Syn-30 vs KSR PA50 or Fryette PS-100

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Faded Abyss

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This will just be for mainly for recording - but also casual practice and monitoring.

Synergy claims that using either the syn-30 or the syn-50 will get better results from the cards because it auto-detects which card is installed and self-biases the preamp tube accordingly. To me, this sounds optimal… but I haven’t heard of anyone doing this or any positive or indifferent user experiences. Also there is no resonance knob…

If I were to get a Syn-1 or go effects loop out of the syn-30 (just now thought of that) and was able to hit a more thought out power section like KSR PA 50 or the Fryette PS.

I’m just curious if anyone has tried any of these methods. Advice/user feedback/opinions discussion.
 
The Syn-1 also switches the cathode R/C on the first stage as well, that's not exclusive to the heads, so no issue there. This feature certainly helps get the modules sounding closer to the original amp than the old Randall units.

A Syn-1 into a good power amp of your choice can sound great. My thoughts on this:
- I've found the Synergy power amps in general to lack balls and personality
- The PS has a good power amp, but it's designed to be fairly flat (as it's most often used as part of a reamp setup obviously)
- No experience with KSR, but have heard good things and at least you have the option of EL34's if you prefer.

If it's mainly for recording you don't need tonnes of power, but you want the personality. The KSR has presence, deep and NFB controls - sounds like fun to me.
 
Faded Abyss said:
This will just be for mainly for recording - but also casual practice and monitoring.

Synergy claims that using either the syn-30 or the syn-50 will get better results from the cards because it auto-detects which card is installed and self-biases the preamp tube accordingly. To me, this sounds optimal… but I haven’t heard of anyone doing this or any positive or indifferent user experiences. Also there is no resonance knob…

If I were to get a Syn-1 or go effects loop out of the syn-30 (just now thought of that) and was able to hit a more thought out power section like KSR PA 50 or the Fryette PS.

I’m just curious if anyone has tried any of these methods. Advice/user feedback/opinions discussion.
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Personally, I found the Synergy 50 head power amp a little boring. I replaced the unit with a Randall RM100 that I modded and I much prefer that platform. Other than that I currently have a SYN-1 and used to have a SYN-2. Both were used with my KSR-PA50 which is an outstanding power amp. The NFB and EQ controls on that thing make it extremely flexible. As ZEN Amps mentioned, it takes tubes from both the 6L6 and EL34 family of tubes.
Highly recommend the KSR.
 
I have a SYN30 head and also have a Syn2 rack unit along with a KSR PA50 (w/ EL34s). I also have a Fryette PS2 that I have used with the Syn2 as power amp in addition to a SYN5050.

For your scenario, I would get the SYN30, personally. It's a fine amp and it is great in a studio context. BTW: It has a silent mode with an internal load which is super nice. It has a good analog line out, too. The built-in clean channel is excellent and gives you a proper midi switchable 3 channel amp. Only real trade off vs the 50 aside from rated wattage is that it is a fixed depth amp; lots of amps are, though, of course. For me (old school rock to thrash) it is a non-issue I tend to do most adjustment on the module's tonestack. If you are into like super death metal lead bass tones I guess it could be a concern. LOL.

The KSR is a nice unit, but the form factor is klunky as can be. It can take a bunch of different tubes but in the end I set it one way and adjust everything else on the preamp or whatever else I am feeding it. I'm not likely to swap out tubes on it on a whim, either. It lights up which is kind of cool.

If I were going to skip the head, rather than the KSR I would probably take the PS as second choice. The PowerStation is so useful in other contexts that generally it is the type of purchase you'll never really regret. The Syn stuff works well with a nice clean power amp and the PS fits the bill.
 
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I wasn’t a fan of the KSR PA50, but I’m also not a fan of their amps, so I guess it makes sense. It’s not a neutral power amp, it sounds/feels like a Colossus/Gemini/Orthos power amp.
 
ZEN Amps said:
The Syn-1 also switches the cathode R/C on the first stage as well, that's not exclusive to the heads, so no issue there. This feature certainly helps get the modules sounding closer to the original amp than the old Randall units.

A Syn-1 into a good power amp of your choice can sound great. My thoughts on this:
- I've found the Synergy power amps in general to lack balls and personality
- The PS has a good power amp, but it's designed to be fairly flat (as it's most often used as part of a reamp setup obviously)
- No experience with KSR, but have heard good things and at least you have the option of EL34's if you prefer.

If it's mainly for recording you don't need tonnes of power, but you want the personality. The KSR has presence, deep and NFB controls - sounds like fun to me.
Click to expand...
Thanks for clearing that up. Their website mentions “auto-sensing” on the syn30 and syn50 but they fumble their words a bit
 
I haven't tried the Syn one but have ran a Fryette and a PA50 at the same time. I prefer the PA50. With the top/bottom/NFB controls I could dial any preamp or modelers in to sound very close to a head. A ran the Kartakou Colossus and nailed my 5150. Ran a Quad Cortex 2204 model into it and couldn't tell a difference between that and the 2204 I had at the time.

Fryette on the otherhand is a fucking useful tool. The power amp is probably my least favorite part of it but it does work great but you won't get as much sauce from the power section vs the PA50 imho
 
I have 2 SYN2’s connected up to a KSR PA50. Sounds beefy and agree with the above comments about the extra controls.

I would recommend going with the form factor that suits you better more than trying to decipher the sound nuance differences of the power amps. The PA50 sits perfectly on my desk and I like that about it, but I can see where a lot of people would not like that.
 


I’m listening to this quite a bit. He has another one where he runs the ENGL savage synergy module into the return of a an actual ENGL amp and there is a difference. This dude is the real deal, he’s been making records for decades.

I especially liked the way the Herbert sounded in terms of being unique and having low and low-mid mid bawls. But spending the big money on the amp for more of s niche tone wouldn’t make sense financially.

Since I like to run boosts on the front end so much, I might go with a safe bet and buy the Fryette Deliverance actual amp, and get modules on the side and tone chase a bit, and hopefully that is an accurate gauge if I want to go for something a bit more flavorful for certain tones.

For example, if you listen to the HBE module alone, it sounds a bit dry or… not as complex as you’d expect from Friedman. But the example in the mix it cuts through so well and sound complex ??‍♂️
 
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