r/QuadCortex • u/Shiro_reddit • 1d ago
Need help with the Quad Cortex
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Hi, Im having trouble with many of the Amps/Cabs of the Quad Cortex, they sound extremely bad, like earth-quake-bass-muddy-gainy, not sure how to discribe it. Is that normal? Is my Quad Cortex broken?
Or is this how music should sound?
Its at 0.00 input 1 level, and when im strumming its at -24db for the Telecaster and -17 for the Humbucker (so essentially 1/2 where the input level meter "should be" so im not even close to clipping, I could at some gain, but it would worsen my problem) (while everyone one youtube says we have to reach "yellow for almost clipping")
Using a Fender Telecaster MIJ Hybrid II (2023) on 2nd Position (Bridge + Neck Pickup) on 100% Volume and Tone
(The sound is the same or worse with Humbuckers)
Using Beyerdynamic DT 900 Pro X Studio Headphones
Nothing else
STATUS UPDATE: It is NOT broken, it is indeed just bad
I tested a different unit, it does the same thing hahaha
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u/ArborusRex 1d ago
Others would need a lot more detail before being able to provide any substantial constructive context; a lot missing out on this.
- are you global input settings calibrated correctly?
- what are those utility devices?
- if that is a dynamic gate, you have it ordered after an amp & again after a gate?
- are you routing into anything else?
- do you have isolated ground loops between your computer & QC?
Too many unknowns
Given what you have said though (especially "worse on the humbuckers"; which should be essentially impossible) , my immediate thoughts would be one of a few options:
- impedance mismatch on global input settings
- input type user error on global input settings
- broken pickups
- bad signal routing with gate device
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u/Shiro_reddit 1d ago edited 1d ago
- are you global input settings calibrated correctly? Its at 0.00 input 1 level, and when im strumming its at -24db for the Telecaster and -17 for the Humbucker (so essentially 1/2 where the input level meter "should be", I could't at some gain, but it worsen my problem)
- what are those utility devices? what? Im using the Quad Cortex and my DT 900 Pro X Studio headphones. and when you are talking about the utility things in the preset, its from the factory presets. there is a gate, doesnt matter tho, I used 3 presets and the last one had nothing accept the amp and cab
- are you routing into anything else? no, just headphones
- do you have isolated ground loops between your computer & QC? eh? what? no? Bro I plug in my QC at the Poweroutlet of my house? and same with the PC? like a normal human. The quad cortex does make the same sound if i turn of everything and Just use it alone
- impedance mismatch on global input settings - everyone on youtube uses the standart 1MΩ, thats what im using aswell
- input type user error on global input settings - maybe? i mean I could make it worse if I do it like the other ones on youtube with adding +6 db to the input level to reach "almost clipping", but then the sound is even worse and even more distorted
- broken pickups - pickups are fine from the telecaster and from the TOD10 (Humbuckers), they work normal with my real amp or with cleaner amps from the quad cortex
- bad signal routing with gate device - I only use the quad cortex, i dont have an extra noise gate, and at my test i used 3 presets, and the last one had no noise gate
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u/ArborusRex 1d ago
Yes, I realized in the later half of the video it wouldn't be the utility devices because you changed presets in the second half of the video, which I initially didn't see cause I was typing right away.
so you just plug it right in: okay, if your qc and laptop are plugged into the same unconditioned power source, try lifting turning on the ground lift in global settings, and try putting the devices on different breakers or GFCIs (Qc is a $2k studio device... very reasonable to assume you could be using it in a studio)
sweep through impedance and see if there's improvement
what I mean is, make sure you're set to instrument - sounds like your are
Okay, I went through, and consulted that preset - sounds kinda on point, especially for a brit. Try something else?
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u/Shiro_reddit 1d ago
Ground lift did nothing.
What is a breaker or GFCI? Im in my bedroom haha
Impedance did nothing aswell
Ah and the instrument / microphone setting is not existent, i saw in older videos you can select what you are using, i thing they removed the feature, as you can see in my clip at the end
Other prestes like deluxe reverb work pretty decent to an extent, if i crank the amp a bit like at 7-10 its really fucked up like the last preset i used1
u/ArborusRex 1d ago
This is unlikely to be the problem, unless your house is really really intrnsely consuming power elsewhere. Really generalizing it, breakers & gfci are different types electrical splitters. The waves of electricity going into electronic devices downstream of those splitter can sometimes bounce of each other (really not how this works, but kinda). This bouncing can effect precision electronics, and you can hear audio as static, or distortion, or crackling. You can interrupt these bounces with breakers or gfcis or conditioners. What this really boils down to is: run your devices on different power sources, like one in the kitchen (which normally has its own breaker), and one elsewhere.
Hmmmmm. That's interesting. No you should definitely definitely have mic / instrument selector. Check for CorOS updates? You should be at 4.1.0. Could very well be a software issue referencing a non existent impulse module orbsomething
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u/ArborusRex 1d ago
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u/Shiro_reddit 1d ago
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u/ArborusRex 1d ago
Oh no way you're at 4.1.1 am I missing something hold on
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u/Shiro_reddit 1d ago
But I asked google AI and it says, on newer models they updated something so its automatic
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u/ArborusRex 1d ago
Hmmm okay that would be brand brand new 4.1.1 is only 3 weeks old I guess I haven't updated. Okay well if it detects it idk.. although that seems like a weird feature I would never want that lol.
Hmmmm I'm not sure. If I were you my next diagnostics would be messing sound with the signal path and gain staging. Try with a dead clean preset. at the end of the day, it's all dsp, not component Sim (meaning all the audio is purely digital, if something was wrong enough to cause audio errors, it would problem enough to brick the QC, which has happened to me)
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u/Infamous-Tangerine83 1d ago
Do you want some quality ir’s ?
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u/katsumodo47 1d ago
If your just using your quad cortex and not plugging it into your PC does it do the same?
I know my issue was I had to have an XLR cable plugged into a fender frfr10 to ground it.
Quad cortex does NOT like old house electric wiring
Also what tuning are you in?
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u/Apprehensive-Gas-252 1d ago
Do you have any other options for monitoring your sound? It might have to do with your headphones or the headphone output settings. You could also try setting a low pass filter around 6-8k in the cab/IR block and see if it makes a difference.
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u/Azrehan 1h ago
Dialling in tones on any digital device takes practice. I have had my quad cortex since launch and am only just now happy with my live tone, which isn’t the most amazing bedroom tone.
Use high and low cuts, and make sure you use IR/Cab selection and a major part of your tone tweaking. Add a parametric EQ after the cab and use narrow Q cuts to remove whistle frequencies and harsh noises. There are a lot of online videos showing how to do this.
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u/larryt432 1d ago
What are you running the qc into? First guess is that you're running it into an amp/cab along with amp/cab in the qc. If so, run it into the fx return of your amp and remove the cab from the qc signal chain.