Neural DSP Nano Cortex

[the swede]

Day #3 and finally the BIG test.

View attachment 29074

Floorboard > Nano > EQ > delay > reverb > SS rack amp > 12" greenback
Turned off all 5 FX slots as well as the IR on the Nano and picked the 5150 hi-gain preset.
Didn't adjust any knobs on anything in the chain from how I'd normally use things:

- nano into headphones and the KSR Vesta pedal in place of the nano

Messed around for 15 minutes using all pickup positions on the S-S-H Boden and w/o using any pedals.

Wow. Just like I remembered it use to be with the QC and my favorite captures. It's a keeper.
And I still haven't hooked it up to the cloud yet!

Happy camper.

That shelf. Top to bottom. Explain. It’s cool. It’s full of trinkets and beautiful stuff. Explain. Now.

 

[Achilles]

That shelf. Top to bottom. Explain. It’s cool. It’s full of trinkets and beautiful stuff. Explain. Now.

 

[Cellomangler]

Well the Neural Cloud app loads on an older Chromebook I had lying around so that could be useful. I don't own the Nano so I can't test full functionality but my Chromebook has Bluetooth so I imagine it'll work.

 

[Cellomangler]

Using a MIDI controller would be a whole lot simpler than having to open a phone app to tweak delay settings. I can understand the midiphobia but it really is a piece of cake. Hard to believe they couldn't come up with an alternate button combination that would allow for tweaking two additional effect parameters.

 

[paisleywookiee]

Pick a random sampling of 1000 guitarists - all genres, bedroom wanker to pro - and how many you figure require midi?

$549 makes its target audience basically anyone.

Also, you skipped a word: 'all-in-one SIMPLE rig'.

Anyone wanting to turn off an effect within a patch will need MIDI, since it’s not possible otherwise. Having to create another patch just to have delay or reverb on/off is positively stupid.

 

[Sascha Franck]

- high quality audio interface

What's so high quality about the audio interface?
They don't even have dedicated drivers for macOS, hence it's running as a class compliant USB device and will defenitely not even remotely deliver latency values in the ballpark of "high quality". And what else would be high quality in terms of audio interface functionality? Can you reamp internally?

 

[Sascha Franck]

Anyone wanting to turn off an effect within a patch will need MIDI, since it’s not possible otherwise.

You could use the EXP pedal functionality. But obviously, that's rather limited.

Having to create another patch just to have delay or reverb on/off is positively stupid.

Let alone to push an amp a little bit with whatever gain, dirt, compression or EQ block. I don't even know of a programmable amp sim device not allowing for that, the NC is a first in its class here. Quite an achievement.

 

[Cellomangler]

Anyone wanting to turn off an effect within a patch will need MIDI, since it’s not possible otherwise. Having to create another patch just to have delay or reverb on/off is positively stupid.

Are you sure 'bout that? I believe the manual shows how to toggle effects on and off using those little buttons. I believe what you can't do is to change any additional effect parameters. A drive block doesn't bother me - I'm always going to put my fav pedal in front for much better control and options.

 

[Achilles]

Anyone wanting to turn off an effect within a patch will need MIDI, since it’s not possible otherwise. Having to create another patch just to have delay or reverb on/off is positively stupid.

What's so high quality about the audio interface?
They don't even have dedicated drivers for macOS, hence it's running as a class compliant USB device and will defenitely not even remotely deliver latency values in the ballpark of "high quality". And what else would be high quality in terms of audio interface functionality? Can you reamp internally?

The box ain't for you guys - that's for sure. I'll stop replying.

 

[laxu]

It's again frustrating to see a device that could do more, and could work nicer with only a few software changes that may or may not come.

If it can support MIDI PC for preset changes, it sure as hell can support MIDI CC for toggling fx inside that preset. I fully expect this feature to become available later.

As an audio interface it will be "ok" at best without dedicated drivers and with the I/O it has. Even a budget grade audio interface built for that purpose will do better in many areas. But that's alright because Nano Cortex's audio interface functionality is an additional perk more than anything, and it's not like other similar devices are any better in this regard afaik.

I feel it's price tag doesn't quite match its functionality. Amp/drive pedal captures can be "played" well by the 177 € Tonex One, no matter how you feel about IK's software. The Nano Cortex's extra 398 € should amount to more than nicer build quality, transpose, chorus and delay fx (Tonex has noise gate+compressor+pre/post eq+reverb) and ability to capture with the box.

One of NDSP's usecases for it is using it as a pure fx box by disabling IRs and captures, then putting it in the fx loop. Being better at that would be nice. More built-in effects, better MIDI support for controlling them, and a better system for onboard fx control (as cycling the fx type one by one to change its amount sucks).

I'll definitely follow its firmware update progress because I think it has potential. Unfortunately so does the QC and they haven't quite realized that either...

 

[norminal]

I like Taylor’s take on the unit:

 

[Achilles]

"That's essentially what this is. A small capturing device with some extra bells and whistles."

Nail meet hammer.

 

[GTR37]

What's so high quality about the audio interface?
They don't even have dedicated drivers for macOS, hence it's running as a class compliant USB device and will defenitely not even remotely deliver latency values in the ballpark of "high quality". And what else would be high quality in terms of audio interface functionality? Can you reamp internally?

Macs generally don’t require drivers my Fractal stuff doesn’t

 

[Sascha Franck]

Macs generally don’t require drivers my Fractal stuff doesn’t

And that is precisely why latency figures won't be too good. High quality interfaces come with their own drivers for macOS as well. All of them, not one exception. Anything else isn't a high quality interface.

 

[Sascha Franck]

Fwiw, can you actually record a mic through the XLR input?

 

[paisleywookiee]

The box ain't for you guys - that's for sure. I'll stop replying.

And I can respect that, but you've gotta realize A. it's not free from criticism, and B. it would have been for me, as I wanted a smaller QC. Ask @GTR37, we've been shooting the shit about it.

 

[Frankencat]

I’ve spent a lot of time more with the GT-1000 stuff. It can sound pretty decent with good IR’s. But it’s not in the league of Fractal, Helix, or QC, IMO.

Agreed, and I have Fractal, Helix and formerly Kemper. But for what it is the GX-100 is an amazing device that serves me well. But we digress…

 

[Frankencat]

Can we talk about USB-C power? Like how does a device that requires 9v 600ma DC run on 5v USB supply? Does it consume less power in this mode? Can I run it off of my rechargeable power brick? Lots of jesting, yes. Thank you.

 

[holoholo]

P=IV

 

[paisleywookiee]

Agreed, and I have Fractal, Helix and formerly Kemper. But for what it is the GX-100 is an amazing device that serves me well. But we digress…

I also was probably exaggerating. :) I love Boss, and hope they continue working on this stuff.