Sonicake Pocket Master - Worth It?

Sonicake Pocket Master – Tiny Box, Big Surprises

The Sonicake Pocket Master has been getting a fair bit of buzz since its release—and for good reason. As I mention in the video, it’s basically a mini, battery-powered version of the Matribox. That’s no small thing. The Matribox was already a great bit of budget-friendly kit, and a brilliant tool for practice. The Pocket Master manages to do about 80% of what the Matribox did, but in a smaller, more convenient form factor.

And honestly? You won’t miss the few amps and effects that didn’t make the cut. There’s still plenty here to keep your tone options fresh and your practice sessions productive.

Now, in the demo I mentioned a bit of software for the Pocket Master, and I want to clarify that a little. What I said was partly true: the software I used allows you to apply firmware updates (more on this in a sec) and import files. Originally, the Pocket Master shipped with firmware that let you load up to five impulse responses (IRs) for guitar cabs. Pretty solid on its own.

But here’s where it gets exciting—once you install the latest firmware update, you unlock the feature everyone’s been talking about: NAM file support.

There’s also a companion app for iOS and Android that opens up even more functionality. I’ll dig into that in a future post, but for now, let’s talk NAM.

NAM Profiles: The Game-Changer

The big reason the guitar community has taken notice of the Pocket Master is its support for NAM files—short for Neural Amp Modeler. Think of it as a kind of open-source alternative to the profiling tech you’d find in something like a Kemper. Is it as detailed or refined as a Kemper profile? Of course not. But let’s be real—you’re not dropping a grand here.

In my initial demo, I said that NAM’s limitations felt appropriate for the price point, rather than being disappointing. But since recording that video, I’ve had the chance to try out more NAM profiles… and I’ve got to say, this little box has exceeded my expectations. It still isn’t Kemper-level, but it sounds far better than a £50, battery-powered amp modeller has any right to.

What’s Next?

I’m seriously considering curating a few choice NAM profiles to help new Pocket Master users get the best possible start. If that’s something you’d find useful, drop a comment and let me know!

Pocket master affiliate link

https://www.sonicake.com/products/pocket-master?sca_ref=1425095.S0avGvl0i2

Matribox affiliate link

https://www.sonicake.com/products/matribox?sca_ref=1425095.S0avGvl0i2

Use code budgetpedalchap for a discount too