Neural DSP Announces CorOS 4.1.0, Darkglass Ultimate, and a US Price Increase on May 7

Neural DSP dropped three announcements on April 21. Two of them are updates. One of them is a price warning with a deadline.

Here is what is coming, in order of impact.

CorOS 4.1.0: Five Archetype X Plugins at Once

The PCOM (Plugin Compatibility) framework launched with CorOS 3.0 and has expanded incrementally since — one or two plugins per update, with long gaps between. CorOS 4.1.0 breaks that pattern. Neural DSP is adding five Archetype X plugins simultaneously:

• Archetype: Petrucci X
• Archetype: Tim Henson X
• Archetype: Rabea X
• Archetype: Misha Mansoor X
• Archetype: John Mayer X

They are calling this the largest PCOM update in company history, and by plugin count that is accurate. What matters practically is not the quantity — it is which plugins. Petrucci, Misha Mansoor, and Rabea are the three Archetype X titles with the most active modeler communities. If you bought those plugins for the desktop and have been waiting for QC compatibility, 4.1.0 is the update you have been waiting on.

The Archetype X series uses a different signal chain architecture than the original Archetypes — the routing is more flexible and the capture quality reflects the Neural Capture v2 improvements from CorOS 3.3. When these run on the QC hardware, you are getting the plugin version's capture processing rather than a downscaled port. That distinction has mattered in practice with the existing X titles, and it should matter here too.

No release date for 4.1.0 has been confirmed. Neural DSP's recent cadence has been two to three weeks between announcement and shipping for CorOS updates.

Darkglass Ultimate: Free Update for Darkglass Ultra Users

Darkglass Ultimate is a major revision to the Darkglass Ultra plugin, shipping imminently as a free update for existing owners. The feature additions are substantial:

• Four new pre-effects pedals
• Two new post-effects pedals
• An 8x10 speaker cabinet
• EQ with dedicated high-pass and low-pass filter controls
• Transpose
• Metronome
• Full UI overhaul
• Expanded preset library

The HPF and LPF additions are the most practically significant for live use. Darkglass Ultra is popular for processed bass tones where low-end management is critical — having filter controls built into the plugin's EQ section, rather than requiring an external plugin in the chain, is a genuine workflow improvement. The 8x10 cabinet is the other addition worth noting; the existing Ultra cabinet selection has been limited, and the 8x10 is the cab that matches the Darkglass B7K and Vintage Ultra's intended signal chain for high-gain bass applications.

For Quad Cortex users: this update arrives as part of the plugin, not as a CorOS update. If Darkglass Ultra is already PCOM-compatible on your unit, it will update through the normal plugin distribution channel when it ships.

US Price Increase: $1,699 to $1,799, Effective May 7

Neural DSP has published a formal notice: the Quad Cortex Minimum Advertised Price in the US is increasing from $1,699 to $1,799 on May 7, driven by new import tariff costs. International pricing is not affected. Neural DSP's statement notes that the adjustment is necessary to maintain ongoing development and long-term support.

This is a $100 increase on a $1,699 product. It is not catastrophic. But it is real money, and the deadline is fixed. If you have been on the fence about buying a Quad Cortex, buying before May 7 saves you the hundred dollars. Sweetwater, Guitar Center, and other US retailers will be bound by the new MAP after that date.

The Quad Cortex Mini, which launched at EUR 1,299 (approximately USD 1,399), did not appear in the pricing announcement. Whether the Mini's US price is also adjusting is not yet confirmed.

What This Means for the QC Platform

The PCOM expansion is the more significant announcement for the platform's long-term position. The QC's value proposition has always been that it bridges hardware and plugin ecosystems — the PCOM framework is how that bridge stays relevant. Five X-series plugins in one update, including the three most requested, demonstrates that Neural DSP is still investing in that bridge rather than letting it sit at its current plugin count.

The price increase is a market reality, not a platform signal. Tariffs are affecting imported hardware across the industry. Neural DSP being transparent about the mechanism and giving buyers a specific deadline is the right approach. Mark May 7 in your calendar if you are in the US and considering a purchase.

CorOS 4.1.0 release date and full Darkglass Ultimate changelog will be covered here when they ship.

Dig Deeper on Fader & Knob

• New to PCOM? Our Quad Cortex plugin compatibility guide explains how Archetype X plugins run on the hardware and what to expect from each title.
• Already own Archetype: Misha Mansoor X on desktop? Our Periphery tone recipe on Quad Cortex walks the signal chain that holds up under Neural Capture v2.
• Comparing platforms before you buy? Our Helix vs. Quad Cortex comparison includes the PCOM ecosystem as a factor.
• Browse all our Quad Cortex tone recipes for signal chain frameworks ready to build on.