I think one of the best things about Profiling, Capturing, Modeling, etc. is you can bring the sound of an awesome, rare, priceless, fragile, irreplaceable piece of gear to a gig, and everone can enjoy hearing it without you being concerned that it might get damaged or stolen.
Not to mention that you can share that gear, in the form of a profile, with people who would otherwise not be able to afford or get their hands on said gear for themselves.
You can't, though. The pertinent Q is not "can i replace everything and make my life easier", it is: "who cares or can notice either way?" When you are limited to the characteristics of a single system/circuit/DSP, thinking that you are getting "every amp sound" out of said circuit is a mistake. You can imagine that you are "bringing the sound" of a 100W amp in DSP and shoving it through a line out or Deluxe Reverb or some other amp, but it should be obvious that it is not the same thing. FPGAs and advancing tech can be wonderful, yes - perhaps even transcendent of earlier paradigm(s) - but things are what they are, in the end.
Yeah.. but half the allure of expensive guitars is the feel in the players hands… which affects the way we play… That can’t be replaced by another piece of gear
Yeah I think many people are under the misconception that modeling vs profiling is a discussion of quality and not usage. A model is technically more accurate than a profile, but the process to create one is so intensive that you will only get the models that some company offers for you. For a beginner who's only owns a Boss Katana, this is perfect. But if you are a pro who owns some custom boutique amp that you can't replace and you are scared to bring it on tour after using it for your whole album in the studio, a profile is perfect. Essentially allows you to make a DIY model of your specific amp under your unique recording conditions. You can actually profile the amp while recording your album and get the exact same tone as you got in the studio live.
I bought a 68 Custom Fender Vibrolux a few years ago and had just gotten a Quad Cortex. I captured that amp and was so impressed with the capture that I immediately sold it as well as an EVH5150 EL34 (after capturing it). I’m amazed that it is virtually impossible to tell the difference. I get that the difference may be in how the amp “feels” to play but my back thanks me for not being too bothered about that😂.
Almost 2 weeks of Quad Cortex ownership and it is the best modeler I have ever had and I have had Helix and Fractal...This thing is absolutely phenomenal!
I really love your channel and enthusiasm. Your personality sells itself. As far as profiling. I am literally just a bedroom player but I have a Kemper Stage, a ToneX, and a Fender Tone Master Pro. I have no desire to perform my own profiles but I love browsing both free and paid profiles. I purchased Karl Verheyen's profile pack for Kemper, from Sweetwater and it is fantastic. I also have Michael Britts catalog of profiles. So I've never felt the need to profile my own because these guys have amazing mic's and studio's.
I got a QC about a year ago and somehow it’s turned into the only thing people want me to make videos about haha! But in all seriousness, it’s a great rig- I got it for tour and now I’ve ended up using it quite a bit at home as well in a sort of hybrid rig setup with my amp heads. The captures are great, the flexibility is even better. Great video as always!
My jaw dropped the second I heard the tone coming from the Neural DSP. 🤯 It sounds SO REAL it sounded like you micced the amp instead turning the pedal on 🔥🔥🔥
I love the idea of profiling. I love the idea of modelers, too. Being a vintage amp guy since 18, I’m thrilled with the idea of preserving those classic amps. In my experience, it’s really hard for modelers to respond like amps (latency, etc), but I’m totally thrilled with the idea of it.
Idk if it’s latency but more of a stiff feel and slightly weird sound artifacts on all of them. I have amps I worked hard for and want to enjoy them. I did give in and get the quad. It’s a keeper. Kemper and helix sold. Yamaha double modeler overlooked comes with its own power. Feels and sounds great. Footswitch and a few fx. $800 new.
I purchased my Quad Cortex almost 2 years ago, and I love *almost* everything about it. The one thing they could stand to address is the pitch shifter, which is currently monophonic. A processing unit this powerful really should have a polyphonic pitch shifter for transposition up/down a half step or so when gigging with a singer that needs that slight adjustment to shine. That said, I gig with this for both guitar and bass, and it's really amazing the sounds you can get out of it.
Hey Mike! Thanks for the video! 6 months have passed since I got my QC, and I've captured 2 amps. My beloved Mesa Boogie Mark 5 and my friends Marshall JVM. The M5 I did on my own, but I tried to make a small video on my phone of the process, using a Captor X with official Mesa Boogie DynIr's as the "speaker". This also allowed me to hear the capture and the real amp back and forth without any "change" in sound. I was blown away! How could something digital sound so close to the real deal! Like I said, I shot the video on my phone and sent it to my mates. And they liked the sounds I got too. A little later I captured my friend's JVM. He and another friend were there when I did it. We even did a blind comparison, and both couldn't figure out what the capture was and what the real deal. Even preferring the tone of the QC before I revealed which one was which. I am in love with this small device, it makes me feel inspired, trying things/amp models/effects I've never tried before. Sure I still like my Mesa, but now after seeing Rabea using the QC together with his real amps in some sort of multi cable method, I need to try that for myself too!
It's called the 4 cable method. Yeah, so many options out there for "that perfect tone" I got a Bluguitar Mercury Amp1 and LOVE IT SO MUCH. I want to pair it with the UAFX Ox stomp. Any suggestions? Thanks.
@joelsmith4816 Hi Joel! No I didn't remember the name of it anymore, that's why I said multi cable, because I am aware of the 4 cable method. I've found the video and it's even a 12 cable method, due to stereo setup, midi and FoH. If you search for rabea massaad sweetwater quadcortex with amp, you will find the video. It's totally amazing what you can do with the QC. Don't know about your setup and the possibilities.
These days amp/fx models and capturing technology are so good from all the major companies that things like form factor, interface, routing, cloud sharing, ease of use and signal chain customization are what makes or breaks processors. The QC excels at all of these and so for me it’s the best. I never thought I’d stop using fractal gear but my axe fx has been sitting in a closet since the QC was released.
I bought a kemper years ago and have been incredibly happy with it. I still get inspired when I use it to this day. And since I got it, I haven’t bought any more amps, which has saved me some money. I used to only use tube amps and it’s been nice being free from that. I’m not trying to convert anyone, but at least give the quad cortex, kemper, or helix a try before you judge them. You might be surprised.
The first time I heard of the Quad Cortex was from Zach Comtois (Brittany Spears' guitarist). He was so freakin' excited about this piece of gear that it was hard for me not to be excited about it too.
At this years NAMM (2024) when neural had their whole display was a huge sign that says “soon” I amazingly acquired my QC.. Mahalo (thx you) neural DSP for giving me my unit.. Since then that unit has changed my life as gigging musician that plays 6-7 nights a week here in Hawaii and as I own a recording studio I’ve used it in there as well as I’ll frequent flip between using live amps/cabs, QC and/or my two notes captor x.. When I say QC has change my life as a musician, artists and producer I truly mean it.. suddenly I can bring those tones I’ve worked hard on in the studio for years even decades to my live gigs and literally feel like I’m actually playing those amps.. it’s amazing and powerful to say the least..
I may not be huge into the style of music you play, but youre always so articulate and wholesome to watch that it inspires me to play more. Great video as always!
when i got mine i captured all my tube amps, went to the Studio of a Friend for that, also made IRs of all my cabs, sold them all and got me a new desk, chair and 2 Guitars for it, absolutely worth it, i do not regret anything. I only kept an active Monitor and my Boss Katana Artist for stage volume when i play live with my band
Love your channel !! I used to play at my church at least two to three times a month... As far as playing live it was one of my main outlets. I also had a band which we did some smooth Jazz, blues and even some fusion. I have everything from an original 5150 amp , to custom/"moded" Peavey tube amps, Egnater amp. Like you all-tube. However, the more I played live, the more I found soundmen wanting to have a quiet stage sound and in-ears became prevalent. Now, 90% of the time I am using a Headrush MX5. I have guys at the churches I play at having Thousands of dollars wrapped up into (Kemper's, Tone Kiings, Quad Cortex, Helix) I got my Headrush for $300 on Reverb. What I have found is work with the unit and learn what it can do... I am pretty amazed at what $300 - $450 can get you these days! Keep up the good work man... I appreciate your channel... Love to see you continue to relate to us "average Joe" guitarist who have been doing this for awhile .. but each day are still trying to get better
A friend of mine had a lot of old boutique amps that were much too valuable to take out and gig with. He bought a QC and thought it was amazing so, he went ahead and did IR captures of those old amps and then sold them.
I grabbed my QC a couple years ago - and use it almost everyday. They really have improved the unit immensely during that time. I plug in my iPad and use Loopy Pro for layers and beats, just so much fun. I can break down a complex Radiohead song ( just saw your recent In Rainbows video and welcome to the club my man) can plug in a mic and get lost for hours. Love it.
Played clubs, colleges and highschools through the Midwest from the mid 70s thru the mid 80s. Ibanez Les Paul into a Morley wah, into either a marshall 50 Watt or Orange 80 watt. REO, Bowie, stones,skynard, Chicago..... Hard to beat.
I switched from Kemper to the QC and I’m not looking back. I know there are complaints, but man it’s so solid for my purposes. Gig on weekends, Sunday morning, it does it all so easily
I got my QC in May of 2021 and it's been my primary rig ever since. I don't own amps but I have rekindled my passion for drive pedals and have started collecting them again. Capturing those - and running them in to Captures of amps I'd always wanted to have but never was able to - has been great! I've found Amalgam Audio makes awesome Capture packs. Multiple gain levels and multiple EQ settings at each gain level allows you to find the one that's right for you/your guitar. Worship Tutorials has a bunch of great Captures as well. Alter Amp Works is the other one I've bought from more than once. ... anywho... the QC is a blast! It's a very devisive product across the interwebs... so use it... see how it works for you.
Great video, Mike. Your enthusiasm is wonderful. While I love gear, I realized that the point is to play guitar not spend the time going thru a thousand options. Yes, this current wave of sound machines sound great, for me there’s too much to think about. It all distracts from actually playing. I have my sound, from my simple gear and I know this sound inside and out. I can take every advantage and it does what I need. As soon as I plug in my old XT Live, I start going thru sounds, trying all the effects, tweaking and spend more time on the pedal than on the guitar. The sound I get are wonderful but, I only need a few at most. I guess I’m not the target market for these boxes of awesome.
Same here , i don't want option paralysis gear , the simpeler the better , i do have an fender tm dr wich for me is an ideal mix between analog looks and sounds and digital guts inside , in the end most guitarplayers use about 3-5 different sounds ( if you are playing in a pop /rock/ blues / soul coverband ) during a gig , so get an amp and some pedals and be done with that shit : ) . One off the perks of the tm dr is the fact it has an direct out and 3 ir's wich makes it really usefull for silent practise / recording / live gigs ect .
Kemper was the first one that finally got it right. It changed how I played guitar. It had the "Feel". Something all those other modelers prior didnt. It was the first time I experienced it. Not learning on gear that has a feel stunted my growth for years!
I’ve owned a cortex for 2 months now and I gotta say I’m not looking back. One word of advice get an expression pedal. There’s some killer things you can do the freeze function alone is amazing you don’t just need to use it as a volume or wah. I haven’t stopped writing since I got mine I took up soldering my own cables since I don’t plan on changing a single thing for a long time.
@@wormangel Depends on what you need. In terms of modelers the best price for your buck option would be the Valeton GP200. It's a fraction of the price, has an expression pedal, all the features you would need and it sounds amazing. But basically anything from Helix, Headrush, even Hotone or Mooer... Yeah they are not the big Name but they sound just as good and cost less and often offer more functionality. The tone part of modelers has really been figured out, they all sound great. What you spend extra on is the name and the user interface, like touchscreens etc. And that is not worth it to me. Because I usually build my tones in the PC software and then only do minor adjustments. (If you really need the tone capture you could add a Tone X and you are still spending way less money for the same functionality) Again, I think it really depends where you are coming from. I don't have big tube amps laying around and comparing modelers to those or trying to replace my analog gear. I have a great guitar and want an all in one solution for adding effects in a live situation and send it to the mixer. So I don't need the Marshall in my unit to sound exactly like a specific vintage Plexi others might own. I just need it to sound good. So if you have your amps and pedal board and looking for something to replace or add to that, you have a totally different perspective and need a different tool.
I just finally gave in to my impulses and ordered a QC after wanting one for several years. I'm so stoked to get it! I've been using NDSP plugins since about 2020, but it'll be cool to have a piece of hardware to use for gigs that has a small footprint (and killer tones)!
I haven't captured any amps, But Ive played with both the Helix LT and the quad cortex, hands down, i love my quad cortex for worship and whaterver else. Extremely easy, great tones. can't complain
I have been a Kemper user for the last 6 years and wanting to switch to QC. After the look on Mike’s face when he was playing though makes me think I should switch right away. 👍
I have had mine for just over 2 years. I have profiled some of my amps. Most came out really good, but I really don't care now that a profiled Framus cobra doesn't sound like a Framus cobra. I used to really care about a profile sounding like the real thing, same for amp sims. Now, I don't even pay attention to what is profiled or modeled. I have a tone in my head I want and just flip through till I find it. I see as going to a Mexican restaurant ( for example). Do I care if it's authentic, or is it just good Mexican food. That's my take. And I really don't have many complaints about my Q.C.
Big fan over here, appreciate the content, the humour and overall vibe on this channel. Modelers are fun, but equally exhausting for someone like me. Having dipped into all possible modelers out there, I’m sticking to my old tube amp at home, 2 go to overdrives I always come back to, delay and verb. The abundance of choices is personally taxing and distracting. I do get an itch every now and then to pay old friends a visit and noodle with tones.
Nice video Mike. It was very informative and your enthusiasm is infectious. Between that and the ton of super gushing reviews on Sweetwater I just had to pop for one of these units. I have a ton of amps and I look forward to modelling them.
Love my QC. Took me an hour to figure out how to update, navigate, and build a patch. And I’ve used that one patch for a bunch of gigs ever since. I used a Helix and a Headrush before but just never got what I wanted out of it. Both great pieces of gear but not for me. The QC is the one I just got immediately and the tones are flipping awesome
Yo!!! I almost didn’t finish this video but after the capture that clean tone kept me around!!! 💪🏻💯 Now that is some piece of gear! Think I’ll grab one!
Hi Mike thank you so much for the video and your journey with the Quad Cortex. I enjoyed your explanation and your approach. You have such a great tone when you started to play SRV. I look forward to other videos. Am goong to look in acquiring a QC. Thank you
My buddy has a quad cortex, and I have an AxeFx FM3. I don't have profiling capabilities, but I can use what profiles people made and uploaded to AxChange. Talking about unable to use things to their full potential, these modelers allow you to modify settings as if you were to physically rebuild the amp. It's an insane level of control that I don't know how to use, but I know there are people out there who can. Also he uses a quad cortex so that his input is read by rocksmith and his output is what is sent to his twitch stream. He can make tones so he sounds worlds better than what the game gives him on certain songs.
yeah, I started with a HX Stomp - Moved the Helix. Finally got to the QC. Wish I just went straight to the QC, but I had to pre-order it when it was released.
so i've been pretty much a digital enthusiast as today, it wasn't by choice at the start of my journey but more so because rigs are expensive AF. Over the last 8 years of playing and chasing tone, i swear everytime i play a great tube amp i leave the room thinking "i don't like it" because the cab sucked, or the pedals sucked and made everything noisy af, and over all i had very little control over the sound i wanted to get out of the amp. that's exactly why after years of trying and trying, what always gave me the best result was going digital, i can play ANY amp i want, with ANY cab i want, and without having to go through thousands of dollars of gear and noise complains lol. that being said, i am a strong believer in that tone is in the player hands and articulations, not the gear.
I've had a Kemper for years. The profile you hear is just like how you would hear your amp in a control room of a studio, with amp all miked up & isolated elsewhere. The profile is NOT the amp in the room with you standing beside it. That difference may be a bit off putting for those who play live and they only hear the processed sound, not their 'live' sound. Once you understand what you are hearing, you should be able to work with it. Especially if you have recording studio experience.
The QC has been my best purchase. It’s consistently good and sounds great. The ToneFactor XR IR’s push it to the next level too, I prefer them to amp captures too(not that they sound bad, just preference). Your Princeton capture sounds great!
I have a QC. Got it first time around . I’m still blown away by it tbh. I’ve never captured anything to date . I have downloaded a few pedals and amps though, and sounds really impressive. I think the final thing that made me jump was that it’s a great solution for electric and acoustic guitars. Shall you be including QC in your future videos?
I love your videos and playing Mike. I, too, JUST got a Quad Cortex - I've been a Kemper user since early 2019 & use mostly my own profiles (most of which were made when I had a much less elaborate studio/Amp/Mics setup, so I'm really interested now to hear how the QC does in comparison to the Kemper. I also bought a ToneX pedal so I think I feel a 3-way tone capture/profile/whatever shootout coming in the near future. Just waiting on a couple amps I have on order to arrive & then....IT'S ON!
I don't have a QC, but I do have a ToneX, so my opinion comes from that experience. I have not captured my own amps, but when buying other people's captures, I find captures to be a black hole, simialr to IRs. You can listen to all the samples you want. But until you have a capture on your device, and you play through it with your guitar and your hands, you won't know if it suits you. And then, even if it does, a week later, you are buying and auditioning another capture, and another. it is a never ending obsession. I am sticking to my HX Stomp with models cretaed by Line 6. And I am concentrating on playing the guitar instead of endlessly seeking "the best capture in the world". Y
Electric guitar tone...I did not know that even existed until recently...since getting several electric guitars...the tone I had sort in acoustic guitars....is the same sort of things electric guitarist also seek...that other voice, combination of amp-guitar-pickups etc...what I was getting out my ac10 that most people liked
Hallelujah, someone has a clue :) If I may be so audacious to suggest that "tone" is about intervals (diaTONIC, triTONEs etc) in chords and scales.... and not sound character. _Two of shaft's hinty-hints for guitar-sanity and greater financial power:_ 1. Don't let idiot or even intelligent guitar players confuse you when they mean _timbre,_ and instead they say "tone". 2. Develop a reliable Bullshit Detector and decrease the risk of becoming a "tone lemming", it happens to the best of us and in more ways than one.
I have those exact Adam's, it's true what you say about being close to them for the spatial stuff to present properly, if you step back, not quite the same. I just rented a QC to try out.
I just profiled for the first time on my Headrush core (the working mans modeler) and it sounded pretty frickin good! I captured my buddies Framus Dragon running through a VHT 4X12 with Pitbull 45's (really interesting rig if you ask me) and it sounded excellent! He was even hard pressed to tell his rig apart from the profile. Next up is my friends Mako Custom 100, 3 channel (that thing sounds incredible). The future is here and I'm excited for it!
@1:30 What made me to go modelers was because I was SO TIRED of being in church and people (who don't know what they're doing) tell me to "Turn it down." Fine. Here's a direct line, you control it.
Great video Mike! Can’t afford anything like a QC. I’ve used Neural Amp Modeler on my computer and if it’s anything like QC I think capturing does have its place in the guitar world. So does modeling and real amps.
I just got a Fender Tone Master Pro and love it. I’ve been against modelers for a long time, never got along with them, even digital effects. I’d buy them and not much later I would be just done with them, too many menus, parameters, dull unrealistic sound and just to feel right compared to a good amp. With the FTMP I still don’t think it beats a good amp, but it’s pretty close and just having all the amazing functionality and ease of programming is great and fun to play.
Nice choice of monitors, I have a Adam A7X Love them. I'm torn between the Quad Cortex and the Fractal FM9.Those capture sounds sound like the Kemper blasteing off into orbit.
Haven't done this myself but i think you can also try capturing just the preamp by using a di box, then either capture the speaker separately as an IR (with different settings and mics so you can mix them in daw) or use a professionally made cab IR.
I’m so glad that I started as a horn playing kid who was also dirt poor playing on a trombone being held together by shoe strings that belonged to the school year my sound was purer, bigger and all around better than the rest of players in my state who where playing great quality intermediate to pro level instruments so sound has never been tied to great. Instead it was tied to the work I put into the instrument and how I practiced which other than the specific exteriors or books was to play everything as of performing and communicating on my instrument, in other words playing with purpose. Still like gear and get GAS like everyone else but not because of sound/tone
My guitar teacher from fall2022-spr2023 started bringing in his own guitar petal to use during lessons. I am almost possitive it was that right there. I cant belive it tool me till now to even know what it is.
Here's something that I just don't hear enough. If you have invested in some tube amps that you love, you owe it to yourself and your tube amps to buy a QC and profile your amps as backup. When your beloved rare amp goes down, there is nothing better than being able to continue playing it digitally while you work through the real world challenge of getting a tube amp repaired in 2024. Depending on your access to a repair shop, it can take weeks or months to get your amp back. The QC is a total no-brainer of a purchase for all tube amp lovers for this one simple fact. Back up your amps!
Mr. Cole another sound and album to analyze would be Interpols “ turn on the bright lights”! Great album cool rhythm and guitar playing! Bassist like this are my favorite! Also a great Indie sleeze album Deerhunter “ Halcyon Digest”! I’ve seen Coldplay the guitarist does have incredible pop melodies! They are kind of my guilty pleasure that I don’t admit to liking! It would kill my Hipster street Cred! Lol 😂
I prefer modeling over profiling as a whole. Good captures/profiles will produce more authentic sounding results but is limited to the settings snapshot at which the capture was taken. Good modeling attempts to algorithmically simulate the behavior of an amp over a far broader and wider range of variable settings and I find this more desirable. I liken captures to IRs, which sound good, but you'd have to sift through different captures for tonal variations like you would with IRs. I also find the QC's lack of parameter assignment to MIDI controllers for remote controlled/automated variable modulation disappointing, and the same holds true for the Tone Master Pro and the Headrush. The only two competing units that allow for variable parameter modulation over MIDI are the Fractal and HX family units.
I think one of the best things about Profiling, Capturing, Modeling, etc. is you can bring the sound of an awesome, rare, priceless, fragile, irreplaceable piece of gear to a gig, and everone can enjoy hearing it without you being concerned that it might get damaged or stolen.
Not to mention that you can share that gear, in the form of a profile, with people who would otherwise not be able to afford or get their hands on said gear for themselves.
You can't, though. The pertinent Q is not "can i replace everything and make my life easier",
it is: "who cares or can notice either way?"
When you are limited to the characteristics of a single system/circuit/DSP, thinking that you are getting "every amp sound" out of said circuit is a mistake. You can imagine that you are "bringing the sound" of a 100W amp in DSP and shoving it through a line out or Deluxe Reverb or some other amp, but it should be obvious that it is not the same thing.
FPGAs and advancing tech can be wonderful, yes - perhaps even transcendent of earlier paradigm(s) - but things are what they are, in the end.
How much is the quad cortex? Lol
Yeah.. but half the allure of expensive guitars is the feel in the players hands… which affects the way we play… That can’t be replaced by another piece of gear
Yeah I think many people are under the misconception that modeling vs profiling is a discussion of quality and not usage. A model is technically more accurate than a profile, but the process to create one is so intensive that you will only get the models that some company offers for you. For a beginner who's only owns a Boss Katana, this is perfect.
But if you are a pro who owns some custom boutique amp that you can't replace and you are scared to bring it on tour after using it for your whole album in the studio, a profile is perfect. Essentially allows you to make a DIY model of your specific amp under your unique recording conditions. You can actually profile the amp while recording your album and get the exact same tone as you got in the studio live.
play guitar; be happy
use what you can afford,
don't worry too much
...and if you can, learn to DIY cables and circuits. It's almost criminal how simple some of these are vs. what we pay for them.
This was almost a haiku lol
@@sportmaniac10
Play guitar; find joy,
Use what's within reach; don't fret
Worry fades in chords
Amen to that!
I hear you
5:57 - Random Rhett? lol
Seriously though, Mike, your energy is infectious. You make me want to play more!
I bought a 68 Custom Fender Vibrolux a few years ago and had just gotten a Quad Cortex. I captured that amp and was so impressed with the capture that I immediately sold it as well as an EVH5150 EL34 (after capturing it). I’m amazed that it is virtually impossible to tell the difference. I get that the difference may be in how the amp “feels” to play but my back thanks me for not being too bothered about that😂.
Vibrolux has a speaker, what did you play the QC through?
Capturing sounds like the landlord is banging on the door and Mario escapes through a window to run away. Great video as always!
Almost 2 weeks of Quad Cortex ownership and it is the best modeler I have ever had and I have had Helix and Fractal...This thing is absolutely phenomenal!
Playing Lenny by SRV to test the capture was the cherry on top
I really love your channel and enthusiasm. Your personality sells itself. As far as profiling. I am literally just a bedroom player but I have a Kemper Stage, a ToneX, and a Fender Tone Master Pro. I have no desire to perform my own profiles but I love browsing both free and paid profiles. I purchased Karl Verheyen's profile pack for Kemper, from Sweetwater and it is fantastic. I also have Michael Britts catalog of profiles. So I've never felt the need to profile my own because these guys have amazing mic's and studio's.
He is literally a content marketing bot disguised as a human being selling you literally anything guitar related
@@torino1138 So than why are you here?
Literally why? I mean, he’s literally commenting on a literal literal literal video
I got a QC about a year ago and somehow it’s turned into the only thing people want me to make videos about haha! But in all seriousness, it’s a great rig- I got it for tour and now I’ve ended up using it quite a bit at home as well in a sort of hybrid rig setup with my amp heads. The captures are great, the flexibility is even better. Great video as always!
My jaw dropped the second I heard the tone coming from the Neural DSP. 🤯
It sounds SO REAL it sounded like you micced the amp instead turning the pedal on 🔥🔥🔥
you are one of the few youtubers that i can just sit and watch the entire video with full attention, how great is your story telling style of video.
I got one too! I signed up for the pre-sale at Sweetwater before they hit the shelves! I love it.
I love the idea of profiling. I love the idea of modelers, too. Being a vintage amp guy since 18, I’m thrilled with the idea of preserving those classic amps. In my experience, it’s really hard for modelers to respond like amps (latency, etc), but I’m totally thrilled with the idea of it.
Fractal has the best sound in terms of latency cuz they use military grade Digital signal processors
Idk if it’s latency but more of a stiff feel and slightly weird sound artifacts on all of them. I have amps I worked hard for and want to enjoy them. I did give in and get the quad. It’s a keeper. Kemper and helix sold. Yamaha double modeler overlooked comes with its own power. Feels and sounds great. Footswitch and a few fx. $800 new.
I purchased my Quad Cortex almost 2 years ago, and I love *almost* everything about it. The one thing they could stand to address is the pitch shifter, which is currently monophonic. A processing unit this powerful really should have a polyphonic pitch shifter for transposition up/down a half step or so when gigging with a singer that needs that slight adjustment to shine.
That said, I gig with this for both guitar and bass, and it's really amazing the sounds you can get out of it.
CorOS 3.0.0 should address that for you.
Suppose to release sometime in the next couple months.
Hey Mike! Thanks for the video! 6 months have passed since I got my QC, and I've captured 2 amps. My beloved Mesa Boogie Mark 5 and my friends Marshall JVM. The M5 I did on my own, but I tried to make a small video on my phone of the process, using a Captor X with official Mesa Boogie DynIr's as the "speaker". This also allowed me to hear the capture and the real amp back and forth without any "change" in sound. I was blown away! How could something digital sound so close to the real deal!
Like I said, I shot the video on my phone and sent it to my mates.
And they liked the sounds I got too.
A little later I captured my friend's JVM. He and another friend were there when I did it. We even did a blind comparison, and both couldn't figure out what the capture was and what the real deal. Even preferring the tone of the QC before I revealed which one was which.
I am in love with this small device, it makes me feel inspired, trying things/amp models/effects I've never tried before. Sure I still like my Mesa, but now after seeing Rabea using the QC together with his real amps in some sort of multi cable method, I need to try that for myself too!
It's called the 4 cable method. Yeah, so many options out there for "that perfect tone" I got a Bluguitar Mercury Amp1 and LOVE IT SO MUCH. I want to pair it with the UAFX Ox stomp. Any suggestions? Thanks.
@joelsmith4816 Hi Joel! No I didn't remember the name of it anymore, that's why I said multi cable, because I am aware of the 4 cable method. I've found the video and it's even a 12 cable method, due to stereo setup, midi and FoH. If you search for rabea massaad sweetwater quadcortex with amp, you will find the video.
It's totally amazing what you can do with the QC. Don't know about your setup and the possibilities.
These days amp/fx models and capturing technology are so good from all the major companies that things like form factor, interface, routing, cloud sharing, ease of use and signal chain customization are what makes or breaks processors. The QC excels at all of these and so for me it’s the best. I never thought I’d stop using fractal gear but my axe fx has been sitting in a closet since the QC was released.
You're a great, vibrant personality! Keep it up, great video!
I bought a kemper years ago and have been incredibly happy with it. I still get inspired when I use it to this day. And since I got it, I haven’t bought any more amps, which has saved me some money. I used to only use tube amps and it’s been nice being free from that. I’m not trying to convert anyone, but at least give the quad cortex, kemper, or helix a try before you judge them. You might be surprised.
The first time I heard of the Quad Cortex was from Zach Comtois (Brittany Spears' guitarist). He was so freakin' excited about this piece of gear that it was hard for me not to be excited about it too.
At this years NAMM (2024) when neural had their whole display was a huge sign that says “soon” I amazingly acquired my QC.. Mahalo (thx you) neural DSP for giving me my unit.. Since then that unit has changed my life as gigging musician that plays 6-7 nights a week here in Hawaii and as I own a recording studio I’ve used it in there as well as I’ll frequent flip between using live amps/cabs, QC and/or my two notes captor x.. When I say QC has change my life as a musician, artists and producer I truly mean it.. suddenly I can bring those tones I’ve worked hard on in the studio for years even decades to my live gigs and literally feel like I’m actually playing those amps.. it’s amazing and powerful to say the least..
I may not be huge into the style of music you play, but youre always so articulate and wholesome to watch that it inspires me to play more. Great video as always!
love the storytelling aspect of your videos, so chill and it's nice to see your perspective on gear, guitar players and music overall
when i got mine i captured all my tube amps, went to the Studio of a Friend for that, also made IRs of all my cabs, sold them all and got me a new desk, chair and 2 Guitars for it, absolutely worth it, i do not regret anything. I only kept an active Monitor and my Boss Katana Artist for stage volume when i play live with my band
Love your channel !! I used to play at my church at least two to three times a month... As far as playing live it was one of my main outlets. I also had a band which we did some smooth Jazz, blues and even some fusion. I have everything from an original 5150 amp , to custom/"moded" Peavey tube amps, Egnater amp. Like you all-tube. However, the more I played live, the more I found soundmen wanting to have a quiet stage sound and in-ears became prevalent. Now, 90% of the time I am using a Headrush MX5. I have guys at the churches I play at having Thousands of dollars wrapped up into (Kemper's, Tone Kiings, Quad Cortex, Helix) I got my Headrush for $300 on Reverb. What I have found is work with the unit and learn what it can do... I am pretty amazed at what $300 - $450 can get you these days! Keep up the good work man... I appreciate your channel... Love to see you continue to relate to us "average Joe" guitarist who have been doing this for awhile .. but each day are still trying to get better
A friend of mine had a lot of old boutique amps that were much too valuable to take out and gig with. He bought a QC and thought it was amazing so, he went ahead and did IR captures of those old amps and then sold them.
The most modern thing I use is my Tonemaster Deluxe 😆
I grabbed my QC a couple years ago - and use it almost everyday. They really have improved the unit immensely during that time. I plug in my iPad and use Loopy Pro for layers and beats, just so much fun. I can break down a complex Radiohead song ( just saw your recent In Rainbows video and welcome to the club my man) can plug in a mic and get lost for hours. Love it.
Played clubs, colleges and highschools through the Midwest from the mid 70s thru the mid 80s. Ibanez Les Paul into a Morley wah, into either a marshall 50 Watt or Orange 80 watt. REO, Bowie, stones,skynard, Chicago..... Hard to beat.
I switched from Kemper to the QC and I’m not looking back. I know there are complaints, but man it’s so solid for my purposes. Gig on weekends, Sunday morning, it does it all so easily
You have a great way to make me feel not so stupid about many of these new technologies. You’re amazing at this!!
I fucking LOVE my Quad Cortex, my go to for tracking guitars at this point
I got my QC in May of 2021 and it's been my primary rig ever since. I don't own amps but I have rekindled my passion for drive pedals and have started collecting them again. Capturing those - and running them in to Captures of amps I'd always wanted to have but never was able to - has been great! I've found Amalgam Audio makes awesome Capture packs. Multiple gain levels and multiple EQ settings at each gain level allows you to find the one that's right for you/your guitar. Worship Tutorials has a bunch of great Captures as well. Alter Amp Works is the other one I've bought from more than once.
... anywho... the QC is a blast! It's a very devisive product across the interwebs... so use it... see how it works for you.
Love my QC. Recently just captured my Dual Rectifier with it and it ended up being surprisingly easy and the sound turned out surprisingly great.
Great video, Mike. Your enthusiasm is wonderful.
While I love gear, I realized that the point is to play guitar not spend the time going thru a thousand options. Yes, this current wave of sound machines sound great, for me there’s too much to think about. It all distracts from actually playing. I have my sound, from my simple gear and I know this sound inside and out. I can take every advantage and it does what I need. As soon as I plug in my old XT Live, I start going thru sounds, trying all the effects, tweaking and spend more time on the pedal than on the guitar. The sound I get are wonderful but, I only need a few at most. I guess I’m not the target market for these boxes of awesome.
Same here , i don't want option paralysis gear , the simpeler the better , i do have an fender tm dr wich for me is an ideal mix between analog looks and sounds and digital guts inside , in the end most guitarplayers use about 3-5 different sounds ( if you are playing in a pop /rock/ blues / soul coverband ) during a gig , so get an amp and some pedals and be done with that shit : ) . One off the perks of the tm dr is the fact it has an direct out and 3 ir's wich makes it really usefull for silent practise / recording / live gigs ect .
Hey would you share your Princeton capture you made on the cloud? I would love to try it out
Love this video. I am a Kemper user and love that people profile amps. I hear the QC does an even better job.
Even one of my favorite indie bands: good kid, just got a quad cortex
GOOD KID!!!! LOVE THAT BAND
Kemper was the first one that finally got it right. It changed how I played guitar. It had the "Feel". Something all those other modelers prior didnt. It was the first time I experienced it. Not learning on gear that has a feel stunted my growth for years!
I’ve owned a cortex for 2 months now and I gotta say I’m not looking back. One word of advice get an expression pedal. There’s some killer things you can do the freeze function alone is amazing you don’t just need to use it as a volume or wah. I haven’t stopped writing since I got mine I took up soldering my own cables since I don’t plan on changing a single thing for a long time.
Or get a Modeller that has that integrated and costs half as much. The QC is cool, but it is clearly overhyped and overpriced.
@@clouds5can you name a few you consider comparable to the QC but are cheaper?
@@wormangel Depends on what you need. In terms of modelers the best price for your buck option would be the Valeton GP200. It's a fraction of the price, has an expression pedal, all the features you would need and it sounds amazing.
But basically anything from Helix, Headrush, even Hotone or Mooer... Yeah they are not the big Name but they sound just as good and cost less and often offer more functionality. The tone part of modelers has really been figured out, they all sound great. What you spend extra on is the name and the user interface, like touchscreens etc. And that is not worth it to me. Because I usually build my tones in the PC software and then only do minor adjustments.
(If you really need the tone capture you could add a Tone X and you are still spending way less money for the same functionality)
Again, I think it really depends where you are coming from. I don't have big tube amps laying around and comparing modelers to those or trying to replace my analog gear. I have a great guitar and want an all in one solution for adding effects in a live situation and send it to the mixer. So I don't need the Marshall in my unit to sound exactly like a specific vintage Plexi others might own. I just need it to sound good.
So if you have your amps and pedal board and looking for something to replace or add to that, you have a totally different perspective and need a different tool.
I just finally gave in to my impulses and ordered a QC after wanting one for several years. I'm so stoked to get it! I've been using NDSP plugins since about 2020, but it'll be cool to have a piece of hardware to use for gigs that has a small footprint (and killer tones)!
I'd love to see a video of your "Forever" setup. Like if you could only have 1 pedal board 1 guitar and 1 amp. Which would they be?
I own a qc and love it !!!
I got to profile my evh 5150 III and simply love it !!!
I got mine two weeks ago and it has been a life changing experience. There are some many possibilities that it will take a lifetime to try them all.
I haven't captured any amps, But Ive played with both the Helix LT and the quad cortex, hands down, i love my quad cortex for worship and whaterver else. Extremely easy, great tones. can't complain
I have been a Kemper user for the last 6 years and wanting to switch to QC. After the look on Mike’s face when he was playing though makes me think I should switch right away. 👍
I have had mine for just over 2 years. I have profiled some of my amps. Most came out really good, but I really don't care now that a profiled Framus cobra doesn't sound like a Framus cobra. I used to really care about a profile sounding like the real thing, same for amp sims. Now, I don't even pay attention to what is profiled or modeled. I have a tone in my head I want and just flip through till I find it. I see as going to a Mexican restaurant ( for example). Do I care if it's authentic, or is it just good Mexican food. That's my take. And I really don't have many complaints about my Q.C.
Big fan over here, appreciate the content, the humour and overall vibe on this channel.
Modelers are fun, but equally exhausting for someone like me. Having dipped into all possible modelers out there, I’m sticking to my old tube amp at home, 2 go to overdrives I always come back to, delay and verb.
The abundance of choices is personally taxing and distracting. I do get an itch every now and then to pay old friends a visit and noodle with tones.
Changed my tune on Effects Processors/Modelors when I tried the Hotone Stuff. Ampero Stage II is what I have now and love it. Very User Friendly
What a storytelling!!
Nice video Mike. It was very informative and your enthusiasm is infectious. Between that and the ton of super gushing reviews on Sweetwater I just had to pop for one of these units. I have a ton of amps and I look forward to modelling them.
Got this one a couple years ago - created my own scenes, put some MIDI automation (so I don't even need to touch it), and have fun. Love it
Love my QC. Took me an hour to figure out how to update, navigate, and build a patch. And I’ve used that one patch for a bunch of gigs ever since.
I used a Helix and a Headrush before but just never got what I wanted out of it. Both great pieces of gear but not for me. The QC is the one I just got immediately and the tones are flipping awesome
Yo!!! I almost didn’t finish this video but after the capture that clean tone kept me around!!! 💪🏻💯 Now that is some piece of gear! Think I’ll grab one!
The narrating is wild lol just subscribed love it
Gotta love Andrew
😂 Go for it, capture his studio is best idea ever 🤣
Hi Mike thank you so much for the video and your journey with the Quad Cortex. I enjoyed your explanation and your approach. You have such a great tone when you started to play SRV. I look forward to other videos. Am goong to look in acquiring a QC. Thank you
My buddy has a quad cortex, and I have an AxeFx FM3. I don't have profiling capabilities, but I can use what profiles people made and uploaded to AxChange. Talking about unable to use things to their full potential, these modelers allow you to modify settings as if you were to physically rebuild the amp. It's an insane level of control that I don't know how to use, but I know there are people out there who can.
Also he uses a quad cortex so that his input is read by rocksmith and his output is what is sent to his twitch stream. He can make tones so he sounds worlds better than what the game gives him on certain songs.
yeah, I started with a HX Stomp - Moved the Helix. Finally got to the QC. Wish I just went straight to the QC, but I had to pre-order it when it was released.
so i've been pretty much a digital enthusiast as today, it wasn't by choice at the start of my journey but more so because rigs are expensive AF. Over the last 8 years of playing and chasing tone, i swear everytime i play a great tube amp i leave the room thinking "i don't like it" because the cab sucked, or the pedals sucked and made everything noisy af, and over all i had very little control over the sound i wanted to get out of the amp. that's exactly why after years of trying and trying, what always gave me the best result was going digital, i can play ANY amp i want, with ANY cab i want, and without having to go through thousands of dollars of gear and noise complains lol. that being said, i am a strong believer in that tone is in the player hands and articulations, not the gear.
I've had a Kemper for years.
The profile you hear is just like how you would hear your amp in a control room of a studio, with amp all miked up & isolated elsewhere.
The profile is NOT the amp in the room with you standing beside it. That difference may be a bit off putting for those who play live and they only hear the processed sound, not their 'live' sound.
Once you understand what you are hearing, you should be able to work with it. Especially if you have recording studio experience.
The QC has been my best purchase. It’s consistently good and sounds great. The ToneFactor XR IR’s push it to the next level too, I prefer them to amp captures too(not that they sound bad, just preference).
Your Princeton capture sounds great!
Nice review Mike, I will have to check one out, I have been meaning to for a while now. Profiling has its place for sure.
I called my summoning and witchcraft buddy and he let me borrow his. It changed my life.
I have a QC. Got it first time around . I’m still blown away by it tbh. I’ve never captured anything to date . I have downloaded a few pedals and amps though, and sounds really impressive. I think the final thing that made me jump was that it’s a great solution for electric and acoustic guitars. Shall you be including QC in your future videos?
I love your videos and playing Mike. I, too, JUST got a Quad Cortex - I've been a Kemper user since early 2019 & use mostly my own profiles (most of which were made when I had a much less elaborate studio/Amp/Mics setup, so I'm really interested now to hear how the QC does in comparison to the Kemper. I also bought a ToneX pedal so I think I feel a 3-way tone capture/profile/whatever shootout coming in the near future. Just waiting on a couple amps I have on order to arrive & then....IT'S ON!
It took me a bit to gel with the QC but once it stuck.. it stuck. A great unit. Love your channel
I don't have a QC, but I do have a ToneX, so my opinion comes from that experience. I have not captured my own amps, but when buying other people's captures, I find captures to be a black hole, simialr to IRs. You can listen to all the samples you want. But until you have a capture on your device, and you play through it with your guitar and your hands, you won't know if it suits you. And then, even if it does, a week later, you are buying and auditioning another capture, and another. it is a never ending obsession. I am sticking to my HX Stomp with models cretaed by Line 6. And I am concentrating on playing the guitar instead of endlessly seeking "the best capture in the world". Y
This channel shows up on my feed all the time, because I watch... despite myself.
It's not really a guitar channel. It's a story telling channel.
I gotta admit, the qc makes me happy every time I use it, but I barely know how to use it! I need to find some basic tutorials!
Quad cortex is the Nirvana of live gear. Has totally changed everything in regards to what we actually need gear wise to play a live show.
Electric guitar tone...I did not know that even existed until recently...since getting several electric guitars...the tone I had sort in acoustic guitars....is the same sort of things electric guitarist also seek...that other voice, combination of amp-guitar-pickups etc...what I was getting out my ac10 that most people liked
Hallelujah, someone has a clue :)
If I may be so audacious to suggest that "tone" is about intervals (diaTONIC, triTONEs etc) in chords and scales.... and not sound character.
_Two of shaft's hinty-hints for guitar-sanity and greater financial power:_
1. Don't let idiot or even intelligent guitar players confuse you when they mean _timbre,_ and instead they say "tone".
2. Develop a reliable Bullshit Detector and decrease the risk of becoming a "tone lemming", it happens to the best of us and in more ways than one.
I have those exact Adam's, it's true what you say about being close to them for the spatial stuff to present properly, if you step back, not quite the same. I just rented a QC to try out.
I just profiled for the first time on my Headrush core (the working mans modeler) and it sounded pretty frickin good! I captured my buddies Framus Dragon running through a VHT 4X12 with Pitbull 45's (really interesting rig if you ask me) and it sounded excellent! He was even hard pressed to tell his rig apart from the profile. Next up is my friends Mako Custom 100, 3 channel (that thing sounds incredible). The future is here and I'm excited for it!
The riff at 6:59 sounds amazing! 🤟🏽
It’s a improv on Lenny by SRV.
@1:30 What made me to go modelers was because I was SO TIRED of being in church and people (who don't know what they're doing) tell me to "Turn it down." Fine. Here's a direct line, you control it.
Great video Mike! Can’t afford anything like a QC. I’ve used Neural Amp Modeler on my computer and if it’s anything like QC I think capturing does have its place in the guitar world. So does modeling and real amps.
I enjoy your videos very much and of course your playing.
You’re a great storyteller
If your monitors change that dramatically with distance, I'd suggest that they have a big issue.
There are “near field” monitors that are meant to be used close and not project. Projection in small rooms isn’t ideal.
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If I give him a 10-page essay, I feel like he can make it into a 100-page one.
I just got a Fender Tone Master Pro and love it. I’ve been against modelers for a long time, never got along with them, even digital effects. I’d buy them and not much later I would be just done with them, too many menus, parameters, dull unrealistic sound and just to feel right compared to a good amp. With the FTMP I still don’t think it beats a good amp, but it’s pretty close and just having all the amazing functionality and ease of programming is great and fun to play.
Nice choice of monitors, I have a Adam A7X Love them. I'm torn between the Quad Cortex and the Fractal FM9.Those capture sounds sound like the Kemper blasteing off into orbit.
Haven't done this myself but i think you can also try capturing just the preamp by using a di box, then either capture the speaker separately as an IR (with different settings and mics so you can mix them in daw) or use a professionally made cab IR.
I can't wait for mine to get in
I’m so glad that I started as a horn playing kid who was also dirt poor playing on a trombone being held together by shoe strings that belonged to the school year my sound was purer, bigger and all around better than the rest of players in my state who where playing great quality intermediate to pro level instruments so sound has never been tied to great. Instead it was tied to the work I put into the instrument and how I practiced which other than the specific exteriors or books was to play everything as of performing and communicating on my instrument, in other words playing with purpose. Still like gear and get GAS like everyone else but not because of sound/tone
My guitar teacher from fall2022-spr2023 started bringing in his own guitar petal to use during lessons. I am almost possitive it was that right there. I cant belive it tool me till now to even know what it is.
Here's something that I just don't hear enough. If you have invested in some tube amps that you love, you owe it to yourself and your tube amps to buy a QC and profile your amps as backup. When your beloved rare amp goes down, there is nothing better than being able to continue playing it digitally while you work through the real world challenge of getting a tube amp repaired in 2024. Depending on your access to a repair shop, it can take weeks or months to get your amp back. The QC is a total no-brainer of a purchase for all tube amp lovers for this one simple fact. Back up your amps!
How did you not name it "Prince Andrew?" 🤣😂
Plenty of good stuff out there. Love my helix sounds good in a mix listeners harldy care even those with a discerning ear.
You should put the capture on the cloud! I love my quad cortex! I personally use stock amps with 3rd party IR’s.
I have the Boss GX 100 it’s so underrated!
You rock mike always enjoy watching you❤
I bought one month and a half ago and I just can't stop playing with it. It was quite an investment but it's worth every single euro.
Mr. Cole another sound and album to analyze would be Interpols “ turn on the bright lights”! Great album cool rhythm and guitar playing! Bassist like this are my favorite! Also a great Indie sleeze album Deerhunter “ Halcyon Digest”! I’ve seen Coldplay the guitarist does have incredible pop melodies! They are kind of my guilty pleasure that I don’t admit to liking! It would kill my Hipster street Cred! Lol 😂
I have a bunch of expensive pedals that sound really good. Should I sell them and get this?? Thank you
I prefer modeling over profiling as a whole. Good captures/profiles will produce more authentic sounding results but is limited to the settings snapshot at which the capture was taken. Good modeling attempts to algorithmically simulate the behavior of an amp over a far broader and wider range of variable settings and I find this more desirable. I liken captures to IRs, which sound good, but you'd have to sift through different captures for tonal variations like you would with IRs. I also find the QC's lack of parameter assignment to MIDI controllers for remote controlled/automated variable modulation disappointing, and the same holds true for the Tone Master Pro and the Headrush. The only two competing units that allow for variable parameter modulation over MIDI are the Fractal and HX family units.
Great video. Love your energy. Subbed ☮
the neighbors HAVE my guitar… MYY GUITTAR! and i want it back -.-