Is The Quad Cortex Really Worth The Hype? An Honest Review

The Quad Cortex from Neural DSP is a big step forward in the guitar modeling amp world, but is it really worth the hype? And how does it stack up against its rivals like the Helix, Kemper and AxeFX? Heres my honest unfiltered opinion.
Quad Cortex on Sweetwater (sweetwater affiliate link)
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Check out the Neural Capture shootout wav files here
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Overview and User Interface:
3:19
Neural Capture:
12:00
Quad Cortex vs. Kemper vs. Amp
16:08
Effects:
19:15
Final Thoughts:
23:22

[@RhettShull]

This video goes in depth on the Quad Cortex, so heres the different sections if you're looking for something specific. Overview and User Interface: 3:19 Neural Capture: 12:00 Quad Cortex vs. Kemper vs. Amp 16:08 Effects: 19:15 Final Thoughts: 23:22

[@iurigrang]

Why don’t you put these in the description so that the chapters are divided automatically?

[@kadourimdou43]

Would you do a video on if you would go for a pedalboard, or all in one effects unit.

[@basselmtaweh3103]

The best on the market

[@RichiAtlanticWind]

Rhett, you uploaded the same file twice. The Orange and the Kemper file are the same. Please upload the correct files so we can check it out. Loved your review. And the inclusion of downloadable sounds is perfect. Nice work.

[@RhettShull]

@@RichiAtlanticWind fixing now, thanks!

[@NeuralDSP]

Thanks so much for the great video and honest review, Rhett! We’re just at the beginning of the journey here. You can count on us to bring frequent free updates with new models and features, all seamlessly delivered via Wi-Fi. The desktop controller will happen after we’ve launched, as will making the plugins available on QC.

[@TomCouture]

Tier 1 here, when is launch? ;)

[@RechargingBatteries]

How many years do you expect to support the N DSP?

[@eanroad]

Neural DSP, I think y'all should give the unit to Rhett and pay the man cause this is one of the most streamlined/comprehensive vids I've seen so far. No fluff, beautifully displayed vid.

[@wildmilne]

How will the plugins work? part of the deal, or you have to own them on PC to use them on Quad Cortex? Thanks

[@josuastangl7140]

@@wildmilne yes, if you own them, then you'll be able to also load them onto the QC

[@RickBeato]

Great job Rhett!

[@willch19]

Bick Reato!

[@icecreamforcrowhurst]

I notice influencers are very big on networking with other influencers. It’s a strange new world we live in.

[@pieterfransmarialoose7873]

what would be your opinion if you would compare these two units?

[@theirishpotato6588]

@@icecreamforcrowhurst how is it strange?

[@fivewattworld]

Nice review. NOBODY does gear reviews as well as you do Rhett!

[@RhettShull]

Thanks Keith!

[@wreams2964]

Mmm. One guy competes. But he doesn’t do much gear reviews. Mostly short history. I think he name is like. Kevin from 6 amp city

[@Paul_Lenard_Ewing]

Yes but my buddy Keith has a better idea. If you do not need it do not buy it. :-) Hence no review is good review.

[@jadonsvd]

Wait till you find out who Pete Thorn is

[@fivewattworld]

@@jadonsvd I’ve known Pete Thorn for years, obviously.

[@mjb20224]

I’ve been editing Network TV shows and documentaries in Hollywood for almost 20 years and you are amazing on camera. Smart, articulate and engaging from the first second of every video. The fact that you do many of these videos with minimal edits is really amazing. Most people don’t understand how difficult it is to address a camera with such fluidity and confidence. Top notch, dude! This is my favorite channel on the tube and I look forward to watching your continued success. Peavey for life, man!

[@KelsterVonShredster]

absolutely agree!

[@RhettShull]

Thanks so much for the kind words!

[@michaelgregory2231]

+1 for Rhett! I do guitar videos and am nowhere near as composed and articulate. Bravo!

[@craigvittorio1865]

The low mid thing on the Kemper is happening on my end too. Very impressed with the Quadcortex so far.

[@garailac]

The effects will get better for sure. The reverb in their Plini plugin is some of the best i've ever heard

[@RichTones]

Well.... still cheaper than a KLON I guess.

[@joanesinu]

You can Profile/Capture a clon too

[@quiquepriore]

🤣🤣👏🏼

[@Scratch_Monsters_Golf]

😂

[@MrMatt55551]

I'm seriously tempted to pick one of these up. This would be a killer fly rig to just throw in a suitcase and not worry about it taking up much space. Having the same functionality as some of the other popular digital modelers in such a small form factor is a big bonus My current rig is a Kemper (unpowered rack, with external 3rd party power amp) and I don't think the QC would ever replace it. However, if there were was ever a rack version of the QC in the future, that may change.

[@mJules3]

This is the most honest review on a newly released guitar related product I have seen in a while. Great job and please stay that way!

[@joshuafernandes4935]

When the Quad cortex was launched more than 2 years ago ( October 2020) Neural DSP said that the plugin would be available on the cortex soon. its 2 years now and the website as on 7 jan 2023 said it is not an easy task to port all the plugins that were created on windows/mac to the cortex and they have to re code stuff to make it work on the quad cortex. There is no timeline whether this will be done in the next 2 years or 5 years. Considering they advertised this will be available soon and 2 years later still have no timeline for this speaks volumes about how marketing is done. The good part is that due to this aggressive hype they have sold 5000 quad cortex (as per the website). I wish Neural DSP would be more honest about their products especially since they knew that the plugins were not going to be available on the quad cortex for more than 2 or 3 years.

[@someoneshappyness]

Dude So true but Why are u saying it’s the good part that they sold so many? 😂😂?? Why r we like this that we think it’s good capitalistic fcking company’s make money? It shouldn’t be about money nor should it be about those company’s These company’s every company is horrible and we’re just slaves to it We should care to care abt each other, not the damn profitability of company’s lmao

[@seanchristopher740]

There's a pretty important thing people who make Profiles know, and that is the fact that you're not supposed to have any compressor or gate active in the signal chain while making a Profile, because it affects the authenticity of the signal and messes with the Profiling process. I'm sure if Rhett had done a Profile the right way then it would have sounded the exact same as the amp. Running a compressor while Profiling is a surefire way to ruin a Profile and it leaves the comparison pretty uneven in terms of each unit being able to work at its best. It definitely gave the QC a HUGE advantage by basicaslly CRIPPLING the Profiling process. Anyone who doesn't believe me, look in the Kemper's Manual which you can find online. The instructions are pretty clear about how Compressors and Gates will literally ruin the Profiling process and prevent you from getting an accurate Profile. Just something else to think about lol

[@TobysGuitarGearDemos]

It does sounds really good. The thing this has over the Kemper is the user interface. The touch screen is super intuitive. Scrolling through menus on the Kemper feels like you're in 2005. There are so many great 3rd party profiles for the Kemper (including Rhetts). If Neural can get units into all the top profiling companies hands and get a solid 3rd party market going they're going to be on to a winner.

[@judestv]

Still researching, but I’m a bit old school….and for me, touch screen would b great in studio, but onstage if ya gotta adjust something…(usually do) would drive me nuckinfutz…lol

[@tawmifm]

The foresight 😳

[@mauriziogiovanardi5394]

Great estimation for Rhett, but, in the future, to do fair comparison there are some important key points to stick to: 1) guitar signal must be THE SAME, not similar, exactly the same, using a looper or whatever 2) volume RMS or LUFS of the WAV to compare must be THE SAME, 3db more bring ears to say "it's better" 3) at least distortion level must be THE SAME, otherwise the processed signal are too different

[@wrekkingcru]

Helix, Headrush, AxeFX, Quadcortex, Oh My....! Man we are freakin spoiled with all of the gear options on the table in 2021. I have the Helix, but I'll be honest with you - I like the great amp sounds and simple interface - only knobs on the pedal - on my Strymon Iridium. I'm frankly tired of the land-of-a-thousand-presets, but I get that for some people this allows them to tweak for specific songs and a set list for performing live. I'd rather have something with *great* execution on the few things I need vs endlessly clicking through presets, which kills productivity and wastes time that I could be spending making music and writing songs.

[@GuitarAge]

100% agreed. I sold Iridium and got AXE AX8 because AXE is still a modeller king and sounds better , now finishing tweaking my 10 presets for everyday use and no more editing. By the way i have time to tweak it once in two days, all time working on music on old desktop amp YAMAHA THR10 or unplugged.

[@tbone9347]

you must be my brother from another mother

[@pdp977]

Agreed. I just play into my computer and then use Neural's Cory Wong plugin, as it has the nicest clean sound I've ever heard. I have too much gear and have been getting rid of it because I don't want to have to think about settings all the bloody time. I've been looking at the Strymon type stuff. I should have worked this out years ago, given that my favourite combo is my Tech 21 60 watt, which is permanently set to a Fenderish clean... Having said that for some musicians who have to cover a lot of territory for live or sessions these things are a godsend.

[@yodajazzcat]

Bingo. Clapton took his Strat, plugged into a low wattage Fender amp or a Pignose(!) and recorded the Layla album. Today it's a classic because the songs/ playing/singing were so good.

[@yodajazzcat]

@this is our house Who said anything about worship?? If you're gonna make a comment at least get a musical education.

[@toddbeeman5933]

Sir Rhett- I really enjoy your gear and guitar reviews/demos! You've got a great approach, practical advice, and I think you're incredibly talented at dialing in the best tones the guitar, pedal, amp, etc is capable of producing. I've also been enjoying the extra content on the Dripping With Tone podcast, your studio channel, live shows, and everything else you work on. Keep up the hard work and making a positive difference within the music community! Peace & love from Missouri -Todd

[@kevinpaige5746]

The capture of your Orange rig was dead on!

[@bennyharderguitar]

Neural addressed the footswitches. They built a robot to hit the buttons hundreds of thousands of times over a couple weeks.

[@florisbackx1744]

A robot always hits it in the same way, in real life scenario there will be a lot more 'side' pressure on the switches when stretching trying to reach when on stage for instance. Not saying they are bad, just saying that the robot test is not everything. We'll just have to see it will fare in real life cases.

[@NicholasGreenwood]

The rotary encoder switches look promising, but players WILL break them. I just hope that replacements will become available for repair.

[@ts4gv]

@@florisbackx1744 True, but consider this. You’d have to hit one of the 8 switches in particular 100 times a day for 3 years to get to 100,000. Their robot did a lot more than that. How many robot presses are equivalent to one sloppy, real-world press? All in all, I’d imagine these switches are pretty damn resilient.

[@RhettShull]

I heard this after making the video, that definitely gives me more confidence. The real world is different than a robot though, but Im sure they'll be prepared to support this long term.

[@matthewhogya2014]

I love the honesty of all your reviews. Your reviews are a pretty big influence on my buying and selling decisions. Regardless, you’re reviews and always fantastic.

[@IntheDAW]

As a primarily metal guitar player I still always come here for product demo videos. The way you show while telling and give a wide pool of examples really makes me respect your reviewing style. Personally I will keep my axe fx 3 but I will be getting one after its had time to really mature. Sounded great

[@Dedmine]

Rhett: Just built his pedalboard *I can already see him pulling the thing apart to put this in xD

[@HerroYuy246]

That HX Effects was a placeholder for this on his new pedal board.

[@AshleyPaul]

The only multieffects unit I've actually kept for more than a few months is the Headrush Gigboard because it's small, powerful, and easy to control. This thing is smaller and lighter, more powerful, and even easier to control. It's a matter of when, not if, I buy it. In no hurry because pandemic, but I'd love to take this thing everywhere.

[@funkster007]

Love my Gigboard. For the price it's tough to beat, and there's no limit to very usable sounds.

[@AshleyPaul]

@@funkster007 Yeah, the only thing I don't like is that it feels a little underpowered when using as an interface, with dropped samples and such. And sometimes it goes into a glitched state and needs to be restarted. The HX Stomp is a lot more stable, but with less power and generally much worse effects (IMO), though I actually like HX amp models better.

[@funkster007]

@@AshleyPaul Same, although I havent recorded with it much yet. Hopefully they can fix some of those bugs with another update. I got my GB for pretty cheap so I can't be too picky. I'm happy with the overall sounds and tones. I have about 4 or 5 different amps if I want the real thing. lol

[@AshleyPaul]

@@funkster007 Yeah, it's fine during performances. It's just when I'm editing or recording, it requires a restart now and then. It was pretty amazing for the time and compares favorably (IMO) to almost everything twice its price.

[@JamieSlays]

sounds amazing to me! ive been obsessed with this idea for over a year now and it seems to be head and shoulders above the competition

[@shadehunter]

Dig. The capture is ON POINT! Neural DSP seems like a helluva company in the plugin field, and I'm excited to see what else the come out with in hardware.

[@srsanders455]

Well done Rhett, to answer your question I'm not buying this yet. I have a Helix, and it works great for my normal gig on the worship team at my church. I use a JTM45 amp model on the edge of break up with the virtual OCD pedal fronting it with a Ownhammer IR (4x12 marshal cab) and a light compressor at the end of the chain. It sounds really good, so close to the real thing miced up its crazy. This new Quad Cortex is smaller and better in some ways, but not enough to switch.

[@justine3563]

This is the first cortex review/demo I've watched. Got bored watching another video after watching rhett's. He's got it all in here. Great job!!

[@tylerregh]

Finally committed and purchased (pre-order) one after seeing this video. Honest and true, love it Rhett!

[@keithstutts4501]

Glad to see this unbiased review from Rhett , just the kind of information potential buyers are looking for ! Thanks for keeping it real and we look forward to seeing more videos on the Quad Cortex. This new generation of digital processing should push the competitors to the next level and up the game even more. Thanks for sharing this review ! It's an exciting time to be a guitarist !!

[@svenjeschke5025]

An in-depth comparison between this and the FM3 from Fractal would be great!

[@irishRocker1]

Agreed. Those are the two that'll be going head to head more so than like a kemper etc

[@Crowbar11115]

I'd love to see people set up some pretty "flat" IRs then compare Helix, FM3, Neural and Kemper through the same IR. I always hear a super grating grainy sound in Neural's stuff that I don't get from my Helix or Fractal stuff.

[@r.llynch4124]

@@Crowbar11115 that's funny cuz i always hear helix fizzy in all the l6 stuff, The fm3 is awesome though but only 3 switches. mine kinda bothers me cuz of the 3 switches.

[@touringband]

@@r.llynch4124 add the fc6 to the fm3 and still be cheaper than this ;)

[@r.llynch4124]

@@touringband 50 bucks and an extra piece of gear. I have a fm3 but no capture. I have some rare amps to capture so...

[@rodriguezelfeliz4623]

I'll stick to my starter pack amp with a damaged dirty channel and a broken input jack.

[@J00PIE]

just crank the shit out of it!!!

[@rodriguezelfeliz4623]

@@J00PIE Yes, I do that at gigs. At home on the other hand... let's just say my family tells me that I am being too loud when I play electric guitar... without the amp hahahaha

[@samirwknox]

Hey man I used one of those well into my first bands and didn't really get the ability to afford something more until I started working 60 hour weeks, I also spent years playing my electrics unplugged, just do what works for you and play your best.

[@rodriguezelfeliz4623]

@@samirwknox thanks for the advice, you are very right. I've come to realize that having a good amp or guitar is not going to make me play any less shitty hahaha

[@sneifert1968]

Me too, Stick to my $150 off brand guitars , $80 used Peavey Bandit 112 and my pedals that I've had since the eighties

[@lexjones2038]

I watched this entire review, I love the way that you compare and review the gear, and I like that you compared it against the Kemper for the capture which was the one thing I was really interested in. I just ordered my QC, and looking forward to the future development of the QC.

[@kawakami]

Amazing review brother. This video cleared all of my main questions and confirmed some of my theories. THANK YOU!

[@DrProgNerd]

Great review. Something worth considering is that the FM3 basically gives you a trimmed down version of the Axe III. So, the quality of the models - and most of the effects- is the same - just less horsepower. At around $1,100 shipped, it could be a better value. I had the same question about the longevity of those switches. I could see doing a buy-n-try on one of these down the line - but for now, I will happily use my FM3 and wait for more feedback to come in on the Quad Cortex. Thanks for an honest review.

[@peterking3131]

Agree, wouldn't justify anything over 1000$ for digital that devalues quickly.

[@zacharylindsey7679]

Super interested... been messing with the archetypes on my computer and am pretty blown away by what I’ve experienced so far

[@rhymeskill]

I really appreciate the honest review. I was waiting to decide between this and the FM3. I think I’ll wait a little longer.

[@voornaam3191]

This is a very informative video, I don't know much about recording and effect pedals (yet), so this video is a great introduction to this neural networking thing, and the "traditional" tools. Thank you again.

[@yetanotherbassdude]

"Training a neural network to emulate the sound of your favorite device" isn't actually marketing jargon! Neural networks are a form of machine learning that's behind a lot of cool new software including Deep Fakes and Google's WayMo driverless cars, and they really do need to be "trained" with data gathered from running known test data through what you want the software to replicate.

[@edhardiman835]

Ok off topic, it took me a while but Rhett is the spitting image of Zod from those Superman movies

[@7pines77]

That’s very interesting information to know about this software which is new to me and as someone who is considering buying either a kemper, quad cortex, Fractal AX effects, or positive grid bias. Would you have a recommendation of these units?

[@Jmdeclue]

It really is in this case. The question is; Does the capture have a feedback loop with biases so it can learn to become a “better” capture over time? In this case, no it doesn’t. However, they could very well be using a neural network to continuously improve the “capture” component itself and send that down in software updates.

[@electriceyeswatching4415]

@@edhardiman835 thanks, now I can't unsee that! Ha

[@yetanotherbassdude]

@@Jmdeclueit's an interesting idea, and yeah I would be very surprised if sending capture data back to Neural to help them improve their learning algorithm isn't built into it somewhere, though hopefully with an opt out in there too! I can't say I'd be too keen on letting each unit build its own bias data as it learns though. How could the company provide support for a device where two units might produce noticeably different results from capturing the exact same amp setup just because they'd previously captured different rigs? It's a brave new world of guitar gear and machine learning in general though, so it may well yet be something we'll see happen!

[@OliChristenDrew]

Wow, the first rig profile you made with the Quadcortex is shockingly accurate, much much more than the Kemper’s - at least considering we hear this through KZbin’s auto combustion compression!

[@markd5235]

Thanks for the thorough review Rhett, very well done! I have ordered mine, and cannot wait to plug it in. I was on the fence to order the QC or the FM8 as my first floorboard modeller, the UI of the QC is what sold me. Well that, and I love Neural’s Plug-ins already so feel pretty confident I will get the sounds I like.

[@TobyKBTY]

What I love about Rhett is he isn’t a high gain/metal player but is no stranger to the digital world. This was a really great look into the product. Not sure it’s worth my money at the moment (really big fan of their plugins though) but the technology sure is exciting.

[@terranceturner7972]

Cortex vs Amp/Mics 15:28 Vs. 15:35 15:43 Vs. 15:49 Cortex vs Amp vs Kemper 16:42 16:52 17:03 16:47 16:59 17:11 17:16 17:38 17:27

[@FunkyELF]

Whenever KZbinrs do a/b comparisons I wish they'd use a looper to take their playing out of the equation. Literally give the same signal to the amp and both of the profilers.

[@monteknippling842]

supurb idea!

[@SergeiVlassov]

I agree! I am preparing a video at the moment exactly like that.

[@suedeface]

I agree that should be a part, but... The way they feel is important to me, so I hope the reviewer plays each enough back to back to make that call on the feel. Without playing it ourselves, they are our surrogate

[@brandonnelson7489]

Once again every time I watch your videos I’m inspired to play. You are a joy to watch and a true master at your craft, keep the videos coming man.

[@gashed8377]

Nice work man. Something to be said about not being sponsored. I appreciate the honesty!

[@TheMrChugger]

A neural network is a type of machine learning model, it's essentially turning the IR response into data, and generating a model that can recreate that sound given new data (audio). It's what makes NerualDSP stuff really, really cool. Awesome review!

[@amitbidaye7855]

apologies, what does IR stand for?

[@TheMrChugger]

​@@amitbidaye7855impulse response, basically a representation of a sound a device like an amp or cab produces. Which can then be used to reproduce the sound the original device produces

[@Mr_Bollie]

Thank you for doing such an honest review! What I noticed when you were comparing real amp chain vs. QC vs. Kemper was how far away the Kemper is from the QC. But also the QC is not close yet to the sound of the "real" chain. Somehow, it's lacking something. And I have noticed that with all the modelling solutions I have tried so far. It's lacking those sweet overtones, that you get when your pick hits the strings. It sounds kinda flat, not as "three-dimensional".I know, I'm terrible at describing it. And I also know that if you're on stage, the audience won't notice or care. But to me, that flat sound steals some of my articulation. And tbh, that kills part of the inspiration and the fun to play. That're my two cents. Oh, and I have a question, Rhett... if you compare the complete chain vs. QC vs. amp with OX, where would you see the OX?

[@mikmc]

I am curious to try the QC but to get one I would have to sell my only amp and my Ox (I play at home in a tiny space, so the QC would tick a lot of boxes), would love to see a comparison on the difference between the QC and a real amp using the Ox cab sims. Oh I have some serious decisions to make

[@ElectricEmpireProductions]

Very cool unit, glad you will be tracking it's progress. Just bought the Bias FX suite and a new computer and the is enough for now. Glad more options like this are coming to market.

[@johnmccabe7645]

Continually amazed by the quality info you push. I could hear the initial comparison like you stated. Great editing as usual.

[@mitjalubej6743]

QC killed it with neural capture 👌

[@ultratone]

Sounds promising, especially the captures... but one thing I still love about my helix is that I have my helix floor unit and the helix native plugin, and they are exact copies of each other. So whatever I do on the floor I can replicate exactly in logic with helix native (and vice versa). I record my songs and tweak the sounds until perfect in native and then just transfer the presets over to the floor unit and Voila, ready to go. I know neural has their plugins, but they aren't exact copies with exact workflows. And when it comes down to it, I love the sound of my helix. Of course I will still be watching every video about the quad cortex. ;)

[@J.D....]

Helix is also tailored more towards someone like me who doesnt own any expensive amps they want to profile, they just want a "all in one" solution.

[@rickthestick8]

@@J.D.... I own the Helix also but it will be taking a back seat to the QC. The cool part is that now you can "own" all those amps! ...and many more. People in the community will all share their captures.

[@BigRalphN]

@@rickthestick8 I am hoping I will be happy enough I can put my Helix up for sale within a week or two. I want to unload it while it still gets a good price. I think with poly it’s at the end of what it’s processing can handle.

[@rickthestick8]

@@BigRalphN agreed, the QC is far more powerful. I don't know if I can part with my Helix though...

[@BigRalphN]

@@rickthestick8 ya. I don’t know either but I could order a KIESEL if I sell it. Lol. Or pay bills. Whichever us more important. I will see once I get it and play a bit.

[@biffrov]

First actual review I've seen so far. King of gear reviews! All the other videos have been quite icky showcases. I will not cancel my preorder so to speak.

[@bartlettpsj]

Nice to have a review that wasnt high gain 80's metal :-) I love my Kemper, but that Quad Cortex looks and sounds great here. One thing with Kemper's is that profiles always need tweaking. Also the Quad Cortex doesnt have the Kabinet/Kone feature, which I love. And not a built in power amp. Gonna be some interesting times.

[@felipealonso8409]

Capture feature: Original sounds meaty, QC has the digital top end added to it. Of course, as all modern units, in a live context nobody would ever notice.

[@XiyuYang]

If only you guitar players care to learn a bit of physics and acoustics, you would have known that “digital top end” or whatever you would like to call it, is a side effect of oversampling. I don’t know if QC let’s you change the oversampling rate or not, but a simple, steep low pass filter would fix that. And before you say anything, even an entirely analog rig will be recorded into digital formats, so yeah, no matter what you use, your guitar, your pickup, your pedals, your amps, your cabs, your microphones, will always end up with “that digital top end” Geez, it’s 2021 for crying out loud, please, educate, yourself.

[@KevisaVivose]

@@XiyuYang that was actually quite insightful, thank you!

[@Nobddy]

@@XiyuYang ok mr. hoity toity sonic master, guitarists have other priorities. Are you trying to put audio engineers out of work?

[@matsnilson7727]

Nice video! And now back to playing my Boss GT-10.

[@lespaulep]

Lol.. that's a good one

[@rogerbrown5016]

Where you got me beat I'm playing a boss GT8

[@bflippsytrance]

It did such a great job capturing that it kinda blew the kemper away in this situation. Also interested in the FA FM3, but with the option of having very detailed profiles on the Quad Cortex it may be a winner, then again the FM3 does look like it would survive live use better considering the rotary buttons in the foot switches of the Quad Cortex.

[@crazylegsfishing9934]

Fantastic Review Rhett. Thanks for taking the time and effort to put together such a great sounding, and looking video. Your work is super impressive, and I trust your call on this unit. I think I'm sold.

[@johnrobie9694]

FYI, "Neural Network" is a common form of machine learning (also sounds good for marketing). It's also being used in self-driving (eg. Tesla), image recognition (eg. Pinterest), and natural language processing (eg. Alexa). The "training" aspect does typically take some time, and requires a good amount of data.

[@johnrobie9694]

@Lars Norberg neural network training requires A LOT of data to start from scratch. So often times, you start with a "pre-trained" model as a foundation, then build on that. It's possible that this device isn't actually doing any complex neural network machine learning, but rather analyzing the audio signal and then doing some light machine learning on top of the foundational machine learning model already baked into the device. In other words, when you get a Tesla, it already knows how to self-drive, and then it improves with more data (your driving). I am guessing this is similar.

[@TyRobertsmedia]

I will be getting this. I've waited, and waited for something like this baby. The other options you compared it to just never appealed to me, but when I heard your demo of the Kemper vs the Quad --- wow. Also Andertons as a video of a bunch of pedal profiles - total mind blown. I own many boutique amps but want to carry them all around the world - this baby will do it, in style.

[@Smittefar1]

Thumbs up for a great in-depth review - I look forward to checking the .wav files from the captures. Very helpful - thanks

[@georgebarry8640]

Phenom Video, Rhett! Not only great tones...but reasoned,seasoned advice. And that has value. You really provide some insights here that are useful for players who can't get to a store and put their hands on this device. thank you!

[@Fonjozy]

How well does the Quad core reproduce the feel/feedback you get between the strings and real amps; in other words, the reaction you get between partuclar guitars, amps, and speakers turned up to a sweet spot? The Boss GT-1000 produces a pretty decent realistic feel with their AIRD technology.

[@kcussrebutuemos4815]

The feel is what’s missing with the helix and Kemper. The only modeler that feels good to me and sounds good is the Yamaha 100hd double modeler. Yamaha bought out line6 btw. It’s simple. Plug it in snd play. Two amps at once.

[@NateTheMeh]

I’m not gonna lie, the Cory Wong neural dap amps are my fav way to practice now. I run my pedal board into my SSL 2+ interface and it works seamlessly and sounds just as good as my Handwired amp but at a reasonable volume. Totally worth the money!

[@Roganhayl]

That's cool to hear, quick question how do you like the SSL interface? I love their consoles and have been wanting one but haven't heard many user thoughts on the interface

[@aviator_bryan]

Great review! I was preorder Tier 1 and backed out in favor of the FM3. While love the Fractal, I am still interested in this product, even though the capture/profile feature is what I will probably use the least. I'm going on 5 years with Helix as well, and it's a light year ahead of when it was released, so I know the QC will likely only become more awesome with time. Great times we are living in to have such great options!

[@PatDeJongeSoundwise]

That must have taken you a fair bit of time! Thanks Rhett, I really appreciate your honesty and down to earth view. I was bored of the videos full of marketing lingo ('no other device on the market does' etc...) where it's obvious the reviewer is selling rather then reviewing. Keep up the good work man!

[@david_heryanto]

I think after this unit launch, we can see a lot of kemper on used market

[@Nig6tWalker]

no mine

[@magnusfiskvik509]

I think Helixes too as this is sort of a combined Helix and Kemper as it looks it has the flexibility and user friendliness of the Helix and the sound capture capability as the Kemper has. I don't know if it's the architecture or DSP power itself but at least a whole new world of opportunities combining amps and effects compared to the Helix.

[@KrlosRodz]

I’ll buy one eventually, but I’m not getting rid of my Kemper...too many good profiles!

[@nickbosworth966]

@@magnusfiskvik509 you can't assign block parameters to a foot switch like you can in Helix in stomp mode. You have to use their scenes mode.

[@Paul_Lenard_Ewing]

I think this the best value for money choice. Like all modellers expect it to become redundant at any time. On that day this like others value will tank!!!! If you can get all you need from a tube amp and a few good pedals go that route. A good tube amp can even make you money if you wish to sell it. My Plexi is still not redundant nor will I loose money selling it. If what you do requires a modeler buy a one that Rhett puts up for sale :-)

[@ngsanfo7927]

That’s what I was thinking throughout this video. Quality video as usual, interest level for the product, zero

[@outdatedgear5036]

This device will be obsolete by next year. I keep hearing about how modeling is so CLOSE! At this price I might as well buy the real thing lol.

[@andyfenton1510]

@@outdatedgear5036 hear what you’re saying, but I could never afford 1 of every great amp out there, let alone take them all on a gig. I am a Helix user and Blug Amp1. The form factor for any studio work or even live to a pro player would make it worth it. Why not have both and keep your vintage amp in mint condition? after all as you say it can only go up in value.

[@outdatedgear5036]

andy fenton I know, I own a few tube amps and kept it that way for a long time. I don’t even own a 4x12 cabinet because it’s not practical and I don’t have the space. I own a few modelers and they sound fantastic. I definitely use them for stuff I don’t own or just can’t buy. It’s just the mentality of “because it’s new it’s better & everything before it is obsolete” is what bugs me.

[@BigRalphN]

While agree in part there are more and more venues that don’t want amps or have room for them. The old days of ears bleeding in the bar are pretty much over. There are very few venues these days. Here in the US one of the biggest markets is for the church bands. Most churches do not want amps or even monitors on stage so it’s profilers and in ears unless you have a dedicated amp room somewhere (always want thought this was crazy but when I saw Rush on the Clockwork Angels tour there was not an amp in site. I was told Geddy goes direct and Alex had a miked up amp back stage and an AXFX. Brit Floyd tours almost exclusively with AXFX. If you have a classic amp I agree that prices will always be there for resale. But I don’t think it’s the case with newer amps. Except maybe a limited run thing. Look at the Dumbles. They went out of business and couldn’t sell them. Now they are like a holy grail.

[@EsharpGflat]

Fav review I watched so far tbh. I already have one on preorder, and watching this made me more excited for it! I know that you can’t 100% count on promises at purchase, but right now I think this is already shaking things up, and think that with what they say, and the assumption that things like effects (which already sound fine) will be updated too, means that it will make waves.

[@GuitarDoodles]

Excellent review as always! This unit would be so much more tempting had I not sold so many amps (Orange, Suhr, Vox, Two-Rock, Fuchs, Mesa, et al). But, the saving grace is the fact that it could capture pedals! Great Job Neural!

[@DanePeterson]

*Presses neural capture* *Accidentally starts dial-up internet*

[@rgarcia4412]

🤣🤣🤣

[@voornaam3191]

Does that still exist? Dial up is Flintstone Times. Young people ask: grandpa, what is dial? What is that Dial Up doing in a brand new digital thing?! Did you really SEE++ that?

[@EricJamesVideo]

14.4k!!!!!! ssssssskkkkkkkkkk "You've got mail!"

[@kevinterruption]

That rig profile sequence needs to be a ringtone or computer wake-up sound.

[@skweetis]

Rhett, thank you for your well-considered thoughts and honesty in your videos, as well as the quality of the production and editing. Your commitment to informing and entertaining fellow musicians is remarkable. You're one of my favorite guitar KZbinrs, and it's work like this that keeps me coming back. Excellent review of a fascinating product.

[@ronnieparfait]

Great video as always.. I have to agree about the stomp buttons getting glitchy in time,, I can’t believe how dirty my Helix is after a couple gigs in wood floored clubs.. so I can see dirt getting in those rotary knobs. 🤔

[@kzpppp]

I hope you do a revisit and share what you think about it now.

[@Rob_Ethereal]

Im watching all these quad cortex videos like I'll ever be able to afford one

[@iakirov]

I think many are in that boat too!

[@donewithmodernlife]

Hang in there guys. There was a time in my life when I looked at gear like this & thought “I’ll never be able to afford that.” Hard work, being wise with spending & a few years repairing my ruined credit & now things like this are within my grasp. You can do it.

[@yokisullivan8647]

@@donewithmodernlife Just remember there was a time when we even thought we wouldn't be able to afford a guitar.

[@bradbunyan1902]

Great review dude. I’ve got the helix and I’m pretty happy with it but I think the QC is in my future Purchases! Like with everything new you really have to spend time with the unit. I think the cloud idea is great and I think when the top guys like yourself get their hands on it and start profiling some great amps this thing will explode with popularity.!

[@keithbuck8252]

Loved this and I've owned the Kemper floor currently on my third Helix had the original when it came out ... I hear exactly what you did, as you were running them back. You were spot on. Loved the video you could not have done this better Thanks

[@tonepilot]

Holy hell, the capture is accurate. Kemper sales start now :)

[@phillipsouthard8285]

No one in there right mind would sell their Kemper, helix, or fractal for this unit yet. It’s too early and it sounds fine, but not even close to good yet.

[@tonepilot]

@@phillipsouthard8285 Yup, I’m hanging on to my Fractal. I’ll make a decision after I’ve had the QC for a while.

[@Germinalx]

How great is Rhett? Even when playing the shortest little snippet of music he has on his full, inspired guitar face! Awesome!!

[@TomasSvantner]

Very nice review! Thanks! I am in the tier2 pre-order and happy waiting for it. I believe it will be worth it.

[@andysmith7310]

Looks promising. I'm not ready to give up my Kemper though. Let me profile an amp and be able to adjust gain mid treble and have that change be the same as if I'd turned the gain dial on the amp and I'll upgrade

[@vibranceaudio4806]

I have been through every modeler and processor that’s out there, but nothing beats a tube amp and a couple of mic’s panned hard L & R.

[@millmoormichael6630]

I have the H9 and it really doesn’t sound even close to as good as any of my pedals.

[@johngudgeon7454]

My tinnitus beats my stereo tube rig sweet spot every time :(

[@only1symo]

I imagine playing live, your audience will tell the difference between the modeller and a tube amp.......... oh wait they won’t unless they are tube amp snobs.

[@cyanwitch2708]

For the captures I thought the kemper was spot on. The qc was louder for every clip. I own neither but do own a rp360 which sounds better and takes pedals better and feels better than helix. Overall I think the QCortex sounds amazing here. I like the tones Rhett pulls.

[@dougc84]

I had a Kemper and loved it. Probably one of the best digital amp sounds I ever used. Now, this was before the editor and the floor model existed, so I had a rack + a pedalboard with a MIDI controller (Mastermind GT/22), a volume pedal, a few drive pedals, and a Timeline and BigSky in the FX loops. That's a lot to carry around to little local gigs, and the lack of effects slots + the fact I still had to augment it with my own stuff left me wanting something more portable. I switched to the Helix a few years back. Tonally, I got close to what I wanted, but, even with IRs, could never really achieve the sound I wanted. The AD/DA conversions in the FX loops were poor quality, and running drive pedals with it was more of a give-and-take - it just doesn't take certain drive pedals well. Same goes with the HX Stomp. However, it became the centerpiece of my board. Scenes controlled presets on my Timeline and BigSky via MIDI. But... it just never got me where I wanted. There was a lot of fiddling around and experimenting instead of just playing. I added an MC6 just to have something to control the BigSky and Timeline independently, since I missed that set of functionality. And then I still had a 43" pedalboard that weighed a ton - it was like carrying around a keyboard. But still less than a rack. I had the opportunity to visit a musician friend in Austin a couple years back, and decided to build a small (18x7) travel board. I wanted all analog pedals. Just knobs. No digital anything. No presets. And it made me realize how restrictive the digital stuff was making me. Sure, I could show up to a gig and hit a button and, from a consistency standpoint, my tone would always be the same for whatever song I was on. But, for practice purposes, if I wanted to tweak something, it meant either being connected to my computer and spending time in the software, or down on the floor diving through menus. This little analog board made me feel in control. I sold off the Helix when the Iridium was announced and I haven't looked back. I bought some pedals to augment what I would be missing going from a digital rig to a more pedal-based rig. And, now, I feel so much more creative with what I play. I don't feel stuck in a box or tied down to a preset. I don't feel limited to the options on a screen. If I want more reverb, I twist a knob. If I want a little less delay, twist a knob. I know my pedals better and can interact with my board like it is a living, breathing, organic extension of my sound, instead of feeling trapped by "well, this is my overdrive sound." Things like high-decay, modulated reverb, strange lo-fi bit-crushed delays, and microlooping (a la the MOOD) are part of my sound, though, and I've yet to use any device that has effects in-line with what I like to use. If Neural builds out their QC effects so that I can use only one or two outboard effects and a volume pedal (via expression), then this might be my future gigging rig. But, until then, I'm happy with more of a hands-on, pedal-centric approach. I might pick one up in time, but... that time is not now.

[@tommynorman8874]

Love your vids and your guest appearances with Beato. Watching this video I thought "That looks like the guitar the guy from the Muddy Magnolias had." Then I looked it up and saw that it was you! You played at 3rd and Lindsley with the them (when you headlined, not opening which I was there for that one too) and after the show I came up like the typical guitar nerd and asked you about your equipment. You took the time to talk with me very graciously about the guitar and the amp (both of which were boutique and WAY out of my price range). I just wanted to say thanks for being cool and taking the time to talk to me when I know you were probably tired from the show and just wanted to get off stage. Your love for music and the gear behind it showed then and in your videos. Also, you rocked in that band. I hate they broke up.

[@sbrave]

All the videos I've seen for this show the capturing is pretty amazing. Here too, sounds much better than the Kemper, which sound very compressed and flat.

[@BushidoPhoto]

I want to hear someone make a dead on profile for Greg Brown from Cake's tone from Fashion Nugget. Nobody has that tone anymore and it's my favorite hollowbody sound of all time.

[@fredmanteghian5913]

Okay now, you’re making me go look it up!

[@Stashmanfpv]

He’s definitely got TONE!

[@dougdevine27]

This.

[@fredmanteghian5913]

@BXL Gotham I saw them too, in an election year. Not a good combo.

[@devenchinso]

One of my favorite albums of all time.

[@mediumshreddercheese]

I love your videos man! I literally have zero interest in whatever that thing was, but you shoot us straight with your content and it’s fun to watch

[@BipityBopity93]

Really excited to see more videos on this from you. In regards to tone you have a very well balanced approach and achieve really good tones. 🙏🏽

[@edosiggi]

I wanted to try and compare the capture from the QC and the profiling from Kemper, flipping the phase and aligning audio from the amp using the files in your GDrive folder, but when i put the files in the DAW, the Orange Amp wav phase ereases itfelf PERFECLY with the Kemper wav file. So.. or the Kemper is VERY GOOD at profiling, or there is something strange in there :)

[@RichiAtlanticWind]

Yes. It looks like he loaded twice the same wav file. I was also going to comment the same. Would love to listen to the real files so maybe let's upvote your comment so Rhett notices it.

[@gersongomez1876]

Ye, he posted in TGP that he uploaded the same file twice lol

[@sonidojamon]

@@gersongomez1876 well, that's missleading.... I was about to do the same tests.

[@gersongomez1876]

@@sonidojamon in his pinned comments, he replied that he fixed this.

[@sonidojamon]

@@gersongomez1876 yeah, nut I downloaded the samples and each one is a different take. This would only work when reamping the same take 3 times, otherwise, the phase cancellation test can't be done.

[@MarshallGTV]

I’m hearing smoother upper order harmonics from the quad vs the kemper.. can’t afford it but I like it

[@harmonygaleria6311]

This is by far the best review I have seen for this product. Or any music product to be fair 😂! Good job!

[@ebenersantos]

Rhett, this is almost a half hour video. You do this so well, it felt like a 10min video! Thanks for all the effort. Like the guy down below said, “no one does gear reviews like Rhett!”

[@Eggospartan]

The 9V power connection would be a little sus in a live scenario, would rather have an IEC cable!

[@AlanW]

Yeah, they need to put a cable stay on there at least.

[@BigRalphN]

I have a one spot in my bag for emergencies since my wireless also has a Wall wart. Normally the connections inside of units hold up to anything. It’s the cables that take a beating. I was thinking about getting a power brick to power both devices.

[@Elibeachy23]

For starters, I do think it's a great piece of gear. Mostly for the reasons you mentioned. I would struggle to justify putting this on a pedal board, because at this price point, competitors are making an all-in-one unit. The helix is still the most ideal to me because you don't need to carry any extra pedals, expression pedals, or volume pedals to your gig. You grab your helix backpack with board inside, your guitar in hand and you should be ready to go. That being said, if the effects were better, or even comparable to other modeling stuff, I think you make a case that this is the best of all it's competition.

[@ignaciogobet605]

"For starters" haha. Another forum tchaikovski.

[@jimfischer5670]

I am contemplating selling my Kemper stage to get one. I had a Helix prior to the Stage and let go of that when the Stage came out. The QC seems to be a perfect marriage of those two platforms. I also have amps and pedals to profile as well.

[@Gonzo2707]

Outstanding review, and thanks a bunch for the WAVs! My personal bottom line: I have owned aKemper for 6 years now and spent a pretty penny on top for profiling my amps (and buddies‘ amps) in a pro studio w/ multi-mic setups, great mic preamps and an engineer who knew what he was doing 😀. Judging by the WAVs, I don‘t see a huge difference, much less a quality increase in the raw capture. Hence I don‘t think this is really woth plunking down 1700€... yet. Perhaps 10% more „fidelity“ isn‘t really worth paying the same money I spent on my Toaster. ...Well... if my Toaster did the Fritz... Different scenario...

[@DarrenSMusic]

Great review. I really wasn't expecting you to say you'd buy it, though. It seems that it has so many drawbacks that I wouldn't personally put my money on the hope that they'd make it better with updates - if it isn't up to par on some aspects such as the effects and assigning multiple pedals to a single switch, I'd wait until those things are ironed out before parting with money.

[@ctld5266]

clearly. 1,5K€, with that annoying cliking sound when switching preset, without being able to assign as you want the footswich, and considering the bad quality fx, is no for me

[@DavidDiMuzio]

I liked the real amp best. It had better sounding transients and high end. Neural capture sounded 2nd best, it sounded most like the amp. The Kemper lacked the high end clarity of the amp and Neural capture. The Kemper sounded more compressed in a bad way and had a muffled low end.

[@GearZenChannel]

You nailed it.

[@zynthio]

Obviously the real amp is going to sound the best… lol

[@DanaSydonia]

Agree, the Kemper sounds "wooly" in comparison hey?

[@amileoj9043]

Great, comprehensive review Rhett. Thanks for really trying to isolate the QC vs the Kemper (vs the "real" amp) when it came to the sounds. Super helpful.

[@JCleggy]

I don’t always agree with Rhett’s opinion; but if the successful working musician with tons of great gear says he likes it enough to buy it for himself, I’m immediately highly interested. Refusal to sell positive gear reviews is critical to that degree of authority. I’m glad Andertons likes it, they’re selling a lot of them. Rhett’s review has been the most meaningful thus far.