Neural DSP Quad Cortex Firmware Update Thread

Whizzinby said:
I largely agree with you. I found the device to be pretty cool despite the POS nature of the company. I will say though that given the slow pace of updates I found myself too many times sorta bored with it. This is probably because I never leaned into the capture aspect of it, but it was really slow going getting new content in the thing (and still is) so if the appeal of the device is the endless ability to dick around with the history amps and effects, I found I was more like “well, I have my handful of presets and there is nothing left to discover”. I spent a crazy amount of time using the AC15 (fantastic model btw) I think for no other reason than it being “new”, even though they had a pretty good AC30 on it since launch. Consistent streams of new content is important for that reason imo. (Until they get to a Fractal level of amps/effects)

I’ve toyed with the idea of buying it again at times, for many of the reasons you mentioned, but hesitate when I realize in the close to a year I haven’t had it, they’ve released ONE new amp. I fear I’d be right back at the “poke it with a stick to check for life” territory. It’s really crazy when you consider how infrequent their content updates are on the thing. :idk

2.1 looks cool though, and I suspect Cortex Control will be the on-ramp for the plugs. (But a staggered release of the plugs seems like it could be a slog) Always a glass half full - half empty scenario with the QC for me.
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Whizzinby said:
I largely agree with you. I found the device to be pretty cool despite the POS nature of the company. I will say though that given the slow pace of updates I found myself too many times sorta bored with it. This is probably because I never leaned into the capture aspect of it, but it was really slow going getting new content in the thing (and still is) so if the appeal of the device is the endless ability to dick around with the history amps and effects, I found I was more like “well, I have my handful of presets and there is nothing left to discover”. I spent a crazy amount of time using the AC15 (fantastic model btw) I think for no other reason than it being “new”, even though they had a pretty good AC30 on it since launch. Consistent streams of new content is important for that reason imo. (Until they get to a Fractal level of amps/effects)

I’ve toyed with the idea of buying it again at times, for many of the reasons you mentioned, but hesitate when I realize in the close to a year I haven’t had it, they’ve released ONE new amp. I fear I’d be right back at the “poke it with a stick to check for life” territory. It’s really crazy when you consider how infrequent their content updates are on the thing. :idk

2.1 looks cool though, and I suspect Cortex Control will be the on-ramp for the plugs. (But a staggered release of the plugs seems like it could be a slog) Always a glass half full - half empty scenario with the QC for me.
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I hear you on the pace of development being too slow, for sure. I guess I just sort of "got over it". I've identified enough amps (models and captures) that cover my bases and really make me happy; from here it starts to seem like novelty for novelty's sake. (And if there's one thing I don't need, it's new ways to spend my time besides playing guitar. Hell, I haven't even installed the latest Helix firmware on my Stomp.)

"Enough already" is a weird place for a music tech geek to have arrived at, I'll admit. But I'm not getting any younger and life isn't get any longer (or less busy.) Sometimes I think about Fractal, and how much broader their amp and effects selection are (to make no mention of deep editing), and I think, "Do I even want that? What is it going to do for my playing?"

When I do need to scratch the "what else can this thing do" itch, scrubbing through the Cloud app for obscure OD pedals or boutique amps is sufficient. 9x out of 10 I'm struggling to convince myself any given tone isn't already covered by some other model I was already using.

For me it's all about the features, and the usability, and not taking up half my desk. Yeah, it's gotta sound good (at this price, great), but I've also got that in spades.
 
mbenigni said:
I hear you on the pace of development being too slow, for sure. I guess I just sort of "got over it". I've identified enough amps (models and captures) that cover my bases and really make me happy; from here it starts to seem like novelty for novelty's sake. (And if there's one thing I don't need, it's new ways to spend my time besides playing guitar. Hell, I haven't even installed the latest Helix firmware on my Stomp.)

"Enough already" is a weird place for a music tech geek to have arrived at, I'll admit. But I'm not getting any younger and life isn't get any longer (or less busy.) Sometimes I think about Fractal, and how much broader their amp and effects selection are (to make no mention of deep editing), and I think, "Do I even want that? What is it going to do for my playing?"

When I do need to scratch the "what else can this thing do" itch, scrubbing through the Cloud app for obscure OD pedals or boutique amps is sufficient. 9x out of 10 I'm struggling to convince myself any given tone isn't already covered by some other model I was already using.

For me it's all about the features, and the usability, and not taking up half my desk. Yeah, it's gotta sound good (at this price, great), but I've also got that in spades
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Yeah, I think it’s the features that continue to make it compelling.

Most of the major food groups are covered with the amps and effects, so I’d def agree it’s not going to hold anyone back, but I still think for a device in its price tier and ambition that even if we ignore the high profile features that are missing they’ve still done a relatively poor job just adding regular new content. I mean, this platform should not go 10 months with only one new amp being added. It may have most bases covered, but certainly not to the degree that adding a single amp is sufficient. IMO

The reverse delay is cool in 2.1. Id really have no practical use for it, but it’s the perfect sort of rainy day thing to have on the device. That’s where having a robust amount content matters, and maybe where I got a little bored with it.
 
Gotta say, glad to see they've added reverse delay. That was one of my deal breakers when I had it. I'd never buy another one. But I hope it just continues to get better, and I hope it does so quickly.
 
eggpl@nt said:
The fact that this is an actual comment about the FW update is hilarious in the grand scheme of what modelers are (typically, if it’s not a QC) capable of…
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There's been a 'Gain' utility block available forever. I suspect the 'new' volume block is probably just a duplication of that block with some special feature for a global MIDI assignment or something or maybe varying tapers, etc. Anyway, it has always been easy to control volume as long as you know what the word 'Gain' means.
 
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