Getting started with Nebula

TABLE OF CONTENTS

• INTRODUCTION
  • N4 and N4 Player.
  • Nebula libraries for N4.
  • Acqua libraries for N4.
  • The Cross-Platform Commercial Library (CPCL v5).
  • The Universal Acqua Engine (UAE).
• INSTALLATION
  • Installing N4 (or N4 Player) in macOS and Windows.
  • Uninstalling N4 (or N4 Player) in macOS or Windows.
  • Updating N4 or N4 Player.
  • Upgrading from N4 Player to N4.
  • Installing the Cross-Platform Commercial Library (CPCL v5 including Yellow Royalle & Rose).
  • Installing a 3rd party developers Library (commercial, trial, or free).
  • Installing Violet.

The Nebula product line includes N4 and N4 Player plug-ins, the libraries, and the Universal Acqua Engine (or UAE).

N4 and N4 Player:

N4 is the plug-in commercial version, and N4 Player is the free version where some features are unavailable. N4 Player can be used as a trial product without time limitations before purchasing the N4 commercial.

The N4 plug-in will be visible in your host application (DAW or NLE) as a plug-in effect, although it behaves more similar to a software sampler instrument, but instead of loading audio samples, N4 will load vectors, programs, and dedicated graphic user interfaces to process your audio tracks such as equalizers, filters, dynamics, compression, reverberation, and more, obviously depending on each library features.

All N4 features are accessible through the graphical interface, such as:

• The Finder libraries browser window.
• The user Presets the browser window.
• The user Setups creation window.
• The Settings window.

Nebula libraries for N4:

A Nebula library is a collection of emulation presets created with our proprietary sampling application NAT. A Nebula library for N4 can include a custom skin or use factory generic skin included in N4.

Acqua libraries for N4:

An Acqua library is similar to a Nebula library, but it is built by merging several emulations presets into a single one, resulting in a more complex simulation, and also includes a custom user interface.

• Brass acqua library for N4 by DiBiQuadro: Brass acqua library is an extremely powerful mixing equalizer delivering a full bottom end, smooth midrange, and beautiful top end.

• Bronze acqua library for N4 by DiBiQuadro: Bronze acqua library is a great-sounding mastering EQ providing sweet, transparent, clean timbral shaping with elegance and musicality.

• Copper acqua library for N4 by DiBiQuadro: Copper acqua library is a vintage classic graphic equalizer that provides colored, dense, gluing textures to your mixes.

• Virgo acqua library for N4 by DiBiQuadro: Virgo acqua library is a combo-self-contained all-tube guitar amplifier proven to be incredibly versatile not only for guitar but also bass, keyboards, vocals, and many other electrified instruments.

• Brighton acqua library for N4 by London Acoustics: Brighton acqua library is a custom-built opto-tube compressor with a strong character.

• Enna& Telge acqua library for N4 by London Acoustics: Enna & Telge acqua library is a suite of three reputable middle and high-frequency enhancers combined together.

• Osaka acqua library for N4 by London Acoustics: Osaka acqua library is a custom-built solid-state parametric equalizer designed with no compromise on quality.

• Tokyo acqua library for N4 by London Acoustics: Tokyo acqua library is a rare parametric tube equalizer carefully refurbished.

• Henry-Q acqua library for N4 by SoundDrops: Henry-Q acqua library is an equalizer entirely based on real inductors, and could be described as a tone-color equalizer.

• Mantis acqua library for N4 by SoundDrops: Mantis acqua library is a suite of four plug-ins based on the originally valued compressor, including a versatile pre-amp and clipper sections.

• Pureteq acqua library for N4 by SoundDrops: Pureteq acqua library is a classic passive plug-in tone-shaping tools suite based on vacuum tubes and inductors.

The Cross-Platform Commercial Library (CPCL v5):

The Cross-Platform Commercial Library is a 10 GB library with more than 450 real hardware emulations sorted by category in the N4 commercial. 

The Cross-Platform Commercial Library is divided into twelve packages, including the Yellow Royalle and Rose emulations

• N4 Pack 1 - Compressor (33 emulation presets).
• N4 Pack 2 - EQ and Filters (73 emulation presets).
• N4 Pack 3 - Preamps (73 emulation presets).
• N4 Pack 4 - Time Variant (52 emulation presets).
• N4 Pack 5 - Room Reverbs (22 emulation presets).
• N4 Pack 6 - Plate Reverbs Part A (12 emulation presets).
• N4 Pack 7 - Plate Reverbs Part B (13 emulation presets).
• N4 Pack 8 - Hall Reverbs Part A (14 emulation presets).
• N4 Pack 9 - Hall Reverbs Part B (15 emulation presets).
• N4 Pack 10 - Spring Reverbs (4 emulation presets).
• N4 Pack 11 - Others Reverbs (20 emulation presets).
• N4 Pack 12 - Tapes (20 emulation presets).

NOTES:

The Rose Nebula library for N4 and the Yellow Royalle Nebula library for N4 are included in N4 Pack 1 and N4 Pack 3.

Violet Acqua library for N4 is additional content and is not included in the Cross-Platform Commercial Library (CPCL v5) and should be installed separately.

The Universal Acqua Engine (UAE):

N4 plug-in will communicate with the Universal Acqua Engine (or UAE), a very similar engine used with the Acqua Effects product line; while N4 manages the graphical interface and the libraries parameters, UAE manages the audio processing, and in that way, two different development teams can work together creating a modular product.

Before proceeding with the N4 installation on the Aquarius Desktop application, we recommend you check the Aquarius settings in the installation tab.

If you want to change the N4 repository installation path, this is the right time, however, keep in mind that the factory paths are usually the most appropriate, and in case you want to use additional or external drives for the N4 repository folder, they must have the same file system, format, and permissions as you operating system local drive.

To install N4 (or N4 Player) in macOS and Windows:

1. Close your host (DAW or NLE).
2. Run the Aquarius Desktop application.
3. Verify that you are using the latest Aquarius Desktop application version.
4. Go search page.
5. Search for the product or products to install, for example, "N4" or "N4 Player".
6. Click on the install button.
7. Aquarius will go to the product page.
8. Choose the plug-in format to install and click on the install button.

N4 and N4 Player will install files in two paths; the first will be that of the selected plug-in format, and the second will be the N4 repository path. The N4 repository will be shared with all plug-in formats if you install multiple formats.

To uninstall N4 (or N4 Player) in macOS or Windows:

1. Close your host (DAW or NLE).
2. Run the Aquarius Desktop application.
3. Go to the updates page.
4. Find the product to uninstall, in this case, N4 or N4 Player.
5. Unfold the menu to the right size.
6. Select Uninstall.

Keep in mind that N4 and N4 Player share the N4 repository folder with all N4 plug-in formats installed, so the Aquarius Desktop application will not completely delete this folder. We recommend that you run the Aquarius uninstallation to check the N4 repository.

To update N4 or N4 Player:

1. Close your host (DAW or NLE).
2. Run the Aquarius Desktop application.
3. Verify that you are using the latest Aquarius Desktop application version.
4. Go updates page.
5. Search for the product to update, for example, "N4" or "N4 Player".
6. Click on the install update button.

To upgrade from N4 Player to N4:

1. Close your host (DAW or NLE).
2. Run the Aquarius Desktop application.
3. Verify that you are using the latest Aquarius Desktop application version.
4. Go search page.
5. Search for N4.
6. Click on the install button.
7. Aquarius will go to the product page.
8. Choose the plug-in format to install and click on the install button.
9. Repeat the latest steps for each installed or needed plug-in format.

To install the Cross-Platform Commercial Library (CPCL v5 including Yellow Royalle & Rose):

1. Close your host (DAW or NLE).
2. Run the Aquarius Desktop application.
3. Verify that you are using the latest Aquarius application version.
4. Go search page.
5. Search for the library or product to install, for example, "N4 Pack".
6. Click on the install button in the library you want to install.
7. Aquarius will go to the product page.
8. Click on the install button.
9. Repeat this last step until you have all 12 packs from the CPCL v5 installed.

To install a 3rd party developers Library (commercial, trial, or free):

1. Close your host (DAW or NLE).
2. Run the Aquarius Desktop application.
3. Verify that you are using the latest Aquarius Desktop application version.
4. Go search page.
5. Search for the product or library to install, for example, "Henry."
6. Click on the install button in the Henry-F Free (Equalizer) library.
7. Aquarius will go to the product page.
8. Choose N4 x64 as a preferred format and click on the install button.

To install Violet:

1. Close your host (DAW or NLE).
2. Run the Aquarius Desktop Application.
3. Verify that you are using the latest Aquarius Desktop application version.
4. Go search page.
5. Search for "Violet."
6. Click on the install button.
7. Aquarius will go to the product page.
8. Choose N4 x64 as a preferred format and click on the install button.

The Acustica Audio single point of contact (SPOC) is the Acustica Audio help-desk portal. In order to access to Audio help-desk portal go to the Acustica Audio website and then to the support section. We do not provide help, assistance, or support via social networks, public forums, or through our email accounts.