I currently have my Quad Cortex set up with BigSky and Timeline in its FX loop (Send 1/Return 1). Now, I want to connect my tube amp using the 4-Cable Method (4CM), but my send and return are already occupied.
Is there a solution that allows me to keep using BigSky and Timeline in the QC loop while also setting up 4CM with my amp?
You could put the pedal in the fx loop of the QC, and do 4cm with the amp easily
Good news… Super, but how? This example isn’t in the QC instructions…
Here’s one way you could do it…
Guitar → QC Input 1
[use your tuner + any compressors / drives ahead of the tube amp]
QC Output 3 → Tube amp input
Tube amp send → QC Input 2
[run your Strymon pedals in the QC’s FX loop with FX Send 1 and Return 1]
QC Output 4 → Tube amp return
…You may need to tweak your input and output levels. You could also use FX Send 2 and Return 2 instead of Input 2 and Output 4.
I Tried It Today – Quad Cortex with Victory V40 Duchess. I Used Send 2 and Return 2 for my Strymons and hooked everything up to my Victory V40 Duchess tube head using the 4-cable method… and wow! For the first time, the QC actually sounds great to me! Most of the time, I ended up using the Victory’s preamp, and the results were phenomenal. The tone, the feel—just fantastic.
Is this a good path?
The question is often ‘analogue or digital? ‘ But like you, my best answer is ‘analogue + digital’
Why not enjoy the best of both worlds… right? Well, but my setup—I still consider it essentially analog, at least as long as I’m ultimately plugged into a tube amp…
