let me know if there is another thread for this, but I am wondering why plugging into my QC changes the sound (level and eq/character) SOO much even when I don’t have any effects on vs going directly into my amp. I have tried various input and impedance levels.
Definitely want to love the QC but this is currently driving my small brain very mad
how do you compare the QC to the amp? Do you place the QC directly in front of your amp, do you send the QCs output to your amps FX-Return oder do you use a dedicated power-amp between your QC and your cab (using the amp not at all)? There are many variables to “problems” like this, and it’s pretty hard to help without knowing them.
Hi David,
Thanks for your response. When I am comparing I have tried both the QC directly in front of my amp (a Supro Keely 1970 RK) and the 4 cable method. I don’t use a dedicated power amp.
I think the gain staging in the QC is perhaps not very well explained in the manual by Neural.
The consensus appears to be that it’s advised to have a strong an input signal as possible without clipping (i.e -10 to -12dB) aka consumer line level. This ‘seems’ to work well with all the amp ‘models’ and native effects (i.e. Facial Fuzz will not act like a normal fuzz face unless IN 1 LEVEL is set so the meter shows around this optimal level.)
However, when doing a capture, the IN 1 LEVEL has zero effect on the actual signal sent from the CAPTURE OUT socket. What I believe the IN 1 LEVEL is really doing is acting like an ‘audition’ control so you can match it to your IN 1 LEVEL on the main I/O screen. This will let you hear/audition you how your capture will sound in a preset. I’ve tested the signal from the CAPTURE OUT with a DMM (Digital Multi-Meter) and it stays the same no matter what the IN 1 LEVEL is set to. The reading I had was 1.774v (peak)/+4.979dB
Take a standard strat, for example. Plug it in to the QC and the IN 1 LEVEL meter on the I/O screen will show instrument level signal around -20 to -30dB (depending on the output of the pickups). To get this to the ‘optimal’ line level signal -10 to -12dB I’d need to stick up to 20dB of gain. So, say my IN 1 LEVEL is now set to +20dB. Then I go and capture my favourite amp/pedal and try to use it in a preset. The signal hitting the capture block in the preset is now way hotter than it would normally be just going guitar direct to the real amp. The capture GAIN control allows me 24dB of gain reduction so I’d need to use almost all of this reduction to get the same response as guitar to real amp.
It might just be me but I think when users are presented with the control set for a capture (Gain, Bass, Middle, Treble etc) it gives the impression it’s like the real amp’s controls as opposed to Gain staging and post-eq controls; or at least it’s not mentioned in the manual as such.
1 Like
I agree with this take. I was having huge noise issues with the QC on any high gain amps which was causing me a lot of grief. After trying all of the obvious things, cables, different guitars, gain staging throughout the preset etc i finally tried lowering the input gain. I only had it at 5dB (which raises the signal up to just below the red) but it was enough to add the noise I was looking to get rid of. I just keep it at 0dB and build the preset around that now. No more unwanted noise. Maybe obvious in heinsight.
1 Like