I just sold my FM3 and I was planning on getting an fm9 with the cash(plus some out of pocket of course).
I was using my Fryette PS-1, or at least trying to. Admittedly, I didn't really care for it through the Fryette and had better results through the power section of my amps, which ultimately defeated the purpose for me. I thought about picking up one of their heads, because everything I had just sounded better through my buddy's SYN50, but ultimately just ended up selling the system as my main goal was to simplify my rig and adding another power amp or head was the opposite of what I wanted to do. That said, I did try it through the power section of the Mark IV and I still had similar feelings with it.
I love the PS1 but yeah probably not the best for this application.
At the end of the day, Synergy is just a tube preamp. ALL tube preamps depended on the power amp (and cab) for a big part of the overall tone. The bigness on depth and chunk comes from the power section and cab on any unit. Even on digital modeling.
I’ll sell you mine
Man I love my PS-2a with the synergy! But i mean....i like trashy women....maybe my tone is trashy too?
My FM3 and HX Stomp sound(ed) great through the PS-1. Plenty of chunk to them. My FM3 sounded so close to my Tremoverb into a measley .44 Magnum pedal power amp that in a blindfold A/B test, I couldn't tell the difference. I found the Synergy modules all had a signature to their sound that didn't quite sound right to me with anything other than their heads.
Those digital units have power amp sims in them to boost the low and high end. Plus, you can EQ the core sound to death. I run a 5 band parametric EQ in the loop of my Syn-2, and can achieve the same thing using that.
Yeah, I think that's the problem, though. The Synergy system is sold on also being a recording platform, basically as an analog modeler. By their own admission, most of the sound comes from the preamp, yet in practice this doesn't seem to be true. I think the new Dr Z module is the first step in the right direction with their built in "Zero Watt Poweramp," which includes the Phase Inverter and was designed to emulate the power amp sag you'd get from the real amp - so you don't have to use a power amp that matches it to get the right sound.
I have never even looked at those direct outs, lol. I know that will be about as useless as the recording outs on the Triaxis and JMP-1.
Do you think the FM3 does a convincing recto tone?
The Recto is the one amp I felt my FM3 got the closest to. A/Bing it with my Tremoverb, I couldn't tell the difference. Interestingly, the 5150 III was much harder to match. The mid range was totally wrong.
I like the 6505 module, but you do notice it doesn't have the big boom of the amp without the same power section. It is like a tighter, clearer version. I guess like the amp with the resonance lower, lol.
I dont know if I would say the FM3 is 'there', but I do think it is closer, and is better. The updates in the FM3 have kind of cleared up the low end and the lower mids. It doesnt sound as cardboardy and congested and has a more natural chug without mushing out. It seems like with the Axe II I was always finding it being mushy or cocked wahish. There was a fine line between those. I also think the dynamics on the FM3 are better. It seems like the main tools (Master, sag, output compressor) are more reactive in dialing in the amount of tightness and compression you want. The impedance curves are easier to work with.
Yeah, I have a similar setup. I do run the Axe through a mixer though. Everything goes through my mixer before it hits the GT1000FX. I think I mentioned this to you before, but you should try it and see if you notice a difference. I prefer it not going straight through.