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Synergy Powerball vs Engl Powerball II - Does the Module Have the BALLS?

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I bought the Synergy Engl Powerball module from a friend a little while. I love Synergy gear and I love Powerballs.
Let's find out if Synergy managed to capture the spirit of the Powerball.
Signal chain:
I'm using a Gibson SG Raw Power tuned to drop C# with a Seymour Duncan Black Winter pickup in the bridge.
The guitar is running into a Lichtlaerm Audio “the King in Yellow” which is only active for the boosted sections. From there the signal goes into an Egnater SS4 Amp Switcher and into the amps. the active amp is routed back into the SS and from there into a Two Notes Torpedo Live with a Vintage 30 IR loaded.
Timestamps:
--- Module in SYN-1 in the loop of the Powerball II ---
01:46 Module - Blue Channel - Low Gain (Clean)
02:02 Amp - Channel 1 - Clean
02:15 Toggling - Clean Tones
03:05 Module - Blue Channel - High Gain (Crunch)
03:20 Amp - Channel 2 - Crunch
03:35 Toggling - Crunch Tones
04:03 Module - Red Channel - Low Gain (still very much high gain)
04:24 Amp - Channel 3 - Lead
04:44 Toggling- High Gain Tones
05:20 Module - Red Channel - Low Gain & Boost
05:35 Amp - Channel 3 - Lead & Boost
05:49 Toggling- Boosted High Gain Tones
07:45 Module - Red Channel High Gain
08:01 Amp - Channel 4 - Lead
08:16 Toggling High Gain Tones
08:49 Module - Red Channel - high Gain & Boost
09:08 Amp - Channel 4 - Lead & Boost
09:27 Toggling - Boosted High Gain Tones
--- Module in the Randall RM 100 ---
10:11 Amp - Channel 3 - Lead
10:23 Module - Red Channel - Low Gain (Still very much high gain)
10:53 Toggling - High Gain Tones
11:11 Amp - Channel 3 - Lead & Boost
11:27 Module - Red Channel - Low Gain & Boost
11:42 Toggling - Boosted High Gain Tones
11:57 Final Thoughts

Опубликовано:

4 сен 2024

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Комментарии : 44

@lyricbread Год назад

I hear a distinct difference in the very upper top end. The head seems to have more sizzle. At least on the monitors I’m listening on. Good comparison! Thank you!

@lyricbread Год назад

@theotherjohnbrowne could lack of presence control on the module account for the difference in the top end that I’m hearing?

@TheOtherJohnBrowne Год назад

Yep. I hear that too. They are not identical but the module is a damn good approximation

@TheOtherJohnBrowne Год назад

Could be. At the same time, I assume it has more to do with the input stage which is not part of the module but part of the housing unit, be it a SYN-1, SYN-50, Randall or Egnater unit. Synergy have three switchable cathode bypass resistor/capacitor settings for the input stage but that cannot compensate for the fact that the input stage has to be somewhat of a one-size-fits-all design. So that part will suit some modules more than others but will always be a bit of a compromise. Then there will be minor circuit and layout differences that are inevitable when squishing a full size preamp into a tiny enclosure.

@lyricbread Год назад

@@TheOtherJohnBrowne The module definitely captures the spirit of the amp. Now I’m itching for a Synergy rig. 😂

@SuperCMO79 2 месяца назад

Just got a Sn50 with A Pitbull Superlead Module and I'm considering selling my Bogner Uberschall Ultra for another Syn50 after having it 1 day!

@scottpeters4401 Месяц назад

Having been around during the rack craze of the late 80’s,yeah,I am old,anytime you separate the preamp and power sections of an amp head,there will be some differences..they no longer share the same power supply,smaller,etc..that said,it’s pretty damn close..with an EQ,you could dip the mids a touch,boost a little high end and get very close..in a mix,or live situation you would never know the difference…I love the Synergy stuff..I don’t care if it sounds absolutely,exactly the same as the head version..as long as it sounds good,that’s what matters to me…and this one is definitely close enough for Rock and Roll!

@TheOtherJohnBrowne Месяц назад

@@scottpeters4401 Word!

@xiwiwix 10 месяцев назад

Great video! I'm gonna sub because you noticed all the difference between the module and amp I noticed. I'd say, yes, they nailed it. The mid difference and thickness I prefer from the module. I've been obsessing over clarity these days. Thank you for curing me of my 2nd round of PBII Gas. I was already regretting "having to" buy it again. lol

@TheOtherJohnBrowne 10 месяцев назад

Hahaha! Awesome! I'm happy to help and happy to have you here

@DeathMetalDevin 9 месяцев назад

@TheOtherJohnBrowne feel the same as xiwiwix here. I'm definitely glad you did this comparison. Def a thickness to the synergy module. I have the RM100 as well but need to get it modded to be able to use both channels before I can get the powerball. Did you happen to get the fog lifter for the presence or is that stock on your RM100. I've noticed the power amp is a decent bit dark until you just about crank it

@TheOtherJohnBrowne 9 месяцев назад

@@DeathMetalDevin Thanks! Not sure if it's the same thing but I have a Salvation MDA board installed than can affect negative feeback but I believe I had it in stock mode here

@DeathMetalDevin 9 месяцев назад

@@TheOtherJohnBrowne I've def been going down the RM amp rabbit hole. Was just looking at that MDA board by them and will def but one of them for sure. I haven't looked quite yet but do you do any of the Salvation modules reviews?

@TheOtherJohnBrowne 9 месяцев назад

I have not yet. I've had most of the Synergy modules and done videos of the Powerball, Savage and Herberr modules comparing them to the real amps and will still do the VH4 module. I haven't tried the Salvation modules ywt but I'd like to because I dig the modular system. Sadly these videos tend to generate a lot less interest than regular amp or speaker videos

@BecomingProductions Год назад

Great demo John. That module really does hold up, sounds very similar to the amp.

@TheOtherJohnBrowne Год назад

Thanks, Dave! It also feels very similar to the amp to me!

@GingerDude-o3h 3 месяца назад

@@TheOtherJohnBrowne isnt the synergy powerball made by engl them selves so shouldnt the preamp stage essentially be identical to the original amp

@TheOtherJohnBrowne 3 месяца назад

@@GingerDude-o3hit's designed together with Engl but made by Boutique Amps Distribution.

@diegocortesrodriguez2616 Год назад

Nice Video John!, module is really close to the actual amp

@TheOtherJohnBrowne Год назад

Thank you!

@PhuketMyMac Год назад

Nice video brother. I have to research that Synergy thing. Not that I need to spend anymore more money in gear though 😅

@TheOtherJohnBrowne Год назад

Lol. Same same! Thanks, mate!

@TheOtherJohnBrowne Год назад

Seems I knocked one of the high strings out of tune there at one point. My apologies. What do you think? Does the module have the BALLS?

@XChristianNoirX Год назад

The amp has a little mor balls and top end, but can sound a little hollow elsewhere, whole the module sees a lot more mix/band mix ready in therms of poking through... When through the same power amp... But sounds markedly worse through the RM100... So the trick is getting the right power amp for these things. There are several options out there, but Fryette seems to be the best choice, but it will change the sound, for better or for worse.

@hybrydsanity5857 5 месяцев назад

Same vibe I'd say I hear a slight difference in the Low end the synergy pushing a little more in the low mids the original amp sounding more balanced from low to high , love em both, already have the amp like to pick up this Powerball Module and initially one more ether the Bogner ecstacy or the Friedman BEBB modules when i'm ready for an expensive rack set up. Reason simply just for portability .

@TheOtherJohnBrowne 5 месяцев назад

The BEBB is an excellent clean module and the Ecstasy is great too

@XChristianNoirX Год назад

CRAZY! O prefer the module 80%+ of the time through the same power amp, but the amp clearly more than the module when the module is going though the RM100.

@giominor88 Год назад

great comparison

@TheOtherJohnBrowne Год назад

Thanks, mate!

@zanthraxus Год назад

Thinking back - of all the modules you compared to the respective amps, to me this could be the one where one is least likely to miss the actual amp. Both sound great in any case! How are you liking the new lichtlaerm after the shootout? Cheers!

@TheOtherJohnBrowne Год назад

Yes! I agree with you. I also have the Diezel VH4 module which at first impression also does a very good job. The Lichtlaerm is a beast. Very variable and insane output on tap. Different enough to the Duality DX so that I camnot pick a favourite. They will have to share the throne

@manos6426 Год назад

Impressive!

@YsAbTones 2 месяца назад

the synergy sounds better imo

@headbangerministries 10 месяцев назад

I don't know man, six minutes into this and my ears return to the Diezel low gain with the pedal boost. Sounded fantastic for me. This one is not giving me a boner. Anyhow, looking at all my options as I'm preparing to possibly buy the Synergy 2 and trying to figure out which one or two modules to get. Id love to hear the Diezel with some delays FX. Thanks for the videos.

@TheOtherJohnBrowne 10 месяцев назад

Yeah, this on the Diezel modules are very different flavours of high gain. The Powerball is much tighter, more compressed and therefore less dynamic. The VH4 and SLO modules are great IMO. You can't go wrong with the Ecstacy and Fryette modules either

@CodenameCuervo Год назад

😜🤘

@thisiscrap34 8 месяцев назад

Engl greater than Module, but I would take the module every time over any of the lousy overpriced, digital flim-flam multi-boxes or any of the other computer based garbage!!!!

@TheOtherJohnBrowne 8 месяцев назад

I love your user name as well as your use of the term flim-flam

@thisiscrap34 8 месяцев назад

@@TheOtherJohnBrowne thanks - I think, name has more to do with RU-vid/ Google password garbage and my irritation with having to jump through hoops to restart my account years ago. Also reflects my distaste with where RU-vid/ Google have gone.