QUAD CORTEX | QUICK TIPS | INPUT AND OUTPUT LEVELS

In this QC Quick Tips video, I discuss setting optimal input and output levels. If you are new to the Quad Cortex, this should be the first thing you do to get optimal sound!
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[@MikaTarkela]

I had somehow missed that you can hold the selected input and it has a gate! This is amazing, thanks!

[@ChuckHirstius]

For outs 1/2 & 3/4 - if you long press you can link/unlink them. meaning when linked you can just make adjustments on either one and it controls the values for both - faster than having to make the same changes twice. If you're always using them as stereo pairs it's better to link them. If you're using them as dedicated mono outs (multiple instruments through the QC each with a dedicated out) then leave them unlinked for individual contol. Just one more tip you can use in the I/O screen.

[@DCFGuitar]

Great tip! Thanks for sharing

[@artnelsoncreative]

Thanks so much. I was wondering why my volume to my amp was low-when I checked the input it was set so low. After changing it, the problem was solved. This is one of the best videos on the QC. Subscribed!

[@ridfitd]

Man im glad i stumbled across this video and whatched this,mt numbers where wasy off and sounds so much better,biggest bonus i think was subscribingh toyour chanel,you got some awesome videos i casnt wait to check out this weekend.Looking forweard to this!

[@williamarango5059]

Very helpful video. Thanks for sharing these important details.

[@itsjohnnymillion]

This was very helpful. Thanks!

[@malborotre]

Ottimo video grazie per questo lavoro che hai pubblicato è molto utile

[@NGC0Music]

That was really useful, thanks man

[@ElcanaldeReyesManuel]

Genial

[@marker4986]

hey! love the video! anyway can i play music through the QC from my pc into my studio monitors while playing guitar?

[@cyrnoz1803]

It's not really about clipping, the thing is to hit the front of the amp capture with the same level as if you plugged straight into the real thing, so 0db is where it's at. Unless you dont care about hitting your captures harder and getting more distortion from them of course.

[@davidsechrest6994]

Great job on this vid. Very helpful. My only comment is a question, how does that big Volume knob just to the left of the display factor in? Is it post all of the output controls you covered in the vid?

[@DCFGuitar]

Yes it is an overall output! For best signal-to-noise ratio when playing live, Neural recommends keeping it at 100%. You can assign which outputs the volume knob controls in the settings (I.e. outs 1/2, 3/4, send 1/2, and headphone output)

[@gladiatorrock8938]

Omg. Gonna take longer to figure out this pedal than learning how to play guitar

[@subarusinatriangle462]

What's the best way to manage master output (volume knob) and output levels so that you have strong output without deafening yourself? My understanding is the volume knob should be as close to 100 as possible to maintain best signal to noise ratio, but if I do that I have to adjust preset output or I/O settings to like -20Db. Wouldn't that be a problem in a live scenario, or would the sound guy just bump up levels to compensate?

[@gavmon9065]

Great video very helpful. Is the amp capture & ir bought or yours? Where can we get it sounds great

[@DCFGuitar]

I believe the captures I was using are all from amalgam audio! I am a big fan of them

[@shreddykruger3612]

How do you get volume out of this thing?? I have my levels so they won't clip but playing through a cab it's so quiet

[@YpsiJoshmccullough]

Am I understanding the Quad Cortex manual and this video that you can dial-in the Effect Return inputs such that you could use those for more guitar/bass/instrument inputs?

[@DCFGuitar]

Yes I believe that is correct 👍

[@sgraider2425]

Honestly, I've found better results from a lower input volume.

[@benthewavecame]

Absolutely. I aim for a peak no more that -9dB.. Especially important for high gain.

[@heartpath1]

Modern 24bit AD converters have reached a level of resolution that you don’t have to hit them hard. I’ve been running my QC so the input isn’t hitting the red at all.

[@robertalsbury]

Hey man thanks for the video. Need some help. Got my cortex today. Brand new with some brand new Rokit G4 5” monitors. Couldn’t get any sound out of one of the speakers (defective) so I called Sweetwater and they are replacing it. So I messed around with the QC with just one of them. Everything sounded horrible. Muddy and very bass heavy. Changing input levels didn’t help. I’m curious if perhaps it’s because I was running everything mono into one of the rokits? Are these terrible / cheap monitors ? Any thoughts on why it might sound so bad? Clean tones sound nice / fine, but distortion tones sound horrible on all presets and when I build my own preset, very muddy, bass heavy and like it has a blanket over it. Frustrating. Perhaps I need to keep messing with the input levels or just wait until I get both speakers in stereo? Thanks bro

[@DCFGuitar]

I’d see if you can try the QC on some other source if at all possible. It’s hard to troubleshoot anything over a KZbin comment cause I’m not sure about anything else that could be going on. You could also try creating a preset from scratch and see if that fixes some of the problems. Obviously check your output levels and if you have any EQ in any of the presets

[@robertalsbury]

@@DCFGuitar returned it. Sounded terrible. Bought a $400 hotone Ampero stomp ii and dialed in great sounds in 20 seconds. Go figure

[@johnnymccoy1998]

I tend to keep my input at zero…otherwise it’s like a boost that changes my guitar sound (like you mentioned.) Different strokes I guess 🤷‍♂️.

[@DCFGuitar]

It seems to be a very individual thing, and obviously varies with different guitars!

[@chrisnicolettimusic]

I agree with this. Altering the input level drastically changes the gain where the amps seemed a bit too "flubby" for my taste. 0db for me.

[@tonepilot]

Holy cow, does this ever make a difference! My In 1 Lvl was at 0, set it to +8 dB for my system and the amps seem much more lively.

[@mattbryant2447]

Question I’m also using my quad cortex with my interface. When i have my volume for my qc at full i clip my interface with the input level on my interface at zero. Is that normal or?

[@DCFGuitar]

You need to reduce the output levels of the QC if you cannot turn the interface input gain down any more

[@xtreamcubies911]

Hello, I’ve noticed when I turn the volume down on the Captured Drives. It lowers the overall gain and characteristics of the capture. Any tips?

[@TheMrClaus]

That's because it's not hitting the amp as hard. Also you might be turning the volume down too much

[@gg70969]

So the volume knob on the unit has me pretty confused. It changes the output levels (out 1 & 2). I would prefer it those are fixed and the knob just controls headphone level. Is that possible. BTW: Looks like you have your volume knob all the way up? Thanks for the great info & channel 🎸

[@DCFGuitar]

Yes you can assign the master volume knob to control headphone or output volume (or both) by going into the settings and into master volume knob assignment. Neural recommends keeping the volume knob at 100% when going into an interface or to front of house for the best signal-to-noise ratio

[@gg70969]

@@DCFGuitar Found it. Thanks!!

[@matteoradi]

Great "Tone King" preset...can you share it?

[@LikeU2tributeband]

Again very clear video. Maybe doing a 'save preset to your cloud non-public/public' etc. video Dustyn 😉 would be grateful 🙏

[@DCFGuitar]

I'll definitely put that in the videos-to-make list! :)

[@LikeU2tributeband]

@@DCFGuitar awesome👌

[@markdeboer9804]

If you only have 1 xlr out, do you have to mute the other?

[@DCFGuitar]

No you do not

[@alexhall6375]

Setting levels is the biggest issue with digital multi amp/fx/ do it all pre-sets… the only way is to play with your band and … trial and error, and at least the QC offers easy ‘in battle’ interface to tweak tone and volumes

[@ryanz06]

does that volume knob stay at 100%? What's the point of that knob then...

[@DCFGuitar]

Yep. Lowest signal to noise ratio is when the master is at 100%. You can choose if it also affects the headphone outputs if that’s your thing

[@joshfredr7846]

Any chance you could share your global EQ settings with us, PLEASE ?

[@DCFGuitar]

I have a video on it QUAD CORTEX | QUICK TIPS | GLOBAL EQ BASICS kzbin.info/www/bejne/o2GQdpdsabCLfdU

[@wildmilne]

With anything digital it seems there is no way away from the input level debates. Why would it not be fixed at a level that simulates a real amplifier input level and the guitar should do the rest (i.e be higher or lower gain). There are no real amps where you trim your guitar output level to it's maximum volume (compared to other guitars) on the way in. Is this different than all the input gain discussions out there? ie kzbin.info/www/bejne/p3amepydpM-fe8k. I notice in the video you increase the input gain, but then turn down the capture gain (probably because of the increased input gain)...

[@nephosl5292]

You dont want the Input to get into the Red since this is the clipping range. You do never ever want clipping 😮

[@bobeialexandru6011]

After one month I turned back to 0 and cleaned all my tones. They sounded muddy, awful, like machine guns. Now they are clean. It depends on the guitar, pickups etc.

[@silvo305]

Sorry, everything else in this vid is great except for the first tip. You ideally do NOT ever want it go into the red and clip. When you hit it hard, at most it should go into the yellow, if that. The red clipping can produce nasty, digital harmonic artifacts.

[@DCFGuitar]

At the settings shown, there is no clipping, the input block will flash when clipping occurs.

[@silvo305]

I’m not sure what you mean, because yes, there is clipping occurring. It goes quite a bit into the red on the first chords you hit. I know you’re demonstrating with a harder strum on purpose, but even with a hard strum that shouldn’t always happen like it is here. Should just be barely under red/yellow when you hit it the hardest. Not trying to hate, just an observation. In the audio world, excessive clipping is almost always a bad thing, especially when talking about digital devices. I like the rest of the video though and it is a good resource for brand new QC users👍

[@DCFGuitar]

@@silvo305 I appreciate the insight. I’ll revisit this and perhaps amend the video or make a follow up video on it. In my use with the QC with those settings, I didn’t observe any clipping through my monitors but I’ll take another look. Thanks 🙏

[@silvo305]

@@DCFGuitar If it’s working out fine for you then that’s cool lol. Personally I find with my setup if it goes into the red it will cause distortion, especially when there are wet effects involved, but that’s just me. Keep up the good content👍

[@marcelo_campitelli]

The red Your are seeing in the video is not digital clipping… it is a red for the QC monitoring, which is around -18dBFS, so you are fine going a little bit into the red (me personally leave it at 0dB for input level)

[@joelgueller2979]

Bla bla bla we heard nothing

[@DoublesaberVII]

What song are you playing at 5:53?

[@DCFGuitar]

Nothing in particular! Just played a bit to demonstrate the sound of the amp 👍

[@DoublesaberVII]

It sounded so cool though! I was trying to figure what you were playing by ear but I couldn't recreate it to my liking. Do you know of any song that uses chords like that? @@DCFGuitar