NAMM 2020: Neural DSP promises “the most powerful floor modeler unit on the planet” with the Quad Cortex

NAMM 2020: In one of the biggest surprises of the show (before it even starts), Helsinki, Finland-based plugin darling Neural DSP has turned its hand to hardware with the Quad Cortex amp modeler and multi-effects.

Promising more processing power than its rivals, the Quad Cortex boasts 2GHz of dedicated SHARC and dual ARM DSP, which Neural DSP claims will result in improved sound quality and more simultaneous amp models, effects, routing and sound-shaping capabilities.

A 7” multi-touch screen is teamed with proprietary rotary footswitch controls and the ability to run four rigs simultaneously.

Neural DSP is best known for its highly lauded plugins, as used by Tosin Abasi, ‘Nolly’ Getgood and Plini, so this move into hardware is a major shake-up for the floor-based amp-modeler market - even if that screen looks awfully similar to Line’s Helix.

There’s no price confirmed yet, but the Quad Cortex will be up for limited pre-order at Neural DSP, and available later this year.