NDSP Quad Cortex

[GTR37]

Thing is, we have yet to see how neural plans on rolling out updates for QC in parallel with plugins.

There is a world where the only way you get a usable spring reverb is by buying the Morgan suite, for example. So yes, core tones are absolutely covered, but add in sparse effects that seem to be only available in plugin form and imo just the principle that they marketed very strongly about plugin integration, it needs to be done.

Is it a waste of resources at this point? Probably. I think there are areas of improvement outside of plug in integration but they did this to themselves

They honestly should just port and replace the spring if it’s that bad , they are obviously not against doing that because they replaced the original SLO , the original Flanger and it looks like transpose coming in the next update might be a better pitch shifter

Regarding amp models already in QC from the plug ins I agree 100% there maybe be some gaps but

Gojira is EVH red 5153 34
Plini HiGain is HBE
Nolly crunch is the 2203 clean Shiva
Rabea has got to be the Kraken

 

[laxu]

With capture functionality I never missed not having that many amp models when I had the QC on release.

The real concern is effects because you can't add those. IMO there were several subpar ones at release. At least the Klon you could replace with a capture instead.

But it's not like the plugins are necessarily fantastic for effects. The Petrucci plugin's shimmer reverb used in one of the reverb sounds is crap compared to what I get from Fractal or my Strymon Nightsky.

 

[GTR37]

I'd put money on @GTR37 predictions. He's called a few in the past.

Aww thanks man
But this one is not to hard to predict
Doug likes money and there is a hole in the market between the stomp and FM3
He has also proven to be very observant to wish lists of competition, people have been asking for a smaller Helix or FM with more power for years

 

[Mongillo19]

Doug likes money and there is a hole in the market between the stomp and FM3

Who doesn't though

 

[Jarick]

That’s really cool thanks for doing that
So it looks like around 10 blocks of the 16 on 1 path you can use if you choose 2 amps give or take if your effect are less like eq or gate
That’s a good starting point

From what I can tell the CPU on a single path is close to both paths on the Helix, or two HX Stomps. Maybe not quite as high, but pretty close. It's definitely enough IMO to run a full rig worth of gear. I don't like the big spaceship pedalboards that require MIDI controllers to be able to switch 50 pedals on and off, so having two amps and half a dozen effects is pretty good to me.

My biggest question on a smaller QC is how it would be used. If there were only 3-4 switches, then you'd run into the issue like the HX Stomp or FM3 where there's not enough control, and then you're adding a MIDI controller or something. If you shrank it to the size of an HX Stomp, you may be giving up the awesome touchscreen which is a big draw. Also an HX Stomp can function as a replacement for several effects pedals, but the QC doesn't have the variety of effects like Line 6, so it wouldn't make as much sense from that standpoint. Or if you have to nerf the functionality like Kemper did with the Player, it's less compelling.

I dunno, maybe they can release a unit with half the size and power and do integration with an iPad for responsive touch controls and you don't feel like you give anything up?

Something interesting, and a good thing, is that I haven’t seen anywhere the amount of failed unit posts in the last couple months. A couple blue lights of death and the start up noise issue, maybe 3-4 total. HUGE difference from the entirety of last year.

I’m very curious what changed, or if they just had to burn through all the units with shitty parts to hit even ground. I couldn’t imagine the software would cause failures like that, but that’s the only difference.

I bought mine used and it was a concern, but I did buy it from an extremely reputable member of another forum that had been around for years and I had met in person previously as he's local. Part of why I got a good deal on it I suppose, no worries about shipping or paying Reverb fees when you're in person.

Anyways, I'm not too worried about the quality for home use, but for live I would be a little nervous. It's not as robust feeling as something like a Fractal or Helix device. That's not to say it's flimsy, but the design is much more sleek like a Macbook, and less something I want to step on with boots.

If I were going to be using this thing live, I'd definitely be mounting it on a pedalboard, adding one of those plexiglass shields and pedal toppers, and wiring it up with a Cioks power supply. Like Plini's setup plus some additional protection:

 

[GTR37]

From what I can tell the CPU on a single path is close to both paths on the Helix, or two HX Stomps. Maybe not quite as high, but pretty close. It's definitely enough IMO to run a full rig worth of gear. I don't like the big spaceship pedalboards that require MIDI controllers to be able to switch 50 pedals on and off, so having two amps and half a dozen effects is pretty good to me.

My biggest question on a smaller QC is how it would be used. If there were only 3-4 switches, then you'd run into the issue like the HX Stomp or FM3 where there's not enough control, and then you're adding a MIDI controller or something. If you shrank it to the size of an HX Stomp, you may be giving up the awesome touchscreen which is a big draw. Also an HX Stomp can function as a replacement for several effects pedals, but the QC doesn't have the variety of effects like Line 6, so it wouldn't make as much sense from that standpoint. Or if you have to nerf the functionality like Kemper did with the Player, it's less compelling.

I dunno, maybe they can release a unit with half the size and power and do integration with an iPad for responsive touch controls and you don't feel like you give anything up?



I bought mine used and it was a concern, but I did buy it from an extremely reputable member of another forum that had been around for years and I had met in person previously as he's local. Part of why I got a good deal on it I suppose, no worries about shipping or paying Reverb fees when you're in person.

Anyways, I'm not too worried about the quality for home use, but for live I would be a little nervous. It's not as robust feeling as something like a Fractal or Helix device. That's not to say it's flimsy, but the design is much more sleek like a Macbook, and less something I want to step on with boots.

If I were going to be using this thing live, I'd definitely be mounting it on a pedalboard, adding one of those plexiglass shields and pedal toppers, and wiring it up with a Cioks power supply. Like Plini's setup plus some additional protection:

We will have to see what they do , I think Whiz example where they have 3 buttons / encoders , and then a bank up , bank down hold both for mode like the QC seems the most likely , they might shrink the screen slightly if it is one path so instead of a 7” screen use a 5 or 6 like Hotone , we will have to see
If it has the same power as a helix and the same functionality and GUI at a price point of 1000-1100
It will go over well I think

 

[laxu]

My biggest question on a smaller QC is how it would be used. If there were only 3-4 switches, then you'd run into the issue like the HX Stomp or FM3 where there's not enough control, and then you're adding a MIDI controller or something. If you shrank it to the size of an HX Stomp, you may be giving up the awesome touchscreen which is a big draw. Also an HX Stomp can function as a replacement for several effects pedals, but the QC doesn't have the variety of effects like Line 6, so it wouldn't make as much sense from that standpoint. Or if you have to nerf the functionality like Kemper did with the Player, it's less compelling.

The Hotone Ampero II Stomp is not much larger than the HX Stomp, in fact it's almost exactly the size of half a QC if you rotate the pedal sideways. Still has a decent size touchscreen. Dual Cortex could just have more encoders packed in instead of the 3 knobs + 3 footswitches the Ampero does.

You don't need that big a touchscreen if the UI is designed well. The one on my Luminite Graviton M1 is 3.5" and I have no trouble operating that.

 

[Jarick]

The Hotone Ampero II Stomp is not much larger than the HX Stomp, in fact it's almost exactly the size of half a QC if you rotate the pedal sideways. Still has a decent size touchscreen. Dual Cortex could just have more encoders packed in instead of the 3 knobs + 3 footswitches the Ampero does.

You don't need that big a touchscreen if the UI is designed well. The one on my Luminite Graviton M1 is 3.5" and I have no trouble operating that.

I had the Headrush MX5 with the tiny little touchscreen and while it was not terrible, I really wanted to have knobs to use along side it because adjusting settings was not fun at all. I'm sure it can be done well, just makes me skeptical.

Although if they had the rotary switches that would be an improvement.

 

[GTR37]

The Hotone Ampero II Stomp is not much larger than the HX Stomp, in fact it's almost exactly the size of half a QC if you rotate the pedal sideways. Still has a decent size touchscreen. Dual Cortex could just have more encoders packed in instead of the 3 knobs + 3 footswitches the Ampero does.

You don't need that big a touchscreen if the UI is designed well. The one on my Luminite Graviton M1 is 3.5" and I have no trouble operating that.

So what are you thinking Laxu?
Hotone Ampero stomp size or slightly larger
With six switches underneath
Volume on the back
5” touchscreen

 

[Whizzinby]

If they chopped a row of footswitches off it still leaves 4 footswitches A-D plus two page switches.

Imo having both a 4fs dual and an 8fs quad is fine. Your aren’t going to be able to release 37 different versions to accommodate every persons preferred footswitch layout and midi switches are small and cheap these days if you have really specific needs.

If the 3-4fs could also have dual inputs (short vs long tap) You could still have 6-8 scenes easily accessible per preset without having to add another midi controller.

 

[JiveTurkey]

 

[GTR37]

If they chopped a row of footswitches off it still leaves 4 footswitches A-D plus two page switches.

Imo having both a 4fs dual and an 8fs quad is fine. Your aren’t going to be able to release 37 different versions to accommodate every persons preferred footswitch layout and midi switches are small and cheap these days if you have really specific needs.

If the 3-4fs could also have dual inputs (short vs long tap) You could still have 6-8 scenes easily accessible per preset without having to add another midi controller.

That brings us back to this or something close that the original guy mocked up so you basically have a stomp XL in a more compact package

 

[Whizzinby]

That brings us back to this or something close that the original guy mocked up so you basically have a stomp XL in a more compact package
View attachment 20800

Yep, or even more simple, take the existing QC and “simply” remove the bottom row. Same width, same IO, but shorter and half the horsepower.

 

[laxu]

So what are you thinking Laxu?
Hotone Ampero stomp size or slightly larger
With six switches underneath
Volume on the back
5” touchscreen

That would be pretty sweet. 4 switches sounds more plausible though if you want some proper spacing between them.

I had the Headrush MX5 with the tiny little touchscreen and while it was not terrible, I really wanted to have knobs to use along side it because adjusting settings was not fun at all. I'm sure it can be done well, just makes me skeptical.

Although if they had the rotary switches that would be an improvement.

Yeah encoders are essential.

It's always easier to augment these things with more footswitches whereas adding more knobs is just terrible on any modeler on the market.

 

[laxu]

Made some quick mockups in Affinity Designer 2. On top is the two DC's layered over the QC, which is drawn based on a pic of the real thing.

Dual Cortex 1 is like the QC, but with bottom row + 2 side switches chopped off, volume knob size reduced but the screen size kept the same.

Dual Cortex 2 is if you shrunk down the screen. 4 switches at the bottom is too cramped to use, but 3+1 might work.

 

[GTR37]

View attachment 20806
Made some quick mockups in Affinity Designer 2. On top is the two DC's layered over the QC, which is drawn based on a pic of the real thing.

Dual Cortex 1 is like the QC, but with bottom row + 2 side switches chopped off, volume knob size reduced but the screen size kept the same.

Dual Cortex 2 is if you shrunk down the screen. 4 switches at the bottom is too cramped to use, but 3+1 might work.

I like the Dual 1 design
Only issue is those 2 side switches are allowing you the combo to get the mode
And bank up and down
The original QC does not have tap/ hold functionality
That’s why I think that mock up I posted above may be close because that would give
4 presets , 4 scenes 4 stomps
With the combo switch
Plus bank up / down and hold for tuner

At any rate it fun to speculate
But I fear we will turn this thread into the monster Fractal reset thread lol
But all ideas are cool and thanks to all the owners for the insight as to CPU etc
I honestly bought one when it was first released w the coffee table book but a lot has changed since then so I would definitely be interested in checking it out again

 

[namathan_zirwir]

View attachment 20806
Made some quick mockups in Affinity Designer 2. On top is the two DC's layered over the QC, which is drawn based on a pic of the real thing.

Dual Cortex 1 is like the QC, but with bottom row + 2 side switches chopped off, volume knob size reduced but the screen size kept the same.

Dual Cortex 2 is if you shrunk down the screen. 4 switches at the bottom is too cramped to use, but 3+1 might work.

Dual Cortex 1 looks perfect. Love it

 

[Mongillo19]

I could try. Yeah I'll do that and report back.

Any luck?

 

[Jynx]

Any luck?

Still haven't got around to it.

 

[Los-D]

View attachment 20806
Made some quick mockups in Affinity Designer 2. On top is the two DC's layered over the QC, which is drawn based on a pic of the real thing.

Dual Cortex 1 is like the QC, but with bottom row + 2 side switches chopped off, volume knob size reduced but the screen size kept the same.

Dual Cortex 2 is if you shrunk down the screen. 4 switches at the bottom is too cramped to use, but 3+1 might work.

Nice

Also, can we get an FM0 thread started? Would love to see some FAS mockups…

EDIT: btw, if I were NDSP I would skip on new SKUs until they had the QC issues sorted out. Seems like something other more mature companies should do instead. But I’m not them so maybe we will see a smaller NDSP device after all.