Neural Quad Cortex

    Lets give the QC a year or two of maturity, and then we talk about how good is it, its about the same time that the "honeymoon" effect on marriages end. And then we come back to the board and say how awesome it its, Right now I read a ton of people have it, meanwhile my sweetwater rep tells me they havent shipped anything, who knows.

    The answer is 42

    Thank you Ingolf..

    This is exactly what I have heard from my friend.

    He has set up his kemper for years,has found/profiled his fav rigs,got the kone..

    He said the QC is not a 'game changer' and there is no reason to go through the exhausting process to build up again the next modeler rig and working out the whole chain till the right monitoring and use with DAW etc..

    The form factor is still nice though.No doubt.

    I just ordered a stage yesterday. Already have had my toaster for 7 years, but I never did get a remote. A few years ago, Kemper did not have any remotes in stock for months. Impatiently, and going a cheaper route I bought a BJ Devices controller. It's a nice unit especially for the money, but not near the full compatibility of the remote. So, since the Stage came out, I have been determined to get it... Just not necessarily really needed, so I waited.

    I have been curious about the QC recently, and even considered getting it instead, but every time I play my Kemper (home and live), I'm never disappointed . The tone and the feel never disappoints . Then some of these views and opinions have come up in the past week that really confirm what I'm thinking. After 7 years I'm just too comfortable with the Kemper overall and its probably going to be around until I'm too old to play. lol

    Just my 2 cents.

    I have the profiler since 2020.

    I had the AxeFxIII before.

    Now I also have the QC (3 weeks now)

    I’ll be simple.
    Kemper is the best of all for amp sounds.

    AxeFxIII was better for effects but I don’t care, I use pedals now (you can’t find a dimension C in Kemper or AxeFxIII without a lot of tweaking and it will never be the same, and drive stomp just sound better and fuller)

    QC had harsh frequencies on highs. A kind of hissss I can spot on ALL the captures I made. On clean tones it’s « ok » but with drive sounds it’s definitely here.

    The thing is that I find it uninspiring and worse = ear tiring. The only things that aren’t ear tiring I had are AxeFxIII, Kemper, Amp1 and the ISP theta. And of course real amps.

    Now I want 2 things from Kemper =
    - a stomp sized Kemper I with Bluetooth or wifi to edit with iPad

    - a true stereo amps and USB audio Kemper II with better effects (please better chorus and phasers, they aren’t that good right now but also the reverbs, lack of meat…)

    Quote from Calaban

    Everybody has different needs. That’s all there is to understand, really.


    I don’t need my Kemper to sound better. I think it sounds great, for the most part. What I do need is a smaller form factor with a more modern UI.


    I think Kemper missed the mark on the Kemper Stage in relation to my needs. But of course that’s only my opinion and nobody should be upset by it. It’s a great unit I’m sure.


    Had they made it smaller, with a more modern interface, I would probably have purchased one.


    But I have a feeling that given the direct competition from the QC (the only real competition they’ve ever had) they will be bringing something to the market at some point in the not-too-distant future that will be amazing.

    100% I agree with this; however, I believe that the stage was a compromise that achieved the following:

    1. Less expensive option for a KPA for live applications since it includes a foot controller (it is a FC)
    2. Smaller than either a toaster and FC or a Rack and a FC
    3. Retains the maximum amount of firmware compatibility with the toaster and rack versions

    I have always thought that there should be a throw and go KPA that was in the size range of the Kemper foot controller, but could not profile (although with the release of the QC, it may need this to be competitive), and used a bluetooth interface to a tablet app for all configurations and interfacing with the exception of live controls.

    I think that the KPA will never move to a QC / Fractal / etc like interface. As some have mentioned, for old tube amp converts, the simplicity and familiarity of pre amp fx chains, amp settings/eq, and post amp fx is just intuitive.

    From a marketing perspective, there are LOTS more traditional amp potential customers than there are Helix/Fractal/DAW converts to be had. It is just a matter of understanding your market IMO.

    Quote from Feck

    I’ve owned a KPA since day one, and have owned a second for the last 5 years so I could do stereo amping. The easiest way I can say it is this - after having the Quad Cortex for 2 weeks, I’ve sold both my Kempers. The KPA was a game changer. But, it is not an amp, it is technology. Technology doesn’t age well, and isn’t built to. Technology evolves and improves, and the QC is the latest evolution. I will always respect Kemper for being the trailblazers they are. I don’t say this to start any inflammatory discussions, but I did not find any area in which the KPA did as well as the QC, with the ONE exception of the QC having fewer effects at this point. But I lived through the development of the KPA effects arsenal, so I know that it takes time. From form to function, feature set, design, sound, feel, build, and convenience, the QC takes it. Neural is the new king on the block for me. Anyone who is the least bit interested in guitar processing technology should try one for themselves.

    The Kemper is 10 years old and still holds its own, in some areas still is ahead. That to me says a lot about the design of the Kemper.

    Yes, Kemper keeps getting better after 10 years. So does the Helix after 6 years. 6 is not far away from 10. With line6's innovation and gear production speed, I hope they will never crack the code of Kemperlike profiling.

    Better have it and not need it, than need it and not have it! - Michael Angelo Batio

    Quote from OneEng1

    I have always thought that there should be a throw and go KPA that was in the size range of the Kemper foot controller, but could not profile (although with the release of the QC, it may need this to be competitive), and used a bluetooth interface to a tablet app for all configurations and interfacing with the exception of live controls.

    I'd keep the profiling in a smaller version. I think there are a lot of kemper users and potential kemper users who would use the profiler as a dedicated amp and cab profiler and nothing else. Kind of like the market for the Strymon Iridium for players who want to use the KPA just for it's amp and cabs with their traditional pedal boards. Having the ins and outs so you can have stereo mains, monitors, headphones, and a post amp stereo effects loop.

    To me, the Quad is designed to do everything, so why make it so needlessly small with cramped switches?They could have added a few inches to the length and the thing would still fit inside a backpack, as it's currently inches smaller than a MacBook Pro. The small size is a bonus if you plan on using more than a couple dedicated pedals with it on a normal sized pedal board. But if you're using more than two mono external pedals, you're going to need more effect loops than the Quad comes with, otherwise manually having to tap dance on external effect pedals defeats the whole point of using a preset/snapshot system.

    Quote from Alienator

    Yes, Kemper keeps getting better after 10 years. So does the Helix after 6 years. 6 is not far away from 10. With line6's innovation and gear production speed, I hope they will never crack the code of Kemperlike profiling.

    Agreed. Line 6 don't need to crack Kemper code, as they are different products that both work really well.

    Karl

    Kemper Rack OS 10.2.2 - Mac Sonoma 14.5

    Quote from Grooguit

    I'd keep the profiling in a smaller version. I think there are a lot of kemper users and potential kemper users who would use the profiler as a dedicated amp and cab profiler and nothing else. Kind of like the market for the Strymon Iridium for players who want to use the KPA just for it's amp and cabs with their traditional pedal boards. Having the ins and outs so you can have stereo mains, monitors, headphones, and a post amp stereo effects loop.

    To me, the Quad is designed to do everything, so why make it so needlessly small with cramped switches?They could have added a few inches to the length and the thing would still fit inside a backpack, as it's currently inches smaller than a MacBook Pro. The small size is a bonus if you plan on using more than a couple dedicated pedals with it on a normal sized pedal board. But if you're using more than two mono external pedals, you're going to need more effect loops than the Quad comes with, otherwise manually having to tap dance on external effect pedals defeats the whole point of using a preset/snapshot system.

    That's the only reason to use a Floor-unit at all (QC or KPA) when it is necessary to use external pedals.

    For me - as a KPA-user since 2014 the nowaday's profiler-effects are so excellent, that I have no Need of external pedals. (though I still own three effect-boards in different sizes - just my reminiscent mood, thinkin of the good ol' Amp-times ;)

    Now I'm using a KPA-Rack-Version with remote for live-gigs and I'm VERY happy that I just have ONE CABLE (Remote -> KPA) lying (and trapping me) on the Floor. That's also my main reason against a Kemper-Stage or a QC (too much cable salad on stage).

    Soundwise reasons for changing to the QC also don't exist for my requirements. I can easily realize EVERY sound-idea with my KPAs (studio and live) due to the excellent and multiple effects an the Parameters of the amp-section (took a bit of time to get them known and using Right). Currently (and as I'd suppose for the next years) I cannot imagine a necessary System Change from the Profiler to a different Unit for me.

    Quote from Hurricane

    That's the only reason to use a Floor-unit at all (QC or KPA) when it is necessary to use external pedals.

    For me - as a KPA-user since 2014 the nowaday's profiler-effects are so excellent, that I have no Need of external pedals. (though I still own three effect-boards in different sizes - just my reminiscent mood, thinkin of the good ol' Amp-times ;)

    Now I'm using a KPA-Rack-Version with remote for live-gigs and I'm VERY happy that I just have ONE CABLE (Remote -> KPA) lying (and trapping me) on the Floor. That's also my main reason against a Kemper-Stage or a QC (too much cable salad on stage).

    Soundwise reasons for changing to the QC also don't exist for my requirements. I can easily realize EVERY sound-idea with my KPAs (studio and live) due to the excellent and multiple effects an the Parameters of the amp-section (took a bit of time to get them known and using Right). Currently (and as I'd suppose for the next years) I cannot imagine a necessary System Change from the Profiler to a different Unit for me.

    Indeed for me the CAT5 cable running to the remote makes it GOLD ... I don't want to mess with powercables, instrument cables,...

    Raf

    Kemper stage with 2 mission pedals (in a Thon line 6 FBV case) and a Zilla 212 (K-100/V30) , SD powerstage 700 poweramp

    Quote from PETERFR

    Yes and it still gets better and better! I wish other vendors release firmware updates (fixes and improvments!!!) after a so long time.
    Best investment ever!

    So true! Always getting better, and the Kemper Team continues to develop more tech like Imprints and stuff like the Kemper Kone and Kemper Kab, to further the sonic capabilites of the KPA. The fact that they've developed Imprints and the Kemper Kones, to allow the KPA to have full on "amp in the room" tone with the flexibility of Impulse Responses and an FRFR, is HUGE and it sets the KPA in another league in my opinion ?

    My problem is: The Kemper does everything I need, so how the hell can I keep supporting the company? Can't even buy a t-shirt :)

    Kemper PowerRack |Kemper Stage| Rivera 4x12 V30 cab | Yamaha DXR10 pair | UA Apollo Twin Duo | Adam A7X | Cubase DAW
    Fender Telecaster 62 re-issue chambered mahogany | Kramer! (1988 or so...) | Gibson Les Paul R7 | Fender Stratocaster HBS-1 Classic Relic Custom Shop | LTD EC-1000 Evertune | 1988 Desert Yellow JEM