I recently got a Quad Cortex and have been testing it in three different setups: Direct into a PA system Through a Seymour Duncan Powerstage into a 2x12 cabinet Straight into my tube amp (Fender Hot Rod Deluxe)
No matter how much I try to convince myself otherwise, I always come back to the third option. The first two setups work great for rhythm guitar, but when it comes to solo playing, only the tube amp gives me the warmth, resonance, dynamics, and rounded tone I’m looking for.
What do you guys think? Has anyone had a similar experience? Is this a legit way to use the Quad Cortex?
My plan to further improve my sound is to get a better tube amp than the Hot Rod… Does anyone have any recommendations?
Anything providing sounds that put a smile on your face is legit! Mesa used to make an amp called a Simul-Satellite 85. It was designed as a tube-powered 1-12" cab with just some tone controls. If you play live, don’t expect direct outs to a PA to sound like what you here on stage, though.
I am am also conflicted sometimes , I think every way you approach have some limitation , I enjoy play over the Headrush frfr , because all the presets and almost all that is already ready to play , with all levels ins and outs ready , but when I plug into the amp , I have to start a patch from scratch, or do a lot of tweaking on existent patch , I have Deluxe Reverb , and the return sounded really great , but on my 100 watts head did not sounded good , that leads me to believe that not every power amp will work as good ? Or maybe something was wrong , I need to run more tests
Did the same:
Only PA, then 4x12 through the Powerstage 170 and through the FX Loop of a Marshall Jubilee.
For me the best sounding combo was the Powerstage through the 4x12 - this really hit. But i guess the FX loop of my Jubilee is just a bad one.
But it really depends.
Rehearsals: i just plug my QC into the PA because we’re playing with in ears
Live: I plug the QC through a Mono path into the Seymour Duncan PS170 and through a Stereo Path into the PA System / FOH. Best of both worlds. I get punch on the stage (even if i have in ears) and the crowd gets the full beauty of wide stereo hair metal sounds
I’m currently searching for a new solution + a backup. Maybe i’m going with a FRFR Laney cab + buying another small backup modeller or i’ll buy a Tube Amp (like the VX Kraken Lunchbox Amp).
But there is no right or wrong, it’s just experimenting and use what you’re comfortable with.
I tried to convince a friend of mine to go digital (he does several shows with much driving in between, so carrying his 100w marshall modded head + guitars is totally overkill). But he doesn’t like the sound, even if he pushes it through a fryette ps2 into a real cab.
Usually the full amp model from QC into a power amp of a tube head isn’t a great combo. You’re doubling down on the power amp model being in the QC and then the amp itself. Some tube power amps are more transparent, but in something like the Marshall 100 watt it will color the sound much more.
I’ve tested this out a lot even with a Helix. There’s a reason why Helix has specific “preamp” models because they usually work better going into a tube power amp (usually at line level).
I agree on the Preamp comment. I’ve had better success with preamp captures going through Tube/SS power amps that color the sound than full models or captures.
Well, you’re only trying the Seymour Duncan as power stage. I prefer Fryette power station + cab to any of my amps. Everything is more… clear while retaining that punch that the Seymour Duncan lacks.
I own both power stages and I must admit I use the Seymour Duncan more often because of its size. the places I play with that configuration don’t deserve me doing more than one carry from the car
I have the PS-100, same thing but 100 watts. It is tube but intended to be really neutral i.e. it is supposed to make the most neutral tone possible from what it’s amplifying. I think a lot of people misunderstand that poweramps are designed in different ways. A poweramp in an Amp Head is designed (and voiced) a certain way for the preamp it comes with. In other words they will colour the tone a lot more. Might be good, might be bad. But if you want to just amp the signal, then a neutral poweramp is what you should use.
I tried the Power Station but honestly it didn’t feel any more tube like. Even though it was supposed to be neutral I felt it kinda scooped the sound in a strange way. Other people may have different experiences. Regardless the tube power amp isn’t an absolute fix for modelers feeling more sterile. There’s also a way tube preamps breathe/respond too. You’ll always have the immediacy of solid state kinda going with the modelers + slight latency that adds to the disconnect.
I prefer the QC for live use mainly for convenience and consistency of tone every day. For that I am fine with not caring about the “tube feel” which can be overhyped anyways.
Besides if it sounds better on tube or solid state power amps:
are there any tube amps with a really good fx loop?
It kinda colors the tone of captures much (even if i’m only using FX of the QC)
I’m thinking of getting a VX Kraken (V1) because i mainly play the Kraken Model on the QC anyway and it is small and handy. for gigs it would be a backup too (if the QC dies i would have a full functional amp left, not only a power amp as of now)
I have a Peavey Invective 120 head which runs into a 4x12 cab.
I’ve captured all the preamp channels into separate captures and use that as the preamp, and run directly to fx return on the head from my quad cortex.
I like this sound the most. the convenience to use various effects and various preamps with various settings and switch them using a scene or a preset change, and retaining the tube powerstage from the head which feeds the 4 12" inch speakers.
there’s something about a tube amp driving an actual guitar speaker, and I could never replicate that with FRFR, or solid state power amp.
mgregg62, Nonsense. I use the QC through the tube amp, but I actually use it in a way that I have the capture pedals (overdrive, distortion) active, along with effects (delay, reverb, modulation, etc.) – that way, the sound is clean, and there’s no doubling of the amp. Of course, I don’t duplicate amps; otherwise, the sound becomes unclear. Kinda quite a hybrid setup. But I’m still testing other options…
I feel you. Nothing beats the true tube sound. I do the same as you. I set up the EV100 Blue with gate; 2 EQs; hall reverb; EV cab; and go through Blackstar St James 50W head (6L6tubes). Into head phones. have not played live through 4X12 Marshall cab but will eventually.
The thing is, when I do not use the Cortex and go back to my original set up it feels right for live performance vs home recording.
I’ve tried some powered pa speakers (mackie SRM 12"), a Gallien Krueger, Mesa Boogie acoustic 300 with a 10", and a few other acoustic amps. I have settled on a modded Tech 21 Power amp with a eminence 12" full range speaker. I’m tempted to put the original speaker back in and try that, but for guitar it works well live for me (60 watts) for live application!
Direct into a PA system 
Through a Seymour Duncan Powerstage into a 2x12 cabinet 
Straight into my tube amp (Fender Hot Rod Deluxe) 
