*Updated October 17 2011 KRATOS Maximizer User Manual Ver. 1.0.7
FOREWORD Introducing Kratos Maximizer, a brand new dynamic processing plugin from Kuassa, Inc. Kratos Maximizer is a transparent, mastering grade look-ahead loudness maximizer. Put it on your master channel to give extra loudness out of your mix without squashing effect and artifacts. Kratos Maximizer offers easy control over the loudness level via the main Maximize knob, while can also go deeper for more demanding users, giving a control over Texture, Release, Knee, and Ceiling for greater loudness while retaining your mixes original color and dynamics. Kratos Maximizer: Pristine Perfection at Full Power Features: 5 available parameters: Maximize, Texture, Release, Knee, and Ceiling Preset Management with 12 preset slot. Mono/Stereo applicable Support up to 96 khz Sample Rate compact and straightforward user interface
SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS Microsoft Windows XP/Vista/7 Mac OSX 10.4 or later Intel Pentium 4, PPC G4, or AMD Athlon XP or better (Core2Duo or Athlon64 recommended) with 512MB minimum RAM VST or AU compatible host software* *No DirectX or RTAS format. Users can use VST-DX Wrapper or VST-RTAS Adapter but we do not provide any support for wrapped plugin. Compatible with:
INSTALLATION Mac OSX 10.4 or later 1. For Mac installer(.mpkg) format, double-click the installer and follow the instructions. The installer automatically point to your Macʼs default VST Library/Audio/Plug-Ins/VST/Kuassa or Audio Units Library/Audio/Plug-Ins/Components path. Alternatively you can customize the installation target to specific folder. 2. For compressed format (.zip), open the plugin folder in Finder, and simply copy the contained plugin file to your plugin folder listed below: Mac Audio Unit (KratosMaximizer.component) : ~/Library/Audio/Plug-Ins/Components Mac VST (KratosMaximizer.vst) : ~/Library/Audio/Plug-Ins/VST/Kuassa Note for MacOS X users: you must be logged in to a user account with administration privileges to run the installer. Windows XP or later 1. For Windows Installer (.exe), double-click the installer and follow the instructions. The installer automatically point to your system's default VST Plug-ins path. Alternatively you can point the installation target to specific folder. Most VST host already have a ~/Plugins or ~/VSTplugins folder inside it's installation directory, or you can point the host to read any folder you choose. 2. For compressed format (.zip), open the plugin folder in Windows Explorer, and simply copy the contained plugin file to your plugin folder listed below. Please note that the folder location can vary depending on system, but the default location is: Windows VST (KratosMaximizer.dll) : C:/Program Files/Steinberg/VstPlugins/Kuassa UNINSTALLATION Mac OSX 10.4 or later To uninstall from OS X, simply delete the plug-in from your VST folder, which is usually located at ~/Library/Audio/Plug-Ins/VST/Kuassa, and your Audio Units folder, which is located at ~/Library/Audio/Plug-Ins/Components. Windows XP or Later Use Add/Remove programs or Programs and Features from the Windows Control Panel. If Kuassa Kratos Maximizer does not listed there, delete the.dll file from your VST plug-in folder.
Evaluation When unregistered (running as Evaluation/Trial/Demo version) Kuassa Kratos Maximizer are running uncrippled, free to use with full features enabled for unlimited period of time. However, it generates silence every 40 seconds until you buy the License at Kuassa Website, and authorize the plugin using the license. Please consider to buy the software to ensure future updates and support for this product.
AUTHORIZATION 1. Click the [File/ ] button on the top-left of Kratos Maximizer Interface, there, you will find a selection box titled [import License]. 2. Locate the License File [KratosMaximizer.kuassa] obtained from the receipt/ confirmation e-mail after you purchase Kratos Maximizer from our web store. Note that the License File contains your personal information are used to authorize Kratos Maximizer. 3. After you locate the License File, a pop-up box confirming that you are successfully authorize your copy of Kratos Maximizer will show.
AUTHORIZATION (Cont d) 4. To check if you have completed the authorization process, just simply load the About Box by clicking the Kuassa logo on the bottom-left corner. If youʼre authorization is successful, your e-mail address will be shown on the About Box. You will also notice that the generated silence on the Evaluation Version is now gone. 5. Thatʼs it! Enjoy your copy of Kratos Maximizer, Cheers :) Click to Close Registration Info
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FRONT PANEL FUNCTIONS [File/ ] Button Click here for manage your preset/bank, or to activate your copy of Kratos Maximizer. Preset Bypass Button Turns on or off the whole plugin. Gain Reduction Meter Displays the amount of reduction to the material. Reduction only occurs when the signal exceeds 0 dbfs. Maximize Knob Adjusts the signal level to the limiter. The range is 0 20 db. Rotate the knob clockwise until you get the desired loudness level, in correlation with the other controls. Texture Controls the look-ahead timing to react against transients. Release Is a period when the signal back to normal again after limiting occurs. Available at 0-300 ms. Knee Knee determines how smooth the compression/limiting happens when the signal exceeds 0 db. When the knee is at 0 (Zero) the limiting kicks in instantly. Rotate clockwise for softer knee setting and Vice-versa. Soft Knee Hard Knee Ceiling Sets the upper limit of the output signal. The range is 0 to -20 dbfs.
Basic Usage 1. Load an audio file on your Host and put the Kratos Maximizer on the last insert slot, or second to last if you put a dither plugin on the last chain. 2. For mastering, we recommend setting the [Ceilling] at 0.2 db, but thereʼs no rule here. Adjust as you wish. 3. Play the file and start rotating the [Maximize] knob. 4. Watch the [Gain Reduction] meter as you rotate the knob and notice the loudness increases. 5. Listen carefully for artifacts or distortion. 6. When you start hearing those sound degradation, adjust the [Texture] knob 7. Adjust the [Release] time to suit the material. In general, increasing the [Release] time will result in a tighter sound. 8. If you feel that the limiting is too hard, adjust the [Knee] to soften. 9. Keep adjusting the parameters in correlation to the [Maximize] knob until you get the desired loudness level. 10.You can also use this plugin for creative purpose, such as distort the sound or create pumping effect.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS COPY PROTECTION & AUTHORIZATION Do your plug-in use some kind of copy protection? Yes, the plug-in has a method of copy protection using License File authorization. How do I authorize the plug-in? When you bought our products, you will receive a payment receipt via the e-mail address you provided at our website's store page. You will be given a link to download the license file with registration details, simply locate the License File using the [Import License] selection box located at the [File] button on the upper-left corner. For instruction details, please refer to the Authorization Section on page 4 of this manual. My system said that the plug-in could not authorize Check if you have successfully Imported the License File and have your registration details written on the About Box, or please kindly write to us at: support@kuassa.com How do I get the plugin re-authorized after reinstalling or formatting my system disk? Simply backup your license file, or re-download it from the link supplied on the e-mail sent to you when you did the payment. For your convenience, please backup the license file in case you need to re-authorize in the future. Is a demo version available? Yes, you can download and use it for trial purpose. The plug-in will generate noise every 40 seconds in evaluation mode. SYSTEM & USABILITY Under which Operating Systems do the plug-in work? 32-Bit version Windows XP, Vista, 7. Native VST only. No RTAS, no TDM, no DirectX. Audio Units and VST for Mac OSX 10.4 or later Is it qualified for OSX 10.6 Snow Leopard? Yes, but for Snow Leopard 32-bit version only Can I use your plug-in work with Pro Tools? We do not provide RTAS and TDM format but you can use VST- RTAS Adapter to run the plug-in on Pro Tools. We do not provide any support for the wrapped plug-in. Do your plug-in compatible with 64-bit version of Vista and Windows 7? Yes, it is. But it doesnʼt utilize the 64-bit calculations yet. Do your plug-in come with some kind of preset management? Yes, we have some built-in presets to get you started. You can also make your own presets.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS SALES AND SUPPORT Do you have an Official Support Forum? Yes we have our support forum located at the Forum tab on our website. Visit it here: Official Kuassa Support Forum How do I contact for support or report problems to? Please write us an e-mail to our technical support dept. at: support@kuassa.com Typically, you will receive a reply within 1 to 3 working day(s) after you send the support request. Can I get a discount? For bulk orders, we could arrange something. Please write to our sales dept. at: info@kuassa.com or wait for our promotional programs in the future :) What is VAT? and why am I being charged for this? We, as a Non-European Company are required to collect Value Added Tax (VAT) on sales of electronically delivered merchandise and services to customers living in the EU. Basically, itʼs a form of consumption tax on the purchase price collected by EU Goverments. You can read more about VAT here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ European_Union_Value_Added_Tax LICENSE RELATED What do I need to know before I try to sell the plug-in license? Your license is personal and registration keys may not be sold or transferred to other persons. (See the end-user license agreement for more info). What if I purchased a license second-hand WITH the registration details of the previous owner? This question corresponds with the previous question above. What if I purchased a license second-hand but WITHOUT the registration details of the previous owner? The license file is the only method to activate the product you bought, if you don't receive it when you do the transaction, please contact the seller. Again, we don't provide you a support for license transfer for the product. I've seen your plug-in for sale somewhere other than your website. Is it safe if I try to buy it? The license obtained when the software brought is personal, and contains the name and personal information from the owner who bought the product. If you bought the software from other person, you may use it with the previous owner's information still embedded in your license and our transaction database. Please visit our website to buy a 'fresh' copy of our product with your name and personal information. How do I get the latest update for the plug-in? You can download it from our website. Updates are free. How do I upgrade the plug-in to the latest version? You can visit our products page at our website. The "upgrade price" will be discounted using a voucher we send to the e-mail address you provided when purchasing the previous version you owned.
CREDITS Kuassa Kratos Maximizer Created by: Arie Ardiansyah Grahadea Kusuf Adhitya S. Wibisana VST Plugin Technology by Steinberg Media Technologies, GmbH. AU/VST Symbiosis by NuEdge Development Audio Units by Apple CONTACT Kuassa, Inc. Jl Sukasenang V no.14 Bandung, 40124 West Java, Indonesia. http://www.kuassa.com General inquiry: info@kuassa.com Technical support : support@kuassa.com
2011 Kuassa, Inc. Kuassa and Kratos Maximizer is a trademark of Kuassa, Inc. All other commercial symbols, product and company names are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective holders. All rights reserved.