devices · Nano Cortex · learn · 05 of 10 · 6 min
the cab sim rule
the one thing
Cab sim on for anything full-range, off for anything that ends in a real guitar speaker. Nothing else fixes the tone while this is wrong.
the rule
The IR Loader is a speaker cabinet simulation. A guitar speaker is a drastic filter: it rolls off everything above roughly 5 kHz. Without one, a distorted amp signal sounds like a wasp in a tin.
If the end of your chain is full-range (headphones, studio monitors, an FRFR, front of house, your DAW), the Nano has to supply the speaker. Turn the cab sim on.
If the end of your chain is a real guitar speaker, it already does that job. Turn the cab sim off.
how to turn it off
Turn Footswitch II past the last IR slot until no indicators are lit. That position is bypass.
The app’s settings also have a global IR bypass. Since NanOS 2.1.0 you can bypass it per output, so one jack can feed a real cab while the other sends a cab-simmed signal to front of house.
Turning the IR off often causes clipping. The IR’s low-pass was managing level as well as tone, so removing it sends a hotter, full-range signal downstream. Pull per-preset capture volume down, and add a Low-High Cut EQ in a post slot to replace the filtering.
Forum: Nano Cortex into front of amp · Forum: turn off cab simthe double-cab problem
Captures come in two kinds, and the pedal doesn’t tell you which one you have.
A capture taken from a mic’d cabinet has the cabinet baked in for good. Run the IR Loader on top and you have two speakers in series, which owners describe as “very boxed in”.
A capture taken from an amp head through a load box has no cabinet. Bypass the IR on that and you get the raspy, fizzy sound of an amp with no speaker.
Sounds bad with the IR Loader off: the capture probably has no cab. Sounds bad with the IR Loader on: it probably includes one.
Forum: amp + cab capturesprefer amp-only captures
Where you have the choice, pick amp-only captures. Neural DSP say they are easier to tame and give more variation from the cab and IR settings, because you still choose the speaker, microphone and position.
An amp-and-cab capture is one fixed decision about all three, made by a stranger.
which rig, which setting
The wizard below resolves every destination to concrete settings, including the warnings that matter for each one.
rig setup
leave it on
You're feeding a full-range system, so the Nano Cortex has to supply the speaker.
the simplest setup, and a good one for day one.
- 01Guitar INPUT
Instrument cable
- 02HP OUTPUT Headphones
3.5 mm · bring an adapter
- IR Loader
- On
- Pick a cab you like. The cab is most of your tone.
- headphone volume
- HP OUT knob on the rear
- Independent of the LEVEL knob.
- effects
- Prefer the (ST) stereo delay and reverb variants
- Noticeably better in headphones.
- Andertons spec sheet · Sound On Sound review
The headphone jack is 3.5 mm, not quarter-inch. Bring an adapter for quarter-inch headphones.
If it sounds thin, you're hearing a close-mic'd cab with no room in front of it. Add a little Room reverb, choose an IR position further from the cone, and low-cut around 80 Hz rather than boosting bass.
Creating Neural Captures on Nano Cortex · Forum: lush clean presetsPowering over USB while nothing else is patched in rarely hums. The noise usually appears only once you connect to other gear.
Nano Cortex power sources · Forum: background noise