Frequently Asked Questions

What is a software amp?

Our software amps are original guitar amplifier designs, based on tubes resistors and capacitors.  The difference is we have implemented the circuits in software rather than building a physical product.  The idea with software amps is to recreate the whole experience of using a good quality amp connected to a good quality speaker cabinet, leaving you to concentrate on creating the music.

Having been die-hard fans of real tube amps for years, we took a lot of persuading to embrace the software approach.  But with S-Gear, we really believe that the software amp is coming of age.  If you haven’t yet tried it, don't wait any longer!

What is the difference between the Standalone App and the plug-in?

The S-Gear Standalone App is a Windows and MAC OS X program that lets you run S-Gear amps without the need for any other software. It is useful for practising and playing along with MP3’s. If you are the pioneering type, then you might even use it for live performance. The main requirement is that you have a compatible audio interface connected to your computer (ASIO compatibility required for Windows, Core Audio compatibility required for MAC OS X). 

The S-Gear VST plug-in can be used with any music production software supporting the VST 2.x plug-in standard, and running on a supported Windows operating system. Popular tools for creating and recording music with Windows include Reaper, Sonar and Cubase. There are also loads of others to choose from.

The S-Gear Audio Unit (AU) plug-in can be used with any music production software supporting AU plug-ins, running a MAC OS X 10.5 or above operating system.  Logic is the DAW (Digital Audio Workstation) software created by Apple.  Other popular packages are Digital Performer by MOTU, and Reaper.

Where do I plug my guitar? and can I use the on-board sound device?

If you are new to computer audio, then you are probably wondering where do I plug in my guitar? and can’t I just try it with the computer soundcard using the mini jack sockets?

It is possible to use your onboard soundcard, but chances are that configuration will be tricky and the sonic results you get won’t be great. Your best bet is to buy an external USB or Firewire audio interface. If you go for a simple entry level device, then installation and setup should be easy and you should achieve good audio quality.

If you really want to experiment with your onboard soundcard then try the following:

On Windows systems, download the latest version of the ASIO4ALL driver. This allows your regular windows soundcard to be used as an ASIO audio device.

On MAC OS X, you need to create an 'aggregate device' in order to use the on board sound devices. See the following Apple support links for advice on creating aggregate devices: OS X 10.5, OS X 10.6.  The aggregate device will appear in your S-Gear standalone device list.

What audio interface do you recommend?

We don’t endorse any specific product. Check on the forums (try our forum and KVR Audio), see what people are saying about support – are the drivers reliable and have they been updated recently to support new operating systems.

Decide on your budget and the number of inputs and outputs you require. If you are looking for ultra-low latency, then be sure to check the audio buffer size specification. For guitar, we think it's nice to have a real analogue knob for adjusting the input gain and headphone level, and also decent metering to help avoid overloading the interface inputs.

What specification machine do I need?

You will need a fairly up to date machine to run S-Gear . Our minimum spec is an Intel Pentium 4 class processor 2.0GHz (or better) with at least 2GB RAM and 50MB free hard disk space. Most entry level machines will meet this specification.

If you are getting into music production, then you should consider a fast multi-core machine, plenty of RAM and fast disk drives. As a rough guide, on an Intel Xeon 2.6GHz 4 Core machine we can run ten instances of the S-Gear plug-in under Sonar X1, with the CPU meters indicating about 40%.

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What is the best way to calibrate my audio input level?

S- Gear is very sensitive to input level. We can’t stress enough how important it is to set input levels carefully. Don’t rely on the device metering; you need to use your ears too. Furthermore, if you have your pickups set very close to the strings, then you need to be extra careful. Fast transients that are not detected by the metering on your audio input device are likely to cause harsh clipping of the input signal, which then proliferates throughout the processing chain resulting in unpleasant overall tone.

To check your input levels, you need to listen to the audio going in and out of your interface with no processing applied. Some audio interface mixers let you do this by routing the input to the output. If you need to have S-Gear enabled, make sure that you bypass all processing (switch off Amp, Effect and Cab using the bypass buttons on the Rack Controller). Now strum some chords hard on your highest output pickup, if you can hear any clipping then reduce the input gain on your audio device. Even if you can’t hear the clipping, it may still be present, so it’s a good idea to lower the input levels just a little beyond the point that your cannot hear the clipping.

Note: The S-Gear metering does not currently offer any fast peak detect function.

What sample rate should I use for my projects?

Unless you have a particular reason to run at a higher sample rate, for reasons of processing capability, we recommend that you run at 44100Hz. Provided that your audio interface device has good quality filters, you should achieve good results. Choosing 44100Hz will give you maximum processing headroom and maximum disk recording capacity.

Without a doubt, some systems can sound more transparent at higher sample rates. But the reason for this might be the quality of your input and output filters, rather than the extra sampling resolution.

What is audio buffer size and what settings should I use?

The audio buffer size determines how many audio samples your interface will store up before passing a packet of audio data to S-Gear. Sometimes it is configured in samples, and sometimes in milliseconds. The bigger the value, the more latency you will suffer through your computer; however, if the value is too small, then you are likely to suffer clips and pops since the computer cannot process one packet of audio data before the next arrives.

Most audio interfaces require that you select an audio buffer size from a list, rather than specify a precise value. As a quick guide, use the following settings, if the device does not offer the exact number, then pick the closest.

Milliseconds vs Samples at 44100Hz sample rate
2 ms = 88 samples
3 ms = 132 samples
4 ms = 176 samples
5 ms = 220 samples

Does S-Gear introduce any latency?

No. S-Gear is a zero latency plug-in which means it does not add any additional latency beyond that imposed by the system audio buffer size.

Some plug-ins do add a small amount of latency (usually for look-ahead dynamics processing).

The latency of your system is determined by the audio driver input and output buffering plus whatever audio block size has been specified.

What latency is acceptable?

It is quite difficult to hear less than 6 msec latency. Consider too that sound travels at roughly 330 meters per second, so even with a physical amp it takes nearly 10msec for the sound to travel 3 meters from the speaker to your ear.

Audio buffer size is NOT the end of the story; your audio interface will also add considerable latency for input and output buffering (on top of the audio buffer latency). Typically you will end up with 10-20msec latency through your setup. Once you become accustomed to playing your instrument with this latency, you will probably find that it doesn’t bother you too much. But roll on faster interfaces!

I'm hearing occasional clicks and pops, what's the problem?

There could be a number of reasons for this:

The most likely cause of pops and clicks is unsuitable configuration of your audio interface. If the audio buffer size is set too small, then the CPU will struggle to complete the processing before the next packet of audio arrives, resulting in occasional drop-outs. Check the CPU meters (you can use Windows performance monitor) and if the CPU is struggling, then either reduce the processing load, or increase the audio buffer size.

Some interfaces allow you to configure Firewire/USB buffer sizes; again if these are set too small then the interface might struggle. If you suspect that this is the problem, consult the documentation provided by your interface manufacturer.

On some machines, unruly device drivers can hog processor time (see the FAQ on DPC latency).  In particular, network interfeaces are notorious for causing DPC latency issues.

You could have a faulty hard disk drive. Check with the manufacturer of your machine to find out how you can check the hard disk performance.

Finally, if the noise you hear is very severe and regular sounding, then there could be a configuration mismatch between the device driver and your application. Try closing everything down, use the software tool provided with your interface to configure the interface to the desired settings.

What is DPC latency?

DPC (Deferred Procedure Call) latency is the time taken for device drivers to do the processing they need to do. If the device driver does not complete its processing in a reasonable time, it will block other devices from running smoothly. On a machine used for processing real time audio, this is likely to cause pops and clicks.

You can use a utility to test the DPC latencies in your system. One such utility (and more information) can be found here: Thesycon’s DPC Latency Checker

Network interface cards are notorious for causing DPC latency issues. If you are seeing DPC spikes, try disabling your network interface or wireless network ineterface.
 

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Is S-Gear 64-bit compatible?

Yes!  From version v1_0_5 onwards, S-Gear offers 32-bit and 64-bit builds for both Windows and MAC Operating Systems.

S-Gear for MAC OS X is compiled as a universal binary and offers native 32-bit and 64-bit operation.

S-Gear for Windows will install as a 32-bit application on 32-bit systems, and as a 64-bit application on 64-bit systems.  If you are running a 64-bit operating system, then the S-Gear installer will provide an option to additionally install the 32-bit version of the S-Gear VST.  This is required if you still run a 32-bit DAW.

How does License activation work?

The activation process registers your installation of S-Gear with us. Online activation is the quickest and simplest method of activation, in fact it requires just one click, and S-Gear will register the installation details using your internet connection.

If you cannot connect your machine to the internet for some reason, then S-Gear also supports an ‘offline activation’ process. Offline activation works by you generating a request code and sending it to us. We then send you a response code that will activate S-Gear on your machine.

For full details of the licensing processes, consult the S-Gear Installation Guide. The S-Gear EULA (End User License Agreement) is installed with S-Gear.

How many copies of S-Gear can I use?

An S-Gear license entitles you to activate and use up to 2 installations of S-Gear.

What if I want to move my S-Gear license to a new computer?

S-Gear provides a facility to deactivate your licensed installation, allowing you to re-activate on a different machine. For more details, see the S-Gear Installation Guide.

Will installing an S-Gear update affect my license activation?

You can install an S-Gear update on your machine, without any impact on your current license activation status.

IMPORTANT! – When updating S-Gear, make sure you update any copies of the VST DLL that exist in a non-default location (i.e. if you copied the DLL to your plug-in folder). If you don’t do this, then you will get a license error when trying to use the plug-in. To avoid this problem, add the default S-Gear VST folder to your DAW plug-in paths rather than copying the DLL.

What is FlexNet licensing?

FlexNet is the license management technology used by S-Gear. It is made by Flexera Software Inc, and is the most widely used software licensing technology.

Scuffham Amps chose FlexNet becuase it provides a cost effective and flexible solution that allows us to deliver and manage software licenses without requiring a hardware dongle.

What is installed on my computer with S-Gear licensing?

When you install S-Gear on your system, the licensing part installs two items:

1) A license store called 'Trusted Storage', which is held in a file on your filesystem. This contains details of your trial license and any full license activations.

On a Windows system, Trusted Storage files are held in the \ProgramData\FLEXnet folder. On a MAC, the Trusted Storage files are held in the /Library/Preferences/FLEXnet Publisher/FLEXnet folder.

2) A service which is used by S-Gear to read the contents of Trusted Storage.

On Windows systems this is installed as a Windows Service. On MAC systems the service is an executable file held in /Library/Application Support/FLEXnet Publisher/Service.

The S-Gear license is bound to your machine; this binding works by reading information such as the CPU serial number, Ethernet address and Hard disk serial number. If one of these identities changes then the license should not be effected. However, if more than one changes, then the licensing solution may no longer recognise the machine and the license will require a repair. Please see the S-Gear Installation Guide for details of the License Repair operation.

Note: On Windows systems, FlexNet also writes an 'anchor' to the the hard disk track zero region. This can create a conflict with earlier versions of the TrueCrypt Disk enrcyption software. For more information, see the TrueCrypt website.

S-Gear is showing a License Error, what should I do?

If you experience this error, then there are a few things to check:



WINDOWS:

Note: If you have v1.0 and v2.0 installed side by side, and you wish to uninstall one of them.  Please refer to the S-Gear v1-v2 Upgrade Notes.  You must first  uninstall both versions, then reinstall one of them.  If you do not follow these steps you may end up with an incomplete S-Gear installation, showing the license error screen when you try to run the software.

Otherwise, please check the following advice: 

1. The most likely cause of the Licence Error screen is because the VST plug-in DLL is mismatched with the currently installed version of S-Gear.  If you have manually copied the VST DLL to your DAW plug-in folders, remember to update it when you upgrade to a new version of S-Gear.  Note:  In this scenario the Standalone App would work fine but the plug-in would show the error.

2. S-Gear uses a Windows service for license transactions (Flexnet licensing service).  If this service is stopped or disabled, then the license error will be displayed.  Restart your machine, which should restart the stopped licensing service.  If this does not solve the problem, then you can check that the Windows service has not been disabled.  

3. Some antivirus programs can be over enthusiastic at stopping services.  Make sure your antivirus program has not quarantined the Flexnet licensing service.

4. It is possible that your S-Gear installation has become broken in some way.  Uninstall S-Gear completely and then re-install.  This should correctly install all S-Gear components.

If you still have problems, contact us via our support pages.

MAC:

On the MAC, these errors are very unlikely.  However, if you back up and restore your entire hard drive using Apple Time Machine or some other disk copying software, you may encounter problems.  See the FAQ on Time Machine for more advice.  






 

How do I restore an S-Gear installation from Apple Time Machine - MAC OSX?

Sometimes following a restore operation with Apple Time Machine, the S-Gear license permissions are not restored correctly.  S-Gear will require reactivation, and this process may fail:

• S-Gear shows the trial license screen
• Reactivation fails
• S-Gear shows a license error

1. Close S-Gear instances (Standalone Application or Plugin).
2. Re-run the S-Gear installer.
3. Re-start S-Gear standalone.

1. Close S-Gear instances (Standalone Application or Plugin)
2. Locate the following directory (this is where the S-Gear license is held):  
   /Library/Preferences/FLEXnet Publisher/FLEXnet
3. Delete the FLEXnet folder along with its contents
4. Restart S-Gear and reactivate.  This should create a new license.

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Do I have to register to download the demo of S-Gear?

Yes, you need to register with your email address to download the S-Gear software.
We strictly protect your privacy and do not share your details with third parties, or send you any unsolicited emails.

I have forgotten my registration details (password and/or username)

To reset your password, click on the Forgotten your password? link from the Sign in screen, and enter the email address that you registered with. The system will then send you an email with a verification code and instructions on how to reset your password.

If you have forgotten your username then please contact us. We aim to respond within 24 hours.

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How do I purchase S-Gear?

You can buy S-Gear directly from our website. We accept payment in 29 currencies, with the option to display the shopping cart options in up to 28 languages. For more details please visit the How to Buy page.

Do I have to pay VAT?

If you are based in the European Union the sale will be subject to VAT. The rate applied is 19% as our reseller is based in Germany.

If you are registered for VAT purposes and based in the European Union, you can provide your VAT number to purchase VAT-free.

For customers based in the US, your sale may be subject to Sales Tax but this varies according to the particular State government laws. Please contact our reseller, cleverbridge AG, for specific queries.

How is the product delivered?

The S-Gear software can be downloaded from this website.  If you have downloaded the trial of S-Gear then you will not need to do this again. To use S-Gear after the trial period has expired you must purchase a license key to activate the product.

Once payment has been received, our reseller (cleverbridge AG) sends a license key to the email address you have provided.  We recommend you keep this email in a safe place.

Can I pay with PayPal?

Yes we accept payments through PayPal. Payments can also be made by credit card and wire transfers.

Do you offer an educational discount?

If you are a Guitar Teacher and interested in using S-Gear with your students, please contact us.  We may be able to offer a discount based on bulk purchase.

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