Exploring the realms of synthesis through guitar pedals is an adventure, and the Electro-Harmonix Synth 9 stands as a beacon for those seeking to blend the expressiveness of the guitar with the boundless textures of synthesizers. This comprehensive review delves into the heart of the Synth 9, examining its facets from functionality to sonic capacity. Whether you’re a guitarist looking to venture into synth territory or a seasoned synth player curious about this pedal, here’s what you need to know.
Contents
Introduction
The realm of effect pedals is a vast one, filled with countless manufacturers each trying to carve their own niche. Amid this high competition, Electro-Harmonix stands tall, having crafted some of the most iconic pedals embraced by musicians worldwide. Their keenness for innovation, coupled with uncompromising sound quality, have charmed guitarists for nearly five decades. Now, they’ve turned their attention towards merging synthesizer sounds with guitar playability, and thus, the Synth 9 was born.
This versatile pedal offers guitarists a way to incorporate the broad sonic palette of synthesis into their repertoire without the need for MIDI pickups or complex programming. Encased in EHX’s classic and robust chassis, the Synth 9 features nine meticulously crafted synth emulations that cover a wide spectrum, from vintage to futuristic tones. It’s a brave attempt from EHX, known for their sheer variety in stompboxes, to plunge into the world of synthesizers.
Certainly, some may question the adequacy of a guitar pedal to recreate the depth and versatility of synthesizers. However, the allure of the Synth 9 lies in its promise to blend the distinct expressiveness of a guitar with the tonal capabilities of synthesis. The idea of wielding the power of legendary synths from the likes of Oberheim, Sequential Circuits, and Moog – all at your feet, with a simple stomp – is, without a doubt, appealing.
Whether this concept is well-executed and if the Synth 9 delivers on its promises is the crux of our review. As we delve deeper into the functionalities, features, and sound quality, we will discover whether this exciting amalgamation gives guitarists the key to a new world of sonic exploration, or becomes another good-intentioned but ill-executed idea.
Brace yourselves for a journey through soundscapes, where the strings of a guitar meld with the oscillators of synthesizers. It’s time to examine the Electro-Harmonix Synth 9.
| Product Name | Amazon Link |
|---|---|
| Electro Harmonix Synth 9 Synthesizer Machine | Find more info on Amazon here! |
| live | Find more info on Amazon here! |
Design and Build
If you’re familiar with Electro-Harmonix’s range of effects pedals, you’ll recognize the Synth 9’s style instantly. Boasting the brand’s characteristic rugged, chunky format, the pedal feels substantial and well-built. The stompbox is robust enough to withstand the rigors of frequent gigging without any trouble, promising longevity and resilience.
The pedal’s face exhibits a clean, intuitive layout. It houses a total of five knobs along with a single footswitch to manage all your sonic needs. The first knob functions as the preset selector, allowing you to switch effortlessly between the pedal’s nine distinct synth sounds. DRY and SYNTH are the next two knobs, which provide an easy mix of the unprocessed guitar signal and the synthesized effect. Completing the control cluster are the CTRL 1 and CTRL 2 knobs, whose functions shift dynamically based on the selected preset, thereby offering wide-ranging control over the synth’s parameters.
Visually, the Synth 9 does not deviate from Electro-Harmonix’s standard aesthetic. It features a muted blue chassis decorated with a minimalist grid design. Each of the nine synth presets is listed alongside its corresponding number, making it a breeze to dial in your chosen sound. The design ethos is unequivocally practical, geared toward ease of use and durability rather than flashy aesthetics.
Bottom line, with a design that prioritizes user-friendliness and a solid, sturdy build, Electro-Harmonix has ensured the Synth 9 is more than a novelty. It’s a practical and efficient tool, ready to deliver a multitude of synthesized tones at the tap of a footswitch.
Functionality and Features
As you venture into the heart of the Electro-Harmonix Synth 9, the wealth of functionality and features that sprawl before your eyes will truly set your anticipations soaring. Packing a punch and promising an array of sounds and versatility, Synth 9 is equipped with nine distinct synthesizer emulation presets. Each preset encompasses a different universe of synthesized sounds that lend themselves to an array of genres – from EDM to rock to pop. It’s across these presets that the true capabilities of the Synth 9 reveal themselves.
The pedal’s tracking capabilities are impressive. With a practiced touch, you can dive into the finely-tuned capabilities of the pedal, allowing you to harness the full potential of your guitar. The tracking stays true across single notes, power chords, and full chords, making this pedal truly polyphonic.
- OBX
- Profit V
- Vibe Synth
- Mini Mood
- EHX Mini
- Solo Synth
- Mood Bass
- String Synth
- Poly VI
With the CONTROL 1 and CONTROL 2 knobs, Synth 9 hands you the power to tweak parameters specific to each preset. This feature adds to the pedal’s overall flexibility, carving out room to craft the soundscapes you so desire. For instance, CONTROL 1 adjusts the frequency of the VIBE SYNTH’s vibrato, while on the POLY VI preset, it harnesses the filter sweep’s sweep rate.
A unique and notable feature is Synth 9’s option for external control, permitting users to adjust the parameters through an external expression pedal. This opens up the pedal’s capabilities on the fly, enabling real-time responsiveness during live performances or improvisations in your creative explorations.
In essence, the Electro-Harmonix Synth 9 brims with functionalities that cater to musicians of all forms, from modest hobbyists to full-on stage performers. Its features breed versatility, allowing for a wide scope of sonic exploration. Simple yet profound, the Synth 9 is ready to accompany you on your quest to discover unparalleled synthesized sounds.
Sound Quality and Performance
Regarded as the beating heart of a pedal, the sound quality and performance of the Electro-Harmonix Synth 9 is nothing short of impressive. Its nine distinct presets cover a broad spectrum of iconic synth sounds, presenting a palette of tones that are as diverse as they are recognizable.
-
A quick tour of these presets – ‘ OBX’ and ‘ Prophet V’ simply shine when it comes to warm, lush pads, while ‘ Vibe Synth’ delivers a rotating speaker effect that breathes life into your solos. The ‘ Mini Mood’ preset succeeds in emulating the distinctive growl typical of classic monosynth, and the ‘ Solo Synth’ churns out a rich-sounding, fuzzy lead perfect for those face-melting solos.
-
The ‘ Mood Bass’ offers a meaty, bottom-heavy bass synth, which, when coupled with the onboard presets, is capable of forging new ground in the realm of low-end textures.
-
The ‘ String Synth’ and ‘ Poly VI’ presets provide a realistic re-creation of analog string ensemble keyboards. These are especially great for adding an orchestral touch to your soundscape.
The attention to detail in emulating these synth sounds is truly noteworthy. The tracking accuracy is, by and large, spotless and latency-free across high and low registers. Chords ring out as clearly as individual notes, and even speedy runs preserve their clarity well. The expressiveness is particularly pronounced when using techniques like bends and slides, broadening the scope for creative expression.
However, the true strength of the Synth 9 lies in its adaptation to various playing styles, and, by extension, genres of music. This pedal imparts a palpable synth character to delicate fingerpicking patterns in a dream-pop context or raw power to aggressive pick strokes in a prog-rock setting. Consequently, the Electro-Harmonix Synth 9 proves to be a versatile tool, capable of accommodating and enhancing a multitude of musical contexts.
Whether you are crafting ethereal soundscapes or laying down solid bass grooves, the Synth 9 delivers a stellar performance that’s hard to match. Its portfolio of sounds opens up avenues for musical exploration, providing you with an extraordinary sonic palette right at your feet. As far as sound quality and performance are concerned, the Synth 9 is guaranteed to instill synth magic into your guitar playing.
Connectivity and Integration
Navigating the Electro-Harmonix Synth 9 ‘s connectivity can be quite streamlined once you understand the basics. The pedal houses standard input and output jacks that connect directly to your guitar and amp respectively. The ‘dry’ output allows your original guitar tone to come through unprocessed, while the ‘synth’ output carries the synthesized sound.
As it uses a 9V power supply , it will fit seamlessly with your usual pedal power solutions, contributing to its simplicity and convenience.
But the party trick here is its Stereo Output capability. By utilizing the ‘dry’ and ‘synth’ outputs simultaneously, you can send these two different signals to separate amplifiers or mixer channels. This allows you to create a wide spectrum of sound, giving an immersive stereo field. A little tweak with the panning controls on your mixer will yield a truly remarkable soundscape.
A few integration specifics to remember:
- The Synth 9 is not a multi-effects unit. Keep that in mind when deciding its place on your pedalboard. Choose wisely whether it should be before or after your modulation, delay, or reverb pedals for the best results.
- You can use an expression pedal for controlling live parameters; however, that would require an external adapter as there is no dedicated expression pedal input.
In gist, the Synth 9 offers standard but effective connectivity options. Its capability of sending the dry and synth signals separately opens up a world of routing possibilities. With careful planning and creativity, you can truly make the most of this feature, bringing a new dimension to your sound whether in studio recording or live performances.
So, get those cables ready, switch on your guitar, and let the Synth 9 unveil a treasure trove of synthetic textures for you.
Pros and Cons
This section seeks to provide a balanced perspective on the Electro-Harmonix Synth 9, listing both its strong points and any areas where there might be room for improvements.
Pros
-
Versatility: This is undoubtedly one of the Synth 9’s main selling points. The pedal contains a diverse palette of sound, accommodating nine distinct synthesizer emulations. From haunting string pads to fat lead tones, this pedal packs a wide range of voices that goes beyond mere utility, practically inviting you to explore its variety in depth.
-
Trackability: Despite synthesis generally being a challenging domain for effect pedals, you’ll find that the Synth 9 doesn’t shy away. The pedal’s tracking is mostly accurate and very responsive even with chordal playing, making it a joy to utilise.
-
Ease of Use: The intuitive and user-friendly design is another plus. The straightforward layout makes it easy to understand the functions, and the control knobs allow you to adjust presets’ blend and tone to your liking. Moreover, the manual provides clear instructions and offers a great starting point to harness its potential.
Cons
-
Tracking Issues: This one is subjective, but some users may find minor tracking issues, especially when playing fast lines or complex melodies. While the pedal does an admirable job for the most part, some players might find the occasional glitch a little off-putting.
-
Preset Limitations: While a wide array of presets enhances the pedal’s versatility, it’s worth noting that they are fixed, with only limited parameter adjustment available. Therefore, if you’re looking for more depth and tweakability in shaping your synth sounds, the Synth 9 might feel a bit restricted.
Remember, any tool’s perceived strengths or limitations are often subjective and dependent on individual playing styles and sonic preferences. It’s essential to remember these points while evaluating if the Synth 9 aligns with your musical goals and sonic requirements.
User Experience and Practical Uses
With a synth pedal as multi-faceted as the Synth 9, gaining insights from user experiences can be incredibly valuable. There’s no shortage of discussion on gear forums and in product reviews, presenting numerous perspectives on this pedal.
User Impressions
- Generally, users have praised the Synth 9 for its ease of use and the powerful array of synth sounds it offers right at the twist of a knob.
- Many users have been impressed with the tracking capabilities of the pedal, noting its responsiveness even with complex chord voicings or fast, flamboyant lead lines.
- While the majority of users found the selection of nine synth sounds sufficient, some desired a wider range or customizable presets. Still, these users often noted how this aspect is balanced with the overall usability of the pedal.
- The construction and form factor also received praise, with players appreciating the small footprint on their pedalboards and the sturdy build.
As well as user reviews, we’ve considered some creative, practical uses you could explore with this pedal.
Live Performances
The Synth 9 can add a layer of depth to your live performances. With its varied presets, you can switch from rhythm to lead parts seamlessly or add shimmery textures for a sonically expansive sound. It also means you don’t necessarily need a keyboardist to deliver synth tones.
Home Recording
In a recording scenario, the Synth 9 opens up endless possibilities. It can be used to create background synth pads, lead lines, or textured soundscapes. You can also run other instruments through it, like a bass guitar, to create more unique sounds.
Home Practice
For home practice, it adds variety and fun to your sessions. Experimenting with different synth sounds can help expand your musical horizons and increase your creativity.
In essence, the versatility of the Electro-Harmonix Synth 9 allows it to serve multiple roles, and understanding its potential based on user experiences and practical uses can help you make the most of this unique pedal.
Comparable Alternatives
The realm of synthesis-oriented guitar pedals is a diverse one, rich with options for the adventurous and curious musician. In this section, we’ll consider two major alternatives to the Synth 9: the Boss SY-1 and the Source Audio C4.
The Boss SY-1 :
- Lots of sounds to choose from with 11 types and 121 total sounds – significantly more variety than the Synth 9.
- Offers easy integration with external control options.
- Has a hold function that sustains a note or chord for lead playing, a feature not found in the Synth 9.
- The Boss SY-1 comes at a lower price point, meaning it could be a more economical option for musicians on a budget.
The Source Audio C4 :
- Gives an incredible level of sound shaping options with a more complex interface, more so than the Synth 9.
- Allows for deep editing via the Neuro Desktop Editor or Mobile App.
- Ideal if you’re looking for a more customizable user experience.
- However, all the additional functionality comes at a higher price.
What sets the Synth 9 apart in this competition is its balance between simplicity and versatility. Unlike the Boss SY-1, it may not offer a plethora of sounds, but the tones it conjures are distinct and hold their own. It doesn’t provide the extreme customization options of the Source Audio C4, but it ensures a smooth, user-friendly experience out of the box.
The sheer magnificence of these sounds combined with the pedal’s ease of use puts it head and shoulders above the competition for a certain type of musician: one who values quality presets without the need for deep editing and desires a plug-and-play tool that resonates with their creative energy. That’s where the Synth 9 shines as a true champion among synth-emulation pedals.
Final Verdict
The Electro-Harmonix Synth 9 brings a dimension of synthesis to the guitar pedal realm that is both impressive and fulfilling. It pulls together decades of Electro-Harmonix ingenuity into one compact unit, delivering an awe-inspiring range of synthetic sounds that stay faithful to the iconic tones they were designed to emulate.
Strengths of the Pedal:
- Preserves guitar dynamics effectively, giving you nuanced control over the synth tone.
- Wide range of constructed synth sounds, offering everything from pulsating swells to fuzzy organ tones.
- Impressive tracking accuracy, particularly for chords, contributing to a more seamless playing experience.
- A sturdy build that promises to give you years of innovative soundscapes.
However, no gadget is without its limitations, and the Synth 9 isn’t an exception.
Limitations identified:
- Despite the smooth tracking, fast and complex guitar techniques can occasionally challenge its abilities.
- The invariability of parameter controls across certain presets might limit some players’ ideal sound tailoring.
The Electro-Harmonix Synth 9 proves to be a value-packed proposition, best-suited for adventurous guitarists inclined towards textural richness. But it’s not just guitarists who might find value here – synth players who want to infuse their arsenal with a unique touch of guitar expressiveness might also find it intriguing.
In the wider world of guitar pedals and synth emulation, the Synth 9 is a phenomenally innovative piece. It’s a testament to the possibility of blurring the lines between guitar and synth, and to the remarkable capabilities of guitar pedal technology. Whether you’re chasing the dreamy soundscapes of progressive rock, seeking to add layers to your solo gigs, or simply desiring a sonic escape from your usual guitar tones, the Electro-Harmonix Synth 9 is a gamble that should be seriously considered. Dive in and discover your sound.