NDSP Quad Cortex

[Jarick]

Already halfway done with the reamping of the Quad Cortex. This device is so fast to use and dial in and requires very little tweaking.

Really interested to hear how the sounds compare to the other modelers.

Also might I add the USB audio driver seems really good too, just like the Axe FX 3. Some are more fussy or require setup (or in Kemper's case crashes my computer).

 

[Achilles]

Really interested to hear how the sounds compare to the other modelers.

And whether or not you think the differences could be attributed to different source amps and/or parts tolerances between amps within the same production run.

 

[Stone]

Tone IS very subjective and I listen to a lot of Isolated guitar tracks and most tones of the guitar are lets just say less than stellar and can sound like ass, fizz and no bottom end whatsoever , but now put that in the mix and it's Like wow!! what a fucking tone

 

[Stone]

Lets listen to this and then in the Mix its Like wow really thats the same guitar ??



and



Woot !!

 

[kartikg3]

Tone IS very subjective and I listen to a lot of Isolated guitar tracks and most tones of the guitar are lets just say less than stellar and can sound like ass, fizz and no bottom end whatsoever , but now put that in the mix and it's Like wow!! what a fucking tone

This should be taped up top over every post and page and headers and footers of tgf lol. So true

 

[DrewJD82]

I was in Guitar Center yesterday and saw this sitting in the pedal case….

I’m tempted to take it home for a couple days to check out.

 

[GTR37]

I was in Guitar Center yesterday and saw this sitting in the pedal case….

View attachment 16398

I’m tempted to take it home for a couple days to check out.

Ya know what at minimum it is Fun
How much are they wanting?

 

[DrewJD82]

Ya know what at minimum it is Fun
How much are they wanting?

They didn’t think my joke about dousing it in gasoline was funny so I didn’t get that far.

 

[Mongillo19]

I was in Guitar Center yesterday and saw this sitting in the pedal case….

View attachment 16398

I’m tempted to take it home for a couple days to check out.

I'd be curious to get your thoughts tbh

Also that poor soul probably took home $700 lol

 

[DrewJD82]

I'd be curious to get your thoughts tbh

Also that poor soul probably took home $700 lol

The biggest thing stopping me is that I don’t like the idea of going out of my way to shit on something. If I can flip my thinking around a bit so I can look at it objectively I’d feel much better about it, but if I brought it home today I’d absolutely be going into it thinking “Let me pick out all the things it doesn’t do before I even recognize one good thing”, which I don’t believe is fair.

 

[Achilles]

The biggest thing stopping me is that I don’t like the idea of going out of my way to shit on something.

 

[Los-D]

Dude, you should try it. I did and thought it was pretty cool actually… and then went back to my FM3 as I thought it was the superior unit, FOR MY NEEDS.

Of course, even though I thought QC was pretty good I still shit on NDSP as a company for their track record and bullshit marketing tactics. Oh well.

 

[mbenigni]

I did and thought it was pretty cool actually… and then went back to my FM3 as I thought it was the superior unit, FOR MY NEEDS.

Of course, even though I thought QC was pretty good I still shit on NDSP as a company for their track record and bullshit marketing tactics. Oh well.

I agree with all of this. I'm about to spend a couple of hours shooting out QC vs. FM3, but thus far I'm leaning toward flipping the FM3 and ordering a 2nd QC. As you say, it's a question of one's individual needs. I acknowledge that the FM3's effects are superior to the QC's, and the amps sound a touch more convincing (especially in the low end range and clarity) - but the functionality of the QC when you're making frequent changes and don't have a PC at hand absolutely trounces the FM3. So, different strokes. There's a logic and a temptation to have one of each, but I know I'll always feel more comfortable with one and neglect the other. (Whereas Drew already knows his Fractal inside and out, and is probably wise to ignore the QC, honestly.)

Yes, NDSP are weenies. But now that I know what the QC is/ isn't/ will be/ won't be, it's no longer all that relevant to me.

 

[DrewJD82]

Dude, you should try it. I did and thought it was pretty cool actually… and then went back to my FM3 as I thought it was the superior unit, FOR MY NEEDS.

Of course, even though I thought QC was pretty good I still shit on NDSP as a company for their track record and bullshit marketing tactics. Oh well.

(Whereas Drew already knows his Fractal inside and out, and is probably wise to ignore the QC, honestly.)

Really, outside of my wiseass comments I know I can keep to myself if need be, mbenigni hit the nail on the head here. I’m so used to my workflow with my AxeFX acting as the hub for my studio that changing any of that up puts whatever new thing at an automatic disadvantage.

Hahaha then again, I can take my HS5’s, put them on my coffee table with the QC and have a coffee table rig that’s different than the all analog living room rig and the hybrid FM9/amp living room rig.

 

[northern_fox]

Also might I add the USB audio driver seems really good too, just like the Axe FX 3. Some are more fussy or require setup (or in Kemper's case crashes my computer).

I've actually had nothing but issues with USB and QC (even more than one, even across a total PC rebuild). I have a lot of USB devices, so maybe there's some communication issues, but the editor for me barely works and mostly bugs out, and recording always becomes glitchy after a while. Fortunately with tonex/nam around I don't need it for recording.

[not in response to you]

It's easy to get caught up on what "sounds the best" in an isolated at home comparison, but if you're using something live what's more important is how well it suits your use case. Nobody out there is caring if you used the QC, fm3, etc live but you will definitely run into different user experiences and problem points with every unit and one will possibly just do the thing better for you. Also reliability.

 

[timbuck3]

I was in Guitar Center yesterday and saw this sitting in the pedal case….

View attachment 16398

I’m tempted to take it home for a couple days to check out.

WHAT WAS IT PRICED AT....IS WARRANTY STILL active?

 

[timbuck3]

I agree with all of this. I'm about to spend a couple of hours shooting out QC vs. FM3, but thus far I'm leaning toward flipping the FM3 and ordering a 2nd QC. As you say, it's a question of one's individual needs. I acknowledge that the FM3's effects are superior to the QC's, and the amps sound a touch more convincing (especially in the low end range and clarity) - but the functionality of the QC when you're making frequent changes and don't have a PC at hand absolutely trounces the FM3. So, different strokes. There's a logic and a temptation to have one of each, but I know I'll always feel more comfortable with one and neglect the other. (Whereas Drew already knows his Fractal inside and out, and is probably wise to ignore the QC, honestly.)

Yes, NDSP are weenies. But now that I know what the QC is/ isn't/ will be/ won't be, it's no longer all that relevant to me.

so its the gui and knobs that put it in top place for you? If the gui and knobs were on the fm3 it would be reversed?

 

[Stone]

In all fairness the QC has gotten better Even through the companies BS and douchebagery
so id imagine that its form factor and GUI it will still appeal to a lot

 

[DrewJD82]

WHAT WAS IT PRICED AT....IS WARRANTY STILL active?

LIKE I SAID IN ANOTHER POST I DON’T KNOW, NOR DO I KNOW IF THE WARRANTY IS ACTIVE BUT IT DOESN‘T MATTER BECAUSE I KNOW I WOULD BE RETURNING IT AFTER CHECKING IT OUT.

Shit, I didn’t even think of that….what if I brought it home and it shit the bed while I had it? I’m not sure I want to tie up that kind of money waiting for a return/working out a warranty transfer/dealing with GC over a used item failing.

 

[mbenigni]

I’m so used to my workflow with my AxeFX acting as the hub for my studio that changing any of that up puts whatever new thing at an automatic disadvantage.

I couldn't have put it any better myself if I tried to explain my situation with the QC.

Still on the fence as to whether to "serve two masters" by keeping both of them...