Desertdweller
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It's hard to get better tone than the SLO module.
Synergy Owners Thread
- Thread starter Mongillo19
- Start date
I have a syn-1, uber module, and IICP module sitting at home waiting for me to return from a work trip. I was thinking of all the different ways I was going to run it with my 2902 and KSR PA50. I had not considered using power amp captures for a direct recording setup. Thanks for the great idea!
2dor
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It's a good module, I like it too.
It can also be easily modded by bypassing the resistor between the treble pot and master pot to allow a little more aggressiveness on the top channel; it's a mod suggested by Ground Zero on the RigTalk forum. I did it to my module & it brings back some that bite that Friedmans are known to give up in exchange for a more polished sound.
Desertdweller
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Don’t tempt me with a good time. I may have to try this!
2dor
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It's a very easy mod & pumps some life back into one of the module's channels.
You can easily & temporarily do it by attaching a plain conductor wire (isolated lol not bare wire ideally) over that resistor's ends and then test by A/B-ing between the 2 channels (dialed in the same).
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Southpaw-DD
Roadie
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I got the BE-DLX last week (for the Syn-20IR) and it definitely compares well to the Runt 20 I had - but has more gain with the HBE switch. I'm still figuring out the Ecstasy module as it isn't quite as plug and play.
2dor
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The Ecstasy is a module that took me a lot of fiddling around to get sounds I want; has a ton of switches (on-board and the ones on the front plate too).
GTR37
Rock Star
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Bogners can be pretty dark
My default settings ont the Red to try would be
B1 , lower bass , V setting
Mids 12to 1 o’clock
Treb about 3 o’clock
Reactance on the amp up a bit 1 o’clock
Gain maybe 12 to 1 oclock
Elric
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The BE Dlx is one of the best modules in the line up. It's been in my Syn30 head for a couple of months now. It's super hard to take it out because it is so d*mn good.
I was aware of the Rig Talk tweak thread, there were number of cool ideas in that thread but, no need; it sounds so good as designed.
I am going to try it with my HBE standalone module that is now collecting dust thanks to the Dlx, though, will probably be a fun exercise. There are also some other potentially simple tweaks like bright cap adjustments, etc, I could play with if I got really ambitious.
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No it isn’t- it is more a complex sound and as as you increase the gain you get more bass response.
My current settings are the red channel is the classic schizo setting (middle structure setting)
Green channel is the upper schizo structure.
I think the brightness setting is set to the bottom is set to the bottom toggle.
saarangnarayan
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Can someone link me to this? I wonder if this mod can be done to the IR-X?
GTR37
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I mean it is what it is
But for a $999 little compact grab and go or jam on a Sunday afternoon or go directly into a DAW it’s a cool thing
Obviously bigger glass and bigger Iron is going to sound better that the reality so if your buying with the hopes of being un mic’d at a metal band practice you have grabbed the wrong tool for the job
I think they will eventually get the IR tech into the 50 but based on Synergy progress you will be waiting at least a year or 2
Elric
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Elric
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Agree w/ your take, re the 20. For the bigger rigs, once you are looking at 50w heads or rack rigs w/ 100W+ amps; adding a stomp box or FX unit that can do Power Amp + Cab sim no longer feels like much of a barrier to me.
I do think they’ll eventually do a bigger watt head with it or MkII of the 50W, though, eventually; because why not? It does add some incremental value and they’ve done the R&D already. But I think the biggest value proposition of the built-in is the small grab and go/studio/portable rig.
If I were thinking 50w+ and were a new customer, I don’t think I’d personally wait because like you say, their stuff is really good but they are not *fast* with new hardware.
A 50 or 100 with either a clean channel (like the 30 and 20) an 2 module slots or, alternatively, no clean and 3 module slots; combined with the IR tech would be an amazing box.
laxu
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I think 3 modules could become a bit hard to fit without jumping straight to 4 modules. 2 modules at 50W, vs 4 with 100W poweramp maybe?
I think the Structure features are far more important to get into the bigger poweramps than the IR loading, plenty of solutions for that.
mbugbee
Groupie
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I have an itch for a SLO and I'm currently considering an SLO 30 vs a Syn 1 w SLO module + Power Station/PA50. This would run into my FM3 for IR handling. I currently have a Suhr Reactive Load that handles the load so I have 2 things to figure out. 1) Would the SLO modules + a 50w power amp scratch the SLO itch sufficiently to forego the SLO 30? If it would, has anyone compared the Power Station to the KSR PA 50? Would there be any advantages to a Power Stage other than having an all-in-one power amp + load box vs the pieced out Suhr RL + PA 50?
I can't compare the powerstation to the KSR PA 50 but I do have the syn1 -> powerstation (self attenuation) -> FM3 for Ir's and post effects and it is awesome.
I did have the SLO2 module but I didn't gel with that - I understand the original SLO module is preferred.
Elric
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@mbugbee I've owned all the stuff you are asking about at the same time, only thing I don't still have is the PA50 because I sold it when I got the PA100R 
. But I still have the SLO30, both Syn modules, and 50W powerstation still, had th PA50 at the same time and now have PA100 an have A/B'd all this stuff.
The Syn modules are great, in particular the OG SLO module, but it only gets an you an excellent approximation to that one thing: the OD channel and it does differ vs the amp in a direct comparison. The amp has a little more clarity/openness; the module is little hairier in the top end also. They are close enough that you have to really listen to them when you dial them in to pick apart differences.
The II module is awesome, in its own right but it is more different from the amp's OD mode and easier to distinguish but can still do a lot of what someone would want fomr a Soldano, the crunch mode on the is completely different from the amp's normal channel but is useful...
Honestly, I love the II module now; partially because it is a little different and I have access to a version of the SLO amp so I don't really need something fully redundant. I would not be surprised if the II shares som DNA with the new X88IR which does not sound exactly like an SLO either from what I can tell.
The non-OD channel on the amp cannot be truly recreated on any of the modules, IMHO. It is absolutely special and wildly underrated.
The PS2 is a perfectly good power amp for a Syn module and the SLO's power section is notoriously clean, just like a PS. So I would not buy a power amp just to emulate an SLO type tone if that is the goal. People overstate the transparency of the PS online, IMHO.
That said, the KSR is much more versatile, can take a bunch of different tubes, it's highly adjustable as an amp with wide ranging presence and depth and even has a HiFi mode of its own (for modelers, etc) along with a feedback control that gives the ability to tweak the feel and response beyond what most other amps provide. An upgrade that is worth the scratch if you have it.
TL;DR: Get the amp if you really want an SLO above all else. It is absolutely worth it and it'll never be an approximation of anything and you will never wonder.
If you want lots of options, including something SLO OD channel-like, the Syn1+PS2 could totally get you there. If you go the Syn route the KSR is not a necessity but it would potentially add a new dimension to your rig if you added it or upgraded.
. But I still have the SLO30, both Syn modules, and 50W powerstation still, had th PA50 at the same time and now have PA100 an have A/B'd all this stuff.The Syn modules are great, in particular the OG SLO module, but it only gets an you an excellent approximation to that one thing: the OD channel and it does differ vs the amp in a direct comparison. The amp has a little more clarity/openness; the module is little hairier in the top end also. They are close enough that you have to really listen to them when you dial them in to pick apart differences.
The II module is awesome, in its own right but it is more different from the amp's OD mode and easier to distinguish but can still do a lot of what someone would want fomr a Soldano, the crunch mode on the is completely different from the amp's normal channel but is useful...
Honestly, I love the II module now; partially because it is a little different and I have access to a version of the SLO amp so I don't really need something fully redundant. I would not be surprised if the II shares som DNA with the new X88IR which does not sound exactly like an SLO either from what I can tell.
The non-OD channel on the amp cannot be truly recreated on any of the modules, IMHO. It is absolutely special and wildly underrated.
The PS2 is a perfectly good power amp for a Syn module and the SLO's power section is notoriously clean, just like a PS. So I would not buy a power amp just to emulate an SLO type tone if that is the goal. People overstate the transparency of the PS online, IMHO.
That said, the KSR is much more versatile, can take a bunch of different tubes, it's highly adjustable as an amp with wide ranging presence and depth and even has a HiFi mode of its own (for modelers, etc) along with a feedback control that gives the ability to tweak the feel and response beyond what most other amps provide. An upgrade that is worth the scratch if you have it.
TL;DR: Get the amp if you really want an SLO above all else. It is absolutely worth it and it'll never be an approximation of anything and you will never wonder.
If you want lots of options, including something SLO OD channel-like, the Syn1+PS2 could totally get you there. If you go the Syn route the KSR is not a necessity but it would potentially add a new dimension to your rig if you added it or upgraded.
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