Two Rock vs Matchless Amplifier - Which One Do I Keep?

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The Studio Rats

The Studio Rats

2 жыл бұрын

This is the 4th episode in the high-end amp series of videos where I'm trying to find my perfect amp my (amp for life).
In this video, I compare the Matchless Independence 35 to the Two-Rock Classic Reverb Signature. I can't afford to keep both of these expensive amps so I'm asking you guys which one should I keep and which one should I let go?
The Studio Rats are core band members Paul Drew on guitar/production/mixing, drummer James Ivey and Dan Hawkins on bass. They collaborate with singers and musicians to produce radio-ready songs.

Пікірлер: 364
@stephenbarnes8817
@stephenbarnes8817 2 жыл бұрын
I prefer the Two Rock, sounds like you need a pedal for either one, for different purposes. I own the Bloomfield which is a two channel and solves that issues for you, plus has a bit more gain. The clean on the Matchless sounded nice once you adjusted it, just not as nice as the Two Rock, and I preferred the tone of the boosted gain on the Two Rock over the matchless tone with gain. The Two Rock just has more soul in it to me. Easy decision for me, but seems like both are great amps and as always, it boils down to personal preferences.
@whimpypatrol5503
@whimpypatrol5503 2 жыл бұрын
I drove 150 miles to try out my souped up es335 thru a Bloomfield. What a waste. I guess I was thinking Elvin Bishop and Alvin Lee instead of Michael Bloomfield. Two Rock engineers probably never heard of anyone from that era because they would have known they all played Gibson hollowbodies -- Chuck Berry, Wes Montgomery, Kenny Burrell, bb king and 80% of guitar players before 1969 when the les paul and solid body craze hit and put hollowbodies in the closet for 50 years and turned gibson into a billion dollar Jimmy Page clone machine. Yes Michael Bloomfield did play one of the few Les Pauls around before 1969. Anyway, the two rock Bloomfield amp was not voiced for a hollow or semihollow bodied guitars imo. Whatever amp Michael Bloomfield was playing back in his day WAS voiced for hollowbodies. As for High gain, it has had its day. And that wimpy clean stuff JM played thru a two rock amp despite at lower gain is not blues even if he makes those goofy faces while trying to bend notes. Bill Krinard of two rock is a super amp genius, but he must have been to stoned in the early sixties to have not noticed most everyone then played a hollowbody. I don't care if that is Krinard's house on Bloomfield drive in Sebastopol and that he may have petitioned the city to name it after Michael Bloomfield. He hasn't built a valve amp for jazz or vintage-vintage blues. But neither has anyone else since Leo Fender.
@Dave_Sacca
@Dave_Sacca Жыл бұрын
I recently discovered your videos and I love them. They always sound good and your playing is great. You're the one who opened my eyes to the Independence 35, it's dirty tones are great.
@darzo75
@darzo75 2 жыл бұрын
Love that Two Rock sound, but to me it looks like you enjoy playing the matchless better.. Can’t wait to hear the new amp you get 🤘🏻
@Fenderman4022
@Fenderman4022 2 жыл бұрын
I’ve always liked Two Rocks, but that Matchless sounds fantastic. I was blown away in the first video you did of it, and it sounds great in this one.
@klontart
@klontart 2 жыл бұрын
I like the overdrive of the Matchless much more than on the Two Rock. The cleans on the Two Rock are impressive, yes, but the Matchless is doing fine there as well. The Matchless also has the 3 channels, will will be great if you plan to use it outside of the studio. I’d return both amps, and get the reverb version of the Matchless.
@jerrymckenzie6205
@jerrymckenzie6205 2 жыл бұрын
Two killer amps. I personally like the Two Rock, but for you, the Matchless is the way to go, hands down. And we need to address how awesome that PRS is!
@GTHART79
@GTHART79 2 жыл бұрын
Those silky cleans on the Two Rock are unbeatable. You can always get the dirty sound you're looking for with one or more of the trillion drive pedals out there if the amp is not giving you your tone, but you cannot improve drastically on your clean sound going straight into the amp.
@stanesposito2664
@stanesposito2664 2 жыл бұрын
You took the words right out of my mouth.
@angrybuzzy
@angrybuzzy 2 жыл бұрын
@@stanesposito2664 Meat Loaf
@ribbonsofeuphoria5744
@ribbonsofeuphoria5744 2 жыл бұрын
I was going to say the opposite. For me the singing sustaining nature, rich tones and string separation of a great handwired cathode bias amp can’t be replicated in a pedal.
@MrDavemiley
@MrDavemiley 2 жыл бұрын
MY Thoughts exactly . The Matchless keeps one in the Vox camp. I replaced both my 1996 Matchless C 30's with a Todd Sharp > Which is a better EL84 . Got my sights on the Two Rock CRS100. There are a few drive pedals out there to get that slight Vox break up sounds out of a 6L6 beast,
@0megalul309
@0megalul309 2 жыл бұрын
No amount of pedals into a clean amp will sound as good as a dedicated distortion in an amp. Imaging thinking diodes = tubes, this only comes from those who don't have the house to crank up an amp hence they cope with pedals into low volume clean amps. But since uploader has a studio he can afford to crank up amps like other amp gain purists vs the pedal flipper crowd.
@patchpittman4981
@patchpittman4981 2 жыл бұрын
Paul great video and content I'am fender amp guy so the Two Rock would be my choice but the Matchless is a really versatile and crazy good sounding as well you can't go wrong either way ,good luck on your decision!!!
@thewhiskeycowboy-official
@thewhiskeycowboy-official Жыл бұрын
I don't think anyone could go wrong with either. Both are fantastic. I kept leaning more Two Rock though. I don't play with a lot of gain so that is never an issue for me. I like super clean with some reverb and a tad delay for much of what I play. So what I like is just a good clean sound that I can dial in for my mood and get whatever volume I want without losing that. I think the Two Rock would probably be my pick. Great video though. Cheers!
@emmalukeeric
@emmalukeeric 2 жыл бұрын
Can’t go wrong with either. I have a Matchless HC30 for a while now and I’m still discover tones in it. Great for recording because of the versatility.
@owenrolfe8805
@owenrolfe8805 6 ай бұрын
Hi Paul. Love the Matchless!! I have your Tonex capture pack of it and it's absolutely fantastic. Thanks for great the reviews and stylish playing and most of all the stunning capture of the Independence 35 for my Tonex pedal - my tone quest is finally over! ;-)
@TheStudioRats
@TheStudioRats 6 ай бұрын
It a Pleasure Owen, glad you like it.
@skatakafali7937
@skatakafali7937 2 жыл бұрын
Just subscribed to your channel. Love how you go through these amps and show so many options. I think your channel needs to blow up! Oh, and I agree, I think that has to be one of the best sounding guitars out there.
@TheStudioRats
@TheStudioRats 2 жыл бұрын
Cheers Skataka, that’s nice to hear you positive comments.
@michaelclarkphoto
@michaelclarkphoto 2 жыл бұрын
The Matchless overdrive tones are awesome for sure--as soon as you clicked over to Channel 2 it was like yeah, now we are talking serious classic rock tones. The cleans of the Two Rock Classic Reverb are sublime. Seems like you should really be comparing the Matchless to a Two Rock TS-1 which has a lot more overdrive than the Classic Reverb. The Matchless seems to be more your style here (from watching other videos). The Two Rock TS-1 has the cleans of the Classic Reverb and some pretty epic overdrive tones as well since it is essentially an Overdrive Special--and it retains note clarity in a way few other amps are capable of.
@jeffroq
@jeffroq 2 жыл бұрын
Great comparison Paul. I would be going Matchless everyday of the week. Great Rock Amp stands out on its own. The Two Rock sounds great but its a bit hifi for me if that makes sense. The Matchless also looks the coolest and sounded like it has more bloom. Start a poll. + 1 for the Matchless
@Yury5576
@Yury5576 Жыл бұрын
I have a Fuchs, ODS (100W), Matchless Phoenix, 4 different Bad Cat amps, 2Rocks Classic Rev and many others (we have 196 amp here, mostly vintage and boutique including an old DC30). 2Rocksand Fuchs to a point are an attempt at some sort of a Dumble tone (although all Dumbles are a little different and are built to suit individual needs). Very little versatility, but what they do is great as long as you are looking for a 1 trick pony). Matchless/BadCat amps are prety versatile and are very popular in the studio. They also work with a variety of speakers very well, which is not quite the case with the "Dumble" type amps ( I also have a Ceriatone version, which is a little different but I like it more). Another issue is thet 2Rocks is ridiculously priced. Matchless/BadCat amps are not cheap but much more affordable and give you more for your money.
@srsanders455
@srsanders455 2 жыл бұрын
Paul, I would go with the matchless. Less gear to bring, and a simpler rig. You aren’t a blues guy, and that’s who needs that two rock. Plus the edge of breakup on that matchless is killer, really cuts in mix.
@stricknine8623
@stricknine8623 2 жыл бұрын
For blues-rock,..The Matchless is superior in my opinion.
@martydibergi5228
@martydibergi5228 6 ай бұрын
The few touring session/recording pros (no names but it you are a guitar fan you have heard or seen them)use sc 30’s or Twins. They prefer an sc for sound focus. Very tiny pedal boards when touring! 4-5 pedals max. Guitars-sometimes a mix of-brands often including their available signature Model(s) I have tons of pictures that i have taken over the years/for helpful settings and pedal models. Keep on picking
@johnfokken4216
@johnfokken4216 2 жыл бұрын
I own the Two Rock (CRS and Studio Sig) but now you have me seriously gassing for that Matchless!
@aldito7586
@aldito7586 Жыл бұрын
They both sound great. The Matchless looks killer sitting in your room. It would be very hard for me personally to have to move something like that out of my house for good.
@billbelcher7099
@billbelcher7099 8 ай бұрын
I unfortunately had to sell my Independence combo ( with red lit letters)😢Hard times. Sold it for more than I bought it. Best amp I've ever heard let alone owned. Recorded 12 songs and she's gone. Sad.
@christophercloudstrider5877
@christophercloudstrider5877 2 жыл бұрын
Through my sound system and to my ears the Matchless outshined the Two-Rock in every aspect.
@mikeyg00
@mikeyg00 2 жыл бұрын
I love Two Rocks, but for that guitar, the Matchless is a better match. I've played one of the Classic Reverbs once, with the gain cranked pretty highly, it never gets to the type of rhythm tone I love (which the Indy has, in spades). Ch2 rhythm was amazing. Matchless amps have a very unique overdriven feel, across all models, it seems.
@kutsbothways
@kutsbothways 2 жыл бұрын
Already have a Two Rock, so I would go with the Matchless as long as I could keep both for a two amp rig. Presently using the TR and an old SR and they are great together...and I very seldom use a saturated tone.
@CosmicNed
@CosmicNed 2 жыл бұрын
Great ‘touch & feel’ to your playing btw! Listening to your ‘classic rock’ playing style I think the Matchless is better suited… however the Two Rock is more of a ‘platform’ style amp & may in the long run be more versatile using pedals… I highly recommend you try the Bloomfield too as it has those awesome cleans/reverb plus more gain…
@peterglavanov
@peterglavanov 2 жыл бұрын
Cool demo as usually. Both are great amps and still I would keep the Two Rock. For you, it would be easier to find a good old Plexi in UK to replace the Matchless. Good luck.
@twangbarfly
@twangbarfly 2 жыл бұрын
Both amps sound fantastic with your style of playing on here. You've a great touch and a very dynamic, nuanced and articulate way of playing, and so I think the one that feels most dynamic to you is the one to go for. In other words the one you feel you can most easily coax the widest rage of good sounds from. It's a question as much of how it FEELS to you - and we can't decide (and shouldn't really). To me the TR sounds best, but only just. For reference, I have a Deluxe Reverb II and an SMF 15-watter (EL 84) co-designed by Mark Sampson. I don't use the drive channel on the SMF, but the cleans are heavenly (to me) and that amp has displaced the DR II, which has stellar Fender cleans itself. But I personally prefer the cleans on your TR. I don't use a lot of OD so would not personally go for the Matchless simply for cleans. I reckon your TR with a Klon KTR would sound even more incredible. But that's just me. Matchless-style gain plus incredible Vox cleans --> Bruno Underground. Worth checking out. I've got one but don't play out so much.... even though it's great at low volumes with warm rich cleans. (I take the SMF and mike it)
@garyslash7552
@garyslash7552 2 жыл бұрын
Two awesome amps, really. Personally I would go for the Matchless and get a Marshall Governor (and a reverb pedal) with it: dream come true
@nickg2431
@nickg2431 2 жыл бұрын
Personally for what they cost i would return them both and buy a used clean platform amp at a much lower price point and then go through the long process of changing pedals until you get the"right" ones.Thats what i did i,m very happy.Thanks Paul for another enjoyable video.
@WesleyReese-wy5wq
@WesleyReese-wy5wq 11 ай бұрын
They are both beautiful. The 2 rock is killer if you mainly play clean. My fave is the Matchless for its ability to do both clean and adding some hair for the rock tone. Grab and go with no pedals (maybe a reverb and a compressor to add something to the clean channel). Or just bring a deluxe reverb. Great, thought provoking video. I love my Matchless Lightning for its gritty tone , but use my Hall of Fame as it doesn't have reverb either. It also can't pull off that clean, beautiful fender tone, but it sure cuts thru in a rock or blues mix. 15 class A watts.
@naganud
@naganud 2 жыл бұрын
I actually really like the Two Rock, but it seemed like you actually enjoyed the Matchless more. So while I would go for the TR, if I were you, I’d keep the Matchless. In terms of other things to try, the Two Rock Bloomfield might be the Goldilocks between these two that you’re looking for. Great vid and thanks for showing these amps off :)
@paulbradshawguitar
@paulbradshawguitar 2 жыл бұрын
matchless for me but as you said it's a preference, the channels and response seem great, would take the Overdrive pedal search ;) to some extent out of the equation ultimately two very good amps, but which puts a bigger smile on your face when you're playing it and which suits your needs more is what i'd consider before making the choice would be curious to see you check out Bad Cat amps, which are i guess more in the Matchless vein, don't see many demos of those amps online
@CFChristian
@CFChristian Жыл бұрын
Jeez Louise, that's a cool looking PRS. It's something different without all the super fancy tonewoods and pearl inlays all over the thing. And that deep violin cut? *drool*
@robertritchie2860
@robertritchie2860 2 жыл бұрын
Go for headroom - there are so many really nice pedals out there you can colour your sound endlessly. For clean going on to breakup I use the Broadcast Dual.
@SONICBOOMERSOONER
@SONICBOOMERSOONER 2 жыл бұрын
I've recently discovered this channel and your playing is so punchy and articulate that it is mesmerizing, and it's very inspiring because your style seems so tantalizingly achievable. I hope you take that as the compliment that it is meant to be. I think your choice will come down to whether your use case involves pedals. I've been playing over 40 years and I'm addicted to ThatPedalShow. I have a dozen amps in my house, more than half of which are tube amps, and a small pedal board with 5 TC Electronic time-based effects that can be run in the loop or in front of the amp, a large board with fuzz, wah, vibe, overdrive, distorion, volume pedal, analog delay, octave with expression pedal, and multiples of some of those. Then I have a very large board with a Decibel 11 loop switcher with midi loop expander where I can parallel mix a lot of effects and I often run 3 amps off of a Radial Engineering Switchbone V2, which is an incredible Swiss army knife for dealing with phase, ground, and buffering issues. It's not uncommon for me to run all three boards when doing a Zeppelin or Rush or Trower song, where I want this wah and that vibe and a phaser and a certain fuzz, whatever.. But the funny thing is, lately I've been going through a straight into the amp phase. I have a couple dozen guitars and basses and their characters, as well as the characters of the amps, can be heard so much more clearly, and especially so for the ones with P90s. And perhaps more importantly, the guitar's volume and tone controls are so much more lively when the impedances interact directly!!! Most of my practice time is on electric guitars that aren't plugged in, and more than 80% of my playing time recently has been straight into the amp. But more than 75% of my recording time involves pedals. It's a lot to consider, honestly.
@pmac3025
@pmac3025 2 жыл бұрын
Hey Paul, if I had to choose between the 2 amps I would keep the TR CRS. The overall tones are better and more versatile. I don't think you'll be missing the drive channels from the Matchless as pedals manufacturer are offering outstanding drive pedals. The TR CRS will make them shine. Cheers
@duaneharlick
@duaneharlick Жыл бұрын
Honestly, you make them both sound wonderful. My decision might be based more on how easily I can switch it all live - or interface it with switching systems.
@paulkontz
@paulkontz 2 жыл бұрын
Tough decision there. The Matchless sounds great but it seems to compress a little earlier than the Two Rock. The Two Rock articulates a little nicer to my ears. All thing even, though, that reverb sounds amazing. Leaning toward the Two Rock.
@ev6e9ts
@ev6e9ts Жыл бұрын
Wow=the chime of the Matchless clean is a thing of beauty!
@martydibergi5228
@martydibergi5228 6 ай бұрын
Years ago John Jorgenson told me about them as they started out. I had to teach a lit of summer school to eventually buy an sc 30. At the time years ago because of the dead Canadian dollar it cost $6,400.00. Still own it. Used to be an amateur athlete, quite fit. Because of an unknown birth defect recently at Christmas time had Emergency spinal fusion surgery performed by a team of Doctors. Once cut open of course more internal problems than for-seen. Was warned of surgery high risks. Non surgery was not a liveable option. No drama just reality. Just released from hospital and rehabilitation hospital. Must now relearn how to walk. Lung partially collapsed after 7 surgical hours. Pulse stayed at low 40’s and oxygen levels were dangerous. A fib is now serious but too soon to fix. Cannot lift much ever again. Will give most-of my gear to a grand daughter who plays. I am grateful still being alive and having wonderful family. Caring for 2 divorced old parents. Each has advanced dementia with many challenges. Lucky though i did extra qualifications courses to become a Special Ed/Math. High school teacher. Had pretty much the full variety of challenged students. Volunteered for any student wanting extra help. Many from 3rd world countries m. Everyone had to pass a Literacy test Few if any Exclusions in order to graduate . Personally hated many BS policies unfairly applied to students . Most principals were - a treat 👹 Respect others we have no idea what they are challenged with
@Ghostflasher
@Ghostflasher 2 жыл бұрын
I own a the Two Rock and I am totally in love with it. You could try the new PRS HDRX. That’s the one I will check out in the coming weeks.
@erajad
@erajad 2 жыл бұрын
A "+1" for the PRS HDRX. Would love to hear a "Rats" take (well, Paul's!) on that amp.
@rockylacoco
@rockylacoco 5 ай бұрын
I think the Two Rock does what it does very well, I can't take that away from it. However, but to me, it seems you are more at home with the Matchless, and the Matchless does it all. And by the way, I owned an Independence at one time, it was a nice amp, but I eventually sold it, cause that's what I do. I subscribed to you recently, I like your videos and your playing. Thanks, for sharing!
@pierreparis1753
@pierreparis1753 Ай бұрын
I had the same dilemma. The choice however was easy. I did keep both amps for 6 months but seemed to always be leaning towards the matchless. I did end up selling the Two Rock. The Independence 35 is a killer amp. I got mine with the reverb built in.
@terryboring
@terryboring Жыл бұрын
The Bloomfield Drive is what you really want. Best of both worlds.
@user-sh6rx3tr8k
@user-sh6rx3tr8k 2 жыл бұрын
Great demo video. At present, I have both TS1 and independence 35 reverb. I used CRS before, and then used TS1 instead of CRS, so I personally think independence 35 is more suitable for my preferences than CRS, and TS1 is more direct than CRS. Your independence 35 has no reverberation. If there is reverberation, I feel that the spring reverberation of matchless is better than that of two rock. The EQ of independence is not the traditional Eq. its range is not so linear, but it is easy to use. It changes with the change of volume and gain. The EQ of two rock is a traditional EQ, from dim to bright. The lighting of matchless is very comforting (although it has nothing to do with sound)^^ Forgive me for my bad English:)
@TheStudioRats
@TheStudioRats 2 жыл бұрын
Cheers, your English was perfect.
@patrickkellyguitar8300
@patrickkellyguitar8300 2 жыл бұрын
Beautiful playing. The two rock does it for me.
@smflyboy
@smflyboy Жыл бұрын
Both sound amazing but different. I think the Matchless even when clean sounds like it's breaking up, so not truly clean like the Two Rock. And the Matchless' third channel doesn't really sound that different from the 2nd channel in this video, but I guess it could be set up to be a lead tone which is nice. And there's no reverb on the Matchless. The Two Rock's cleans sound wonderful and if that is what you are after and you like pedals for overdrive, then that is the way to go. Having said that, if I could only have one, I would keep the Matchless. The clean is good enough and the gain channels sounds SO good. They don't sound harsh and out of control. And adding Reverb is easy with a good pedal. Great video!
@Papa_O.A.M
@Papa_O.A.M Жыл бұрын
Great video brother! I really enjoyed this comparison. My ears tell me the Two Rock wins. The Matchless is very nice but I think a pedal will give you the same sound of the Matchless into the Two Rock. That said, I have a Two Rock Bloomfield and dont need an OD Pedal because of its cascading gain. Check out the Bloomfield Drive from Two Rock. Awesome PRS by the way, it sounds fantastic!
@chatolars
@chatolars 2 жыл бұрын
Would love to see you demo a Dr Z amp…or a Morgan maybe . They’re kind of your style of sound I guess . Brilliant demo as always
@Eric-rs6gy
@Eric-rs6gy 2 жыл бұрын
I've had the CRS for nearly a year. I love it. And I'm not really a clean player, mostly some dirt and classic rock overdrive. I find a Gladio gives me everything I need as far as overdrive. I've got a Mesa tc100, vox ac30 and a Friedman Twin Sister. I always gravitate to the CRS. 2 EQ settings, multiple boost and gain structures, so versatile. Keep the CRS, or maybe, try the two rock Bloomfield drive...
@mrc2662
@mrc2662 Жыл бұрын
V interested to read this as your rig is a bit like mine - CRS 100w, Mesa TC-100 and a Fender Bassman 59 Ltd Reissue. I thought the Mesa was amazing until I bought the TR, but now I just use the TR with a massive pedalboard to give me every option under the sun. I’d like to try a wet-dry option using both and my Gigrig 3, but by the time I add in Kingsley preamp pedals and the TR effects loop, it all gets just too complex and never seems to work for me. Anyway. One issue I have (and I’m staggered to see this video have the CRS on about 1pm master volume) is the ungodly volume of the Two Rock - I can’t have it beyond 8pm on a clock face (same with the Bassman). I’ve just bought an attenuator which will hopefully help. How do you find the CRS volume? The Mesa has in-built attenuation (or equivalent) so it’s not an issue there.
@Fedgolfer
@Fedgolfer Жыл бұрын
Undercover P90 style p/u commercial. Great tones 👏 Its like deciding between 35 day dry aged NY strip vs Ribeye. Both are different kinds of awesome.
@monstermax22
@monstermax22 Жыл бұрын
I own a CRS and love it. To my ears at least, the cleans are the best in the business. As you can hear, you can get a nice overdriven tone, but for more, use a pedal. I use a King Of Tone, as well as a Vemuram ODS. It’s sweet at any volume. There’s lots of clever stuff going on in the Rock, I gig mine often and have zero complaints, but lots of compliments. It’s an ultra high quality clean amp that has been expressly designed to take pedals. Not sure I agree with Paul’s comments about not needing pedals with the Matchless - most Matchless owners I know actually do use a pedal board. In the interests of balance, I do love that Matchless too. However, as the Two Rock is going nowhere (other than the next gig…), I’ll just have to get myself a DC30 during 2023. You only live once…..great vid.
@mikevanleeuwen2858
@mikevanleeuwen2858 2 жыл бұрын
Two rock for me. You can add stopmboxes to it (there are many good pedals that you can switch in time) The matchless does 't have that incredible clean sound . So you have to deal with an amp that can not do the beatiful cleans of the two rock. So, I would go for an superb clean sound and add pedals to taste . So many nice drive pedals to choose from
@wolfnstrings
@wolfnstrings 2 жыл бұрын
This is the reason I’m going with a Fractal Audio AxeFX III. I could get very close to either of those plus many others.
@Dunk0The0Punk
@Dunk0The0Punk 2 жыл бұрын
The 2 rock all day ! sounds amazing You can always make a clean amp dirty especially with all those cool OD's you have, I would flip the Matchless and wait till you can get a better one with Reverb.
@ianparr1533
@ianparr1533 2 жыл бұрын
To my ears, Matchless suits you more. So for a single amp live rig - Matchless. But for recording, assuming you still have Marshalls, then the 2-Rock probably makes more sense to complement those other amps. If you can't decide, maybe neither is right.
@theriffbandit9375
@theriffbandit9375 Жыл бұрын
Only you really can decide. Both are great for different reasons. I would probably choose the matchless as I prefer amp gain rather than pedal gain. And honestly i think it sounds better overall than the two rock. But thats just me
@PatatoKeftes
@PatatoKeftes 2 жыл бұрын
Honestly, I would give the non reverb HC30 a shot before deciding. With the separate channel inputs, an aby pedal, the tone boost on 12ax7 channel, the punch and detail of the ef86 channel, you have two distinct channels and a blend between them that sounds completely insane. Plus independent effects loops for each channel. Both of the channels can get lead rock gain levels especially when the power section is driven, without any pedal to boost, and the whole amp sounds quite different to the independence. Here is my experience with these amps: Two Rock is crystal clear, 3d, immediate and everything pops out with incredible girth. Great for lead bluesy stuff that punch you in the face. Plus a great reverb. Sounds great on any volume. The HC30 is swirly, complex, lush, fluent, great for laying rythm and filling the tracks with non intrusive saturation even on low gain and almost clean sounds. And a more splashy vintage sounding drive, think 90's country leads. But on super clean settings will probab;y feel a bit brittle. Sounds like ass on low volume though and is a bit hard on power tubes. The Independence is a compromised design, has some of the complexity of the HC30 but more gain and more definition, probably higher headroom, less saturation and a bit more punch. You were bang on about getting some of the Marshall growl. I get it, they are a lot of money, and if you are about to spend a good amount on an amp please check the non-reverb version of the HC30. The reverb version has single input and you can't blend the channels which is probably a favorite tone of those amps. If you are not into the growly overdrive of the Independence I feel like the HC30 is just a lusher version of it in everything else. I suppose that if I would go the Matchless way it would be an HC30. If you end up not liking it at least you will know that it was not an option that you missed out on. Long story short, and I hope I'm not coming out like an ass for suggesting an option you did not include in your question, I prefer the CRS to the Independence but I prefer the HC30 to either of them.
@TheStudioRats
@TheStudioRats 2 жыл бұрын
Thanks for the tip
@Bobby_Digital37
@Bobby_Digital37 2 жыл бұрын
I think the Two Rock suits your playing style more here in this demo.
@ernieb3626
@ernieb3626 2 жыл бұрын
Man Paul I was really thinking I was going to say Matchless before you started the comparison but I dont know. I think that Two Rock might be the way to go. You are an exceptional guitar player and make them both sound great but that Two Rock in the middle Position with Fat gain off and the clean is crazy good. Enjoy, I wish I wasnt in Michigan I would buy the looser. lol. Enjoy
@Jmp68
@Jmp68 2 жыл бұрын
Hello, please what exactly model of your prs mac carty ? Nice player. Good sounds ever.
@louisgarbi1009
@louisgarbi1009 2 жыл бұрын
I like the sounds of both. However, the Two Rock seems more fiddly. Have you tried the Mesa Lonestar Special?
@faridh2999
@faridh2999 2 жыл бұрын
I think if I kept the two rock I’d always think about the matchless, but if I kept the matchless I probably wouldn’t give the two rock a second thought, hope that makes sense. Both fantastic amps though…
@JPMonstie
@JPMonstie 2 жыл бұрын
Keep which ever one you enjoy playing the most. You’ll always play better on that one irrespective of what your mind tells you what you need. I know that sounds simplistic, but that’s the point. You already know which one you enjoy playing the most.
@edwinwel8381
@edwinwel8381 2 жыл бұрын
I love the two-rock amp, i use Mine with highend pedal’s to gain it up.
@chiefbrody6935
@chiefbrody6935 Жыл бұрын
What is that p90 PRS? Looks and sounds amazing!
@limpeacock573
@limpeacock573 2 жыл бұрын
Matchless by a hair. I rarely use the amp reverb, so that wouldn't be a deal breaker for me. Both sound great . A very tough decision though.
@robertprice5039
@robertprice5039 2 жыл бұрын
Well I know what overdrive will be going on my pedalboard that I will be building, dedicated for my Tim Jauernig built Peavey Masterpiece 50 Prototype (A Dumble Style Amp). The BB Preamp sounded great with the Two Rock, and I have one in my pedal stash. There will be a Zen Drive on the board too.
@josephbenz4913
@josephbenz4913 2 жыл бұрын
Matchless all the way! So much character in those tones. The two rock is beautiful, but I would still prefer a vintage fender for clean sounds.
@musiccreation1198
@musiccreation1198 Жыл бұрын
I'd love to hear your review of a Carr amp. Fwiw, I'd go with the Two Rock.
@Spidouz
@Spidouz 2 жыл бұрын
I’m heavily biased to Two-Rock as a TR owner myself, that’s the amp I will never EVER sell. I had a TR Studio Pro 35 Plus and somehow I sold it thinking to “try” something else, and not even a week after I sold it, I was already regretting this decision. So, I bought a Studio Signature, because I’m not into big 50-100W amps since I only play at home. Also, I don’t know too much Matchless, and never heard in real the Independence… I mainly know Matchless for their AC30-style amp such the HC30, so this is the Matchless I would buy, but only if I can keep the Two-Rock for my nice cleans :)
@toddashley407
@toddashley407 5 ай бұрын
It's a tough spot that you're in. To me a Matchless is the holy Grail of gain tones. But it's not really a cost-effective to have for many reasons. I like you have real budget constraints. So... My advice is to go with the headroom that the two Rock provides. And find a good analog pedal to give you that Matchless/Vox style gain. That's basically what I do myself. Still will get a Matchless if I ever no longer have budget limitations in an A/B setup with high quality high headroom Fender style clean amp.
@jimthompson6275
@jimthompson6275 2 жыл бұрын
I thought the Two Rock sounded classier but the real winner for me was the P90 PRS - one of the best sounding guitars of everything you have. Best Wishes Jim
@MilesToneAmps
@MilesToneAmps Жыл бұрын
Agreed!
@ScarletsWayMusic
@ScarletsWayMusic Жыл бұрын
Just came across your video. Keen to know which you decided to keep? Both sound great, I’d have kept the two rock because I prefer single channel amps, but either way I think you’d be happy!
@TheStudioRats
@TheStudioRats Жыл бұрын
Cheers, I keep the Matchless
@esmoroglu
@esmoroglu 2 жыл бұрын
Maybe keep Two Rock and wait for a dream Matchless HC30 with reverb? I would be very curious about your view of Benson Monarch Reverb and Audio Kitchen’s Big Chopper.
@colbyclark8069
@colbyclark8069 2 жыл бұрын
I would keep the matchless and run an eq and or compressor into it. Check out a ceriatone. I love love to see you do a video on one of them
@MRxr400
@MRxr400 2 жыл бұрын
which amp makes the hairs on the back of your neck stand up? that two rock was beautiful. in saying that, still would go the matchless. class A, slightly more forgiving to play, cuts really well in a mix, od pedals sound great as does it's own od. has natural tube compression due to lower head room and class A.
@ev6e9ts
@ev6e9ts Жыл бұрын
@4:58 is the prettiest tone! Wow!
@christopher-miles
@christopher-miles Жыл бұрын
is the j-fet buffer on this meant for acoustic? or was that just the dumble dude's one'?
@CraigDeubler
@CraigDeubler 2 жыл бұрын
Have you considered looking at a Mesa/Boogie? I would think a Mark V would be a worthy contender.
@leejay001
@leejay001 2 жыл бұрын
Matchless. The two rock sounds great, but for me I couldn't spend that much on any single channel. thought they did the independence in a reverb version, but I can't find it. Having said that any amp close to sounding like a Dumble would likely be all the rage now and hold value well.
@bojangles6444
@bojangles6444 2 жыл бұрын
There are so many Dumble clones out there. I am discovering there are ones that were only sold to pros much like the Dumble. I think the matchless sound is less trendy- more authentic.
@kevincourcey813
@kevincourcey813 2 жыл бұрын
The Two Rock sounds more alive, more like it is really letting you hear the strings au natural. More dynamic range, super precise low end, great tone in general. By comparison, the Matchless sounded a little thin to me. I don't think you need the extra gain channels for the way you tend to play, Paul. The Two Rock seemed to have the perfect clean, but also has several possibilities for OD that all sounded great. Were those P90's on the McCarty?
@aahmed8239
@aahmed8239 2 жыл бұрын
I think the Matchless sounds ballsy compared to the Two Rock . Depends what sound you're after. I'd love it if you could try out a Mesa Boogie, maybe the Triple Crown. I've always wanted a Boogie 🎸
@steviesedge
@steviesedge 2 жыл бұрын
Is the Two Rock not for sale in Facebook already? 😃
@mrnewty2
@mrnewty2 Жыл бұрын
I'm curious how a Victory copper would compare to the matchless?
@keithbriscoe99
@keithbriscoe99 2 жыл бұрын
what glorious sounds! I gotta go Two Rock!
@marcolami5192
@marcolami5192 2 жыл бұрын
Ever heard of the Brunetti single man? I'd be curious to know what you think about it. Cheers
@miketanarur
@miketanarur 2 жыл бұрын
I think you should try one of the 3rd Power amps. Like the Dual Citizen
@scottparmley4623
@scottparmley4623 Жыл бұрын
What song is that in the begging?
@TheRpkennedy
@TheRpkennedy Жыл бұрын
I would like to recommend the Red Plate BlackLine combo amp to you.
@andyorr1597
@andyorr1597 Жыл бұрын
I wish I would’ve discovered Two Rock years ago. It would’ve saved me a lot of time, money and a good chunk of my hearing.
@javiermp81
@javiermp81 2 жыл бұрын
Of these two, I liked the Two Rock better. You should try a Hamstead, a Tone King (all models are amazing) and, even if not 5k boutique, a Victory V40 Deluxe (second to none of the ones mentioned above).
@carminelombardi9575
@carminelombardi9575 2 жыл бұрын
I definitely prefer the "Two Rock", being cleaner and punchier i believe it would also work well with great sounding pedals.
@Bill-se4gr
@Bill-se4gr 2 жыл бұрын
Cmon, fess up to your many fans- the Two Rock is sooo you! And love that BB pedal!
@chrislestermusic
@chrislestermusic 2 жыл бұрын
For me the Matchless is the one. Spongey. It has all of the goods. That amp is amazing.
@whimpypatrol5503
@whimpypatrol5503 2 жыл бұрын
The PRS with P90s is the real treat here. I o.w. am not a fan of PRS's or solidbodies in general. The $86k question is whether or not P90s could reconcile the 55 year long fued between tube amp designers and Gibson hollowbodies. For what reason I don't know, since Leo Fender sold his company, amp designers have refused to voice amps for Gibson hollowbodies. I need to check out a hollowbody with p90s thru a two rock, however, to see if they work together as good as the PRS with the two rock. Maybe there is light at the end of the tunnel for decent vintage hollowbody guitar music after all.
@whimpypatrol5503
@whimpypatrol5503 2 жыл бұрын
As much as I am impressed by certain Matchless amps, I don't think any of them could pair as well as the Two Rock with those p90s, a match sent from heaven.
@Yury5576
@Yury5576 Жыл бұрын
I love P90 pickups and they work great with Matchless/BadCat amps. "Dumble" prefer a low gain SC pickups and some low gain humbuckers
@TheStone2531
@TheStone2531 Жыл бұрын
I live pretty close to Nashville, and I follow the used gear sites/pages pretty closely. I always see Matchless for sale, very very seldom ever see a TR come available.
@padgreen
@padgreen 2 жыл бұрын
I'd go for the Two Rock, especially for the cleans. The Matchless was good, if you want to play classic rock. However, I thought it didn't sound a million miles away from the tones you were getting out of the Marshall Mini Silver Jubilee!
@johnhutchinson1260
@johnhutchinson1260 2 жыл бұрын
How are you able to try these and decide which to keep without buying them first?
@andymarsal
@andymarsal Ай бұрын
I can relate to your quest Paul. Are you still looking? I wanna downscalable 30+W head with reverb, and sounds on a scale from SRV to Jerry Cantrell - I know, such an easy task 😃
@TheStudioRats
@TheStudioRats Ай бұрын
The search never ends
@IbanezChild-pn8yz
@IbanezChild-pn8yz 2 ай бұрын
Ahh mate both are amazing amps, so hard to decide. I proberly keep the two rock. And it would be a sad loss for the matchless.
@jaxonbatts9270
@jaxonbatts9270 2 жыл бұрын
personally i like the two rock! with all the switches and fet gain you have a plethora of channels and options. the two rock is more dynamic and less compressed to my ears., the notes bloom in a very unique way with the two rock.
@Crabfather
@Crabfather 2 жыл бұрын
Tough call! The 2 rock was pretty cool but less of an all rounder, maybe?
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