Neural Quad Cortex

    There is one aspect of QC which bothers me: combining rotary encoders with foot switches poses some hygienic challenges... I'm not a germaphobe by any means but I do typically turn knobs using my right hand, use pick with my right hand and I tent to hold pick in my mouth when I play with fingers and need a temporary storage for it (as I believe many of you do, too). Now imagine you play in a dive bar and stepped onto something you can only hope was a beer and then you engaged heavenly chorus. Given how long cultivated habits are hard to change I'm afraid I'd have to either wipe the knobs all the time or have shoe covers dedicated to QC... I am genuinely interested how people will solve this aspect in practice.


    Just to be clear - I think QC is innovative and great piece of gear and will stir the market for sure. At current level of technology it is less about the sound (there isn't much margin for improvements here, IMHO and numerous blind tests seem to confirm this) and more about workflow, form factor and customer service.

    I just need to know,, first off,, did the person / any of the folks,,doing vids, and tests/ reviews,,, Pay retail... for the QC, or get it free or discounted, I need to know that up front, I feel its the most important info I need ,,,

    Quote from piotrmaj

    There is one aspect of QC which bothers me: combining rotary encoders with foot switches poses some hygienic challenges... I'm not a germaphobe by any means but I do typically turn knobs using my right hand, use pick with my right hand and I tent to hold pick in my mouth when I play with fingers and need a temporary storage for it (as I believe many of you do, too). Now imagine you play in a dive bar and stepped onto something you can only hope was a beer and then you engaged heavenly chorus. Given how long cultivated habits are hard to change I'm afraid I'd have to either wipe the knobs all the time or have shoe covers dedicated to QC... I am genuinely interested how people will solve this aspect in practice.


    Just to be clear - I think QC is innovative and great piece of gear and will stir the market for sure. At current level of technology it is less about the sound (there isn't much margin for improvements here, IMHO and numerous blind tests seem to confirm this) and more about workflow, form factor and customer service.

    1. Use only the touch screen

    2. Don't step on poop.

    Better have it and not need it, than need it and not have it! - Michael Angelo Batio

    Quote from Ingolf

    It's not mandatory but recommended if you're going for a best try scenario.

    Personally I've also experienced refining making my profiles worse (more boomy in an undesirable way).

    Let’s see/hear! ;)


    Right.

    Refining is an option, that should be made if you feel the Profile should be closer in certain aspects.


    Also, if you profile an amp without master volume, that is distorting power tubes, we recommend to adjust the Tube Shape parameter to your liking

    We could have chosen to automate these settings, but we leave these options to the users in purpose, as many might prefer to dial in a more edgy preamp or in opposite, to tame a harsh power amp sound.

    Here is the description from our manual:


    Power amp tubes generate a different type of overtone structure than preamp tubes. They distort with a harsher sound, because the negative feedback in the power amp circuit linearizes the tube amplification. This makes the distortion curve edgier. If you notice in the A/B comparison that the reference amp produces more high frequency distortion when light distortion is applied, you should set the “Tube shape” parameter to about 9.0, to get the same behavior from the PROFILE.



    Maybe it wasn't a good idea to give these options to the user?

    Quote from DamianGreda

    I think refining will not change anything in this matter that I am talking about. How many times has it been pointed out that the bass is a little flat and the midrange has a fairly homogeneous cocked wah character. I understand that this could not be fixed.

    I still like my KPA as I don't use High Gain lately and the crunch/brakeups sounds beautiful with KPA.

    I just have to admit that in this example the QC high gain sound better.

    Talking about the"cocked wah" or "congested" effect that some users have reported.


    We have never experienced such effects in our own research, and we never had a feedback from the professional Profile makers about such sound deviations.

    I have asked numerous times in the respective threads if the users could give us more information (clips with A/B comparison, links to clips). All we got was sound examples from two users. One was presumably a preamp distortion with too much power amp distortion added, And for the other, we got no valuable additional information. Both users didn't respond to my request to perform some more tests to find the cause or solution. It happend on this forum a few years ago. I suspect that the problem might be with certain amp types, maybe rare ones.


    Damian, do you experience this problem when you make your own profiles?

    What amp(s) are you profiling?

    Quote from unclemar

    I just need to know,, first off,, did the person / any of the folks,,doing vids, and tests/ reviews,,, Pay retail... for the QC, or get it free or discounted, I need to know that up front, I feel its the most important info I need ,,,

    Rabea and Pete have openly said they have collaborated with Neural to create pre-loaded patches on the QC.

    Regardless, it's safe to say all the reviews you've seen so far are from gear influencers, and I'm sure the number 1 comment they want under their video is "great review, that sounded great xxxxx, I've just placed my order".


    If they want to endear themselves to various brands and work their way up the gear influencer pecking order, they'll want people to be buying product based off of their reviews.


    I'd say it's safe to treat every video you've seen so far as marketing to some degree

    One for CK.

    My CAE 3+SE is a frustrating amp to profile (but worthwhile). It takes about 40 minutes of refining to get it and even then, there is a really tiny little something missing when picking the higher strings. The preamp has a little more happening harmonically in the high end that the profiler isn’t getting quite right.
    The isn’t what takes so long refining though. You get the bottom end right and the top end isn't right. You get the top end right and the bottom end has changed. Then, you have to sort out the mid range which can then change the top or bottom end or even worse, both . It’s a long process it’s my favourite amp though so I don’t mind spending the time as I want it right ?
    Would be great if you could get one in and see why the profiling seems to struggle with what I would describe as the extended range and harmonic content of this preamp. I am using it with a Mesa 295 power amp. Especially the lead channel. Ch3.

    I have no clue about the profiling and refining technicalities but this preamp seems to have too much info for the profiler to gather correctly. It’s the only amp along with the SLO100 where the top strings sound as thick as the bottom strings.
    Would be great to have an undo option while refining too. ?

    The KPA is still the best unit I have bought in years and years.

    One thing that I have been taking from all of the videos comparing the Kemper to the QC is that they are incredibly close in capturing an amp. The Kemper is almost 10 years old and still going toe to toe with the newest latest and greatest on the market. Now there are advantages that I see with the new unit like dual amps, capturing pedals and things like that. Most of those things I would assume that they were not even thought of as needed when the Kemper first came out.

    Quote from stratdude

    I'd say it's safe to treat every video you've seen so far as marketing to some degree

    And then go back 50 years or more and apply that again... :)

    If you use FRFR the benefit of a merged profile is that the cabinet is totally separated in the profile.


    For my edification only... ;) Kemper/Axe-FX III/ Quad Cortex user

    I wish some of you guys would give Rabea the benefit of the doubt. I don’t think for a second he was being intentionally dishonest or trying to pull a fast one. He knows his audience and he doesn’t think we’re stupid.


    I think he honestly thought that not refining the profile was the best 1 to 1 test of the two products.

    Once people chimed in and said they disagree with his methods he decided to shoot another review.

    Someone above said he “got caught” which implies they think he was doing something dishonest and that he KNEW it was dishonest. I would actually be somewhat offended by this accusation if I were him.


    I personally don’t think the test was dishonest, nor was his intent. It may not have been the best possible test, but he is going to correct that and I think it shows some integrity.


    Just a thought.

    I agree wholeheartedly. Rabea always seems genuine and he has also worked on the Kemper side creating profiles for vendor(s). There is no reason to discredit him.

    I dont know guys why you love praising Rabea so much, hes yt channel used to be good until his started shilling out paid gear *reviews* 24/7, look at his videos almost all of them are infomercials. Never heard from him this is crap don't buy this (unlike from someone like Ola for example).

    Quote from Clanker

    I dont know guys why you love praising Rabea so much, hes yt channel used to be good until his started shilling out paid gear *reviews* 24/7, look at his videos almost all of them are infomercials. Never heard from him this is crap don't buy this (unlike from someone like Ola for example).

    Yes, it's called endorsing products. It has happened forever. The point is he has a reputation of being a respected player and people want him to demo their products because they know it is in good hands. In 2017 Rabea even posted a youtube video entitled "Getting Endorsements". It's not just him, Pete Thorn, Tom Quayle and a slew of others do the same. I can understand your frustration if you want an honest review and if that's your expectation you have to look somewhere else. If you look at Pete Thorn as an example, tons of product demos, and he makes them all sound great. That's exactly what the vendors want and are paying for. Through this COVID nightmare, it has been a means for many to earn money without gigging.

    Edited 2 times, last by dean701 ().

    Like 3

    All I’m saying is that the implied accusation of Rabea being “intentionally dishonest” is unfounded.


    Could it be true?


    Yes.


    Does anyone have any real evidence that it actually *is* true?


    No.


    He’s reshooting the video. Some people believe it’s because he “got caught” but that is an unfair accusation.


    Innocent until proven guilty, right?


    Until proven otherwise, I believe he was made aware of an error in his thinking and is redoing the video in an effort to correct his “mistake”

    For me many of this guys do achieve the same good or bad tone with anything. Eg. Lasse Lammert used so many different amps and I never experience any significant difference in his tones. Any different with Ola or Pete Thorn or the others?
    Personally I can see the efficiency with only one floorboard to carry but won‘t be happy with power supply on the front of a stage and not even be happier with a „PC“ next to beer drinking folks. Kemper Rack and Remote best of both worlds and much safer. Also not keen on the rotating knobs as well due to them being too close to each other. Great for fingers and for home use if on the table. Best: No need for a external soundcard.


    Discussion: Who wants a digital UI when u have a superior hardware layout on the front? What we do is abuse hardware to achieve great tones. So why then spare physical knobs?! I rather get bothered by the digital opportunities. Eg. Relish offers a sensor-triggered split of coils and PU selection. Anyone interested? Therefore I think there should remain a difference between a software world/an editor and the „Amp“ itself. So u can serve both worlds. It also should be ergonomic in any case.


    If it is possible in the future to get closer to the real amp (which is definitely subjective to everyone) I am fine with that and might go for a second version of a Kemper - but then amp results must be way way better than now and is it possible? Only one improvement for me would be a bigger display on the remote. Colors I do not really need.