Thank you for actually playing chords in your demos. So many demos are just people playing noodly solo riffs so you get no real feel for what something sounds like for rhythm players.
I like the concept of a hardware modular design. I am not a guitar player, but an audio engineer, so I look at things from a different angle. The concept of having one go-to configuration and the swapping out the modules to get the desired sound seems to me an ideal concept for the studio. Now instead of investing in stacks of amps, just a shelf full of modules and near endless variations while the mic system would likely not need to be altered much. I've been kind of saying "wouldn't it be nice if...." for quite some time. Now someone else said it too and then acted on it. Nice!
Randall had this concept 10+ years ago. Didn't catch on. Furthermore, this could be awesome if there was a way to change power tubes, cabs, speakers... basically everything that's been done with regular amps and cabs while recording guitars simply because it all attributes to different sounding records.
What a sweet amp, $1200 new isn't that bad but $400 per module kinda sucks especially if it ends up not being the sound you were looking for (not to mention if they start doing updated revisions of them too). And since these modules will only work with their amp it'll be slim pickings for the resale and used market for this stuff. I feel like this is one of those products to see if it gets picked up by the public and see if other amp companies start doing the same with their own products, seeing that if we learned anything from the '80s this kinda stuff doesn't really catch on or stays popular.
They do make a product to use just the preamps which makes it more affordable and to me makes more sense but agree that it likely won't catch on or be sustainable for a very long time. But I do like the idea of being able to get a Morgan or soldano preamp and would consider getting it for recording diversity
I thought the opposite. I think that 400 per preamp is pretty reasonable, but 1300 dollars for half an amp is dumb. Also, 500 dollars for a box that allows you to use your 400 dollar preamp as a preamp (with other amps) is obsurd.
I just looked this up and it's $1300 but it doesn't come with a module. And each module is $400. So just to get your foot in the door of synergy amps you'd have to fork over $1700 before taxes/delivery charges. That's a whole lot, however, to buy a Friedman HBE head it would cost $3500.
I love the concept of this amp, but it seems a little too ambitious given the cost. For example, with so many amp manufacturers giving us "amp-in-a-box" pedals, I would love to see a shoot-out between the Friedman BE module and the $200 Friedman BE overdrive pedal, or the Diezel VH module and the $270 Diezel VH4 distortion pedal. If the only difference between the modules and the pedals is the integration of some tubes in the circuit, then why not give some of Blackstar's $200 tube pedals a go? Or VOX's $100 Straight 6 tube driver? Or Behringer's $50 Vintage Tube Monster? Or go top shelf and get Maxon's $270 TOD-09 overdrive? Lots of options to try before committing to a big boy rig like the Synergy.
Does anyone else remember when Randall tried this with Kirk Hammett's sig amp stack like near a decade ago? Glad to see the swappable module idea come back
It sounds neat, but the preamp is not the only defining difference between, for example, a 5e3 tweed deluxe circuit and a Marshall head. In fact, I would even argue that the preamp isn't even in the top 3 defining characteristics of those two amps
It would be great to be able to get a solid state version of this that you could convert to a hybrid with different preamps. Solid State power amp with a tube preamp would be a recipe for great tones!
Something neat you can do is go with the rack mount system for the preamps, and then run a rack-mounted solid state power amp. While it does lack some of the nice tactile feel of a true amp head, it would be able to allow for the neat hybrid system you're talking about!
Reminds me of an article I read a while ago on some of the earliest rack pre-amps, the pre-amps were simply small tube cartridges that could be changed in and out or a level of variability that you can't get with just one pre-amp these days.
I use a SYN-1 through a Quilter for the power amp. I feel like the system delivers on what BAD/Synergy markets the line as. Good stuff and worth the price IMO.
Swapping Pre-amps is indeed a very new concept, not as swapping Tshirts for an example but just as important. And because swapping, changing up and refreshing is sooo important i cant wait to get those new, awesome, stupendous, legendary, longawaited Colin's Sexy Guitars Tshirt to bring a breeze of freshness in to my Tshirt collection.
Randall used to make a head that had interchangeable preamp cartridges, but it took four instead of just one. There was a rack version that would also take four cartridges. Pretty sure it was the RT series.
It would be easy to write this off as a gimmick, but it not only sounds incredible across all the pre-amps I tried, but it is super easy and convenient to operate. Plus, it gives me the same nostalgic twinge as inserting a Sonic The Hedgehog cartridge into an old Sega Mega Drive.
I recently had to sell my beloved Engl due to financial problems, but I have a great Carvin MTS 3200 100 watt all valve amp, but I just dont like the gain channel(clean channel is awesome). I really dont like getting distortion from a pedal either, so I have been looking at the Syn-1 for a few months now and think I'm gonna pull the trigger on one. On Reverb.com you can get them for $500 US and they come with the Plexi module and sometimes a foot switch! Excellent review Colin my man!
That would be an excellent shout, I'm considering getting myself a Syn1 after doing this video. Don't really have room for another head, but the preamp through my existing amps would be very useful.
i had the same problem with my mts 3212, take and have the clipping diodes removed and the legacy mod done it cost like 125 bucks and make the amp frigin awesome. watch some vids where it been modded
@@williamking8684 Hey man, I think I have ran across that mod when doing a search on the MTS 3200 in the past. I might have to look further and check out some more info/videos. Thanks for bringing that to my attention again! I had forgot all about it.
I was pretty interested in one of these, (especially the syn 1) until I saw the price. The preamp modules are actually really reasonably priced. All the ones I saw were 400 each about, which is actually a good deal in my opinion. The synergys themselves however... 1600 dollars for the Syn 50. Which I know there are plenty of amps that are about this price, but first of all, this is only a 50 watt, and second of all, this is basically half an amp. Ok, I know they come with their own clean channel or whatnot, but that defeats the whole point of this amp. No one in their right mind would buy this amp and not any of the preamps. All this also goes for the 30 watt version at 1300 bucks. What made me the MOST mad however, is the Syn 1. 500 dollars! 500 dollars for an enclosure for a preamp. So buying this and a preamp brings you to 900 dollars for HALF of an amplifier, you still need another amp to plug into it. If it was 200, I would have gone for it, but it costs more than the preamps! That's like spending more on your motherboard than your cpu and gpu, it doesn't make any sense.
I love this idea! A JCM 800, SLP, Triple Rectifier, and an Uberschall, all in one head?! Fuckin A! Also laughing at your little blurbs at the very end of your videos lately. "Da-dee nowah!" 😂 Good shit
I think this is a GREAT idea. I've thought about something like this for near a decade. It's cool that somebody finally made it. That said, we live in the age where (and I've heard for myself) modelling can finally be taken seriously. Have you sampled the Kemper? I searched your videos and didn't see any reference to them. If so, how do you think it compares to this, seeing as how Synergy also has trade-offs (and reasonably so) compared to the originals. Nice vid. Cheers!
I still always play my Randall version of this (RandallMTS).I sold my RM50 to my neibour and the synergy models work on it.Check out the models from Jaded Faith and Salvation mods.They both do great jobs at modifying the modules to what you like..They're most likely interchangeable plus at the Randall forum you can buy, trade for whatever you want.
Didn't Randall do this about 20 years ago? They used their own pre amp modules but the same exact idea. Edit: It was the Randall MTS (modular tube system)
If they could get more other brands to do collaborations by way of swappable module versions of their amps, this could actually be pretty cool product. I'm espeically interested in the syn- 1 standalone version .. could be useful for my 15 watt laney cub or going direct to board. I'm pairing down my colle ction into just the real gear I use, so I got rid of / calot of the cheaper guitars li ke epipphone and squires etc and have bought a 35+ collection down to 8 guitars and 4 basses, kept only the top quality / expensive guitars and older cheaper ones back from the long past eras when they used to be good.. I can see myself doing the same with my amp collection and soon as there are only about 2 that get regular use, the rest seem to gather dust, and some of these are sizeable combos / stacks. a Compact, rack mountable tube amp could be what the doctor ordered for the modeller guys (eg kemper, axe fx etc) so theyre getting the full tone and they can load the amp into a small 5 bay rackset for fly dates that they can put in the locker on the plane, or at least check and not get charged for excess baggage.
Was just about to say that Randall had already done something very similar! It'll be interesting to see how Synergy do with this product with modern marketing techniques
Synergy is essentially the successor to the Randall system. It's the same people working on it and I believe the old Randall modules are compatible with Synergy. It makes far more sense to put it under its own brand and build a community with other amp designers.
CSGuitars if Randall MTS modules are compatible with synergy then that is very very cool and even more versatile. I've got two sl+ and a George lynch mr. Scary module in my randall. I wonder if the synergy modules would be compatible in a randall?
Leopard Bull5trik3 you have to mod the amp slightly to be able to access both channels on the pre amps, not far off trying the egnator modules into the Randall, same process
Can we debunk the myth that PCB is unreliable? PCBs are actually better for the components than the traditional carbon turret boards because they are more heat resistant, thus putting less strain on each component.
This tech is not new and is time tested by now. The first incarnation was the Randall MTS series, also the brain child of Bruce Egnator (who patented the tech, and is also behind the Synergy series). I've had my Randall MTS head for 10+ years, never had a problem with a module, preamp tube, or power tube. Only downside is the loud fan on it (I'm sure I can find a newer, quieter fan...). Glad I held onto that head as the Synergy modules are backward compatible. The SLO is killer!
@@VIRAEMIAPHXAZ it's not a matter of melting the solder, it's about the PCB boards shrinking and cracking and ripping the copper traces from expansion and contraction caused by heating and cooling. The board is nothing more than fiberglass and resins lined with etched copper traces, they dry out over time. There's a reason most amps have tubes vertically mounted in their sockets and no circuit boards above them, it's to dissipate the heat generated by a glowing hot tube.
Looks promising. Plexi sounds really good. The others ... not so much, unfortunately. This system is seriously lacking a high-end, high-gain transistor preamp.
I've played the Code stuff a couple of times and been very disappointed in the sounds it produces. Unlikely that I'll spent the time and money to produce a bad review.
I've got a code 50 and I've managed to get 2 presets that I think are brilliant but most of the presets are just hot shit. The amp isn't immediately going to sound good. You have to put a bit of effort into getting a good tone. And don't rely on the inbuilt distortion.
@@geetarislife2843 i've saw that video,but it is a "less quality" code amp,and I'm a bedroom 15 years old guitar player,and because of that ,I don't have a lot of maney to spend on a better amp than that one,but thank you a lot,appreciated it!!
Really? More money? Build an amp.. bet it will sound better and be cheaper than anything purchased premade. If you look hard enough you can have your self a vintage valve combo amp for under $300usd. Cool amp either way though.. hotswappable preamps are a pretty cool idea
You can disagree, but you will be objectively wrong if you do so. The preamp is the majority of the sonic identity - it is the gain staging and eq filtering. Everything beyond the preamp simply exists to make the preamp sound louder.
@@ScienceofLoud okay, first of all it’s really not that serious, it’s okay if we disagree, and it’s pretty hyperbolic to act as if you have some kind of objective truth on the issue. But, yeah I understand that the job of the power amp is to amplify the signal, but that doesn’t mean that it does nothing else to the signal.. if that were the case, there would be no reason to choose 6L6s over EL34s, etc, nor would there be any reason to model different power amps in amp modelers, or any reason to model them at all.. since there’s going to be a physical power amp used later in the signal chain to amplify the sound.
@@ClearColorCloud It's not hyperbolic - it's fact. No-one is saying the power amp does nothing to influence the sound - it's just doing far far less than the preamp. If you take one preamp and run it through 3 different power amps; the power amps will impart their character - but it will still sound like the same amplifier with subtle dynamic differences. If you take 3 different preamps and run them through the same power amp; it'll sound like 3 different amplifiers. The preamp carries the MAJORITY of the sonic character of the amp. It's not a debate, it's demonstrably factual. Differences between power valves is largely just headroom considerations and slight variances on how quickly an amp responds to low frequencies - it's not altering the signature of the sound in major ways. The reason for different amp models is largely the differences in the preamps - not the power amps - as any amplifier manufacturer will tell you.
@@ScienceofLoud okay, yeah I agree with that actually.. I think we just differ in how much weight we’re giving to what a power amp does.. and that’s why I don’t think it’s objective.. at that point it’s a matter of taste.
Really disappointed in this "review". So biased. The only "negative" comments were washed over as being "only minor details" despite the fact that this system has had many other negative reviews. No mention of longevity issues? Come on! This is why I appreciate Phil McKnight and Glenn Fricker. They aren't "bought" and their honesty and integrity are noticeable. I bet this guy is secretly telling his closest friends to spend their money on something else while he tells his loyal viewers how great it is.
Modeling amps are awesome while playing on bedroom volumes. But, turn them up and they lose all of their quality and character. That's why I ditched my Line 6 Spider IV for an Orange Micro Dark. But, this amp seems like a great alternative to digital amps. Probably more expensive, but at least it's usable when cranked up.
I mean, you're comparing a spider IV to something in a completely different price bracket ($1200 head, $400 per module). High end digital stuff doesn't just fall apart at loud volumes.
@@RetroMusicDan True. I never had the chance to try out the high-end digital stuff so I can't vow for that whole loudness thing. Personally, if I'm going to spend more than $1000, then I may as well get the real thing.
Spider amps are known even among digital users for being pretty shit though. Either way, the only high end unit that has an amp built in that I can think of is the Kemper, and most touring artists that use them love to crank them.
The Spider series is pretty shit though. The AxeFX, Line 6 Helix, and Kemper amps all sound great at loud volumes. Hell, I run my Helix into FOH, and it sounds great live.
@@ScienceofLoud I still feel it could be clearer, maybe big text at the beginning saying *this is an advert* or something, I just find it harder to really trust a review if it's not transparent. Just a suggestion, ignore me if you wish b
It is transparent, I'm using RU-vid's official method of announcing paid promotion. What you may wish to consider is the distinction between an advert and the content I make. Companies pay for the airtime on my channel and the labour costs involved in me putting together a video. They get exactly zero input into the content of the video, all creative control is mine alone. The companies are made aware of that ahead of time and I don't produce videos about any products that fail to live up to my expectations. That is not an advert.
