NDSP Quad Cortex

[Orvillain]

Nothing wrong there, sir. We hear what we hear.

Yeah absolutely, we all hear and want different things. But I just took another listen.... the Dynamic Hall is smooth... but it feels like at all settings there is this filtering going on that quickly kills the high frequencies, even with dampening cranked wide open and the high-cut wide open... whereas on the QC you can hear I pluck a note and the high-frequency energy decays for a long time, carrying the note into the next chord in a very pleasing way.

I think this is the defining difference that I hear. The Helix reverbs don't decay away in a musically pleasing way for me. So it is probably less about smoothness, and more about clarity and musicality.

 

[mikah912]

Which (if any) NDSP plugins have a legit Spring reverb? I had assumed the Morgan suite would have one, but the description on their website is the same generic text as on most (all?) of their other plugins. ("An easy to use studio-grade reverb that covers everything from subtle reflections to infinite ethereal soundscapes.")

I think they modeled the tube spring reverb on the Morgan SW50 as part of their suite, but looks like it's only available in that amp block, not in the reverb block.

So, not even the plugins can deliver you from that wretched "spring" reverb. Blech....

 

[mbenigni]

Adding this new Fractal multi-effects to Helix, or QC, or Kemper, or your UA amp-stompo board, or your tubescreamer homage board, etc etc etc..... gonna be a winning combination!

Agree, but it's not for me. Life's too short to program MIDI integration between two multi-effects units, etc. etc. etc. I remember when I thought that sort of work was fun. The older (and busier) I get, the more that extra 20 minutes looks like somebody else's problem. Put it in one easy-to-use box, or I'll buy someone else's one easy-to-use box.

 

[mbenigni]

I think they modeled the tube spring reverb on the Morgan SW50 as part of their suite, but looks like it's only available in that amp block, not in the reverb block.

That is asinine.

 

[mikah912]

Yeah absolutely, we all hear and want different things. But I just took another listen.... the Dynamic Hall is smooth... but it feels like at all settings there is this filtering going on that quickly kills the high frequencies, even with dampening cranked wide open and the high-cut wide open... whereas on the QC you can hear I pluck a note and the high-frequency energy decays for a long time, carrying the note into the next chord in a very pleasing way.

I think this is the defining difference that I hear. The Helix reverbs don't decay away in a musically pleasing way for me. So it is probably less about smoothness, and more about clarity and musicality.

Yeah, to my ears, the trails and modulation on Dynamic Hall are way more "musical" as you put it than anything I heard on QC when I owned it. To be fair, I think I jumped ship before the Mind Hall was added, but that's just my personal experience.

I love the Fractal reverbs above all, but honestly don't record with them at home much (I use them live a ton, and also when recording with my collective). I tend to just use Helix Native for ease, and their Dynamic and "Hot" reverb types get the job done for me.

 

[mbenigni]

The Helix reverbs don't decay away in a musically pleasing way for me.

This is exactly how I felt about the amp modeling after a short while.

 

[Orvillain]

I love the Fractal reverbs above all, but honestly don't record with them at home much (I use them live a ton, and also when recording with my collective). I tend to just use Helix Native for ease, and their Dynamic and "Hot" reverb types get the job done for me.

On TNBD's last album, all my reverbs were the BigSky. Then I sold it afterwards, and bought it again a year or two later. Then I started comparing it to the Axe3, and also Meris MercuryX, and all my love for it kind of vanished. I think sometimes we just get saturated and bored by certain sounds and need to move on.

My first ever pedal was an Ernie Ball volume pedal. My second ever pedal was a Boss RV-5, and even though the RV-5 doesn't really sound "good" by modern standards, it sounds musical and it is inspiring to use. That is generally the thing I care about most.

Sold the BigSky again btw!! Won't be going back!

 

[mikah912]

This is exactly how I felt about the amp modeling after a short while.

Similar to the reverbs, the amp sims have been of varying quality for me, but I have go-tos that just get the job done when recording at home:

Lagrange, GSG - All funk/blues/edge of breakup
Matchless Ch2 - Voxy stuff
Rockerverb 100, Line 6 2203 and Voltage - Crunch/Rock
Badonk, Revv Purple, ANGL Meteor - High gain

 

[deadpool_25]

Not dissing the QC but for me there is not enough tweakability to get whatever tone I'm after, I would be limited
While I'm sure its great for tune in a patch and wow it sounds great which is great, its just not my thing

I was assuming you'd tried one to make that statement. I'm not saying you should try one--no piece of gear is for everyone--but that's a strange statement without having tried one out. It's like saying you don't like a food when you've never tried it.

Regardless, if the Fractal stuff is working well for you, keep with that. Fractal is amazing.

At this point it comes down to the details on what will be best for a given person. All these things sound great.

 

[mbenigni]

Similar to the reverbs, the amp sims have been of varying quality for me, but I have go-tos that just get the job done when recording at home:

Lagrange, GSG - All funk/blues/edge of breakup
Matchless Ch2 - Voxy stuff
Rockerverb 100, Line 6 2203 and Voltage - Crunch/Rock
Badonk, Revv Purple, ANGL Meteor - High gain

Yep, most of those were on my short list as well. :)

 

[GTR37]

I think they modeled the tube spring reverb on the Morgan SW50 as part of their suite, but looks like it's only available in that amp block, not in the reverb block.

So, not even the plugins can deliver you from that wretched "spring" reverb. Blech....

They will fix it
I think the Morgan amp one is decent so I suspect they will convert that to a block at some point

 

[mikah912]

They will fix it
I think the Morgan amp one is decent so I suspect they will convert that to a block at some point

I bank on that as much as I bank on the Singularity reverb showing up "any update now".....

 

[Orvillain]

I bank on that as much as I bank on the Singularity reverb showing up "any update now".....

It is weird right.... effects DSP doesn't have the same timeline that the amp models do. Telling me in 3 years they couldn't finish the DSP for these additional delays and reverbs?? Something is fishy there. Maybe their regular DSP guy left and all they have is some badly commented MATLAB code???

I could do a Boss Slow Gear algorithm in Max/MSP in an evening!!!

 

[mbenigni]

I bank on that as much as I bank on the Singularity reverb showing up "any update now".....

I'm not holding my breath, but I agree with GTR37 that it's a likely outcome. The conversion of the plugins for "QC compatibility" entails breaking down some of the functionality into smaller blocks already, so it would make sense for NDSP to do what he's describing.

And that's my quota of optimism for the day. :)

 

[mikah912]

It is weird right.... effects DSP doesn't have the same timeline that the amp models do. Telling me in 3 years they couldn't finish the DSP for these additional delays and reverbs?? Something is fishy there. Maybe their regular DSP guy left and all they have is some badly commented MATLAB code???

I could do a Boss Slow Gear algorithm in Max/MSP in an evening!!!

They have added reverbs and mods after launch. But I suspect those particular "spacey" reverbs were nothing more than names picked out of a hat (or a more unsightly orifice) to make their product sound well-rounded prior to launch.

They've shown no capacity in their plugins or hardware to create reverbs that in-depth.....so far, at least.

 

[Orvillain]

They have added reverbs and mods after launch. But I suspect those particular "spacey" reverbs were nothing more than names picked out of a hat (or a more unsightly orifice) to make their product sound well-rounded prior to launch.

They've shown no capacity in their plugins or hardware to create reverbs that in-depth.....so far, at least.

I genuinely hadn't thought of that possibility, but yes... maybe they just invented some cool sounding shit to help sell during the pre-ordering stage. I can well believe it, having worked at ROLI where executives and product management would just invent any old shit to please investors.

The QC is great, and I do dig it. But I'm not particularly fond of the company and how they operate - I think chances are there are good guys and gals working on the front lines, but that the executive team are swanning about the planet in business class, spending 60-70% of the company budget on frivolous nonsense. Seen it before, sure I'll see it again.

 

[mbenigni]

They have added reverbs and mods after launch. But I suspect those particular "spacey" reverbs were nothing more than names picked out of a hat (or a more unsightly orifice) to make their product sound well-rounded prior to launch.

To be fair, all such names are plucked out of thin air. (What is the sound of one "Ganymede" clapping?) Always assume that any "original" content that isn't actually shipped is vaporware. No one's going to be able to stand up and say, "Hey, this isn't the 'Singularity Reverb' we were promised!" NDSP can hang that tag on any algorithm they please... if and when the time ever comes.

They've shown no capacity in their plugins or hardware to create reverbs that in-depth.....so far, at least.

I don't think I'd agree with this. They've managed to code a few good sounding reverbs. More "in-depth" reverbs are usually a matter of embedding additional modulation and/or feedback behaviors, and there's evidence in the QC library that they can handle that, too.

They just can't seem to hold to a schedule is all.

 

[GTR37]

I bank on that as much as I bank on the Singularity reverb showing up "any update now".....

Oh I didn’t say when

 

[Orvillain]

lol. Little bit of ChatGPT, and we have a prototype running in Python. WHAT'S THE BIG PROBLEM HUH!?!?!

 

[GTR37]

I genuinely hadn't thought of that possibility, but yes... maybe they just invented some cool sounding shit to help sell during the pre-ordering stage. I can well believe it, having worked at ROLI where executives and product management would just invent any old shit to please investors.

The QC is great, and I do dig it. But I'm not particularly fond of the company and how they operate - I think chances are there are good guys and gals working on the front lines, but that the executive team are swanning about the planet in business class, spending 60-70% of the company budget on frivolous nonsense. Seen it before, sure I'll see it again.

Just say it
You mean feature films

I cannot imagine the cost of that