AUDIO PLUG IN

USER MANUAL
1
Summary
Introduction pag. 3
Minimum System Requirements pag. 3
Installation pag. 3
Main Features pag. 4
SHB-1 Circuit iagram pag. 4
!rap"ic #ser Inter$ace pag. 4
Front %anel Controls pag. &
Rear %anel Controls pag. '
(ips $or )digital) guitarsts and *assists pag. +
,c-no.ledgments pag. /
0
Introduction
("e SHB-1 is a digital emulation o$ a tu*e ampli$ier $or *ass. It "as *een de1eloped to accurately model its
real "ar.are counterpart2 *uilt $or Su*"uman *assist Federico Fulceri *y Ignite ,mps2 in 0310.
From .ell $at and round tones $or *lues2 to 1ery tig"t and $ocused $un-y sounds2 up to all out distorted2
4ac-"ammer-li-e poundings $or modern metal2 paired .it" t"e proper ca*2 t"e SHB-1 can co1er t"em all and
t"en some.
51ery single component on t"e signal pat" o$ t"e real analog circuit "as *een too- into account and modeled
in t"e *est possi*le .ay to matc" t"e original sound2 -eeping an eye to C%# per$ormances and real-time
playa*ility at t"e same time.
("e SHB-1 is meant to *e used as a *ass ampli$ier $or li1e playing and 4amming2 trac-ing or mi6ing inside
"osts capa*le o$ 7S( or ,# %lug-Ins support.
Minimum System requirements
Windows8
9indo.s :%;7ista;9indo.s + <30;'4 *it=
Intel %entium 4 or ,M ,t"lon :%
Mac8
>S: 13.&
Intel processor .it" SS50 instructions support
Installation
Windows VST8
Copy t"e SHB-1.dll $ile into your 7S( %lug-Ins $older <e.g. C8?%rogram Files?Stein*erg?7S(%lugins=
Mac OSX VST8
Copy t"e SHB-1.vst *undle at t"e pat"8 ;@i*rary;,udio;%lug-Ins;7S(;
Mac OSX !8
Copy t"e SHB-1.com"onent *undle at t"e pat"8 ;@i*rary;,udio;%lug-Ins;Components;
For Windows VST format, we provide separate x86 (32 bit) and x64 (64 bit) binaries, so make sre to
!"oose t"e ri#"t one a!!ordin# to $or operative s$stem and p%#&in "ost spe!ifi!ations'
(eep in mind t"at x64 binaries wi%% not rn on 32 bit environments, w"i%e x86 binaries wi%% most %ike%$ rn on
64 bit environments, a%t"o#" we do not re!ommend s!" sa#e, for performan!e and stabi%it$ reasons'
)a! p%#&ins (VST*+,) are !ompi%ed in ,niversa% -inar$ format, !ontainin# bot" 32 bit and 64 bit !ode in t"e
same bnd%e, w"i!" means t"at $o don.t need to !are abot !"oosin# x86 or x64 version, as t"e s$stem wi%%
!"oose t"e appropriate version atomati!a%%$'
,$ter installing t"e plug-ins2 you s"ould <re=start your $a1ourite 7S(;,# "ost2 ma-ing sure it re-scans your
%lug-Ins $older<s= to recogniAe SHB-1 as a ne. B5$$ectC %lug-In <please note t"at some "osts may not re-
scan t"e plug-in $older automatically at e1ery start-up2 so you may need to do it manually. Re$er to your
"ostDs manual $or instructions=.
I$ e1eryt"ing "as gone rig"t2 you s"ould no. see t"e SHB-1 entry into t"e B5$$ectC %lug-Ins list o$ your "ost.
EouFre no. ready to roc-G
3
Main #eatures
ynamic 10,:+ ; 5CC/3 coupled triode stages analog modeling
Mono ; Stereo processing support
Selecta*le o1ersampling rate <up to /6=
!lo*al input ; output le1el controls
ou*le precision <'4 *it= $loating point mat"ematical model
Fully automata*le controls
Hero latency
SHB-1 $ircuit %ia&ram
Fig. 1 - SHB-1 Circuit iagram
'ra"(ic !ser Inter)ace
Fig. 0 I SHB-1 Front %anel
Fig. 3 I SHB-1 Bac- %anel
,s you can see $rom t"e screens"ots <$ig.0 and $ig.3=2 .eF1e decided to ma-e SHB-1 as similar as possi*le
to t"e real "ard.are2 in order to ma-e t"e user e6perience easier2 gi1ing t"e c"ance to t.ea- t"e controls o$
t"e plug-in li-e one .ould do ."en "a1ing t"e real rac- ampli$ier in $ront o$ "im.
("e !#I is di1ided in t.o main sections8 $ront panel and rear panel2 $reely s.itc"a*le using t"e dou*le arro.
*utton placed at t"e rig"t side o$ t"e inter$ace.
4
#ront *anel $ontrols
In t"e $ront panel o$ SHB-1 youFll $ind t"e $ollo.ing controls8
'ain8 controls t"e amout o$ gain ; saturation o$ your sound. ,t lo.er 1alues2 it in$luences t"e o1erall
percei1ed output 1olume2 at "ig"er 1alues it controls mostly t"e amount o$ distortion.
Bass + Mid + Tre,le8 no need to e6plain muc" a*out t"ese controls2 *ut it is .ort" noting t"at2 li-e in
real ampli$iers2 e1ery control in$luences t"e tonal response o$ t"e ot"ers in1ol1ed on t"e circuit.
Balance8 controls t"e 1oicing o$ t"e ampli$ier. ("is is one o$ t"e most e$$ecti1e controls o$ t"e ."ole
amp2 so ta-e your time to e6periment .it" it to $ind your tone. ("e BAeroC position lea1es t"e
equaliAation circuit una$$ected. (urning t"e -no* cloc-.ise .ill progressi1ely tig"ten t"e sound and
accentuate t"e "ig" $requency content o$ t"e signal.
Volume8 controls t"e output amount o$ t"e preamp signal. It is really important to c"ec- t"e circuit
diagram o$ SHB-1 <$ig.1= to understand t"at it is not t"e last element o$ t"e signal pat"2 since t"ere is
anot"er gain stage rig"t a$ter it. ("is means t"at t"is control doesnFt 4ust a$$ect t"e output 1olume2 *ut
also t"e amount o$ signal dri1ing t"e last stage o$ t"e circuit. ("ere$ore2 ."en cran-ed up to "ig"er
1alues2 it may o1erdri1e it2 gi1ing more saturation and compression i$ needed. It also in$luences t"e
tonestac- controls response to a small degree2 li-e in real tu*e ampli$iers
%ee"8 controls t"e amount o$ lo. $requencies <under a*out 033HA=2 ma-ing t"e sound punc"ier and
more po.er$ul on t"e lo.er register2 ."en acti1e. It is .ort" noting t"at it acts early in t"e signal
pat"2 so it also in$luences t"e saturation o$ t"e lo.est $requencies.
Bri&(t8 controls t"e amount o$ pic-ing;pluc-ing attac-2 ma-ing t"e sound *rig"ter or dar-er;so$ter
depending on your needs. It acts a$ter t"e $irst gain stage2 so it strongly in$luences t"e saturation
*e"a1iour adding e1en and odd order "armonics to enric" t"e sound and $eel.
S(a"e8 t"is s.itc" c"anges t"e tonestac- response on t"e mid $requencies. 9"en s.itc"ed on
<le1er up= t"e "ig"-mids .ill *e more present2 letting t"e *ass cut *etter t"roug" t"e mi6. 9"en
s.itc"ed o$$ <le1er do.n=2 it .ill gi1e a scoop on t"e mids2 resulting in a smoot"er tone2 .it" a so$ter
attac-.
-ear *anel $ontrols
In t"e SHB-1 rear panel youFll $ind controls to manage t"e plug-in to suit your system and *ass guitar at *est8
Oversam"lin&8 lets you c"oose t"e internal processing sample rate o$ t"e plug-in. ("e a1aila*le
options are 062 46 or /6. ("is means t"at i$ your "ost is set up to process at 44133HA sample rate2
*y selecting 46 o1ersampling2 $or e6ample2 SHB-1 .ill process your signal at 44133 6 4 J 1+'433
samples per second. >1ersampling is needed to a1oid digital arti$acts <aliasing= and impro1e t"e
accuracy and musicality o$ t"e plug-in.
>*1iously2 t"e "ig"er t"e o1ersampling2 t"e "ig"er t"e C%# usage.
In our e6perience and tests2 .eF1e $ound 46 o1ersampling to *e t"e *est compromise $or accurate
processing and good per$ormance2 *ut .eF1e decided to add ot"er t.o options to "elp users .it"
slo.er mac"ines to run t"e plug-in .it"out C%# o1erloading <06= or run t"e plug-in at its $ull potential
."en "a1ing a po.er$ul system a1aila*le </6=.
Keep in mind t"at t"e sound di$$erence *et.een t"ese t"ree modes is not going to *e nig"t and day2
so2 $or mi6ing purpose2 you .ill "ardly need to re.or- t"e mi6 settings ."en s.itc"ing *et.een
di$$erent o1ersampling 1alues. , good practice .ould *e to run t"e plug-in at 46 or 06 during mi6ing
and s.itc" it to /6 rig"t *e$ore rendering your pro4ect. ("is .ill a1oid C%# usage pro*lems ."en
using multiple plug-ins in mi6ing p"ase and still gi1e you $ull processing quality once your trac-s are
e6ported.
In"ut level8 it is a simple control to ad4ust t"e amount o$ *ass guitar signal going t"roug" t"e 1irtual
circuit. It is really important not to underestimate t"is control2 since it is t"e -ey to "a1e t"e SHB-1
&
reacting correctly to your instrument and playing. In $act2 .e can sa$ely say t"at t"is is t"e most
important control to get t"e *est out o$ t"e SHB-1.
W"at.s t"e !orre!t wa$ to se it, t"en/ @etFs start $rom your *ass guitar signal8 as you -no.2 ."en
you play2 t"e pic-up output going to your sound-card input .ill *e trans$ormed to a digital signal *y
t"e , con1erter o$ your audio inter$ace. ("e $irst t"ing you s"ould -eep in mind2 is t"at t"e
con1erter "as a ma6imum "eadroom t"at s"ould ne1er *e e6ceeded. I$ your signal goes o1er t"is
ma6imum t"res"old2 it .ill *e clipped. , clipped signal means less dynamics and t"e introduction o$
digital distortion.
So2 t"e $irst t"ing you need to ma-e sure o$2 is to ne1er clip t"e , con1erter <i$ you are clipping it2
t"e clipping led indicator $eatured in most audio inter$ace .ill lig"t on2 .arning you t"at your input
signal is too "ot2 so you need to lo.er t"e preampli$ier control until t"e pro*lem disappears=.
>n t"e ot"er "and2 an important t"ing to -eep in mind2 is t"at t"e "ig"er t"e input signal <.it"in t"e
a*o1e mentioned "eadroom limit=2 t"e more accurate t"e , con1ersion .ill *e2 -eeping also t"e
signal-to-noise ratio at t"e "ig"er possi*le 1alue. ("is means t"at2 in order to get t"e *est out o$ your
sound-card2 you need to -eep t"e input signal as "ig" as possi*le rig"t *e$ore reac"ing t"e clipping
t"res"old.
0k, !oo% stor$, bt w"en does t"e inpt %eve% !ontro% !omes into p%a$/ >nce your signal is con1erted
to digital2 it .ill *e represented as a series o$ num*ers t"at you can see as 1oltage 1alues. ("ese
1oltages can "a1e a ma6imum and minimum 1alue o$ 1.3 and -1.3 respecti1ely. Supposing your
input signal is pea-ing at its "ig"er possi*le 1alue rig"t *e$ore t"e clipping t"res"old o$ t"e con1erter2
it .ill *e represented as 1.3 inside your "ost and t"e SHB-1 .ill react to it li-e i$ youFre sending a
1.37 signal to its input stage.
9"y is it so important to -no. t"ese detailsL Because i$ your *ass pic-up "as a ma6imum output
1oltage "ig"er t"an 17 <or 07 pea--to-pea-=2 li-e many modern acti1e pic-ups "a1e2 youFll need to
ad4ust t"e input signal t"atFs *eing sent to SHB-1. ("atFs ."ere t"e Input @e1el control comes into
play. Eou need to t.ea- it to compensate t"e 1oltage scaling;normaliAation made *y your ,
con1erter.
,t "al$ position <de$ault=2 t"e Input @e1el control multiplies your signal *y a 1.& $actor2 ."ic" means
1.&7 ma6imum pic-up output <or 37 pea--to-pea-=2 a standard 1alue $or most acti1e *ass pic-ups.
51ery tic- you see around t"e Input @e1el control2 represents a 1ariation o$ 3.3 on t"e gain $actor. For
e6ample2 i$ your pic-up "as a ma6imum output o$ 0.17 <so 4.07 pea--to-pea-=2 youFll need to set t"e
-no* pointer at t"e 0
nd
tic- mo1ing it to t"e rig"t. By doing t"is2 your input .ill *e multiplied *y 0.1
<1.& M 3.3 M 3.3 J 0.1=2 so t"e SHB-1 .ill not *e $ed .it" a 1.37 ma6imum signal2 instead itFll get a
1.37 6 0.1 J 0.17 ma6imum signal2 ."ic" is t"e correct 1alue to matc" your pic-up speci$ications.
I$ you are using a lo. output pic-up2 instead2 and its ma6imum output 1alue is2 letFs say2 3.N72 youFll
need to lo.er t"e input le1el *y setting t"e -no* pointer to t"e 0
nd
tic- to t"e le$t. ("is .ill ma-e t"e
SHB-1 react li-e t"e input signal is 3.N72 or 17 6 3.N <1.& I 3.3 I 3.3 J 3.N=.
Remem*er t"at t"e sound-card input le1el is meant to *e al.ays set so t"at you use t"e $ull ,
con1erter "eadroom. Signal le1el ad4ustments2 to pair SHB-1 .it" your *ass pic-ups2 need to *e
made a$ter t"e , con1ersion2 using t"e Input @e1el control.
Please note that these concepts applies only when the SHB-1 is the first plug-in of your
virtual bass guitar chain. If you are using another digital effect before SHB-1, we suggest you
to keep the input level control at half default!.
'
Ti"s )or .di&ital/ &uitarists and ,assists
,l.ays use t"e "ig" impedance <Hi-H= input o$ your sound-card <."en a1aila*le=. ("is .ill ensure
less noise and signal loss. Most real <pre=ampli$iers and stomp *o6es2 "a1e an input impedance o$ at
least 1Mega>"m2 so it .ould *e a good idea to get a sound-card .it" at least 1Mega>"m input
impedance to use t"e Ignite ,mps simulators at t"eir *est.
,s mentioned a*o1e2 ma-e al.ays sure to "a1e t"e "ig"est input signal *e$ore t"e , con1ersion2
a1oiding clipping.
,mp sims and stomp *o6 simulators are not noisy2 t"ey do not add noise. In $act2 t"eyFre a lot less
noisy t"an real "ard.ares. I$ you "a1e noise issues2 c"ec- your guitar;*ass electronic circuit2 ca*les
and sound-card settings.
In almost all cases2 amp sims and stomp *o6 simulators donFt introduce latency. ("e SHB-1 doesnFt
introduce latency. I$ youFre e6periencing latency issues2 c"ec- your sound-card settings <speci$ically
t"e Input Bu$$er SiAe=.
+
c0nowled&ments
Ignite ,mps .ould really li-e to t"an- Federico Fulceri <Face*oo-2 (.itter= o$ Su*"uman $or *elie1ing in
Ignite ,mps and letting us *uild t"e SHB-1 56treme Bass Head according to "is tastes.
("an-s to all t"e musicians interested in t"e Ignite ,mps pro4ect2 trusting us into ta-ing care o$ t"eir sound.
Eou -no. ."o you are.
("an-s to Eou too2 $or do.nloading and trying SHB-1 and $or reading t"e $OOOing manualG 8-=
Sincerely
("e Ignite ,mps Cre.
?m;
udio !nit is a trademar- o$ ,pple Computers Inc.
VST is a trademar- o$ Stein*erg Media (ec"nologies !m*H
Ignite ,mps uses Sym,iosis to pro1ide ,udio #nit support
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