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Neural Nano Cortex Review – Been hyped up so much, but is it that good?
Introduction
This is a huge review today! Something I have wanted to try for ages – the Neural Nano Cortex! It was a major release for Neural and, at the time, quite controversial. However, I have recently got one, been using it for rehearsals, recording, and general messing around, and thought it was time to put our thoughts together!
I was excited to try out not only the amp and cab simulation but also the amp capture feature – capturing some of my tube amps and comparing them. There are so many features that I feel I would use! This is the key detail: it contains features that I feel would actually be useful.
Before we dive into the Neural Nano Cortex, we want to say that we bought this unit ourselves. We didn’t receive any discount or input from Neural at all. We paid full price for the Nano Cortex because we genuinely wanted to try it and were interested in what it’s like. With that said, let’s dive into the Neural Nano Cortex and what it does!
Neural Nano Cortex
So, why don’t we go over what the Neural Nano Cortex is! The Neural Nano Cortex is an amp, cab, and effects simulator that delivers studio-grade audio whenever you need it. The Nano Cortex uses Neural capture technology to deliver a realistic, amp-like feel right at your feet. Combine this with a whole host of built-in effects, and you can build entire rigs in a matter of minutes! The Nano Cortex started as a device for capturing tube amps and using them in your rig. However, it has now evolved into a fully fledged modelling device – essentially a more streamlined, stripped-down Quad Cortex.
Presets can use up to 7 effects blocks consisting of amp, cab, overdrives, fuzzes, modulation, and more. You can split these between pre and post effects. These can then be saved onto the device and recalled using one of the two switches (which allow 2 presets per footswitch). You can save up to 64 presets on the device and recall them using the footswitches, the app, or a MIDI switcher.
Let’s talk about the controls – because dang, this thing has a lot of them! So let’s start with all the knobs and switches on top, then we’ll go over the inputs, outputs, and switches on the sides and back. Brace yourself… there’s a lot to go through!
So let us go through the controls on the top of the Nano Cortex:
The Knobs
Gain: This controls the Gain amount on the current amp capture
Bass: Allows you to alter the Bass frequencies on the amp capture
Mid: Allows you to alter the Middle frequencies on the amp capture
Treble: Allows you to alter the Treble frequencies on the amp capture
Amount: Alters a variable on the currently selected effect
Level: Adjusts the output volume through the outputs on the back of the unit (not the headphone output).
Switches
Bank: This alters which bank of captures you are on. The LED will cycle through to show you which of the 5 banks is selected.
Exit: This will exit out of any sub-category you are in. For example if you are in capture mode, it will return you back to standard mode.
Capture: This will switch the device into capture mode, allowing you to capture any amp you want to.
Save: This will save any changes you have made to the current preset.
FX: This cycles through the FX slots in your preset. Allowing you to adjust the level using the “amount” knob.
Left Foot switch: Pressing this will allow you to switch between two presets. You can also rotate the switch to cycle through the capture banks.
Right Foot switch: This will select between another two presets. You can also rotate it to cycle through the IR Captures on the preset.
Final Controls!
Let us move our attention to the sides and back of the device now:
Boost: This is used to increase the I put gain of the capture device.
Capture Input: the input signal from you capture device, could be a Microphone, XLR output from Load box or 1/4 from a pedal.
Input: This is the main input. Where you would plug your guitar in.
Output 1L: This is your main output, If you are running mono you would use this output
Output 2R/Capture Out: This is your Second output for stereo and it is also used as your capture out when capturing.
GND Lift: This is a Ground lift switch to eliminate hum
EXP/MIDI: 1/4 inch jack input to control the Nano Cortex with an Expression pedal or MIDI controller
Headphone: A headphone output jack
Headphone Volume: Controls the headphone out volume, This is separate to the Level control.
USB-C: To connect to a computer if needed and also power the unit with USB C
Power: A Power jack input to power the unit
More on the Neural Nano Cortex
There are loads of useful features that the Nano Cortex offers. For example, using the USB-C port on the back of the unit, you can use the Nano Cortex as a low-latency USB audio interface for recording directly into your DAW. It also has a built-in tuner that you can access either by using the LED indicators around the main knob on the device or via the app. It also contains Neural’s advanced transpose feature, meaning you can alter the tuning of your guitar without needing to change instruments.
Another huge feature of the Nano Cortex is its capturing technology. However, this is a whole other subject, so we will be putting out another article dedicated entirely to this feature. In that piece, we’ll be able to go into much more detail. If that article has already been released, we’ll add the link below at the end of this review.
The Neural Nano Cortex weighs just 620g and can be powered using a 9–12V power supply (600mA) or USB-C from the wall or a power bank. You can currently buy the Nano Cortex online for around £400.
The Sounds
For the video, we first show off the pedal in two demo songs – one with a big, stereo delay and gain sound, and the second with more of a blues tone: medium gain with a touch of reverb. This demonstrates both how “simple” the sounds can be and how complex you can make them.
We also go through some of the built-in presets that come with the Nano Cortex, covering both clean and gain tones. Finally, we create a custom preset with the Neural Nano Cortex, showing you the full process of getting a clean tone and a gain tone using the app.
All sounds were recorded with the guitar plugged directly into the front of the Nano Cortex, using the stereo outputs straight into my audio interface. All effects and cab sims are from the Neural Nano Cortex itself.
Did you notice that we’ve gone back to self-produced backing tracks? We’re trying a few new things and decided to give producing our own tracks another go. What do you think? Let us know in the comments – do you prefer our own backing tracks, or the ones we were using before?
What are my thoughts?
The Design
The packaging and presentation the Neural Nano Cortex arrives in is outstanding! The fitted box, the lovely texture, and the thoughtful design are just superb. I am genuinely impressed with the packaging, and it really sets the tone for the product inside. On top of that, we are equally impressed with how the Neural Nano Cortex feels and is built. The unit feels solid and well-made, though I do have a few minor concerns about the footswitches – but we’ll move on to that shortly. Overall, in terms of design and feel, Neural has absolutely smashed it.
Speaking of the controls, it’s so nice to have actual knobs for adjusting the main amp sounds. Plus, that extra knob for changing the selected effect is wonderful! It’s extremely usable when leaning down to make quick changes on the fly, making preset adjustments easy and straightforward – and definitely more “amp-like.”
"You really can get some amazing tones, especially when it comes to the cleans!"
The Sounds
Well, to echo what others have said – it sounds insane! It’s hard to fully describe the sound because the device can do so much. There are so many tones and so many effects to explore. The amps are wonderful and natural-sounding, with gain structure and pedal response that feel spot-on. It truly is a joy to play. Not only does the Nano Cortex sound incredible, but with its vast collection of effects and options, you can create almost any sound or patch you want. This leads me to my next point: it isn’t just for metal and prog players.
A lot of demos (which we wanted to avoid) showcase the Nano Cortex mainly for progressive rock and metal tones. However, there is a wide selection of amps on this device that can produce lush cleans, crunchy blues tones, hard rock sounds, and high-gain tones. If you’re wondering whether you could use the Nano Cortex for your style, the answer is yes – you’ll be able to get your sound from it.
More on Sounds
Thanks to the recent update, the Nano Cortex now offers a huge number of built-in effects, and I have to say, they all sound fantastic. The drives and delays are excellent, and the modulation effects are lush, thick, and highly usable. The reverbs sound amazing, although the naming choices and effect types are a bit unusual – there’s no “Spring” reverb, which is surprising for a guitar-focused platform. Still, all the effects are usable and endlessly tweakable. I do think some have more controls than necessary, which makes them feel more like studio effects than pedal replicas – perhaps intentionally so by Neural.
We’ll touch on this more in the upcoming article about the capture process, but I honestly haven’t noticed a difference between playing the Nano Cortex and my tube amp. The tone, response to effects, and touch feel are virtually identical – you don’t realise how close it is until you play them back to back.
The Drawbacks
Now, you can make presets and adjustments on the device itself – selecting captures, IRs, and effects. However, in reality, you probably won’t. Without the app, the Neural Nano Cortex is very difficult to build presets with. Editing and adjusting existing ones is fine, but building from scratch feels cumbersome and time-consuming. Plus, you don’t get much detailed control over the effects. Without the app, you can’t really build out fully customised presets.
I also wish you could change what the footswitches do. It would be great to have the option to turn a footswitch into an on/off control for a specific effect. This would allow players to integrate the Neural Nano Cortex into their rigs much more easily. For example, I’d love to have one footswitch as an “amp selector” and the other to toggle a modulation pedal on and off – but sadly, this isn’t possible.
With all that said, my biggest complaint? Power. Powering this device is awkward. It requires 9–12V at 600mA, and if you check most pedalboard power supplies, they only go up to 500mA. This means you’ll either need to buy a new power supply, use a separate supply for the Nano Cortex, or run it via USB-C (which is what I’ve been doing). The downside is having two cables running off the board. This wouldn’t bother me so much if Neural included a power supply in the box – but they don’t. You get a USB-C cable, but no plug or external power adapter. Considering the high power draw, that’s a strange decision.
"Need a few basic tones for your band? It’ll absolutely do the job. But as your primary amp or modeller? I wouldn't be 100% comfortable."
The App
Since owning the Nano Cortex, I’ve had to update the unit twice – and let me tell you, updating it is a nightmare. The process kept failing and took three or four attempts each time. Not allowing you to update it offline is, frankly, a joke. Why can’t I simply download the firmware to my computer, plug the Nano Cortex in, and update it directly? Stop making everything revolve around the app.
That said, the app itself is very well made. It has a sleek, polished look and works perfectly for building presets. However, it still feels… off. It’s hard to describe exactly what it is – maybe the layout, maybe the design – but it gives the sensation that every time you open it, it’s like using it for the first time. For example, the power icon for any block is the wrong way around: the icon you’d assume means “on” actually means “off.” Small details like this make the app feel “always new,” which isn’t necessarily a good thing.
Final Thoughts
Overall, I would say that the Neural Nano Cortex is the best amp and cab sim I have tried. The sounds I’ve achieved with it are nothing short of incredible, and I can fully understand why so many players are using the fully fledged Neural Quad Cortex for their bands. Not only is it a fantastic amp and cab sim, but the effects inside this unit are excellent and can easily be used as a multi-effects pedal straight into your amp if you wanted to.
Finally, let’s talk about price. This device is expensive, but I do feel it’s worth it. Compared to its big brother, it’s a bargain – and if you plan to use it like I do, as an amp-on-a-pedalboard and straight-to-desk kind of rig, then it’s absolutely perfect. Great tones, plus effects if you need them. Pair it with a MIDI controller and you’ve got a simple two-device rig. Believe me, there’s another article coming soon all about that.
However, I understand that it is a lot of money to get a simple “straight to desk” sound. If you are after something simpler, more affordable and also smaller than maybe the Boss IR-2 would be a better option! I have reviewed the Boss IR-2 (Review Here) if you want to give it a look and decide.
Conclusion
That is our review of the Neural Nano Cortex! I was super impressed with this device – the sounds and functionality you can get out of it are just amazing. I do still think the software and app need some refinement, and hopefully Neural keeps updating them over time.
Now, you may have noticed we didn’t talk about capturing. That’s because we’ll be doing a whole separate article covering capturing in detail and sharing what the experience is like. You’ll be sure to see that on the site soon, along with a full in-depth video going over the capture process of an amp – and possibly a pedal. So be sure to subscribe to our YouTube channel and make sure you don’t miss it!
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Neural Nano Cortex Links:
- Neural Nano Cortex Website
- Neural Instagram
- Neural Nano Cortex (Andertons Affiliate)
- Neural Nano Cortex (Thomann Affiliate)
- Andertons Affiliate Link
- Thomann Affiliate Link
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