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Post by matt on Jan 27, 2019 14:16:25 GMT -6
This line is a re-engineered version of Bruce Egnater's modular system licensed back in the day by Randall. I own a Randall RM-4 chassis and a bunch of modules but drifted away from the idea because Egnater and Randall were (are) not fully compatible- Randall never supported the Egnater two-channel modules (there's no channel switching on the RM-4 without an after-market mod). But, the technology has been born again. I have adopted the Syn-1 for use in the studio and it has effectively replaced my stable of vintage amps. I am swapping out the Morgan AC, B-Man and Plexi modules and getting killer tones driving an old Randall RT-2/50 power amp into my Two Notes Studio load box. I like it so much I have bought a used Helix Floor and will integrate a Syn-2 into a live rig built around one, maybe two, Syn-2s. It will be compact (for one of my rigs), insanely flexible, and completely MIDI-driven from the Helix.
IMO, Synergy has got it right this time. A major difference in preamp design philosophy has been addressed via the Cathode Select switch. Modules are being directly designed by the namesake manufacturers, Morgan, Bogner, Diesel, Metro, etc. Build quality strikes me as being improved- but I've never had an issue with any of the modules, regardless of source. Old modules can be used in the new Synergy chassis. And so on. Overall control of the line is by amp guru Dave Friedman. Needless to say, I am impressed.
Here is a NAMM 2019 demo video featuring Steve Vai. Great tones, great player:
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Post by subspace on Feb 1, 2019 9:34:34 GMT -6
I'm an RM4 guy...  But yeah, just picked up an Egnater M4 with the cathode bias mod in anticipation of the next round of Synergy modules coming out, the Bogner Ecstasys look pretty sweet... |
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Post by matt on Feb 1, 2019 12:52:20 GMT -6
I'm an RM4 guy... But yeah, just picked up an Egnater M4 with the cathode bias mod in anticipation of the next round of Synergy modules coming out, the Bogner Ecstasys look pretty sweet... The new modules look very interesting- hopefully they arrive soon. I'll be buying a SYN-2, but I wish they made a 4-module version like the M4. |
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Post by donr on Feb 2, 2019 21:40:14 GMT -6
That's really cool. I've somehow missed this.
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Post by remediossharrock on Feb 4, 2019 14:09:04 GMT -6
Impressive show!
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Post by subspace on Mar 19, 2019 10:42:29 GMT -6
I'm an RM4 guy... But yeah, just picked up an Egnater M4 with the cathode bias mod in anticipation of the next round of Synergy modules coming out, the Bogner Ecstasys look pretty sweet... The new modules look very interesting- hopefully they arrive soon. I'll be buying a SYN-2, but I wish they made a 4-module version like the M4. Thought I'd follow up after using the Egnater M4 with the cathode bias switch mod, it really changes the feel/sound of the older custom mods. Since the stock value in the Egnater/Randall amps is the Fender setting, I left the mods that sounded best with that in the stock RM4 and switched the modded M4 to the boutique setting that the Soldano mod is preset to. I preferred about half my modules on that setting and didn't really prefer the Marshall setting with any of them.  |
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Post by matt on Mar 19, 2019 11:41:34 GMT -6
The new modules look very interesting- hopefully they arrive soon. I'll be buying a SYN-2, but I wish they made a 4-module version like the M4. Thought I'd follow up after using the Egnater M4 with the cathode bias switch mod, it really changes the feel/sound of the older custom mods. Since the stock value in the Egnater/Randall amps is the Fender setting, I left the mods that sounded best with that in the stock RM4 and switched the modded M4 to the boutique setting that the Soldano mod is preset to. I preferred about half my modules on that setting and didn't really prefer the Marshall setting with any of them. That's really interesting. I have enough old modules around to warrant finding a modded M4 but have wondered what the impact of the cathode switch would be. Good to know. I have two SYN-2s on backorder with a major online retailer. I got a good discount so I'm waiting, semi-patiently. I building a recording and live guitar rig built around Synergy pre amps, a Friedman BE-100, and two Helix systems- my "Double Helix" rig- one rack, one floor. All the loops (8 of them) will be stuffed with hardware pedals and controlled via midi. The Helix is extremely versatile. |
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Post by donr on Mar 24, 2019 0:07:52 GMT -6
Thought I'd follow up after using the Egnater M4 with the cathode bias switch mod, it really changes the feel/sound of the older custom mods. Since the stock value in the Egnater/Randall amps is the Fender setting, I left the mods that sounded best with that in the stock RM4 and switched the modded M4 to the boutique setting that the Soldano mod is preset to. I preferred about half my modules on that setting and didn't really prefer the Marshall setting with any of them. That's really interesting. I have enough old modules around to warrant finding a modded M4 but have wondered what the impact of the cathode switch would be. Good to know. I have two SYN-2s on backorder with a major online retailer. I got a good discount so I'm waiting, semi-patiently. I building a recording and live guitar rig built around Synergy pre amps, a Friedman BE-100, and two Helix systems- my "Double Helix" rig- one rack, one floor. All the loops (8 of them) will be stuffed with hardware pedals and controlled via midi. The Helix is extremely versatile. Matt, how much Helix are you using for your tone, other than the awesome routing and switching? I'm thinking the biggest practical live tone component now that I've gone Two-Notes cab and mic IR's is the IR's themselves. Lots of good ones out there, and they'll mod the sound of any amp you may put in front of it. I'm using a Hiwatt/Fane cab now in my Two-Notes Torpedo. Love it, followed by an Engl 2x12, the Silver Jensens, and Marshall Jubilee. All for a certain vibe, and available anywhere for the FOH mixer and my monitors. To midi switch amp modules would be cool. This thread does interest me, even as I want my rig to be less fiddly and less complex. |
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Post by matt on Apr 13, 2019 11:32:34 GMT -6
That's really interesting. I have enough old modules around to warrant finding a modded M4 but have wondered what the impact of the cathode switch would be. Good to know. I have two SYN-2s on backorder with a major online retailer. I got a good discount so I'm waiting, semi-patiently. I building a recording and live guitar rig built around Synergy pre amps, a Friedman BE-100, and two Helix systems- my "Double Helix" rig- one rack, one floor. All the loops (8 of them) will be stuffed with hardware pedals and controlled via midi. The Helix is extremely versatile. Matt, how much Helix are you using for your tone, other than the awesome routing and switching? I'm thinking the biggest practical live tone component now that I've gone Two-Notes cab and mic IR's is the IR's themselves. Lots of good ones out there, and they'll mod the sound of any amp you may put in front of it. I'm using a Hiwatt/Fane cab now in my Two-Notes Torpedo. Love it, followed by an Engl 2x12, the Silver Jensens, and Marshall Jubilee. All for a certain vibe, and available anywhere for the FOH mixer and my monitors. To midi switch amp modules would be cool. This thread does interest me, even as I want my rig to be less fiddly and less complex. Don, I've been offline for a bit, but that's another story! I'm still waiting on my SYN-2s, unfortunately. I may have to source them elsewhere. As far as tone, I like the Helix overdrives and some of the fuzzes, but my core tone is all Synergy. I absolutely love the Synergy DS module, the red channel is glorious with the bright switch up, it's got that glassy Marshall Super Lead thing going. I am not using any Helix amps or cabs. The Helix EQs are very flexible. As far as effects, the stereo chorus is good and the delays are excellent. I have yet to bond with the phasers or vibes but they are not bad. The rotaries are not very good. I have purchased a Suhr Reactive Load and am using it instead of the TN Studio, with Ownhammer IRs hosted in the Helix. So, my signal path as of this morning is- gtr > wireless > wah > Helix floor gtr in> mono loops x4 > Helix 1/4" out > SYN-1 > Marshall 100w fx return > Suhr RL balanced out > XLR/mic in Helix floor > IR > stereo fx > Helix floor AES out > Helix rack AES in > stereo loops > Helix XLR out > FOH or FR cabinets. For recording I pick off the signal at the Helix floor output and don't go to the rack. Sounds complex, and I suppose it is, but I think it's just a variant of the 4-cable method and I'm an inveterate tweaker of tone anyway. So it all makes sense to me. I'm building patch snakes for between the floor and rack and can strip down the rig by leaving off the mono loops, which support my pedalboard. The ability to completely reconfigure the system with one switch press is so powerful I feel like I am just scratching the surface. If I was on the road as you are, my travel rig would consist of- wireless, Helix floor, Helix rack floor controller, pedalboard, 8 space rack (Helix rack, SYN-2 x2, Suhr RL, pedal tray), an amp head, and cabling. Dedicated FR cabinets for stage volume would be a plus but not required, depending on house monitoring. Right now in my studio I'm using a pair of JBL Eon 615s for FR, and they can get loud. The high driver in them is a bit harsh but it serves to remind me that too much highs on rock guitar is a bad thing. |
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