Neural DSP Quad Cortex

octatonic · July 2021

WiresDreamDisasters said:

Noticed today that the FX loop seems to not be unity gain.

LOL- really?
How much is it out by?

Vibetronic · August 2021

octatonic said:

WiresDreamDisasters said:

Noticed today that the FX loop seems to not be unity gain.

LOL- really?
How much is it out by?

Oops.

I've been using my borrowed unit for a couple of weeks now. It's really good in terms of sounds, but tbh offers nothing that my old AX8 doesn't already do*, and doesn't sound any better. The touch screen is still great, but that's about the only difference I'd find useful - it has no new effects etc that I can find...I'd be interested to borrow it again in 6 months to see what new stuff they've done to it.

*I'd never use the Neural Capture as I only have a couple of pedals, and no interest in capturing amp sounds.

The one thing it DOES do that I really like is the ability to input more than one guitar - really useful for teaching. In a gig situation I'd find it slightly annoying having more than one guitar into one device though, particularly if stomps/scenes needed to be changed on the 2+ guitars during the gig, which'd be almost inevitable...

NelsonP · August 2021

Tough crowd

Helix still king then?

TeleMaster · August 2021

That would be the FM3.

WiresDreamDisasters · August 2021

octatonic said:

WiresDreamDisasters said:

Noticed today that the FX loop seems to not be unity gain.

LOL- really?
How much is it out by?

-1.1dB or so.

onyir · August 2021

I used my QC for a gig last Saturday and it was perfect. Mind you, my requirements in terms of fx are limited, as I do mostly classic rock type numbers. But the sound and feel are great (I am using a capture of a JMP by Leon Todd as my main sound). Only use the QC and a mini wah. I am still waiting for NDSP to implement the hybrid switching mode and then I'll be sorted

Vibetronic · August 2021

TeleMaster said:

That would be the FM3.

If/when my AX8 dies that’s what I’ll be getting…or whatever follows it. The QC is very good but I still think the Fractal stuff has the edge on everything else sound-wise.

WiresDreamDisasters · August 2021

So I got a Seymour Duncan Powerstage 200 to use with my modellers. I tried the QC through it into my 4x12 earlier, and to be honest... it sounded really good. I don't think I could pick between my JVM and the QC running captures of my JVM into the PS200.

rayttk · August 2021

Second bloody email from Andertons!
Quad cortex delayed till end of August now

TTBZ · August 2021

WiresDreamDisasters said:

So I got a Seymour Duncan Powerstage 200 to use with my modellers. I tried the QC through it into my 4x12 earlier, and to be honest... it sounded really good. I don't think I could pick between my JVM and the QC running captures of my JVM into the PS200.

Interesting.. do you think the Powerstage can get close to the same sort of thump as a big proper amp? I'd kind of written off a Helix/Stomp as there didn't seem to be any decent ways of amplifying it, I don't fancy FRFR or relying on the PA.

monquixote · August 2021

It can get bloody loud.

I compared to using the power amp of a Marshall Origin.

It was a bit harder but once you adjusted the sag of the model it was very close.

firepaulmusic · August 2021

monquixote said:

It can get bloody loud.

I compared to using the power amp of a Marshall Origin.

It was a bit harder but once you adjusted the sag of the model it was very close.

I’ve lately been using a BluGuitar Amp 1 to amplify my Kemper into a passive guitar cab. Sounds great, plenty of volume. Also serves as a spare amp in case your modeller decides to have a hissy fit...

TTBZ · August 2021

monquixote said:

It can get bloody loud.

I compared to using the power amp of a Marshall Origin.

It was a bit harder but once you adjusted the sag of the model it was very close.

It's not so much the volume but the depth or "room-fillingness" you get from 50+ watts that I want to achieve ideally without a big heavy valve amp, might not be possible. My Mini Jubilee is loud enough and sounds great, but now I've tried a 100w amp in the context of my band it's hard to go back to something that sounds like it has a really narrow bandwidth or something in comparison.

WiresDreamDisasters · August 2021

TTBZ said:

WiresDreamDisasters said:

So I got a Seymour Duncan Powerstage 200 to use with my modellers. I tried the QC through it into my 4x12 earlier, and to be honest... it sounded really good. I don't think I could pick between my JVM and the QC running captures of my JVM into the PS200.

Interesting.. do you think the Powerstage can get close to the same sort of thump as a big proper amp? I'd kind of written off a Helix/Stomp as there didn't seem to be any decent ways of amplifying it, I don't fancy FRFR or relying on the PA.

It is a good question. I don't think the difference is that big. What I would say is that the real amp always edges it slightly... but I'm at the point where I really can't quantify it, and I can't say that it isn't just purely psychological.

monquixote · August 2021

TTBZ said:

monquixote said:

It can get bloody loud.

I compared to using the power amp of a Marshall Origin.

It was a bit harder but once you adjusted the sag of the model it was very close.

It's not so much the volume but the depth or "room-fillingness" you get from 50+ watts that I want to achieve ideally without a big heavy valve amp, might not be possible. My Mini Jubilee is loud enough and sounds great, but now I've tried a 100w amp in the context of my band it's hard to go back to something that sounds like it has a really narrow bandwidth or something in comparison.

It's hard to say really.

I tried to do a direct A/B but the patches set up with the Power Stage sound too squishy through the Marshall and the patches set up with the Marshall sounded too hard with the Power Stage so you can switch amp and patch, but then you are maybe just testing which patch you did a better job with.

When I was gigging a modeler I used the FX return of a Jet City head because they are small, light, cheap, easy to repair and seem to work pretty well.

The biggest difference for me has been that EL84 amps seem to lack low end grunt compared to EL34 or 6L6 amps which I usually prefer. Now that could be because they usually have big transformers and higher wattages so you can draw your own conclusions.

TTBZ · August 2021

WiresDreamDisasters said:

TTBZ said:

WiresDreamDisasters said:

So I got a Seymour Duncan Powerstage 200 to use with my modellers. I tried the QC through it into my 4x12 earlier, and to be honest... it sounded really good. I don't think I could pick between my JVM and the QC running captures of my JVM into the PS200.

Interesting.. do you think the Powerstage can get close to the same sort of thump as a big proper amp? I'd kind of written off a Helix/Stomp as there didn't seem to be any decent ways of amplifying it, I don't fancy FRFR or relying on the PA.

It is a good question. I don't think the difference is that big. What I would say is that the real amp always edges it slightly... but I'm at the point where I really can't quantify it, and I can't say that it isn't just purely psychological.

Cool that's reassuring! I guess I could use the FX return of rehearsal room amps for now but it'd be nice to have my own portable setup so I don't have to rely on backline gear. Getting far too lazy to lug a proper 100w amp

WiresDreamDisasters · August 2021

TTBZ said:

WiresDreamDisasters said:

TTBZ said:

WiresDreamDisasters said:

So I got a Seymour Duncan Powerstage 200 to use with my modellers. I tried the QC through it into my 4x12 earlier, and to be honest... it sounded really good. I don't think I could pick between my JVM and the QC running captures of my JVM into the PS200.

Interesting.. do you think the Powerstage can get close to the same sort of thump as a big proper amp? I'd kind of written off a Helix/Stomp as there didn't seem to be any decent ways of amplifying it, I don't fancy FRFR or relying on the PA.

It is a good question. I don't think the difference is that big. What I would say is that the real amp always edges it slightly... but I'm at the point where I really can't quantify it, and I can't say that it isn't just purely psychological.

Cool that's reassuring! I guess I could use the FX return of rehearsal room amps for now but it'd be nice to have my own portable setup so I don't have to rely on backline gear. Getting far too lazy to lug a proper 100w amp

I've got a practice today. I'm taking my JVM with me, but also the Powerstage200 and the QC. I'm hoping to just use the PS+QC. Will post how I got on later.

paulmapp8306 · August 2021

NelsonP said:

Tough crowd

Helix still king then?

Has it ever been ??

paulmapp8306 · August 2021

TTBZ said:

WiresDreamDisasters said:

So I got a Seymour Duncan Powerstage 200 to use with my modellers. I tried the QC through it into my 4x12 earlier, and to be honest... it sounded really good. I don't think I could pick between my JVM and the QC running captures of my JVM into the PS200.

Interesting.. do you think the Powerstage can get close to the same sort of thump as a big proper amp? I'd kind of written off a Helix/Stomp as there didn't seem to be any decent ways of amplifying it, I don't fancy FRFR or relying on the PA.

Im using the 170 with my afx3. Ive run afx through matrix gt800 and 1000, fryette powerstation and a vht 2.50.2.

Honestly the SD doeznt lack compared to any of them and the weight save is usefull.

WiresDreamDisasters · August 2021

Just got back.

I have thoughts.

It was plenty loud enough. But it didn't "feel" right to me. I switched over to my JVM half way through the day, and was much happier with it than the QC+PS combo.

Hmmmmmm.

monquixote · August 2021

WiresDreamDisasters said:

Just got back.

I have thoughts.

It was plenty loud enough. But it didn't "feel" right to me. I switched over to my JVM half way through the day, and was much happier with it than the QC+PS combo.

Hmmmmmm.

I did DSL Vs GT-1000 and PS170 yesterday.

Ended up enjoying the DSL more.

WiresDreamDisasters · August 2021

monquixote said:

WiresDreamDisasters said:

Just got back.

I have thoughts.

It was plenty loud enough. But it didn't "feel" right to me. I switched over to my JVM half way through the day, and was much happier with it than the QC+PS combo.

Hmmmmmm.

I did DSL Vs GT-1000 and PS170 yesterday.

Ended up enjoying the DSL more.

The only thing I'm left with is that it's the thump provided by the big iron transformers. I don't think it's the tubes as such. I think it's the way the frequency response at the amps output shifts and changes based on the speakers it's plugged into - I don't know the specifics behind it.... but the QC+PS sounded good... but I didn't get that feel, and even though I was loud, it didn't seem to be "present" in the room.

Just wasn't rock n roll enough for me I suppose.

Roland · August 2021

WiresDreamDisasters said: The only thing I'm left with is that it's the thump provided by the big iron transformers ...

That’s always been my opinion. Well, transformer inductance plus the output capacitors interacting with the speaker coils. Although I don’t have scientific evidence to support it. Most of the literature looks at steady state characteristics, rather than transients, and that initial WHUMP is transient behaviour. The closest I could find was about speaker coils heating up with the power discharge.

WiresDreamDisasters · August 2021

Roland said:

WiresDreamDisasters said: The only thing I'm left with is that it's the thump provided by the big iron transformers ...

That’s always been my opinion. Well, transformer inductance plus the output capacitors interacting with the speaker coils. Although I don’t have scientific evidence to support it. Most of the literature looks at steady state characteristics, rather than transients, and that initial WHUMP is transient behaviour. The closest I could find was about speaker coils heating up with the power discharge.

Yeah, this is along the lines I'm thinking. I think people call similar things 'sag' too - sometimes 'sag' is actually just the whump of the cab.

Roland · August 2021

They’re similar, bit I think there’s a difference between sag, where the power supply voltage to the valves dips temporarily, and whump.

NelsonP · August 2021

Guess which rig I like best....

WiresDreamDisasters · August 2021

@NelsonP ;

Is it the 5150 clone??

NelsonP · August 2021

So, the amp that sees the most use these days is the DSL. Like the Mesa it has 2 channels, but unlike the Mesa it has a good taper on the volume pot which means it works at sensible home volumes and it is much easier to carry when I go over to my mates house to jam. It is a little noisy but I can live with that. The Mesa sounds the best, especially on the clean channel. 4x12 etc. It is LOUD. And heavy. Which means it doesn't get used as much as it should. Especially in the last year or so.

The Amplifire and IRT-X is by far the most flexible. Most of the time I use it like a 3 channel amp with boost and inbuilt effects. It is really convenient for use out of the house as my mate has a PA that I can plug straight into. The models are probably at about 90% of the sound of a good amp. It's great for recording (no micing etc) and for silent practive with headphones (although I generally try to avoid that). I prefer to use it with an FRFR as that gives me more cab options and makes it possible to switch from e.g. Fender clean to dirty Marshall.

I really don't need any more gear!

@WiresDreamDisasters the Mesa is the earlier EL84 version so a little different from the later 6L6 one.

WiresDreamDisasters · August 2021

Interesting. I confess, in my druken stupor last night, I didn't clock it was a DSL. Thought it was an MG amp!!!

@IBCM - if I rewired my cab from 16-ohms to 4-ohms, would that be more efficient for the Powerstage 200?? Would I get more level out of it, and would it improve the feel/tone ???

TTBZ · August 2021

Yeah I'm pretty sure I've read the PS170 gets the full 170w into 4 ohm, about 85w into 8 and about 40w into 16. So I'd imagine the 200 is similar if it's also class D? A standard 1960 cab should have both 4 and 16 ohm inputs as standard so you could compare it that way if you have one to hand.

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