most everyone of you are more informed than I concerning the QC. I have only had mine a few months. I understand early on they put out a development roadmap, but now maybe not.
For those that know, is the development forward pretty much plugins? I haven’t bought a plugin yet, but I am figuring it’s the tech they are banking on going forward.
I guess I should buy one to see if they are that much better. Just didn’t realize I was getting into pay to play.
In terms of plug-ins, all we know at this point is that Tim Henson X, Rabea X, and Petrucci X are the next ones that will be updated to PCOM.
A little over a year ago Neural specifically addressed in a news update that they would continue updating the QC with features for all users, not just PCOM.
We had a long period between CorOS 3.1.0 (November 2024) and 3.2.0 (August 2025) with no updates, and most of the significant updates when 3.2.0 finally came were PCOM-related (three plug-ins released). Some users got upset that there weren’t more features implemented that weren’t PCOM, especially given the length of time. However, the other component to that was the QC itself getting a new audio codec, which needed to be tested and verified in addition to the firmware updates. Hopefully we will see more frequent CorOS updates, both for QoL features and PCOM.
You don’t have to “pay to play” if you already have a QC. That said, the plug-ins are excellent–both in a home recording setup with a DAW and on the QC–and there’s a real advantage if you’re using the whole “ecosystem” together.
coming in late in the game like this misses a lot of the early development; you’re just catching NDSP as they are finally getting over a very large roadblock they accidentally created for themselves. They’ve always said they will continue to provide free QC content, and they have been- just not at the pace we were all hoping.
Also, they did give away a free Plugin for QC owners during a previous campaign.
All that said, as you’ve noticed there’s not much difference between the PI’s and the stock QC devices. You can do almost everything on the QC already, there are only a couple plugin in devices that are exclusive. If you can live with the FOMO, you’re really not missing that much
From Neural’s news update on 8/1/2024:
None of us in the forum have any secret knowledge; we can only point to what Neural have communicated.
Like I said, though, I think the audio codec issue is the thing that really set them back. I’m thinking about making a separate video to talk about this from a hardware engineering and manufacturing perspective.
Black Friday / Cyber Monday sale would be your best opportunity to get a discounted plug-in. I can confirm that the Soldano SLO-100 X plug-in in the QC sounds awesome.
I am aware of the news releases. That is 13 months old. I am believing they have changed direction. (Of course I could have to eat those words tomorrow depending on what they release).
My post isn’t one of those ridiculous ultimatums or temper tantrums that ”I just ought to get what I want”. Just conversing.
If plugins ends up being the way to get the best of what they are offering, so be it. Development costs $$$
Is it much different than through the plugin?
The existing Soldano SLO-100 blocks in the QC are loud and aggressive–which is fair because it’s a high-gain amp–but the SLO-100 X plug-in (standalone/DAW and in QC) captures more of the subtleties of the amp’s behavior. There’s a real difference.
Anyway, the release announcement for tomorrow is definitely a plug-in of some sort, whether an entirely new one or an update of an existing amp plug-in to an ‘X’ version. For QC CorOS updates, Neural always notifies what changes are coming ahead of time.
THanks, that is useful info.
The fact is that since late 2024 there has only been one major update, and that update consisted overwhelmingly of paid DLC (plugins) being ported to the QC instead of new amps/effects etc. The only communication yet from Neural re. future updates for the QC also has only been about whatever new paid DLC will be available next. I have a hard time seeing why I should be sticking with this company for future products, when the competition (mostly, looking at you Kemper Player) offers free content.
If they had offered a good amount of free content - especially in the areas where the device is lacking like effects for example - along with the paid DLC it would be more justifyable. But it is clear that the vast majority of dev effort that is spent on the QC is spent on porting these to the detriment of everything else.
As for whether the plugins are worth it, you can check for example Davlav’s comparison of Plini/Gojira. In my opinion the main benefit of the plugins are the special FX that come with it, the amps themselves are (mostly) modded versions of stuff that is already on the QC, which you can get to with some tweaking anyways.
I think the main thing for me is the lack of updates around fairly basic functionality like being able to load into gig view as a default, more command centre type options etc.
I couldn’t care less about plugins that I need to buy separately, but would like the Quad to offer parity with products like the Helix that have been about forever. Add into that that my quad has developed a fault, has to be sent off for repair and I’m going to be without a unit while I wait for it (with shows booked, too), and it seems extremely unlikely I’ll buy another Neural product.
The glitch effect has me excited. Might have to check it out.
And it looks like it’s an ‘X’ release maybe for QC in next update??
So they put resources into this rather than get the existing plugins they sold to people as will be compatible with the QC “soon” converted and move it ahead of those existing plugins. Just as they released the vocal one. And NO WORD on when or even if they will even convert the others and spare me the letter from over a year ago. I feel even better about dumping it and just eating the loss.
If the focus will be solely on plugins I will be selling my QC and circle back to either the Helix Stadium or a full pedalboard, tube amp with our with a digital modeler. Reason being, I’m not going to spend anything on plugins. Zero. For 1700 euros I expect a decent set of effects and proper midi support and Neural has still not delivered on that. Yet.
I’ll probably try the Stadium anyway and send it back if it disappoints.
I really do love my QC but if Neural doesn’t deliver on the promised non-plugin features ̶I̶’̶m̶ ̶o̶u̶t̶ I’ll probably explore other options and decide on quality and versatility of effects. To add as well, the workflow and easy of use is of the QC is phenomenal …
Why does a plugin company keep making plugins?! What kind of world are we living in?!
I’ve learned the hard way never to buy something based on future updates. When I got my QC 2 years ago, I was ok with it as it was. Updates since have been a nice bonus for me. To me, it’s hardware. I buy a Boss pedal for what it does when I buy it. QC is the same thing.
Having said that, I might buy the Misha Mansoor X because I get a hologram Microcosm for 150 euros instead of 500.
I don’t know if Line6, Fractal etc will add pedals like that in free updates. That could swing it for me to change.
From a software development perspective, there’s always a roadmap. That roadmap changes as situations change for sure. Some challenges go away… some unforeseen challenges come up.
The plugin and QC development teams are separate. I would imagine they work together through a senior level manager. I serve that sort of role with my company. I am the bridge between products. …but each product spends the majority of their sprint iterations working independently save for those features that require cross-platform development. For anything new, we can expect it will come as an “X” and ready to be ported into the QC in some future CorOS update. While I think it is reasonable to expect that anything that already has an X on it will see porting into the QC faster than one that hasn’t, that doesn’t mean it isn’t being worked on. We have some projects for my software that run several years. I would say, and the order of “X-ing” would seem to suggest this, that older plugins have a much longer road to PCOM than the newer ones. Potential licensing concerns… all kinds of things.
We just got CorOS 3.2.0 six weeks ago, and 3.2.1 update four weeks ago. Given the amount of time it takes to beta test anything for QC in between releases, it’s unreasonable to expect any CorOS update right now.
Yeah. I didn’t expect there to be a coordinated CorOS release relative to the Misha release. Not because of any recent release so much as we hadn’t seen any sort of indication that one was coming. Although from the same company, they are different product lines. I am assuming, like the software I am involved in, they have release schedules largely independent of the other products. The only place where it would be dependent is the plugin has to be “X” before PCOM. …and not PCOM before X.
Exactly. I was saying that for everyone else.
Neural doesn’t just “spring” CorOS updates on us. Their pattern with the QC is to communicate ahead of time what’s coming in a new firmware release. That’s way different than the SOON / SOONER marketing push when new plug-ins come out.
