Billion thumbs up for Audrey! As an adopter of the “challenging” type cases I applaud your choice! The shot of her on the couch was the peak of the wave for me.
as a small beginner bedroom guitar player, i freaking love this thing, allows me to have access to the cortex cloud without having to spend 1.6k euro on a QC, literally all i ever wanted
@@SteveSterlacci This seems to be a popular setup but I don't understand why this is a great pairing. What does the Nano Cortex provide that the HX Stomp doesn't already have? My understanding is that the HX Stomp offers all the functionalities of the Nano Cortex and more (including amp models which people seem to trust more than IR captures). If you could add any insight here that'd be great.
@mikestein8775 it offloads the amps and some fx from the hx, expanding your board significantly with a small footprint and saving a ton of dsp. Some people also just prefer amp captures over modeling and want "their sound"
This thing is really cool. First thing that intrigued me was the spacing between footswitches. It's the little things. Lol then when I found out you can capture you're actual cab I had to try it. Just did it for the first time and couple hours ago and I am impressed. It does add maybe 2db of compression but that's a good thing to me. The "feel" is a lot closer than any ir or modeler/profiler I've tried.
I am very hopeful that one day you’ll be able to split the outputs so you have one with IR/Cab and one without, add a utility block, maybe a global EQ.
I just love the Nano Cortex for its sheer simplicity. I don't know how much time I've spent tinkering with my Boss GT-10 instead of playing. Had I spent that time for practice I would have been better than Joe Satriani and Steve Vai combined. Just joking of course but the times I got lost in modelling are countless. I have the Nano over a month and I still love it. Got it on a pedalboard with a compressor and 2 overdrive pedals in front of it and I am set.
I captured my Komet (via OX Box) with two levels of drive and hooked it up to my HX FX via a loop for drives and effects. I really like it even more than my Helix. Cool box and small ;)
Tone. Anyone who has this thing and loves it, that is why. Tone. Like you said it doesn’t need a screen. You have to hear it. QC authenticity quality and refinement in a simple box.
I love that most of the common criticisms of the Nano Cortex and Kemper Player are basically - why doesn't it work like the HX Stomp. If Helix adds captures its game set and match imo. I LOVE this channel. Steve feels like one of the LAST TH-camrs in the guitar space that isn't speaking through the money. It feels honest.
I think we’re on the same page with this thing. I loved the nano but felt immediately hamstrung with the lack of ability to toggle the effects. It sounded great paired with my UA DelVerb but I really just wanted to consolidate my stuff into 1 unit and also run my vocals through the same unit. I ended up up returning it and getting the QC which I absolutely LOVE. I don’t think it’s as good a device as the tonemaster pro but after hearing my own amps captured with the neural units, I can’t go back to modeling. There’s just no comparison. I sold my FM3 after getting the QC and honestly don’t miss it. I think I rustled the fanboys on my channel. As for the nano though, I think it’s the best “amp in a box” on the market. It has a lot of potential but I advise people to not buy one based on what it COULD be but rather what it currently is. There’s no guarantee that neural will add the ability to switch effects.
I am convinced that the Nano Cortex was ready to go and then the Tonex One came out and basically stripped the value out of capture technology. So Neural looked at the Tonex One and Tonex and thought, we can't compete with that without killing our QC sales. So what we have with the Nano is your quintessential design by committee (I work in apps). Where the business needs and user needs are conflicting so you've got a compromise that delivers a product that excels at nothing. They could have easily made the path editable and included an OD slot but that would have been curtains for that sweet QC money.
cool video thx! is it possible to bypass the nano cortex cempletely? I am a big fan of the friedman IR-x IR-D but the only problem for me is, that you can't bypass it... thank you😊
I'm pretty dang sure I saw a video showing how you can indeed use midi to control effects - not just on/off, but even parameters with an expression pedal and midi footswitch. I'd look into that more if I were you - I think it's actually possible
I think this is the video I was thinking about. It does add a ton of functionality not immediately apparent: th-cam.com/video/0vuBw5aazGw/w-d-xo.htmlsi=771ayK0DGIymTL8w
That effect toggle is a non starter for me. This is what makes my Stomp so useful live. I have outboarded an additional two switches which gives me a total of 5 switches. Plenty of effect switching. Now that I am using the Tonex1 thru my Stomp loop, I get even more DSP by using the Tonex for amp capture. That gives me 2 amps which is all I need.
The thing with no midi, on one hand, I think I can see why they did that because I think it would start cannibalizing sales of the quad cortex if people could just buy a cheap foot switch and do the same thing, and that’s kind of the corner they painted themselves into by putting out the high-end product first. However, I don’t see any advantage of this thing over a Tonex big pedal, especially when you can program midi foot switching for the fx, and can do tonex captures of other plugins as well.
I think it got unnecessary hate. In any case, for amateur players who're looking for a more all-in-one ish gear. I'd go with the Kemper Player or HX Stomp.
New incoming tone-x (free!) update should make the over-priced paid updates of the kemper player mostly obsolete, imho. HX stomp is, and always has been very solid, but still a LOT more $$ compared to Tone-X. Price isn't everything to everyone, but I think it's pretty important in the "amateur player" category. I don't hate the new nano at all but I think it's a little lacking (currently) at its price point, unless you're one of the rare folks with a big collection of expensive amps you want to capture yourself. I'll be following them to see what (if anything) is added/improved in future updates - fingers crossed that they listen to the common criticisms....
@@steveareton697 agree the nano lacks a bunch of stuff. Especially competing with ToneX. I think Kemper player is one step higher though (and more expensive for that matter). The signal chain is way more powerful than tonex, and I really dislike tonex user interface/experience. Best bang for your buck in terms of tone is the tonex tho.
This thing is really cool. First thing that intrigued me was the spacing between footswitches. It's the little things. Lol then when I found out you can capture you're actual cab I had to try it. Just did it for the first time and couple hours ago and I am impressed. It does add maybe 2db of compression but that's a good thing to me. The "feel" is a lot closer than any ir or modeler/profiler I've tried.
Heck I always end up using the Prime P2, even that has MiDi and it’s smaller than my phone. Have I gigged with it? No. I haven’t tried. But it’s perfect for me to sit there for hours playing my own presets or use other peoples. But I’m still learning more and more about it.
I had one and loved it until I took it to rehearsal and realized the lag and dropout between presets were not acceptable to me for live performance. Its great if you leave it on one preset for the entire song, but if you need to instantly change presets in a song, you'll have to time your stomp on the switch precise and early. Needless to say, I returned it. I have gear that is 35 and 40 years old that switches presets instantly. This is 2024 and it shouldn't be an issue with new products.
Use the expression pedal to toggle your effects on/off. That's what I do. Or you can get a midi controller. th-cam.com/video/1KL3AULw8Ik/w-d-xo.htmlsi=SmpQMI-iS_hDGeO3. Here's the video regarding setting up an expression pedal with Nano Cortex th-cam.com/video/0vuBw5aazGw/w-d-xo.htmlsi=RXgv-15Q4ZfqTOCo
@@SteveSterlacci You can turn on/off multiple effects. For example my Crunch rhythm preset is also my lead. I step on the expression pedal and get a gain boost, volume boost, delay on and little bit of modulation. All done by the expression pedal.
@MrOdegaard yes and ive done this as it also works with a regular FS. But you only get 1 toggle per preset. So you can't have the fx as a pedalboard. That's the case I'm making here. I'd basically like to have the ability to turn on and off each effect separately as if it were a pedalboard.
I think it needs an overdrive/boost block before the amp block. It doesn't seems to be very hard to do. Everybody could benefit from this, not only the metal guys.
This is precisely why I returned mine. Far too limited to be worth what they're asking. Needs significant improvements. But also, why is MIDI and expression input on the same freaking jack!?
I've had mine for 3 weeks now. I'm not that in love with it. It's probably going back. The lack of FX toggle on any footswitch or midi is truly baffling. Using DSP for pitch shift instead of even a simple boost/overdrive block is also baffling. A couple changes would make it a much more usefull device. I'm sure it will get the updates it needs in about 3 years.
You're a good man giving that dog what looks to be a great life.
How someone treats their animals says alot about a person.
Thanks man! She's done more for us than we could ever do for her though. Truly my best friend
@@SteveSterlacci love to hear that. It's the same for me and mine. Dogs are the best. Then guitar.
I agree here. You are both Angels. My Labs are my children.❤
Billion thumbs up for Audrey! As an adopter of the “challenging” type cases I applaud your choice! The shot of her on the couch was the peak of the wave for me.
Steve. Thanks for your thoughts. I always listen to you because you are a straight shooter and I really appreciate that. Keep it up man!!
Thanks Brian! Means a lot
as a small beginner bedroom guitar player, i freaking love this thing, allows me to have access to the cortex cloud without having to spend 1.6k euro on a QC, literally all i ever wanted
You dont need to pay for quad cortex but you still get the same sound soo its enough for me
I got mine new yesterday and I ran it into the effects loop of my HX Stomp and performed with it last night! It was perfect!!!
Great pairing!
@@SteveSterlacci This seems to be a popular setup but I don't understand why this is a great pairing. What does the Nano Cortex provide that the HX Stomp doesn't already have? My understanding is that the HX Stomp offers all the functionalities of the Nano Cortex and more (including amp models which people seem to trust more than IR captures). If you could add any insight here that'd be great.
@mikestein8775 it offloads the amps and some fx from the hx, expanding your board significantly with a small footprint and saving a ton of dsp. Some people also just prefer amp captures over modeling and want "their sound"
This thing is really cool. First thing that intrigued me was the spacing between footswitches. It's the little things. Lol then when I found out you can capture you're actual cab I had to try it. Just did it for the first time and couple hours ago and I am impressed. It does add maybe 2db of compression but that's a good thing to me. The "feel" is a lot closer than any ir or modeler/profiler I've tried.
2:45 "We can take a second."
(collectively) "ooooo 😗, ahhhh 😀"
🤣🤣🤣
totally!
Nano Schmano. I love Audrey - you're a good man, Steve.
Thanks Alex! She's seriously the best
We need you to get the new Soldano X88 IR and let us know if it’s amazing or just ok
Should have mine hopefully in the next day or so.. Awesome video Steve…
your review is way helpful! I'm in the middle of seeking a new direct function.
Glad it was helpful!
I am very hopeful that one day you’ll be able to split the outputs so you have one with IR/Cab and one without, add a utility block, maybe a global EQ.
I just love the Nano Cortex for its sheer simplicity. I don't know how much time I've spent tinkering with my Boss GT-10 instead of playing. Had I spent that time for practice I would have been better than Joe Satriani and Steve Vai combined. Just joking of course but the times I got lost in modelling are countless. I have the Nano over a month and I still love it. Got it on a pedalboard with a compressor and 2 overdrive pedals in front of it and I am set.
This got so much hate from all the QC babies not receiving their little plug ins. This thing is perfect
I captured my Komet (via OX Box) with two levels of drive and hooked it up to my HX FX via a loop for drives and effects. I really like it even more than my Helix. Cool box and small ;)
Tone. Anyone who has this thing and loves it, that is why. Tone. Like you said it doesn’t need a screen. You have to hear it. QC authenticity quality and refinement in a simple box.
I love that most of the common criticisms of the Nano Cortex and Kemper Player are basically - why doesn't it work like the HX Stomp. If Helix adds captures its game set and match imo. I LOVE this channel. Steve feels like one of the LAST TH-camrs in the guitar space that isn't speaking through the money. It feels honest.
I think we’re on the same page with this thing. I loved the nano but felt immediately hamstrung with the lack of ability to toggle the effects. It sounded great paired with my UA DelVerb but I really just wanted to consolidate my stuff into 1 unit and also run my vocals through the same unit.
I ended up up returning it and getting the QC which I absolutely LOVE. I don’t think it’s as good a device as the tonemaster pro but after hearing my own amps captured with the neural units, I can’t go back to modeling. There’s just no comparison. I sold my FM3 after getting the QC and honestly don’t miss it. I think I rustled the fanboys on my channel.
As for the nano though, I think it’s the best “amp in a box” on the market. It has a lot of potential but I advise people to not buy one based on what it COULD be but rather what it currently is. There’s no guarantee that neural will add the ability to switch effects.
I am convinced that the Nano Cortex was ready to go and then the Tonex One came out and basically stripped the value out of capture technology. So Neural looked at the Tonex One and Tonex and thought, we can't compete with that without killing our QC sales. So what we have with the Nano is your quintessential design by committee (I work in apps). Where the business needs and user needs are conflicting so you've got a compromise that delivers a product that excels at nothing. They could have easily made the path editable and included an OD slot but that would have been curtains for that sweet QC money.
cool video thx! is it possible to bypass the nano cortex cempletely? I am a big fan of the friedman IR-x IR-D but the only problem for me is, that you can't bypass it... thank you😊
Steve, I want a profiler that lets me run one out direct and the other with an IR. which one should I choose?
I dont think nano can. But any of the others can. Cant go wrong with any choice nowadays
Still waiting for these to arrive in Australia
Do you think there is going to be a future pay for update similar to the Kemper player?
I sure hope not
I own a QC and I LOVE IT!! Would love to add the Nano to my other smaller board. Do we know if the Nano allows tap tempo?
At present, it does not. I was hoping for a midi CC list and tap tempo option but they haven't released any info on that
Why not use the control out option to do select fx toggle?
So far I've only seen the ability to do it via exp pedal? I have to look into it more if I'm wrong about that...
Damn.. you’re right. Disregard
Love mine too!
I’m thinking of running one in the fx loop of my GX100. Any tips or opinions?
I'm pretty dang sure I saw a video showing how you can indeed use midi to control effects - not just on/off, but even parameters with an expression pedal and midi footswitch. I'd look into that more if I were you - I think it's actually possible
I think this is the video I was thinking about. It does add a ton of functionality not immediately apparent: th-cam.com/video/0vuBw5aazGw/w-d-xo.htmlsi=771ayK0DGIymTL8w
So what does this give you that HX stomp doesn’t?
Usb powered so I dont need to plug it in, it also has limits that I'm not tempted to try other crap I dont need lol
I think the Kemper Level 1 Player with no upgrades is just a better design, better future potential with free updates.
My only problem was my iPhone 16 pro max wouldn’t hook up with the app:(
I often have to clear cache and my app storage (only need to re sign in) and it comes back. Very annoying process though
That effect toggle is a non starter for me. This is what makes my Stomp so useful live. I have outboarded an additional two switches which gives me a total of 5 switches. Plenty of effect switching. Now that I am using the Tonex1 thru my Stomp loop, I get even more DSP by using the Tonex for amp capture. That gives me 2 amps which is all I need.
This and TONEX need a few drive models to run in front.
I sold my HX Stomp to get a Nano, I have no regrets.
The thing with no midi, on one hand, I think I can see why they did that because I think it would start cannibalizing sales of the quad cortex if people could just buy a cheap foot switch and do the same thing, and that’s kind of the corner they painted themselves into by putting out the high-end product first. However, I don’t see any advantage of this thing over a Tonex big pedal, especially when you can program midi foot switching for the fx, and can do tonex captures of other plugins as well.
I wish they add tap tempo
I think it got unnecessary hate. In any case, for amateur players who're looking for a more all-in-one ish gear. I'd go with the Kemper Player or HX Stomp.
New incoming tone-x (free!) update should make the over-priced paid updates of the kemper player mostly obsolete, imho. HX stomp is, and always has been very solid, but still a LOT more $$ compared to Tone-X. Price isn't everything to everyone, but I think it's pretty important in the "amateur player" category.
I don't hate the new nano at all but I think it's a little lacking (currently) at its price point, unless you're one of the rare folks with a big collection of expensive amps you want to capture yourself. I'll be following them to see what (if anything) is added/improved in future updates - fingers crossed that they listen to the common criticisms....
@@steveareton697 agree the nano lacks a bunch of stuff. Especially competing with ToneX.
I think Kemper player is one step higher though (and more expensive for that matter). The signal chain is way more powerful than tonex, and I really dislike tonex user interface/experience.
Best bang for your buck in terms of tone is the tonex tho.
This thing is really cool. First thing that intrigued me was the spacing between footswitches. It's the little things. Lol then when I found out you can capture you're actual cab I had to try it. Just did it for the first time and couple hours ago and I am impressed. It does add maybe 2db of compression but that's a good thing to me. The "feel" is a lot closer than any ir or modeler/profiler I've tried.
@@steveareton697I preordered the white Tonex yesssssss can’t wait!
Heck I always end up using the Prime P2, even that has MiDi and it’s smaller than my phone. Have I gigged with it? No. I haven’t tried. But it’s perfect for me to sit there for hours playing my own presets or use other peoples. But I’m still learning more and more about it.
I had one and loved it until I took it to rehearsal and realized the lag and dropout between presets were not acceptable to me for live performance. Its great if you leave it on one preset for the entire song, but if you need to instantly change presets in a song, you'll have to time your stomp on the switch precise and early. Needless to say, I returned it. I have gear that is 35 and 40 years old that switches presets instantly. This is 2024 and it shouldn't be an issue with new products.
Use the expression pedal to toggle your effects on/off. That's what I do. Or you can get a midi controller. th-cam.com/video/1KL3AULw8Ik/w-d-xo.htmlsi=SmpQMI-iS_hDGeO3. Here's the video regarding setting up an expression pedal with Nano Cortex th-cam.com/video/0vuBw5aazGw/w-d-xo.htmlsi=RXgv-15Q4ZfqTOCo
But this only allows 1 device let preset
@@SteveSterlacci You can turn on/off multiple effects. For example my Crunch rhythm preset is also my lead. I step on the expression pedal and get a gain boost, volume boost, delay on and little bit of modulation. All done by the expression pedal.
@MrOdegaard yes and ive done this as it also works with a regular FS. But you only get 1 toggle per preset. So you can't have the fx as a pedalboard. That's the case I'm making here. I'd basically like to have the ability to turn on and off each effect separately as if it were a pedalboard.
I think it needs an overdrive/boost block before the amp block. It doesn't seems to be very hard to do. Everybody could benefit from this, not only the metal guys.
As I said as soon as this came out, the nano cortex is not made for a live playing guitarist.
Spark go........
Spark No. Sounds horrible
This is precisely why I returned mine. Far too limited to be worth what they're asking. Needs significant improvements. But also, why is MIDI and expression input on the same freaking jack!?
I've had mine for 3 weeks now. I'm not that in love with it. It's probably going back. The lack of FX toggle on any footswitch or midi is truly baffling. Using DSP for pitch shift instead of even a simple boost/overdrive block is also baffling. A couple changes would make it a much more usefull device. I'm sure it will get the updates it needs in about 3 years.
I'm holding out for an update that allows that as well
Too bad you suck your teeth. I would’ve stayed longer than one minute. I have to find the video or else.
You need to toughen up a bit more in this life if a sound that has nothing to do with anything bothers you this much. Too bad...
This unit has so many odd limits and design choices. Will work well for some but it is pretty awkward and not well suited to my use cases.