Synergy amps into audio interface for headphones

Hi there gang; first time poster, long time lurker.

I'm buying a SYN-1 with a Vai module. I will only be using this for silent practice right now. Has anybody got a strong recommendation for an audio interface with a headphone out that will render the sound quality of the gear in high quality, please?

I'm looking at the Focusrite 2i2 which has XLR input and a headphone out. Budget around $200.

Thanks!

Mackie 402VLZ4 listening with Sennheiser HD600’s.

The headphones cost a lot, but worth it.

The Focusrite will work fine.

Thanks both, much appreciated.

I would also consider Two Note Wall of Sound plug-in. You can select speaker and power amp IR's. Made a big difference for me when playing through headphones.

I second Two-Notes stuff. I've used the Captor X and the CAB M+ for headphone use and love both of them.

The main 'issue' you'll have trying to use headphones is that the Synergy Direct Out only has a cab sim. To get good/accurate headphone tones, you really need to simulate the cab, power amp, AND the space it's in (Impulse Response). It really is a night/day difference.

Just make sure to disable the SYN-1's cab sim if you go into another device with cab sim/IR.

btownninja said:

The main 'issue' you'll have trying to use headphones is that the Synergy Direct Out only has a cab sim. To get good/accurate headphone tones, you really need to simulate the cab, power amp, AND the space it's in (Impulse Response). It really is a night/day difference.

Click to expand...

The Synergy Direct Out has a Cab Sim that can be bypassed. Also, there is absolutely no reason to simulate a Power Amp or the room in which a cabinet is recorded, as 99% of the time, the guitar cabinets are close mic'd. Power Amp simulations are marketing nonsense. If you're really missing that sound in a mix (and I certainly don't), just bump 2db at 250Hz with a wide Q and you're good to go.

Celestion Plus offers nearly every Celestion speaker in a cabinet of choice (Open, Closed, Back, 1x12, 2x12, 4x10 and 4x12) along with a 57, 441, Royer or Neumann room mics, if necessary.

Also, I encourage all of you guys that are interested in using IR's to demo everything out there that's available.

I've found that Wall of Sound sounds very "processed" compared to other "expensive" programs and even freeware like Boogex and NadIR by STL Tones (check out Libra if you're wanting to blend more than two speaker cabinets, which can load up to 8!) and ReCabinet 5.

I tried the Celestion Speakermix Pro and it was such a CPU hog and so buggy that they refunded my money (they weren't offering a demo at the time).

I used ReCabinet 5 for about a year, then switched to Voxengo Boogex, mainly because the GUI leaves a very small footprint compared to the others, which was a major concern, even with two 27 inch LED's. But ReCabinet sounds great and has pretty powerful EQ section, which can come in handy, especially their LPF and HPF's.

Mike P said:

btownninja said:

The main 'issue' you'll have trying to use headphones is that the Synergy Direct Out only has a cab sim. To get good/accurate headphone tones, you really need to simulate the cab, power amp, AND the space it's in (Impulse Response). It really is a night/day difference.

Click to expand...

The Synergy Direct Out has a Cab Sim that can be bypassed. Also, there is absolutely no reason to simulate a Power Amp or the room in which a cabinet is recorded, as 99% of the time, the guitar cabinets are close mic'd. Power Amp simulations are marketing nonsense. If you're really missing that sound in a mix (and I certainly don't), just bump 2db at 250Hz with a wide Q and you're good to go.

Celestion Plus offers nearly every Celestion speaker in a cabinet of choice (Open, Closed, Back, 1x12, 2x12, 4x10 and 4x12) along with a 57, 441, Royer or Neumann room mics, if necessary.

Click to expand...

Yes, I wasn't implying the cab sim was always on, just that it's not ideal for headphones (still far more preferable than having it bypassed though).

"Marketing nonsense" or not, if it sounds better to me, it sounds better. There's also a reason many prefer the sounds of IR vs only cab sims. It's not 'wrong' to prefer anything, but it doesn't invalidate other methods. The whole point of IR is mostly to simulate a space which greatly benefits headphone users since you essentially remove the entire space you are used to when you put them on.

I use a Syn1 into Mooer Radar for cab IRs and into a scarlett Solo into Reaper and it sounds great! I use the Uberschall and Savage modules. Both are great! The cab sim on the Syn 1 is okay but there are much better out there.

Using cab IRs from Ownhammer

sounds like you are on the right track