NDSP Quad Cortex

[Orvillain]

And my comments are all borne from frustration and mistrust, more or less. I was genuinely thinking about trying a QC again. Half my brain thinks that I could give it a go as an effects platform like I tried when I had it:

In theory, this would've been a great setup. Thinking back, the problems I had:

- Noise floor issues with external pedals and 4-cable method.
- Getting the correct levels through the pedals without adding noise seemed impossible; although I never tried the TRS cable thing that someone advised me to do.
- Sending midi commands in scene mode would also send the same ones in stomp mode. I don't know if they ever fixed that??
- Touchscreen was too unresponsive. I would regularly experience tapping on the screen would not register an event.
- Ground loop noises when combining with other gear. Resolvable by using a proper power supply, iirc.

The other half of my brain just thinks... well... they've not fixed any of this stuff, it is probably going to be exactly the same experience.

 

[mbenigni]

I mean, clearly not. Unless you're happy to settle for bullshit. Which is your call.

OMG I had to touch the screen twice. Such bullshit! This is fine:

 

[Orvillain]

OMG I had to touch the screen twice. Such bullshit! This is fine:

Do you want some pasta sauce with that straw??

 

[mbenigni]

Do you want some pasta sauce with that straw??

I don’t know what that’s supposed to mean. Your position seemed to be that “less than perfect” was unacceptable. My point is that perfect or otherwise, it is a significant improvement over the competition in many ways. (And it’s ironic to hear people complain about less than perfect UI after many in the same camp implied it was lazy, spoiled, etc. to suggest improvements in competitors’ UIs.)

I’m not trying to reduce this to a big pissing contest, either. I think a lot of points in your preceding post re: noise floor, etc. are legitimate in some configurations.

 

[Orvillain]

Your position seemed to be that “less than perfect” was unacceptable.

I clearly said:

"good enough" is simply not good enough.

That does not mean "less than perfect is unacceptable".

I don’t know what that’s supposed to mean.

It means you've created a strawman. No one here said anything about Fractal being better, or that their control mechanisms were perfect. If you could stop inventing things that you imagine people have said....

 

[Orvillain]

it is a significant improvement over the competition in many ways.

Also on this, I keep saying it, but no one is listening. When I owned the unit, I did not have this experience. It was actually a lot more frustrating to use than it really should have been. That's my experience. Does that count for nothing or something???

And it’s ironic to hear people complain about less than perfect UI after many in the same camp implied it was lazy, spoiled, etc. to suggest improvements in competitors’ UIs.

And on this, it might seem pedantic, but we are not talking about UI. We are talking about UX. User interface versus user experience. They are related, but also very different things.

Please find me a quote where I've called someone lazy or spoilt in response to them suggesting improvements for something. You won't find it. Because I never have.

 

[Achilles]

 

[deadpool_25]

I haven't had any issues with the touchscreen myself. Neither has my friend who uses his QC a lot more than I use mine. Anecdotal but maybe they have fixed that issue for the most part?

Regardless, if you tried it in the past and had some significant issues integrating it into your setup, yeah I'd think those issues would persist as I haven't heard of any fixes specifically addressing them. I also don't follow it that closely so they could have addressed them I guess.

Complex rigs like that one you posted about above can introduce complex issues of course. I'm guessing you did the troubleshooting stuff of building the rig one piece at a time to isolate issues. I've had some complex pedalboard setups over the years so I definitely understand the frustration.

 

[Achilles]

I haven't had any issues with the touchscreen myself. Neither has my friend who uses his QC a lot more than I use mine. Anecdotal but maybe they have fixed that issue for the most part?

The one I used every day for over a year was part of the initial 1,000 units and I had no issues at all with the screen.
Worked like a breeze.

* I don't consider having to occasionally repeat a tap or swipe as an issue with the unit.

 

[namathan_zirwir]

The touchscreen works fine. Very well, actually. Use it all the time. Maybe the folks having issues, have a bad unit.

 

[Orvillain]

A cursory google for "quad cortex touchscreen issues" will show that I'm not the only one who had a poor experience.

 

[Orvillain]

When I read stuff like this, and it only being 9 months ago, that really really REALLY puts me off buying another one.

Sod it... I'm just gonna stick with my amps and Axe3. Probably build out the single stomps collection again.

 

[Achilles]

A cursory google for "quad cortex touchscreen issues" will show that I'm not the only one who had a poor experience.

Same goes for the dreaded power supply issues.............

MOUNTAINS OUT OF MOLE HILLS.

Also, it's too fucking easy to pull shit from the interwebs to make gear look crappy.

 

[Orvillain]

Same goes for the dreaded power supply issues.............

MOUNTAINS OUT OF MOLE HILLS.

Do you downplay that issue because you've never played a show and just use the unit at home? Genuine question, not taking the piss. It seems to be the one issue you always laugh about.

We did a show back in 2021 when I had one, and our old 2nd guitarist had one. I wasn't using mine for the show though, I was using an amp and my Helix for effects. He was using a Duncan powerstage thing, and his QC. Horrible buzzing sound from the QC the entire set because of the power supply that shipped with the unit. I gave him a line isolator but it made no difference.

 

[JiveTurkey]

Do you downplay that issue because you've never played a show and just use the unit at home? Genuine question, not taking the piss. It seems to be the one issue you always laugh about.

We did a show back in 2021 when I had one, and our old 2nd guitarist had one. I wasn't using mine for the show though, I was using an amp and my Helix for effects. He was using a Duncan powerstage thing, and his QC. Horrible buzzing sound from the QC the entire set because of the power supply that shipped with the unit. I gave him a line isolator but it made no difference.

It's because Fractal.

 

[JiveTurkey]

See edited screenshot above

 

[AFKAEjay(retired)]

The QC hardware is fine. There are just too many (meaning: more than zero) states where 2 touches are required - e.g. one to close a modal editing pop up, and one to fire the control visible behind it.

Maybe I misunderstand….afaik..those are triggered by “hold” instead of double taps.

Only double tap I’m aware of is on/off of blocks from the mainstreen….or did I miss a bunch of functionality still ?:)

 

[Achilles]

Do you downplay that issue because you've never played a show and just use the unit at home?

No. I downplay the issue because I was in the electronics manufacturing industry for over 30 years and understand how this shit works.

Why is Neural still including the original PS with units 4 years later? Because no matter how loudly some want to shout about it, it's
simply not a problem worthy of attention based on the overall numbers.

The VAST majority of users don't have an issue with it so it has never been replaced. Which is the 100% correct way to deal with it.

 

[Achilles]

It's because Fractal.

100% correct. It's mostly just a portion of the FAS user base that feels threatened by NDSP so they have to run around with their hair on fire
screaming about awful power supplies and terrible touch screens.

It was annoying the first year or so. Now it's just ridiculously hilarious.

Keeps going and it'll enter the pathetic stage pretty soon.

 

[Orvillain]

No. I downplay the issue because I was in the electronics manufacturing industry for over 30 years and understand how this shit works.

Why is Neural still including the original PS with units 4 years later? Because no matter how loudly some want to shout about it, it's
simply not a problem worthy of attention based on the overall numbers.

The VAST majority of users don't have an issue with it so it has never been replaced. Which is the 100% correct way to deal with it.

This you?