Trying out the NDSP Quad Cortex

[mikah912]

I am positive it will be a QC stomp thing ,and as mentioned I like the sounds and would be willing to buy a small grab and go QC if the price is right like $1099 and under It would probably more the needle just for the GUI fun factor and portability

I'm not sure if that is a needle mover. If you're going to shrink the form factor of something, then it needs to be something That's large and why to begin with to make a real difference. Hence, Helix Floor to Stomp or Kemper Stage to Profiler player.

The value prop here is just...cheaper QC with less functionality and same crappy verbs and delays?

 

[namathan_zirwir]

I'm not sure if that is a needle mover. If you're going to shrink the form factor of something, then it needs to be something That's large and why to begin with to make a real difference. Hence, Helix Floor to Stomp or Kemper Stage to Profiler player.

The value prop here is just...cheaper QC with less functionality and same crappy verbs and delays?

Lol. The delays just aren't crappy. Not at all. Limited compared to other products? Yes. More than good enough for me. Not a huge delay guy, but use once in a while, and they are enough for me. YMMV

 

[GTR37]

I'm not sure if that is a needle mover. If you're going to shrink the form factor of something, then it needs to be something That's large and why to begin with to make a real difference. Hence, Helix Floor to Stomp or Kemper Stage to Profiler player.

The value prop here is just...cheaper QC with less functionality and same crappy verbs and delays?

Maybe their Lexicon PCM Emulation will be decent
For me a cheaper price is a needle mover as I don’t really use elaborate chains but maybe not to others , for sure
It depends what your needs are , to me the dual delay , slap back Digital and Circular ( if they do that well) is more than enough
I am not a delay aficionado I use it on leads basically

 

[mikah912]

Lol. The delays just aren't crappy. Not at all. Limited compared to other products? Yes. More than good enough for me. Not a huge delay guy, but use once in a while, and they are enough for me. YMMV

From my time with the QC (several months), I thought they were mediocre. Haven't heard anything to the contrary in a clip since, and they have one new delay (circular) and no new verbs on the docket for the foreseeable future.

Also, the Spring Reverb is painfully worst-in-class and that's a pretty widely used effect.

 

[Jarick]

I think that’s one reason why maybe they are not rushing to add new delays etc because they have a bunch of better ones in the Plug in and figure people will be able to buy those and port them
So there hoping to kill 2 birds w one stone increase plug in sales and add content
The question is to the guys using Petrucci or Plini
How much better are the reverbs and delays is it might and day and close to a helix

Are there better delays in the plugins though? The only one that stood out to me at all was the Mateas Asato which I think was maybe a space echo?

Anyways trying to think of backpack portable modelers…FM9 and HX Floor are too big. Kemper Stage dunno maybe that’s okay? QC qualifies for sure. Kemper Profile plus effects? Or else HX Stomp for effects plus Tonex or standalone modeler pedal?

 

[Lysander]

Are there better delays in the plugins though? The only one that stood out to me at all was the Mateas Asato which I think was maybe a space echo?

I only tried a couple of NDSP plugins, but i always had the distinct impression most, if not all, reuse basic effect blocks with different skins.

I'd be hard pressed to tell the delays from Gojira, Plini and Morgan apart.

 

[GTR37]

Are there better delays in the plugins though? The only one that stood out to me at all was the Mateas Asato which I think was maybe a space echo?

Anyways trying to think of backpack portable modelers…FM9 and HX Floor are too big. Kemper Stage dunno maybe that’s okay? QC qualifies for sure. Kemper Profile plus effects? Or else HX Stomp for effects plus Tonex or standalone modeler pedal?

I do not know , I have not played the plug-ins personally
But I don’t see many complaints about the FX so I figured it was a non issue and maybe they were noticeably improved

 

[LCW]

Ease of use and less tweakability (since I’m weak and can’t help myself) are what made me choose the QC.

Tried an FM9 a year ago and spent more time tweaking that playing.

With the QC I found great tones right out of the box. I love the ease of making adjustments on the unit without having to be tethered to a software editor.

 

[GTR37]

I just want NDSP to give the Bogner XTC 101b model
Blue and red channels that were promised at launch
If they could nail that amp I would be a very happy camper

 

[Orvillain]

Lol. The delays just aren't crappy. Not at all.

They are dogshit.

 

[GTR37]

They are dogshit.

I think it really depends on how much of an effects guy you are
For years I had a wah , tube screamer , and a boss DD2
Nuno Bettencourt uses and ancient ME5 or whatever it
EVH had a taped up pedal board
Now if your goal is ethereal worship parting of the sea tones it may fall short

 

[Orvillain]

I think it really depends on how much of an effects guy you are
For years I had a wah , tube screamer , and a boss DD2
Nuno Bettencourt uses and ancient ME5 or whatever it
EVH had a taped up pedal board
Now if your goal is ethereal worship parting of the sea tones it may fall short

If you compare the QC delays to even a bog standard DD8 pedal, they fall short. Your last sentence is just wanky nonsense. I aint taking the bait.

Ultimately it is a question of two things:

1. How capable your ears are.
2. How much experience you actually have.

 

[Orvillain]

I only tried a couple of NDSP plugins, but i always had the distinct impression most, if not all, reuse basic effect blocks with different skins.

I'd be hard pressed to tell the delays from Gojira, Plini and Morgan apart.

And for the most part, they all sound like algorithms you'd get from musicdsp.org - 101 algorithms that you can get as freeware from many other companies.

The tape delay and analog delay are horrifically bad. You don't even need to spend big bucks to get something way better. A Boss DD-8 or even a second hand Digitech Delay pedal would run rings around them in terms of accuracy and musicality.

 

[namathan_zirwir]

And for the most part, they all sound like algorithms you'd get from musicdsp.org - 101 algorithms that you can get as freeware from many other companies.

The tape delay and analog delay are horrifically bad. You don't even need to spend big bucks to get something way better. A Boss DD-8 or even a second hand Digitech Delay pedal would run rings around them in terms of accuracy and musicality.

Of course a DD8 or many other "delay pedals" are better. Because, uh..that's what they were designed for. Delays. The Analog Delay sounds fine in the QC. Quite good actually. Have you actually owned a QC? Or do you just like to troll the QC threads across different forums/groups?

 

[GTR37]

If you compare the QC delays to even a bog standard DD8 pedal, they fall short. Your last sentence is just wanky nonsense. I aint taking the bait.

Ultimately it is a question of two things:

1. How capable your ears are.
2. How much experience you actually have.

Sorry no baiting I meant if you were playing that genre of music P&W
They have a lot of swells and ethereal reverbs and pitch fx
For something like AC DC they are not going to care greatly on big verbs and delays

 

[Mongillo19]

Of course a DD8 or many other "delay pedals" are better. Because, uh..that's what they were designed for. Delays. The Analog Delay sounds fine in the QC. Quite good actually. Have you actually owned a QC? Or do you just like to troll the QC threads across different forums/groups?

I don't think the "QC effects are good" is the hill to die on it has other things going for it but let's be real, effects is not one of them.

For example, the delays and reverbs in fractal are on par with the higher end real life effects pedals. That's why you get these devices, no? To accurately recreate analog gear (for the most part).

The spring reverb on the QC should just be removed

 

[deadpool_25]

For something like AC DC they are not going to care greatly on big verbs and delays

What about 90's Van Halen though? Those tones were glorious.

 

[deadpool_25]

For example, the delays and reverbs in fractal are on par with the higher end real life effects pedals.

That you giving real life pedals way more credit than they deserve. Or talking shit about fractal effects.

 

[namathan_zirwir]

I don't think the "QC effects are good" is the hill to die on it has other things going for it but let's be real, effects is not one of them.

For example, the delays and reverbs in fractal are on par with the higher end real life effects pedals. That's why you get these devices, no? To accurately recreate analog gear (for the most part).

The spring reverb on the QC should just be removed

I agree..many of them do need to be improved and more added. I never disputed that. I don't use reverb and use a few simple delays, so it suits my needs. Like I said, YMMV. If you want great delays and reverbs, don't buy a QC is solid advice.

 

[la szum]

@JiveTurkey sneezed on me and I seem to have developed a serious aversion to NDSP.

I PM'ed him. He said it is irreversible and there is no cure.