AXP CharBooster
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version 1.0.0 
20 Jan 2013

Description
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  CharBooster is a composite overdrive effect tailored specifically to be used as booster 
in front of any virtual amplifier model. It essentially consists of a pre-emphasis filter 
section designed to provide a variation of voicings for your instrument followed by a 
saturation circuit that excites the signal with harmonics while still being as 
transparent as possible. The UI is not trying to look like a hardware stomp box but 
rather has a range of meters and scopes to provide an insight on what is going on 
with your signal.

The effect's controls are broken down into 3 sections:

1. Character
 * Amount  sets the amount of the filtering applied.
 * Character  selects one of the pre-configured filters:
    - Shrill  boosts the top frequencies enhancing the presence of the signal
    - Bright  boosts the high frequencies adding clarity and brightness
    - Tight  rolls-off the low end to reduce the muddiness of the high-gain amps
    - Flat  bypass of the filtering stage
    - Fat  boosts the middle frequencies for the best high-gain tone
    - Warm  rolls-off the high frequencies (good for taming single-coil pickups)

2. Saturation
 * Harmonics  sets the amount of the harmonics introduced by this stage.
 * Mode  selects the configuration of the stages:
    - Off  bypass the saturation stage
    - Tube  pre-amp stage based on a single 12AX7 triode
    - Tape  simple magnetic tape model
    - T-n-T  tube preamp followed by the tape model

3. Boost
 * Level  sets the output gain of the booster from -6dB to +24dB.

On the top of the effect's window there are 5 more buttons (from left to right):
 * Enable the effect
 * Stereo mode
 * 16x oversampling
 * About
 * Check for updates


  The tube model used in the saturation stage is similar to the one used in Softamp 3OD, 
however the modeled circuit is different.
The tape model is a very simplified one. It has only the nonlinear transfer curve and 
dynamic frequency response modeled. Wow & flutter effects as well as phase smearing were 
omitted keep the CPU consumption low. It is loosely based on the Ampex ATR-102 tape recorder.



Installation:
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Unzip the archive and put the "AXP CharBooster.dll" or "AXP CharBooster x64.dll" to your 
VST folder. Make sure to select the one appropriate for your system (Win32 or x64).


Notes:
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 * The effect is able to produce high level output signal (up to +24dB). Make sure that 
there will be something in your processing chain that limits the output signal. The 
assumed use case is that CharBooster is followed by the amplifier model that is pushed 
into saturation.

 * Not all amplifiers will sound pleasing while being overdriven at the input. Experiment.

 * CharBooster expects to be driven by a full-swing 0dB input signal. If pushed further 
the sound quality will degrade.

 * The CPU consumption in the most complex mode (T-n-T saturation, Stereo mode with 
 16x oversampling) could be a bit high. There's a plan to optimize it later, but it's a 
 low priority task unless I'm specifically asked to do it.


License:
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This software is licensed for an unlimited usage by everyone, including personal, 
commercial and scientific applications. You are NOT allowed to modify it (including both 
the binary code and the copyright information) or sell it, in either stand-alone or 
bundled form. The plugin is provided "as is" without a warranty of any kind. In no event 
I shall be liable for any damage associated withe the usage of this software. I encourage 
further distribution by sharing a link to this page.

Please send your questions and suggestions to my e-mail or post them here.
VST is a registered trademark of Steinberg, GmbH

AXP CharBooster (c)2013 Alexander Petrov-Savchenko
