Quad Cortex Opinions

kennedydream1980 · March 29

I've owned most of the big hitters in the modelling world at one time or another. I'm currently using a Tonex pedal with a Tube Screamer into the front for a gain boost. I'm missing having access to a range of effects.

I've got GAS for a Quad Cortex, it's the only one of the top modellers I've never owned. I love my Tonex pedal and have invested a ton of money into it with buying 3rd party captures, mainly Amalgam Audio captures. I like the idea of having comparable captures with in built effects etc. I know the Kemper Stage can do this as I've owned one in the past, but the size of the QC looks perfect. I could carry it around in a laptop bag for gigs. It would seem it's the perfect compact all in one solution.

Are the captures on the QC comparable to the Tonex? How is the quality of the effects on the QC in comparison to say the Fractal stuff, Helix or Kemper?

A few of the most recent reviews I've seen of the QC have mentioned that the effects have been improved alot in recent firmware updates. Is this the case or is this a load of bull?

Can anyone offer any real world experience?

Octavio · March 29

I think it's an excellent piece of kit. Plugin support is due any day now which will make it even better. I'd advise to buy one used as I did. If you don't like it then you shouldn't make a loss. Also a big fan of Amalgam captures and IRs! The capturing technology is pretty accurate and loads of good free captures available.

John_P · March 29

I love it. Spent this afternoon updating my gig presets with some amalgam captures. Super easy to use, sounds awesome. Using the app to select and then download captures onto the unit is a lot easier than the tonex (I have both). Plenty of effects that great and imo are as good as anything from fractal or line6.
I have no interest in adding the plugins but the improvements to the cloud for captures and preset sharing have been welcomed. I rarely use the editing app as it's quick to edit on the unit but it's very simple to use.

Any specifics you want to know?

kennedydream1980 · March 29

John_P said:

I love it. Spent this afternoon updating my gig presets with some amalgam captures. Super easy to use, sounds awesome. Using the app to select and then download captures onto the unit is a lot easier than the tonex (I have both). Plenty of effects that great and imo are as good as anything from fractal or line6.
I have no interest in adding the plugins but the improvements to the cloud for captures and preset sharing have been welcomed. I rarely use the editing app as it's quick to edit on the unit but it's very simple to use.

Any specifics you want to know?

I just want to be sure that switching to the QC doesn't mean inferior captures. Have you compared equivalent Amalgam captures on both units John?

John_P · March 29

kennedydream1980 said:

John_P said:

I love it. Spent this afternoon updating my gig presets with some amalgam captures. Super easy to use, sounds awesome. Using the app to select and then download captures onto the unit is a lot easier than the tonex (I have both). Plenty of effects that great and imo are as good as anything from fractal or line6.
I have no interest in adding the plugins but the improvements to the cloud for captures and preset sharing have been welcomed. I rarely use the editing app as it's quick to edit on the unit but it's very simple to use.

Any specifics you want to know?

I just want to be sure that switching to the QC doesn't mean inferior captures. Have you compared equivalent Amalgam captures on both units John?

To my ears they sound identical apart from the QC having effects. I haven't set them up next to each other with the same capture to do a more scientific comparison as they both sound great but I should try it to make sure.

Kultschar · March 29

I have an Axe FX III and Quad Core in separate locations so always hard for me to A / B at same time but will do that soon. Im prob in the minority but I think I prefer the QC stock sounds but of course the options are limited in comparison to the Axe.

I think we are in times where all these modellers are great really

NickB · March 30

If you like your Tonex why not just buy an HX effects and put them both onto a Pedaltrain Metro 20?

kennedydream1980 · March 30

NickB said:

If you like your Tonex why not just buy an HX effects and put them both onto a Pedaltrain Metro 20?

Tried that and the added latency was an issue for me. Plus running through the HX to my ears changed the core tone of the Tonex too much. The only way I’ve been happy is running a delay after the Tonex in kill dry mode. So I run one output of the Tonex direct to one channel on my mixer, then the other output of Tonex to the delay, stereo out of the delay (wet signal only) to 2 separate channels on my mixer, hard panned left and right. I know I’m a fussy bugger!! It does sound good but is a major faff to setup. An all in one solution like the QC would allow me to do this ‘in the box’. Plus I would have access to all manner of other effects as well. Plus I could run my in ear monitors via the QC. (I used to do this with a Kemper Stage).

Octavio · March 30

@kennedydream1980 this could be useful to check out with headphones. The channel gives a good overview of the QC.

kennedydream1980 · March 30

Octavio said:

@kennedydream1980 this could be useful to check out with headphones. The channel gives a good overview of the QC.

Thanks for the link. I will check that out.

NickB · March 30

kennedydream1980 said:

NickB said:

If you like your Tonex why not just buy an HX effects and put them both onto a Pedaltrain Metro 20?

Tried that and the added latency was an issue for me. Plus running through the HX to my ears changed the core tone of the Tonex too much. The only way I’ve been happy is running a delay after the Tonex in kill dry mode. So I run one output of the Tonex direct to one channel on my mixer, then the other output of Tonex to the delay, stereo out of the delay (wet signal only) to 2 separate channels on my mixer, hard panned left and right. I know I’m a fussy bugger!! It does sound good but is a major faff to setup. An all in one solution like the QC would allow me to do this ‘in the box’. Plus I would have access to all manner of other effects as well. Plus I could run my in ear monitors via the QC. (I used to do this with a Kemper Stage).

Did you try it in the loop of the HX effects?

kennedydream1980 · March 30

NickB said:

kennedydream1980 said:

NickB said:

If you like your Tonex why not just buy an HX effects and put them both onto a Pedaltrain Metro 20?

Tried that and the added latency was an issue for me. Plus running through the HX to my ears changed the core tone of the Tonex too much. The only way I’ve been happy is running a delay after the Tonex in kill dry mode. So I run one output of the Tonex direct to one channel on my mixer, then the other output of Tonex to the delay, stereo out of the delay (wet signal only) to 2 separate channels on my mixer, hard panned left and right. I know I’m a fussy bugger!! It does sound good but is a major faff to setup. An all in one solution like the QC would allow me to do this ‘in the box’. Plus I would have access to all manner of other effects as well. Plus I could run my in ear monitors via the QC. (I used to do this with a Kemper Stage).

Did you try it in the loop of the HX effects?

Yes my comments above refer to running it through the loop of the HX effects.

TeleMaster · March 30

It was alright. No way to control an external amp was annoying. The touch screen was great but the effects and amps etc were pretty mediocre at the time. Maybe it's changed now though.