Synergy SYN-20IR Amps: Synergy Editor App Guide
When you install any Synergy amp module into the SYN-20IR amp head or the SYN-20IR 1 x 12-inch combo amp, you’ve got a genuine high-voltage vacuum-tube guitar amplifier rig with an important option for recording and silent-stage operation. The direct (DI) output provides digital speaker cabinet emulation that you can customize with your own impulse responses (IRs). Unlock the full potential of your rig by connecting your SYN-20IR unit to your computer and using the Synergy Editor app.
- Register Your Purchase, Download the App
- What You Can Do with the Synergy Editor App
- USB Connection
- Selecting IRs
- Saving IRs to Your Computer
- Firmware Update
- Synergy SYN-20IR Demo Video
Register Your Purchase, Download the App
Registration
Obtain your 3-year warranty by filling out the form on the Synergy Warranty Registration page with your serial number.
Owner’s Manual
Your amp comes with an owner’s manual, but you can also download a PDF copy for reference.
Read your manual carefully and follow the instructions for replacing modules and for using the amp without a speaker cabinet.
Synergy Editor App
Download and install the newest version of the Synergy Editor app for macOS or Windows.
What You Can Do with the Synergy Editor App
The Synergy Editor app, showing how to customize the speaker cab emulation.
On each of the Synergy amp models, the knobs and switches are fully analog, not digitally controlled. You dial in your tones manually.
When you use the direct (DI) out, that’s when the Synergy Amps digital component comes into play with speaker cabinet emulation. That’s the part you can edit with the Synergy Editor app.
With the Synergy Editor app, you can:
- Select from four IR cabinet slots in the unit’s memory.
- Select from 12 additional Synergy IRs that are only accessible using the software and load them into the four slots in the unit’s memory.
- Swap out your own IRs from your computer and upload them to the unit.
- Set highpass and lowpass filter settings for the virtual cab.
You can create and save 128 presets that can be recalled over MIDI using the supplied Synergy triple footswitch or another external MIDI controller.
A MIDI preset can store:
- Channel selection (1 or 2)
- IR selection (1, 2, 3, or 4)
- IR bypass (off or on)
- Power amplifier configuration via the Structure setting (three modes)
USB Connection
Connect your SYN-IR unit to your computer using a USB data cable to use the Synergy Editor app. Note that the SYN-IR does not provide digital audio output over USB. The USB connection is only for using the app to configure IRs and presets. To record sound from the unit, connect an XLR cable from the Balanced Output jack to an audio interface.
Selecting IRs
A detail view of the IR panel on the Synergy Editor app
On the amp, there are four preset slots for IRs that you can select using the top-panel controls. You can hold in the button to bypass the cab simulation.
In the Synergy Editor, under “Virtual Cab,” when you select one of the four slots, you will see a description of the virtual cab selected. You can also change settings for highpass and lowpass filters.
You can choose to swap out the virtual cab with a different model stored in the software. Under “Included IRs,” the owner’s manual provides a description of the 13 virtual cabs included.
By selecting a slot and clicking on the folder icon, you can upload your own IR from your computer’s hard drive and save it to that slot.
Saving IRs to Your Computer
The Synergy Editor app gives you the ability to download all the IRs that come with the software and save them to your computer’s hard drive. You can do this to make backups of the IRs if you load different ones, but you can also use these cab models in your DAW with amp modeling plugins.
In the app, when you select any IR slot, you’ll see an Extract All button at the bottom of the pane. Click on this, and you’ll see a Save dialog. Navigate to the folder where you want to store these files.
Firmware Update
The Synergy Editor app will alert you if there’s a firmware update for your hardware. Firmware updates will fix bugs and ensure compatibility with the newest version of the app. If you are notified that an update is available, then follow the on-screen prompts to install it. Don’t turn off the power, disconnect the USB cable, or quit the app until the on-screen instructions tell you that the firmware update has been successfully installed.
Synergy SYN-20IR Demo Video
Here’s Sweetwater’s Mitch Gallagher with his first impressions of the SYN-20IR amp head.
Sweetwater Soundcheck: Synergy SYN-20IR 20-watt 3-channel Tube Head Demo
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