I’m currently using a Quad Cortex with HD600 headphones, and I’m experiencing sound degradation that feels similar to the kind of clipping or harshness you’d expect from a cheap VST plugin.
When I play audio from other sources on my PC (e.g., YouTube or music files), everything sounds clean regardless of volume or loudness. The problem only happens with my guitar effect chain: no matter the input gain settings, I notice low headroom and digital-style distortion. Lowering the volume or avoiding drive blocks helps to some extent, but then headphone monitoring becomes pointless.
When I try other monitoring earphones or consumer-grade headphones, the issue is less noticeable, but I still hear tonal changes and degraded sound quality.
On the other hand, when I connect the QC to my large floor-standing speakers, the sound is excellent. I assume the room acoustics help mask the harshness. However, since my main purpose is recording rather than just jamming in the room, I want to hear the true raw tone more accurately.
To me, the Quad Cortex headphone out feels like more than just the usual “different headphones sound different” type of variation.
For reference: when I routed the QC into a cheap receiver and listened to the HD600 through the receiver’s headphone output, the tone was slightly colored but the high-end harshness was mostly resolved.
Has anyone else experienced similar issues with the headphone out? Any solutions or workarounds?
Check the I/O menu that the headphone out is also picks up a signal from an output with no IR. In case you have a split signal that is … I did found out as well when I wanted a FOH signal and one to the amp without IR.
My I/O setting has the HP source set to USB1/2 for use with the PC, while my speakers are connected to Out3/4, and I’m not using XLR Out1/2 (they are muted just in case). For headphone-only monitoring, I set the grid output to 1/2. All gain meters on the Quad Cortex are configured so that no red clipping indicators appear.
How is it possible that two signals could be sent to the headphones at the same time? It doesn’t seem like multiple signals are overlapping.
There has to be something wrong in the routing, level to the headphones are peaking, or the 1/4 to 1/8 converter you’re using is making the sound strange.
Wouldn’t be surprised if it was one of these. I have the same headphones and have had to adjust the same things.
Other thing to consider if those are open back headphones. You’re also going to hear your guitar in the room which may add to some weirdness.
I’m also well aware of the drawbacks of open-back headphones. Still, this unexplained issue is becoming quite stressful. At least, I just want to know whether this is a problem with the QC itself or something on my workflow."
I only see the output channel that I’ve set. This doesn’t seem to be the actual issue though but I didn’t know it was even possible for multiple outputs to show up.
Most likely it’s one of the issues I mentioned. I have experienced some similar things and basically every time it was one of those.
most likely there’s something peaking out when it’s going to your headphone output, or a weird routing thing causing a signal to double up and you don’t realize. Other chance is the 1/4 to 1/8 converter for the headphones could be adding to it. I’ve had it happen a lot with some headphone converters like that or the headphone extension cable. I’ve used a lot of those cables that have added a lot of noise.