Full Disclosure on PCOM/X Updates

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@everyone Darkglass Ultimate & Full Disclosure on PCOM/X Updates - Quad Cortex Development Update #58

In a few days we will be releasing Darkglass Ultimate, a major update to Darkglass Ultra. This plugin will not be receiving an X-update, and we want to be transparent about why that is, as well as share some details about the future CorOS 4.1.0 update, and clarify the status of X-updates across our plugin catalog.

Darkglass Ultimate
Darkglass Ultimate is a significant update to Darkglass Ultra, featuring four new pre-fx pedals, two post-fx pedals, an 8x10 speaker cabinet, EQ with high-pass and low-pass filter controls, Transpose, a Metronome, a UI overhaul, loads of new presets, and several other quality of life features. Darkglass Ultimate is a free update for existing Darkglass Ultra customers.

The reason this update carries the Darkglass Ultimate name rather than arriving as Darkglass Ultra X has to do with the terms of our partnership with Darkglass Electronics (1). Nearly every plugin in our catalog is the product of a licensing agreement with an artist or brand (2). Those agreements include royalties, they have defined terms, and those terms are subject to renegotiation when contracts come up for renewal. This is simply how our business operates, and it means that the conditions governing any given plugin can evolve over time.

When we renewed our agreement with Darkglass, we agreed that the plugin would not be made available on CorOS so as to not make Quad Cortex/Quad Cortex mini directly competitive with Darkglass’s hardware product range. While we’re sad to not bring the plugin to Quad Cortex, we respect that as a legitimate business concern on their part. Because Quad Cortex compatibility is a requirement for the X-update designation, the update will be released under the Darkglass Ultimate name rather than as an X-update.

CorOS 4.1.0
CorOS 4.1.0 will be the largest PCOM (Plugin Compatibility) update we have released. It will bring compatibility for Archetype: Petrucci X, Archetype: Tim Henson X, Archetype: Rabea X, Archetype: Misha Mansoor X, and Archetype: John Mayer X, as well as additional free virtual devices and quality of life improvements. We will share more about this update as we get closer to the launch date.

The Next X-Updates
The next plugins in line to receive X-updates are the Tone King Imperial MKII and the Morgan Amps Suite. We look forward to sharing more on those when development is further along.

Plugins That Will Not Receive X-Updates
Mantra is a vocal processing plugin. It was built for a desktop experience and we do not intend to port it to Quad Cortex. It will not receive an X-update.

The Fortin NTS Suite and Archetype: Tom Morello will also not be receiving X-updates. Due to this, we will be permanently reducing their prices from €119 to €54 and €139 to €64 respectively. Both plugins will also be discounted in our upcoming birthday sale.

Plugins Under Assessment
X-updating has not begun for the following plugins: Fortin Cali Suite, Archetype: Abasi, Mesa Boogie Mark IIC+ Suite, Archetype: Mateus Asato, and Omega Ampworks Granophyre.

For any plugin governed by a partnership agreement, the terms of future renewals could affect whether an X-update is possible. We have explained above how that works in practice, and we will continue to be transparent if and when those situations arise.

(1) Darkglass Electronics was sold to Korg USA in May 2022, and Douglas Castro is no longer operating as Darkglass Electronics’ CEO.

(2) Parallax and Mantra are 100% Neural DSP’s IP and are not governed by a partnership agreement.

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One more capture slot's and more virtual fx?
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Interesting news. Thank you for the update.

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Super! Thanks. Can’t wait to get Petrucci and Mayer on the QC.

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So, nothing for bass players in the next update?

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Thanks for the update. Please keep the information flowing, love to see what is planned next. Cant wait to see the future updates for IIC+.

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Does the updated Darkglass licensing agreement affect the existing Microtubes B3K and Microtubes VMT models on Quad Cortex?

Additionally, does it prevent Neural DSP from releasing models of Darkglass pedals as non-plugin QC devices?

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Probably not, also they could just make a model and not have the actual product name in it. That’s how every modeler company is able to make models of amps, pedal, etc. When they made those models Doug seemed to still have ownership or a role at Darkglass still. I bet they had a contract for that to exist, but didn’t have anything for the plugin being ported to QC, since clearly they aren’t porting it.

When PCOM was initially a big subject on here I remember bringing up that I wouldn’t be surprised if a lot of the plugins didn’t end up being ported because of licensing agreements. Makes a ton of sense since the terms of the contracts are probably for a certain number of years, or they would have to re negotiate the contract in order to just port the plugin.

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So one of the release day amps that’s only available as a plugin might not be getting PCOM?

I really hope free amp models for the NTS, Cali, Granophyre and IIC+(++) will be added sometime soon.

Also expect a lot people being upset when they bought a plugin thinking it would be PCOM.

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From the Discord server this morning:

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image1104Ă—120 15.7 KB

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I mean… They still have effects and other amps that they had in the release day list which aren’t on the device yet. So, not sure

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Dan’s post on discord doesn’t sound that it’s in the works.

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Great info - thank you! Very pleased to hear about the Tone King Imperial. Hopefully the relationship you have with Boutique Amp Distribution extends to more new amp models based on their products.

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Makes sense given the other effects they haven’t added from the original release list

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Great news about everything coming in 4.1.0! love to see it.

just throwing in a +1 for a Granophyre X update, for whatever that is worth :grin: this has become my main heavy rhythm plugin of the 4 ndsp plugins I have, and the X updates would be a great quality of life improvement.

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I really feel like bass players are getting the short end of the stick… I was truly looking forward to the Darkglass X being released… and was sad to read that it is not. I get it, makes sense from a business perspective, but can Neural do something to make the QC more attractive to bass players. We basically have Parallax… There are a lot of other great effects out there, would love to see a Jad Freer X plugin!!! I have both the Capo and Sisma but my captures do not do it justice… lol but the tones are phenomenal through my Barefaced cab.

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Ok, so I have been holding onto my Asato plugin for a long time. Someone just asked Mateus what it would take to get it relased on QC, and he said he was all for it. So, whats the holdup? The artist is clearly on board here. There are many of us who would love our favorite plugin in QC. How do we make this happen?

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Just have to wait it out. People have been losing their cool over Archetype Petrucci, in particular, taking so long for PCOM release.

The article above introduces a whole new set of chatter about licensing and expirations. But if the will is there on Mateus’s end–and hopefully Omega Ampworks for Granophyre–I trust that NDSP will get to it.

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I agree in the sense I want more bass specific models on the QC, but did anyone seriously think the Darkglass plugin would have made it to the Quad Cortex with Darkglass themselves having just released the anagram? I guess I just assumed it was a death warrant as soon as I saw the anagram?

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Also excited for Asato!

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I am QC owner and I bought it when it got X upgrade. I was 100% tempted by the soon promise. I just checked and that was 22 Nov 2024 (1 year, 5 months and 3 days ago ) but yeah I am “loosing my cool”. This is bullshit, this is not “soon” by any means and as of today I am still waiting.

P.S. I am strongly advising anyone not to buy any plugin that they wish to use on QC if it’s not already compatible.

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