Audio Vapor User Manual

Vapor User’s Guide

Audio Damage, Inc.
Release 1.1

23 January 2012

The information in this document is subject to change without notice and does not represent a commitment on
the part of Audio Damage, Inc. The software described by this document is subject to a License Agreement
and may not be copied to other media except as specifically allowed in the License Agreement. No part of this
publication may be copied, reproduced or otherwise transmitted or recorded, for any purpose, without prior
written permission by Audio Damage, Inc.

© 2007, 2012 Audio Damage, Inc. All rights reserved.

Credits

Software Design and Construction, Documentation

Chris Randall
Adam Schabtach

Field Testing

Wade Alin
Dean Dunakin
Steve Hamann

Made Possible By

Tracie Bork
Lisa Randall

Fuzzy Logic

Alex
Chica
Fatty
Pablo
Widget

Audio Unit version implemented using Symbiosis from NuEdge Development.

License Agreement

BY INSTALLING THE SOFTWARE, YOU ARE CONSENTING TO BE BOUND BY THIS AGREEMENT. IF YOU DO NOT
AGREE TO ALL OF THE TERMS OF THIS AGREEMENT, THEN RETURN THE PRODUCT TO THE PLACE OF
PURCHASE FOR A FULL REFUND.

Single User License Grant: Audio Damage, Inc. ("Audio Damage") and its suppliers grant to Customer
("Customer") a nonexclusive and nontransferable license to use the Audio Damage software ("Software") in
object code form solely on a single central processing unit owned or leased by Customer.

Customer may make one (1) archival copy of the Software provided Customer affixes to such copy all
copyright, confidentiality, and proprietary notices that appear on the original.

EXCEPT AS EXPRESSLY AUTHORIZED ABOVE, CUSTOMER SHALL NOT: COPY, IN WHOLE OR IN PART,
SOFTWARE OR DOCUMENTATION; MODIFY THE SOFTWARE; REVERSE COMPILE OR REVERSE ASSEMBLE ALL
OR ANY PORTION OF THE SOFTWARE; OR RENT, LEASE, DISTRIBUTE, SELL, OR CREATE DERIVATIVE WORKS
OF THE SOFTWARE.

Customer agrees that aspects of the licensed materials, including the specific design and structure of
individual programs, constitute trade secrets and/or copyrighted material of Audio Damage. Customer agrees
not to disclose, provide, or otherwise make available such trade secrets or copyrighted material in any form to
any third party without the prior written consent of Audio Damage. Customer agrees to implement reasonable
security measures to protect such trade secrets and copyrighted material. Title to Software and
documentation shall remain solely with Audio Damage.

LIMITED WARRANTY. Audio Damage warrants that for a period of ninety (90) days from the date of shipment
from Audio Damage: (i) the media on which the Software is furnished will be free of defects in materials and
workmanship under normal use; and (ii) the Software substantially conforms to its published specifications.
Except for the foregoing, the Software is provided AS IS. This limited warranty extends only to Customer as
the original licensee. Customer's exclusive remedy and the entire liability of Audio Damage and its suppliers
under this limited warranty will be, at Audio Damage or its service center's option, repair, replacement, or
refund of the Software if reported (or, upon request, returned) to the party supplying the Software to
Customer. In no event does Audio Damage warrant that the Software is error free or that Customer will be
able to operate the Software without problems or interruptions.

This warranty does not apply if the software (a) has been altered, except by Audio Damage, (b) has not been
installed, operated, repaired, or maintained in accordance with instructions supplied by Audio Damage, (c) has

been subjected to abnormal physical or electrical stress, misuse, negligence, or accident, or (d) is used in
ultrahazardous activities.

DISCLAIMER. EXCEPT AS SPECIFIED IN THIS WARRANTY, ALL EXPRESS OR IMPLIED CONDITIONS,
REPRESENTATIONS, AND WARRANTIES INCLUDING, WITHOUT LIMITATION, ANY IMPLIED WARRANTY OF
MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, NONINFRINGEMENT OR ARISING FROM A
COURSE OF DEALING, USAGE, OR TRADE PRACTICE, ARE HEREBY EXCLUDED TO THE EXTENT ALLOWED BY
APPLICABLE LAW.

IN NO EVENT WILL AUDIO DAMAGE OR ITS SUPPLIERS BE LIABLE FOR ANY LOST REVENUE, PROFIT, OR
DATA, OR FOR SPECIAL, INDIRECT, CONSEQUENTIAL, INCIDENTAL, OR PUNITIVE DAMAGES HOWEVER
CAUSED AND REGARDLESS OF THE THEORY OF LIABILITY ARISING OUT OF THE USE OF OR INABILITY TO
USE THE SOFTWARE EVEN IF AUDIO DAMAGE OR ITS SUPPLIERS HAVE BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY
OF SUCH DAMAGES. In no event shall Audio Damage's or its suppliers' liability to Customer, whether in
contract, tort (including negligence), or otherwise, exceed the price paid by Customer. The foregoing
limitations shall apply even if the above-stated warranty fails of its essential purpose. SOME STATES DO NOT
ALLOW LIMITATION OR EXCLUSION OF LIABILITY FOR CONSEQUENTIAL OR INCIDENTAL DAMAGES.

The above warranty DOES NOT apply to any beta software, any software made available for testing or
demonstration purposes, any temporary software modules or any software for which Audio Damage does not
receive a license fee. All such software products are provided AS IS without any warranty whatsoever.

This License is effective until terminated. Customer may terminate this License at any time by destroying all
copies of Software including any documentation. This License will terminate immediately without notice from
Audio Damage if Customer fails to comply with any provision of this License. Upon termination, Customer
must destroy all copies of Software.

Software, including technical data, is subject to U.S. export control laws, including the U.S. Export
Administration Act and its associated regulations, and may be subject to export or import regulations in other
countries. Customer agrees to comply strictly with all such regulations and acknowledges that it has the
responsibility to obtain licenses to export, re-export, or import Software.

This License shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of Colorado, United
States of America, as if performed wholly within the state and without giving effect to the principles of conflict
of law. If any portion hereof is found to be void or unenforceable, the remaining provisions of this License
shall remain in full force and effect. This License constitutes the entire License between the parties with
respect to the use of the Software.

Introduction

Thank you for purchasing Vapor, Audio Damage’s diffusion chorus plug-in. Vapor is a sort of hybrid effect, a
relative of both chorus and reverb. Vapor adds high-end shine and animation to synthesizers, strings, and
guitar, giving them more presence in your mix. Vapor can also smear out and soften audio, making
instruments sound distant and less distinct.

At Vapor's core is a network of diffusers, delay-based filters that soften and smear audio passing through
them. Each diffuser is modulated by a low-frequency oscillator (LFO). This modulation prevents the filters
from resonating at any specific frequency but can also be used to create unusual tremolo-like effects.

Vapor is provided as both a VST and an AudioUnit plug-in for Windows and MacOS X. The MacOS X version is
a Universal Binary, compatible with both Intel- and Motorola-based Macs.

System Requirements

To use Vapor, you'll need a Steinberg VST-compatible host application which conforms to the VST 2.0
specifications, and a computer capable of running it. For the Audio Unit version of Vapor, you’ll need an
application capable of hosting Audio Unit plug-ins, and an Apple computer with an Intel CPU capable of
running it.

We support the use of Vapor under Microsoft Windows XP, Vista, or Windows 7; and Apple OS X version 10.5
or newer.

Installation

Double-click the Vapor Installer icon and follow the instructions. During the installation process the installer
will ask you to enter your registration code. Your registration code uniquely identifies your purchase, and you
will need it if you need to reinstall your plug-in (for example, after upgrading to a new computer). Keep a
copy of the code in a safe location and please don’t share it with your friends. We’re delighted if you like our
products so much that you want to share them, but please ask your friends to buy their own copy so that we
can keep making new products.

On OS X, the installer installs both the Audio Unit and VST versions of Vapor by default. If you click the
Customize button you can choose to not install one of these formats. If you’re running a 64-bit version of
Windows, you can choose to install either a 32- or 64-bit version of Vapor, or both. On OS X, both the
AudioUnit and VST versions are combination 32/64-bit plug-ins.

To un-install from OS X, simply delete the plug-in from your VST folder, which is usually located at

/Library/Audio/Plug-Ins/VST/, and your Audio Units folder, which is located at /Library/Audio/Plug­Ins/Components/. To un-install from Windows, delete the file named Vapor.dll from your VST folder(s).

Operation

Vapor is primarily intended for creating stereo effects, and as such should be used in a stereo context (i.e.,
inserted on a stereo channel) in your host DAW software. It can “stereo-ize” a mono input signal and enhance
a stereo input signal. If you use a stereo input, the left and right channel separation is preserved in the output
signal (assuming that some amount of the unprocessed signal is present in the output; see the description of
the MIX knob below). You can also use Vapor in a single-output mono context but its overall effect will be less
dramatic. Vapor can be used either as an insert effect or a send/return effect; in the latter case rotate the MIX
knob fully clockwise so that none of the dry signal is added in the return signal.

Here is a screenshot of Vapor, followed by detailed descriptions of its controls. Vapor's effect upon audio can
vary widely depending upon both its controls and the audio itself, so let your ear be your guide as you
experiment.

1. Rate

The RATE knob sets the speed with which the delays within Vapor are modulated (changed) by low-frequency
oscillators (LFOs). As you rotate this knob clockwise the modulation rate increases. At low rates—within the
first half of the knob’s rotation—the modulation is usually not noticeable in itself and serves to prevent the
diffusion network from resonating and ringing. At higher settings, particularly if the DEPTH knob is also turned
up above 50%, Vapor can create unusual modulation effects.

The RATE control has a range of 0.01 to 5Hz. Note that if the DEPTH knob (described next) is set to zero, you
won’t hear any change in the output when you rotate the RATE knob.

2. Depth

The DEPTH knob determines how much the delays within Vapor are modulated. If this knob is rotated fully
counter-clockwise, the delays are not modulated at all and Vapor creates an unchanging effect that can be
prone to a metallic ringing timbre. (Listen to the preset named “Move The Time” for an example of this effect.)
As you rotate this knob clockwise—even slightly—the LFOs vary the lengths of the delays in the diffusers,

removing the ringing and imparting Vapor’s characteristic smearing effect. The further you rotate this knob

the more the delays are changed. You will often find that the DEPTH, RATE, and DELAY TIME knobs all need

to be adjusted together since their individual influences over Vapor’s sound are interdependent to some

extent. For instance, you may find that decreasing the RATE when you increase the DEPTH produces a better
sound.

3. Delay Time

The DELAY TIME knob sets the lengths of the delays used within Vapor’s diffusers. Turning the knob clockwise
increases the delay times and generally makes the effect sound thicker or more smeared-out. If both the
Delay time and Diffusion knobs are turned to a fairly high value, Vapor's output will sound somewhat like a
reverb processor.

The delay knob interacts with the DEPTH knob in the sense that at longer delay times the modulation LFOs
change the delays over longer time intervals. In other words, the effect of the LFO modulation will be more
audibly apparent at higher settings of the DELAY TIME knob.

4. Diffusion

The DIFFUSION knob controls how much Vapor softens or smears the audio passing through it. If this knob is
rotated fully counter-clockwise, the diffusers act essentially like short delays and Vapor will produce an effect
similar to a simple chorus processor. Rotating the knob clockwise increases the amount that Vapor smears the
audio. At high settings of the DIFFUSION knob, Vapor’s effect becomes somewhat like reverberation.

5. Mix

The MIX knob controls the relative amounts of the original, unprocessed (dry) signal and the processed (wet)
signal in Vapor's output. Use this knob to control the overall amount of the chorusing effect. When the knob is
rotated fully counter-clockwise, you'll hear only the original signal. As you rotate the knob clockwise, the
amount of wet signal increases and the amount of dry signal decreases. At the center "12 o'clock" position,
there is an equal amount of wet and dry signal in the output. If you rotate the knob fully clockwise, you'll hear
only the processed signal. The best setting for this knob will vary widely depending on your source material,
the overall sound character you're trying to achieve, and the settings of the other knobs, so try everything
from just a touch to 100% wet.

6. Lo-Cut

The lo-cut button, when depressed, places a high-pass filter between Vapor’s input and its diffusion network.
This filter removes low frequencies from the signal which can make the processed signal sound bass-heavy or
muddy. Turn on the lo-cut button if you find that Vapor's output is occupying too much of the low-frequency
end of your mix. Click the button to toggle it between on and off.

MIDI Controllers

Vapor responds to MIDI continuous controller messages. You can use hardware MIDI controllers, such as MIDI

slider boxes or the knobs found on some MIDI keyboards, to adjust Vapor’s parameters.

Vapor has a simple “MIDI Learn” mode for assigning its controls to MIDI controllers. To assign a control to a

MIDI controller:

 First, hold down the SHIFT and CTRL keys on your PC’s keyboard, or SHIFT and CMD keys if you’re

using a Mac, and click once on the control. A white box will be drawn around the control to indicate
that it is ready to learn which MIDI controller it will be assigned to.

 Next, move the MIDI controller to send a continuous controller message—turn the knob, press the

button, move the slider, whatever is appropriate.

 The white square will disappear. Now the control will move when you manipulate the MIDI controller.

Vapor waits until it has received two consecutive continuous controller messages with the same controller
number before it makes an assignment. This filters out extraneous data sent by some MIDI controllers. If you
are assigning a button or switch on a MIDI controller, you may have to press or move the switch twice before
Vapor recognizes the controller and assigns it to the desired control.

To assign a different MIDI controller to a control, repeat the same procedure using a different controller.

To cancel MIDI Learn mode without assigning a controller, hold down the SHIFT and CTRL keys (SHIFT and

CMD keys on a Mac) and click in any empty area in Vapor’s window (i.e., don’t click on another control). The

white box will disappear.

To remove a MIDI controller assignment from a control, SHIFT and CTRL keys, (SHIFT and CMD keys on a
Mac) click on the control once so that the white box appears, then click again on the same control.

Vapor’s MIDI controller assignments apply to all presets and instances of Vapor, in all host applications that

you use. The MIDI assignments are stored in a special file on your hard drive. The contents of this file are
read when Vapor is loaded by your host. If you have two or more instances of Vapor in use at once, any MIDI
assignments you make will not be propagated to the other instances until the next time that your host loads
the plug-ins.

Automation

All of Vapor's parameters can be automated using your host's automation features. Consult your host's
documentation for information on how to use these features.

And Finally…

Thanks again for purchasing Vapor. We make every effort to ensure your satisfaction with our products, and
want you to be happy with your purchase. Please write [e-mail] if you have any questions or
comments.