Install and activate Pro Knob

Download Pro Knob from your account page, install it, then activate it with the Signal Tools Activator.

Pro Knob runs on Mac, Windows and Linux.

Install

The Pro Knob installer on your account page includes every Pro Knob plugin, Pro Knob Rack and the Signal Tools Activator. A single-plugin installer includes that plugin and the Activator.

Install on Mac

On your account page, click Download for Mac, or the macOS button next to a single plugin. You get a .pkg installer.
Open the downloaded file and follow the installer. It asks for your Mac's password, because the plugins go in the shared plugin folders.
When it finishes, the plugins are installed in AAX, VST3 and AU formats, and the Signal Tools Activator is in your Applications folder.
Open your DAW. If the plugins don't appear, rescan plugins in your DAW's plugin settings.

The installer is notarized by Apple. Next: activate your plugins.

Where the plugins go:
AU: /Library/Audio/Plug-Ins/Components
VST3: /Library/Audio/Plug-Ins/VST3
AAX: /Library/Application Support/Avid/Audio/Plug-Ins

Install on Windows

On your account page, click Download for Windows, or the Windows button next to a single plugin. You get a .exe installer.
If your browser says the file isn't commonly downloaded, choose to keep it. The installer is signed by Signal Tools LLC.
Close your DAW, then run the installer. If a DAW is still open, the installer asks you to close it first.
When Windows asks whether to allow the app to make changes to your device, click Yes. If Windows shows "Windows protected your PC", click More info, then Run anyway.
When it finishes, the plugins are installed in VST3 and AAX formats, and the Signal Tools Activator is in the Start menu. If your computer needs the Microsoft Visual C++ runtime, the installer adds it.
Open your DAW. If the plugins don't appear, rescan plugins in your DAW's plugin settings.

AU is a Mac format, so it isn't part of the Windows installer. Next: activate your plugins.

Where the plugins go:
VST3: C:\Program Files\Common Files\VST3
AAX: C:\Program Files\Common Files\Avid\Audio\Plug-Ins

Install on Linux

On your account page, click Download for Linux, or the Linux button next to a single plugin. You get a .tar.gz package, for example Pro-Knob-Complete-1.0.1-Linux.tar.gz or Pro-Knob-Compressor-1.0.1-Linux.tar.gz.
Open a terminal in the folder where the file is, and unpack it: tar -xzf Pro-Knob-Complete-1.0.1-Linux.tar.gz (use your file's name).
Run the installer in the folder it unpacked: ./Pro-Knob-Complete-1.0.1-Linux/install.sh. No administrator rights are needed.
When it finishes, the plugins are installed as VST3 in ~/.vst3, and the Signal Tools Activator is in your applications menu.
Open your host. If the plugins don't appear, rescan plugins in your host's plugin settings.

Pro Knob 1.0.1 for Linux is native 64-bit VST3. There are no LV2, CLAP, AAX or AU versions on Linux. Next: activate your plugins.

You need a 64-bit Intel or AMD computer; glibc 2.35 or later and the GCC 12 C++ runtime (Ubuntu 22.04, Debian 12, Fedora 36 or later); an X11 desktop, or Wayland with XWayland; libcurl, fontconfig, FreeType, libX11 and libXext; and a host that loads VST3.

To uninstall, run uninstall.sh in the same folder, for example ./Pro-Knob-Complete-1.0.1-Linux/uninstall.sh. Your license files and chain presets are kept.

Where the files go:
VST3: ~/.vst3
Signal Tools Activator: ~/.local/share/Signal Tools/Activator
License files: ~/.local/share/Signal Tools/ (or $XDG_DATA_HOME/Signal Tools/ if XDG_DATA_HOME is set)
Pro Knob Rack chain presets: ~/.local/share/Signal Tools Co/Pro Knob Rack/Chain Presets/

Activation

The same on Mac, Windows and Linux. Activation needs an internet connection.

Open the Signal Tools Activator. On a Mac it's in your Applications folder; on Windows it's in the Start menu; on Linux it's in your applications menu. Clicking the banner on a plugin that isn't activated also opens it. Then sign in, or use an activation code.

Sign in with your account (no code needed)

In the Activator, click Sign in to your account instead.
Enter the email and password of your Signal Tools account, then click Sign In.
The Activator shows "Signed in as" with your email and how many products were activated, then closes. Every plugin on your account is now activated on this computer.
If your DAW was open, remove each plugin from its track and insert it again, or reopen your session.

If the Activator says "email verification required", click the link in the email we sent you, then sign in again.

Use an activation code

Copy your activation code from your account page. A bundle has one code for every plugin in it; a plugin you own on its own has its own code.
In the Activator, paste the code into Activation code and click Activate. If the Activator shows the sign-in screen, click Use an activation code instead first.
When it says "Activation successful", remove the plugin from its track and insert it again, or reopen your session.

If a plugin shows a banner

A plugin that isn't activated still loads and passes your audio through unprocessed, with a banner at the bottom of its window. Click the banner to fix it.

CLICK TO ACTIVATE
The plugin has no license on this computer. Click it to open the Signal Tools Activator, then sign in or paste your code.
TRIAL ENDS IN 5 DAYS - CLICK TO PURCHASE
Your free trial is ending. Click it to see the plugin in the store.
TRIAL ENDED - CLICK TO PURCHASE
Your free trial is over. Click it to buy the plugin in the store.
CLICK TO CONFIRM - SIGN IN OR USE YOUR CODE
A purchased plugin needs to confirm your purchase once. Click it, then sign in or paste your code in the Activator.
Signal Tools Activator not installed
Run the Pro Knob installer again. It includes the Activator.
Pro Knob Rack shows "Activate Pro Knob Rack to unlock the rack." with an Activate button instead of a banner. Click it to open the Activator.
Any other banner: click it, or email [email protected].

Two computers per license

Each license works on up to two computers. If you've reached the limit, the Activator says the license has reached its machine limit. To move a license to a new computer, email [email protected] and we'll free one of your computers.

Working offline

Activation needs an internet connection.

Activated with a code: a purchased perpetual license connects once more, automatically, 21 or more days after purchase to confirm it. After that you can work offline.

Activated by signing in: the computer needs to connect to the internet at least once every 90 days. This happens automatically when a plugin is open and the computer is online.

Linux questions

Native or Wine? Native 64-bit Linux VST3. No Wine or bridge needed.

LV2 or CLAP? Not today. Pro Knob on Linux is VST3 only.

Is it open source? No. Pro Knob is commercial software, with a free 14-day trial of all fifteen paid Pro Knob plugins. It needs a free Signal Tools Co account, and activation is online. Pro Knob Rack, Pro Knob Trimmer and Pro Knob Unlock are free.

Do I need to be online? To activate, yes. After that, see Working offline: it's the same on Linux as on Mac and Windows.

What if I reinstall Linux? Reinstalling the operating system counts as a new computer. See Two computers per license.

Which setups work? Any VST3 host on a distribution that meets the requirements should work. If one doesn't, tell us at [email protected].

ARM Linux (Raspberry Pi, ARM laptops)? Not supported. The Linux version is 64-bit Intel or AMD only.

Help

Email [email protected] with your account email, your computer (Mac, Windows or Linux; on Linux, your distribution and host) and the plugin's name.