NDSP Quad Cortex

[2dor]

QC is a little over 1/3 of Helix LT? Wow, I knew it was small, but not that much :O

Edit: just saw a size comparison. Impressive.
View attachment 25143

Yeah - can't beat the QC form-factor to be honest.

 

[Sedaxel]

Yeah - can't beat the QC form-factor to be honest.

I guess I agree for the majority of users... BUT, as a personal taste, for me it´s a bad form factor.

It´s too small to be used as an only-one unit (footswitches too cramped).

It´s too big to be used as a pedalboard integration unit.

Again... just my personal taste. I would´ve much preferred it a little larger.

 

[laxu]

I guess I agree for the majority of users... BUT, as a personal taste, for me it´s a bad form factor.

It´s too small to be used as an only-one unit (footswitches too cramped).

It´s too big to be used as a pedalboard integration unit.

Again... just my personal taste. I would´ve much preferred it a little larger.

I like it mainly because of the sheer amount of knob control in a relatively compact form factor. I do agree it's not necessarily the best unit for pedalboard integration, but I like it as a compromise over behemoth boards like the Helix LT/Floor.

For any modeler on the market it's very easy to replace the footswitching with either manufacturer proprietary footswitches like Helix Control, Fractal FC6/12, or just use a MIDI controller you like. All of them support this pretty decently.

By comparison adding more physical knobs to a modeler works like shit on every single modeler out there. It's just not practical at all.

So I'd rather have the tradeoff be in footswitching than editing convenience. As a desktop/"on top of something" unit, QC is hard to beat.

 

[molul]

I guess I agree for the majority of users... BUT, as a personal taste, for me it´s a bad form factor.

It´s too small to be used as an only-one unit (footswitches too cramped).

It´s too big to be used as a pedalboard integration unit.

Again... just my personal taste. I would´ve much preferred it a little larger.

I agree that footswitches are a bit too close for me. Something between QC and Helix LT (closer to Helix) would be perfect for me.

I hope that, if Line6 ever gets to create a similar form factor for another Helix device, they don't copy that size 100%. Removing the exp pedal would be great for me, but I'd rather have the footswitches as currently, or just a bit closer.

 

[mbenigni]

I guess I agree for the majority of users... BUT, as a personal taste, for me it´s a bad form factor.

It´s too small to be used as an only-one unit (footswitches too cramped).

It´s too big to be used as a pedalboard integration unit.

Again... just my personal taste. I would´ve much preferred it a little larger.

Legitimate concerns, for sure. Making it a little larger with wider footswitch spacing (and maybe using that additional space for an internal PSU... TMP anyone?) would have been one solution. Alternately, leave the enclosure size the same, and remove one column of switches, spacing things out a bit. (You'd have to go back to the drawing board on some other UI considerations, though, having sacrificed two encoders.)

The QC really excels as a desktop unit IMO. You can throw it on a desk with a PC/Mac, and not much else, and have an incredibly usable home studio with a well-integrated control surface. It's also uncommonly easy to control with an external MIDI footswitch, e.g. el cheapo MIDI Captain.

I don't think its size is so terrible for pedalboard integration when you consider how much it can actually do (effects, amp/cab simulation, extensive routing, presets, etc.) in comparison with a couple of conventional stomps. But I agree you'd probably want an external footswitch solution in light of its own cramped switches.

 

[molul]

Actually, that's a question I'd like to ask to QC users: do you get used to the reduced footswitch spacing, or do you get used to paying more attention when switching?

 

[Thrifty]

I think one thing to note when pros use the device, it isn’t on the floor. They usually have it racked up somewhere, and then control it either with a laptop or with a larger midi controller.

Can’t offer any further insights. I have it on my desk as of now.

 

[Los-D]

Actually, that's a question I'd like to ask to QC users: do you get used to the reduced footswitch spacing, or do you get used to paying more attention when switching?

I have mine on my desk all the time. Have a midi controller under my desk to control it. I don’t play live anymore but if I did, I would treat it as a Kemper toaster or an FM0 and just use the controller.

I use the switches as knobs only, basically

 

[molul]

Well that's curious. I'd think you wouldn't use an external controller of the footswitches were good enough.

For pros, I'd understand it's for easy hot swapping while playing if there's any error.

 

[mbenigni]

Well that's curious. I'd think you wouldn't use an external controller of the footswitches were good enough.

For pros, I'd understand it's for easy hot swapping while playing if there's any error.

It's not a question of the footswitches not being good enough. It's a question of the encoders and the UI integration overall being too good to waste by putting it all on the floor. Meanwhile, adding a 2nd MIDI footcontroller that mimics exactly what the switches on the device do is a $175, near zero effort proposition.

(The funny thing about all of this is that the actual difference in spacing vs. e.g. an HX Stomp is only a couple of mm.)

At the end of the day, the QC is way too pretty to stomp on.

 

[molul]

At the end of the day, the QC is way too pretty to stomp on.

Lol. Fair enough

the actual difference in spacing vs. e.g. an HX Stomp is only a couple of mm

Are they bigger in Helix LT? Just out of curiosity.

 

[mbenigni]

Are they bigger in Helix LT? Just out of curiosity.

No idea. My Helix Floor has been on loan to a friend for a while. Can anyone else answer?

Comparing HX Stomp and QC spacing is a little apples and oranges, certainly, since one has 3 switches and the other has (gulp) 10. It's differentiating between those middle switches, and the top vs. the bottom row that'll get you in trouble on QC.

 

[Lysander]

It's differentiating between those middle switches, and the top vs. the bottom row that'll get you in trouble on QC.

+1. The horizontal footswitch spacing in the QC is just a tad closer than the HX Stomp/Helix/Helix LT, but that's not an issue. I kept accidentally hitting the upper row switches on mine.

 

[molul]

From the pictures, I'd say Helix footswitches horizontal spacing is 1-1'5cm bigger, and vertical is noticeably bigger, around a 35%.

 

[Los-D]

Reposting an old pic (no Stomp though)

 

[Los-D]

One more

 

[mbenigni]

View attachment 25155
One more

PSA: MIDI Commander =

 

[the swede]

I didn’t like the switches (on floor) on the QC when I tried a friends at a band practice place. Stomp and LT felt more “secure” or practical to hit the switches on. My guess it’s a practice thing. But I sure can understand if musicians place the QC somewhere else on a gig. For home playing I wouldn’t care though.
Oh, and the Stomp plus a two button switch and a dvp mini takes up the same kind of space as a QC. The QC is really small irl… imo… and all that.

 

[Los-D]

PSA: MIDI Commander =

For sure. Only in MIDI land do Captain and Pirate outrank Commander.

 

[Jarick]

I’m a home player only so it’s perfect for desktop use. Way better than having a separate computer editor fired up all the time.

If I were to use live I’d probably get some button toppers at least for the top row. QC plus 1-2 expression pedals. Keep it simple.