Sonic Academy KICK 1.1.8 on Mac

The thing I keep coming back to is the click-layer mixer. Sonic Academy KICK 1.1.1 splits the sound into a synthesised sub oscillator and a bank of sampled clicks, so you can dial in the attack and the body separately. That alone makes it faster than shaping a kick from scratch in a sampler.

Hosts, formats and macOS

KICK runs as an Audio Unit or VST on Intel Macs. I use it inside Logic Pro and Ableton Live, and it loads without any extra wrapper. The interface is in English, and the installer includes a simple activation step — follow the instructions inside the package and you are ready.

Presets and processing

Over 230 factory presets cover everything from tight house thuds to loose techno booms. On top of the oscillator-click engine, you get an EQ, a compressor, a limiter and distortion — all inside one window. That means you can sculpt the kick without adding four extra plugins to the chain.

Sub-bass waveforms

Beyond the standard sine wave, KICK offers additional waveforms for the sub oscillator. If you want a kick that cuts through a dense mix, switching to a square or saw wave adds harmonics without losing the low-end weight. It is a small tweak that changes the whole character.

Building a kick from scratch: a typical workflow

Here is how I usually build a kick when I start with an empty preset. First, pick a click sample from the three click-shaping areas — each one controls a different layer of the attack. I usually start with a short, mid-range click for punch, then layer a longer, lower click underneath for weight. The mixer lets you balance the two before you even touch the sub.

Next, tune the sub oscillator. The additional waveforms matter here: a sine gives a clean, round low end, but if the kick needs to cut through a busy mix, I switch to a square or saw wave. The extra harmonics sit just above the fundamental and help the kick stand out without turning up the volume.

From there, shape with the EQ. I cut a little around 200–300 Hz to clean up boxiness, then add a small shelf around 60 Hz if the sub needs more presence. The compressor tightens the body, and the limiter catches any peaks before they hit the master. If the kick still feels flat, one of the three distortion algorithms adds grit or saturation — a light setting on the click layer works well for electronic styles.

Finally, save your own preset. With over 230 factory ones as a starting point, you can tweak one close to your target rather than building from zero every time.

Click-layer mix sets the character

If you open KICK for the first time, here are the controls I would adjust before anything else:

• Click-layer mix. The sampled clicks are where the character lives. Turn the sub down, cycle through the click samples, and find one that matches the genre you are working on. House and techno usually want a short, snappy click; hip-hop can take something longer and looser.
• Sub waveform. The default sine is clean, but try the other waveforms early. A square or saw wave changes the kick's tonal balance more than any EQ move, and it is one click to switch.
• Distortion type. The three algorithms behave very differently. Try each one on the same preset — one adds warmth, another adds aggressive clipping, the third sits somewhere in between. Pick the one that fits the track's energy.
• Compressor attack. A fast attack flattens the transient; a slower one lets the click punch through. Start with the slowest setting and speed it up only if the kick feels loose.

Intel Mac support and Rosetta requirement

Will it run on an Intel Mac? Yes. KICK 1.1.1 is built as 64-bit x86, so it works on Intel-based Macs. If you are on Apple Silicon, you will need to run your DAW under Rosetta 2 — the plugin itself is not native for ARM.

What about activation? The package includes installation and activation instructions. Follow the steps inside the downloaded folder and you will be set up in a few minutes. No online account is needed during the process if you use the provided method.

Can I use it in any DAW? It comes as Audio Unit and VST, so it loads in Logic, Ableton, FL Studio, Cubase, Studio One and most other hosts that support those formats. I have used it in Logic and Ableton without issues.

Do I need the original Kick by Nicky Romero to run this? No. KICK 1.1.1 is the updated version — it replaces the earlier plugin. You install it on its own and it works independently.

Is the interface customisable? Not in terms of resizing or themes. The window is a fixed size and uses a dark, single-window layout with all controls visible at once. It is straightforward once you know where the click mixer, sub oscillator and effects sit.

Single plugin with small download

KICK is a single plugin, not a suite, so the download and install are small. The package contains the plugin file, the factory presets and the activation instructions. Because it runs on 64-bit Intel architecture, it will work in any modern DAW that supports 64-bit Audio Units or VSTs. The interface is in English only, with no localisation options. There is no standalone application — it always loads inside a host. The plugin does not require additional content downloads or streaming; all samples and presets are included in the installation.

• macOS (version not specified by developer)
• Intel processor

Kit check at a glance