Where to put Rotary and similar blocks, relative to the cab?

Quad Cortex
1

Assuming I’m not using any captures or IRs, just using stock amp and cab, and going for a stereo signal, where would you all decide to put a Rotary block? Between amp and cab? After cab? Obviously not before the amp as then you lose the stereo effect completely (is the Rotary block stereo? There’s no way to tell based on the block or description!)

Same could go for Phaser and Vibrato I guess, but again, I can’t tell if those blocks are meant to be stereo or not.

  • Rotary directly before the cab block
  • Rtary directly after the cab block
0 voters
2

I don’t think it matters that much, but to thine own ears be true.

I typically run all of my modulations between amp and cab because… I came to the QC after using a tube amp / pedalboard / 4-cable-method setup for years. In that situation, all effects are pre-cabinet.

Running effects between amp and cabinet in the QC also gives me the freedom to split so I can send a non-cab signal to a power amp and physical cab on Output 3, and the cab signal to Output 1.

I run everything in mono, but I hope this helps.

2 Likes
3

I guess I would vote “either or”. Should be pretty much the same result in my opinion. Cab sim is quite linear.

1 Like
4

I think all effect blocks are stereo except for those which are labeled as mono and therefor have a stereo counterpart.

Putting any effect block before the cab block behaves as if you would run your guitar through your pedalboard into your amp and mic the cab. So all effects are colored by the cab.
Putting any effect block after the cab block behaves as if you would add effects in your DAW to your recorded signal. So the effects have the last say and are more present.
There is no right or wrong and it fully depends on what you are trying to archive and what you prefer.

1 Like
5

To test whether a block is stereo or not, you can put a tape delay in front of it and set it to ping-pong

6

Actually in some systems, not QC specifically, some people have recommended that the rotary effect should replace the cab block, that it is its own speaker cabinet. I’m not sure if that really applies to the QC rotary or not, and I haven’t tried that yet. As someone stated before, let your ears decide…

7

If the rotary cab is not distorting, then it doesn’t matter whether it is before or after the speaker cab block. If it is distorting, then there will be a difference but not much. Whether you use a cab block with rotary or not is a matter of taste. Ideally you would run them in parallel paths and blend to taste.

If the rotary cab had a Mix control, then you could do that in the block itself without using up a separate path. I hope that’s coming soon.

8

The rotary generally sounds best when going into an amp. I also prefer stereo, so you have to dedicate a parallel path and another amp block to accomplish this. It definitely sounds better this way, though the rotary in QC still leave a lot to be desired. My solution was putting a Lex and Pinwheel on my stereo FX loop and this sounds MUCH better and does not take up extra processing in QC other than the additional amp block. Gotta $pend a few more buck$ though.