NDSP Quad Cortex

Achilles said:
You say this like it's a bad thing. What you refer to as training wheels I'd label as a ridiculously efficient and easy UI.
Click to expand...
It's the opposite of efficient. Quad Cortex UI is efficient, while still being pretty easy to understand for newcomers despite its more abstract graphics.

Example preset:

IN - [Comp] - [Drive] - [Mod] - [Amp] - [Cab] - [Delay] - [Reverb] - OUT

Scenario:

"I want to edit my Amp block settings, then I find out I now need to adjust my Drive block to compensate. Oh and now I want to adjust the reverb mix a bit."

TMP:
  1. Tap Amp block.
  2. Wait for it to zoom in.
  3. Turn knobs.
  4. Swipe to Mod.
  5. Swipe to Drive.
  6. Turn knobs.
  7. Tap outside the block.
  8. Wait for it to zoom out.
  9. Tap Reverb block.
  10. Wait for it to zoom in.
  11. Turn knobs.
Alternatively on TMP:
  1. Tap Amp block.
  2. Wait for it to zoom in.
  3. Turn knobs.
  4. Tap outside the block.
  5. Wait for it to zoom out to the grid.
  6. Tap Drive block.
  7. Wait for it to zoom in.
  8. Turn knobs.
  9. Tap outside the block.
  10. Tap Reverb block.
  11. Wait for it to zoom in.
  12. Turn knobs.

QC:
  1. Tap Amp block.
  2. Turn knobs.
  3. Tap Drive block.
  4. Turn knobs.
  5. Tap Reverb block.
  6. Turn knobs.
Now you might say "eh, who cares about having to wait a bit for those zooms" or "meh, that's just a few more steps to swipe between blocks". But when you do this enough, it adds up, without really having any benefit to being like that.

QC lets you access any block in the preset with one tap, that's why it's pretty damn fast for general editing, which is IMO the one thing where being fast and efficient makes for a more pleasant experience. Plus all the UIs are pretty similar so there's less need to reorient yourself to looking at a very different pedal or amp UI.

The TMP of course has good bits like the scribble strips making it easier to mentally map function and knob. I just think it could use some "power user" oriented tweaks to make it faster to operate. There's plenty of space on the screen so it could just have e.g a row of controls at the bottom while still showing the grid like QC does.

Tell Me More To Do List GIF by Disney Channel
 
laxu said:
It's the opposite of efficient. Quad Cortex UI is efficient, while still being pretty easy to understand for newcomers despite its more abstract graphics.

Example preset:

IN - [Comp] - [Drive] - [Mod] - [Amp] - [Cab] - [Delay] - [Reverb] - OUT

Scenario:

"I want to edit my Amp block settings, then I find out I now need to adjust my Drive block to compensate. Oh and now I want to adjust the reverb mix a bit."

TMP:
  1. Tap Amp block.
  2. Wait for it to zoom in.
  3. Turn knobs.
  4. Swipe to Mod.
  5. Swipe to Drive.
  6. Turn knobs.
  7. Tap outside the block.
  8. Wait for it to zoom out.
  9. Tap Reverb block.
  10. Wait for it to zoom in.
  11. Turn knobs.
Alternatively on TMP:
  1. Tap Amp block.
  2. Wait for it to zoom in.
  3. Turn knobs.
  4. Tap outside the block.
  5. Wait for it to zoom out to the grid.
  6. Tap Drive block.
  7. Wait for it to zoom in.
  8. Turn knobs.
  9. Tap outside the block.
  10. Tap Reverb block.
  11. Wait for it to zoom in.
  12. Turn knobs.

QC:
  1. Tap Amp block.
  2. Turn knobs.
  3. Tap Drive block.
  4. Turn knobs.
  5. Tap Reverb block.
  6. Turn knobs.
Now you might say "eh, who cares about having to wait a bit for those zooms" or "meh, that's just a few more steps to swipe between blocks". But when you do this enough, it adds up, without really having any benefit to being like that.

QC lets you access any block in the preset with one tap, that's why it's pretty damn fast for general editing, which is IMO the one thing where being fast and efficient makes for a more pleasant experience. Plus all the UIs are pretty similar so there's less need to reorient yourself to looking at a very different pedal or amp UI.

The TMP of course has good bits like the scribble strips making it easier to mentally map function and knob. I just think it could use some "power user" oriented tweaks to make it faster to operate. There's plenty of space on the screen so it could just have e.g a row of controls at the bottom while still showing the grid like QC does.
Click to expand...
Yeah the touchscreen on the TMP seems like a big waste when it's still so clunky. I've already made my clunky bed of choice :ROFLMAO:
 
laxu said:
It's the opposite of efficient. Quad Cortex UI is efficient, while still being pretty easy to understand for newcomers despite its more abstract graphics.

Example preset:

IN - [Comp] - [Drive] - [Mod] - [Amp] - [Cab] - [Delay] - [Reverb] - OUT

Scenario:

"I want to edit my Amp block settings, then I find out I now need to adjust my Drive block to compensate. Oh and now I want to adjust the reverb mix a bit."

TMP:
  1. Tap Amp block.
  2. Wait for it to zoom in.
  3. Turn knobs.
  4. Swipe to Mod.
  5. Swipe to Drive.
  6. Turn knobs.
  7. Tap outside the block.
  8. Wait for it to zoom out.
  9. Tap Reverb block.
  10. Wait for it to zoom in.
  11. Turn knobs.
Alternatively on TMP:
  1. Tap Amp block.
  2. Wait for it to zoom in.
  3. Turn knobs.
  4. Tap outside the block.
  5. Wait for it to zoom out to the grid.
  6. Tap Drive block.
  7. Wait for it to zoom in.
  8. Turn knobs.
  9. Tap outside the block.
  10. Tap Reverb block.
  11. Wait for it to zoom in.
  12. Turn knobs.

QC:
  1. Tap Amp block.
  2. Turn knobs.
  3. Tap Drive block.
  4. Turn knobs.
  5. Tap Reverb block.
  6. Turn knobs.
Now you might say "eh, who cares about having to wait a bit for those zooms" or "meh, that's just a few more steps to swipe between blocks". But when you do this enough, it adds up, without really having any benefit to being like that.

QC lets you access any block in the preset with one tap, that's why it's pretty damn fast for general editing, which is IMO the one thing where being fast and efficient makes for a more pleasant experience. Plus all the UIs are pretty similar so there's less need to reorient yourself to looking at a very different pedal or amp UI.

The TMP of course has good bits like the scribble strips making it easier to mentally map function and knob. I just think it could use some "power user" oriented tweaks to make it faster to operate. There's plenty of space on the screen so it could just have e.g a row of controls at the bottom while still showing the grid like QC does.

Tell Me More To Do List GIF by Disney Channel
Click to expand...
Have you considered having a UI discussion w the fine folks at Fender

Seriously you always have some great ideas
 
laxu said:
It's the opposite of efficient. Quad Cortex UI is efficient, while still being pretty easy to understand for newcomers despite its more abstract graphics.

QC:
  1. Tap Amp block.
  2. Turn knobs.
  3. Tap Drive block.
  4. Turn knobs.
  5. Tap Reverb block.
  6. Turn knobs.
Now you might say "eh, who cares about having to wait a bit for those zooms" or "meh, that's just a few more steps to swipe between blocks". But when you do this enough, it adds up, without really having any benefit to being like that.

QC lets you access any block in the preset with one tap, that's why it's pretty damn fast for general editing, which is IMO the one thing where being fast and efficient makes for a more pleasant experience. Plus all the UIs are pretty similar so there's less need to reorient yourself to looking at a very different pedal or amp UI.

The TMP of course has good bits like the scribble strips making it easier to mentally map function and knob. I just think it could use some "power user" oriented tweaks to make it faster to operate. There's plenty of space on the screen so it could just have e.g a row of controls at the bottom while still showing the grid like QC does.
Click to expand...

Only thing with the QC that's a bit annoying is if you have two rows, you have to tap the free space in the path to exit.

It would also be great to be able to have labels or something on the grid to show what the device is, but that's not common for modelers (maybe only Fender and Headrush have that?) For example, if I stack three overdrives, a Klon, a BB, and a Nobels, they all look the same in the path for QC, Helix, and Fractal. But that's a bit minor.
 
Im gonna do some “preproduction” recordings…and I want to be able to use what I do for the final product…so I want to record a DI track via USB I can reamp later
Set up is working…but I got a tiny bit of noise…not hiss, not hum…but a high pitched digital tone…I got that with Kemper also when I connected the USB…so not unique for QC..before the “powersupplypolice” kick in ;)

Any known fixes? Usbnoisebusters?

The setup is great btw..record Di track…output that to usb 5, set that as a 2nd input on the QC…and you reamp realtime…through my guitar cabs ;)
 
AFKAEjay said:
Im gonna do some “preproduction” recordings…and I want to be able to use what I do for the final product…so I want to record a DI track via USB I can reamp later
Set up is working…but I got a tiny bit of noise…not hiss, not hum…but a high pitched digital tone…I got that with Kemper also when I connected the USB…so not unique for QC..before the “powersupplypolice” kick in ;)

Any known fixes? Usbnoisebusters?

The setup is great btw..record Di track…output that to usb 5, set that as a 2nd input on the QC…and you reamp realtime…through my guitar cabs ;)
Click to expand...
Are you talking about in the recording or just idle
QC has a lot of unwanted noise around the 6k mark
I had suggested this to another owner and he said that it helped a good bit
Para Q around 6000khz to 6600 sweep that range and kill the offensive points
 
The thing I don’t under stand about porting plug in and programmer help me out here

Would it not be possible or easier to just create an application like a Fractal bot
Let call it Xtractor, that basically your customers download the utility and it allows them to take any X plugins released and extract and save them as QC user blocks
That was you don’t have to first get plug in to X and then wait for a software update
Surely they could design a program to do this and save a step ?
 
GTR37 said:
The thing I don’t under stand about porting plug in and programmer help me out here

Would it not be possible or easier to just create an application like a Fractal bot
Let call it Xtractor, that basically your customers download the utility and it allows them to take any X plugins released and extract and save them as QC user blocks
That was you don’t have to first get plug in to X and then wait for a software update
Surely they could design a program to do this and save a step ?
Click to expand...
Honestly I dont like how Cab Lab (something I think that is similar to what you referenced here) is separate from the fractal device and I think it would cause the same problems if the QC went this route. Making the plugin amps and effects as full blocks seems to be the best method imo

Cab Lab is nice but it sucks having to go back and forth to make changes which I imagine you would have to do with your idea
 
Mongillo19 said:
Honestly I dont like how Cab Lab (something I think that is similar to what you referenced here) is separate from the fractal device and I think it would cause the same problems if the QC went this route. Making the plugin amps and effects as full blocks seems to be the best method imo

Cab Lab is nice but it sucks having to go back and forth to make changes which I imagine you would have to do with your idea
Click to expand...
I mean technically no , you would get your Soldano X plug in let’s say and then you would just extract and convert the blocks for the Qc
Then you could close the plug-in and just upload the block like you would captures you bought

Ahhh I think I see where you are going with this …. QC cannot save blocks to folders or your computer you have to use cloud
That’s likely the stupid snag you can’t save anything locally on your computer and the plug-in are I locked
 
GTR37 said:
Are you talking about in the recording or just idle
QC has a lot of unwanted noise around the 6k mark
I had suggested this to another owner and he said that it helped a good bit
Para Q around 6000khz to 6600 sweep that range and kill the offensive points
Click to expand...
Like I said…it’s typical usb noise…not something thats typical for the QC.
After some further testing…when I keep reamping in the digital domain….it doesn’t make the recording…so it seems to only affect the analog outputs….but it’s annoying cause that’s what I monitor ;)

I really don’t want to use EQs to get rid of noise as a default…bad starting point.
 
GTR37 said:
The thing I don’t under stand about porting plug in and programmer help me out here

Would it not be possible or easier to just create an application like a Fractal bot
Let call it Xtractor, that basically your customers download the utility and it allows them to take any X plugins released and extract and save them as QC user blocks
That was you don’t have to first get plug in to X and then wait for a software update
Surely they could design a program to do this and save a step ?
Click to expand...
Different architectures so whatever NDSP does, the QC version and plugin version just share code at best but are most likely their own things. I guess they have worked on updating them to work somehow with mostly same code on both platforms so it's easy for NDSP to port plugins in the future. This is the sort of groundwork that can be painstakingly long and painful to do early on, but will save your ass later.
 
OK I wasn't trying to make a joke haha. Was genuinely curious. I saw they said it was coming but someone just made a comment on sso that made it sound like it was still coming so I didn't know.
 
I wish Fractal would use that USB-A port on the FM3 for USB file transfers between units (no PC required). TMP got it right with that, and so did Kemper.
 
Axe FXIII and former Kemper user here.

I’m quite curious about the Quad Cortex. I didn’t jump on the pre-order bandwagon, and from what I’ve seen online, it seems like the company has a long way to go to keep its promises.

That said, I’ve been noticing a lot of pros musicians using the device of late, the shortcomings be damned.

My interest has also been piqued by the coming (soon haha!) plugin capabilities. I’ve never tried the Neural plugins, but what I’ve heard online and the good reviews online tell me that whenever they finally port the plugins, the tones on the unit will be vastly improved.

Just might take the plunge. I could use a tiny unit that I can easily carry around, perhaps just for jams if it isn’t as good as I hope it will be.

Would also make a nifty backup for the Axe FX.
 
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