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I took delivery of the Synergy Friedman BE-100 module yesterday and have spent an hour or so jamming with it today. It sounds very nice and has a wide range of gain.

If anyone is planning to use Synergy modules with a Randall RM100 like myself, just be aware that the left slot is tight at the rear. The Synergy modules are packed out to the back of the boards. Some of the internals in the Randall slightly overhang the pin plugs at the back of the slots. This overlap stops the module from seating nicely.

Overall i'm very happy with the setup. I think the next items to get will be the amp mods moliere suggested in the previous thread. http://nzguitars.com/forum/viewtopic.ph ... y&start=15

Other modules I have:

.Blackface
.JTM
.Modern
.Spawn (that one off Trademe)

What modules and enclosures do you have? what spins your wheels the most? cross posting welcome

Could you ELI5 this whole thing?

I have the rack, ex-Olegmcnoleg. It's an RM4 with RT2. Standard modules are Top Boost, Brown, Blackface and Tweed. I also have the following modded ones: Recto (more bass) and Plexi (Jose mod). Loaded, it has 13 valves, 9 leads, and it weights about 50 kgs.

I like playing Blackface clean and then hitting the switch for a huge Marshall sound. You can play the intro to Fall to Pieces or Paradise City, then kick a button and play the riffs with the tone they are meant to have, not via some gassy little fet pedal into a clean amp. Most fun of all is playing through the Plexi module, although the Tweed does a good job too.

Michael wrote:Could you ELI5 this whole thing?

The pre-amp is on a cartridge and you plug which ever one you like into the rest of the amp

I like playing Blackface clean and then hitting the switch for a huge Marshall sound. You can play the intro to Fall to Pieces or Paradise City, then kick a button and play the riffs with the tone they are meant to have, not via some gassy little fet pedal into a clean amp. Most fun of all is playing through the Plexi module, although the Tweed does a good job too.

Awesome. I think it all boils down to switching between the clean intro/verse and the big chorus for me too. Pure satisfaction.

Most of my pedal buying was prior to getting this setup. Quite a few of them are redundant now, the amp sounds great on it's own.

Mattallica wrote:I think that 'll be a good thing tbh. Until the next round of new Synergy modules are available. I want me some Dumble and Bogner.

Yeah the current Synergy lineup is basically "50 shades of marshall". There're 11 modules and at least 8 of them are Marshall-related...

Mattallica wrote:

Michael wrote:Could you ELI5 this whole thing?

The pre-amp is on a cartridge and you plug which ever one you like into the rest of the amp

How important is the choice of "the rest of the amp"?

Michael wrote:

Mattallica wrote:

Michael wrote:Could you ELI5 this whole thing?

The pre-amp is on a cartridge and you plug which ever one you like into the rest of the amp

How important is the choice of "the rest of the amp"?

That's a tough one to answer. Depends how loud you can crank it? if it's bedroom volume, not so important. The rest of the amp will determine how many pre-amps slots you get which might sway your decision.

Yeah the current Synergy lineup is basically "50 shades of marshall". There're 11 modules and at least 8 of them are Marshall-related...

Huh, I didn't realise that until you pointed it out. You don't reckon the Diezel VH4 has it's own thing going on?

Mattallica wrote:Huh, I didn't realise that until you pointed it out. You don't reckon the Diezel VH4 has it's own thing going on?

It does, but so do all the big name Marshall modders. For example I reckon the midrange and treble characteristics on a BE100 are pretty different than a classic Marshall.

However most of these designers have tweaked their power sections to differentiate further from each other (or stock Marshalls) as well. That can't be packed into a module, and that diminish the differences a bit when you run a bunch of preamps with the similar circuit origins into the exact same power section...

That's basically why I'm trying to avoid having too many Marshall-based modules. Pretty keen to pick up the Dumble and Sound City modules from Synergy when they're out.

godgrinder wrote:

Mattallica wrote:Huh, I didn't realise that until you pointed it out. You don't reckon the Diezel VH4 has it's own thing going on?

It does, but so do all the big name Marshall modders. For example I reckon the midrange and treble characteristics on a BE100 are pretty different than a classic Marshall.

However most of these designers have tweaked their power sections to differentiate further from each other (or stock Marshalls) as well. That can't be packed into a module, and that diminish the differences a bit when you run a bunch of preamps with the similar circuit origins into the exact same power section...

That's basically why I'm trying to avoid having too many Marshall-based modules. Pretty keen to pick up the Dumble and Sound City modules from Synergy when they're out.

Great points, and totally logical. I don't think i have the patience to wait the few months they'll take to release. Any of the modded ones take your interest in the mean time?

Compatibility clarification*

After some more in depth analysis (looking harder) of the cartridges I discovered that the Syn modules will fit in the right hand slot as well as the centre slot. There are some cable terminals in the left slot blocking the heat sync on the Syn module.

So now I can choose another Syn module, yay! the question is: VH4 or HBE?

If you're dead set between these 2 I'd say VH4, since you already have a BE module.

For the modded ones, I'm quite happy with the Salvation cameron module I picked up a while ago. A lot of different gain structures available between these 4 three-way toggles.

godgrinder wrote:If you're dead set between these 2 I'd say VH4, since you already have a BE module.

For the modded ones, I'm quite happy with the Salvation cameron module I picked up a while ago. A lot of different gain structures available between these 4 three-way toggles.

Since your reply, i have already changed my mind haha but you're right, the VH4 would be the pick.

I'll just use the Spawn for a single high gain sound as the BE really does crank. It's likewise to your Cameron module with the switching albeit not as juicy. Tight and stiff, suited for gainz.

So that leaves me choosing a clean option. Which would you pick out of the AC, TDLX and BMAN?

They all sound great. I'd go the AC if it does the clean chime and screaming top boosted Brain May sound. But the two fender ones have separate eqs and nice switching options..

I'd pick the AC since you already have Blackface and JTM modules. Or maybe a Salvation lonestar?