Everything At A Glance
At NAMM 2026, Neural DSP unveiled the Quad Cortex mini, a condensed version of their highly praised Quad Cortex. While less than 50% of the original’s size, the mini features the same internal computing power, a new 7” touch screen, and other smaller changes.
In this review, we’ll be taking a look at the little powerhouse and how it fits into an electronic music producer’s workflow.
Some background context
I’ve been making music for 15 years now, and playing guitar for 23 (which doesn’t feel right to write), and have owned a variety of guitar and amp setups. Although my focus shifted from guitar to electronic music, and despite selling my half stack, playing guitar has always been something I’ve held on to. Nearly 6 years ago, I bought an Axe FX 2 XL to restart my guitar journey.
As great a machine as it is, the workflow is clunky, and the tones feel very dated.
I mention this because when I was given a demo of Quad Cortex mini, it felt extremely refreshing and modern. Simple workflows, intuitive controls, and instant results stood out most.
During the demo, I was surprised by the quality of the effects, as previous experiences with the Axe FX sounded a bit cheap and flat. After expressing my surprise, the representative mentioned that their designer actually came from a large company specializing in analog synths and top-notch software. Makes sense. The rep then mentioned he occasionally used it as an FX channel strip.
That got me thinking about how something like this could fit into a modern techno producer’s workflow. What if I used this as an external effect and sent all my gear to it? Spoiler: it’s sick.
The technical stuff
Inputs
- Input 1: 1/4″ TS instrument.
- Input 2 / Capture Input: combo XLR + 1/4″ TRS, dedicated level control, phantom power (mic or instrument), also used for captures.
Outputs
- 2x balanced XLR outs (Outs 1/2).
- 2x 1/4″ TS outs (Outs 3/4).
- Headphone out: 1/8″ TRS.
FX loops
- “Dual effects loops” but implemented with shared TRS send and TRS return.
- TS cable = Loop 1 only.
- To access both loops, you need TRS insert cables (TRS to dual TS).
USB
- Works as a USB Audio class-compliant interface via USB-C, 24-bit / 48 kHz, 8 in/out.
MIDI + expression
- MIDI in/out/thru on 1/8″ TRS Type-A, plus MIDI over USB.
- Expression: one 1/4″ TRS expression input, second expression available via MIDI.
Power
- 12V DC, 1.2A, center-negative, locking 2.1/5.5mm connector; PSU included, plus non-locking adapter for standard pedalboard supplies.
WIFI Connectivity
- Built-in Wi-Fi and Cortex Cloud integration; download content, update firmware, and manage wirelessly.
- Presets/backups move between QC mini and full QC.
Small size, big sound
As mentioned, Neural went with the “less is more” approach on the mini.
Many times, when a company creates a smaller version of a flagship model, you tend to get a lot of compromises. While the mini has 7 fewer footswitches, Neural has compensated by turning the 4 it does have into multi-use ones. The same goes for the ins/outs. The mini features combined send and return ports, swaps full-sized MIDI ports for 3.5m jacks, loses one of the expression outputs, but gains USB-C, and changes input 1 from a combo input to solely a 1/4” port.
Otherwise, the mini is exactly the same. The minor changes have brought greater portability, perfect for those with compact spaces or live rig setups. The dual outputs and routing options allow you to run two separate signal paths, giving you the flexibility to use the mini as a single unit for both your guitar and mic or other source.
One of the company’s defining features is Neural Capture.
This is essentially how the company became the giant it is today. The Cortex has this on board, which makes this unit different from a typical modeler. In short, it can capture all of your amps, cabs, and also gain-staging pieces like drive pedals and compressors, allowing you to take a snapshot of your full rig setup at home, and any variations of it, but only have to take the Cortex to your gigs.
If you thought carrying records to a gig was a pain, it pales in comparison to moving full amp stacks and drum kits around just to practice at your friend’s house or actual gigs. Hurts my back to even think about those days…
There are two different versions. Capture V1 runs on-device and offline. V2 is processed through Cortex Cloud and is aimed at more touch-sensitive, dynamic sources, which Neural DSP specifically highlights improved realism for things like fuzz, compressors, and dynamic tube amps, including behaviors such as volume cleanup and transient response.
Real-world usage
My current setup consists of two guitars, a bass, a few synthesizers, and a drum machine. One of my synths already has a delay and chorus, but it sounds incredible when I add reverb to it. Trying all the different effects on the Cortex was extremely easy and straightforward. Admittedly, I didn’t go too deep into each effect because the library is extensive. 90+ amps, 100+ effects, 1000+ IRs, and 2000+ Captures.
Even without diving too deep, they all sound great. Running the synths through the wide variety of reverbs, delays, choruses, etc., while adding real amp distortion and compression to drums, adds a very unique feel that I then layered in the mix. Changing up from my usual set of plugins, I was pleased with the results. Each plugin has a two-page screen with all the essential parameters ready for tweaking.
It actually feels like a DAW. Moving modules around is effortless with the large 7″ touchscreen. Each of the four stomp switches is also a rotary encoder, making navigation and editing a breeze. This is where things can get pretty crazy, though. You can switch between 4 presets per page, but per preset, you can utilize 8 different “scenes” or variations of that preset. You can also move between different banks by pressing multiple switches at once, giving you access to over 3000 presets.
Some of my favorite effects were the Retro and Dream choruses and the new Blossom and Studio Plate 70. The Bloom reverb is modeled after the Strymon Bigsky mode of the same name. They also included a Lexicon PCM70 Rich Plate-inspired effect in the latest CorOS 4 update.
With this being made for guitars, and my roots in hardcore, I had no choice but to get some chug chugs going. The amp sim options are immense, and the flexibility when dialing in your tone is beyond impressive. When editing a cab, you can actually move the mic position around the speaker, adjust the distance to the cone, choose between 6 different mic types, and pan them.
And you can do all that with two separate instances per cab module, allowing endless tweaking and tone shaping. IF that’s still not enough, by connecting to your Cloud account, you can download even more user-generated presets, alongside the company’s flagship plugins, which include rig emulations from artists like John Mayer, Tom Morello, Tim Henson, and many others. At the time of this writing, the latest plugins aren’t available on-unit yet, but will be soon.
Neural also offers a vocal plugin called Mantra, but that’s its own world, according to the company.
Final verdict on the Neural DSP Quad Cortex Mini
As polarizing as music technology can be, some innovations over the past few years have been truly groundbreaking. I put the Quad Cortex mini into that basket.
As much as I still fantasize about having a full Mesa Triple Rectifier stack in my studio, the thought of ever transporting something like that almost kills the dream. Having access to literally thousands of different amps and effects that actually sound amazing is something my younger self could have never dreamed of.
There aren’t many callouts of the unit that I can think of, other than maybe having the two inputs closer together might have been nice, but for as complex a unit as it can be, Neural has made an extremely intuitive product that allows you to go as deep and precise as you want, or not. To me, that’s the sign of real innovation.
I can’t fully speak to the durability of the mini since it’s only ever been in my studio, but the build quality feels very rugged, and I don’t see normal use being any problem. From a marketing standpoint, I was surprised to see someone like John Mayer come on board, but that obviously shows the level of quality Neural’s products have.
As I continue to work on my first album, I can assure you the Quad Cortex mini will be all over it.
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