Neural Quad Cortex

[BigRedX]

I'm a Helix user (but the principal is the same).

 

I have a separate Preset for each song with Snapshots for each song. Admittedly I play Bass VI and I'm alternating between bass and melody parts with our synth player, but I'm often using two or more different bass sounds as well as "guitar" sounds for different parts of the song.

 

For instance on the song we are currently working on:

Snapshot 1 is a "lead guitar" sound with a bit of dirt and lots of delay which is used on the intro and the middle eight, where the synth is holding down the bass.

Snapshot 2 is the verse bass sound but it has an octave "guitar" part generated from a pitch shifter which is a muted version of the sound in Snapshot 1.

Snapshot 3 is the chorus bass sound which a Cure/Peter Hook style high part with rhythmic delay and is doubled up with a more conventional bass sound an octave down.

Snapshot 4 is for the last chorus to create a lift and has a more pronounced flanger effect to Snapshot 3 whilst still keeping the same relative level within the mix.

 

I use MIDI to control the Preset and Snapshot changes which is run from the computer the is our drummer and second synth player, so I don't have to worry about my tap-dancing skills, as some of the Snapshot changes come very quickly - we have one song with a section where each part is only 2 bars long and another where the there are changes that only last 2 beats at 171bpm!

 

Because of the electronic nature of the band even if I was to use the same sound for all the bass parts, each song would still need it own EQ, drive and volume tweaks for it to sit in the correct place in the mix with the other sounds that are being used.

[Chrishi_J]

On 05/02/2025 at 13:27, attackbass said:

I'm considering moving on my Quad Cortex...

 

I think it's an amazing unit both in terms of functionality and sounds but I sometimes get sucked into elaborate setups and spending time tweaking it and making effect chains only to find I never use any of this stuff on actual gigs. I find it also draws me away from actually practicing at home and find myself tweaking it constantly. I love it but more as expensive toy than a useful tool, probably due to my brain and personality! 

 

The potential final nail in the coffin was last weekend. I had a fly gig up to Scotland and all I could take was a bass and whatever gear I could fit into hand luggage. So I took up my Sansamp BDDI and a tuner, plugged it into the rented backline and was blown away by the sound, how easy it was to dial in and all the techs knew what to do with a Sansamp when it came to plugging it all in.

 

I think probably at most all I ever need is a preamp/di, drive and maybe an octave pedal and so mulling over whether the Quad is just a bit overkill for me!

 

Damn. I just posted the same a few days ago on talkbass.

Sometimes this THING is an Overkill. I tweak and get lost in different sounds, and forget to be creative. 

I don´t have an Amp and am a Pedalboard Only guy (IEM) but seriosly thinking about switching to an Darkglass Infinity an Helix Effects.

[redd]

I totally relate to this conversation as well. I use the QC constantly live and love my sound. However I probably only use about 5% of the machines capabilities playing live, the rest of the time I feel like I have a rather expensive studio toy. I had a Helix floor before this and sold that to purchase the QC as I felt it was a bit overkill (lol). These units do favour people who use multiple sounds per gig (I play in a covers band and the guitarist is also a tap dancer as someone else said above), but that makes sense to me. There's a whole world of difference between the guitar sound when playing either Van Halen or The Police. I just don't have the need for so many different bass tones. I tend to find one I like and stick with it. 

 

Saying all that though, I love the QC. Like you guys I haven't really bought anything effects wise since purchasing the QC, and in my head I'm trying to write off the money spent on it. It's a GAS killer for effects. 

[MrDinsdale]

If I play with the QC too much and experiment I feel like I’m spending too much time playing with patches rather than playing bass/guitar. If I don’t spend time faffing and just stick to my saved patches I’m talking about getting rid of it because I don’t make the most out of it.

 

It can't win really 🤣

[Killerfridge]

With mine, I have one simple "basic good sound" patch that I always start with. This is what I use when I'm practicing or just using it as an interface for recording. This stops me spending hours tweaking when I should be working on something else.

 

The tweaking for me comes when I have a function/wedding set list to get together. For instance, we were asked for Pink Pony Club on a set, and I was able to get pretty close to the original bass synth sound with some funky routing. That just sits on a preset now for whenever I need it, without having to worry about adding/removing pedals or doing some sort of tap dance to get everything in place 

[BigRedX]

20 minutes ago, MrDinsdale said:

If I play with the QC too much and experiment I feel like I’m spending too much time playing with patches rather than playing bass/guitar. If I don’t spend time faffing and just stick to my saved patches I’m talking about getting rid of it because I don’t make the most out of it.

 

I'm sorry, but IMO that's just about the most stupid thing ever. Even if I was in a band that only needed one sound for all the songs I'd still be using my multi-effects because I know that one sound I've created with it would be the perfect one for that band.

 

Whilst I may be using more of my multi-effects than most on here I'm still only using a fraction of its capabilities. Most of my patches are made up of the same 3 or 4 modules just with the parameter values tweaked to fit the rest of the arrangement. Every so often I'll try an alternative distortion or chorus or delay or flanger and then I'll go back to the ones I already use and like. And you know what? It really doesn't matter. Those alternative versions of the effects I use aren't for me. They are for all the other users who want something different out of a multi-effects unit. And that's why they are so great.

 

TBH the only time I "play around" with my multi-effects is when I am working on sounds for a new song. I had a quick listen to all the built-in Presets the day I bought mine, decided that none of them did what I wanted and have never bothered listening to any of them again. When I am working on a new song I'll start by going through all the Presets I've created for the other songs we play to find the one that works the best for the new song and when I'm ready to actually create the Preset for that song it will be the starting point. I'll probably go through a few more tweaks once I'm in the rehearsal room with the rest of the band, but after that I'll only edit it again if we change the arrangement of the song.

 

My multi-effects is a tool. A very versatile one but still just a tool. Use as much of it as you need a quit worrying about it. The only people who get close to using all the facilities of one of these devices are those who are being paid specifically to demonstrate just how versatile they are. They are not real-world users and you don't need to try and emulate them.

[MrDinsdale]

41 minutes ago, BigRedX said:

 

I'm sorry, but IMO that's just about the most stupid thing ever. Even if I was in a band that only needed one sound for all the songs I'd still be using my multi-effects because I know that one sound I've created with it would be the perfect one for that band.

 

Whilst I may be using more of my multi-effects than most on here I'm still only using a fraction of its capabilities. Most of my patches are made up of the same 3 or 4 modules just with the parameter values tweaked to fit the rest of the arrangement. Every so often I'll try an alternative distortion or chorus or delay or flanger and then I'll go back to the ones I already use and like. And you know what? It really doesn't matter. Those alternative versions of the effects I use aren't for me. They are for all the other users who want something different out of a multi-effects unit. And that's why they are so great.

 

TBH the only time I "play around" with my multi-effects is when I am working on sounds for a new song. I had a quick listen to all the built-in Presets the day I bought mine, decided that none of them did what I wanted and have never bothered listening to any of them again. When I am working on a new song I'll start by going through all the Presets I've created for the other songs we play to find the one that works the best for the new song and when I'm ready to actually create the Preset for that song it will be the starting point. I'll probably go through a few more tweaks once I'm in the rehearsal room with the rest of the band, but after that I'll only edit it again if we change the arrangement of the song.

 

My multi-effects is a tool. A very versatile one but still just a tool. Use as much of it as you need a quit worrying about it. The only people who get close to using all the facilities of one of these devices are those who are being paid specifically to demonstrate just how versatile they are. They are not real-world users and you don't need to try and emulate them.

Simmer down, it was clearly said in jest in context of the ongoing discussion 😂

[MrDinsdale]

2 hours ago, redd said:

I totally relate to this conversation as well. I use the QC constantly live and love my sound. However I probably only use about 5% of the machines capabilities playing live, the rest of the time I feel like I have a rather expensive studio toy. I had a Helix floor before this and sold that to purchase the QC as I felt it was a bit overkill (lol). These units do favour people who use multiple sounds per gig (I play in a covers band and the guitarist is also a tap dancer as someone else said above), but that makes sense to me. There's a whole world of difference between the guitar sound when playing either Van Halen or The Police. I just don't have the need for so many different bass tones. I tend to find one I like and stick with it. 

 

Saying all that though, I love the QC. Like you guys I haven't really bought anything effects wise since purchasing the QC, and in my head I'm trying to write off the money spent on it. It's a GAS killer for effects. 

Aye, I'm mostly in the same boat here. I did buy a Cali76 and a few other bits, so it's not entirely GAS-free, but every time I switch back to the QC built-in stuff, I'm pretty impressed. My longing for expensive pedals is mainly gone and when I hear something I like, I can usually replicate a sound in the right ballpark via the QC.

[tayste_2000]

1 hour ago, MrDinsdale said:

Simmer down, it was clearly said in jest in context of the ongoing discussion 😂

If it helps, life is not better when you sell it all, all that happens is you think you should be playing with sounds but you can’t because you don’t have the pedals. Then you get the pedals and realise you don’t have the time, so you sell them…… and begin the cycle again

[attackbass]

I didn't think my post would set off such a discussion! 🤣

 

I'm going to persevere or at least hold off selling it for now..

 

I started to think what pedals I need (some or which I already have) and it was suddenly going to be a big pedalbiarc again! I don't think you can win!

 

The real thing that will make me sell it is having just seem how much my toddlers nursery fees are going up in April! 

[MrDinsdale]

4 minutes ago, tayste_2000 said:

If it helps, life is not better when you sell it all, all that happens is you think you should be playing with sounds but you can’t because you don’t have the pedals. Then you get the pedals and realise you don’t have the time, so you sell them…… and begin the cycle again

Hahaha yeah I'm very familiar with that! The QC does everything I need and is the first multi-fx where I've managed to dial in a tone that was almost exactly what I wanted within minutes of turning it on. In a side-by-side comparison, some of my separate pedals do just sound better to my ears but not enough to be a deal breaker, fortunately the QC has enough routing options that I can easily bolster it's effects lineup with a couple of faves.

 

 

[MrDinsdale]

16 minutes ago, attackbass said:

I didn't think my post would set off such a discussion! 🤣

 

I'm going to persevere or at least hold off selling it for now..

 

I started to think what pedals I need (some or which I already have) and it was suddenly going to be a big pedalbiarc again! I don't think you can win!

 

The real thing that will make me sell it is having just seem how much my toddlers nursery fees are going up in April! 

 

Ahhh yeah, our daughter is in her first year of school now, but it never seems to stop being expensive! Keeping the QC means I'm not spending a bunch of cash on pedals, though so not selling it is practically making me money surely?

[tayste_2000]

31 minutes ago, attackbass said:

I didn't think my post would set off such a discussion! 🤣

 

I'm going to persevere or at least hold off selling it for now..

 

I started to think what pedals I need (some or which I already have) and it was suddenly going to be a big pedalbiarc again! I don't think you can win!

 

The real thing that will make me sell it is having just seem how much my toddlers nursery fees are going up in April! 

 

I’ll see how I get on with this Darkglass Element and if it doesn’t work out I’m all over that Nano Cortex in the classifieds.

 

It’s nice to know other people feel the same, that all this power is sat there and feels wasted.

 

I’m just either at the stage you guys were before you bought the QC or at the stage you’ll be after you sell it.

 

Both involve buying lots of things

Edited February 7 by tayste_2000

[MrDinsdale]

Good luck!

 

I just like geeking out with gear, the QC has enough depth to allow exploration but without being overwhelming like I found the MOD Dwarf.

 

The Nano Cortex is a great deal, I keep eying it up 🤣

[tayste_2000]

Think I’m coming dangerously close to buying one, I should have stayed out of this thread.

[BigRedX]

6 hours ago, MrDinsdale said:

Simmer down, it was clearly said in jest in context of the ongoing discussion 😂

 

But if you didn't at least half believe that you wouldn't have gone to the trouble of typing it in the first place.

[tayste_2000]

I don’t know why I keep writing a response to this….

 

 

Anyway, has anyone ever used a Quad Cortex as an IEM mixer? Does it have any way of doing this? Running a FOH into one of the returns placed after the xlrs?

 

Would the consensus also be the following would power it? https://missionengineering.com/shop/529-m/ specs say yes but would rather double check and for those that didn’t know, check out this 3amp multi voltage power suply the size of 2 packs of gum that powers off usb c 💁‍♀️

[MrDinsdale]

1 hour ago, BigRedX said:

 

But if you didn't at least half believe that you wouldn't have gone to the trouble of typing it in the first place.

 

It was an exaggeration of the cognitive leaps folks had spent a page discussing and the weighing up between a minimalistic set up that does the bare minimum well vs an elaborate set up that does everything.

[redd]

40 minutes ago, tayste_2000 said:

I don’t know why I keep writing a response to this….

 

 

Anyway, has anyone ever used a Quad Cortex as an IEM mixer? Does it have any way of doing this? Running a FOH into one of the returns placed after the xlrs?

 

Would the consensus also be the following would power it? https://missionengineering.com/shop/529-m/ specs say yes but would rather double check and for those that didn’t know, check out this 3amp multi voltage power suply the size of 2 packs of gum that powers off usb c 💁‍♀️

No I haven't yet. But it's on my radar. I was toying with the idea of buying a small mixer to do just what you suggested until I realised that the QC would probably do this just as well as a mixer. I'll have a fiddle over the weekend and let you know.

[Dood]

21 hours ago, tayste_2000 said:

I don’t know why I keep writing a response to this….

 

 

Anyway, has anyone ever used a Quad Cortex as an IEM mixer? Does it have any way of doing this? Running a FOH into one of the returns placed after the xlrs?

 

Would the consensus also be the following would power it? https://missionengineering.com/shop/529-m/ specs say yes but would rather double check and for those that didn’t know, check out this 3amp multi voltage power suply the size of 2 packs of gum that powers off usb c 💁‍♀️

Hmmm, you’ve just got me thinking. I use a bunch of stuff to make up my custom in-ear mix and, I’ve never really thought about using QC as a glorified headphone amplifier as well as looking after my gig sounds. I think I’m going to try out some routing options and report back.

 

i do know that there’s a chap on YouTube who created an IEM mixer for his Line 6 Helix guitar set up that he uses for worship gigs, so there’s probably an idea or two in there (sorry I forgot the channel name!) 

 

So, yes, off the top of my head, you could in theory receive a PA aux in to any of the 4 QC inputs (the main ins and the two fx returns) as they are all 1MΩ or greater. I am thinking that I’d set the master volume control to operate the headphone output alone and set aside one of the processing rows (there are 4) to the job of mixing the aux, instrument and one other feed. Of course this does mean I can EQ and limit what is being sent to my ears. More thoughts on that later.

 

As for power supply, I do t have pedal board power, I bought a spare adapter, but I do have the new EBS power supply here, I’ll see if that can power QC. I think it might be able to! 

[tayste_2000]

If you want to thank me you can send me a quad cortex 💁‍♀️ it will help me make your life harder

[tayste_2000]

Two things:

 

1. because I think it will be fun, post a pic of the pedalboard or in @Dood’s case rack and pedalboard the QC replaced

 

2. Is anyone a former hx stomp user and what made you go for the QC in the end?

[Dood]

3 hours ago, tayste_2000 said:

Two things:

 

1. because I think it will be fun, post a pic of the pedalboard or in @Dood’s case rack and pedalboard the QC replaced

 

2. Is anyone a former hx stomp user and what made you go for the QC in the end?

Just a couple of items 😂 (Honestly this isn’t even half of the kit I’ve owned 😂) 

[Dood]

4 hours ago, tayste_2000 said:

Two things:

 

1. because I think it will be fun, post a pic of the pedalboard or in @Dood’s case rack and pedalboard the QC replaced

 

2. Is anyone a former hx stomp user and what made you go for the QC in the end?

I’ve ran the stomp, HX and Helix LT. They’re all amazing. The Stomp is brilliant but I ran out of lanes / rows for parallel processing and I prefer more “stomp pedal” buttons for fast access to individual effects. I loved the LT, it had everything I needed at the time, but QC won me over with the form factor, touch screen, user interface and profiling. That said I still use Helix Native on my desktop and I might make up a mini rig with the Stomp. 

[Dood]

2 minutes ago, Dood said:

I’ve ran the stomp, HX and Helix LT. They’re all amazing. The Stomp is brilliant but I ran out of lanes / rows for parallel processing and I prefer more “stomp pedal” buttons for fast access to individual effects. I loved the LT, it had everything I needed at the time, but QC won me over with the form factor, touch screen, user interface and profiling. That said I still use Helix Native on my desktop and I might make up a mini rig with the Stomp. 

Oh, the Ampeg SVT 4 Pro model on the helix is excellent 👍