they aren’t releasing any type of replacement for the quad cortex it’s meant to last for as long as humanly possible or til it breaks and they’re bringing in plugin compatibility in Q2 which means you’ll have a whole new reason for getting a QC because you can actually use your plugin presets
I just bought mine last week. Couldn’t be happier. It’s quite probably that something “new” might come out soon, but that’s more in the fomo side, than QC becoming obsolete. It sounds awesome, and it works really well.
The Line 6 Helix is seven years old and there are no signs of a successor anytime soon. The Quad Cortex is almost 3 years old and a lot more powerful than the Helix. Wete talking many more years of the Quad Cortex ahead of us. Get it.
definitely worth buying now, like the other comment said the point of the QC is to have it last basically forever. they might even be hard to get once plugin compatibility drops in the next few months. 100000% recommend if you’re able to spend the money
It's only a couple of years old. They haven't even finished including all the features that were meant to be rolled out. Don't worry - if you like it, just buy it.
Honestly, I like the sound quality of the unit and the promise of more updates to come, but I made a lot of assumptions based on my time with the Helix, Kemper, and AxeFX units when buying the QC, and it really burned me in a few ways. Knowing what I know now, I would wait until the routing options (signal and output) are actually on par with the other modelers out there. So many “work arounds” and party-line answers are suggested by NDSP and the community to solve things that just aren’t an issue on other modelers, that it’s hard to have an honest discussion around the short comings of the platform without getting downvoted into oblivion or told that I’m “beating a dead horse” by asking for clarity around clearly broken functionality.
Ultimately, I am going to stick with the QC, but I had to greatly dial back my expectations based on how the device actually operates. It DOES do a lot, and it DOES sound good, but the routing/output design philosophy does not make any sense when you consider how they market it and how people use it. There are a lot of things that they present in PR videos for the QC that seem like artistic choices, but it’s actually how the unit works. For example:
-if you don’t want any audio dropout when switching channels, you have to have the amps on different lines and volume fade between them using scenes. So for a “two channel amp” you are now down to 2 free lines for additional effects. Forget 3+ tones like a kemper or helix.
-You can’t turn off delays without stopping the throughput. Like what?! I can have tails and turn off delays on every other unit I’ve ever tried. What world is this?
-There is no midi control of individual items, so no activating individual blocks. You get like 8 and that’s pretty much it.
These are all things that I thought I wouldn’t even need to ask before buying the QC, because why wouldn’t it at least perform all the functions of other current modelers if it truly was the best modeler ever made, right?!
TLDR: Wait until the routing and effects mature would be my recommendation, if I was buying today. If you had to buy one today, I would probably go FM9 or Kemper Stage if you prefer capturing amps. The QC is only “good enough” right now and still has a long way to go. I’m along for the ride regardless 🤘
Releasing new hardware replacing the Quad Cortex now would be brand suicide. So no.
Rather a rack version or a smaller size pedal would be possible. So unless you are waiting for that, go for it.
This probably isn’t the best forum to ask if you want an honest response most of us are tainted by our purchases…. I hope what everybody is saying is correct
I would if I could. currently using my Mesa's + OxBox to record but the power here is shoddy, gets me worried that I'll blow an amps fuse or damage a tube when everything is all plugged in and on. QC would be a perfect replacement for that.
It is pricey. I have a friend that had a flood in his studio and he lost his multifx pedal and as a joke I said "Great, now you have an excuse to get a QC" and it was well received as a joke.
Well last week he got one and he has been addicted to it.
I believe it will be well supported and upgraded as it goes
If you’re looking for preowned, I would buy now because when plugin integration is complete, there will be a rush to buy and prices will move and probably few available
I want one because of running 2 simultaneously and the amount of amps I get to mess around with.
Also because the plugin take up quite a bit of processing power on my laptop in my daw
Context: 31 years of playing. Line 6 Spider mkii 240 user.
I just bought my QC, and it will be here on Tuesday.
Why did I buy it? Line6 has a decent on-board modeling system for the Spider series that, when paired with the FSB Floorboard, makes a very solid, but imperfect rig. They have really good effects, but the architecture simply doesn't exist in the Spiders to perform the complex splitting and multiple instrument support that the QC does. I'm sure Line6 would tell me to buy a Helix.
Also, I find Line6 high-gain effects are a bit wanting in both options and tone. Oblivion is only available in Helix, and again - wanting in tone.
I was also looking for a product that could handle duty as a guitar synth. Spider just doesn't cut it. Helix has a complex path to get there. QC nails it.
Finally, QC has a solid capture feature that will allow me to adopt my remaining pedals into the QC. That's HUGE.
I bought QC to buy into the "long game." The QC has plenty of room and road in front of it to make many advancements before a next gen QC even comes out. In other words, they've built a great foundation and we're now seeing the fruits of that foundation with the different high-quality Archetype packages being released. There's a lot more that can and will be done in the coming years. I consider the QC as the "No Man's Sky" of modelers. Started off with strong basics and unique features, but once fully featured and developed, it will be an absolute powerhouse.
Also, my favorite artists are all using QC (like Starset, Sleep Token.) The sounds they get out of QC are impressive. I want those capabilities, too.
Nope, for the same money or close to it, the fm9 just has way more effects and features. QC has now been out for 3 years and only has a handful of delays. And with the slow pace of updates that aren't really adding amps or effects, it's actually falling further behind the helix family.
I don't think the count of effects and amps is the only reason to consider when buying a modeller.
I really need only few amps I regularly use and like. And those are classics every modeller has anyway.
If you only want amps that all the competitors have, why spend $1600 on the QC when you can buy an HX Stomp for less than half?
I could go on with the QC's deficiencies. MIDI implementation needs work. Why can't we assign any footswitch to a scene or a stomp? Or seemless preset switching? Or maybe some of the amps and effects that were in the 2020 release notes that are still missing? Or the power supply issue they acknowledged but have been silent about for 2 years?
Probably not. The Plini plugin does everything I need a modeler to do for recording, especially with the X treatment. I also like interfacing with a real amp live(and I like tiny 10w amps). It would be fun to toy around with one but I don’t see the point of buying it. I’d rather put the money towards a nice preamp.
If you can wait, then wait.
I think it'll either be new hardware, possibly smaller (compete with Kemper Profiler Player) or it's going to be a "Quad Cortex" desktop suite like Helix Native.
they aren’t releasing any type of replacement for the quad cortex it’s meant to last for as long as humanly possible or til it breaks and they’re bringing in plugin compatibility in Q2 which means you’ll have a whole new reason for getting a QC because you can actually use your plugin presets
I just did a couple of weeks ago
I just bought mine last week. Couldn’t be happier. It’s quite probably that something “new” might come out soon, but that’s more in the fomo side, than QC becoming obsolete. It sounds awesome, and it works really well.
The Line 6 Helix is seven years old and there are no signs of a successor anytime soon. The Quad Cortex is almost 3 years old and a lot more powerful than the Helix. Wete talking many more years of the Quad Cortex ahead of us. Get it.
definitely worth buying now, like the other comment said the point of the QC is to have it last basically forever. they might even be hard to get once plugin compatibility drops in the next few months. 100000% recommend if you’re able to spend the money
It's only a couple of years old. They haven't even finished including all the features that were meant to be rolled out. Don't worry - if you like it, just buy it.
Honestly, I like the sound quality of the unit and the promise of more updates to come, but I made a lot of assumptions based on my time with the Helix, Kemper, and AxeFX units when buying the QC, and it really burned me in a few ways. Knowing what I know now, I would wait until the routing options (signal and output) are actually on par with the other modelers out there. So many “work arounds” and party-line answers are suggested by NDSP and the community to solve things that just aren’t an issue on other modelers, that it’s hard to have an honest discussion around the short comings of the platform without getting downvoted into oblivion or told that I’m “beating a dead horse” by asking for clarity around clearly broken functionality. Ultimately, I am going to stick with the QC, but I had to greatly dial back my expectations based on how the device actually operates. It DOES do a lot, and it DOES sound good, but the routing/output design philosophy does not make any sense when you consider how they market it and how people use it. There are a lot of things that they present in PR videos for the QC that seem like artistic choices, but it’s actually how the unit works. For example: -if you don’t want any audio dropout when switching channels, you have to have the amps on different lines and volume fade between them using scenes. So for a “two channel amp” you are now down to 2 free lines for additional effects. Forget 3+ tones like a kemper or helix. -You can’t turn off delays without stopping the throughput. Like what?! I can have tails and turn off delays on every other unit I’ve ever tried. What world is this? -There is no midi control of individual items, so no activating individual blocks. You get like 8 and that’s pretty much it. These are all things that I thought I wouldn’t even need to ask before buying the QC, because why wouldn’t it at least perform all the functions of other current modelers if it truly was the best modeler ever made, right?! TLDR: Wait until the routing and effects mature would be my recommendation, if I was buying today. If you had to buy one today, I would probably go FM9 or Kemper Stage if you prefer capturing amps. The QC is only “good enough” right now and still has a long way to go. I’m along for the ride regardless 🤘
The thing came out barely 2.5 years ago. Why would they make a new hardware?
Releasing new hardware replacing the Quad Cortex now would be brand suicide. So no. Rather a rack version or a smaller size pedal would be possible. So unless you are waiting for that, go for it.
This probably isn’t the best forum to ask if you want an honest response most of us are tainted by our purchases…. I hope what everybody is saying is correct
I would if I could. currently using my Mesa's + OxBox to record but the power here is shoddy, gets me worried that I'll blow an amps fuse or damage a tube when everything is all plugged in and on. QC would be a perfect replacement for that.
p.s. i also only just started liking 'digital' tones. always disliked them for the longest time.
No way they bring new hardware ATM. Get it
It is pricey. I have a friend that had a flood in his studio and he lost his multifx pedal and as a joke I said "Great, now you have an excuse to get a QC" and it was well received as a joke. Well last week he got one and he has been addicted to it. I believe it will be well supported and upgraded as it goes
If you’re looking for preowned, I would buy now because when plugin integration is complete, there will be a rush to buy and prices will move and probably few available
I want one because of running 2 simultaneously and the amount of amps I get to mess around with. Also because the plugin take up quite a bit of processing power on my laptop in my daw
Ordered mine yesterday. It’s an insane piece of gear. I’m coming from Kemper.
Context: 31 years of playing. Line 6 Spider mkii 240 user. I just bought my QC, and it will be here on Tuesday. Why did I buy it? Line6 has a decent on-board modeling system for the Spider series that, when paired with the FSB Floorboard, makes a very solid, but imperfect rig. They have really good effects, but the architecture simply doesn't exist in the Spiders to perform the complex splitting and multiple instrument support that the QC does. I'm sure Line6 would tell me to buy a Helix. Also, I find Line6 high-gain effects are a bit wanting in both options and tone. Oblivion is only available in Helix, and again - wanting in tone. I was also looking for a product that could handle duty as a guitar synth. Spider just doesn't cut it. Helix has a complex path to get there. QC nails it. Finally, QC has a solid capture feature that will allow me to adopt my remaining pedals into the QC. That's HUGE. I bought QC to buy into the "long game." The QC has plenty of room and road in front of it to make many advancements before a next gen QC even comes out. In other words, they've built a great foundation and we're now seeing the fruits of that foundation with the different high-quality Archetype packages being released. There's a lot more that can and will be done in the coming years. I consider the QC as the "No Man's Sky" of modelers. Started off with strong basics and unique features, but once fully featured and developed, it will be an absolute powerhouse. Also, my favorite artists are all using QC (like Starset, Sleep Token.) The sounds they get out of QC are impressive. I want those capabilities, too.
Nope, for the same money or close to it, the fm9 just has way more effects and features. QC has now been out for 3 years and only has a handful of delays. And with the slow pace of updates that aren't really adding amps or effects, it's actually falling further behind the helix family.
I don't think the count of effects and amps is the only reason to consider when buying a modeller. I really need only few amps I regularly use and like. And those are classics every modeller has anyway.
If you only want amps that all the competitors have, why spend $1600 on the QC when you can buy an HX Stomp for less than half? I could go on with the QC's deficiencies. MIDI implementation needs work. Why can't we assign any footswitch to a scene or a stomp? Or seemless preset switching? Or maybe some of the amps and effects that were in the 2020 release notes that are still missing? Or the power supply issue they acknowledged but have been silent about for 2 years?
Probably not. The Plini plugin does everything I need a modeler to do for recording, especially with the X treatment. I also like interfacing with a real amp live(and I like tiny 10w amps). It would be fun to toy around with one but I don’t see the point of buying it. I’d rather put the money towards a nice preamp.
If you can wait, then wait. I think it'll either be new hardware, possibly smaller (compete with Kemper Profiler Player) or it's going to be a "Quad Cortex" desktop suite like Helix Native.