

FelineGuitars

Yup - have Synergy /Egnater and Randall stuff as well as many modified modules

Been playing with mine all day today - still love the stuff with a passion
Nothing to say bad about them at all other than it can be an expensive hobby, but then again, so is owning many many amps , and this is cheaper than that and less space consuming.

I can't see me using anything else, but fancying getting a Helix for FX and using a Syn 2 in the loop as the actual amp channel (there are Youtube videos on this)

It is kind of like modelling but done with tubes, and pretty much putting the front end of which ever amp into a parent amp or preamp chassis and subsequent power amp.

In terms of what should you get if you go there - it depends on what music you play 

My own rigs are a mix of Egnater M4 preamps and a Syn 2 with an M4 as the secondary amp channels - so 6 modules can be used.

But there are some great Staples 

4 all purpose ones that come recommended

The BMan is a fave for clean and crunch (for me) and the Morgan (vox) too 

The Plexi is a very good sounding Marshall option and the BB/BE is pretty versatile if you still use pedals too

I do have a module problem I know 

FelineGuitars

webrthomson said:

I've got some - love it so far:

I've got some of the amps that I've got modules for (VH4 and JCM 800) and I've A/B'ed them with someone else switching and I cannot tell the difference. When we ran the VH4 module throught the VH4 power section the amp and the Synergy preamp were basically identical.

The Synergy modulse are very close to the amp, granted there is some compromise in the power section, depending on what you are running. I've tried it with a Mesa 90/90, 20/20 and finally settled on the Fryette power station as I dont want stereo.

Stand out modules for me are the SLO, BB/BE, Vai, 800 and VH4 - didnt really like the HBE but I'm not that big a fan of the actual amp either Need to try the Fryette and Bogner modules as well!

Only down side is the cost, preamp + 2 modules is £1500, but is cheaper than buying the actual amps in question

What Ross said! 

the Bogner modules I really like too

webrthomson

That is an amazing collection Jonathan - I'm "trying" to limit myself to about 20 modules, down from 30, not very successfully

rockmonster

Anyone tried the Syn-50? Syn-2’s are not available until 2021! I have your old Marshall 9100 power amp Jonathan does it work ok with the synergy stuff?

rockmonster

How easy is it to hook up 2 syn-2’s or a syn50 and a couple of syn-2’s?

bingefeller

@FelineGuitars ; impressive collection, don't suppose you have the Gretchen module?  Or was that a one off for Ty Tabor?

FelineGuitars

I have a few new modules too 

BE/BB - love it 
Bogner Ecstasy - fab
Fryette Pitbull - interesting but getting into it
Fryette Deliverance - very promising 
T/Dlx - love the twin, not so much the Deluxe with HBs
Vai - really disliked it for rhythm ...sounded v flat almost transistor amp like (may try different tubes).

Watching clips of steve playing it , it's just alien to the sounds i use

Daiganzen

I have been thinking about getting a syn 50 or syn 2 for a bit just wanna  get some funds.
have any of you used them live ?

guitargeek62

FelineGuitars said:

I do have a module problem I know 

One for every week of the year!  

FelineGuitars

guitargeek62 said:

FelineGuitars said:

I do have a module problem I know 

One for every week of the year!  

You say it like it's a bd thing. 

I did sell 5 recently .....and bought 6 new ones

guitargeek62

I had no idea there were that many options out there for these. Are the modules interchangeable between Randall, Egnater, and Synergy amps then?

riffpowers

Could you have 2 synergy modules in the same unit and footswitch between them ?

musteatbrain

I’ve been looking at these recently as having 3 amps and 2 large cabs is excessive for my home. My interest is peaked. Are these just as good as having the amps themselves? I’m never really playing at the levels I get much output valve distortion anymore so putting lots of different preamps through something that’s isn’t quite the same as the original from a power stage perspective probably won’t make too much difference for the usage I would have

rockmonster

riffpowers said:

Could you have 2 synergy modules in the same unit and footswitch between them ?

Yes the syn 2 allows you to use 2 modules and each module has 2 footswitchable channels ie 4 channels!

riffpowers

rockmonster said:

riffpowers said:

Could you have 2 synergy modules in the same unit and footswitch between them ?

Yes the syn 2 allows you to use 2 modules and each module has 2 footswitchable channels ie 4 channels!

Can you footswitch between the 2 modules ?

webrthomson

guitargeek62 said:

I had no idea there were that many options out there for these. Are the modules interchangeable between Randall, Egnater, and Synergy amps then?

The answer to that is mostly:

• Synergy amps / preamps will take all but Randall are only single channel (Synergy / later Egnaters are two channel)
  
• Randal will take both Egnater and Synergy (some don’t physically fit though) but you can only access one channel at a time. The Egnater modules need a switch added or you only get channel A. Most of the Synergy have an internal dip switch to set the channel.
• Egnater will accept synergy and switch both channels A and B – some Synergy modules don’t physically fit the Egnater stuff either or only fit in one slot. Randall modules are fine here too.

musteatbrain said:

I’ve been looking at these recently as having 3 amps and 2 large cabs is excessive for my home. My interest is peaked. Are these just as good as having the amps themselves? I’m never really playing at the levels I get much output valve distortion anymore so putting lots of different preamps through something that’s isn’t quite the same as the original from a power stage perspective probably won’t make too much difference for the usage I would have

They are very good and IMHO very close indeed the only compromise as you point out is the power section. I tend to seem to play 6L6 amps so I went for a 6L6 power amp, my Marshall modules dont sound exactly like the EL34 heads but it's they do still sound good! TBH a lot of Marshalls we hear on recordings from the US actually had 6550 tubes in them anyway

riffpowers said:

rockmonster said:

riffpowers said:

Could you have 2 synergy modules in the same unit and footswitch between them ?

Yes the syn 2 allows you to use 2 modules and each module has 2 footswitchable channels ie 4 channels!

Can you footswitch between the 2 modules ?

@rockmonster is correct you can switch between both modules and between the two channels in each modules so 4 channels in a SYN2 or SYN50.

My setup has two SYN2's for 4 modules and up to 8 channels

Hope that helps!

Ross