Hi, looking for some advice as I am unable to try any of these devices in person before purchasing.
I am looking for a rig I can run off battery power (powered pedalboard/powerbank) for gigs that I cannot use AC power. As the title suggests, I am between a quad cortex as an all in one or tonex/uad dream with pedals. The amp I am trying to replicate is my Two Rock Traditional Clean.
I like the idea of running a proper pedalboard again, being able to add niche pedals that I like that aren't modeled in the quad cortex, but the complexity of a pedalboard and powering it does somewhat put me off. Right now the quad cortex seems like the simpler and safer option to go for, but I want to get some opinions before I take the plunge.
Thanks!
Quad Cortex vs Tonex vs UAD Pedal for portable rig.
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- KVRAF
- 15132 posts since 26 Jun, 2006 from San Francisco Bay Area
I picked none of those, though I think all of those have merit depending on your needs. From what I’ve heard, Tonex seems to do the best captures, but there seems to be a bit of trial and error with getting a good capture. I’ve never done it. The Quad Cortex isn’t bad, and also has modeling and various effects and a much more complete rig replacement than the Tonex pedal. If you’ve ever enjoyed multiple amp setups, the Tonex will fail you.
I went for an HX Stomp XL because I find the models to be as good sounding as captures. Are they “accurate?” I don’t care. I just want a sound I love, and I get it. The effects are varied and good, and I can do all sorts of fun routing. There’s a great software editor, or I can mimic my patches using Helix Native, which came free with the pedal.
I went for an HX Stomp XL because I find the models to be as good sounding as captures. Are they “accurate?” I don’t care. I just want a sound I love, and I get it. The effects are varied and good, and I can do all sorts of fun routing. There’s a great software editor, or I can mimic my patches using Helix Native, which came free with the pedal.
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- KVRAF
- 5214 posts since 6 May, 2002
More than one Guitarist will tell you a properly done ToneX capture can be virtually indistinguishable from a rig during blind A/B. Its remarkable what IK has achieved for the price point.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BuBHeElcciw
The consensus is IK has hit a homerun. The part where ToneX may fall short is if you're intent on Send/Return FX Loops or the ability to adjust AMP parameters like Liquid Profiling. For modelling I like alot of what Overloud TH-U offers Also for portability they run on Ipad tablets.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BuBHeElcciw
The consensus is IK has hit a homerun. The part where ToneX may fall short is if you're intent on Send/Return FX Loops or the ability to adjust AMP parameters like Liquid Profiling. For modelling I like alot of what Overloud TH-U offers Also for portability they run on Ipad tablets.
Intel Core2 Quad CPU + 4 GIG RAM
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- KVRist
- Topic Starter
- 150 posts since 16 Aug, 2022
Awesome, thanks! Do you happen to know how Neural captures stack up to the IK stuff?electro wrote: ↑Sat Nov 25, 2023 5:06 am More than one Guitarist will tell you a properly done ToneX capture can be virtually indistinguishable from a rig during blind A/B. Its remarkable what IK has achieved for the price point.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BuBHeElcciw
The consensus is IK has hit a homerun. The part where ToneX may fall short is if you're intent on Send/Return FX Loops or the ability to adjust AMP parameters like Liquid Profiling. For modelling I like alot of what Overloud TH-U offers Also for portability they run on Ipad tablets.
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- KVRAF
- 5214 posts since 6 May, 2002
Neural is open source and integrated into the MGuitarArchitect plugin by Melda. IK hit a homerun where ToneX was good enough to fool the experienced guitarist with both feel and tone. The plugin latency could be lower than the pedal with the right ASIO interface. A Presonus Quantum can make both Amplitube 5 and TH-U feel like playing through hardware.
Intel Core2 Quad CPU + 4 GIG RAM
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- KVRAF
- 10692 posts since 31 Aug, 2013 from Somewhere near the Morgul Vale.
My Surfybear reverb tank finally brings IK's Tonex to a new level of hyper-realism I'd always hoped for.
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- KVRist
- 215 posts since 5 Jul, 2019
With the latest round of updates, I'd go for a HX Stomp for a pedalboard amp. Their effects have increased in quality over time, the cabinet IRs (and way you work with them) is a vast improvement over the 1.0/2.0 days.
I've also got a UAFX Lion that I keep in the room where the Axe FX isn't located - it sounds really good but the phone app (that you need to access presets that go beyond the controls or to jump channels/turn the bright cap on/off) is a PITA. It arrived a few days before the latest Helix update (I've got Helix Native) that added the new and improved JCM800. The low input on a 800 is one of my favorite clean amps (neck and neck with the Super Bass on the Lion) so I probably would have gotten the Stomp instead.
I've also got a UAFX Lion that I keep in the room where the Axe FX isn't located - it sounds really good but the phone app (that you need to access presets that go beyond the controls or to jump channels/turn the bright cap on/off) is a PITA. It arrived a few days before the latest Helix update (I've got Helix Native) that added the new and improved JCM800. The low input on a 800 is one of my favorite clean amps (neck and neck with the Super Bass on the Lion) so I probably would have gotten the Stomp instead.
