Pulsar Smasher User manual

Pulsar Smasher
User manual
www.pulsar.audio
Pulsar Smasher – User Manual v1.0 – page 1/16

Introduction
This manual describes the eatures and operation o the Pulsar Smasher e ect processor.
To be sure you understand how to use your plug-in and understand all the subtleties,
please read it in its entirety.
The in ormation contained in this manual is believed to be correct at the time o
publication. However, i an error has un ortunately crept into its contents, please let us
know.
IMPORTANT: The prolonged use o ampli ied instruments, speakers or headphones may
cause permanent hearing loss. Ensure you monitor your exposure level, and take regular
breaks. In case o tinnitus or suspected hearing loss, please consult an ENT specialist.
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Index
Introduction..........................................................................................................................2
Welcome................................................................................................................................4
Our experience............................................................................................................................4
Sound and science......................................................................................................................4
Our user inter aces......................................................................................................................4
The search or the right equipment..............................................................................................4
The « British Mode »............................................................................................................5
Quick start.............................................................................................................................
Installation...................................................................................................................................6
Activation.....................................................................................................................................6
The user interface................................................................................................................8
Use o parameter controls............................................................................................................8
The Toolbar..................................................................................................................................8
Undo / Redo........................................................................................................................................... 9
Preset Selection.................................................................................................................................... 10
Save / Save As..................................................................................................................................... 10
A / B...................................................................................................................................................... 11
… Button............................................................................................................................................... 11
The control panel.......................................................................................................................12
Bypass.................................................................................................................................................. 12
Input...................................................................................................................................................... 12
Output................................................................................................................................................... 13
Mix........................................................................................................................................................ 13
Minimum Configuration.....................................................................................................14
Windows................................................................................................................................... 14
Mac OS X................................................................................................................................. 14
License agreement.............................................................................................................15
License...................................................................................................................................... 15
Updates..................................................................................................................................... 15
License trans er.........................................................................................................................15
Activation................................................................................................................................... 15
Evaluation.................................................................................................................................. 16
Third Party So tware..................................................................................................................16
Disclaimer.................................................................................................................................. 16
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Welcome
Our experience
Thank you or choosing Pulsar quality!
With more than 15 years’ experience in plug-in development or the biggest names in the
industry, we decided to create Pulsar to push the quality requirements o our products
even urther.
For each product, our quest or excellence requires us never to rest on our technical
achievements, and to expand our knowledge ever urther.
Sound and science
With solid expertise in audio signal processing, but also in electronics, sound techniques
and music practice, we take great care in modeling all the small details and imper ections
o analogue equipment that make the di erence between a « mathematical » sound result
and rich, living and musical processing, and we produce this amous « 3rd dimension »
sound that is in such demand.
In addition, our close collaboration with music production pro essionals requires us to be
rigorous in order to produce pro essional quality tools.
Our user interfaces
The user inter ace o a plug-in is the link between the creative drive and the technical
implementation; it must there ore be clear, intuitive, and as pleasant as possible to use.
We take great care to create the most beauti ul and luid inter aces possible, with an
emphasis on intuitiveness.
The search for the right equipment
We care ully modeled this processor on a real analog compressor unit in excellent
condition.
The Pulsar Team
Pulsar Smasher – User Manual v1.0 – page 4/16

The « British Mode »
The 1176 is a vintage FET ( ield e ect transistor) compressor. Based on an internal
eedback con iguration, these designs are known to be ast and color ul, capable rom so t
limiting to heavily saturated tones.
The original 1176 compressor has 4 selectable ratios. But it just so happens that all 4
buttons can be pressed at the same time, this is called “all buttons mode” or “British
Mode”. Although probably an unanticipated eature, this mode has become very popular
because o its distorted, explosive and highly compressed sound.
While prototyping FET compressor algorithms, we ound a digital modi ication that could
be made to the algorithm that models the British Mode, that adds de inition to the low-
requency transients and makes the sound more aggressive.
Based on this idea, we developed the Pulsar Smasher, a very easy to use plug-in,
consisting o an extreme and aggressive compressor, ideal or raising the level o
ambiences in a drum bus, but also or adding presence to vocals, or warming up guitars or
basses.
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Quick start
Installation
The Pulsar Smasher is available as a plug-in in VST2, VST3, AU and AAX ormats or use
with all major DAW so tware such as Live, Cubase, Logic, Pro Tools, etc.
Installation rom the supplied installer is automatic. The installer takes care o copying the
di erent plug-ins as well as presets, manual, etc. into the appropriate locations.
Note: I you are using the VST2 ormat in Windows, you will be asked by the installer to
speci y the installation olders or the 32-bit and 64-bit VST2 plug-ins respectively. The
paths that seem most appropriate or your computer will be recommended by de ault, but
we advise you to check them be ore completing the installation. I the plug-in is not
installed in the same older as your other possible plug-ins, your DAW so tware may not
detect it.
Activation
All our plug-ins are protected by PACE's iLok system. For correct operation, we
recommend you ensure that you have the latest version o the « iLok License Manager »
so tware, available or ree download at www.ilok.com.
They require:
•either an iLok 2 / iLok 3 hardware USB Key (which you can order online or buy rom
your music dealer)
•or a permanent internet connection on your workstation (iLok Cloud system)
Important : I you choose the iLok Cloud system, it is necessary irst o all to open a Cloud
session on your computer by going to the « File > Open Cloud Session » menu o your
iLok License Manager. I you choose an iLok 2 or 3 key, it is necessary to connect it to
your computer be ore any operation.
When you purchase your so tware, you will receive:
•either a license deposited directly onto your iLok account. Just go to the
« Available » tab and drag it to the destination o your choice (here CLOUD or a
cloud license, or iLok_Pulsar or an iLok 2 or 3 key)
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•or an activation code. Simply paste it into the « Licenses > Redeem Activation
Code » menu to receive the license on your account, and drop it o at the
destination o your choice (CLOUD or iLok 2 or 3 key).
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The user interface
The user inter ace consists o 2 separate panels:
•The toolbar, common to all Pulsar plug-ins (top)
•The control panel, speci ic to the Pulsar Smasher plug-in.
Use of parameter controls
The parameter control knobs have several modes o use:
•The normal editing mode (use a classic mouse drag, or the mouse wheel)
•The ine editing mode (hold the Ctrl or Cmd key while dragging or while using the
mouse wheel, or drag with the right mouse button)
•The « return to de ault value » mode (double-click)
The Toolbar
Located at the top o the plug-in inter ace, it contains all the unctions relating to
parameters, presets, communication with Pulsar, etc.
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Undo / Redo
The 2 arrow buttons on the le t o the toolbar have the unction Undo and Redo, i.e.
respectively the cancellation and restoration o the last action. All parameter changes and
more generally the state o the plug-in are stored in a history. You can click on « Undo » at
any time to return to the previous state (or to the nth previous state) and on « Redo » to
return to the current state.
Note: a right-click on one o these buttons gives access to the list o stored operations.
The undo / redo buttons
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Preset Selection
The preset selection area, located in the center o the bar, allows you to:
•Read the name o the current preset. I an asterisk appears a ter the preset name, it
means that the state o the plug-in no longer corresponds to the saved preset
•Select a preset rom the list o available presets, arranged in sub-banks
•Delete the current preset (« Delete Preset » option)
•Rename or move a preset to another sub-bank (« Move / Rename Preset » option)
•Set the current preset as the one that will be loaded by de ault when creating a new
instance o the plugin (« Set This Preset As De ault » option).
•Quickly navigate between the presets to ind inspiration, using the le t and right
arrows
The preset selection area
Save / Save As
The Save button saves the current preset.
The Save As button saves the current state o the plug-in under a new preset name.
The Save and Save As buttons
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