Best amp model for power amp only

R

Reib1

Member
Anyone have a recommendation for a power-amp model only and settings? Thinking of using my Synergy Preamps in a loop
 
tube pre is the standard reply, though i would add the blackface fender models as well as band commander, jr blues, or any master volume amp models where the preamp doesn't distort much. be sure to defeat preamp sag in the model as well
 
There was a thread where someone shared their blocks after crafting a variety of poweramps. I saved them somewhere but the thread is probably still here.
 
Here are some of my favorite Synergy + AxeFX PowerAmp Model pairings — again, thanks to Leon @2112 for the video detailing this!

Fryette Deliverance with 5153 Green/Blue/Red channels.
Vai Channel A (Bassman Clean) with Dweezils Bassman
Vai Channel B with Euro Red (modern or vintage).
 
How are you amplifying it? The other problem is different modules will work better with different power sims. Also the problem with the Synergy is most amp power stages are far from neutral. How are you ever going to get a tweed fender and a Diezel VH4 to use the same power stage and sound like the actual amps with all the break up character of the original amps ? I have used the Randal RM4 the Egnater M4 and the Synergy in the past and this is the reason I just use the axe alone now or and amp head. That said I love the Steve Via module in to any VHT or fryette power amp.
 
Reib1 said:
Anyone have a recommendation for a power-amp model only and settings? Thinking of using my Synergy Preamps in a loop
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This is a bit of a quest... The poweramp blocks linked above might help. I shot an IR of my favorite modular amp from FX return to line out and found that was useful at times with preamp modules. Its not exactly the same as the poweramp but it captured the speaker impedance curve effects which made a big difference for my my enjoyment and was a little more straightforward than using an amp block.

Outside of the fractal environment, I find that pretty much all of the modules I enjoy sound great in the RM50 or Syn50. Voxy stuff, fendery stuff, marshally stuff all sound great. Are they identical to a particular amp? I don't know- doesn't matter really. They sound great and I can enjoy myself while playing through them. One of the great self-inflicted injuries we have in the modular world is this obsession that "its not the same its not the same... 6l6 vs el34 vs el84... how can it possibly work?" It works fine if you'll get out of your own way.

Inside the fractal environment, I'd suggest a similar approach. Just find something that sounds good to you. An IR of a poweramp gets you a flavor of the tonal elements of that poweramp, without nonlinear effects of course.

I took one of the plexi models at some point and tried to adjust the preamp to be pretty neutral and used that as a poweramp. It worked fine. Was the combination exactly like some particular amp? no, but who cares. it sounded great.

One nice thing about a synergy/fractal rig is that you can have the best of both worlds. The tube preamps when you want them, the modeled (pre)amps when you want those, and a universe of swiss army knives for everything else. I generally like the tactile experience of interacting with the real tube preamps but enjoy bending them to my will with everything else in the fractal, before and after the preamps.
 
Any Fender amp pushed to break up with a different/neutral power stage even a tube one sounds nothing like the actual amp . I'm not saying it has too but this is a problem with the module preamps. Power stages in high gain modern amps are a long way off flat as well.
 
Andy Eagle said:
Any Fender amp pushed to break up with a different/neutral power stage even a tube one sounds nothing like the actual amp . I'm not saying it has too but this is a problem with the module preamps. Power stages in high gain modern amps are a long way off flat as well.
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+1, which is a use case for a "pre off" button in the amp block for those that want a very close match - but I understand that wishing for that is beating a dead horse.
 
chkayleebear said:
tube pre is the standard reply, though i would add the blackface fender models as well as band commander, jr blues, or any master volume amp models where the preamp doesn't distort much. be sure to defeat preamp sag in the model as well
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I know your post is super old, but the preamp sag doesn't do what I interpret that you mean. All the preamp sag does is make the preamp interact with the power amp like an all in one tube amp would, instead of them having separate power supplys and transformers like a rack preamp + power amp would.
 
Andy Eagle said:
Any Fender amp pushed to break up with a different/neutral power stage even a tube one sounds nothing like the actual amp . I'm not saying it has too but this is a problem with the module preamps. Power stages in high gain modern amps are a long way off flat as well.
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have wondered how Synergy reconciles this particularly for the fendery, voxy modules - only thing I can think of is that, for these, they bake some p.a. character into the module.
 
sprint said:
have wondered how Synergy reconciles this particularly for the fendery, voxy modules - only thing I can think of is that, for these, they bake some p.a. character into the module.
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I think that is correct. The modules are designed with the Synergy branded power amplifiers in mind and they voice the module to sound in the ballpark of the intended amp within that design limitation.
 
Your amp of choice with regards to your tube preamp choice, null tone stack, input trim and drive way down, master trim and volume up to suit, preamp bias and excursion like tube pre, preamp tube hardness and triode one and two freq to suit, use depth, presence, and high treble as needed, as well as the speaker/power supply/power amp etc tab parameters and preamp sag switch to suit, plus cathode follower off.

The goal is to only get power section color, with minimal color from the amp model's preamp modeling etc.

Good luck (IME it works great, been running this way since the Ultra, though Cygnes was a huge leap forward IMO, with more power section improvements coming AFAIK)!
 
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