How to Resolve NeuralDSP Cortex Control Crashes on macOS Sequoia and Make It Launch
As an owner of the NeuralDSP Quad Cortex, I've come to rely on the Cortex Control Desktop software. But after upgrading to macOS Sequoia in September 2024, I encountered persistent crashes with Cortex Control v1.1.0. Even after NeuralDSP released v1.2.0 in late November 2024, which claimed to address connection-related crashes, I still couldn’t launch the application. Determined to fix this, I discovered a straightforward solution.
The Problem
The v1.2.0 update promised improved connection handling to resolve random crashes during startup. Despite this fix, the application wouldn’t launch after installing v1.2.0 alongside CorOS 3.1.0. Something deeper was preventing Cortex Control from functioning properly on macOS.
The Solution
1. Investigating the Installer
Using Suspicious Package, I analyzed the Cortex Control installer to pinpoint what it installs on the system. This tool revealed several files and directories worth investigating.
2. Removing Old Files
I manually removed the following files and directories to clear remnants of the previous installation:
Application and support files:
/Applications/Neural DSP/Cortex Control.app
/Library/Application Support/Neural DSP/Cortex ControlConfiguration and log files:
~/Library/Preferences/com.NeuralDSP.CortexControl.plist
~/Library/Logs/ndsp_appnapdisable.log- Updating macOS and Reinstalling Cortex Control:
Since it had just come out I upgraded macOS to version 15.2, restarted my system, and reinstalled Cortex Control v1.2.0 using the official .pkg installer. This resolved the issue, and the application launched successfully!
Conclusion
If you’re experiencing issues with Cortex Control on macOS Sequoia, removing old files and updating to the latest macOS version might do the trick. NeuralDSP’s v1.2.0 improvements are great, but a clean slate ensures compatibility. I’m back to seamlessly controlling my Quad Cortex on the floor from my desktop!