The head sounds way more saturated and polished, and there is feeling as if it has slightly more gain. Synergy is slightly darker and more raw sounding. I prefer the head, but both tones are good enough for production work, in my opinion.
I don't know if it's the amps/cab, the pickups, the strings/picks you're using, the technique, or all of the above, but your tones here are so freaking clear. This is the clearest truely high gain tone i've ever heard that still has some guts. Beautiful stuff
IMHO Synergy sounds a bit "muddy" with that lows and low mids definitely not as thight as the VHT .. but this is the 6L6s in the Synergy power amp probably! using the Preamp Module slaving an EL34 power amp could be an interesting comparison! :)
The Synergy stuff rips with EL34 based amps. 6L6 amps seem to make it less musical. I was shocked about how much EL34's made a difference. My Powerball and Fryette modules absolutely ripped with EL34's than my 6L6 amps
The head had a bit more presence but other than that they were pretty close. Why didn't you just slave the module/Syn2 through the amps effects loop? Would have been way easier to A/B and would have eliminated the differences in power sections. Anyway I'm sold and super stoked to get the ultra lead module for my rig!
Just holy fuck to both. The synergy is more practical of an investment. The differences in sound are so negligible it doenst matter to me. So yeah...great video
Listening through my studio monitors I think t the head has some more presence - high freqs the was it was recorded. The head sounds fuller and punchier but I like both. Well done
The head. The system leaves you wanting. I noticed the same with the soldano module in another video. They sound great, modular, all is good but if you are left wanting it is a problem.
The 100 Head sounds better over RUclips than the Synergy. The difference is subtle. I'm not confident it's just the effect of translation through to RUclips though. Synergy is a little dryer and brighter. Love the videos and your playing.
Damn, module is cool and all, but the head sounds just so much bigger. I had VHT GP3+100 wt 6l6 randall rack amp back in a day and it sounded good, but then i bought ultralead and it sounded on a whole another level, but i've got fryette fatbottom cab, that is made for this amp and it is still to this day the graetest chain i have ever played. Steven Fryette really did everything to make this chain unique, but it just has to be a chain, otherwise it will always lack something, like synergy does, but it's still pretty cool anyway.
@@levanchikvaidze3519 it was a long time ago, so they were p50e. Now Steven uses Fanes but p50e is still available. As he says - they are kinda similar, so I wouldn't be really bothered with it.
That riff around 1:30. Not the first video featuring the VHT you've played this riff. Sounds so awesome every time. Is this from a track or just a go to riff for gear testing?
We need some new intro music, new studio, new intro right?? Should be super proud of yourself for working hard and getting yourself an amazing work space, keep it up Browne 👊🏻
The Synergy is amazing, but the head sounds like it has more attack. The Synergy exemplifies something Steve Fryette masters, as much as an oxymoron as it sounds, making a distorted signal amazingly clear and bright. The head sounds more muddy than the Synergy. I’m going with the Synergy Ultra Lead, it’s as if a thin layer of dirt has been wiped off it, it’s just more in clear and in focus.
I'd be really curious to see you compare the Ultra Lead module with the Deliverance module. If been loving the Deliverance model in my Fractal but I've been wanting to get an Ultra Lead for years. I'm really curious to hear those compared.
The head is tighter, got more bite and better saturation I think. It’s all in the powersection. Fryette avoided 6L6’s for a reason. Steve don’t like em. I agree when it comes to this comparison.
They both sound tight and aggressive...I'd be happy with either..I think the Synergy sounds really,really great though ..I have the Fryette LXII 50 watt poweramp,(The Fryette transformer in the LXII is a patented ,more powerful transformer than the one in The Synergy 50/50 poweramp ,according to Steven Fryette whom I corresponded with.)I have the Synergy Deliverance module and the Synergy Bogner Ecstacy module..between those 2 I can go from clean to mean with 4 channels..and with my pedals Ive got all the bases covered..great comparison John..the full head is cool,But Id rather lug the Synergy system around!
Have you tried the CL with the master up higher, and the channel volume lower? Mine seems to sound better with the master at noon-1 o'clock and just bringing the channel vol up to the appropriate level.
Hard to compare. I think the output sections are making a difference and I'm hearing rumblings about the Synergy Poweramp being quite dark and compressed. I think might be worth another spin with the synergy in the loop of an EL34 amp to take that variable out of the equation. Both sound sick though. The Fryette modules are definitely the ones that swung it for me (I thought Synergy was pretty cool before but these really swung the balance).
guidedbyechoes oh for sure, cabs make such an insane difference. I should have done this demo through the VHT cab but it doesn’t have castors so I couldn’t be bothered to move it.
@@JohnBrownemonuments I had the deliverance cab and the recto cab with my cl50 . I preferred the tone and maneuverability of the Fryette cab. Both were fantastic.
I like when skip in any part of the video there is the guitar sounding, not like other reviews that are mostly talk. I say let the amp speakj for it self.
The head is much better, but then again they are different things. The KT88 head is totally insane and better than either one imo. If dry and articulate and loud af is your thing
+1 Head for me. Blew away the Synergy module. It's like the Synergy sounded like a plugin.. Lacking in that 3d quality you get from a full rig! So I think it's worth it? No... If rather get a Kemper, Fractal instead even though the modules are cheaper.. After you get the rack plus 1 module it's close enough to the base price of the cheapest Fractal floor unit. So if get that instead because of the options. Hell is rather get a line 6 hdx stomp or whatever their called!
At the rate you're going the entirety of your interior lighting will soon be provided by amp LEDs exclusively.
You say that like it’s a bad thing 😂😂
John uses amps to heat his house during winter.
It works lol
The head sounds way more saturated and polished, and there is feeling as if it has slightly more gain. Synergy is slightly darker and more raw sounding. I prefer the head, but both tones are good enough for production work, in my opinion.
The synergy sounds a bit smoother to me but yeh both sound really really good!
I don't know if it's the amps/cab, the pickups, the strings/picks you're using, the technique, or all of the above, but your tones here are so freaking clear. This is the clearest truely high gain tone i've ever heard that still has some guts. Beautiful stuff
Sounds great either way. Next obvious step would be to run the syn2 in the loop of the vht. Then you could a/b with a midi footswitch.
Great stuff as usual Browne! Kinda miss seeing you on 7s or 8s though haha
The head sounds bigger, more saturated and tighter. Both are very useful of course. Excellent stuff, John!
The synergy is WAY darker on the presence side of the frequencies.
Your playing is insane. I watch your videos just couse I like to watch you play and still some chops... 🤣
The head sounds much fuller to me. Both sound great though
8:11 "i'll get a close up of this so you can see it right now"
Why you gotta do us dirty like that?😢
IMHO Synergy sounds a bit "muddy" with that lows and low mids definitely not as thight as the VHT .. but this is the 6L6s in the Synergy power amp probably! using the Preamp Module slaving an EL34 power amp could be an interesting comparison! :)
The Synergy stuff rips with EL34 based amps. 6L6 amps seem to make it less musical. I was shocked about how much EL34's made a difference. My Powerball and Fryette modules absolutely ripped with EL34's than my 6L6 amps
@@davew1134 wich power amp el34 equipped, did U use?
Would like if you ran the synergy module into the Fryette Power Section so we can hear them with the same output
Sick collection of heads bro. Picked up a used 2005 vht ul yesterday locally after watching your videos. $1500 in excellent condition.
The head had a bit more presence but other than that they were pretty close.
Why didn't you just slave the module/Syn2 through the amps effects loop?
Would have been way easier to A/B and would have eliminated the differences in power sections.
Anyway I'm sold and super stoked to get the ultra lead module for my rig!
Just holy fuck to both. The synergy is more practical of an investment. The differences in sound are so negligible it doenst matter to me. So yeah...great video
Both sound great to me, the Synergy does a great job comparing to the original. Honestly i would love to see more Synergy vs the real amp videos
Listening through my studio monitors I think t the head has some more presence - high freqs the was it was recorded. The head sounds fuller and punchier but I like both. Well done
2:51 this kind of riff we want to play all day long...
When things lighten up, get your ass to Canada, I gotta see you play live
I bet it'd sound even closer if you use the ultralead module with a different power amp like the fryette 2/90 (which runs KT88s iirc)
Oh for sure 100%. Didn’t even think of trying it in the power section of the Head haha.
The ultralead power section is part of its charm. Both the Synergy and the CL sound great, but there is nothing like the UL.
The head. The system leaves you wanting. I noticed the same with the soldano module in another video. They sound great, modular, all is good but if you are left wanting it is a problem.
the Synergy sound darker, do you think it's possible to adjust it to be as bright as the head? Cheers!
The phase inverter section of the circuit in the UL and the CL are also different.
The 100 Head sounds better over RUclips than the Synergy. The difference is subtle. I'm not confident it's just the effect of translation through to RUclips though. Synergy is a little dryer and brighter.
Love the videos and your playing.
Hey John. What's the name of the intro music? I love it. Also the riff at 2:16
It always sounds like there's a subtle chorus behind John's guitar tones.
Damn, module is cool and all, but the head sounds just so much bigger. I had VHT GP3+100 wt 6l6 randall rack amp back in a day and it sounded good, but then i bought ultralead and it sounded on a whole another level, but i've got fryette fatbottom cab, that is made for this amp and it is still to this day the graetest chain i have ever played. Steven Fryette really did everything to make this chain unique, but it just has to be a chain, otherwise it will always lack something, like synergy does, but it's still pretty cool anyway.
did you get fatbottom with p50e speakers or Fane F70G?
@@levanchikvaidze3519 it was a long time ago, so they were p50e. Now Steven uses Fanes but p50e is still available. As he says - they are kinda similar, so I wouldn't be really bothered with it.
@@jay133666 thanks :)
Save for the tube size differences and a little top n bottom I'd say it's all there. Both sound great.
That riff around 1:30. Not the first video featuring the VHT you've played this riff. Sounds so awesome every time. Is this from a track or just a go to riff for gear testing?
you could plug synergy module into amp's loop for fair comparison
I get more excited seeing Browne noodle around than I do for the gear.
Garden of Sankhara sounds so cool on 6 string lol.
I wonder if a different power amp would make a difference? They both sound great! Good job. TY
All I'm doing is looking to that god damn right hand playing !
We need some new intro music, new studio, new intro right?? Should be super proud of yourself for working hard and getting yourself an amazing work space, keep it up Browne 👊🏻
"...actually I took it from Henings house, couse f*ck him" - 8:35 - LOL :DDDD
The Synergy is amazing, but the head sounds like it has more attack. The Synergy exemplifies something Steve Fryette masters, as much as an oxymoron as it sounds, making a distorted signal amazingly clear and bright. The head sounds more muddy than the Synergy. I’m going with the Synergy Ultra Lead, it’s as if a thin layer of dirt has been wiped off it, it’s just more in clear and in focus.
John! Really miss the demo songs that used to come a long with these youtube videos. Please make our lives less miserable and bring them back!
I really need the Nailbomb in my Duvell Elite 6. Sounds so mean
Would love to hear you play out of that Peavey xxx
I like both a lot, However I really like the Synergy a bit better. Thanks for the video!
head has more bite, esp in the treb range. brighter, will probably sound better with a band. syn is smoother darker sound
Do you know if the synergy power amp can take other tubes? Wouldn’t be a bad idea to switch em out for those KT88
I think it can only take 6L6.
John Browne super pooper scoopers. Oh well, sounds sick still.
I'd be really curious to see you compare the Ultra Lead module with the Deliverance module. If been loving the Deliverance model in my Fractal but I've been wanting to get an Ultra Lead for years. I'm really curious to hear those compared.
Your wish will be granted shortly!
both sound insane! what pickups are in your guitars again? and the full size version sounds much more shrill but its a good amount
Sounds like you have to lower your pickup on the side of the thinner strings/raise thicker
The head is tighter, got more bite and better saturation I think. It’s all in the powersection. Fryette avoided 6L6’s for a reason. Steve don’t like em. I agree when it comes to this comparison.
The synergy poweramp is literally designed by steve. He also sells the LXII also with 6L6s.
Do you ever get left shoulder pain?
the 6L6's are in the synergy 50/50 stereo power amp
It's like I'm watching through a bottle of Blue Nun 😂
They both sound tight and aggressive...I'd be happy with either..I think the Synergy sounds really,really great though ..I have the Fryette LXII 50 watt poweramp,(The Fryette transformer in the LXII is a patented ,more powerful transformer than the one in The Synergy 50/50 poweramp ,according to Steven Fryette whom I corresponded with.)I have the Synergy Deliverance module and the Synergy Bogner Ecstacy module..between those 2 I can go from clean to mean with 4 channels..and with my pedals Ive got all the bases covered..great comparison John..the full head is cool,But Id rather lug the Synergy system around!
Have you tried the CL with the master up higher, and the channel volume lower? Mine seems to sound better with the master at noon-1 o'clock and just bringing the channel vol up to the appropriate level.
Hard to compare. I think the output sections are making a difference and I'm hearing rumblings about the Synergy Poweramp being quite dark and compressed. I think might be worth another spin with the synergy in the loop of an EL34 amp to take that variable out of the equation.
Both sound sick though. The Fryette modules are definitely the ones that swung it for me (I thought Synergy was pretty cool before but these really swung the balance).
I feel like the real head had more presence. Module sounded a little more balanced.
are these chords the same as animus?
i love your riffs, a save from brazil.
Liked the synergy better. More chunky, but also more definition , esp when u played the dissonant tones.
why not the synergy inside the vht on the fxloop to compare with same power tube. great sounds for both, but I love bass and synergy sounds more bassy
Does anyone know if there are many differences between the head and 212 combo versions of the Pitbull?
Normally I prefer mids in my tone, but in this case I think the head sounds better
i dont mean to come across as rude...but what caused your neck problem...always wondered as it seems to be difficult for you to look around...
It sounds like more of a tonal difference using different cabs than the two different amps.
They are both going through the Mesa cab with the same mic with the same mic position!
@@JohnBrownemonuments Right. I worded it poorly. A different cab would sound more dissimilar than those two amps did.
guidedbyechoes oh for sure, cabs make such an insane difference. I should have done this demo through the VHT cab but it doesn’t have castors so I couldn’t be bothered to move it.
@@JohnBrownemonuments I had the deliverance cab and the recto cab with my cl50 . I preferred the tone and maneuverability of the Fryette cab. Both were fantastic.
I like the head . Head has less highs. There both nice tho..
Brother, I sincerely hope you find some neck relief soon. Thank you for all your time and efforts producing these videos. Regards.
I always wanted a real VHT Pittbull CL. Still do. The head sounds waaaayyyy better. Wetter and richer harmonic content.
I like when skip in any part of the video there is the guitar sounding, not like other reviews that are mostly talk. I say let the amp speakj for it self.
The head is much better, but then again they are different things. The KT88 head is totally insane and better than either one imo. If dry and articulate and loud af is your thing
Why not run the module on the power section of the VHT?
I’ve got one more video to do with this setup so that’s what I’m gonna try last!
Head has better saturation the rack unit sounds extremely compressed kinda lacks distortion/harmonic saturation
Head for me
Quite similar but Synrgy is darker, Pitbul have more presence and in my opinion Pitbul is better
Is that a song @ 2:53 what's the title tho?
Garden of Sankhara - Monuments
VHT
Both sound amazing. Synergy heads are overpriced in my opinion, but what an awesome system.
Head was hands down better...not as fuzzy/distorted...head was tight and clean...more of Browne sound
How music intro, please??????
It’s one of my songs called ‘ The infinite black’
Synergy had more clarity & it was cutting through like a battle Ax 🤔 yeah that's the ticket!
+1 Head for me. Blew away the Synergy module. It's like the Synergy sounded like a plugin.. Lacking in that 3d quality you get from a full rig! So I think it's worth it? No... If rather get a Kemper, Fractal instead even though the modules are cheaper.. After you get the rack plus 1 module it's close enough to the base price of the cheapest Fractal floor unit. So if get that instead because of the options. Hell is rather get a line 6 hdx stomp or whatever their called!
Why does John only have 37k subscribers, It dont make sence
Playing alone?...Synergy
In a band/mix?...Fryette head
Джон, заебца!
My dude, please check out iron gear pickups, i know you will be amazed
Vht is not Fryette
Who's buying new gear in 2020?
Everyone. Appears a lot of manufacturers saw an increase in sales!
The Sinergy sounds like shit compared to the Fryette