A power switch that never breaks - Quad Cortex Development Update #2

Formerly Quad Cortex Development Update - May 2020

We’ve packed a lot of new features into Quad Cortex since our last update back in March. The team has transitioned into remote work fantastically, and development is moving ahead at full speed.

Neural Capture

Neural Capture is running on Quad Cortex. We previously tested Neural Capture in our development framework. We took the Neural Capture algorithms to a recording studio, before the COVID-19 lockdown, and tested Neural Capture against a handful of analog components with excellent results. Since then, we have ported the technology to a Quad Cortex unit, and the results are astonishing! Quad Cortex is perfectly capturing the tones & characteristics of everything we throw at it, including signal chains with multiple overdrive pedals.

Capacitive Power Switch

We heard the requests from a lot of users for a power switch, but we didn’t want to add a new mechanical component to the chassis. Our capacitive power switch allows for powering on/off the unit with a simple touch gesture, making the power switch unbreakable. This provides a refined user experience, and the switch self calibrates after every use. In a scenario that would be catastrophic for a regular mechanical switch, the sensor will continue to function. 

Improved Audio Converters

High fidelity audio is at the core of everything Neural DSP does. We’ve spent a lot of time improving the audio converters on the Quad Cortex to achieve a lower noise floor and higher dynamic range. These improvements affect the sounds of the digital models available on the Quad Cortex, but also the performance when using the unit as an audio interface.

Expression Pedals

The Quad Cortex features two expression pedal inputs, allowing for ultimate control over tone articulation. We have completed the development for these, and the range of expression pedals we have tested have controlled the variable parameters flawlessly.

MIDI Over USB

MIDI is supported over a single USB cable, allowing you to send and receive MIDI data from your DAW as well as within the Cortex Desktop Controller. The MIDI connection can run concurrently with Class 2.0 USB-Audio.

Adaptive Gate

The adaptive gate regulates time constants depending on the dynamics of your playing, allowing for a more natural and precise action.

Tap Tempo

Accessible through the Quad Cortex’s beautiful UI, tap tempo gives you complete control over all of the unit’s time-based effects. We are still on track to meet our manufacturing and pre-order deadlines. Find out more about Quad Cortex here.