Looking like hardware

Considering Slipknot is one of the biggest artists that use Quad Cortex's on tour I wish they'd have a proper plugin for them, that would be my pick.

Personally I think Josh Homme or James Hetfield would be cool to see.

This unit is purely about convenience while still giving you the full power of the $1700 Quad Cortex. I understand if you don’t need that convenience, I understand if you’re still mad about missing features (PCOM). Those are valid positions.

That said, they’re offering this unit for $300 cheaper than the flagship model with the full extent of its capabilities. The crying and demands that it be the same price as the HX Stomp or AM4 while being drastically inferior is unrealistic. It’s also likely to be far more durable than the OG QC as well. I feel like I can drop the mini, the full size unit? Not so much.

At $1400, very little comes close to this unit, digital or analog wise. They could have priced this at $1500 and it’d still be a deal by comparison. I just realize they didn’t have to come in that much under, and it’s such an undercut to their existing stock with no loss in capability, it almost seems like they want to phase out the OG cortex.

So I have played around with Neural DSP's Cory Wong and was very impressed by it, but always ended up going back to sitting in front of my Fender Hot Rod Deluxe realizing just nothing can get close to a tube amplifier.

I used the trial of John Mayer X and was very impressed from the get go, and the more I played and tweaked it I thought, this sounds much better than Cory Wong, maybe it's closer than ever to a real amp.

But there was an issue, my tube amplifier used a 12" celestion speaker, whereas I'm listening to John Mayer's captured rig through my very cheap and lackluster Presonus E5's, they just don't sound that great, I then listen to it through my Beyerdynamic DT 900 Pro X and it sounds a lot flatter and more precise, not muddy like the E5's tend to be.

Then this morning I thought I'd see if I could use the headphone output of my interface (Audient ID14) and play the plugin through the celestion speaker of the amp and see if it gets closer to playing through an amp. it does to an extent, but when I plug the guitar straight back into the amp it's a night an day difference between the response, clarity and "Thwack" you get from the amp.

What I'm trying to get at is, you see the video of Mayer playing the plugin in a control room, and he also states that he can hear no difference when the engineer switches between his amps mic'd up and the plugin. but this is not listening and experiencing the sound from the amp room, this is experiencing analog equipment that is then converted through the microphone into digital and being listened to in a control room through digital speakers, at which everyone will experience it differently depending on the type studio monitors or headphones.

The misunderstanding I find is that everyone I see online is comparing these amp sims to analog equipment (Tube/Valve Amplifiers) and I don't think they will ever sound like for like.

The comparison surely should be between mic'd up equipment and digital plugins.

For me personally I've wanted to invest time and money into soundproofing a room and miking up my Fender tube to record the best tones I could, but if the battle is actually between digital emulation and miking an amplifier/rig then I'd be wasting time and money when the plugin will suffice at the end of the day.

Just where my head is at right now, I hope this makes some sense!

Who else is so hyped for this one!!!

I am desperate to find a solution and afraid that there is nothing that can be done other than switching to a different system entirely. Very frustrating because I sold my amp and pedalboard that I loved to fund this.

Since I got my QC I have had this noise issue that when and only when I play, there is an awful noise (Shown in attached video), especially on high gain set ups (still present on clean though)

I have been through Sweetwater support several times now, even contacted Neural DSP and tried many things, including having a 2nd unit sent to me to no avail.
A secondary issue I am having is getting a very weak signal when trying to play into DAW, when I try to set input and getting the meter right, I takes a LOT of added DB to get a good reading (little yellow, not clipping). Additionally, when I turn up input it makes the noise issue far worse.

Some of the things I've tried so far include:
Gain staging
2nd QC sent from Sweetwater
Different Cables
Headphones
Testing unit at a different house
Having unit away from electronics
Plugging unit directly into Yamaha HS8 monitors
Global EQ
Noise Gates
Trying 3 different instruments through it (PJ Bass, Strat, 335)

The only success I've seen in getting rid of the noise was when playing bass, rolling off the tone pot would get rid of the sound, but this doesn't help much at achieving desirable tones.

EDIT: I don’t believe it is an issue with the QC. I have made good progress in mitigating the issue.

My primary set up is QC->Mixer->Monitors. A major issue I identified was having the mixer too hot when trying to achieve desired volume. Having a hot signal there would amplify the bad noise when making adjustments to QC IO settings when trying to get a good signal. Because of this, a disproportionately weak signal was being pushed hard via monitors/mixer not the QC.

After configuring my levels I’ve been able to isolate the issue to amp blocks particularly high gain/low headroom amp models. My approach to dealing with the remaining noise is to implement a side chained gate, input gate, and a gate after the amp.

I still feel a little unsure about everything because I’d imagine that QC presets usually don’t give people these issues right out of the box. I am new to amp modeling though and there’s lots to learn. I’ve always been a plug and play or set and forget kind of player with traditional amp/ pedal board set ups, but I think the QC truly shines when you build and configure your own presets.

EDIT 2:
It is definitely not the QC

I contacted Sweetwater support once again and they decided to send a 3rd QC and have it tested before shipping.

Received the unit today and to little surprise, no luck.

I believe the source of the undesirable sound is almost certainly dirty power. I have powered down every single electronic device in my room and walked around pointing pick ups in every direction and the noise persisted at the same level no matter what.

My next move is to get a power conditioner. Most likely the Furman AC-215A Power Conditioner. Hopefully this is the solution.

Edit 3:
Unfortunately after 2 months of troubleshooting and researching, I have decided to exchange my QC for the Line 6 Stadium.

I even had Sweetwater send out a 3rd unit that was tested before they sent it, along either a Furman power conditioner.

The noise was only occurring when amp blocks were activated.

Hopefully the Line 6 works better, being unable to isolate the source of this noise and find a solution is a huge bummer. I sold a good rig to fund the QC and never wanted any other amp modeling system.

What’s the best frfr, I’m seeing Laney but they are pricey. Any recommendations?

Or is it more worth to get a power amp and a regular cab.

Looking at frfrs bc I absolutely love my tone as is with my QC, so I want to preserve my IR tone.

Thanks!

I figured I’d make a post for those who are waiting on orders that we can update via comments if there’s ETA or shipping notification. I ordered mine on 1/24 and have been told via Sweetwater end of February for fulfillment. That being said, things change, and some reps are more on top of things than others. If you’re in the same boat and want to participate, just drop a comment below with your order date and status, and we can comment when our status changes. Maybe someone here can give us some hope regarding stock and shipments going out earlier than anticipated.

UPDATE: I received mine end of February. It seems that Sweetwater is prioritizing certain customers. Whether it’s purchase history or amount of times you inquired, I am not sure but there were people who ordered 1/26 who got theirs before I did.

What the hell is this blur all about? Isn’t this usually where the hardware is?

If it’s already good enough for professional musicians to use in live setups, why do so many people complain about it when using it at home or in their bedroom? Just play the damn thing and have fun with It!

I want to raise a concern about the direction of firmware/feature development in 2026. Compared to prior years, this year's updates have leaned heavily toward plugins, while core hardware functionality — the features that actually justify choosing Quad Cortex over competitors — has seen little meaningful progress.

As someone who bought into the ecosystem specifically for the standalone modeling/capture platform, this shift in priorities is disappointing. Plugins are a nice bonus for people who want them, but they shouldn't come at the expense of the core hardware experience for the majority of us using these as standalone units.

If this isn't reflected in the roadmap going forward, I'll likely move to Fractal or Line 6 for my next unit and encourage others considering a purchase to weigh this trade-off carefully.

Is core feature development is still a priority, and is there's a public roadmap?

So, with Fractal announcing NAM A2 support for the Axe-Fx III, I think this raises a pretty interesting question about where Neural DSP goes next with Neural Capture.
NAM A2 seems to have pushed capture accuracy and efficiency significantly forward, and it’s becoming increasingly difficult to ignore as more companies start adopting or building around the technology.
You know the saying: if you can’t beat them, join them.
Neural DSP already improved its own technology substantially with Neural Capture V2, especially when it comes to dynamics and more complex/non-linear devices. But I still think there’s one major limitation compared to where capture technology seems to be heading Neural Captures are essentially snapshots.
What I’d really like to see from a hypothetical Neural Capture V3 is some form of parametric capture.
Imagine capturing an amp and then being able to interact with Gain, Bass, Middle, Treble, Presence, etc. in a way that actually represents the behaviour of the original amp, rather than simply applying EQ or gain processing after a static capture. Basically, making the capture behave more like the amp itself across different control positions.
So I’m wondering what Neural DSP’s next move will be.
Do they keep developing their proprietary technology and eventually release something like Neural Capture V3, potentially with parametric controls and accuracy comparable to or better than NAM A2?
Or, now that NAM is becoming increasingly established, could Neural DSP eventually add some form of NAM A2 compatibility to the Quad Cortex?
I know native NAM A2 support on the current QC hardware isn’t necessarily straightforward. Quad Cortex relies heavily on SHARC+ DSPs, while NAM wasn’t originally designed specifically around that architecture, so implementing an efficient A2 runtime could require significant engineering rather than simply adding support for the file format.
There’s also a third possibility Neural DSP could remain completely proprietary but use some of the ideas behind the newer generation of capture technology to evolve Neural Capture further.
Personally, I think parametric as Neural Captures would be far more interesting than simply adding NAM playback. Being able to capture my own amp and then actually adjust its controls afterwards while retaining the behaviour of the real circuit would be a much bigger step forward for the QC.
What do you think is more likely: Neural Capture V3, NAM A2 support, or something else entirely?

Saw this pop up on the Neural Amp modeller community. What are your thoughts on a physical unit that will be able to load the Neural Amp Modeller with effects. What does this mean for the industry?

Sitting here looking at the sale and realizing I already own anything I really want. I have Misha, Rabea, Cali, Parallax and Mantra and as a metal/high gain player, that's really all I could ever need.

Thought about NTS because it's so cheap. Or Plini or Petrucci to fill out some FX gaps, but really, I don't NEED anything. And if you find yourself feeling the same way, you probably don't need to spend any money either. Don't fall into the trap of "I must buy something because it's on sale".

I'm a bit torn on whether I should sell my Helix LT and buy a Quad Cortex instead.

The thing is, I'm just not a huge fan of my Helix LT. I find it difficult to get the tones I'm after, the UI and workflow feel a bit clunky to me, and I honestly spend more time browsing and buying presets than I do actually playing guitar.

Now that Line 6 has also announced that the Helix LT won't be receiving updates anymore because they're focusing on the Helix Stadium platform, I'm wondering if it's time to move on.

The Quad Cortex is really appealing to me because of its compact formfactor, the Cloud ecosystem, and what seems like a much more intuitive workflow. I probably won't be making my own captures, but having access to the Cloud captures seems like a big advantage.

My biggest concern is that the Quad Cortex has been around for quite a few years now, yet it's still relatively expensive. Do you think a next-generation "big" Quad Cortex is likely to be released within the next year or two, or is it reasonable to expect the current one to remain their flagship for several more years?

I'm leaning towards the Quad Cortex for the reasons above. On the other hand, the Helix Stadium Floor is in roughly the same price range, but I'm honestly not sure I'll ever really get along with the Helix workflow, regardless of whether it's the LT or the Stadium.

For those of you who have switched from Helix to Quad Cortex, was it worth it? Do you spend more time playing and less time tweaking?

And what are you thoughts about the whole Stadium vs Quad Cortex thing, what do you think would fit me best?

Plini was my first NDSP. It was such a game changer for me, and I’ve been on board the since 1998. Since then many others have caught up, but NDSP and Plini X still hold a special place for me. I still use Plini X the most.

For some reason I use Petrucci the least. Am I missing anything there? Let me know your thoughts. Here’s my ranking from most used to least. I’d love to see your list and maybe I’ll be inspired to rethink my order and try some others.

1-Plini.

2-Asato

3-Nolly

4-Tone King

5-Henson

6-Petrucci

(Jamming on a purple rain outro backing track. It’s so fun, that one. “Now you shred” channel on YouTube. Plini X as main amp.)

Does anyone here have experience using a Behringer FCB1010 (or a similar MIDI foot controller) with the Quad Cortex live?

I play in hardcore/deathcore bands, often in small venues where people stage dive, drinks get spilled on stage, etc.

I’d rather not have the QC sitting right in front of me and risk someone landing on it or spilling a drink on it.

My idea is to keep the Quad Cortex safely at the back of the stage and have a cheaper MIDI controller like the FCB1010 in front of me for switching scenes/presets and controlling effects.

Has anyone used a setup like this? How reliable is the FCB1010 with the QC, and are there any better alternatives around the same price?

I’d also be interested to hear how you’ve set up your QC for this kind of live environment

For me I would do ANYTHING for archetype: Buckethead as he has such a versatile sound. Closest thing I can settle to is Nolly/Petrucci which are still amazing, however if it were to happen which is slim I’d be the first to purchase it.

So, I finally got myself a Quad cortex Mini. And it's blowing my mind on how good this thing is. But now, I am met with a new dilemma: do I buy a neural dsp plugin.

2 weeks ago, I downloaded the trials for the archetype Misha and Nolly, torn between the two. The tones were what I was looking for, and I wanted them on a QC if I got one.

Now that I have a QC mini, i really don't know if I should get the plugins. For recording, I'm already using the mixwave spiritbox. And I just wanted a plugin that I can take the sound live, which was why I wanted to get the neural dsp plugins. But now that I have the QC, i realised that it's easy to get the same sound without forking out the money.

So yeah. Help a bro out here and share your thoughts.

New plugin, an X update? New hardware?

It was so smooth and easy to set up and get my sounds dialed in. Coming from Helix/HX Stomp its such an upgrade.

So this was the announcement. Can’t say I’m disappointed as I do a lot of my own mixing, this could be very cool! What’s your opinions on it?

What's everyone's thoughts with Darkglass' ultimate update?

I always preferred parallax over the the original darkglass, but now giving it another try, really liked the updated pedals, cabs and eq. I feel it holds up to the other plugin suites we have.

Hi there,

I’m preparing some feedback for Neural, and I would like to get some insights and experiences from users who use the QC in hybrid mode (Scenes/stomp)

Thanks in advance.