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Mike Fortin's legendary British high-gain mods brought to life in an all-tube, dual-channel module.
$399.99
Co-designed with high-gain innovator Mike Fortin, the all-tube Synergy Fortin Killer Kali Preamp Module captures the complex, high-octane British-voiced drive of the Fortin Cali amplifier in a compact modular format. Powered by two 12AX7 tubes, it features two completely independent channels, each equipped with dual cascaded Gain controls (Gain 1 and Gain 2) and dedicated 3-way Bright switches for fine-tuned top-end bite. Both channels offer a Violence switch to engage an extra tube gain stage, a SAT switch for added diode-clipping compression, a 3-position EQ Shape switch to shift between Marshall, Fender, and custom midrange curves, and a PCB-mounted Gain Structure switch to tame overall gain when needed.
The Synergy Fortin Killer Kali is an all-tube, two channel module designed with Gain connoisseur Mike Fortin.
With a pedigree of modifying and designing amps (within the realms of Marshall, Vox, Hi-Watt, Randall and Fortin Amplification) that spans well over 30 years, Mike is widely accepted as the harbinger of complex modern high-Gain tones. The Killer Kali module is based on the Fortin Cali amp (complete with the Violence and Sat boosts) that brought the legendary Cali and KK++ mods to a production model; this British voiced monster will allow Synergy users to fully experience this extraordinary piece of modern sonic art.
The Killer Kali is a two channel pre-amp, designed to work exclusively in the Synergy Amp systems. Each channel is completely independent and enjoys its own tone stack and multiple tone shaping features.
Gain 1 and Gain 2
Cascaded Gain stages. Gain 1 controls the first gain stage whereas Gain 2 controls the second gain stage.
Bright Switches
3-way Bright switch for each Gain control. At the top is the Brightest, most aggressive tone. The Bright switches are directly connected to the Gain control so the higher you have the Gain, the less the Bright tends to affect the tone (similar to the Bright control on a standard Plexi Amp). In the middle it is full range, so is unaffected by the Gain control. At the bottom position, the Brightness is similar to the classic Bright control on an 800 2203.
Violence Switch
In the down position, it utilizes the three Gain stages, when up it brings in an additional tube Gain stage.
Sat (saturation) Switch
Down, no change. Up, adds another clipping circuit that increases compression and Gain.
EQ Shape
A three-way switch that changes the points of the EQ. Up is a typical M style tone stack, the middle is more F style (more scooped) and then all the way down is “somewhere in between” - shifting up the treble and midrange.
Amplifiers are basically a planned amalgamation of transformers, transistors, capacitors and tubes that can increase the power of a given input signal. However, the care, thought and expertise put into the choosing of the actual components, and how they are assembled affects the final tone in very unique ways.
When a reasonable amount of care is taken, combined with a mass market sensibility for components, you wind up with a decent sounding amp ready for mass production.
However, when painstaking attention is given to every aspect of every frequency an amp can produce, with a specific tonal ‘goal’ in mind, and only the finest components, masterfully assembled will achieve this goal, you’ve moved into the area of ‘boutique’ amplification. This method of creating amplified sound usually costs considerably more than mass produced amps, making them sometimes out of reach for the average player.
Typically, when a guitar player makes the leap to a boutique amp, they are so blown away by the difference in tone they now command, that they never want to play through anything else… until they play through another brand of boutique amp… now they want that one too! But, in order to afford it, most jump ship and sell the one they had to acquire the new one.
Enter Synergy Amps. After many years of contemplating that very phenomenon, and having a ‘no compromise’ attitude about tone, a unique concept was born.
Synergy module
What if we were able to get both boutique amp builders and popular mass amp builders alike to design their pre amp sections (which is responsible for the majority of the actual tone of their respective amplifiers) into a compact module, that would slide easily into a compact pre amp housing that we build, AND make it easily swappable with other modules? Also, make it so each module is 2 channels, easily hooks up to an existing amps effects loop, giving that amp 2 extra tube channels, and has a silent line out with cab sim for recording studios or to go straight into the mixing board at a show, eliminating the need for a bulky amp altogether…? Finally, make the price point so that anyone could afford it!
Well, that’s exactly what we did. And the idea is taking the industry by storm! Imagine the possibilities!
The player who though they just couldn’t afford a boutique amp now can!
The traveling musician that constantly worries about the quality of the backline amp he’ll have to use…problem solved!
The recording studio that would love to have all the best amps available to them. Or the home studio, that wants the same, but needs to keep the process ‘silent’.
We’ve taken every possible challenge scenario a guitar player might face, and built the solutions into the Synergy line. We invite you to plug in and be amazed like the rest of us!
All-tube pre-amp module custom designed by Mike Fortin
Two identical channels with Gain 1, Gain 2, Volume and 3-Band EQ
Three position Bright switches per gain pot, per channel
Violence switch on each channel
SAT switch on each channel
Three position EQ Shape switch per channel
PCB Mounted Gain Structure switch (lets you reduce the overall Gain)
2 x 12AX7 pre-amp tubes ensure rich harmonic performance
Easy to install and remove from Synergy pre-amp docks
Payments as low as $35/mo.