Neural DSP Nano Cortex

Nano Cortex - An infinite number of amps and pedals on your pedalboard

An ultra-powerful digital amp, cab, and effects processor that fits in the palm of your hand
Nano Cortex gives you the power of a full guitar or bass rig in a compact, ultra-portable pedal. With studio-quality sound, a comprehensive signal chain, and the revolutionary Neural Capture technology, it meets all your tone-shaping needs whether on stage, in the studio, or at home.

In 2020, Neural Capture revolutionized the music world with its unmatched ability to capture the true essence of any amp, cab, or drive pedal with unparalleled sound. The industry was astonished by how authentic the tones sounded and felt to play.

Now, that same groundbreaking technology has been packed into a gig-ready pedal that fits in the palm of your hand. Nano Cortex is set to revolutionize the way guitarists and bassists approach tone, both on stage and in the studio. 

Welcome to the future of guitar and bass processing.

FEATURES

 

• Complete guitar or bass rig in an ultra-compact pedal

• Neural Capture technology with the same resolution and quality as on Quad Cortex

• Create incredibly accurate digital replicas of any amp, cab, or drive pedal on-device in just a few minutes

• Free access to thousands of Neural Captures in the Cortex Cloud

• Fits in the palm of your hand and weighs just 620g/1.36lbs

• Comprehensive signal chain with pre and post FX

• Impulse Response loader

• Adaptive Noise Gate and Transpose for easily changing the tuning of your instrument

• Customizable footswitch functions

• Gapless Preset switching

• Fully-fledged low-latency audio interface with 24-bit, 48kHz recording

• Use it as a standalone unit or integrate it with your existing setup

• Ideal for playing live, studio recording, or home practice

• Intuitive, easy to use, and beginner-friendly

• Wirelessly download Captures, control parameters, and manage your presets over Bluetooth with the Cortex Cloud app

• MIDI TRS in + full MIDI control via USB

• Built-in tuner

Neural Capture
Create Neural Captures on-device in minutes, at the same resolution as our flagship Quad Cortex, with no extra tools or apps needed.

Nano Cortex can learn and replicate the sonic characteristics of any physical amplifier, overdrive, and cabinet with unprecedented accuracy. 

Simply connect your equipment, press the Capture button, and in minutes, you’ll have a digital version of your hardware that is virtually indistinguishable from the real thing. There’s no need to connect to a computer, the internet, or the Cortex Cloud app. It’s fast, easy, and fully self-contained.

If you don’t want to Capture your own gear, you get free access to thousands of Neural Captures created by others in the Cortex Cloud, expanding your tonal possibilities infinitely.

A complete guitar or bass rig in the palm of your hand
Nano Cortex features a fixed signal chain consisting of seven device slots, any of which can be bypassed depending on your setup. You have everything you need for a complete guitar or bass rig, all in an ultra-compact form.

Travel light, sound massive
Nano Cortex is as wide as two standard stompbox pedals placed side by side and weighs just 620g/1.36lbs. It easily fits into your gig bag or backpack.

Despite its compact design, you get the power and versatility of a full guitar or bass rig, making it perfect for the stage, studio, or on the go.

Controls

• Bass, Mid, Treble: For shaping your tone.

• Amount: Controls the intensity of the selected effect in the signal chain.

• Gain: Adjusts the level of saturation applied to your Neural Capture.

• Level: Adjusts the level of Outputs 1L and 2R.

• Exit: Exits the current function and returns to the previous mode.

• Capture: Access Capture Mode or Capture Volume Mode. Additionally, initiates the Neural Capture process.

• Save: Press and hold to store Preset changes after making adjustments.

• Capture Banks: Navigate through different banks of Neural Captures.

• FX Blocks: Toggle between different FX Blocks in your signal chain.

• Capture Slots: Rotate Footswitch I to scroll through available Neural Capture slots.

• IR Loader Slots: Rotate Footswitch II to scroll through available Impulse Responses.

• Footswitches I and II: These stainless steel footswitches double as rotary knobs for precise control and allow hands-free toggling between Presets, FX Blocks, or bypass modes.

Inputs & Outputs

• 1/4" instrument input: For your guitar or bass.

• IO description: Dual 1/4" TRS outputs: Stereo outputs for connecting to studio monitors, PA systems, or FRFR cabs.

• Ground lift switch: Helps to reduce unwanted noise caused by ground loops from external sources.

• TRS expression & MIDI input: Connect MIDI controllers, expression pedals, or additional footswitches to expand your control options.

• 3.5mm headphone output: Practice silently with headphones, perfect for late-night sessions or quiet environments.

• Headphones level knob: Adjust the volume of your headphones.

• USB-C: Connect to your computer for studio-quality 24-bit, 48kHz audio recording. You can also power Nano Cortex via a USB-C compliant power source.

• Power Input: 9-12V DC 600 mA (Center Negative)

• Capture input (XLR & TS): For creating Neural Captures.

• Boost switch: Boosts the Capture input by +26dB.

Cortex Cloud - An ever-growing collection of tones at your fingertips
Unlock an ever-growing collection of tones with Cortex Cloud. Explore thousands of Captures created by other users including renowned artists and producers.

Through the Cortex Cloud app, you can browse, search, and wirelessly download Captures directly to your Nano Cortex. Instantly access virtually any amp, cab, or pedal that another user has captured. Whether you're looking for iconic vintage tones, ultra-rare drive pedals, or modern high-gain sounds, Cortex Cloud has got you covered.

Join a vibrant community of creators and share your own Captures with the world.

Every player’s dream pedal - Designed for guitarists and bassists of all skill levels
Nano Cortex is for everyone - whether you're a bedroom player or a touring pro, chasing the perfect tone or a set-it-and-forget-it musician. If you play guitar or bass and care about your tone, Nano Cortex is for you.

Touring musician
You're getting a full guitar or bass rig with studio-quality sounds, access to Cortex Cloud, and our proprietary Neural Capture technology, all in a convenient gig-ready package that easily fits in your gig bag. It's perfect for those grab-and-go situations or when you're traveling light.

Nano Cortex is also great for replacing your amp and cab. If you've got a pedalboard you love, it can slot right in, giving you access to a world of amp and cab sounds without the need for heavy gear.

The I/O allows for seamless integration into any live setup, ensuring you get a consistent, high-quality sound every night, no matter where you perform.

The integrated Transpose effect lets you easily change your tuning on the fly. This means you don’t need to worry about taking multiple instruments with you if your set has songs in different tunings.

Studio
Use it as a high-quality audio interface and access virtually any amp sound you desire, all without micing up cabinets or dealing with noise issues. Nano Cortex doubles as a 24-bit, 48kHz, low-latency audio interface with seven USB channels (4 in/3 out), ensuring that your recordings are of the highest fidelity.

Additionally, if you’ve used amps in the studio and want to take their unique sounds with you, create Neural Captures of them to have permanent digital replicas of them to use anytime and anywhere.

Beginners
If you're new to digital guitar or bass technology, Nano Cortex is the perfect introduction. It's extremely easy to use, yet powerful enough to keep up with your growing needs as a musician.

Explore a vast array of diverse tones without investing in multiple pieces of expensive gear. With its intuitive interface, you can start dialing in great sounds right out of the box. Practice silently with headphones or connect to any kind of studio monitors. Additionally, when inspiration strikes, you're ready to record high-quality audio directly to your computer.

One pedal, countless possibilities
Nano Cortex can function as a complete guitar or bass rig, a replacement for your amp and cab, or a versatile stomp box/multi-effects pedal.

A complete guitar or bass rig in the palm of your hand
Nano Cortex is a fantastic all-in-one rig solution for guitarists and bassists. Its comprehensive signal chain and flexible I/O options turns it into a complete rig that fits in the palm of your hand. Perfect for grab-and-go situations, live performances, studio sessions, or home practice.

Replace your amp and cab
Replace your amp with a digital replica of virtually any amp that sounds and feels indistinguishable from the real thing. Use the IR Loader to replace your cab or utilize the Neural Capture block to Capture and replicate any amp and cab. Slot it into your existing pedalboard and connect directly to a PA system or FRFR cab. It’s a perfect live setup, without the hassle of carrying heavy gear.

Stomp box or multi-effects pedal
Integrate Nano Cortex into your existing setup and you’ve got a compact pedal that can store up to 256 incredibly accurate replicas of your favorite drive pedals. Additionally, you get a comprehensive set of effects to dial in your tone with.

SPECIFICATIONS

Instrument input: Connector: 1/4 TRS-F Impedance: 1MΩ Max input level: +10dBu
Combo capture input: Connector: XLR-F + 1/4 TRS-F TS impedance: 1MΩ XLR impedance: 45kΩ Max input level: +10dBu Boost gain: +26dB
TRS outputs 1L/2R: Connector: (2) 1/4 TRS-F Impedance: 560Ω Max output level: +10dBu (unbalanced) / +16dBu (balanced)
Headphones output: Connector: 3.5mm TRS-F Max output power: 55mW into 20Ω
EXP/MIDI inputs: Expression connector: 1/4 TRS-F MIDI connector: MIDI TRS type A
USB audio: Format: USB audio class 2.0 compliant Channels: 7 (4 in / 3 out) Audio clock: 48 kHz (fixed)
Finish: Anodized aluminum unibody
Controls: 2 stainless steel stomp + rotary footswitches, 7 knobs, 2 analog switches, 5 digital switches
Dimensions: 14.4 x 10.3 x 6.2 cm / 5.6 x 4.0 x 2.4"
Weight: 620g / 1.36 lbs
Input voltage: 9-12V DC 600mA (center negative) USB-C 5V, 1.5A or higher
Operating temp: 0 to 50 °C (32 to 122 °F)
Storage temp: -10 to 70 °C (14 to 158 °F)
Humidity: Maximum non-condensing

For more information, click here to visit the manufacturers website.