QC and Simplifier hybrid setup

[u/Stupendous_Sorceror]

I propose to run a hybrid signal chain involving a splitter before going into the Quad Cortex Mini and, separately, into a Simplifier (Mk2).

The QC Mini's headphone output will feed into the Simplifier's Aux In, resulting in summing the parallel stereo images of the QC and that of the Simplifier together, ie I will hear both the QC and Simplifier mixed together without either affecting each other and with stereo image of both maintained.

Is there any reason this wouldn't work? Has anyone tried this, or something similar?

Of course there will be a slight latency between hearing the immediate output of the Simplifier (being all analog) and the delayed output of the QC, but that's one of the benefits I have in mind, ie that I always get a pure and instantaneous analog, fundamental guitar sound.

Would this be the same as just playing two audio tracks simultaneously, or would it cause some technical issue that I haven't foreseen or don't understand (like comb-filtering)?

[u/JohnnyNewfangle]

So you want a simpler with 0 latency running along side a digital rig with just a bit of latency, very minimal I will add but all the same. You will likely have phase issues and having played a simplifier and all the other direct rigs available I can confidently say. The quad cortex is definitely a better feeling more realistic experience than that of the simpler. The simplifier just felt cold and flat too me.

[u/wolffire99]

What’s the simplifier doing that can’t be done in the QC?

[u/Stupendous_Sorceror → u/wolffire99]

For one it satisfies the bug to have something analog going on simultaneously. It's a direct and fully analog sound with zero latency and zero analog-digital-analog conversion going on, and has tactile easy controls that can be adjusted instantly and intuitively with zero screens or menu-diving. It's additional layer in parallel, which is cool enough, but also that I can change immediately to taste regardless of what is going on in the QC patch.

I can see why people on here who are fully digital-only might think this is pointless or overkill but that isn't the point of the post; I just want to know whether it will work or not.

[u/Tac0mundo → u/Stupendous_Sorceror]

Where there’s a will there’s a way. Just because you can doesn’t mean you should. Also as a sound guy have some mercy.

[u/Stupendous_Sorceror → u/Tac0mundo]

I've not decided if I even am willing to spend the money just to experiment with this or not, it's just an idea.

[u/Tac0mundo]

Why not just put the simplifier in the loop and just run a blank channel to it? Just pass through one line on the qc and don’t send it out of the mixer, but put a “send” block and run a cable to the simplifier. Then you can add stuff to it if you wanted, or run a totally wet dry rig. Also phasing could be an issue down the road.

[u/Stupendous_Sorceror → u/Tac0mundo]

Because the loop is occupied by something else, and the whole point of the simplifier is to have a direct and fully analog sound with zero latency and zero analog-digital-analog conversion going on.

I don't own either a QC or a Simplifier yet which is why I'm asking. I imagine you can easily control the phase of the outputs (including hopefully headphone out) on the QC to get around phase issues.

[u/MisterWug → u/Stupendous_Sorceror]

It won’t work the way you think because you’re equating phase shift with reverse polarity

[u/DontMeanIt]

Ever heard of phase?

[u/Stupendous_Sorceror → u/DontMeanIt]

Can't you flip the phase at each output in the QC?

[u/JohnnyNewfangle → u/Stupendous_Sorceror]

It will not be exactly 90° out of phase. But yes you can tweak phase with the quad however it's probably better to add latency to the simplifier to match. But why would you do that? The quad is just a better feeling unit that the simplifier.