THE BEST SOUNDING AMP I'VE EVER PLAYED // Will it hold up against digital modellers?

The amp I've been dreaming about for years. It finally happened! But will it live up to the dream, or do the digital alternatives make more sense in the modern day and age?

▶Full amp demo and setting/tone tips on my (new) 2nd channel◀

▶FOLLOW ME◀

▶GUITAR◀
Fender Custom Shop Cunetto Relic '97

▶AMP◀
Matchless HC-30

Hi, my name is Paul Davids! I am a guitar player, teacher, producer, and overall music enthusiast from the Netherlands! I try to inspire people from all over the world with my videos, here on YouTube.

Thank you for watching!
Paul

Below is the gear I use to make these videos. They redirect to Amazon and provide me with a small kickback should purchase any of these things.

▶GEAR LIST◀

▶MICS◀

▶SOUND◀

▶CAMERAS◀

[PaulDavids]

Hey champs, thanks for watching. For those interested, I made a full amp demo/how I dial in my tone and pedals on my (new) 2nd channel. Check it out (or not).
*ALSO VERY IMPORTANT and pls read before commenting:*
The Kemper is recorded via the DIRECT OUT. That is exactly how I always used the Kemper and that's why I used that same setup for this 'comparison'.

This video is not a: 'KEMPER VS REAL AMP' video where we see how close the Kemper can get to the real deal. It's basically the other way around: 'How Paul Davids always used his Kemper vs HIS NEW MATCHLESS' video.

It was never my intention to create identical sounds, I was just interested to see how my old setup/rig compared to playing the real deal. When I would run the Kemper trough a power amp and via the Matchless cab I'm sure it would've been closer. But I wouldn't have done that anyway, too much hassle.. Also, people saying I should have profiled my own Matchless: although that is a fun experiment, it's very seldom a situation that really happens. Most folks just download great profiles (like I did) to use on the Kemper, and stick with those. As I said in the video, getting a great profile is actually pretty difficult.

[NickTann]

The Kemper sounds more compressed. the matchless is more rich and open. In my opinion.

[cmunson]

It's weird but it's how it shows up in my head. The kemper is like listening to someone play behind a closed door while with the matchless it's like opening the door. If that makes sense. Love the matchess over the Kemper.

[TheDevil]

The Matchless sounds much warmer to me, but we have to admit that the Kemper does an insane job at recreating these sounds in one package

[suaragitar]

The Kemper sounds like an amp that has blanket over it for lack of a better word. The Matchless is just brilliant!

[evanmaier]

The matchless definitely is beefier. I like that sound a lot

[mitchfindergeneral]

The Kemper sounds more compressed and the Matchless sounds HUGE in comparison.

[RhettShull]

You sir, have excellent taste in amplifiers.

[inthemix]

Matchless was worth every penny. The Kemper is amazing no doubt about it but with your playing, the Matchless just has a certain tone to it that can’t be beaten! It seems to react with your dynamics in a very special way - long story short, you sound amazing!

[RJRonquillo]

90s DC-30s are some of my favorite amps.

[quicklynamed]

After trying all kinds of digital modelers and "do it all" types of things, I've concluded that nothing really compares to the sound, and in particular, the feel of a tube amp. Guitarists have been chasing the non-tube unicorn for years to no avail. Warts and all, tube amps are king.

[EricLancheres]

Matchless 100% - Even in the blind comparison, it was easy to tell!

[callumnew]

The matchless sounds fuller, warmer and less “brittle” than the Kemper.

The Kemper sounds really good considering it’s a fraction of the price of the matchless.

[Melgaer]

The difference is huge.
Yes, Kemper does really simulates the sound of Matchless, and sounds good, though only until you play the Matchless.

[Jeffyn]

Listening with Sony headphones, both amp did give a good tone, the matchless was the clear winner. Fuller and richer in overall tone.

[carpediem]

Wow! The Matchless sounds much better - what an amp! 😮 So organic and rich.

[chrisocallaghan]

The Matchless all the way: more dynamics. The Kemper sounds like the Matchless but with a rug over it.

[TheTouristBureau]

The Kemper sounds like the Matchless with a cold.

[HubertMessenger]

Matchless is stereo, more „roomy“, Kemper is mono. Therefore it seem to sound less rich...

[dasutzt]

To me, as a digital player due to budget reasons, the matchless seems to have more depth to it, a kind of 3rd dimension, a Z-axis. Awesome video like always. Thank you.