Neural DSP Quad Cortex is really growing on me, just the (Gojira) 5150 is worth the price of admission imo

[nightlight]

It's just so much easier to use than my Axe FXIII. I like the fact that I don't have to go through pages of menus and have so many knobs and buttons that I get option paralysis. It's dead simple to use, and the tones are great.

Add to that the fact that you can just put it into a backpack and it weighs just about 3-4kg, and it's the best option I can think of to take to jams or gigs. I would much rather take it than one of my amps, because I can just pair it with my Fryette PS-2 and get a killer sound. Actually toying with the idea of getting a PS-100 just so that I can have more volume if I need it.

Also, I think the ability to load Neural DSP plugins shouldn't be underrated. I am really, really happy with the Gojira plugin. It's based on a 5150, and I just love the tone. It's extremely usable. I initially limited myself to using the Neural DSP presets, but then I started to dial in my own patches and holy cow! Damn thing sounds amazing.

This is a clip of an Aristides 060 and a Warwick Vampyre SN-5 running direct into the Quad Cortex.

The Quad Cortex is running one of my own presets built using the Gojira plugin for the guitar, while the bass is one of the stock presets.

As this is a mix, there is some processing, notably an API preamp plugin on the dual tracked guitar and a Neve preamp on the bass. Besides that, there is a Cambridge EQ for shelving and cuts on the guitars. No processing on the drums, this is a preset in Superior Drummer.





I know it's not the greatest mix, but I am sure that more capable users can get even better tones out of this.

 

[mikah912]

I love that you're loving your Quad Cortex, and the Gojira plugin specifically.

In my personal experience with both, starting from the factory Axe-FX III EVH 5153 preset vs starting up from, say, the default Gojira preset doesn't require "pages of menus" or "so many knobs or buttons" to get a great sound. But NDSP absolutely makes some good factory presets for their plugins, and those Nolly/ML Sound Lab IRs that come with them are great too.

Of course, the QC kills it for portability as you say, and as a FM9 user.....I do find myself longing for a smaller (not FM3), more easily tweakable piece of kit sometimes....

 

[nightlight]

I love that you're loving your Quad Cortex, and the Gojira plugin specifically.

In my personal experience with both, starting from the factory Axe-FX III EVH 5153 preset vs starting up from, say, the default Gojira preset doesn't require "pages of menus" or "so many knobs or buttons" to get a great sound. But NDSP absolutely makes some good factory presets for their plugins, and those Nolly/ML Sound Lab IRs that come with them are great too.

Of course, the QC kills it for portability as you say, and as a FM9 user.....I do find myself longing for a smaller (not FM3), more easily tweakable piece of kit sometimes....

The Axe FX stuff is great, don't get me wrong. I've seen users like the Periphery guys use it for great tones and users like Petrucci and Val get great FX out of it.

But the damn thing is simply overkill imo. What I love about the Axe is the ability to switch the amp controls to just barebones or set it to "ideal", which gives you a whole bunch of options.

But they should do that with other FX and parameters, imo. It's really, really complicated.

The QC is just really simple to use, I didn't even have to read a manual. And I'm not really a "power user", so to speak. I just have a simple signal chain and very rarely use FX other than delay or reverb.

Sometimes I'll kick in a way or a pitch shifter, but I'm not really a solo guitar player, I pretty much stick to rhythms. And this really kills for that.

Thinking of picking up Parallax and Nolly. Neither of them has been ported to the QC though.

 

[mbenigni]

It's just so much easier to use than my Axe FXIII. I like the fact that I don't have to go through pages of menus and have so many knobs and buttons that I get option paralysis. It's dead simple to use, and the tones are great.

Add to that the fact that you can just put it into a backpack and it weighs just about 3-4kg, and it's the best option I can think of to take to jams or gigs. I would much rather take it than one of my amps, because I can just pair it with my Fryette PS-2 and get a killer sound. Actually toying with the idea of getting a PS-100 just so that I can have more volume if I need it.

Also, I think the ability to load Neural DSP plugins shouldn't be underrated. I am really, really happy with the Gojira plugin. It's based on a 5150, and I just love the tone. It's extremely usable. I initially limited myself to using the Neural DSP presets, but then I started to dial in my own patches and holy cow! Damn thing sounds amazing.

This is a clip of an Aristides 060 and a Warwick Vampyre SN-5 running direct into the Quad Cortex.

The Quad Cortex is running one of my own presets built using the Gojira plugin for the guitar, while the bass is one of the stock presets.

As this is a mix, there is some processing, notably an API preamp plugin on the dual tracked guitar and a Neve preamp on the bass. Besides that, there is a Cambridge EQ for shelving and cuts on the guitars. No processing on the drums, this is a preset in Superior Drummer.





I know it's not the greatest mix, but I am sure that more capable users can get even better tones out of this.

Thanks for reminding me to revisit the Gojira stuff. I'm not really an NDSP plugin guy, but I did choose Gojira as my "freebie" when PCOM finally launched. I gravitated toward a specific factory ENGL capture from day 1, and I still (over)use it to this day LOL. This one:

 

[nightlight]

Thanks for reminding me to revisit the Gojira stuff. I'm not really an NDSP plugin guy, but I did choose Gojira as my "freebie" when PCOM finally launched. I gravitated toward a specific factory ENGL capture from day 1, and I still (over)use it to this day LOL. This one:

View attachment 33713

Thanks for sharing that screenshot. I really need to get into creating captures of my own gear, I'm real interested in seeing the results. Have had the unit for a few months now, so not capturing anything seems like an improper use of my time.

I am really digging the Neural DSP stuff. I like it some much I bought a couple of plugins today as they were on sale, and the results were far better than most of the stuff I usually put out.

Here's a short 2 minute video.

 

[Warmart]

QC worked well for me from day 1, however, the tuner sucks massive ass.

 

[nightlight]

QC worked well for me from day 1, however, the tuner sucks massive ass.

What problem are you experiencing with the tuner? Anything I'm missing maybe? Works fine for me.

 

[Warmart]

Every guitar I have I need to do a constant picking to get it to read accurately. I've read on the NDSP forum that it's a common problem.

Neck pickup doesn't make it any better, well, maybe a tinge better.

 

[TheTrueZoltan!]

Thanks for sharing that screenshot. I really need to get into creating captures of my own gear, I'm real interested in seeing the results. Have had the unit for a few months now, so not capturing anything seems like an improper use of my time.

I am really digging the Neural DSP stuff. I like it some much I bought a couple of plugins today as they were on sale, and the results were far better than most of the stuff I usually put out.

Here's a short 2 minute video.

I'm digging that old school Thrash vibe!

 

[nightlight]

I'm digging that old school Thrash vibe!

Thanks, man! Glad you like it!

Every guitar I have I need to do a constant picking to get it to read accurately. I've read on the NDSP forum that it's a common problem.

Neck pickup doesn't make it any better, well, maybe a tinge better.

I haven't noticed any problem with the tuning as such. The digital ones I've tried other than the QC are the Kemper and the Axe FXIII, and on both after the initial pluck of the strings, the bubble will move to the pitch it has reached before moving downwards as the note decays.

 

[timbuck3]

 

[Diary Of An Axeman]

It's just so much easier to use than my Axe FXIII. I like the fact that I don't have to go through pages of menus and have so many knobs and buttons that I get option paralysis. It's dead simple to use, and the tones are great.

Add to that the fact that you can just put it into a backpack and it weighs just about 3-4kg, and it's the best option I can think of to take to jams or gigs. I would much rather take it than one of my amps, because I can just pair it with my Fryette PS-2 and get a killer sound. Actually toying with the idea of getting a PS-100 just so that I can have more volume if I need it.

Also, I think the ability to load Neural DSP plugins shouldn't be underrated. I am really, really happy with the Gojira plugin. It's based on a 5150, and I just love the tone. It's extremely usable. I initially limited myself to using the Neural DSP presets, but then I started to dial in my own patches and holy cow! Damn thing sounds amazing.

This is a clip of an Aristides 060 and a Warwick Vampyre SN-5 running direct into the Quad Cortex.

The Quad Cortex is running one of my own presets built using the Gojira plugin for the guitar, while the bass is one of the stock presets.

As this is a mix, there is some processing, notably an API preamp plugin on the dual tracked guitar and a Neve preamp on the bass. Besides that, there is a Cambridge EQ for shelving and cuts on the guitars. No processing on the drums, this is a preset in Superior Drummer.





I know it's not the greatest mix, but I am sure that more capable users can get even better tones out of this.

And in 30 years that Quad Cortex will still deliver the goods, long after the musician/ hipsters move on from it.

 

[Jarick]

Nothing like a video review of another video and the release notes!

 

[deadpool_25]

Just watched Plini live and it reaffirmed just how amazing the QC can sound (didn't really need affirmation). IMO all these modelers can sound amazing. It's all about figuring out which one suits you the best.

Some of my favorite bands use Fractal. Other favorite bands use QC. Other favorite bands use real amps. I've personally gotten fantastic tones with all of those.

 

[Alex Kenivel]

Because of this thread I am now trialing the Gojira plugin. Which 5150 are these amps?

 

[Jarick]

Just watched Plini live and it reaffirmed just how amazing the QC can sound (didn't really need affirmation). IMO all these modelers can sound amazing. It's all about figuring out which one suits you the best.

Some of my favorite bands use Fractal. Other favorite bands use QC. Other favorite bands use real amps. I've personally gotten fantastic tones with all of those.

Yeah there are so many amazing QC tones out there. I'm really tempted to try one of those Fender FR-12's to have a really basic QC to FR-12 rig and just be able to do it all from there. I think almost all the tones are in that box, maybe not the crazy unique effects or super vintage correct ones.

 

[deadpool_25]

Because of this thread I am now trialing the Gojira plugin. Which 5150 are these amps?

Definitely amp 3 (red channel) and probably amp 2 (blue channel). I think they're from the EL34 100W as that's their main amp in the studio (or at least it was when the plugin was released; not sure if they've changed since). They use the Stealth live so I suppose it could be that one but I'd guess it's the EL34.

Amp 1 miiiight be the green channel but might be an is some kind of actual Fender amp like a Deluxe or something.

Edited because I'd forgotten about this: "Clean — A pristine model of a vintage tube amplifier sits at the front of the amp section."

 

[Orvillain]

I don't really like how they keep the plugin stuff separate from the non plugin stuff. Makes browsing and comparing way more annoying than it needs to be. But Gojira sounds pretty sick!

 

[nightlight]

I think Neural has got me under. Each plugin has unique bits and pieces that I could see myself using, such as the new Grind and Hex Drive pedals that come with the Nameless or the pitch shifter that comes with the Gojira X plugin.

That mix-and-match capability is what makes the Quad Cortex a good way to get more value from the plugins than they you would if you just use them as standalone VSTs.

It's also a great business model.

Now thinking of picking up the Nameless and Soldano just for more options. Maybe Plini X too.

And in 30 years that Quad Cortex will still deliver the goods, long after the musician/ hipsters move on from it.

I'd be happy if they support it for over 10 years, starting from the time once all promised features are delivered. Digital equipment does have a more limited shelf lie than analog.

However, companies like Kemper and Fractal and Line 6 have been trendsetterswith respect to supporting their products for long periods of time and constantly coming out with new features and improving old ones.

There's tonnes of power under the QC's hood, so logically, they should push the envelope on its capabilities till no more can be done.

For example, more sophisticated delayed reverb algorithms would be welcome.

That said, I'm quite happy with my experience with the company. I hope they continue to impress me.

 

[mbenigni]

I don't really like how they keep the plugin stuff separate from the non plugin stuff. Makes browsing and comparing way more annoying than it needs to be. But Gojira sounds pretty sick!

I'd already been wishing there was a way to tag a capture as an amp or dirt pedal and have it sorted alongside the models in the corresponding menus. Instead, we get a third menu to hunt through. :/