Synergy Owners Thread

I'm not cranking mine up super loud but with "medium" levels at least the low end is massive! Depending on the module of course...
Nice; makes me feel slightly optimistic about it. I'm mostly looking for the amp to "keep it together", have that firm, responsive low-end attack. So far, the EL84 stuff I've tried hasn't delivered anything satisfactory.
 
I'm wondering if the back end of that amp is based on the Friedman 20W EL-84 power section from his (also manufactured by BAD) amps.
Would not be surprising, or it could be tuned to be a bit more neutral in character to let the preamps do the heavy lifting.

It would be interesting to see this head to head with the Synergy 5050, SYN-50 or a Fryette LXII. I assume at lower volumes the SYN-20 will still have enough low end oomph, and you might not miss having the wider dynamic range of the more powerful poweramps especially when playing higher gain where the sound is already more compressed.

I wonder if they will release an updated SYN-50IR later this year, or at least an updated one with those Structure and Reactance features.
 
Would not be surprising, or it could be tuned to be a bit more neutral in character to let the preamps do the heavy lifting.

It would be interesting to see this head to head with the Synergy 5050, SYN-50 or a Fryette LXII. I assume at lower volumes the SYN-20 will still have enough low end oomph, and you might not miss having the wider dynamic range of the more powerful poweramps especially when playing higher gain where the sound is already more compressed.

I wonder if they will release an updated SYN-50IR later this year, or at least an updated one with those Structure and Reactance features.
A slightly more compact SYN-50IR head with the features included in the 20W would be a great product.
 
A slightly more compact SYN-50IR head with the features included in the 20W would be a great product.
Absolutely. For me the Synergy stuff pretty much has to be at least 2 module slots. I know I would get annoyed by just seeing I have other modules sitting right there that I'd have to swap every time I want to play with their sounds. With 2 modules it's at least less of a pain.

Or you can just settle on two modules and call it a day to have your customized amp.
 
Absolutely. For me the Synergy stuff pretty much has to be at least 2 module slots. I know I would get annoyed by just seeing I have other modules sitting right there that I'd have to swap every time I want to play with their sounds. With 2 modules it's at least less of a pain.

Or you can just settle on two modules and call it a day to have your customized amp.
I don't mind the built-in clean channel + a module if it'd be a 50W head with all the features of the SYN20. If it were compact enough to carry around easy while also fitting 2 modules..

Stick Around Bob Ross GIF by Originals
 
One thing I still don't understand is why we're still not seeing a noise gate included in the new hardware / revisions like the SYN20.
 
Different strokes I guess. In my 30 years of playing guitar (from metal to folk) I have never had the slightest interest in using a noise gate. So I would have no interest in paying for that feature.
But as I said, different strokes. Or “horses for courses” etc
 
I'm really interested in the SYN-20IR (and possibly a SYN 50-IR with dual slots) but have never played through the Synergy stuff.

This questions is directed to the people who owns multiples hi-gain modules: Do you feel that they all sound more or less the same ? Or very close to each other at the end? I've watched many YT videos (this for example) where you can hear the modules in a mix or individually. If I exaggerate, the "grain" or texture seems to be identical, the main difference comes from the overall brightness (more like an EQ thing).

Do you feel the same when you play through them ? Or do they feel / react differently and my impression is just a perception thing from watching YT videos ?
 
Different strokes I guess. In my 30 years of playing guitar (from metal to folk) I have never had the slightest interest in using a noise gate. So I would have no interest in paying for that feature.
But as I said, different strokes. Or “horses for courses” etc
It's one of those utility things that you miss when you don't have it, if you are used to it.

I would love to see more amps throw it in but executed as simply as it's on the BluGuitar Amp 1. It's literally "soft/off/metal" on a 3-way switch, with no further adjustment possible. "Soft" will be the "use it always, with any guitar" setting and it just works. The "Metal" setting does the start/stop high gain riffing thing great as a faster closing gate.
 
I'm really interested in the SYN-20IR (and possibly a SYN 50-IR with dual slots) but have never played through the Synergy stuff.

This questions is directed to the people who owns multiples hi-gain modules: Do you feel that they all sound more or less the same ? Or very close to each other at the end? I've watched many YT videos (this for example) where you can hear the modules in a mix or individually. If I exaggerate, the "grain" or texture seems to be identical, the main difference comes from the overall brightness (more like an EQ thing).

Do you feel the same when you play through them ? Or do they feel / react differently and my impression is just a perception thing from watching YT videos ?

The modules sound different, but the variability will depend on how much similarity you have down chain. If you’re using the same power amp and cab, then of course you can introduce some overlap with modules of the same general gain profile. They’ll sound and feel different, but have some similarities.

When I run mine via the LXII and my cabs, they sound like preamps running through my power amp and cabs. When I run them back through the AxeFx and vary the power amp and cab IR to mimic module specific PA/Cab pairings, they sound very unique.

Depends on how you want to use it, which is the case for everything. If you use the same guitar, pedals, power amp, and cab then everything is going to sound familiar to your guitar, pedals, power amp and cab.
 
That’s exactly the thought that made me hold back on the SYN20IR. There’s definitely a slot open for an update of bigger-sized Synergy stuff.
The problem with Synergy is that move slow as molasses
If they update the 50ir it won’t be for a couple of years
I remember seeing a picture of the 20 because it had that punch out in a steel chassis for that curved line of LED
It was a proto picture on thier Facebook about 3 or 4 years ago
 
Would not be surprising, or it could be tuned to be a bit more neutral in character to let the preamps do the heavy lifting.

It would be interesting to see this head to head with the Synergy 5050, SYN-50 or a Fryette LXII. I assume at lower volumes the SYN-20 will still have enough low end oomph, and you might not miss having the wider dynamic range of the more powerful poweramps especially when playing higher gain where the sound is already more compressed.

I wonder if they will release an updated SYN-50IR later this year, or at least an updated one with those Structure and Reactance features.
A Syn50IR with a clean channel squeezed in would be a world beater for many, IMHO.
 
The modules sound different, but the variability will depend on how much similarity you have down chain. If you’re using the same power amp and cab, then of course you can introduce some overlap with modules of the same general gain profile. They’ll sound and feel different, but have some similarities.
Agree. I am a big Synergy fan, but that is just the reality of it. Your back end is gonna be your back end. The 20IR has some power amp to provide some variations; that is real nice and a good add; but it is not going to be a game changer. It’s still gonna be a 20W EL84 amp in the end (probably a quite nice one) for better or worse.

FWIW, I kind of like the PA+cab setup vs Heads or Preamps in loops (in terms of feel and configurability). Having a Power amp that is Flexible is going to help but the cab is the cab. My Home studio setup has multiple power amps/heads + multiple cabs and it is all mix and match but there’s always a point of diminishing returns, like it or not.

I end up dialing everything in the same way all the time, too. LOL.

I have that KSR PA100R on order because it is pretty flexible (and I know from experience the 50W lunchbox version is great), presence, depth, NFB, can be biased for multiple tube types, etc. With 2 Syn2’s I’m expecting it to be just about my ideal (somewhat) compact setup.
 
I think they can skip the clean, with two modules you could have something much nicer.
Speaking as someone who has run a Syn2+5050 for a long time, the clean channel is ALWAYS a huge problem. Only a few modules even have a proper clean, IMHO. A lot of Syn owners end up w/ 2 Syn2 because of this, I suspect. I’ve been following the TGP mega thread for a long time and I think a lot of folks feel that way.

If the 50 could hold 3 or 4 modules it’d be different. But the two module limit is problematic, IMHO. You basically have to give up one module slot.

A 3 slot 100IR would do the trick.
 
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Appreciate the candid feedback on this - may save me some $$ as the limitations on the cleans vs. gain modules is something I have concern about.
 
Has anyone ever thought about if Synergy will introduce a larger module variant? Not as a replacement but as an addition to their lineup? Something like a Synergy XL or Synergy Max, modules?

I always think that for instance the IICP module seems super cramped with the 5-band GEQ where I've heard that just breathing on it can change the sound. A larger module would give them more space for ease of use as well as expanded capabilities, perhaps 3 channel modules, or more full-size 2 channel modules with dedicated EQ for both channels in addition to a multitude of switches.

Perhaps just me? :P
 
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