NDSP Quad Cortex

[Mongillo19]

I don't actually know anyone who's had to send theirs off aside from things I've read online. Seems they take care of customers though.

I've never heard of the footswitches failing for what it's worth.

However, I'll tell my story that I've told before on here:

Bought a used QC back in the day. Guy shipped it in a modelo beer box (not a completely sealed box). The QC worked but had some internal rattling going on. NDSP had me ship the QC to Finland (they paid for shipping) and sent me back a brand new QC with their fabled "How It's Made" book and face masks (during COVID). I started the support process on a Monday and I had a brand new QC from Finland on Friday.

Best support I've received but I've only ever had to reach out to Fractal. Fractal was helpful but they definitely charge a good amount of money to fix things.

 

[MirrorProfiles]

Support in the UK is probably way worse . Maybe the crapped out switches and failing units is not representative but defiantly a problem here because the support is so bad. The Reverbs are terrible compared to old Lexicon which I used for years and way behind Axe 3 in every respect to my ears.

I'm in the UK as well so everyone I know with one is round here. Aside from a handful of HX stomps, and Kemper, quad cortex has been the most commonly used modeller I've seen bands bring into the studio.

I can only really go off the plugins and audio demos I've heard for the reverbs but I've heard nothing to suggest the NDSP reverbs aren't doing a solid job on the Lexicon thing. The old 224 and PCM era stuff is almost public domain now, loads of companies have released perfect emulations of it at this point. Add to that NDSP have basically taken on most of the TC Electronic workforce and I don't really see any reason to doubt their FX. The quality of their FX is often cited as one of the best parts about their plugins. Isn't your favourite Lexicon the PCM60?

 

[Eagle]

I'm in the UK as well so everyone I know with one is round here. Aside from a handful of HX stomps, and Kemper, quad cortex has been the most commonly used modeller I've seen bands bring into the studio.

I can only really go off the plugins and audio demos I've heard for the reverbs but I've heard nothing to suggest the NDSP reverbs aren't doing a solid job on the Lexicon thing. The old 224 and PCM era stuff is almost public domain now, loads of companies have released perfect emulations of it at this point. Add to that NDSP have basically taken on most of the TC Electronic workforce and I don't really see any reason to doubt their FX. The quality of their FX is often cited as one of the best parts about their plugins. Isn't your favourite Lexicon the PCM60?

Yes pcm 60 is still great but the copies of it don’t have quite the experience of the original. I don’t know what exactly makes them different but they are. Similar with the 2290 . The old hardware brings something to the mix.

 

[Jkist7]

Yes pcm 60 is still great but the copies of it don’t have quite the experience of the original. I don’t know what exactly makes them different but they are. Similar with the 2290 . The old hardware brings something to the mix.

Non-issue for me as far as the FX go. I think they're plenty serviceable. If I'm recording, I'm going to use my expensive-ass reverb plugins. If its live, nobody gives a shit if it sounds accurate to the original. The QC reverbs are fine in that regard.

 

[Orvillain]

I think the FX are pretty good. Reverbs are better than Helix. Delays are a bit average, but nothing too terrible. Pitch effects are great. Not sure about the mod effects, I don't use them much.

The amps sound good. The cab block does not sound good to me; always use custom IR's. I'm super curious to try the v2 captures.

I just don't think it really holds its own in more complicated workflows, and again.... the noise floor is woeful compared to Helix/Stadium/Axe3.

 

[ian_dissonance]

QC users, the Mini has been burning a hole in the back of my mind for some reason but I’m unclear on a thing or two. Is there anything in there comparable to the Boss S-Bend effect (up to four octaves ramping up at a set speed) or the input dynamics modifiers from Fractal/Boss? I know the Misha Archetype has the “laser” effect, but anything similar in the unit? And how’s the ring mod?

 

[deadpool_25]

I think the FX are pretty good. Reverbs are better than Helix. Delays are a bit average, but nothing too terrible. Pitch effects are great. Not sure about the mod effects, I don't use them much.

The amps sound good. The cab block does not sound good to me; always use custom IR's. I'm super curious to try the v2 captures.

I just don't think it really holds its own in more complicated workflows, and again.... the noise floor is woeful compared to Helix/Stadium/Axe3.

I still think the noise floor on the mini seems much improved over the QC.

 

[Orvillain]

I still think the noise floor on the mini seems much improved over the QC.

Just don't think there's enough control on it for me. I dunno......

 

[mbenigni]

QC users, the Mini has been burning a hole in the back of my mind for some reason but I’m unclear on a thing or two. Is there anything in there comparable to the Boss S-Bend effect (up to four octaves ramping up at a set speed) or the input dynamics modifiers from Fractal/Boss? I know the Misha Archetype has the “laser” effect, but anything similar in the unit? And how’s the ring mod?

Not that I have a ton of prior experience with ring mod prior to the QC, but I'm getting a lot of use out of the "Foog" (MoogerFooger) block. It's quite versatile.

Unfortunately, as far as I'm aware, the answer to your other questions is, "no".

 

[mbenigni]

Just don't think there's enough control on it for me. I dunno......

If you need to use the QC's own switches and get context-sensitive MIDI to outboard gear, you're probably right. (A workaround is to use hybrid mode and leave one row of switches permanently set for Scenes, so that the fixed MIDI output isn't a problem.)

I tend to use the QC as a desktop unit, with a MIDI footcontroller I can program with that context-sensitivity as needed. With the QCM's smaller size and reduced footswitch count, I'd be even more inclined to use it that way. But I can see where you might not want the on-unit switches to go to waste, and where the over-simplified MIDI assignments could be frustrating.

 

[RiffDuck]

Fractal was helpful but they definitely charge a good amount of money to fix things.

Simply being charged shipping for a $2500 unit was very bothersome to me since I've never encountered it elsewhere, I've always wondered how others felt about that.

 

[Mongillo19]

Simply being charged shipping for a $2500 unit was very bothersome to me since I've never encountered it elsewhere, I've always wondered how others felt about that.

I get both sides! Fractal is definitely a smaller group.

I more so was talking about the fees for repairs and whatnot. Which again, I get, but it's nice that other companies usually cover it.

 

[RiffDuck]

I get both sides! Fractal is definitely a smaller group.

I more so was talking about the fees for repairs and whatnot. Which again, I get, but it's nice that other companies usually cover it.

Oh for sure, your comment just reminded me of when I first ordered an AFX, which is a huge investment on its own, and saw like a $26 shipping fee, and I thought "REALLY?". But I get it, they handle all their own distribution, unlike other brands.

 

[Chocol8]

I always think of cost. If a company or a whole fucking industry (cell networks, airlines etc.) move some of the cost from price to fees it doesn't change my perspective at all. Whether it is a $2526 device with free shipping or a $26 device with $2500 shipping, it still costs the same.

 

[ian_dissonance]

Not that I have a ton of prior experience with ring mod prior to the QC, but I'm getting a lot of use out of the "Foog" (MoogerFooger) block. It's quite versatile.

Unfortunately, as far as I'm aware, the answer to your other questions is, "no".

That’s what I figured, thought it better to ask people actually using it. The mini is small enough that an EXP and something like a morningstar that can do some of the momentary stuff would all fit on a small board, I just don’t want to deal with programming two things. Guess I’ll stick with what I’ve got until Fractal makes a floorboard with enough juice and switching for me (that isn’t the size of a single family home like the FM9).