Overview
Welcome to Neutron 4! If you have never used an iZotope product or want to know more about Neutron, then this is the right chapter for you. The topics include:
Product Portal
Download Product Portal to get started with Neutron 4. You can follow the directions on the Product Portal download page to: register new products, download, install, and authorize existing products, as well as access trials/demos or expansion content.
Authorizing Neutron
The first time you open a Neutron 4 plug-in, the Authorization window will appear.
![](https://cdn.statically.io/img/s3.amazonaws.com/izotopedownloads/docs/neutron4/en/images/getting-started/auth-window.png)
- Selecting Sign In will open the Product Portal if this application is installed on your computer. If Product Portal is not installed you will be brought to the web page to download Product Portal.
- Selecting Manual Authorization will open the manual Authorization window:
The Authorization window allows you to:
- TRIAL: Select the Continue in Trial option to continue a Trial period evaluation prior to purchasing.
- DEMO: Continue evaluating the product with Demo limitations (after the 10 day Trial period ends).
- AUTHORIZE: Authorize the product with a serial number.
Trial Mode
Trial mode allows you to evaluate Neutron 4 over a 10 day trial period. The trial period begins when you first open Neutron 4 plug-ins in a DAW/NLE. The Authorization window will display the number of days remaining in your trial period. Click the Continue button to exit the Authorization window.
Demo Mode
After your 10 day trial period expires, you have the option to operate Neutron 4 in Demo mode. To continue evaluating Neutron 4 in demo mode, click the Demo button.
Demo Mode Limitations
All controls and user interaction will be disabled in Neutron 4 plugins while in Demo mode. However, playback and automation will remain intact so your existing sessions are not negatively affected.
Authorization Methods
To disable Trial or Demo mode, you must authorize the product with a valid serial number. We offer three authorization methods for Neutron 4:
- Online Authorization: Authorize Neutron 4 on a computer online.
- Offline Authorization: Authorize Neutron 4 on a computer offline.
- iLok Authorization: Authorize Neutron 4 using iLok.
Help with authorization
Navigating the Detailed View
The Neutron 4 Detailed view is divided into four main areas as seen in the image below:
Learn more: I/O panel & Global Header controls
Visit the General Controls chapter to learn more about the I/O panel and global header controls.
Navigating the Assistant View
The Neutron 4 Assistant View is divided into three main areas as seen in the image below:
Learn more: Neutron 4 Assistant
You can learn more about working with the Neutron 4 Assistant in the Assistant chapter.
Signal Flow
The following diagram represents the signal flow in the Neutron plug-in.
Working with the Signal Chain
You can add, remove, and reorder modules in the Signal Chain area of the Neutron 4 mothership plug-in. By default, the Neutron 4 Signal Chain includes the Equalizer module.
Learn more: Signal Chain
For more information about working with the Signal Chain, visit the General Controls chapter.
Working with Neutron Plug-ins
Throughout this manual, the terms “Mothership” and “Component” are used to describe plug-ins included with Neutron 4.
- Mothership plug-in:
- Refers to the main Neutron 4 plug-in.
- Offers multiple processing modules in a single plug-in instance.
- Component plug-in:
- Refers to the plug-in equivalent of any individual module included in the Neutron Mothership plug-in. i.e. Compressor, Equalizer, etc…
- Offers focused control over an individual processing module.
- When working with a single processing module, component plug-ins can be used as resource-friendly alternatives to the mothership plug-in.
Mothership and Component Plug-in Feature Differences
Some features included in the Neutron 4 mothership plug-in are not available in the Neutron 4 component plug-ins. Differences include:
- The Limiter is only available in the Neutron mothership plug-in.
- The global Zero Latency mode option is not available in the Sculptor component plug-in.
- The global Zero Latency mode option is not available in the Unmask component plug-in.
- The Assistant Pre-EQ static matching capabilities are not available in the Sculptor component plug-in.
- The Assistant View (which includes the Target Library, Tonal Balance Curve meter, Intent Controls) is not available in the Neutron component plug-ins.
Component Plug-in and Module Comparison
The following table outlines if a given Neutron component plug-in is also included as a module within the Neutron mothership plug-in.
Feature | Component Plug-In | Module |
---|---|---|
Unmask | ✓ | ✓ |
Compressor | ✓ | ✓ |
Equalizer | ✓ | ✓ |
Exciter | ✓ | ✓ |
Gate | ✓ | ✓ |
Sculptor | ✓ | ✓ |
Transient Shaper | ✓ | ✓ |
Tonal Balance Control 2 | ✓ | X |
Visual Mixer | ✓ | X |
Relay | ✓ | X |
Workflow Suggestions
There are a number of different ways to approach working with Neutron plug-ins. We’ve included some workflow suggestions you can use if you aren’t sure where to start. These workflows are merely suggestions and any workflow is valid if it works for you.
Using the Assistant
The Neutron 4 mothership plug-in and Neutron 4 Visual Mixer plug-in offer intelligent assistive features aimed at helping you find a starting point for your track or entire mix based on an analysis of your audio.
Use the Assistant to build a starting point for an individual track. You can access the Assistant by inserting the Neutron 4 mothership plug-in on a track and clicking the Assistant button to the left of the Presets button in the global header area.
More Info: Mix Assistant
See the Assistant chapter for more information about working with the Assistant.
Using Presets
Neutron 4 plug-ins include a built in preset manager with a wide variety of factory presets to get you started. Open the Preset Manager by clicking the Presets button in the global header area of any Neutron 4 plug-in (except for Visual Mixer). Load a preset by selecting it in the preset manager window or quickly try out different global presets by clicking the left and right arrow buttons directly to the right of the Presets button in the global header area.
More Info: Preset Manager
Learn more about working with the Neutron Preset Manager in the Presets chapter.
Module Presets in the Neutron Mothership Plug-in
The Neutron mothership plug-in includes a global preset manager and a module preset manager. You can load presets that apply to a single module by clicking the Preset button in the module’s Signal Chain selector.
Working with IPC
Wouldn’t it be cool if all of the iZotope products that you owned talked to each other? Well, it’s a dream come true! With iZotope’s Inter Plug-in Communication (IPC) technology, different iZotope plug-in instances on separate tracks can send data back and forth to each other.
Neutron 4 includes the following IPC functionality:
- The Masking Meter feature, included in the Equalizer module, uses IPC technology to highlight masking occurring between tracks with IPC compatible plug-ins. See the Masking Meter chapter for more information.
- The Assistant feature included in the Visual Mixer plug-in uses IPC technology to provide a starting point for your mix by grouping and adjusting levels of IPC compatible plug-ins in your session. See the Assistant chapter for more information.
Neutron 4.0.2
ncG1vNJzZmirY2Ourq3ZqKWar6NjsLC5jqKxqKyfpbKlu9ano6iZlKh8pbvCrGannaWpv7C6k2icp2eXmsG1tc2gZKyskafBprCOoqWdnahjtbW5yw%3D%3D