SoOOoN (Neural DSP Nano Cortex)

[Electric I]

With all that empty real estate above ‘nano cortex’, why oh why couldn’t they have put a small simple screen to at least let you know what preset you’re on.

 

[metropolis_4]

IDK, if I was interested in FX Kemper wouldn’t be my first choice. If I was interested in making amp models, this is better than the mini kemper in basically every way. Mini pedal means more on the room for the fx you like anyway, isn’t that the point?

Yeah, but if you were interested in FX would a Cortex be your first choice either?

 

[[Nathan]]

Can't you, like, capture with your computer for free these days?

Yep. At first I was like if I could play the capture back on a vst that would be cool…. Oh wait we can already do all of that already for free with NAM

So this is cool to do captures but still can only play them back on the unit, just not appealing from a studio/home pov compared to NAM. This is more of an on the go pedalboard thing

 

[texhex]

Say hello to my new Guitar Center "I'm just testing out how this amp sounds with my effects pedal and headphones." rig:

Amp captured... I'm out.

 

[nicolasrivera]

Can't you, like, capture with your computer for free these days?

Computer + audio interface + direct preamp box.

Too many things, this is 1 unit that is tiny and weights nothing.

 

[mbenigni]

Yeah the lack of options in the post effects is so strange

It's less like mini QC and more like a ToneX that doesn't make you want to gouge your eyes out. As much. Hopefully.

 

[the swede]

Conclusion: I can sit back, relax and continue to wait for the new Fractal product.

Or Helix?!?

Weird that there's only one reverb algorithm - and that it's Mind Hall?

It’s like a mind reading reverb you know. You like.. think about a room… and boom, room reverb. And then you think about a hall… boom.. and so on. And if you’re on stage and like… think about the wrong thing, like a 100% wet reverb… it will make orgasm sounds.

 

[metropolis_4]

I haven’t seen anything about how you load Captures… does it have WiFi and you can load them through the app like the QC or do you have to connect and load them over USB?

 

[Boudoir Guitar]

Computer + audio interface + direct preamp box.

Anyone in the game already has that stuff. The game, it has not been changed.

 

[Boudoir Guitar]

Or Helix?!?

What are they gonna release, something with 4.5 foot switches and 10 blocks? Never say never, but I feel like we've milked the Helix platform all we can from a hardware perspective.

 

[GTR37]

Weird that there's only one reverb algorithm - and that it's Mind Hall?

Yes truly not the best but oddly you would think pretty cpu intensive

 

[Sascha Franck]

If Sascha gets wind of this then there's gonna be hell to pay!

I already complained about the stupidity of LED rings and standard pots going along with them. An offense towards human intelligence, no less.

Anyhow, after skimming over the first short video, I got pretty interested in this.

Because of these pros:
- Low power requirements, even USB powered, so you can likely use just any smartphone charger, run it just with your laptop, etc. Excellent.
- Captures on its own. That's a USP already, at least for a truly compact form factor device.
- Great form factor, very pedalboard friendly, very gigbag friendly. Sizewise it's fantastic as a backup, or mabye for gigs with less demanding sound variations, etc.

But then, apart from the stupid standard pots (which they could almost been forgiven for, in case the "take over" from the shown LED ring values is handled nicely), there's cons:
- Possibly tough to handle without any display. Said so before, I'm fine with using my phone/tablet as a real screen, for editing and what not. But at least some standard 3-5 digit LED screen would've been extremely informative in a whole number of situations. And there'd be way more than enough space between the switches.
- No pre-amp boost/EQ, no post-amp boost/EQ. In fact, that's very likely my personal deal breaker. Since decades, my standard procedure to turn pretty much any rhythm sound into a lead sound is to activate a pre-amp boost (drive, EQ or compressor), a post amp EQ (to balance things) and some delay/verb. Activating all these with one switch works a treat on pretty much all modeling devices I ever owned. With that functionality, I'd possibly set up two patches (typically clean(-ish) and dirty) and turn them into lead sounds with an external switch. It's exactly what I'm doing on the Stomp (even all within a single patch).
- As a result of these two, the NC's usability as a nice standalone unit for smaller gigs is severely crippled already.
- MIDI *or* EXP is quite a limitation, too. There's good reasons why you may want both.

In the end, as I don't own much things I'd like to capture myself, this gets a pass. Even a pretty hard pass.
And I absolutely don't know which game this thing is about to change, so FFS, all you dreaded YT influencers, stop it already!

 

[the swede]

What are they gonna release, something with 4.5 foot switches and 10 blocks? Never say never, but I feel like we've milked the Helix platform all we can from a hardware perspective.

You’re right.. I think it may be exiting at least what Line 6 may be cooking up.
And I don’t think Helix is milked out yet.

 

[GTR37]

Is it just chorus? The announce video said modulation. Can you not put other effects in that slot instead?

Nope just Boss Dimension C

 

[mikah912]

IDK, if I was interested in FX Kemper wouldn’t be my first choice. If I was interested in making amp models, this is better than the mini kemper in basically every way. Mini pedal means more on the room for the fx you like anyway, isn’t that the point?

Kemper reverbs and delays murder QC ones.

 

[Lysander]

You’re right.. I think it may be exiting at least what Line 6 may be cooking up.
And I don’t think Helix is milked out yet.

Meh, all L6 needs to announce is a Helix with newer DSPs, if they ever want to. That would end the "most powerful floor modeler" argument for good.

Still, it's fascinating how the lowly HX Stomp remains the undisputed small modeler king.

 

[JiveTurkey]

Kemper verbs and delays are

 

[mbenigni]

Because of these pros:
- Low power requirements, even USB powered, so you can likely use just any smartphone charger, run it just with your laptop, etc. Excellent.

Or even just one of the many high-capacity, USB-rechargeable 9V batteries (in typical 9V battery form factor) out there.

 

[Achilles]

The game, it has not been changed.

Unless you are a really big fan of Neural amp captures - which are pretty damn great imo.

Getting a handful of those that you really enjoy in a box that's a grand+ less than the previous entry fee is pretty cool.
The overall game hasn't been changed but team NDSP just picked up a new star player.

 

[mikah912]

Unless you are a really big fan of Neural amp captures - which are pretty damn great imo.

Getting a handful of those that you really enjoy in a box that's a grand+ less than the previous entry fee is pretty cool.
The overall game hasn't been changed but team NDSP just picked up a new star player.

(Unless you use spring reverb)