NMD: NDSP Quad Cortex

[Mongillo19]

Also, I’m still using amp models at home, but more as a fun side-thing.

Could you just snag HX Native for cheap?

 

[mbenigni]

I’ve been seeing more complaints lately about the limitations of the QC footswitches, including some saying they’re selling it because of that.

If we want to talk “UI” and “usability” we can’t leave out live performance features and this is still where the QC is far behind the competition.

Pretty much everything has it beat in terms of UI and usability for live performance

That's fair, particularly if you insist on using it as a floor processor without any other accessories. And it's worth reiterating that NDSP marketed it as such. I don't think I'd ever use a QC live without an external foot controller, personally. (If for no other reason, it's too damned purdy LOL.)

 

[metropolis_4]

That's fair, particularly if you insist on using it as a floor processor without any other accessories. And it's worth reiterating that NDSP marketed it as such. I don't think I'd ever use a QC live without an external foot controller, personally. (If for no other reason, it's too damned purdy LOL.)

The thing I think is a fair consideration is that it’s the only one that requires additional external accessories because of its limitations.

QC requires additional accessories to do what Kemper, Helix, and Fractal can do on their own

 

[Aleksi]

The MIDI implementation is also so primitive that you have to do some galaxy brain programming on your super fancy MIDI foot switch just to do basic stuff.

 

[laxu]

Yes, and this is an even taller order than the word "overhaul" suggests at first glance. FAS would need a rethink from top to bottom: from a CEO that has never prioritized UI/UX, down to designers and developers who would need to refresh their skillsets and approach things from a completely different aesthetic. Oh, and then there's the small matter of a hardware redesign. Plus you need to thread a needle and somehow manage all of this without alienating the hardcore customer base who loves things as they are. I'm... not holding my breath.

They don't need to reinvent the wheel. Most people, including yours truly, like Axe-Edit just fine. The onboard UI's main issue is that it's massively more cumbersome to work with than Axe-Edit because of a bad control layout, the way its views work and more. No way to get around that besides a hw revision.

If I were Fractal, I'd pair up with Al Grenadine who made the Fracpad software, polish it into an official mobile editor, add reliable wireless functionality (Fracpad was a pain in the ass to get to connect wirelessly). That gets around things like having to develop your own touchscreen hardware etc. Then figure out a solution to pair physical knob control with that or Axe-Edit.

These are all examples where the competition has taken on a specific feature, but not really achieved that sweetspot where things sound really good really easily. (Admittedly, "sounding good" is subjective.) ToneX, NAM, Kemper player are all different classes of product entirely, with different levels of UI/UX ranging from "cost-effective" all the way down through "hostile".

I agree, but that still means you can add e.g a Tonex to your Helix or Fractal to get capture functionality for relatively low cost. While QC can run more captures at once, most seem to be just interested in captures of amps so a Tonex will serve that purpose well enough.

The point is, the features that made the QC a compelling package at release are no longer such strong differentiators 3 years later. Meanwhile the existing features haven't really been elevated either - effects are afaik still pretty much the same as on release and they did not compare favorably to Line6 or Fractal.

 

[SKU]

I agree, but that still means you can add e.g a Tonex to your Helix or Fractal to get capture functionality for relatively low cost. While QC can run more captures at once, most seem to be just interested in captures of amps so a Tonex will serve that purpose well enough.

What about late ...


...





....




ncy!!!!

 

[mbenigni]

The thing I think is a fair consideration is that it’s the only one that requires additional external accessories because of its limitations.

QC requires additional accessories to do what Kemper, Helix, and Fractal can do on their own

IMO, this makes QC a different - not necessarily lesser - solution. Yes, it may require an additional footcontroller (depending on one's specific needs), but it also brings an excellent control surface (literally and figuratively) to the table. The latter is something I've tried to achieve on every modeling platform I've ever owned, and it's always proven to be far more difficult than setting up an effective footcontroller scheme.

The MIDI implementation is also so primitive that you have to do some galaxy brain programming on your super fancy MIDI foot switch just to do basic stuff.

I think this is somewhat disingenuous. If you're working that hard to set up your footcontroller, it's not "basic stuff". Like pretty much everything else about QC, the MIDI implementation is very straightforward. Whether that's a good thing or a show-stopper comes down to the individual performer's requirements.

But whatever. Different strokes.

 

[mbenigni]

The point is, the features that made the QC a compelling package at release are no longer such strong differentiators 3 years later. Meanwhile the existing features haven't really been elevated either...

I agree with the second half of this statement, but not the first. (If I agreed with the first, there'd be something else on my desk. )

 

[mbenigni]

No dual detune, no likey. Owned by current company, no likey

Actually, there is a dual detune now:

As for the company... I just don't care. As I've said, I'm not having them over for dinner. Last I checked they hadn't clubbed any baby seals to death. They're dorks and they oversold their product... to people who wanted it anyway and/or subsequently got their money back. I had one problem which they and/or Sweetwater made right. Otherwise, I got exactly what I expected for the money tendered.

I'm pretty sure if I started overthinking the originating companies of all the products in my home, about 75% of them would have to vanish.

 

[Aleksi]

I think this is somewhat disingenuous. If you're working that hard to set up your footcontroller, it's not "basic stuff". Like pretty much everything else about QC, the MIDI implementation is very straightforward. Whether that's a good thing or a show-stopper comes down to the individual performer's requirements.

But whatever. Different strokes.

Is it really? The QC pretty much only allows you to control the footswitches with CCs. And not even toggle the on off state with specific values. You have to be in the specific mode to choose a scene, for example. Then you have to switch to stomp mode to control an effect assigned to a stomp. Then switch back to scene mode to switch scenes. This means that you can pretty much mirror the on board footswitches with a MIDI controller and that's that.

The FM3 allows me to send CCs to choose scenes, and assign CCs to toggle whichever effects I want. And so on and so forth. HX devices also allow for far more flexible MIDI control.

 

[mbenigni]

This means that you can pretty much mirror the on board footswitches with a MIDI controller and that's that.

This is simply not true. It's possible you owned a QC and jumped ship before a firmware revision made things more flexible, but they are much more flexible than this. (See pages 95-96 of the QC Owner's Manual.)

 

[Mongillo19]

I agree with the second half of this statement, but not the first. (If I agreed with the first, there'd be something else on my desk. )

One thing the QC will always be unique in is plugins on their device. If implemented as they say it will, and if done correctly, I think it will be a huge advantage.

Notice the ifs though

 

[Aleksi]

I'm literally looking at it now. I jumped ship in January. The only MIDI update that has come out recently was MIDI clock out. Apart from looper control, this is it:

 

[JiveTurkey]

Actually, there is a dual detune now:

As for the company... I just don't care. As I've said, I'm not having them over for dinner. Last I checked they hadn't clubbed any baby seals to death. They're dorks and they oversold their product... to people who wanted it anyway and/or subsequently got their money back. I had one problem which they and/or Sweetwater made right. Otherwise, I got exactly what I expected for the money tendered.

I'm pretty sure if I started overthinking the originating companies of all the products in my home, about 75% of them would have to vanish.

They must not update the missing devices list. Last time I looked which was fairly recent? I wasn't reading the list right?

 

[Aleksi]

I'm literally looking at it now. I jumped ship in January. The only MIDI update that has come out recently was MIDI clock out. Apart from looper control, this is it:

View attachment 19908

Sorry, I was indeed a little bit wrong. You can choose scenes with CC messages.

 

[Aleksi]

They must not update the missing devices list. Last time I looked which was fairly recent? I wasn't reading the list right?

That's not a dual detune. It's a two voice harmonizer. IIRC you can only set pitch in half-step intervals.

 

[mbenigni]

That's not a dual detune. It's a two voice harmonizer. IIRC you can only set pitch in half-step intervals.

This is true.

Still fun, though. Additional params, in case anyone is curious:

 

[Whizzinby]

One thing the QC will always be unique in is plugins on their device. If implemented as they say it will, and if done correctly, I think it will be a huge advantage.

Notice the ifs though

Ignoring fears of them focusing on paywalled DLC once able, I agree with you.

Form factor, touchscreen, wireless, cloud, plug integration, (capable of syncing in both directions) modeling, captures, it is kinda the perfect device. Which is why I continue to hope they pull their heads out of their ass and get it over the finish line. Until then, Fractal.

They don't need to reinvent the wheel. Most people, including yours truly, like Axe-Edit just fine. The onboard UI's main issue is that it's massively more cumbersome to work with than Axe-Edit because of a bad control layout, the way its views work and more. No way to get around that besides a hw revision.

If I were Fractal, I'd pair up with Al Grenadine who made the Fracpad software, polish it into an official mobile editor, add reliable wireless functionality (Fracpad was a pain in the ass to get to connect wirelessly). That gets around things like having to develop your own touchscreen hardware etc. Then figure out a solution to pair physical knob control with that or Axe-Edit.

Yeah I think a tablet editor would be a pretty big move in the right direction, and probably way more doable near term than a complete hardware overhaul. (But they have to be thinking about an on-device control overhaul, no matter how great it sounds, at some point that UI is going to make it a non competitive product)

 

[mbenigni]

Sorry, I was indeed a little bit wrong. You can choose scenes with CC messages.

Right. Which, combined with footswitch, looper, and mode switching assignments (e.g. to combine Scenes and effect bypass toggles), can make for very flexible floorboard layouts. And that’s without bothering with Hybrid mode, which will sometimes - but not always - make things easier.

It’s nothing crazy like FAS’ extensive mapping, but sometimes it doesn’t need to be.

 

[Aleksi]

This is true.

Still fun, though. Additional params, in case anyone is curious:

View attachment 19912

It's also limited to major, minor and chromatic.