Laptop vs Quad Cortex

[drb]

With the laptop option you can also get a loadbox and use your amps as well as any plugins.

However, I'm not sure why you'd want to go for a Macbook Air; the whole "Macs are for creatives" is a bit of a meme that doesn't necessarily hold up in my experience. I'm not saying that from some anti-Apple point of view, I'm thoroughly in the Apple ecosystem but also use Windows and Linux regularly, too. You can probably get a significantly more powerful laptop for the money, even if you go for one of the other premium brands like Dell XPS or Lenovo Thinkpad. Also, contrary to above, I've seen there have been compatibility issues with Apple silicon and so would be apprehensive about getting an M1/2 Mac until it is thoroughly supported.

I'm also in support of the laptop + HX Stomp solution. It can work as an interface for plugins, has lots of modelling with Helix, and you can use your amps with a loadbox instead of an amp block. That's exactly what I do and I love the workflow.

 

[trem licking]

The latency will always be higher, there's no way around it. Personally I don't find it to be any sort of deal breaker, but if you compare VST sims vs a hardware modeler, the difference is there.

You could always split the difference by buying something like a Macbook Air and a Line6 HX Stomp. It can work as your audio interface and double as an effects box for your tube amps. You can also buy the Helix Native plugin at a discounted price.

Willing to bet you wouldn't be able to detect the "extra latency" in a blind jam. Not an attack, but latency is not there on anything remotely modern

 

[Shask]

I also agree Reactive Load since you already have the amps. It will sound/feel better most likely, and give you a lot of flexibility, as you can run it into a SS poweramp if you use cabs, can run into computer for recording, or headphones, or whatever.

I recently got a Fractal LB-2, and it is sounding great with my amps, and then running that signal into modelers for effects and speaker sims.

 

[laxu]

Willing to bet you wouldn't be able to detect the "extra latency" in a blind jam. Not an attack, but latency is not there on anything remotely modern

I believe I would be able to detect it as long as I'm playing. It's subtle but it's there. I'm not saying it's like "oh no, I can't play this" latency, just that you can feel it compared to playing a tube amp or a hardware modeler that has almost non-existent latency.

Maybe you can get it low enough to match the hardware units if you have a very top tier audio interface.

 

[kentheterrible]

With the laptop option you can also get a loadbox and use your amps as well as any plugins.

However, I'm not sure why you'd want to go for a Macbook Air; the whole "Macs are for creatives" is a bit of a meme that doesn't necessarily hold up in my experience. I'm not saying that from some anti-Apple point of view, I'm thoroughly in the Apple ecosystem but also use Windows and Linux regularly, too. You can probably get a significantly more powerful laptop for the money, even if you go for one of the other premium brands like Dell XPS or Lenovo Thinkpad. Also, contrary to above, I've seen there have been compatibility issues with Apple silicon and so would be apprehensive about getting an M1/2 Mac until it is thoroughly supported.

I'm also in support of the laptop + HX Stomp solution. It can work as an interface for plugins, has lots of modelling with Helix, and you can use your amps with a loadbox instead of an amp block. That's exactly what I do and I love the workflow.

I typically go Apple because my experience with them outside of this specific application I have no experience with is that they're excellently reliable and not fussy. I could be mistaken in this case but yes.

 

[kentheterrible]

I also agree Reactive Load since you already have the amps. It will sound/feel better most likely, and give you a lot of flexibility, as you can run it into a SS poweramp if you use cabs, can run into computer for recording, or headphones, or whatever.

I recently got a Fractal LB-2, and it is sounding great with my amps, and then running that signal into modelers for effects and speaker sims.

The main issue I can think of for that use case is portability. i.e. dragging those heavy AF amps around the house when I attempt to relocate myself opportunistically.

 

[budda]

The main issue I can think of for that use case is portability. i.e. dragging those heavy AF amps around the house when I attempt to relocate myself opportunistically.

Fm3. And with your budget, buy two used ones and take the family out to dinner with the leftovers.

 

[Shask]

The main issue I can think of for that use case is portability. i.e. dragging those heavy AF amps around the house when I attempt to relocate myself opportunistically.

Buy a Nux Mighty Plug. $80.

Awesome for what it is. I use one when I play around on the couch or whatever, or stay in a hotel for work.

 

[kentheterrible]

Fm3. And with your budget, buy two used ones and take the family out to dinner with the leftovers.

I'm leaning that way heavily. Need to watch some tutorials.

Buy a Nux Mighty Plug. $80.

Awesome for what it is. I use one when I play around on the couch or whatever, or stay in a hotel for work.

I'll check em out.

 

[Shask]

I'm leaning that way heavily. Need to watch some tutorials.


I'll check em out.

The Mighty Plug is pretty killer for something simple where you can sit on your porch, or couch, or whatever and play with headphones. Just plug it into your guitar, and then edit with your phone. I think there is a new version called the Mightier Plug that lets you move blocks and upload IRs.

You can even jam with Spotify or Youtube or whatever. Save 8 sounds.

Its not going to sound like a Fractal or Neural or whatever, but it is pretty killer for what it is, and what it cost.

 

[kentheterrible]

The Mighty Plug is pretty killer for something simple where you can sit on your porch, or couch, or whatever and play with headphones. Just plug it into your guitar, and then edit with your phone. I think there is a new version called the Mightier Plug that lets you move blocks and upload IRs.

You can even jam with Spotify or Youtube or whatever. Save 8 sounds.

Its not going to sound like a Fractal or Neural or whatever, but it is pretty killer for what it is, and what it cost.

Fair, I had a Katana Air that was good from an easy to make electric guitar noises but I ended up selling it because I couldn't get the sound I wanted out of it. If I don't like the sound, I just don't want to play as much. That alone may make the pricier options "worth it" for me. We shall see. The idea of recording riffs and such may get me pointed towards a laptop rig, I'm still not just completely sold one way or the other. I think I'm looking at a FM3 vs the laptop rig at the moment. Maybe some Labor Day deals will sway me.

 

[michael_bolton]

Willing to bet you wouldn't be able to detect the "extra latency" in a blind jam. Not an attack, but latency is not there on anything remotely modern

Depending on the plugin - I have a reasonably tricked out 4yr old MBP (3.5GHz I7, 16GB) - with something like nameless or SLO plugins - I defo have to just about quit all other apps other than a DAW if I want decent latency.

 

[J3rryAttrick]

As an owner of multiple tube amps AND a QC, I vote QC. I bring my KSR PA50 with me and QC on the road, and being able to "capture" my amps has been beyond awesome, and I've gotten way better results with QC's capture than I did with the Kemper. Something just feels different to me. I can't hear it in playback as much, but just "feel" it. Anyways, I vote QC and already ordered a backup for myself.

 

[kentheterrible]

As an owner of multiple tube amps AND a QC, I vote QC. I bring my KSR PA50 with me and QC on the road, and being able to "capture" my amps has been beyond awesome, and I've gotten way better results with QC's capture than I did with the Kemper. Something just feels different to me. I can't hear it in playback as much, but just "feel" it. Anyways, I vote QC and already ordered a backup for myself.

Damn son, a backup?! Pretty strong endorsement! I'll keep thinking though it. A Fractal FM3 and a refurb M1 Macbook Air or a QC...

 

[Woden]

Been thinking about getting a better bedroom setup for jamming. I’ve got lots of tube amps that I don’t want to get rid of but at some point with the wife and kids, it would be cool to be able to just jam with headphones. So here’s what I’m seeing at the option.

1. MacBook Air w/ nice DAC and plugins ~$1,600
2. Quad Cortex or similar ~$2k


I don’t plan on paying live. I like the idea of the QC and ability to capture stuff I have and love already. The layout and controls seem good too. I don’t really care too much about recording. Really I think I’m stuck with the other functionality of a laptop vs the captures/feature depth of the QC. Am I overthinking it for the $400-500 difference? Send it to a QC or save some bucks and get a MBA?

Search for Cortex A9 processors for sale, you will see that they only cost 10 quid. I think the Quad Cortex uses an A5 even. What they're selling to you a proprietary circuit with a massive markup and then laughably you have to buy the software anyway. Sort of scam. That being said, DSP takes the line directly from an analogue to digital converter and has hardware for dealing with the sound, as for whether a 500mhz processor with dsp is going to even match a 3.7ghz i5 or whatever is down to whoever wants to benchmark it.
At the end of the day, a computer is going to have a lot of other functionality in it than just loading proprietary dsp code. You could build a monster rig with 3.7ghz if you skip the idea of a laptop and build a desktop rig instead. If you build it with a small form factor it should be fine for lugging around, you can always waste your money on a macbook air if you want to but the price for performance ratio is never going to be worth it, everybody knows that.
The Neural DSP is an outdated smartphone that loads some proprietary code, you sure that's worth 2k and is not just an overhyped bullshit product for consumer Zoomers?

 

[nickgray]

1. MacBook Air w/ nice DAC and plugins ~$1,600
2. Quad Cortex or similar ~$2k

Why these specific choices though?

You don't need a DAC either, these days DAC means external audio card for "consumer" use. Professional audio cards are called audio interfaces, the "professional" means that they can be used with very low latencies and they'll typical have preamps, maybe a headphone amp, balanced I/O, high impedance inputs, stuff like that. For Windows OS it also means supporting the ASIO protocol (that's the low audio latency solution for Windows), for MacOS, uhhhh, I've no idea what goes on there.

In general, VSTs are more finicky to set up and you won't get ultra low 2ms latency like the hardware units can give you, unless you splurge for an RME interface (even then I think only PCIe cards can get this low). Latency isn't just latency either, if you're planning on recording it means you'll have to deal with a very low buffer size while tracking, which gives you way less CPU time to work with. You'll have to buy a separate MIDI foot switcher if you're planning on switching channels/effects, it'll be a pain to set up, and it won't be as versatile (unless you're willing to fiddle with the setup really hard).

Hardware modelers are rock solid and stable, and they're completely independent from the quirks of your audio interface and buffer size. Foot switches are built in in case of floor units, and setting everything up is a breeze.

For jamming with headphones a Macbook or Quad Cortex are ridiculous overkills. You can get an HX Stomp and just use its stereo send/return to plug in your mp3 player (man, mp3 players, those were the days...).

 

[ATRguitar91]

I'm going to join in with the others and endorse getting a much cheaper laptop. Unless you specifically need a top of the line Mac, I'd get a used Windows laptop. I see really well specced units selling for pennies locally. A lot of people loaded up on tech during the lockdowns and now they're parting ways with it. I only buy used laptops and I've never had one fail on me. Just throw an SSD in there if it doesn't have one and you're set.

My vote would be to get a cheaper laptop and a hardware modeler to go with it for max versatility. I really enjoy playing with my collection of plugins, but 99% of the time I just turn on my HX Stomp and get to riffing. Since you've already got a nice amp collection, the capture feature of the QC makes it an easy choice, but if you're not interested in doing captures you can't really go wrong with any of the big three: AxeFx, Helix, or QC.

 

[kentheterrible]

I'm going to join in with the others and endorse getting a much cheaper laptop. Unless you specifically need a top of the line Mac, I'd get a used Windows laptop. I see really well specced units selling for pennies locally. A lot of people loaded up on tech during the lockdowns and now they're parting ways with it. I only buy used laptops and I've never had one fail on me. Just throw an SSD in there if it doesn't have one and you're set.

My vote would be to get a cheaper laptop and a hardware modeler to go with it for max versatility. I really enjoy playing with my collection of plugins, but 99% of the time I just turn on my HX Stomp and get to riffing. Since you've already got a nice amp collection, the capture feature of the QC makes it an easy choice, but if you're not interested in doing captures you can't really go wrong with any of the big three: AxeFx, Helix, or QC.

I'm thinking a refurb M1 MBA, they're like $1k which isn't crazy high imo for a computer that very compatible with other tech thingies we've got in the house and my wife could use. I absolutely will not argue against the value proposition of pure power per dollar, I know Mac gets destroyed the and PC is king. I like the capture side for sure, just don't know if that's worth the $1k premium vs FM3 or the others at the $1k mark. Refurb MBA and FM3 I think should cover everything and allow my wife to do picture/video/design stuff when she gets motivated to do such things without my having to be tech support too frequently.

 

[Elric]

Fm3. And with your budget, buy two used ones and take the family out to dinner with the leftovers.

If you buy a Fractal product you'll still have to buy a laptop because that is the only way to edit anything on that God-awful interface, LOL. And I say this as a huge Fractal fan. (Own: Axe III, FM3, Axe II).

 

[kentheterrible]

If you buy a Fractal product you'll still have to buy a laptop because that is the only way to edit anything on that God-awful interface, LOL. And I say this as a huge Fractal fan. (Own: Axe III, FM3, Axe II).

LOL! Yeah, that's the rub for sure... I think for the price of the QC I can get a FM3 and a laptop to dial in the sounds I like and maybe do some minor tweaks on the FM3 itself.