Matchless D/C-30

Much has been said about the features and I only want to comment on some technical issues that affect the sound very much.

In summary, there are few controls, but it is almost impossible to get a bad sound. Very minimalist circuits, but this IS what makes the sound. A 10 for only good sounds at absolute minimal tweaking, and many good sounds.

I have two DC-30s (one 2001 and one 2003). Since a large number of people talked about the sound I don't want to add but turn to how the tubes affect the sound. When I had the 2 amps side by side I noticed that, the sound was quite different. One sounded awesome, the other just ok. So I got a tube checker (Hickok 750) and went though all tubes, comparing the ones in the good sounding one against the other.

The tubes made ALL the difference in sound. I tried several brands of 12AX7 tubes (since I have quite a box full of them) and noticed that the amp really seems to respond to "hot" tubes, i.e. tubes that have high gain. The sound of both channels is quite improved by using a high gain 12AX7 in the inverter slot (closest to the front, next to the transformer). This tube also needs to be balanced, otherwise the sounds suffers.

Channel 1 (clean channel). Using hot tubes made all the difference. I selected the highest gain tubes in my pile and the result was stunning. Regardless of the difference in manufacturer, the overwhelming sound, that famous chime, happened most noticeable with high gain tubes.

Channel 2 (distorted channel). The main thing affecting the sound is the EF86 tube. It was not until I had a Telefunken tube in it did I get the great sound. So, if you are unhappy with the sound of that channel, consider trying a different tube. Furthermore, I had an EF86 with a tamper in it. It would sometimes decide to make noises of its own.

All in all. If you don't get that chime, it may pay to find someone that has a tube checker. Even when I bought tubes (with certain features like high gain, matched and balanced) the tubes did not quite deliver what was promised. Only after going through them by hand using a tester and selecting hot tubes (and balanced for the inverter), did the real Matchless sound triumph.

The only other thing that really changes the sound is having new strings on the guitar - but that is a no-brainer.

The 8 here is because it is so touchy with the tubes. This is not the fault of Matchless. The EF86, which defines the sound of channel 2, can go microphonic just by looking at it. What this means is that it starts picking up sound like a microphone. This can cause unwanted ghost sounds. Use your fingernail and tab on the tube, if it makes much clicking noise, chances are your tube went microphonic and needs to be replaced.

I talked to Phil Jamison about an amp problem and he was very responsive. He indicated that an intermittent hum problem my amp had was possibly coming from one of the input jack leads touching the chassis - and he was right on. Then I changed the EF86 tube to a Telefunken and - oh boy...

Phil also answered my questions by email. Good folks!

Wonderful amp (unless you like super crunch). I also have Fenders (Twin & Super) some Boogies (Mark IV, Triaxis/2:90), a Peavy and had my share of other amps that came and went. The DC-30 got me really excited again, so much that I bought a second one. In stereo the are even more awesome.

One last note about sound. If you use a standard A/B switch to select channel 1, 2 or 1-and-2, then unless you use an active switch (one that has linear amps inside) you will loose some signal which will affect the sound negatively quite a bit. I finally broke down and bought the Voodoo Lab amp selector box (about $250 outch) but the difference in sound was stunning. Just run an experiment with your amp connecting the guitar directly or using your passive A/B switch, and you will know what I mean.

Mine is a 96' with black tolex and nicotine brown cloth. Channel one has active bass and treble tone circuit and channel two has a passive tone circuit. High cut and bypassable master volume. Variable impedence selector switch, half power switch, and polarity switch. One modified greenback and one modified vintage 30. I play in a rock band with 60's and 70's influences. I use this amp primarily for studio recording but I play it out in larger venues from time to time. Plenty of power in reserve.

This amp sounds unreal with older fender solidbody guitars like strats or telecasters. I like to bypass the master and color my tone with the preamp volume controls. Both channels compliment eachother perfectly. The high cut control doesn't do much with the master volume in until you get past 10 o'clock. This is a players amp for sure. Modern rock guys won't like this amp (this amp is the opposite of a mesa or soldano). Very sensative to what your fingers do (wrong or right). Extremely rich in even order harmonics. The harder you dig into your strings the more volume and grit you get. The tone of this amp is heartbreaking.

The original Matchless amps are as reliable as they come. The only downside to this amp is the weight. It weighs in at a backbreaking 79 lbs. Get a roadcase with casters.

We all know the story behind the company so find a good tech if you ever need one.

I've been playing now for 18 years and I've played them all (except for the Savage stuff). My other favorite amps besides Matchless are:
Blackface Deluxe Reverb
Brownface and tweed Pro
JTM 45
Vox AC30 tb
The Matchless 30 and 15 watts are the only amps I consider a step above those amps.

Two different channels. I prefer the first 'clean' channel....seems to have a bit nicer headroom for clean/crunch sounds and then I use my pedalboard for overdrive and distortion gain.

Simple all tube class 'A' design. Built like a safe (and weighs as much) this amp has a big warm tone to it. Heavy metal? nope!...hard rock, blues, jazz....yep! quiet operation, takes pedals real well, it does sound better the louder it gets, or saturate the output tubes (master up, volume down) and go for the lower volume with rich overtones. This is a masterpiece amp!

Built to take it!

The new owners are accessible and nice.

My amp was built in 96' it is black on black (very formal looking!) it is the best amp I have owned and I have had them all....

2 Channels, 3 knobs for each channel - it doesn't get much simpler! But make no mistake there is plenty of complexity within the 2 channels & 6 knobs + master volume, 7 knobs. phase speaker and 1/2 power switch...Push/pull master switch. FX LOOP or not really makes no diference at all this amp sounds incredible with FX right into guitar input...I just discribed both the MATCHLESS C30 and the BAD CAT BLACK CAT model...exactly the same amp with tonal diferences..READ sounds about the shootout in between this two amps.

I was on path to find a real great British (Voxy - Marshall) amp tones and I did a amp shootout with two amps the: MATCHLESS C30 and the BAD CAT BLACK CAT model. Major tone diferences, for the first time I could really tell how incredible the BAD CAT sounded compared to the MATCHLESS...The first channel on the BAD CAT sounds beyond my expectations and the 2channel just sounded more like a Vox, warmer, open and beautifull like an AC30 only better I though. I have no dought today after playing them side by side the amp to get is the BAD CAT BLACK CAT...KILLER SOUNDING AMP..the Matchless still a great amp but if you play them side by side with diferente guitars and speakers you will be able to hear incredible diferences.

Both of this amps were built like tanks the issues you may have MAY BE TUBES how long will they last....that is the question.

I am sure both would be pretty good...

I will rate the Matchless a 9 and the BAD CAT a 11 the only other tool you will need with this amp will be a EH HOLY GRAIL pedal and it sounds incredible just for a touch of reverb...that is for reverb freaks...I will buy a BAD CAT to had to my Kendrick, Two Rock and Divided 13 amps...

96 DC-30 I got in trade

This amp is what it is and that is a 30 watt amp with enourmous headromm and a powerfull raw sound when pushed to the limit and allowed to breath. I guess it doesn't have all the bells and whistles that other amps have but it does deliver quite a versatility of tones with all the diferent knob settings and 2 channels. The effects loop works well when wanting to add something extra to the sound

I play mostly blues rock with a Tele and Les Paul. I've heard quite a few guitars played through it though and they all sound great. The amp is so solid that it doesn't make a sound unless you are playing the strings. I'm talking nothing. No hum's, no crackles. One thing I will say about this amp is that it brings out the full range of a guitars sound like no amp I've ever played. The tone knobs on your guitar suddenly become vital and capable of drastically changing the sound. The array of sounds I can get from my 2 guitars and the 2 channels is great to have.

Built like the Proverbial brick outhouse. The guy I got it from never had a problem with it nor have I. The tubes have been replaced a few times but that is normal.

Have never dealt directly with them. I have heard stories. Some good and some bad.

I've been playing for 20 years and I've been lucky enough to use and own some good gear along the way. I have to say this matches up with any peice of gear I've ever had. Just by taking it apart and looking at how it was built tells me one thing. This baby was built to last by people with quality as the first priority. No corners were cut and everything was done the right way. Add this to the fact that is was designed by Mark Sampson and you got yourself a winner. Whether you like the sound or not is a matter of your own opinion. To me it has the grit of an old fender twin with a little more muscle (not gain, just power) but everyone has their own opinions. Oh yeah. I've heard the 2 12" speakers overpower a 4X12 cab with a quality head on it. This amp needs to be played loud or you don't apreciate what it is giving you but that is the nature of the beast with amps built like this.

The bottom line.
These amps are expensive. I wouldn't spend that kind money just to have one but if this sound is what you are into you will not think about how much it cost for very long after you own it. To me, this sound is what I've been after for 20 years and I found an amp that delivers it and will deliver it for the rest of my life.

A 1994 black leather 2x12 DC-30 combo with effects loops, low-power switch, speaker phase switch, and the rest as usual. It belongs to my guitarist, not me (I'm the drummer), but I store it so I play around with it, and I share a stage with it all the time. It has two unlike Matchless "Special Design" 12" speakers (one 25-watt, one 30-watt)--quite intentionally, as part of the design. The overall amp circuitry is modeled on old Vox AC-30s, but it doesn't look like one and is built way better. Point-to-point hand wiring and discrete components throughout. No circuit boards, integrated circuits, or chips in sight. Most repairs could be done with a soldering iron, a screwdriver, and a wrench. If you pull the amp chassis out of the combo enclosure, it looks like a piece of World War II military equipment.

The controls are minimalist but powerful: two inputs, each into a totally different channel. Volume, bass, and treble on channel 1, and Volume and tone (six-position click pot) on channel 2. Plus cut and push-defeat master volume. Power and standby switches, with a jewel lamp when operating. Plus the control panel and Matchless logo light up.

Controls on the back let you change speaker phase, reduce the amp's power by half (useful for home or small gigs), and use the effects loops (separate for each channel, and using single stereo TRS photo-tip cables per loop, not separate send/return jacks). There are also two three-prong power outlets, one switched, one unswitched.

There is no reverb, tremolo, or multi-band EQ, if you want that. Channel 2 doesn't even have bass and treble controls. But it's a pure Class A all-tube design, and doesn't need them--there's a shocking diversity of tone available from those simple controls.

We play in The Neurotics ( http://www.theneurotics.com ), a classic rock cover band that does high-paying corporate shows, weddings, parties, and so on. It covers every sound we need, from Elvis and the Ventures through Devo and Smash Mouth.

As others have said, this is probably the loudest 30-watt amp you'll ever hear. We've used it on stages big and small, from clubs near our home in Vancouver, Canada to a large outdoor beach festival in Melbourne Australia, and it's never once seemed underpowered.

My guitarist used to play a dual-humbucker hollowbody '70s Fender Starcaster through it, and it sounded fabulous. These days he plays a Japanese '50s reissue Strat through it, and it sounds fabulous. For effects, he uses a few settings on a Line 6 Pod, but he could plug straight in and get just as good (probably better, we suspect) tone. At some shows he runs a keyboard through it too.

If you have the money for these expensive boutique amps, and you like classic tube tones, you'll love this amp. I know I do, and I play drums.

This amp has rattled around in the back of vans and station wagons with no road case, just a slip cover, for ten years. It was flown from Canada to Australia and back in a cardboard box with some padding, and worked great at both ends. It was stolen and missing for a year before being recovered from a pawn shop. Our Mackie PA mixer sits on top of it at our shows, and since he added casters to the cabinet soon after he bought it, my guitarist has used the DC-30 as a platform to roll other gear to and from gigs too. The amp has fallen over a few times. He still uses it at every gig without a backup.

Here's the clincher: the amp has never even been re-tubed, or had any maintenance of any sort at all performed on it in ten years. The power-in socket got damaged several years ago and was hanging loose, until just this week in late 2004 when one of the wires finally popped off. Ten minutes with a replacement socket (a standard one, pulled off the back of a dead old computer CPU tower), a soldering iron, and a screwdriver, and we were back in business.

The hand-wired, no-circuit-board, industrial-strength design is the real thing. I've never seen an amp take this kind of punishment without a flinch. Amazing.

No idea. The amp has performed so well that we never contacted Matchless about anything. In the meantime they went bankrupt and then re-started, so their amps last longer than the company, it seems.

I took classical guitar when I was a kid, though I play drums now, while also dabbling in bass and a bit of piano. I remain interested in guitars, and so I appreciate a good amp. The DC-30 is a great amp.

Hold on, an unbelievable amp. Massive, versatile tone, simple controls, and built to take anything you can dish out, it seems. Its only downsides are its lack of reverb, tremolo, or channel switching (if you want such things), its price, and its scarcity: $5000 Canadian for a new one these days, if you can find a dealer.

On the other hand, before buying the Matchless, my guitarist went through a series of amps from Peavey, Fender, Mesa (the lovely Trem-o-Verb, also very good but not as good as the Matchless), and others. After the Matchless was stolen, he acquired a few other amps, but once it came back they went into storage. (He'd probably buy another if he could afford it.) Our other guitarists play Fender amps, and those sound good, but not this good.

If you're looking at Matchless amps--among the first of the modern "boutique" retro trend--keep in mind that the company is now run by the original production manager, while the founding designer went on to start the Bad Cat amplifier company. Their amps are also apparently very good (and very expensive), but I've never heard or seen one in person.

made in 1993 great for very kind of music except maybe heavy metal, still with a pedal this amp could handel it IMHO. Two channels which can be switched and combined (this is a must) with a ABY pedal (whirlwind works great). Reverb would be nice to have. I play this amp out with my classic rock band (Atitagain.com)and also at my house (it has a master volume and low power switch)

Mostly I use my 58 RI LP with custom 5 in the bridge and 59 duncan in the neck. I also used a clapton strat (2001 with hot gold p/u's) and a 2001 PRS McCarty soapbar. The amp sounds great with all the guitars. It doesn't favor single coils or Humbuckers. I'm using it for Classic rock and it handels that with no problem. It's not noisy at all. You can use the master volume to drive the amp very hard or you can defeat the master and go for a real clean sparlle vox sound. The other great thing is the secound channel which is a lot hotter and can sound like my Marshall Plexi (not kidding) Then the real magic happens when you combine the two channels for a great sound. I use the one channel for rythm and I combine the two channels for dynamics and also use a TS9 overdrive (keeley modded) I get four different sounds and volume levels with this combination. I like to use the high imput on channel one and the low input on channel two and then combine them and use them seperatly with a whirlwind ABY pedal. I think NOS Mulards screem in this amp If you can only by one change the EF86 preamp tube to a Mullard otherwise this channel could be a little harsh. I also had two Celestion Blue speakers in it and changed to two Celestion V30 The sound difference was amazing IMHO. The V30's were in your face with tight bass and well defined sound The blues were very lose bass and just sounded like crap at stage volume. Maybe I had a bad pair but the blues were a big disapointment IMHO. The Clean sound will start to break up pretty fast but in a very good way IMHO. The distotion is great for classic rock not metal. The main thing with this amp is at home it sounds awesome but with the band in a room it can't be beat. It fills the room and is just comfortable to play. One other thing I did was go with a weber solid state Rectifier instead of the tube which to me I like the solid state rectifier. I had NOS GE power tubes and I went with JJ el84's which to my ear sound just as good and cost a hundred dollars less. The only NOS tubes that are worth the money in this amp are the preamp tubes. I think this amp loves mullards and telefunken but what amps don't like these. The NOS pre and the V30's and the ABY switch made the amp a killer sounding combo for me. The bad news is I'm 6'2" 230LBS and I'm having a hard time carrying this beast. Thats my only knock on this amp, it's a ton to carry.

It's been going strong since 1993.

The matchless company seems very good. They had no problem answering my questions about the amp.

30years playing I love my Marshal 50 watt plexi (1992 RI)and my new addition is a Line 6 spider II 2x10 combo 120 watts and $349 This Lin 6 kicks major ass IMHO This amp may retirer my DC30 (I'm sick of carrying it)If my DC30 was stolen I couldn't afford to replace it. I love the sound I hate the weight. I have had a ton of amps SLO 100 Fender twin 5150 Hot rod 100 bogner shiva TSL 100 DSL Cornford ETC this amp does it for me but I love the beatles and dig classic rock so whats good for me may not be good for you. The sad truth is you got to play them to see if there good for you. It's taken me many yeats and thousands of dollars to find the stuff that works for me. Good luck and have fun.

This amp, made and purchased in early 1994, has the features and tone to play nearly any style of music you can throw at it.

This model, a D/C 30 L, S/N M-2023 includes an effects loop and has the Pentode and Triode sides as well as the particular features that are described in detail elsewhere. The graduated tone roll-up/off on the pentode side is very useful to dial up a sound. The use of two celestion speakers with slightly different characterists means experimenting with mics in front of each speaker; one side is a little cleaner than the other. The half/power and phase reversal switches on the back of the chassis can also be very useful.

I use a '94 custom Gibson ES-335 Dot Reissue with '57 PAFs. I use the amp to play blues, blues and more blues. After reading the other reviews you might not have heard that loud and clear. Typically, you can set one channel up for rhythm/clean (Triode) and one channel for an 'on the edge' lead.

Utilizing Class A circuitry means never having to hear odd-ordered harmonics. The amp's tone AND volume blow away a 100 watt Marshall or Fender Twin with equal ease. Like GP said, the loudest 25 watt amp you've ever heard. There is never any noise unless it is from an older and microphonic tube.

It has been said that this amp can only get one sound. This is an overstatement of the facts but, even if that is the case, you will find that this is the one sound you can play any music with. Whether you're looking for a clean brit type sound with jangly overtones, a Freddie King ES-345, an Albert King Flying V, jazz/fusion, a Keith Richards SG or a Roy Buchanan/Danny Gatton hot rod sound this is the amp that will do it all. Rhythm or lead; your needs will be met.

This amp excels at giving clear definition and sustain at the same time. Anytime you are using complex waveforms, like two notes played or plucked simultaneously, you will hear the rich overtones that this amp is noted for. Like others have said before you can throw all the pedals and stomp boxes away, you won't be needing them anymore. I was addicted to using an EP-2 Echoplex as a front end to an amp for years because of the tubed preamp characteristics it imparted. No more. The only effects unit ever used is an Alesis Nanoverb that is used for a touch of reverb in smaller clubs. I don't use spring reverbs because of their propensity to bounce and crash.

One trick you can use to make the two sides of the amp work for you without the footswitch is to use a micro single pole single throw switch (SPST) mounted to a little hand crafted metal enclosure that sits on top of your 90 degree, 1/4 guitar plug. Using just a stereo two-conductor shielded cord that splits at the amp end to two plugs, you can switch between both channels at will. It makes life so much easier, especially if you have better things to do with your feet.

I played a different DC30 in Europe and the sound was completely different. It had a paper thin sound without the power, balls and bottom end that are this amp's forte. Whether the differing type and voltage of the electricity played a part I just don't know.

There is never any distortion, just the natural preamp saturation and overdrive. The pickups and/or front-end electronics of a guitar/box would change this equation no doubt but if you use a lower output pick up like Gibson's 57 PAF or a Seymour Duncan 59 Classic the amp does the work with pleasing results. You want to push the amp by (pushing) pulling out the master volume and setting around 9 o'clock to start.

Even though this amp sounds awesome (a ten rating), I assign a value of nine because nothing is perfect.

This amp exceeds reliability requirements when coupled with a quality ATA 300 road case. The weight with the solid aluminum flight case is just under 128 lbs. Casters along with a split tray case are essentials. Just set the brakes, remove the lid and you are ready to go. Keep in mind that, as a piece of equipment gets heavier, it is more prone to damage because of inertia and rough handling by weak dummies. Again it is very dependable (10 rating) but it gets a 9 for the stinking little juke box lights inside that need replacing from time to time.

The old Matchless people were both helpful and friendly, although it did take a few calls to get the prepaid amp cover delivered.

I have been playing over thirty years now and have discovered that less is actually more. One good guitar and one good amp are all you really need, the rest is just icing on the cake.

I have and also play an '04 Gibson ES-346, a '98 Korean made Epiphone '56 Gold Top' with soapbars, a '95 Heritage H-535 with SD's and a Schecter/Warmouth strat with Joe Barden PUPs. I also own and use a Johnson J Station, a 1949 Fender 600 and a Fender Blues Jr. (great harp amp). One of these other guitars is always sitting right behind the amp for string breakage.

The Matchless is a must have and must replace piece. If you are into boxes this is not the amp for you; practically any amp can churn that stuff out. If you are into tone and know how to play you will never regret buying this amp.

It is expensive and heavy. Get used to it and go buy one.

This is a 2002 Matchless DC/30. It has enough functions to make it versatile within it's own realm of class A tone, but the versatility is limited because it doesn't have enough as far as a variety of different tones. I play rock, jazz, funk, pop, and blues. This amp is limited to classic rock and country in my opinion, but it does both very well. It features 2 channels with an effects loop and courtesy receptacles. I never use the courtesy receptacles or the effects loop because the effects loop requires a Y-cable(stereo cable). I record and play at home only. This amp has more volume and power than anyone should ever really need. Here is the downside to all that power -it comes with enough head-cutting treble and spike to kill your ear drums. ALSO, mine started to have "Ghost-note" problems only six (6) months after I purchased it brand new. It sounded like you were playing out of key! (MORE ON THIS LATER)

This amp is only good with a Tele or Strat equipped with single coils. It CANNOT handle humbuckers at ANY volume without being excessively harsh. It is good for that Rolling Stones type tone and that is about the best it can do as far as I am concerned. It had this sickly Ghost note thing going on and it drove me crazy. I paid almost three grand for this amp and it does this to me. It sounded like a broken octave pedal. Also, I bought it because in the store the amp sounded unreal, but it changed over time for the worse. I spoke with Phil Jamison(Matchless owner or partner) about this, and he explained that these amps have very little "Filtering" in the power supply and this is why they make the "Ghost Notes". He also said that these amps change their tone to to the changing values of their components. I will tell you, this is not good enough for a guy who just spent his hard-earned 3,000 dollars for an amplifier. I have since sold the amplifier.

A preamp tube went out the third month after I bought the amp. No big deal. I am fully aware that tubes can fail. However, the tone change and the Ghost noting that Phil Jamison said are characteristics of this type of amplifier are unacceptable to me. I lost 1,100 dollars when I sold this amp by the way. I wouldn't have played this amp for anybody as bad as it sounded with the "Ghost Notes" it was giving me. I am giving this category a rating of 2 because every time I played it sounded sickly.

I tried to get the Ghost note problem fixed, but Phil Jamison said it was normal. I understand, but I will never own another one. The warranty is for 6 years, but it didn't do me any good. I have an old Matchless from 96 and it has NOT gave me a single problem EVER. Maybe I just got a lemon of a DC/30, but I am very unhappy about the whole situation. I was hoping Phil could fix it for me, but he acted like it was normal. I called Bad Cat and they said that 1 in every 10 will do that. I would have been happy if they would have fixed it to like it sounded the day I bought it. It sounded incredible that day with NO GHOST NOTES and a full, rich and warm tone.

I have been playing guitar for 16 years. I have owned MANY hi end and boutique amps. I currently own a Matchless Clubman 35, Two-Rock Opal, Soldano SLO-100, and a Les Paul. I have owned and played MANY other amps. NO OTHER AMP HAS EVER BEEN THIS BAD. I had a Bogner that broke on me one time and there was no hesitation on the part of Bogner to repair it. They even paid for shipping BOTH ways. I want to make clear that this was a VERY bad experience for me and in no way do I think Matchless is a bad company. Generally Phil Jamison was a gentleman when we spoke, but he wouldn't even think about fixing my amp. It was a sour deal all the way around. It left a VERY bad taste in my mouth about these amps. I could only sell it and retrieve part of my money because I went on what Phil told me. He said that it was the characteristic of these amps. I assumed people liked that and I sold it for a big loss. I will NEVER buy another one. I have played other people's DC/30s and they sounded fine. One other one had that ghost note thing.

I purchased my DC30 in 1995, and have for all intents and purposes, been extremely pleased with it. I have put countless hours of live, and studio time in with the amp, and always get a great response to my tone. I use the amp in conjunction with a slecton of stomp boxes;
ts9, boss EQ, RV3 reverb,etc. The amp has great tone and is plenty loud for most applications. I did wish it had a tad more low end response, but that was easily solvable with the addition of the boss EQ. The continuous output of class A design, is hard to explain to someone who has never had the pleasure of such touch sensitivity in an amp. It breathes. Ihave used the amp on country recordings in Nashville, live in front of 17,000 people, and on pop as well as hard rock recordings and gigs. No, it will never have the muscularity of a 120watt stack, but that stack will never have the sonic versatility of my "grey baby". You asked for no "glowing reviews", well sorry charlie. It's one helluva amp.

fabfabfab

fabfabfab

2002 D/C-30. All tube, 30 watt 2x12 combo, class A design. The amp is a simple layout, with two channels utilizing completely different preamp tube paths, and somewhat limited yet very effective tone controls. Channel 1 has volume, bass, treble...Channel 2 has volume and a 6 position tone switch....which controls the tone envelope of the EF-86 preamp tube. A cut knob for high frequency rolloff and master volume (pull out to defeat the master) round out the controls. There is a effects loop, low/high power mode, and speaker phase reverse on the back of the amp. For more specific specs check out www.matchlessamps.com. Channel switching can be accomplished by using an A/B device. With a little tweaking two usable sounds can easily be dialed in for use as a real two channel amp.

I use the amp for playing in a rock band, and recording. Style of music I use the amp for ranges from spacey emo to Zepplinesque riffery, and well beyond. I can easily dial in any blues, country, R&B, Jazz, or Classic Rock tones with the amp, though I lean all the way to the rock end of the spectrum. I don't play blues or coutry music in a live band setting, so this review is based on using the D/C for rock music. Overall this amp can produce a wide variety of tones at a level of quality most amps can't achieve. It is not for agressive metal or heavy rock styles, but besides that it covers all the bases ridiculously well.

First off...I've seen amps rated as a 10 for sound quality on this forum that can't produce a single quality tone, or even be used in a real band setting. I don't believe in a rating of 10 for any amp, period. There can always be improvements, and no amp can cover every tonal possibility of music on it's own. So the D/C gets a 9. It is as good as you will get for what it will do, and it suits me very, very well for my rock styles. With that said, here is the low down from my point of view.

My primary guitar is a Gibson Les Paul Elegant, with a Fender American Strat on the side. I also have a bunch of pedals in front of the amp. If you want to know all the pedals, check out www.lazerwolfs.com and go to the gear section. This is a review of the amp, not the pedals. Overall the amp works well with pedals, as long as you are willing to tweak accordingly. Primarily I play without the pedals, but use them for leads and other dynamic effects. I have Channel one (12ax7 channel) set up for a medium grit rock tone. With either guitar this channel is very punchy and 3D (I'm talking about the crisp punch of a great JTM 45). Pick lightly for cleaner, or roll of the volume for full on clean. I could care less about the sound of a Fender guitar through a Fender amp, with some of that Fender spring reverb on it. That sound makes me want to eat glass. This kind of clean is British style. So if you want Fender through Fender...keep shopping. Overall this channel has very clear lows and highs, with just the right amount of midrange for most rhythm playing. I use the channel for about 75% of the rhythm parts I play. It is a very expressive channel, with great sensitivity and dynamic feel.

Channel 2 (EF-86 preamp) is a higher gain channel, with an abundance of midrange punch and presence. It is a little creamier than the first channel. I dial it in for the rock tone that the D/C is really known for. The 6 position switch works well to control the bass frequencies and gain in conjuction with the volume control for the channel. There is plenty of gain here, but not the attack and laser sterility of the high gain nu-metal world. I use this channel for heavier passages, dynamic changes, and for leads. Overall this channel is less picky with pedals. The gain and sustain you can achieve with this channel is unreal for most rock applications. At lower gain settings this channel can be used for the punchy (think JTM 45 again) rock tone...but I prefer the gained up creamy sound. After all with an A/B you can have them both right there.

Every tone that is produced from the amp is damn good. Not just to the ear when you are playing by yourself, but in a band setting and in the studio. This amp's tone holds up better than any amp I have heard in a band setting. It sounds thick and 3D by itself, and in a lot of ways even more thick and 3D in a band setting. I play it in a 2 guitar band, with the other guitarist using a Rivera Knucklehead 100 halfstack. We play loud. I keep the D/C basically wide open, as loud as it can go. The halfstack needs to be at a rather high volume to balance it out. Essentially what I am saying is that the D/C is plenty loud. If you need more volume with it, it is probably because you need to dial the tone of the amp in for real world applications. That is what the D/C does best. Makes your guitar sound how it needs to in a band, and not get buried in a mix.

A few extra notes on the amp: The speakers are really well matched to them amp, producing the right amount of punch and breakup with the 30 watts supplied by the amp. My only gripe on the D/C is that they wire the speakers at 4 ohms, so you can't add additional speakers without a impedence conveter. It would be great to add a closed back 2x12 to the amp to get the best of both closed and open back sounds all at once. I have powered a Marshall 4x12 with Vintage 30's with the C-30, and it sounds great. Not the same as the open back,

The D/C is definately built to last. High grade components and workmanship. The first one they shipped to me was dropped by Fed Ex at least once (I saw them do it). It had some problems because of the damage they laid on it. Eventually it broke down and had to be sent back. See customer support for the rest of the story.

Any tube amp that is dropped 3 feet out of a truck will probably break. So that doesn't really factor into my rating here. The D/C is as solid as any amp I have seen for build quality. The fact of the matter is that class A amps need more attention than other tube amps. Tubes burn out faster, and the amp is more sensitive to tube quality. When you buy a D/C (or any other class A amp for that matter) the first thing you should do is spend $500 on some NOS tubes. Retube the entire preamp and rectifier. Some guys like to do the power amp tubes as well, but really some Groove Tubes or JJ's sound great for the power amp, and if you play a lot you will be relacing them a lot too. The preamp tubes will last a long, long time if replaced with quality tubes. This simple yet pricey move gets you better tone, less noise and higher reliability.

I don't use a backup live, but if I could afford another D/C I would buy one. No amp will work flawlessly forever.

When the first D/C I got broke down, I delt with Phil Jamison directly. He was easy to work with, and wanted to explore all options for fixing the amp. I sent the chassis back to the factory, where he found and fixed the apparent problem. I got the amp back, and it worked for 3 hours before going down again. Once again I delt with Phil directly. He gave me the option of them shipping me a new replacement chassis, or an entirely new amp. I opted for the new amp, and they sent it out. They also sent a prepaid shipping label for the old one to go back...which is about a $90 tab. They also threw in a hand wired Matchless A/B switch for my trouble.

Overall they took care of me, but it was a slow process. That is the way it is with a small company. I was fairly hot, having spent a bunch of $$ and then having the amp break twice, but I'm sure the Fed Ex abuse was the source of all my problems. The support was good, just a lot of hassel and time shipping amps all over the country.

I have been playing guitar for about 11 years. I own and operate a recording studio in Missoula, Montana, so we have a lot of gear. I also own a Rivera Knucklehead amp and a reissue Marshall 4x12, as far as amp gear goes. I use that rig for a totally different style of music (heavy rock...see www.lazerwolfs.com).

If I had to replace the D/C I would probably buy the head version for a few more speaker cab options. I think the H/C powering a Matchless 2x12 open back cab, and a 2x12 closed back cab would be the ultimate amp rig for me. I played Dr Z, Rivera, Marshall, Fender, Soldano, Boogie, Kendrick, Vox, and Groove Tube amps before selecting the Matchless. There are a lot of great amps out there, but the D/C works nearly perfectly for what I use it for. It is not cheap, but it is worth every penny.

I did not buy this amp for the features. In fact i like the plane jane look!

Tone! Tone! Tone !That is what it is all about any way.From the road to the studio and evey were in between!Needless to say how many amps i have played through could not have the balls to the wall to shimmering [with the use of the optoinal foot switch]with out loosing any tone!

Dose the word Tank give you an idea of how reliabal and how heavy this amp is.............

I have had mine{d/c 30}since 95.And i have bought several amps since then ,but i find my self allways compairing my other amps to my matcless.Do you want to sell yours?

Bought the amp second hand from Musical Exchanges Birmingham, Traded in my boogie recto and a bunch of other stuff. change of musical direction and band from Rock to country, I wanted cood clean fun and a bit of clip. heard one being used by a support band and it blew me away (Had to have one)!!!!!
Only using one channel at the moment but looking into the A/B box route to use both
Would have liked reverb but a bit of DD does me just fine, infact i have amost got rid of all my effects as the tone of the amp is just so good!!!!

A bit on the heavy side, and i have now fitted castors to it
Also the lights that light up the front look great, but when they blow they can be a bit of a pain to replace (small point)

Never had a sound like it, and whenever the band plays i am always getting comments about the amp, ie how can something so small create such a big sound?

The overdrive settings are fine for the music we play (hillbillie rockish country stuff) the amp clips at that twangy place telecasters just love

Not broken down yet.... apart from the little lights at the front, no big deal.. touch wood

Not had to deal with matchless as when i bought the amp they had gone under
would like to know where i can get my hands on an extension cab or the floor pedal

Had all sorts of amps from fender/Marshall/Session/Boogie/Vox all good amps but none had the sparkle and depth this little 30W had

1996 and 1994 models. Both killer tone, rock-steady reliability and NOT for Blues! Excellent VOX AC-30 replacement or upgrade.

I play (NOT BLUES) the following guitars through my DC-30's:
Les Paul 1958 historic reissue Standard
Les Paul 1968 Standard
Guild Brian May
Gretsch 6120
I originally got my first DC-30 to replace my vintage 1964 VOX AC-30 that was starting to be too vintage (irreplaceable) to take gigging. After 6 months with the Matchless I (gasp!) sold the VOX and bought a second DC-30 to leave in the studio.
The first channel is a nice 60's VOX sound. the second channel is a VOX that you can find your own tone with. The 'pentode' channel is amazing. The amp is loud and breaks up amazingly well at mid and high volumes thanks to the versatile power halving switch on the back. It records phenomenally well. I may be a Matchless snob for life - but it's because these amps are so amazing. And yes, I have played all the esoteric hand-made amps including the Dumble and Trainwrecks. There are such thing as CLEAN amps that don't mean that hideous Texas bell-like SRV sound. This is British clean! :)So if you are playing Brit-Pop influenced or mid Americana (Petty, Byrds etc) or if you actually want to spend 5 minutes getting even more versatility out of the 2nd channel - it is a great amp for you. It's not a Marshall or Fender. If you like VOX you'll LOVE Matchless. Then yes, you can be a snob because you'll have amazing tone!

I've played both amps alternately since 1994. I've replaced and upgraded tubes and that's it. I have a roadcase for the gigging one and it still sounds as good as the 'princess' one.

I had some personal dealings with the old company and they went out of their way to help me and provide me info on many occasion. I have not dealt with the new version yet.

I also own the Matchless Reverb and it adds a bit of noise to the equation but nothing would part me with this tone. I would buy another immediately were either of them stolen or destroyed. I think the looks are an added bonus. Nobody spends $3000 for a good looking turd. Where anyone would get the notion this amp is only a blues amp is beyond me. I've owned Marshall, Vox and Fender and I don't anymore. There is nothing false about any of the myths and luckily - they're back! So you don't have to buy them used or sight unseen. Go try one out!

This is one of the first amps made since Matchless reopened. It has 2 channels. Channel 1 is the "clean" channel, and channel 2 has much more breakup. It has a master volume that both channels share, and separate effect send/returns for each channel. Channel 1 has volume, bass and treble, channel 2 has volume, 6 position tone switch and high cut switch. It has 30 watts with a half power switch in the back which is very handy for lower volume needs. The 15 watt setting has more than enough power for most gigs, and the full power setting will blow out your eardrums. I use it mainly in worship services in settings ranging from small churches to 1000 seat auditoriums and it is never underpoweres or overpowering. I wish it had reverb, channel switching and a shared effect loop.

I wouldn't give it a 10 if it didn't deserve one. I have owned numerous amps and have been on a tone hunt for years. This is it! I purposely waited for 6 months before submitting this review because I usually "love" my new gear until a few months go by, and then I'm on the hunt again. I use a Godin LGX with humbuckers and a 5 way switch for splitting the pickups for the single coil sounds. I use a T.C. Electronics G-Major effects processor, and a TS-9 Tube Screamer (original). I play many different styles and with this combination I am never disappointed with the sound. The tone controls are very useful. Adjust them to enhance the pickups on your guitar, and play. Wow! Sweet!! I didn't buy this amp for it's looks (but it looks awesome) or for the snob value, but for the tone. True, this is not a "clean" amp, but if you keep the volume below 4 on channel 1 it is very clean. It will certainly cover rock and blues as well as many other styles, but if you want it to sound clean at 10 or play heavy metal, you need to keep shopping.

Built like an 85 lb. tank. It has never broken down, but tubes are tubes. I am ordering spares just in case. Matchless has a good reputation for reliability.

After I bought it I noticed a small in one corner of the name plate (which is backlit and looks totally cool). I called them and they sent me a new one right away - free. Very eager to please. The warranty is lifetime.

I've been playing for 25 years. I have been through more guitars, amps, amp simulators, amp ers and stomp boxes than I care to admit. I sold everything that wasn't necessary to get this amp. I am now down to 1 guitar, 1 amp, the T.C. Electronics processor (which is also killer), the tube screamer, and a crybaby wah. I have never been happier. I have never been happy for that matter! My only gripe is the lack of channel switching, but I use an a/b box for that. It was a fantastic value for me because it has the tone I am after, but at $3100.00 you had better be sure it is what you want - it is expensive! If it were stolen I would definately get another one. There are many great amps out there, but this one does it for me.

Limited in tone, limited in appeal. high and low channels, this has all been covered. This particular one is a 94 model.

Okay, i'm tired of the hype these amps get. sure, they sound good, but who cares.Nothing special is the whole review of these amps. I'm also tired of people saying these amps have a clean tone. Bullbutter. Clean tone is a fender Twin. matchless tone is flubby breakup tone. kinda chimey, but no better than a marshall plexi or the likes.
They charge way to much for these amps. They dont do that much better than the Dr. Z stuff, or any classA amp for that matter. Hell, the new Gibson goldtones roll over the matchless gear.
i'll say once again, nothing special unless gritty blues tone is what you seek. anything else, it's not here.
Another note i want to make is players with these amps think they are really something. let me tell you, dont buy a matchless amp just to have one. You will too become a snob. The people that buy these are the people that buy it for the looks. not sounds. I owned one of these long enuf be4 realizing i like the breakup tone of all other amps over this one. this one is just too gritty. perfect for all out blues, but i like to mix it up now and then.o yeah, people also say these are touch responsive. Obviously they haven't played a Dumble or a TwoRock. now thats what i call touch responsive.
Dont be a snob, and dont buy it for looks. Find something better! belive me plenty is out there.

These are dependable amps yes...but who knows how long the co. will stay in business THIS time.

never dealt w/ them...i've heard the horror stories. especially if the people that make them are anything liek the other people that own them. geez...their shit dont stink.

I wish i was still a matchless snob so i could pretend to be better than every1 else. but i sold mine for cheap. There is no reason to own one of these amps, unless you play strictly the blues, or need a good blues recording amp. it will do that beautifully.
Spend 3000 on an amp, and get high off of blowing people off telling them about your matchless amp.

Not a whole lot; channel 1 has active bass and treble; channel 2 has a single passive tone schizo knob (5 positions I believe); defeatable master volume; 2 inputs per channel; 1/2 power switch. The speaker configuration is 1 Matchless Celestion Vintage 30 and 1 Matchless Greenback; "special design" means that these speakers were 'broken in' extensively at the factory before installation. Cabinet is birch ply I believe and this unit is EXTREMELY heavy, especially with a road case. Very cool backlit control panel and of course, big 'MATCHLESS' lighted logo (mine shines blue, which I really dig...). Also has switched and unswitched AC outlets in the back.
I always play through the amp with the master volume defeated; If I let the amp distort, I want genuine power tube saturation, which seems to happen somewhat gradually with this amp, or maybe it seems gradual because the drive sounds are so clear.
FYI, I bought this amp 5 months ago; have gigged with it in my folk-based alternative band, for church worship, and just playing by myself at home.

This amp in 2 words? Clarified drive... I really dig the clean and overdriven tones this amp has. Although, I must say the dc-30 cannot do loud and clean (although what 4xel-84 can?). To get any clean, I need to back off on guitar volume or use a EB volume pedal, which I don't mind. I mainly use a PRS Custom 22 with the dc, although I sometimes use a G&L ASAT Special or '72 reissue Tele thinline w/ humbuckers. The rhythm drive tones I get with the PRS on neck humbucker (position 1) and also position 3 are amazing; clear grind; this amp SINGS with the PRS; before I brought these 2 together (the PRS and the Matchless), I had never heard anyone use them together. WOW, an awesome match in my opinion; this combination screams... The "tele-sounding" P/U combination on the PRS (position 4) has lower output than the other 2 positions I like, and causes the Matchless to emit a beautiful, clear, tele sound great for picking, rhythm strumming, clean lead, whatever. Position 5 of the PRS (bridge humbucker) gets a very nice cutting lead tone (lots of midrange and cut). The thinline tele w/ HB's also sounds VERY good through the dc.
The amp can be quite noisy, if you stand close to it with some guitars, or if you have noisy pedals (my Matchless HotBox overdrive pedal is really noisy if in the signal chain).
I mainly use channel 1, the triode channel; has the best rhythm sound and the most headroom as far as I have been able to tell. I would really like to hear how the dc sounds with 2x12 Celestion Alnico Blues in it instead of the v30 and greenback; I think this would definitely improve the tone and add more headroom (clean volume).
As for effects, the Fulldrive 2 sounds ok through it; I am not terribly impressed in either the compressed or non-compressed modes of the FD2. I think the HotBox is possibly better sounding through the dc. The Voodoo Lab tremolo and Fulltone Choralflange sound fine. I would love to try an Echoplex or a Plex (reissue of original) through it to get some good analog delay sounds. To get the best clean and overdrive tones with this amp, I generally just roll back the volume on the guitar or volume pedal for clean, and then increase the volume pedal/knob OR simply play harder to get killer drive tones. I find this amp to be quite touch responsive, which I like.
I wish I could get more clean headroom out of it (but like I said, it is an AC-30-based amp, so low amount of clean headroom is the nature of the beast), and reverb would be a plus, although the sound is so pure and complex, I really don't miss reverb that much at all.

I feel very confident that the Matchless will not let me down as I care for it properly (have periodic checkups done on the tubes and components to see if they are all functioning up to par, use a roadcase, don't drop it, etc...). The Matchless is EXTREMELY well-built, more like completely OVERbuilt. One thing I DON'T like, however, is having to remove the chassis each time one of the light bulbs (4 inside the chassis and 4 inside the Matchless logo) burn out; to access the light bulbs in the nameplate, you have to remove the chassis to get to the lightbox and then you have to remove that as well. Other than that design flaw, the construction is second to none.

Old Matchless is out of business. I doubt the newly reinstated Matchless Amplifier company will accept my warranty papers?? =-)

I have been playing for about 8 years. I am mainly a rhythm guitar player; I absolutely LOVE playing electric guitar and I love music. I have been in a few bands, progressing slowly toward the professional-quality realm; also been in lots of religious/church bands.
My favorite electric tones that I have heard: Toad the Wet Sprocket (they used one HC-30 and one DC-30), Sarah McClachlan (Fumbling Towards Ecstacy and Surfacing), Innocence Mission, Sundays (Static & Silence).
My two favorite amp sounds now are Fender-type 6L6 clean tone w/ lotsa headroom (Bassman, Twins, etc.) and EL-84 drive tone (Matchless DC-30, Bruno UG-30, vintage AC-30, even the Boogie Maverick sounds pretty good). My ideal amp would be a point-to-point wired, 2-channel amp combining class "A" EL-84 overdrive on channel 1 and 4x6L6 class "A" or 2x6L6 class AB1 (?) clean on channel 2 (lotsa warm clean headroom), with a really good 1-3 knob Blackfaced-fendery-sounding reverb. I think I am pretty partial to 12AX7's in the preamp, as well.
I may have found my ideal overdrive tone, although after what I have read about good Dumbles, Two-Rock's, and the new Bruno Super 100, I want to try out the drive channels on these amps to compare to the DC-30. The headroom, reverb, and clean sound of a great Fender-type 6L6-based amp with a GZ-34 or solid-state rectifier are still SLIGHTLY favored by me over the DC-30's clean sounds and headroom. Overall, I think it is a great amp; if it was considerably lighter and had heavy-duty pop out casters, these factors would be a huge plus. I may need to find a premium channel switching amp to use for live and practice, since hauling the DC-30 and a Twin around is a LOT of weight (and I have had back surgery, so this is literally impossible without help). The DC-30 will see a lot of recording and live use anyway though until/if I find something better. I want to also try a Bruno Underground 30 w/reverb and an Alessandro English, both with a 2x12 Celestion Alnico Blue-loaded solid pine cab, and see how those compare to the DC-30. Wow, what an amp though; sounds awesome and looks EXTREMELY cool!

My amp was born around April '96. I found it in a shipping liquidation store because a box knife had been used to open the carton and it had cuts in the grey Tolex covering. I paid roughly $1100 US and when I contacted the company they agreed to accept the warranty papers. Too bad the company has since gone out of business but reliabilty hasn't been a problem. I always use a small clip-on fan to blow a little air around the tubes and I've gotten pretty decent tube life so far with steady (3-4yrs.) use.

This isn't a 'features' type amp but rather a simple to use well crafted tone machine. I mean, just look at the two or three knobs for each preamp, eh? The controls are very powerful, especially channel one's interactive bass and treble control. An A/B/Y box is the only feature I've added that the amp really needs to access most of the tones in this amp.

The two channels work very well alone (A/B'd) and when combined through a 'Y' switching box. I play country, R&R, blues and pop music and I'm always able to get a nice tone very quickly. My primary axe is a G&L ASAT (soapbars) but I've used Les Pauls (Humbuckers), semi-hollow Gibsons (including P-90's) and even my acoustic (Thinline) sounds nice when used with this amp. Awesome touch, feel and sound for every playing situation. It's very loud and clean although I've noticed a slight drop-off in 'headroom' lately and new tubes haven't helped. Hmm?

My model has the speaker phase reverse switch and I use it whenever I need to turn the amp upstage for lower volume situations. That way my stage sound is 'in-phase' with the PA. I had a little problem with the effects loop jacks where one of them was grounding out the signal to the chassis because there's not enough room where they mounted those jacks. I never use the effects loop so I opened the amp and hard soldered the loop out of the circuit and since then, no problem.

There's a lot of tonal variety using picking dynamics and the volume control on the guitar. An A/B/Y box gives me several tonal combinations that I've never been able to get from 'channel switching' amps.

I'm not gonna say it sounds like this amp or that amp but it sounds good. I've noticed being able to cover Beatles tunes and Byrds stuff very well so I guess it's got the heart of a AC-30. I really like older amp designs and Matchless has done a great job of getting that vintage 'vibe' in a modern, durable package.

I play 6 days a week and I've never had a failure with this amp or any tube amp that I couldn't fix on the gig. One time, a tube shorted but with a new fuse and a spare 'bottle' she was working fine. One reason I prefer to gig with class 'A' amps is that I don't have to worry about 'matched sets' of power tubes and you can stick just about any tube of the proper type in there and it'll work fine. The sound may suffer or sometimes improve but no technical problems like under or over bias. Yeah!

I used to talked to a guy by the name of Paul who was helpful but since they've gone out of business that's dried up. Oh well, I don't conact Fender when I have a question about my 1952 Deluxe. I'm a good amp tech myself and if I can't fix it I know somebody who can.

It's a great amp and I would have to get another one if it were stolen. It's a big part of my signature tone and I love the way it feels with any guitar!

I only use hard wire bypass effects through the front end and that's only when I 'have' to use some delay or OD. I never use my chorus pedal anymore because the amp has such a nice swirling, complex sound by itself that most effects just get in the way. Awesome!

Oh, by the way, I did find some NOS EF-86 preamp tubes for channel two because the stock Sovtek was a little microphonic.

sounds good - can get muddy.

well built. in the shop - I have been calling them for 2 months with no response. That's what you get with a small company.

n/a

Has been alot of trouble - and the factory won't help me out. The guys at Westwood Music were great (where I bought it). I should have taken it there for repairs - I wonder if I'll ever get mine back.

I hear the company went bankrupt. I guess it's the amp owners who will now have to bend over. Does anyone else have this problem with them?

I bought a brand new one for 2,400 bones on a special order.All I wanted was black and elk with brown speaker cloth and white knobs.They told me it would take 6 to 8 weeks.I got it in 12 with bad tubes,wrong color knobs and a whole lot of ghost notes.I really like the amp and its features but when I waitd an extra month for shipment, heard every lame excuse in the book,paid an arm and a leg for this thing and got jerked around and then had to ship it back for repairs and was promised its return in two weeks I've been pretty pissed havingwaited 6 weeks.I called and talked to Rick 20 to 30 times and have been treated like someone who IS NOT A ROCK STAR.I have been pretty amazed that after spending that kind of money I was and still am not being treated fairly.I told Rick last week to go ahead and keep it and he thought that would be"just fine"That just blew me away that they wouldn't care enough about someone who bougt their flagship amp.I'm still waiting because I love the amp but guess what?they still are giving me lame excuses and bad attitudes.I hope anyone who wants to get one of these amps takes note of this and the fact that this company probably won't be around long enough because of the way they do business to honor a lifetime warranty.

GREAT!!!!

New.

POOR!!!!

Most likely you know, the D/C-30 is a 30w, Class-A, dual channal combo in a 2X12 configuration. It features two inputs (hi and low) per channel and separate effects loop for each channel (no channel switching w/o your own a-b box). There is also a half-power switch and impedance selector on the rear panel. There is something missing, a reverb. An amp of this calibur and price should have a killer reverb in it!
Versatility is still a major part of this amps attraction to me. I know other reviews have sort of pegged this amp as the monster of medium distortion and grind and not much more than that, but I would say that it excels at much more. The D/C-30 could very well be the best "building block" amp to come around yet.

As many reviewers have noted, D/C's channel two is what it is best known for! At medium distortion settings this amp is thick, punchy, responsive, and chimey. Each string has its own thing going. Two and three note chords are huge with just the right amount of sustain and low end looseness. I primarily play strats (including a Grosh Retro-Classic) and there is no amp that treats a single coil better. Adjusting the Cut and Tone control can call up just about every cool raunchy rythm guitar tone you've ever heard or wished you'd heard on your latest recordings.
Most seem to agree that the D/C-30 smokes on channel 2, but I've seen so many negative things written about channel 1. I like to think of channel 1 as an almost entirely different amp. It's not just that channel 1 is less distorted than channel 2, the tone shaping controls are completely different. It has the classic volume, bass, treble set up. I've found this to be the most versatile channel for using external effects for getting various sounds. With the master set full (or defeated) and the volume at 2 o'clock, channel 1 comes alive. It's fat but glassy, with that cool class A sag, especially when you hit the amp hard. With strats, this amp can get a little bright but I've never had to dump even half of the treble to get a pleasing sound. The tone controls are very responsive (especially the Cut control at higher volumes) - I believe you'll find a setting(s) that will work with your guitar no matter how bright it is (ie Tele).
The DC responds to your touch and guitar volume setting, giving it limitless variations on its primary tone. I use channel 1 as my "building block" channel which I add effects and overdrive to accomplish the gamut of sounds I need. For clean stuff, I just back a bit off on the volume. Each note is defined and there is a really nice chimey high-end with plenty of sweet mid range to keep your guitar from sounding brittle and two dimensional. For rythm I may use my TS-9 or Fulldrive2 with the volume back a little. The sounds are clear but fat. Here is where I wish I could work in a switch to channel two, but I'm still working on that. [In the studio, you can monkey with every aspect of the amp to find cool sounds. Even the half power setting brings out a different character in the amp.] For lead tones, I flip my volume full tilt and maybe hit the boost switch on the Fulldrive. The tone is sweet and smooth with plenty of sustain and depth. I love how balanced the amp sounds so that low notes don't mush up and high notes don't pierce. This is the way an amp should sound!
Really what I think it boils down to is, a Fulldrive in front of a Vibroverb sounds cool, in front of the Matchless it is unbelievable. A TS-9 in front of a Twin sounds sweet, in front of the Matchless - its unbelievable. My D/C-30 sucks every bit of tone out of and compliments the sound of my guitars and effects better than any amp I have owned.
As a note, other reviewers have revealed and I totally agree, this is not a metal amp. It does not do the Boogie rectifier thing or the JCM-900 thing. You might be able to coax something fairly convincing out of it with the right pedal, but get a Marshall or Boogie if you want to do metal/shred.
I've only heard this amp with its stock speakers so I can't really comment on that aspect.

I use this amp without a backup all of the time. It runs hot, so tubes go bad quickly. Otherwise, its an 85lb tank - and I mean TANK.

I've emailed them questions and have received quick and thorough responses. I have to reduce points here because I ordered a cover for my amp and it never came. Apparently they changed contractors for the cover making and they got back ordered beyond recovery!

Overall, this amp has to be a 10. Of all the amps I've owned - Boogie, Fender, Marshall, Vox, and Hi-Watt (all of which have great things about them) this is easily the best sounding all around amp. Because I need a lot of sounds but can't drag along three or four amps and ten guitars, I need an amp that will deliver a solid, basic sound that my pedals can work with. The Matchless D/C-30 offers the tightest, most musical tone I've heard from an amp. I can't count how many times people have asked me what I'm using to get the sounds I get - believe me I don't thinks it has to do as much with my playing as it has to do with my amp. I know there are lots of great amps out there - I haven't had the luxury of trying them all. But I would recommend the DC to anyone, everytime.

The DC30 is a very loud 30 watt combo which could easily play along side of a 50 or 60 watt tube amp. It has two channels: the first channel is the "clean" channel, and is controlled by volume, bass and treble pots. It is important to note that any change to these controls greatly affects the tone of the amp. The second channel is a high gain affair with a five position tone switch. The DC30 also has a master volume and cut control. The cut is like a reverse presense control for both channels. However when the push/pull master volume control is activated, the cut control has a very subtle affect. My 1994 DC30 came with an effects loop, but I never use it. I prefer to use a tube reverb between the guitar and amp. The tone seems beefier to me.The amp has a half power switch which cuts out two of the four EL84's. This is a valuable tool, because it allows the power tube section to be driven harder rather than going for the master volume option for over drive. There is also a switch in the back to reverse the phase of the speakers. This would be another tone option when using two amps at the same time; one amp would have the speakers going back to front when the other amp has them going front to back. The DC 30 has no channel switching; one would have to use an AB box for that. There is quite a bit of difference in the volume level when switching between the two channels. The DC30 has two 12 inch Celestion speakers specially tweeked by Matchless. One speaker is rated 30 watts and the other 25. This gives you another tone option when miking the amp since the lower wattage speakers starts to distort sooner than the other. I hate to be like the other people reviewing this amp, but after searching for decades for "the amp", I would have to rate the Matchless DC30 a 10. It has all the features I need for my playing: blues, country, rock and gospel.

There are no bad tones on the DC30. I own many amps, and usually you can get two, maybe three usable tones. The Matchless has so many tone options, and it is true that there are no bad tones. Even in overdrive, the low end hold up no matter what combination of notes you play. There is a moderatly high ceiling on the clean side. You can get very playable clean mikeless volume for country (or whatever) small to medium club. But as you start to crank the volume, the Matchless really starts to do its thing. For me it has just the right amount of "flem" for blues and rock. I use the clean channel 90% of the time. I play primarily on my G & L ASAT Classic. The Matchless does a great blues thing with my American 60's Reissue Strat with Texas specials. On occasion I will play my Les Paul, and the Matchless seems to really like humbuckers. You would not use a DC30 for grunge or heavy metal and its derivatives. It doesn't do the major Marshall overdrive. To me, it has a very punchy, midrangey sound. It can do wonders on the high end as well. Being an all tube amp (four EL84's, three 12AX7's, one 6267 and two 5V4's) you will get some amp noise, especially with single coils. But certainly not enough to be bothersome.

I have never had any trouble with mine. I've played it nearly everyday for three years.

I have called their tech support with a few questions, and they have been great and took their time in answering. Once a chicken head control knob cracked at the set screw. Matchless promptly sent me several replacements. The DC30 has a lifetime warranty.

If I had to do it all overagain, I would go back to the Matchless. I am middle-aged and have been searching for most of my life for "The Amp." I think I have found it. It is fairly heavy; in the 1960's Twin Reverb category. When checking out this amp, I played the same guitar in the same area of the store through a Kendricks (Bassman clone), Mesa Boogie (Blue Angel and Tremoverb) and Vox AC30 reissue. The Matchless had the sound I wanted. Granted, this amp is expensive, but I think I have finally found an amp that meets all my expectations. It would be nice if it had reverb & tremolo.

Channel 1 of this amp does the vox thing incredibly well and then some, especially with humbuckers. Channel 2 is fat and complex, and is well matched with a strat. I'm giving it only an "9" for features since there's no reverb...but then again, why degrade the signal for a marginal little feature like reverb...if I wanted features, I would have bought a Fender "Twin" (by the way, I owned a Fender "Twin" model with dozens of features, and I spent all my time twiddling knobs trying to get usable tones out of it; take my advice and go with a simple amp that does one good tone...then use pedals for variety).

For my music styles (blues, rock, alternative), I couldn't imagine a better amplifier. This amp really responds to your touch; if you want natural distortion then just play harder; if you want clean and jangly then just back off on your attack. I use both a LP and Strat with this amp, and both sound incredible.

This amp is built like a tank (I sound like a marketing guy for Matchless!). I run the hell out of this amp and it has never failed me...I've never even replaced the tubes. I always gig without a backup when I use the D/C-30.

I had some questions about the amp and called them; they were very responsive and took the time to make sure I was satisfied. This amp has a lifetime warranty.

This amp definitely was not cheap, but it blows away any amp I've ever heard...if you're not $$$ limited, then go for this amp; it's the best...even for the money it costs. I've used nearly all varieties of Fender, Marshall, Vox, Mesa, and VHT amps, and nothing can touch it.

Two Channel

This amp has headroom! I play country and I want to snap those low srings with no distortion.

Going on three years of weekend work with only tube replacement.

My other favorite is a Fender 65 Deluxe Reverb. I own a actual 65 Twin now and would trade for a actual 65 Deluxe Reverb if any one is interested.

In case you don't already know, the DC-30 is a 2-12" 30 watt "class A" all tube combo amp. It has 2 channels, but doesn't switch. You may find some units with a factory passive fixed effects loop (you have to look for 2 jacks inside the chassis). The two channels are voiced very differently. One channel has bass and treble knobs which are very interactive. The other channel has a 5 way selector switch which dials up all kinds of great tones. You can use a AB switch foot pedal to channel switch, if you must have that option. There is bypassable overall master volume via a push/pull switch for both channels. There is also a treble cut knob a la Vox. All the knobs dial up noticeable tonal variety. I bought my DC-30 used about 3 years ago. It has the thickest rhythm guitar sounds I have ever heard. There are two celestions that are voiced differently from each other, to factory specs. the sound is fat, warm, and can be really crunchy or shimmering clean. It is basically a modernized, state of the art, bulletproof Vox AC-30 that will not self-destruct. It does not do the Marshall thing at all, but if you overdrive the front end with a good pedal, the lead tones sing and it will crank and grind pretty well. It is the loudest 30 watt amp you will ever hear. I only use it with the half power switch kicked in. I understand this will drive a 4-12 bottom with no problem. It is probably best suited to classic rockers and country or blues, but it really doesn't have a bad sound in it..

I haven't gigged this amp, but it has performed flawlessly in my home studio for 2 years.

Because I bought it used I was concerned about the lifetime warranty being voided. At that time, the company policy was: whoever registers the amp is the warranty holder. If you buy one used try to get possession of the original owners paperwork, or register the amp with Matchless as the owner. Other than tubes, it is highly unlikely that you will ever need serious service.

The DC-30 is every bit as awesome as you have heard. I wish that their new stuff wasn't so very expensive, but I wouldn't hesitate to pounce on any used Matchless product at the right price!. If you see a used DC-30 anywhere near $1000. snap it up, you won't be sorry. *Note: There is some talk in certain circles about enhanced collectability of earlier (pre-Randall) models. The original owners sold out to Randall for a time, and now have taken the company back again. You might want to look into this, if that type of stuff is important to you. My amp is a "pre-Randall. The is a great review of this amp in a back issue of GP magazine. They raved. This was the first and probably the definitive Matchless amp. I remember the reviewers at GP saying something like..."Despite our best efforts, we were unable to coax any sounds out of this amp that were not outstanding"... or something to that effect. Normally, the novelty of an amp wears off after a time, but honestly, after several years, I still get thrills from the tone of this amp. It is very musical, which for me, is what it is all about.