NAM 2 Is Here… But Does It Really Matter in a Mix?

NAM 2 is here, and as expected, it has generated a lot of discussion in the guitar community.

More accuracy, improved capture technology, better dynamics — on paper, there are plenty of reasons to be excited about the evolution of Neural Amp Modeler.

But I wanted to ask a slightly different question:

Does it really matter when the guitar is sitting inside a full mix?

Instead of focusing on technical specifications or comparing tones in isolation, I decided to make two real-world mix tests.

In the video, you’ll hear guitar tones alongside drums and bass — exactly where they would normally live in an actual production.

The goal isn’t to prove that NAM 2 is better or worse, or that traditional amp modelling is obsolete. Quite the opposite.

I wanted to find out how significant these differences really are once we stop listening to the guitar by itself and start listening to the music as a whole.

Two Real Mix Tests

Both tests are designed around a simple idea: listen first.

Forget about the technology for a moment. Forget about what is newer, what is supposed to be more accurate, and what the internet says you should prefer.

Which one actually sounds better to you in the mix? And can you reliably tell the difference?

That is ultimately what interests me most as a guitarist and tone designer.

Modern modelling and capture technology have reached an incredibly high level. NAM, NAM 2 and today’s hardware modelers can all produce excellent results.

At some point, the question becomes less about which technology is technically superior and more about what inspires you to play and what works for the music.

Watch the Full Comparison

The best way to judge it is with your own ears.

Watch “NAM 2 Is Here… But Does It Really Matter in a Mix? | 2 Real Mix Tests” and let me know which tones you prefer — and whether NAM 2 makes a meaningful difference to you once everything is inside the mix.