SoOOoN (Neural DSP Nano Cortex)

[GTR37]

Was just subjecting myself to NDSP's deep dive video for the NC and man, this thing is not intuitive at all

And i don't mean "oh, it has a learning curve", but "i haven't used this feature in a month so now i have no idea where to find it". Even the phone app navigation's icky.



Honestly, surprising coming from the QC, which is extremely intuitive to navigate without ever touching a manual.

Its also interesting how much impact the EQ controls interact with the capture , the Kemper I don't recall doing that , if you changed setting of a profile by moving the eq it was not natural , it almost like Neural are using the amp eq as like a Studio Eq or post eq

 

[namathan_zirwir]

We aren't comparing fractal here. We are comparing the QC to the NC. Many QC users hang their hat on the ease of use of the QC as to why they prefer it over other digital devices. This NC does not seem nearly as easy to use as the QC.

I'm just bringing up an example. It really doesn't look that hard to use/figure out. YMMV.

 

[Frankencat]

This is actually pretty cool and I may add this to my modeler collection.

 

[BenIfin]

My ruthless and honest opinion. PART 2

=> 1/3rd the $US price of a full QC
=> %100 fewer Amps
=> %99 fewer EFX
=> %80 fewer FSW's
=> No Screen
=> Capture Player Only

I went from a KPA Stage running L/P's to the FM3 when it went to CX3.

Even though the Kemper Player is $150 more, I would buy a Kemper Player every day of the week over this.

Just my 4c.

Ben

 

[[Nathan]]

My ruthless and honest opinion. PART 2

=> 1/3rd the $US price of a full QC
=> %100 less Amps
=> %99 less EFX
=> %80 less FSW's
=> No Screen
=> Capture Player Only

I went from a KPA Stage running L/P's to the FM3 when it went to CX3.

Even though the Kemper Player is $150 more, I would buy a Kemper Player every day of the week over this.

Just my 4c.

Ben

I'd pick up the NC over the Kemper Player every day of the week

I'm still not getting one but the NC fixed some gimping the KPP has as well as the lack of capturing on ToneX/Dimehead. I'd just rather get a QC/Helix/Fractal over this format of pedal based capture players anyway... but if I had to get one for some reason my current pick would be the NC when all things are considered.

 

[namathan_zirwir]

Really the only thing I don't like about it is the lack of effects. This is kinda baffling .Otherwise it looks good. I would take this over a Kemper Player, as to me good captures sound better than profiles. Don't care about amp models on it either, as I mostly use captures on the QC and am happy with them. I wonder if updates to it in the future will allow more effects to be used in it.

 

[BenIfin]

I'd pick up the NC over the Kemper Player every day of the week

I'm still not getting one but the NC fixed some gimping the KPP has as well as the lack of capturing on ToneX/Dimehead. I'd just rather get a QC/Helix/Fractal over this format of pedal based capture players anyway... but if I had to get one for some reason my current pick would be the NC when all things are considered.

All good :)

^^^ Just checked on Sweetwater ...... HX Stomp is US $ 649 ...... NC is US $549 ..... for like US $100 more, this makes the NC look like the no-brainer no-buy of the year ... i.m.h.o at least.

Ben

 

[namathan_zirwir]

All good :)

^^^ Just checked on Sweetwater ...... HX Stomp is US $ 649 ...... NC is US $549 ..... for like US $100 more, this makes the NC look like the no-brainer no-buy of the year ... i.m.h.o at least.

Ben

IMO - If I wanted just for amp tones, I would take the NC over the Stomp. Personally not a huge fan of L6 modelling and I like the QC captures better. Really depends what functionality/tones you are looking for in these units.

 

[Jarick]

Honestly this thing seems petty dumb. QC benefits are power, easy UI, being able to run multiple captures. This doesn’t achieve any of them. Feels like they tried to build to a price point instead of a feature set.

 

[Sascha Franck]

My only fear is how it will sound bypassing the IR/Cab and going direct.

Why would you go direct without a cab section?!?

 

[[Nathan]]

Honestly this thing seems petty dumb. QC benefits are power, easy UI, being able to run multiple captures. This doesn’t achieve any of them. Feels like they tried to build to a price point instead of a feature set.

If you compare it to a QC it seems dumb. If you compare it against the big ToneX pedal or the Kemper Profile Player then it aces those.

 

[Sascha Franck]

are you going to use more than 4 presets though ?

Thing is, with the NC you will likely need more presets (or at least wish for more), simply because the device is severely limited in terms of what you can do within a single preset. Need a clean tone with a somewhat hairy variation? You could possibly do that via the expression assignments (already way less than ideal as it's pretty fiddly, but at least doable). Now you want the same tone with some modulation. Time for a new preset.
Most other devices allow you to do all this kinda stuff within a single preset.

IMO all the FX, preset switching and "can play gigs with just the device" stuff is only good in emergency situations. Sort of comparable to the Amplifirebox. Doable but certainly no fun at all.

 

[Sascha Franck]

If you compare it to a QC it seems dumb. If you compare it against the big ToneX pedal or the Kemper Profile Player then it aces those.

Would agree on the Tonex but not on the Kemper.

 

[[Nathan]]

Would agree on the Tonex but not on the Kemper.

I care more about being able to do captures on the unit and if I grabbed the KPP I'd be out of luck and at the mercy of capture packs only, big pass.

 

[Foxmeister]

If you compare it against the big ToneX pedal or the Kemper Profile Player then it aces those.

Personally, capturing aside, I don't think aces anything, but I've got one one on order anyway so I'll give it a go!

It certainly isn't a Pod.Express beater!

 

[dronerstone]

please show me a unit at that price point/size/portability that has capturing capabilities.

Mooer Preamp Live

(I kiiid, I kiiid...... )

 

[the swede]

Mooer Preamp Live

(I kiiid, I kiiid...... )

But it’s true though! Wasn’t they first out with capturing in small format?

 

[Sascha Franck]

I care more about being able to do captures on the unit and if I grabbed the KPP I'd be out of luck and at the mercy of capture packs only, big pass.

Point taken. But I was more thinking along the lines of general usability. So far, the NC seems to be quite behind here (but the Kemper Player is far from being excellent as well).

 

[Sascha Franck]

Fwiw, I think it's at least sort of astounding. When you look at the 4 currently available small form factor capture player devices, their *only* selling point is being able to deal with captures/profiles.
Regarding absolutely anything else, they're just piss poor - and no, there's no other words for it. Even the cheesiest chinese modeler knockoff will simply blow them away in terms of usability, live friendliness and what not.
And let's not even start to talk about the somewhat more serious competitors, namely the Stomps, Amperos, GT-1000s and what have you. No KemperP, Dimehead, Tonex or NC will even just remotely scratch what those have on offer. The only thing they have to defend their partially super crippled functionality and usability is "Oh, but capture!", nothing else.

In other words: Unless you really wanted (or needed) to be able to use captures in a compact hardware unit, all of these devices are offering zero advances over any competitor.

 

[Orvillain]

My ruthless and honest opinion. PART 2

=> 1/3rd the $US price of a full QC
=> %100 less Amps
=> %99 less EFX
=> %80 less FSW's

Ahem. The word is fewer.