Neural DSP's CorOS 4.1.0 brings its X-series plugins, John Mayer included, onto the Quad Cortex
The company calls it the biggest firmware update in Quad Cortex history: five signature plugin packs, eight new effects, and per-device preset saving.
Aug 26, 2026 · 1 min read
Guitar Radar Editorial · Reviewed by Peter Luha · Published Aug 27, 2026

Credit: Neural DSP
Neural DSP released CorOS 4.1.0 for the Quad Cortex and Quad Cortex Mini on August 26, along with a matching Cortex Control 4.1.0 desktop update. It is free for existing owners.
The main event is compatibility with the "X" versions of five Archetype plugin bundles: John Mayer, Tim Henson, John Petrucci, Rabea Massaad and Misha Mansoor. Neural says that adds more than 70 amps, effects and cabinets that can now run on the hardware itself instead of only inside a DAW. There are also eight new built-in devices, among them a Multivoicer harmonizer, a granular Glitch delay, a ring modulator and a crystal delay.
On the workflow side, Device Presets let players save and recall individual block settings independently of the full preset, backed by a library of more than 2,000 factory options, and Cortex Control can now run several units from one computer. Co-founder Douglas Castro said the update "fundamentally changes how quickly musicians can build sounds."
Why it matters
The Quad Cortex is one of the most-gigged modelers going, and moving the John Mayer and Tim Henson plugins onto the unit itself closes a gap owners have grumbled about since those packs came out.
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