Gear Journeys: Goodbye Quad Cortex!

In this episode of Gear Journeys I meaninglessly babble about my reasons for selling my Quad Cortex.
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[@sugarprobe]

Don’t ever try the fractal stuff lol. The qc is so easy to use compared to fractal. I’m ready to throw the fm9 in the river and go back to qc.

[@Dan_XF07]

Hi Chris. I also have an fm9. But I'm curious about the QC. Do you think QC has better amp simulations..drives..than the Fm9? I ask just out of curiosity? Cheers!

[@sugarprobe]

@@Dan_XF07 the modeling on the fm9 is probably “better “ because of the crazy deep diving you can do. For me the captures are what I love on the QC. I don’t need to deep dive and fiddle to make them sound and feel like my amps because the capture is damn near perfect to my ears and the feel under fingers. Same goes for the drives. If I was just using at home for recording I wouldn’t be so down on the fm9. But live so far has been a disaster. The FX in the fm are “better” as well but again in a live context or mix I don’t notice anything that wows me over the QC. I was able to get a perfect John Mayer Qtron sound with the fm and was struggling with it on qc. That being said I suck at tweaking that and someone actually sent me the preset on the 9. Also don’t think of the capture on qc as non tweakable snapshots. They can be adjusted easily and I look at it like a hybrid. After a certain range of adjustments there modeling takes over where the snap shot leaves off

[@oleksandrk4853]

I had both, I think QC is better.

[@sugarprobe]

@@oleksandrk4853 I’m with you. I used the fm9 for a gig this weekend and the sound tech and band all basically said in a nice way to switch back to the QC. So I brought it last night and instantly was 1000 times better

[@dirgmario]

Before you throw it in a river, please ship it to me, I will gladly dispose of the FM9 safely

[@jessefilmic]

I get it man. Hope you find what you're looking for. I love mine and I absolutely love what i'm getting out of it because it sounds exactly like my amp. You'll one day find that which you're looking for!

[@denskilmusic4408]

Thanks!

[@MitchHaman]

Good video D. Hopefully sometime you will find that perfect device that will meet your needs and "save your back".

[@denskilmusic4408]

I hope so too 😊

[@northern_foxx]

Best use case for the QC is to let it take the place of your heavy gear by creating a capture replacement. Not only will it save your back and gear - nobody you're playing for will ever know there's a difference. Use the real deal when you can, and in the studio - but let the QC cover you everywhere else. It's definitely freeing if you think of it as an extension of your gear instead of a replacement. Also, you can capture from speaker level DI instead of a load box if you want to more closely match the effect of your cab on the head. It should be nearly if not totally indistinguishable in A/B if you get it right, when played back via monitors. Matching "in the room" is a little harder owing to the power amp / cab interaction issues

[@denskilmusic4408]

Great comment! Thanks for watching the video

[@sid35gb]

Totally agree with the option paralysis too much tweaking needed when you’d rather be playing. Also as good as they are it always feels like something is missing. If lifting heavy amps is hurting your back you could look at some lighter options my personal favourite is the Bluguitar Amp1 mercury edition 100watt tube amp fits on a pedal board and it can be dialled in to sound match some very expensive boutique tube amps there’s videos online where they A B it against the actual amps. Orange Super Crush 100 is a new single ended Jfet amp which is getting a lot of love it’s not too heavy and sounds astonishingly good. And if you absolutely have to have a tube amp the Blackstar St James amps have been build with weight reduction in mind they use a different power supply that’s not as heavy. The only other amp that I recently acquired was a Vox super beetle it has nu-tubes which do the AC30 sound and the built in reverb and tremolo are very good as well. I hope it helps on quest for tone without breaking your back 👍

[@denskilmusic4408]

Thanks a ton for the great post! I’ll check into those options.

[@jelmeromero]

Have seen so many vids on the quad cortex and none have been impressive. Totally agree with you.

[@BrianVallotton]

New subscriber here. I have had my QC for a week now. I love its build quality and the touch screen. I only play at church every week, so I don't have to adjust sounds all the time. That being said I bought the unit knowing full well it does MORE than I will ever need. Analysis Paralysis is REAL. I am still tempted to go back to the last setup I tried for a little while. It was simply the UA Fender dream amp in a box with the Andy Timmons Halo. 2 pedals and that was it! Because we are silent on stage I have no use for an amp, I even sold my Dr. Z Max Jr. 18 last week. So everyone's scenarios are different. I liked what you said. I have to admit that I am not sure about how I feel about the diving into countless menus, no matter how easy they are to access. It leaves me feeling overwhelmed I think. So I still have some time to decide before I decide to keep the unit or send it back to Sweetwater. God bless you and all you love --Brian

[@denskilmusic4408]

Hey Brian many thanks for subscribing and the great comment ! I hope I wasn’t overly harsh on the QC, it really is incredible. And the updates will keep coming on it. For me it was like a super weapon when I just need a broom usually 😅 I have the Halo on a wet dry wet board and it sounds epic! Did ya keep yours?

[@BrianVallotton]

@@denskilmusic4408 Hey man, You were not harsh at all! I love the analogy of the super weapon vs. broom. I sent my Halo back when I decided to get the QC. Like I said, I probably would be just as happy with the UAFX Dream and Halo. But I fell for the get more stuff in a smaller package trick! Albert Einstein said, "Make things as simple as possible, but no simpler." Proving he understood human nature AND had a really good sense of humor! God bless you my new friend and ROCK ON!

[@denskilmusic4408]

Bless you too my friend! Keep in touch :)

[@dalepal]

I use a Strymon Iridium with pedals when I don't want to use the amp. I run into option paralysis using the modeling amp or Overloud TH-U and Helix HX Native but I have fun with that too.

[@denskilmusic4408]

How do you like the Iridium brother Dale? I had one too :)

[@dalepal]

@@denskilmusic4408 I like it on it's own for practice using headphones but mainly for a pedal platform to use as an interface or into the PA sans menu diving.

[@nauraG]

Awesome guitar colection 👍👍

[@denskilmusic4408]

Thanks kindly!

[@afocante]

My problem with the QC that i can’t match a good sound with my badlander + cabinets, and i don’t want a studio monitors! Assisti i find it to manual to tweak everything

[@denskilmusic4408]

So I’m guessing you have the QC plugged into the effects return of the badlander and not the input on the front? I tried that myself. Going into the effects loop return, I found it to be a matter of using the different amps and lots of EQ and no IRs or captures. The QC works great with a power section from an amp and real cabs 👍

[@kennethmeeker6369]

Nothing beats in the room with a tube amp with the power section pushing air thru a speaker 🤷🏼‍♂️

[@denskilmusic4408]

I fully agree! I feel like I’m back home now.

[@ronaldbrasseur9327]

Good for you !!! Personally, I can't afford all that stuff you have. Secondly, with the quad cortex, I have all the stuff you have. It's so much easier for me to program that thing, which is very easy by the way, and to get all the sounds I want. Plus, all I have to carry (other than guitars) is a case (for the quad)and a couple of powered speakers.

[@denskilmusic4408]

For sure! The QC rules for portability and it’s super powerful and easy to use. I can’t afford to have both amps/pedals AND a QC so they battled LoL

[@felixkjonsberg6493]

I'm using a small pedalboard into a ua amp modeler into 15-60 watt clean amps. A lot of gear to move around for smaller gigs

[@denskilmusic4408]

Yeah I hear ya! Lugging amps can be a pain.

[@Brixiomendoza]

The rig that sounds better to your ears it's that one You need to Buy and use :) ... I have My QC and i love it!!

[@JonGUK]

I sold my QC a couple of months ago. Just didn't like any of the sounds and definitely doesn't fit with playing live. Recently bought BluGuitar Amp 1....and it is excellent. I don't lug around cabs, simply use whatever cab backline is provided by the venue. Can't beat it.

[@denskilmusic4408]

Those BluGuitar devices sound amazing!

[@insomniakidmonkey]

The QC isn’t meant to sound like an amp in a room. It’s meant to sound like a mic’ed amp in a studio isolated. You’d get more of the amp in the room sound by shutting off the cab sim/IR and just running the preamp into your tube amps effects loop. If you leave the IR/Cab Sim on, it’ll sound not so great if you’re running it that way.

[@denskilmusic4408]

Yeah for sure, fully agree. I should have clarified in the video I wasn’t using the IRs in the QC with the cabs. Thanks for the comment !

[@GearStuffandThings]

You weren’t using IR with the Powerstage were you?

[@denskilmusic4408]

Goodness no but I definitely should have made that more clear in the video !

[@michaelhubbell1260]

The only application where I love modelers is with in ear modelers and running foh, not sure why but it is what it is

[@kavtech_midi]

my oppinion, real amp or digital amp cannot compare where is more good, its different world,,, both are good in their ways..

[@MOAB-UT]

Ampero II is a good one for the money- about 1/4 the price of the QC.

[@DavidEidelberg]

Of course, it doesn’t sound like an amp in the room. they never were supposed to. None of them do. It sounds like an amp in the next room with a mic on it that you are listening to through studio speakers in the booth. That’s what they are. That is what they do. If you’re looking for an amp in the room feel and sound from a digital device that also models the speaker cab and mic, you’re fooling yourself.

[@afocante]

Where did you get that hat!!!???? I want one

[@denskilmusic4408]

Amazon !

[@clausbjerregaard3815]

Good call on going back to old school pedals. I can totally relate to both your initial fascination with the lightweight all-in-one solution that these multi effect devices offer, but even more I completely agree with your conclusion that more time is spent tweaking than actually playing perhaps due all the options which constantly tickles the "if I just try this one" cuz since every sound in the world is right there at your feet, well, then surely the one you're looking for is there to be found "if I just try...this". Great 'no nonsense' commentary!

[@denskilmusic4408]

Thanks! I should have said: ‘if I sound good, I play good’ 😊.

[@truthfactreality6814]

You should check out the bluguitar amp 1. I use it live with a QC or just with normal pedals. All on one board

[@denskilmusic4408]

Yeah those look pretty awesome!

[@NikkiSexx666]

I have a Kemper, and a collection of tube amps. I feel the same. The kemper is a cool tool, But I always go back and prefer the tube amps!

[@DavidEidelberg]

You thought the QC would sound like an amp in the room? It was never made for that. None of them are.

[@BassieMario]

Well I use the QC almost everywhere but first of all I am a bass player so complete other mindset. Yes I miss the dynamics of my old Ampeg in my in ears 😭 but my back LOVES the QC!. Another thing, before a gig I ask the sound engineer to let me hear the sound in the hall, my stomach turns, so I know live it's really OK. Than touring.... you do not want leave your precious tube amps @ the odd size desk for loading in a plane and pay the bill. But I can imagine you miss the brutal sound and dynamics of the amp, so no offend!

[@denskilmusic4408]

Yeah my back will always question my decision to go back to amps 😅

[@BobbyCulpepper.srv3fender]

Did you try using the QC just for drives and fx along with your real amps?

[@denskilmusic4408]

Ah, good shout! I didn’t actually put it in front of an amp to try just the effects. It’s a great device just too fancy to use as a multi effects for me :). Thanks for the comment and for watching!

[@oleksandrk4853]

I used quad with timeline and bigsky in fx loop, sounds great.

[@joeynone]

You aren’t using cab sims with the real cabs right?

[@denskilmusic4408]

Correct. I should have made that obvious in this video LoL Thanks for the comment !

[@pino_7428]

I love my amps but multi FX units are so convenient. When I want to use my amp I go 4 cable method. If for some reason I don’t want to lug my amp around then I go direct with the Helix. Helix is harder to dial in compared to the QC. I’ll never go back to analog pedals and will never sell my amps the modelers are just a tool.

[@denskilmusic4408]

Yup for sure! I still think modelers are awesome tools and do the job for the right situation. Can’t beat ‘em for convenience. Personally I couldn’t find a situation where I prefer them over my amps and pedals :)

[@JuniorPortorreal]

If you are expect a modeler sound like a tube amp in the room, you will be very disappointed with every digital pedal out there.

[@DenyWatanabe]

You had me at "responsiveness" that's something that maybe one in a thousand guitar players *really* gets, and to those few it's something we can't live without. That's unfortunate, I was thinking about pulling the trigger on the QC but was worried that I didn't hear a single clip of a nice lead tone on that sweet spot only tube amps can produce, now I know why. Thank you for sparing me from the same frustration you went through.

[@apersonontheinternet8034]

Love it when people in shitty, budget cover bands are obsessed with having the best possible gear, because nothing else will suffice. 🤣 Oh the irony.

[@martinlee6694]

Hear you ,but Qc ,is the next thing ,Wish you tried with Mission engenerig gemini 2 ,for a good sound..Have a good day .😁

[@denskilmusic4408]

Thanks so much! I got to look into the mission stuff

[@dondyledan7024]

DO WHAT WORKS FOR YOU !

[@smellytele9629]

You were running the QC with a cab block into power amps/fx return into guitar cabs/speakers? That might explain why you couldn't get good sounds. You have to turn off the cab block/IR's when using "real" guitar cabs. You may already know this, not trying to talk you out of selling it, just throwing it out there just in case you didn't know. Play what makes you happy, life is too short, plus you have some great amps!

[@francisboudreau2618]

That's exactly what I was thinking watching the video...

[@denskilmusic4408]

Good eye! I should have been clearer in the video that I turned off the IR’s when using the guitar cabs. Love your handle! & thanks for watching :)

[@222mariolino]

I bought a Quad Cortex last year in September and sold it this year in January. Before that I had a Kemper and before that a Fractal Audio. Kemper had the best sound and live setup of all. I agree with you about the Quad Cortex. Thanks for this video.

[@denskilmusic4408]

Thanks for watching!

[@BrianSGuitars]

I went full in on the Helix. Powercab and all. I'm back to pedals and tube amp. It's just more satisfying.

[@denskilmusic4408]

Life is too short !

[@jrgenlundsgaard9479]

your are absolutely right. buy 5 diff multieff , and you will get the sound. there is no life in the boxers.

[@Johnny-oy9fh]

Get a Boss Katana...😎👍🎸

[@Pheddex]

Sry, Katana for livingroom purpose. Ok.. but not for real comparison, let alone live gigs with a bigger club

[@mars6433]

".....told ya' so.....told ya' so....TOLD YA' SO....want me to call you on the phone and tell ya' that I TOLD YA' SO ?!!"-Guitar Hack

[@denskilmusic4408]

😂

[@PerryCodes]

I'm with you 100%. They've come a long way, but it just doesn't respond the same way - at least for me (and apparently you too).

[@denskilmusic4408]

Yup! It’s the response thing for sure.

[@blackcouchstudio6622]

No guitar modeler ever, in a live situation, will match the feel of a real amp pushing air. It's physics.

[@Robert_Fordin]

Do you live alone? No family? No neighbours?

[@denskilmusic4408]

I must look pretty lonely 😅 Actually I got all of that and they all sorta put up with my noise. It’s all good.

[@Robert_Fordin]

@@denskilmusic4408 Well, it's good for you. You can play old school gear and feel it on your pants. I understand your arguments very well.

[@Bibblebabbler]

User error. Only way a quad cortex will not work but if you wanna lug all that crap to a gig????have fun .