SYN-30 30-watt 3-channel Tube Head Review

Good Clean Channel in Addition to the Module's Channels

I chose this one over the 50w because I didn't need a four channel amp. The clean channel is impressive. It's a little expensive, but in the long run I figure I'll save money by only spending $400 on new modules. For the price, I wish there was a way to switch the output power. I happy enough with the Synergy to have made the decision to dump most of my other tube amps and invest… read more in the modules instead.

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Owned it for about 1 year now...

I really love the Synergy System. I wish I had this head before acquiring too many at this point. I'm play primarily; different styles of hard rock/metal but I also do occasionally session work where I have be more dynamic and get around different tones. This is Perfect! Well almost... My favorite modules are the Bogner Uberschall, SLO, and the Fryette Deliverance. Absolutely… read more searing liquid tones to biting like a snake. I also own the Friedman HBE and the 800. There isn't a bad one in the bunch. The 800 is VERY VERY close even though this head houses a single 6L6 tube. Push it with a tube screamer and you have '80s tones Just, Like, That! This has a very good effects loop as well. I was pleasantly surprised with it.

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Sounds Great, Direct Signal is Fantastic

Wasn't expecting a whole lot from this design as it seems fairly simple, yet the addition of the silent switching with built in load to run this head direct to the mixing console for live use intrigued me. I am running this head with the matching Synergy 412 cab which is essentially the same design as the Friedman 412 only the plate on the back allows you to run it in 16ohm mono… read more or use the 2 x 8ohm jacks if you're running in stereo (I'd assume with the rack unit Synergy makes.) I've tried the SLO, MetroPlex, and Plexi modules with this amp and each one's character comes through and the tones are quite different among the 3 I've tried. Not having the amps these are designed after side by side I'm not going to claim they sound exactly like those amps, the circuit is apparently the same, I'd assume reworked to mate with the 6L6 design of this head - yet all 3 sound great and are fairly low noise. The clean channel is really nice and takes pedals well. We ran this head direct at church a few weeks back and it sounded great - in fact it was the best guitar tone we've heard from FOH in a long, long time. As far as build quality goes and knobs coming off etc, I had a Friedman BE-100 a few years ago and the impedance selector had a similar issue where if you turned it the whole knob would spin like a nut attaching the pot was loose. It is what it is these days, even amps that are $3000 - $4000 can have someone asleep at the wheel during assembly - that's what warranties are for. For the most part Boutique Amp Distribution is responsive - I've emailed them a few times on other gear I've had and gotten quick responses. In other words, for the price, it sounds great - so far so good.

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Synergy 30 watt head

Received my new amp today. While I was looking at the back panel I decided to set the ohms at 8 so I wouldn"t forget. The knob just turned and came of in my hand. The set screw wouldn"t turn in any direction. The pot has a smooth round shaft that is never going to work for very long. I"ve never seen a cheaper pot on a amp ever. They usually have splines or a flat spot on them so… read more they won"t spin. Long story short these don"t belong on a 1300.00 dollar amp. This amp in general is cheaply made. It looks like the tube sockets are made of plastic I hope I"m wrong. The concept of the modules is a very good one. I"m hoping anouther amp company starts making them that cares about their product. I"ve owned my fair share of amps and have learned the hard way about poor quality. The best advice I could give is buy one from a dealer that will take it back at their expense the last thing you want is a amp in the corner of your room that doesn"t work. I got mine at Sweetwater and they"re always good to deal with. I"ve never written a review before but this is pretty shocking.

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