Guitar Gear Forum

Sort of lol. I had to sell my previous one when I got the Mesa, but I ended up ditching all the Synergy stuff and grabbing this for a great deal off Reverb. It even still had the plastic film over the logos lol. Anyway...this amp fucking rules. I sent Bill this pic and he said this is the official Raf rig in his mind. He's probably right.

These clips are a 57 on a Mesa V30 and a PR30 on a Redback. Both same level in the mix. Dispatch master on the leady part. I used my Bauer Strat with Duncan Omega.

https://app.box.com/s/kf7f31ceuzz0w32y67278ctbk6738g0e
https://app.box.com/s/x0p8up80fe41vkfzhlwmpoa0471z5jka

Hell yeah! Mark VII and 5153 100s ftw

welcome back. the synergy stuff to my ears had that "missing something but not sure what" kind of thing going on, like they sounded perfectly fine but this and your mark clips just sound better.

That's proper Raf.

RaceU4her wrote:welcome back. the synergy stuff to my ears had that "missing something but not sure what" kind of thing going on, like they sounded perfectly fine but this and your mark clips just sound better.

Agreed. Good move Raf!

Thanks dudes. I certainly didn't realize how much I missed this amp. It's so different from the Mesa. Like the opposite side of the metal spectrum. The Mesa is extremely precise and lean sounding. The mids punch in the chest like nothing else. Meanwhile the EVH has an absolutely MASSIVE sound. Punches more in the lower gut. It's like a katana vs a sledgehammer. Neither is better than the other, they just do things in a very different, but equally awesome way. I am glad to have this amp back in the stable.

Decide the Synergy stuff was not for you?

Shask wrote:Decide the Synergy stuff was not for you?

The Synergy stuff is missing something. I'm not 100% sure what it is though. And to be fair, it's a common thing for rack stuff where the pre and power amp are separated. It's not only Synergy. I think there is something that happens when the pre and power amp are in the same circuit but I can't explain exactly what it is.

I think if I try Synergy again I'm going to try one of their heads instead.

GuitarBilly wrote:

Shask wrote:Decide the Synergy stuff was not for you?

The Synergy stuff is missing something. I'm not 100% sure what it is though. And to be fair, it's a common thing for rack stuff where the pre and power amp are separated. It's not only Synergy. I think there is something that happens when the pre and power amp are in the same circuit but I can't explain exactly what it is.

I think if I try Synergy again I'm going to try one of their heads instead.

one of the shops here had a couple modules and the rack power amp, i didnt play it myself but the shop owner gave me a demo and i heard kind of the same thing, while sounding really good there was just something i couldnt really pinpoint missing, i figured maybe their power amps just werent the greatest.

Nah the synergy stuff was cool. But I particularly liked the Powerball module, and I have access to a Powerball whenever I want. But synergy doesn’t have the evh thing. And I was missing that sound and ball tingling rumble.

I tried it with a bunch of different power amps, Synergy, Carvin, Mosvalve, Palmer and Mesa.
The Mesa was the best one and the Palmer was really good too. But overall, when compared to my heads it was missing something.

It's funny because if you don't a/b it against a head, it's not really noticeable. Once you put against a head, then you hear that something is missing. But again, I had this experience with nearly every rack setup I've had. It's not exclusive to Synergy.

Congrats Man, sounds sick! That amp always does sound great for you.
It sounds like it is wrapping around your head, if that makes sense.
The Hammer/Katana analogy is perfect.

The Syn1 or 2 into something else don't sound the same as the Synergy Heads for sure.
I loved them, and for certain modules like the Fryettes I think they were better,
and certainly as good though different with the Uber or the Powerball with the Syn 5050.
But the heads react like a regular head and have that connected feel.
Steve Fryette mentions it in some interview as well, he prefers his preamp/poweramp design obviously, but the heads were Bruce Egnater's babies.

GuitarBilly wrote:

Shask wrote:Decide the Synergy stuff was not for you?

The Synergy stuff is missing something. I'm not 100% sure what it is though. And to be fair, it's a common thing for rack stuff where the pre and power amp are separated. It's not only Synergy. I think there is something that happens when the pre and power amp are in the same circuit but I can't explain exactly what it is.

I think if I try Synergy again I'm going to try one of their heads instead.

Generally with rack vs heads, with heads the preamp and poweramp share the same power supply, so they tend to sag together. Without that you get a faster, tighter response. I notice my Synergy stuff doesn't have the wall of sound thing as much as a head, but they have a snappier, faster attack. It is tighter and clearer overall vs a head..

That is what that sag knob is suppose to simulate. I generally turn it up just a touch to where it lights up with a strong chug, but usually doesn't turn on.

NinjaRaf wrote:Nah the synergy stuff was cool. But I particularly liked the Powerball module, and I have access to a Powerball whenever I want. But synergy doesn’t have the evh thing. And I was missing that sound and ball tingling rumble.

Yeah, for the 5150 thing I have that 6505 module, and using it with an OD, and then putting an EQ after it to crank some bass, and cut some mids, I have been getting it pretty close. That is usually what I do with 5150 heads also.

Although, if I were to buy any new big tube head right now, I think the 5150 Stealth would be my #1 pick. I haven't played one, but everything says I would love it. I do have the 50w 6L6 though.

Yeah, when I think Raf's rig I absolutely picture this.

Congrats, man! That's a sick setup

Welcome back to the fold Raf, I was GAS'ing for more amps but the stealth has cured that for me

Haha thanks dudes. Yeah this thing just flat out rules.

Its so you Raf, make sure you hold on to that thing lol.

As for Synergy, I agree, there is something missing, that and those tiny fucking knobs irk the shit out of me. I keep mine around just for other flavors on the cheap but I'd rather have the actual amp any day. I also agree with Billy on preamps and poweramps missing some kind of synchronicity vs heads. Its not bad but what few preamps I have when paired with my power station or mesa 50/50 just can't compare to a head amp.

I never felt the preamp/power amp thing. I ran a Mako Mak4 rack set up for a couple of years and loved it.