Questions from a a beginner

Quad Cortex
1

Hey guys, I’ve just purchased a Quad Cortex after seeing Rick Beato’s interview with the team, and am so far over the moon impressed.

I have a couple of questions, and apologies in advance if they are simple or obvious, but I am old and fast approaching the age where I need other humans to advise on anything new or modern.

Do I absolutely need to install a DAW (or something similar) for the QC to make sound via my Mac mini setup?

At the moment I can only get sound out of the headphone out, which is great for not disturbing my neighbours, but I’d like to get sound out of the USB connection and into my Yamaha monitors for playing loudly as well. Is it a configuration issue I’m missing on the unit itself, or I need to invest in a DAW?

Secondly, what’s the consensus on FRFR vs. studio monitors? Will I notice a considerable difference (or improvement)? Currently the QC is amazing via headphones but my Marshall has it beat due to the ‘room’ and it pushing air. It’s just a deeper, more detailed and soul stirring sound. If I can get that ‘pushing air’ vibe from the QC I’ll be ready to die and go to heaven!

Thanks all, and again apologies if this is basic. Rock on, you people! :sign_of_the_horns:

2

Welcome to the QC family!

Although I have had the QC for a little more than a year, the unit still amazes me and I’m continually learning new things as I use it. I’m a bit of a slow learner myself when it comes to all this digital stuff and I know there are highly qualified users who can promptly answer our questions. I’ll try to answer your first question and give you my two cents about the second.

Short answer is you should.

When you connect the QC to your computer via USB, it works as a USB audio interface, which will send your processed sound as digital signal to your computer. However, your computer needs something to monitor the sound coming out of the QC and send it to its speakers.

The easiest solution is to download a DAW (Reaper, Ableton, Logic, Pro Tools, Cubase…) and then go to settings/preferences, select QC as your input device, and your speakers as output. Create a track and enable it. As soon as you stum your guitar, there should be sound coming out.

Here’s a video of Pete Thorn doing exactly this:

Using Neural DSP QUAD CORTEX to make my Mac a PRACTICE AMP!

From my experience, if you want to really push air and make your downstairs neighbor’s ceiling resonate until they come knocking at your door incessantly (because you want to be unable to hear anything other than your guitar) an FRFR cabinet might be better to model the tones you’re chasing, compared to a studio monitor. They’re allegedly designed and built to translate everything that comes out of an amp modeler to the environment.

I mostly play at bedroom volume at home. I connect outputs 3 and 4 of my QC to my studio monitors and do all my tweaking with them as reference. When I rehearse or gig with my bands, I use our studio PA and never have I needed to tweak any controls on my QC. A little EQ-ing on the mixer and I’m ready.

Those are my two cents. I’m sure some other users can contribute with better informed opinions.

I hope you get what you want, but stay around a bit to enjoy it, man! LOL!

Cheers from Brazil!

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You are a legend.

I went through the recommended threads and they sorta said what you said, but you clarified it perfectly. Much appreciated. :blush:

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