Should I buy a QC?

[metropolis_4]

Imo QC captures high gain amps better

I’d believe that. To be honest, I never got into anything higher gain than old school jcm800 with my Kemper. I spent about 95% of my time with Kemper playing Profiles of Benson and Bad Cat amps

 

[Mongillo19]

I’d believe that. To be honest, I never got into anything higher gain than old school jcm800 with my Kemper. I spent about 95% of my time with Kemper playing Profiles of Benson and Bad Cat amps

Yeah and tbh I had no issue finding killer high gain profiles from 3rd party vendors

 

[ejecta]

Interesting, I had a very different experience.

To me, the Captures seem about the same as Kemper Profiles, except I couldn’t find any that I liked as well as MBritt.

Models, to me the QC models just aren’t even in the same league as the Fractal models. For me, Fractal models sound more open and natural and have much more clarity, detail and depth.

I didn’t hear mids I liked in the QC, I felt all I could hear were exaggerated lows that were very difficult to dial out. The QC models to me had too much distortion that came on too quickly, and the transition to distortion happened too abruptly making it difficult to ride the edge of breakup sounds.

Can’t disagree with a lot of the built in captures being too bassy and too much gain but some definitely aren’t. I’m getting really good edge of breakup with some of the captures. Again I never like the built in presets/ captures and even had that happen IIRC on the Kemper. On the Kemper even though it’s been a long time since I’ve owned one of those, I do remember it had issues too with it adding the low mids to all captures that weren’t there in the amp and mic chain. I just figured I’d give the QC a spin after messing with a friend of mine’s at his place and seeing it’s I/O capabilities.

Look I’m not at all saying OMG this a game changer. I’m just saying so far I think it has potential enough for move forward and seeing if this will work for my needs. I’ll try some other people’s captures and some of my own. One of the big reasons I’m looking at this is its routing capability and using it in my studio to route to real amps and outboard effects. The FM3 just doesn’t work for me well in that role. Second capturing my amps are important too so if it gets me at least 90% there doing that and routes the way I need with a minimal noise floor and or tone suck then it’ll work for me.

Lastly on the Fractal stuff… it does sound good but I don’t find their effects and amps sounds, for my tastes, to be that head shoulders above everyone else like some claim and I just don’t find working with their gear and getting what I’m looking for to be something that’s a fit for me. Making sure I’m understood that this is all IMO though for the sensitive types even though that rarely helps.

 

[Orvillain]

to be that head shoulders above everyone else like some claim

I look at that another way - Fractal are incredibly close to some long-time established players. The Eventide stuff for example... there really isn't THAT much in it. I agree with you on how their gear works though, it does ask a lot of the user, and if you aint that kind of person, then you're never gonna click with it.

One of the big reasons I’m looking at this is its routing capability and using it in my studio to route to real amps and outboard effects.

You may very well find that it isn't very good at this. This was my entire reason to buy it in the first place, I wasn't really fussed about it as a studio tool. Aside from the effects being quite basic (something I hadn't realised would be the case at the time) the signal quality wasn't very good either.

I had this setup at the time. Putting pedals into the loops is by far from transparent, with quite a few dB lost when coming out of the QC. The unit was also extremely quiet, with users on the QC forums reccomending I use balanced 1/4" cables in order to overcome this low level issue. I don't know any other guitar pedals or multi-fx that require you to use balanced cables in order to get the extra 6-10dB it can often provide.

Level aside, there were also tonal shifts I did not like.

All in all, I was very disappointed in the QC for this use case.

 

[the swede]

I’m tired of all the updates to my Fractal. Can I move to a more stable platform like QC? Pros/cons?

Ever considered Boss? I mean… usually they’ll just release their product as done and ready… and if there’s bugs they’ll squash them after while. But other than that… what you get from day 1 is what you will use.
From my understanding at least.

It’s not a bad thing considering how much we nerds (referring to myself…) get sucked down in the “wait for updates” thing.

 

[ejecta]

I look at that another way - Fractal are incredibly close to some long-time established players. The Eventide stuff for example... there really isn't THAT much in it. I agree with you on how their gear works though, it does ask a lot of the user, and if you aint that kind of person, then you're never gonna click with it.


You may very well find that it isn't very good at this. This was my entire reason to buy it in the first place, I wasn't really fussed about it as a studio tool. Aside from the effects being quite basic (something I hadn't realised would be the case at the time) the signal quality wasn't very good either.

I had this setup at the time. Putting pedals into the loops is by far from transparent, with quite a few dB lost when coming out of the QC. The unit was also extremely quiet, with users on the QC forums reccomending I use balanced 1/4" cables in order to overcome this low level issue. I don't know any other guitar pedals or multi-fx that require you to use balanced cables in order to get the extra 6-10dB it can often provide.

Level aside, there were also tonal shifts I did not like.

All in all, I was very disappointed in the QC for this use case.

Thanks for the input. I have read these things before but I just have found I need to try things for myself and my specific needs which are similar to yours but a bit different too. Forums are good for some info but I’ve found what others find isn’t always what I do. So yeah I just got it yesterday afternoon so still in the first initial tryout phase to see if I could make just wait was shipped to me work as playing it on its own. I’m planning on trying its routing today. If it doesn't work well for either replacing my direct gig board and the Helix staying the hub or using it as a hub then it will go back to Sweetwater.

Cool board BTW!

 

[Orvillain]

Thanks for the input. I have read these things before but I just have found I need to try things for myself and my specific needs which are similar to yours but a bit different too. Forums are good for some info but I’ve found what others find isn’t always what I do. So yeah I just got it yesterday afternoon so still in the first initial tryout phase to see if I could make just wait was shipped to me work as playing it on its own. I’m planning on trying its routing today. If it doesn't work well for either replacing my direct gig board and the Helix stay the hub or using it as a hub then it will go back to Sweetwater.

Cool board BTW!

Let me know how you get on, and if you do end up trying the balanced cables approach.

 

[ejecta]

Let me know how you get on, and if you do end up trying the balanced cables approach.

Will do… forgot to mention that I had read about the effects being lack luster in sound quality but I really haven’t found that to be the case. Not sure what some people look for honestly. Basic in nature with parameters yes but the sound IMHO is just fine and also that’s what I have my specific effects units I like for.

 

[Orvillain]

Will do… forgot to mention that I had read about the effects being lack luster in sound quality but I really haven’t found that to be the case. Not sure what some people look for honestly. Basic in nature with parameters yes but the sound IMHO is just fine and also that’s what I have my specific effects units I like for.

For me, it's always delay oscillations.

If I can't dial in these sort of high frequency squeal oscillations:

Dropbox

www.dropbox.com

Dropbox

www.dropbox.com

That tends to be a big thing for me. The analog delay on QC wasn't really up to it.

 

[Foxmeister]

Lastly on the Fractal stuff… it does sound good but I don’t find their effects and amps sounds, for my tastes, to be that head shoulders above everyone else like some claim and I just don’t find working with their gear and getting what I’m looking for to be something that’s a fit for me.

This very much mirrors my experience with Fractal - when I had my FM9 (and previously FM3) I thought it sounded great, but not qualitatively "better" than the Helix, *for my tastes*, and I simply preferred the workflow on the Helix.

Will do… forgot to mention that I had read about the effects being lack luster in sound quality but I really haven’t found that to be the case.

When I had my QC, by the time the firmware got to the version 1.3, I thought it mostly had a decent, serviceable, set of effects, but I still preferred both Fractal and Helix effects in almost all cases.

 

[metropolis_4]

Can’t disagree with a lot of the built in captures being too bassy and too much gain but some definitely aren’t. I’m getting really good edge of breakup with some of the captures. Again I never like the built in presets/ captures and even had that happen IIRC on the Kemper. On the Kemper even though it’s been a long time since I’ve owned one of those, I do remember it had issues too with it adding the low mids to all captures that weren’t there in the amp and mic chain. I just figured I’d give the QC a spin after messing with a friend of mine’s at his place and seeing it’s I/O capabilities.

Look I’m not at all saying OMG this a game changer. I’m just saying so far I think it has potential enough for move forward and seeing if this will work for my needs. I’ll try some other people’s captures and some of my own. One of the big reasons I’m looking at this is its routing capability and using it in my studio to route to real amps and outboard effects. The FM3 just doesn’t work for me well in that role. Second capturing my amps are important too so if it gets me at least 90% there doing that and routes the way I need with a minimal noise floor and or tone suck then it’ll work for me.

Lastly on the Fractal stuff… it does sound good but I don’t find their effects and amps sounds, for my tastes, to be that head shoulders above everyone else like some claim and I just don’t find working with their gear and getting what I’m looking for to be something that’s a fit for me. Making sure I’m understood that this is all IMO though for the sensitive types even though that rarely helps.

Nothing personal or sensitive here, just thought it was interesting my experience was so different to what you experienced.

With too much bass, too much gain, and edge of breakup I meant the models, not the Captures.

I did think the Captures were much better than the models. For me, I didn’t have any amps of my own to Capture at the time and there was so much more third party content for Kemper it made Kemper a more attractive option for my needs.

For effects, the QC is mostly serviceable… as long as you don’t need spring reverb.

 

[mbenigni]

Ever considered Boss? I mean… usually they’ll just release their product as done and ready… and if there’s bugs they’ll squash them after while. But other than that… what you get from day 1 is what you will use.
From my understanding at least.

It’s not a bad thing considering how much we nerds (referring to myself…) get sucked down in the “wait for updates” thing.

A blessing if you love everything about the unit on day 1; a curse otherwise.

Roland stuff is generally rock solid, but too often generic and uninspiring to my ears.

 

[JerEvil]

Imo QC captures high gain amps better

It absolutely does. Also Michael generally dials his amps in more mid-focused and less gainy which translates live better I think as well as for tracking in many cases. They cut well.

I never liked his profiles til I tried in rehearsals.

 

[ejecta]

For me, it's always delay oscillations.

If I can't dial in these sort of high frequency squeal oscillations:

Dropbox

www.dropbox.com

Dropbox

www.dropbox.com

That tends to be a big thing for me. The analog delay on QC wasn't really up to it.

Yeah only real analog delays are what I’ve found do that well.

Nothing personal or sensitive here, just thought it was interesting my experience was so different to what you experienced.

With too much bass, too much gain, and edge of breakup I meant the models, not the Captures.

I did think the Captures were much better than the models. For me, I didn’t have any amps of my own to Capture at the time and there was so much more third party content for Kemper it made Kemper a more attractive option for my needs.

For effects, the QC is mostly serviceable… as long as you don’t need spring reverb.

Much like the delays I mentioned about, I’ve not found a digital spring reverb that sounds as good as the tank in my Shiva.

It absolutely does. Also Michael generally dials his amps in more mid-focused and less gainy which translates live better I think as well as for tracking in many cases. They cut well.

Truth.

 

[JiveTurkey]

Fretworn needs to work on his sarcasm apparently

 

[ejecta]

Fretworn needs to work on his sarcasm apparently

I’m not sure it’s sarcasm.

 

[metropolis_4]

Yeah only real analog delays are what I’ve found do that well.


Much like the delays I mentioned about, I’ve not found a digital spring reverb that sounds as good as the tank in my Shiva.

Truth.

Yeah, spring reverb seems to be one of those things that digital never really gets right. I’ve never found one that sounds nearly as good as a real analog spring tank.

But the QC one is exceptionally heinous.

The best digital one I’ve heard is probably the new one in Helix

 

[Orvillain]

Yeah only real analog delays are what I’ve found do that well.

TBH, I have to disagree there. My clips are Helix, and the oscillation stems from the Adriatic Delay, which sounds really really good.

Analog delays typically cannot do the high pitch squeal thing at the tempos I play at, because they don't have enough BBD chips, so they just end up farting out. Truly, I've been round the houses with this for years - to the point where I wish I hadn't fucking written the parts!

 

[fretworn]

 

[the swede]

TBH, I have to disagree there. My clips are Helix, and the oscillation stems from the Adriatic Delay, which sounds really really good.

Analog delays typically cannot do the high pitch squeal thing at the tempos I play at, because they don't have enough BBD chips, so they just end up farting out. Truly, I've been round the houses with this for years - to the point where I wish I hadn't f*****g written the parts!

Definitely one of those worth having something helix for.