Neural Quad Cortex

    There must be some cross interference between the speaker, mics and room. After all the mics aren't sitting right on the speaker. There's a gap, however small and that might be enough to add ambience...

    Quote from timowens

    I don't understand this. To me it seems like it was in fact designed for live use.


    For example, I have both the Rack/Remote and the Stage. Each one requires the same number of cables to hook up at a gig, the difference is that with the Stage I have two less things to haul to the gig. What am I missing?

    All stand alone foot controllers require the following:


    1. A power drop. Some require a power drop AND a wall wart (ew).
    2. A guitar input. Yea yea, my rack needs this too, but the cable can be routed AWAY from me instead of right to my feet so I can get tangled up in it.
    3. 2 XLR cables for the L/R out .... or at a minimum 1 mono cable .... again, all at my feet.

    When using a rack unit, I simply pop off the back of the case, and plug power and XLR cables into the mixer (I sit the KPA on top of my X32 Rack and have short cables just for this purpose that stay inside the rack). Only 1 cable goes to the FC below my feet, and my guitar input can be routed away from me easily.


    The NQC also has its buttons very close together compared to the Kemper FC and Kemper Stage. The NQC also only has 2 sets of 4 preset selections vs 2 sets of 5 on the KPA.


    While the KPA LCD screen is heavily defended by a plexiglass covering, the NC touch screen is out in the open lending itself to damage from any dropped items.


    Finally, the KPA allows 5 entire rigs and chains to be stored in a performance.... complete with options in the signal chain AND morphing of any set of parameters. The NC requires that a single preset be created that different pathways are simply turned on or off ..... at least this is how I currently understand it.


    These are just my observations after having used both a rack unit with a dedicated FC and an all-in-one FC as well as my visual observations of the NQC.

    Another comparison if anyone is interested.


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    They also sound significantly different to me. He has not revealed which one is which yet I believe.

    Quote from ColdFrixion

    B is the Quad Cortex.

    Was it revealed? I must have missed it. On the 1st clip I thought that A was the amp as well but on the 2nd clip, which was cleaner, I would have said that B was the amp because it sounded more dynamic. That could be attributed to the playing though.


    The differences are very apparent but since the recorded signal does not seem to be the same, in some aspects, it is more difficult to guess if those differences are due to the capture process or just caused the by different playing.

    I've read and thought a lot about the QC. But I always can rely on an accurate representation of not only QC's current Beta FW sound and its playing feel (both will never change in future) when it passes YouTube and finally reaches my cellphone speakers - while I have other noises around me. No, I have paid a lot for my current gear that others use, too. Therefore I can clearly say and hereby prove that the QC is total s***.

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

    Like 1
    Quote from Alienator

    I've read and thought a lot about the QC. But I always can rely on an accurate representation of not only QC's current Beta FW sound and its playing feel (both will never change in future) when it passes YouTube and finally reaches my cellphone speakers - while I have other noises around me. No, I have paid a lot for my current gear that others use, too. Therefore I can clearly say and hereby prove that the QC is total s***.

    The firmware is still beta? Will it be released like that? Guess the've been occupied iPhoning their product and developing their social media platform instead of finishing the firmware.

    Thinking of cancelling my order of the Cortex, playing with my Kemper, im not so sure I need it.

    Pretty sure after an hour or so it won't sound much different than what I own already, so I may as well save myself £1500.


    .........maybe put it towards another geeetarrrrr?

    'You can lead a horse to water, but a pencil must be lead' - Stan Laurel

    Like 2

    In two years time firmware will advance including the capture process itself. Though not a fan, at all, of being tied to a cloud server (aka someone else's computer), I am still on the edge of buying a QC just to see how it develops. If Neural takes it to a cloud REQUIRED status and a subscription required, then I can sell it off.


    I have the Axe FX III and Kemper rack. The new Axe firmware had sounded delightful! The QC is more attractive to me than either the Helix or Headrush, and not interested in amp plugins at all. If I am moved to drag my old amps from storage, then the QC could be a win win. Still, unsure at this point in time.

    You gotta have the right guns when you enter the town of tone. And please, shoot ALL fanboys you come across!

    Like 1
    Quote from VegasG

    In two years time firmware will advance including the capture process itself. Though not a fan, at all, of being tied to a cloud server (aka someone else's computer), I am still on the edge of buying a QC just to see how it develops. If Neural takes it to a cloud REQUIRED status and a subscription required, then I can sell it off.


    I have the Axe FX III and Kemper rack. The new Axe firmware had sounded delightful! The QC is more attractive to me than either the Helix or Headrush, and not interested in amp plugins at all. If I am moved to drag my old amps from storage, then the QC could be a win win. Still, unsure at this point in time.

    Nice to see a balanced and rational post about the QC.


    Doug Castro has said they won’t be moving to a subscription model, but I suppose that could always change. I doubt it though...can you imagine the backlash? They understand the implications as well as you and I.

    Quote from VegasG

    In two years time firmware will advance including the capture process itself. Though not a fan, at all, of being tied to a cloud server (aka someone else's computer), I am still on the edge of buying a QC just to see how it develops. If Neural takes it to a cloud REQUIRED status and a subscription required, then I can sell it off.


    I have the Axe FX III and Kemper rack. The new Axe firmware had sounded delightful! The QC is more attractive to me than either the Helix or Headrush, and not interested in amp plugins at all. If I am moved to drag my old amps from storage, then the QC could be a win win. Still, unsure at this point in time.

    how do you like the AxeFx3? Thinking of trading a tube amp for the FM3 just to compare it to the kemper and see which side of things I like better; modeling vs profiling

    Quote from Calaban

    Nice to see a balanced and rational post about the QC.


    Doug Castro has said they won’t be moving to a subscription model, but I suppose that could always change. I doubt it though...can you imagine the backlash? They understand the implications as well as you and I.

    Has he said that outright somewhere? All I've seen are indirect answers that sidestep having to commit to anything, like "subscriptions?" "we'll offer free updates always."


    I can totally see them doing something like $10/month to access all their plugins on the computer & QC, without much backlash. Then that moves the line and they can do more... Who knows, we'll see.

    Quote from jippitygem25

    how do you like the AxeFx3? Thinking of trading a tube amp for the FM3 just to compare it to the kemper and see which side of things I like better; modeling vs profiling

    Also curious!

    Bought an AxeFXIII but because of some shipping problems I got a refund.

    The problem is during the shipping ( so I thought) I started watching tutorials and it grew on me. Also listened to some sample on yt and it sounds really good but of course I’m almore interested in how it feels compared to the Kemper.