DIY Synergy Amps Modules

[reinerterig]

Anyone familiar with the new Synergy Amps modular system? its based on the old Randall MST modules. 

I want to see if I can build my own modules and was hoping that someone could give me a nudge in the right direction.

I assume the connector on the back is to supply power to my pre-amp module, take signal in and out and switch between channels. If anyone has built their own module the pin out and some general advice would be much appreciated.

 

[Sirion]

Re: DIY Synergy Amps Modules

Welcome to the forum! I probably shouldn't be too negative, but I doubt you'll find people with the right experience to talk about this here. I think there is a Synergy forum that is fairly active? People there might know. Otherwise, there must surely be some sort of communities for amp makers out there.

Cool project, by the way! I am very intrigued by the Synergy system.

 

[reinerterig]

Re: DIY Synergy Amps Modules

Thanks man! I have read through EVERY Synergy forum that has anything remotely to do with schematics or cloning, there is enough to give me an idea where I should probe my Syn-1 unit when it gets here but nothing to specific. There is also a post that somewhere on this forum there is a detailed thread but I can't find it. I sent everyone PM's that might have some useful info aswel, so maybe someone can give me a jumpstart and I wil try and log my progress as detailed as I can if anyone is interested in trying this.

 

[reinerterig]

Re: DIY Synergy Amps Modules

Ok, so here is step one of my design.

I created a template that you can hook up to any pre-amp and you should be good.

It looks like the MTS modules use three optocouplers, two connected to an NPN transistor which allows input and output signal to flow once pin7 receives power and one connected to a PNP transistor that seems to disable the module when pin7 is off (connected to ground) this second optocoupler seems to be connected between the first and the second gain stage on most schematics and pulls the signal down to ground when pin7 is off.

This looks pretty simple but it far from the final design. First of all, it only allows me to either enable er bypass a single channel. As I understand it pin8 is used in conjunction with pin7 to switch between channels. Synergy units also have circuitry That detects how the tubes are biased.

Here is my Schematic for the optocouplers.



Here is another image that shows how they are being used.

 

[DonP]

Re: DIY Synergy Amps Modules

I think you should start small. First get into modifying existing modules to get an understanding of how they work, then work up from there.

 

[devastone]

Re: DIY Synergy Amps Modules

I would definitely mod existing ones. IIRC, most if not all of the Randall modules used the same PCB, just different component values and/or different pads. That's the thing, the front end of guitar preamps are all very similar. It's probably cheaper (by far) to buy modules to mod rather than design custom PCBs, have them manufactured, then to stuff them. And as noted, if you are new to this, it's good to learn from the "masters", and the Synergy preamps have been designed by the best in the business.

FWIW, I had an RM50 head, and loved it, I also have a few modules, some of which I did modify.