Cosmos by The Crow Hill Company – Windows User Guide & Tips 1. System Requirements (Windows) | Component | Minimum | Recommended | |-----------|---------|--------------| | OS | Windows 10 64-bit | Windows 11 64-bit | | CPU | Intel i5 / AMD Ryzen 5 | Intel i7 / AMD Ryzen 7+ | | RAM | 8 GB | 16 GB+ | | Disk | SSD (for library samples) | NVMe SSD | | DAW | VST3 / AU compatible | - | | iLok | Free iLok account (no dongle required – machine activation) | Same |
✅ No physical iLok needed – use iLok License Manager for machine activation.
2. Installation Steps (Win)
Download from The Crow Hill Company (or via Plugin Boutique / your retailer). Install the main plugin ( .exe – choose VST3 path, typically C:\Program Files\Common Files\VST3 ). Install the sample library (large .pak files). Best practice: keep on an SSD. Open iLok License Manager → Sign in → Redeem activation code → Choose Machine Activation . Open your DAW → Instantiate Cosmos → Locate the library folder when prompted. The Crow Hill Company Cosmos -WiN-
3. Core Engine Overview Cosmos is not a traditional sampler – it is a generative/atmospheric texture engine . Key parts:
Particle System – Granular cloud with random seeding. Harmonic State – Scale & root settings for tonal locking. Motion Engine – LFO, drift, and wave shaping. Impulse response reverb – Large custom spaces.
4. Windows Performance Tuning To avoid clicks, dropouts, or UI lag: | Issue | Fix | |-------|-----| | Audio glitches | Increase ASIO buffer size (256–512 samples) | | UI redraw slow | Disable Windows “Hardware-accelerated GPU scheduling” (optional but reported helpful) | | SSD streaming | Ensure no aggressive power saving on NVMe drive | | CPU spikes | Enable “Render in place” when freezing tracks in DAW | Cosmos by The Crow Hill Company – Windows
💡 Cosmos can be CPU-heavy – freeze tracks after recording MIDI.
5. Workflow Tips
MIDI input – Play chords to lock Cosmos into a key/scale. Without MIDI, it runs free. Modulation – Assign MIDI CC to: Installation Steps (Win) Download from The Crow Hill
Density (amount of particles) Dispersion (spread) Decay (how fast grains die)
Random seed – Click the dice icon to generate entirely new textures without changing parameters. Latch mode – Hold a note or chord and Cosmos evolves indefinitely.