User Guide

User Guide

Version
Version5.0.4
5.0
 Table of Contents

(1.0) INTRODUCTION ..........................................................5

(1.1) Information and Support .................................................... 5

(1.2) About this User Guide ........................................................ 5

(1.3) Software Installation ........................................................... 6

(2.0) SETUP ......................................................................... 9

(2.1) Audio and MIDI Devices ..................................................... 9

(2.2) Settings ................................................................................... 11

(2.3) Loading ReValver ............................................................... 12

(2.4) Main Features ...................................................................... 12

(2.4.1) Top Menu Bar .................................................................................. 12

(2.5) Presets ................................................................................... 14

(2.6) Input Mixer............................................................................ 16

(2.6.1) VU Meter ...........................................................................................16
(2.6.2) Noise Gate ....................................................................................... 17
(2.6.3) Tuner .................................................................................................. 17
(2.6.4) Instrument Modeler......................................................................18

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 (2.7) Output Mixer ....................................................................... 20
(2.7.1) Blend ................................................................................................. 20
(2.7.2) ACT Output Shaper ...................................................................... 21
(2.7.3) Parametric EQ ............................................................................... 22
(2.7.4) Compressor .................................................................................... 23
(2.7.5) VU Meter.......................................................................................... 23

(3.0) MODULES ................................................................. 24

(3.1) RIR 2 ....................................................................................... 27

(3.2) ACT Combo ......................................................................... 29

(3.2.1) Module Presets...............................................................................29
(3.2.2) Features .......................................................................................... 30
(3.2.3) The Preamp ..................................................................................... 31
(3.2.4) The Tonestack ................................................................................ 31
(3.2.5) The Power Amp ............................................................................ 32
(3.2.6) The Analyze Section ................................................................... 32
(3.2.7) Analyzing a Live Amp ................................................................ 32
(3.2.8) Analyzing a Recorded Amp .................................................... 34
(3.2.9) Amp Cloner Presets ....................................................................35
(3.2.10) Amp Recording Tips ................................................................ 36
(3.2.11) ACT Combo Tips.......................................................................... 37

(3.3) ACT Rack ............................................................................. 38

(3.3.1) Source and Target Sounds ........................................................38
(3.3.2) Creating a Source or Target Profile ......................................38

(3.4) Gig Mode ............................................................................... 41

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(4.0) TWEAKING GUIDE.................................................. 42

(4.1) MIDI Control .........................................................................44

(4.1.1) Using a MIDI Controller............................................................... 44
(4.1.2) Plugin Automation ...................................................................... 45

(4.2) Amp Store ........................................................................... 46

(5.0) TROUBLESHOOTING .............................................. 47

(5.1) Tips and Tricks .................................................................... 47

(6.0) APPENDIX ................................................................. 51

(6.1) System Requirements ........................................................ 51

(6.2) Trademarks & Licenses ................................................... 52

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(1.0) Introduction
Congratulations on downloading and installing the ReValver Guitar Amp
Modeling software! The software models guitar amplifiers, stompboxes,
and effects at the component level, resulting in unmatched dynamics and
tone. ReValver 5 now adds amp and FX models from the HeadRush line of
modeling pedalboards. This is in-depth User Guide will take you through all
the features of the software.
• The Instrument Modeler uses Audio Cloning Technology™ to profile
your instrument and turn it into a different instrument or shape your
presets into classic tones.
• Gig Mode enables you to preload patches allowing seamless MIDI
switching between presets in a live rig.
• The RIR 2 speaker simulation module uses convolution modeling with
impulse responses for unparalleled realism and response.
• Take ReValver to the live stage with full MIDI control.

(1.1) Information and Support

Visit revalver.headrushfx.com for the latest information about this
software (documentation, system requirements, compatibility information,
and support).

(1.2) About this User Guide

This manual will take you through all the features of the software. For
consistency, specific formatting to indicate particular topics of significance:
Note/Tip: Important or helpful information on a given topic.
Names of buttons, controls, parameters, settings, and other options are
written in bold characters throughout the manual.
Some parts of this manual refer to other relevant sections, which are cited
in bold, italic blue characters. Click the text to skip immediately to that
section.

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(1.3) Software Installation

ReValver software is free to download. To get started, we have provided

two Amplifiers, now a full version of RIR 2 (though containing a limited
amount of free content), three pedals/effects, and some ACT content, and
you can then go buy extra gear and bundles from the Amp Store at
revalver.headrushfx.com. The program still needs to be registered in the
Amp Store within ReValver, where it will tie itself to a USB device for
license purposes, allowing you to use the program with your downloaded
content on different machines. The license will be downloaded to your
computer, but the USB device will define you as the user tied to the
license. If these initial steps are not followed, ReValver will run in demo
mode with save disabled and an intermittent beep sounding.
1. Open the program as a plugin in your
software or run it in standalone mode. Have a
USB device ready, such as a USB flash drive,
USB hard drive, USB hardware device, or iLok
2, but do not connect it yet.
2. Click on the Amp Store button in the top
right of the program window.
3. Click the Login button.
4. Log in to your account with your email address and password and click
Authenticate. If you don’t have an account at revalver.headrushfx.com,
you can create one.

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5. With your USB device not connected, click Select USB Device, and then
plug your device in when prompted. ReValver will lock itself to this
device.
Once locked to the USB device, you can enter a Redemption Code if
you have any additional content for ReValver from the Amp Store at
revalver.headrushfx.com. Any content purchased in the ReValver Amp
Store is tied to your account. You will receive a transaction code via
email. Entering the transaction into the “Redeem code” field will tie the
purchases to your account.
Note: Whatever USB device you use, do not lose it! All your ReValver
purchases will be associated with this USB device, even though no
license is stored on it.

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6. Click the Download button to download all new and updated
components. This will install a license file and update any modules you
have a license for. This is a necessary step even if you are using just the
free modules.

Clicking “Download” will not update the program itself, just any updates
available for the individual modules. Any updates to the ReValver
software will need to be downloaded from revalver.headrushfx.com.
7. Click the Close button to leave the Amp Store and restart ReValver for
all the changes to take effect.

All modules within ReValver can be used in Demo mode where saving
will be disabled, and a “beep” will sound intermittently. To have full
functionality of these modules, visit the ReValver Amp Store to
purchase the desired components, then follow the above steps again to
download your license file.

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(2.0) Setup
(2.1) Audio and MIDI Devices

If you hear a high-pitched feedback sound

when starting ReValver, it is likely that your
internal microphone is selected as your input.
To remedy this, go to File > Audio and MIDI
Devices and select an alternative input.
To get your guitar signal into your computer
and receive audio out, a professional audio
interface is recommended. This allows the
guitar signal to enter your computer at the
correct impedance, so it will sound as it should
and help to minimize “latency” or delay
between you playing a note and hearing it
back.
Once your guitar is hooked up via an audio
interface, the device needs to be selected in
the Audio and MIDI Devices panel within
ReValver. From here you can select your
device and which inputs and outputs you
would like to use, along with the sample rate.
Devices with multiple outputs can give you a
lot of flexibility for live use.
The Buffer size setting is dependent on your
individual system, what other programs you
may have running in the background, and your
audio interface. The lower you set the buffer
size, the less latency you’ll experience. A good
starting point is to try 256 samples (5.3 ms of
latency). If your system allows, try dropping it
or raising it if you hear any crackles or pops.
To setup a MIDI interface, make sure the
device is plugged in and the appropriate
drivers are downloaded. You will then see it as
an option in the MIDI inputs section. Select
your interface by clicking on it.

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If you want to try some of the
amazing tones of ReValver right
away, go to the Presets Manager
menu at the top left of the Tool
Bar and browse through the
various banks. You’ll see a
screenshot and accompanying
description of the preset. New
users should try the Free Bank
first. Any preset can be selected
but any unpurchased modules
will be in demo mode.

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(2.2) Settings

The Settings menu enables you to

customize various options that affect the
audio and MIDI signal routing, resize the
GUI, adjust function preferences, and
view system resource folders.
Below are descriptions of the different
features in the Settings menu:
Audio and MIDI Devices
Clicking the Audio/MIDI button will
launch the Audio and MIDI devices
window. See the Audio and MIDI Devices
section for more details.

Resize GUI
Select Small, Medium, or Large to rescale
the size of the app window when
relaunched.

Preferences
• Show Splash on startup (standalone): Enable this to display the
ReValver image and logo when the standalone app is launched.
• 3rd party plugins are Always On Top: Enable this to ensure that any
3rd party plugins loaded in the VST Host module are displayed above
ReValver when their GUI is launched. This prevents the popup window
from going behind ReValver and getting lost.
• Quality mode shall ignore SR – always upsample: Enable this to
ensure all modules will always upsample regardless of the set sample
rate.
• Allow A/B Demo in ACT Combo: Enable this when profiling an amp
sound to compare the original clip with the new simulation.
• Sample-Rate normalized IRs: In older versions of ReValver, Impulse
Responses had different volume settings. Enable this option to
normalize the volume, though this may also change the tone in older
presets.
• Force keyboard focus for text editing fields: Enable this to keep the
keyboard focus on your DAW’s plugin text editing field.
• Open resource system folders: Opens system level folders to view the
software’s Shared resources location, This binary (the standalone app
folder), License folder (for the installed license text file), and the
Imported IR’s folder (to organize your impulse response files).

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(2.3) Loading ReValver

Using ReValver standalone is as simple as loading the program up. It

requires no other software to run. When using it as a plugin within a Digital
Audio Workstation (DAW), this gives whole new possibilities for recording.
Loading ReValver into a DAW will differ from program to program. You
may have to scan the system for new plugins within the DAW. Consult your
DAW’s User Guide for more details.

(2.4) Main Features

To get started with ReValver, you should familiarize yourself with the main
layout. Study the GUI and the top bar features below. You can hover the
cursor over most icons for a more detailed description of their function.

(2.4.1) Top Menu Bar

1. Save Preset: Saves changes to the currently loaded preset. If the preset
is new, it will prompt you to save as a new preset. If the current preset
has been altered in any way, the preset name in the preset field will
have an asterix (*) next to it, as shown above. If this is a new preset, it
will be named “New Preset” until it is saved and named.
2. New/Clear Preset: Opens a new empty preset. If an existing preset is
already open, it will prompt you to clear the currently loaded preset.
3. Gig Mode: Toggles Gig mode to preload and switch between up to 8
presets seamlessly. For more information on Gig mode, see the Gig
Mode section.
4. Global Mute: Mutes all audio output in ReValver.
5. Tuner: Toggles access to the tuner module in the input menu view.
6. License Manager: Launches the License Manager app to log in and
download new components and license files. For more information, see
the Software Installation section.
7. Settings: Toggles the Settings menu where
system level changes are made for audio and
MIDI devices, resize the GUI, preferences, and
access system resource folders.
8. Input/Output Level: Adjusts the manual input
and output level controls with a VU meter.
9. Auto Levels: Adjusts the level automatically to
the ideal input and output levels.

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10. Tap Tempo: Tap the button repeatedly in time with the song’s drum
beat or rhythm to calculate the tempo of the song. To manually enter a
tempo, double click the numerical field. The tempo can be set from 40-
240 BPM (Beats Per Minute).
11. Input Menu Button: Launches the Input menu, which gives access to
input level, pickup RMS values, noise gate, tuner, and the ACT
Instrument Modeler. For more information, see the Input Mixer section.
12. A & B Rigs: ReValver features a dual signal path (A & B), each featuring
views for Stomps, Amps & Cabs, and Effects. The buttons in this section
allow you to switch to each view on either signal path. For more
information, see the Modules section.
13. Output Menu Button: Launches the Output Menu, which gives you
access to A/B path mixer, ACT Output Shaper, Parametric EQ, and
Compressor. For more information, see the Output Mixer section.
14. CPU Meter: This meter shows how much of the CPU you are
using over a short period of time, displaying both average usage
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and CPU spikes. While most modern computers can distribute
the workload of several programs over the CPU cores, you may
want to shut down other programs on your system to keep the
sound from becoming choppy.

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(2.5) Presets

Click the Preset area at the top of ReValver’s main screen to open the
Preset Manager. Hover over most icons for a description of their function.

1. Search: Find presets by searching with specific keywords.

2. Create New Bank: Creates a new custom-named bank to group your
presets. Banks are always created at the bottom of the list. Scroll
down to find the new bank that you can rename and then drag to a
different area of the menu if desired.
3. Import Bank: Imports a .sa bank file that has been saved. The
imported bank will be added to your bank list.
4. Bank List: This lists all your available ReValver and user banks. Click on
the > button to open the bank and view the presets within the bank.
5. Delete Bank/Preset: Deletes an individual preset or bank.
6. Export Bank/Preset: Exports the current preset or whole preset bank
to a .sa file.

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7. Save As New Preset: Found at the top of every preset list within a
bank, this allows you to save the currently loaded preset (new or
existing) as a new preset within that bank.
Note: Saving a new preset creates a thumbnail of the current active
view of the preset.
8. Import Preset: Found at the top of every preset list within a bank, this
allows you to import an externally saved .sa preset into that bank.
9. Open Preset Details: Click the > button to open the preset Details
view.
10. Load Preset: Double click the preset name to load the preset as the
active preset.
11. Preset Details: Displays the preset description and thumbnail.
Note: No presets can be saved or created if ReValver is not activated
(in demo mode). If you try to save any preset that contains a module in
demo mode, that module will not be saved with the preset.

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(2.6) Input Mixer

(2.6.1) VU Meter

Click the In button before or after the A & B rigs section of

the toolbar to bring up the Input Mixer which consists of four
modules, the first being a VU Meter.
• Change the level Adjust knob to manually set the input
gain from -32 – 0 – 32 dB.
• The Auto Normalize button regulates the input levels to
-0.3 dB. The Light will be green when it is enabled and
off when normalizing is inactive.
• Click the Pickup RMS button to bypass the RMS gain.
The Light will be green when active and off when it is
bypassed.
• If you have enabled Pickup RMS, use the Pickup RMS
knob to add an additional gain adjustment to mimic the
RMS levels of your pickup. An additional gain
adjustment will be made to mimic the RMS levels of
your guitar pickup to get the best volume levels.
• You can Save Default and Load Default RMS levels.
• The Mono button will merge L+R signals which can be useful if the
signal comes in on only one side of the stereo channel.

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(2.6.2) Noise Gate

The Noise Gate module will stop a signal from getting through
when set at a certain threshold.
• The Threshold setting controls how much of the signal is let
through.
• The Threshold is fully Opened when the Threshold control is
set at 0.
• Turn the Threshold up to make it more Closed to engage
the noise gate. This is especially useful if you have a noisy,
high gain rig. The more you turn up the Threshold (max
setting is 10), the more signal will be required to open the
gate, so extreme settings will be very choppy in tone, which
is sometimes desirable.

(2.6.3) Tuner

The Tuner module is a chromatic tuner that will find

and display the note you are playing. When the
needle is in the middle, it is in tune.
• Use the Note Map option to define certain
tunings in the drop-down list.
• The “A” Frequency calibrates the tuning by
selecting the exact tuning of the “A” note. 440
Hz is the standard and default setting, but
different tunings can be used for different
results. Try a 432 Hz tuning for more mellow
sounding results.
• The Sound switch allows you to select Normal to
have all sound pass through, Mute to bypass all
sound, or Clean to bypass the amp modeling for
an unprocessed clean sound while tuning (input
and output gain pots are stil active).

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(2.6.4) Instrument Modeler

The Instrument Modeler module uses Audio

Cloning Technology™ to allow you to mold and
shape the sound of the guitar. The ACT
Instrument Modeler can alter the incoming
guitar signal to mimic the sound and
characteristics of other instruments, such as
acoustics, folk instruments, and even other
electric guitar and pickup combinations. The
Instrument Modeler accomplishes this (seen in
the steps below) by profiling your personal
guitar, then uses another target preset profile
to transform the sound of your instrument into
the sound of the target instrument.

1. Record and save a profile of your instrument

or select a profile that you have already
recorded and saved. To record a new
profile, click on the Record New Profile
dropdown option under Source Profile.
2. Click on the Target Profile dropdown box.
This will bring up the recording profile
window which shows the profiling process.
3. Strum the guitar with your finger barred across the whole fretboard like
a capo. On every strum, move your “capo” up a fret. The goal is to
provide the Instrument Modeler with as many notes of the instrument to
better analyze as possible. For bass guitars, you can simply play a series
of chromatic notes, trying to cover as many different notes on the
fretboard as possible.
Once the record profile dialog detects an incoming signal, it will begin
profiling and a progress bar will start. Once the progress bar is
complete, you can stop playing. The whole process takes around 10
seconds.

Note: Instead of profiling your instrument, Instrument Modeler can also

analyze a track in your DAW, if you are using ReValver as a plugin.

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4. Once the profiling process is
complete, you can name and
save your new source ACT
instrument source profile and
Click the Done button.
5. Next, choose your Target
Profile dropdown box. This will
bring up options in the ACT
browser to select what you
want your instrument to sound
like. For electric guitars and
basses, the options will be
pickup selections (bridge, neck,
or both), but for acoustics or
basses, it may be playing styles
(finger or pick).
6. Double click the target instrument profile to select it. You can bypass
the ACT transformation by disengaging the Enable button at the top of
the Instrument Modeler window.
Note: Your sound source profile can only be used on non-demo target
profiles.
• Use the Blend slider to control the mix of the
original and processed signal.
• The tone can be adjusted using the Low, Mid,
High, and LP (low pass) EQ Filter controls.
• You can enable Ask To Reprofile On Preset
Load to have the module ask what source
instrument you are using whenever you load
a saved ReValver preset that includes an
instance of the Instrument Modeler. Since
you may be using a completely different
instrument than the one that was used to
create the preset, this gives you the chance
to profile the instrument you are now playing
or select it from the source dropdown.
The Instrument Modeler module ships free with ReValver and comes with a
selection of target ACT instruments. Additional ACT instrument models are
available for purchase from the Amp Store at revalver.headrushfx.com.

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(2.7) Output Mixer

Clicking the Out button before or after the A & B rigs section of the toolbar
will bring up the Output Mixer.

(2.7.1) Blend

The Blend tool allows the mixing of the A & B rigs.

• Use the slider to blend 100% to A with it up, 100% to B
with it down, and anywhere in between. This is a great
tool for creating unique tones by blending rigs.
• Use the Pan knob to adjust the stereo signal for either
rig left or right resulting in some rich tones. Depending
on what cabinets and mic placements you are using,
you could end up with an out of phase sound. If both
rigs are placed centrally then this could create a hollow
sound, lacking mids or bott om end.
• The Phase switch flips the phase 180º for correctional
purposes. This is active when the light above the
button is illuminated.
• The Delay compensation dial allows more fine tuning
of any phase issues. Experiment with this control for
some unique and wide sounding tones. The delay is up
to 30 ms, although as most phase corrections require
less than 2 ms, the control is of a higher sensitivity in
the lower numbers.

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(2.7.2) ACT Output Shaper

The ACT Output Shaper module works like a final

“EQ shaping” of the preset. This module utilizes our
proprietary Audio Cloning Technology™ to apply
tones that have been cloned from other sources. The
ACT libraries provided include various guitar tones
that have been cloned. To get the best results, create
a preset in ReValver that is like the ACT profile. See
the Tips and Tricks section for more details.
Follow these steps to use the Output Shaper:

1. Load ReValver as a plugin into your DAW. See

your DAW’s User Guide for details on how this can
be done.
2. Load a favorite guitar audio track into your DAW.
3. In ReValver, click on the Source Profile dropdown
box to record a new profile. This will bring up the
recording profile window which shows the
profiling process.
4. Once the record profile dialog
detects an incoming signal from
your DAW, it will begin profiling
and a progress bar will start. Once
the progress bar is complete, you
can stop playing. The whole
process takes around 10 seconds.
5. Next, choose your Target Profile
from the dropdown box. This will
bring up the ACT browser to select
a preset to make your recorded
guitar track sound like another
recorded guitar track.
6. Double click the target profile to
select it. You can bypass the ACT
transformation by disengaging the
Enable button at the top of the
Output Shaper window.
Note: Your sound source profile can only be
used on non-demo target profiles.
• Use the Effect Blend slider to control the mix
of the original and processed signal.

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(2.7.3) Parametric EQ

The Parametric EQ is a great tool for final preset shaping.

• Enable the EQ by clicking the ON switch.
• Use the first control (a high pass filter) to slowly
remove troublesome low-end frequencies that could
be interfering with any other instruments in a mix.
• The lowest control helps remove any unwanted noise
or distortion for the high frequencies.
• Below and above the filters are two “shelving” EQs
which will cut or boost (using the yellow dial) the
frequencies selected by the blue knob.
• The three middle filters use a “bell” EQ which will focus
on a cut or boost of the selected frequencies while
also slightly affecting the surrounding frequencies to
create a smooth effect.
• Click RST to reset all filter settings.

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(2.7.4) Compressor

The optical feedback Compressor responds well to transients

(short bursts of sound energy, such as from an initial guitar string
pluck). A compressor reduces the dynamic range of the audio
signal to create a natural-sounding recording. Dynamic range
refers to the difference between the signal’s loudest and quietest
parts. This is done by increasing the quieter parts to make them
more apparent and lowering the louder parts of the audio signal.
• The Threshold adjustment set the level that the signal needs
to rise above in order for the compressor to start to work.
• The Gain compensation knob boosts the compressed signal to
a higher output level.
• Adjust the side chain Highpass filter to remove low frequency
muddiness and give transparency.
• Adjust the Compression Ratio to set how much gain
reduction is applied when the signal passes the threshold
level. For example, a ratio of 4:1 means that for every 4 dB the
signal rises above the threshold, the compressor will increase
the output by 1 dB.
• Adjust the Attack time to set the time it takes for the compressor to
finish the gain reduction.

(2.7.5) VU Meter

View the VU Meter to see the output levels.

• Turn the Adjust knob to set the final output levels. It’s
important not to let it clip into the red area of digital
distortion. If it does, turn down the Adjust knob.
• Click the Auto Normalization button to even out the
loudness for the signal.

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(3.0) Modules
The type of module you can load
depends on where you are in the “rig”
or signal chain. In the middle of the GUI
you can select from Rig A or B (which
run in parallel) with Stomps, Amps &
Cabs, or Effects. The rig modules are
active when the Power LEDs are lit.
To create a rig:
1. First select an amplifier and cabinet
on the Amps & Cabs screen by
clicking on a blank part of the
“rack”. This will bring up the Module
Picker where you can browse
through the amplifiers, cabinet
modules, and any relevant tools
such as the signal splitter and noise
gate.
In the Module Picker, modules will
be split into two categories:
• Your Gear: These are the
modules that you own and are
licensed.
• Demo Gear: These are the
modules that are not licensed,
but still available to demo within
ReValver. These modules can be
played but will not save in any
presets.
2. Click on a module to load it into the main screen of ReValver. If
selecting an amplifier, ReValver will also load the cabinet model that
matches the amp. If you’re using the free version of ReValver and don’t
own these modules/cabs, they will show a on the ones that you don’t
have a license for (demo), and a beep will sound intermittently. Repeat
this process to load a Stomp or Effect.
If you want to purchase a full version of a module, this can be done from
the online Amp Store. See the Amp Store section for more details.

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3. Next, tweak the tones on the amplifier
as you would in the real world.
Channel switching, gain controls, and
EQs function as they would do on an
actual amp. Right click (Ctrl+click on
macOS) anywhere on the amp that is
not a control to bring up the context
menu (see image, right).
• You can delete, move, or replace
the module. This allows you control
over where each module appears in
your rig.
• Select Tweak schematic to bring
up the internal circuits of the
module. See the Tweaking Guide
section for more details.
• In Module presets you can save and load presets for individual
modules. This is particularly useful if you have created a favorite
effect you’d like to use in multiple presets with the same amplifier
settings.
• Select Expand GUI to have the amp rig cabinets fully displayed.
• Select Fold up GUI to create more space in the main ReValver
window. This is useful when running multiple amp rigs when you
don’t need to see the cabinets but still want control over all amp
settings in one window.
• The Quality mode menu options allow you to set the preferred
amount of oversampling for a specific module. Each module has a
default that is reasonable for its type. Amps and most stomps are
always oversampled x2 to help remove unwanted digital noise and
distortion. Oversampling will not take place in the case where audio
sample rate is higher than 88 kHz. Proper anti-aliasing filters are
always used where needed. While previous versions of ReValver used
a global quality switch, ReValver 4 and up does not. Instead, all
attempts are made to produce the highest possible quality. ReValver
uses a mixture of 32 and 64-bit floating-point processing within the
modules. Higher quality calculations are always made where needed.
• Select Bypass to have a module turned off.
• Amps can be selected to Run in mono or stereo. Some stomps can
be run in stereo or mono. If so, the mono/stereo option will be
available.

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 • Some amps have an extra
menu option called Cabinet
Impedance Interaction which
relates to how cabs and amps
work together. Other than the
commonly known impulse
response (IR) of the cab, it has
electrical features that can’t be
measured with a microphone.
Those electrical properties
strongly affect the inner
workings of the amp’s power
section. A cabinet’s electrical
characteristics give the amp a
dynamic where the low end
and the high end is affected
separately.
• The menu choices allow you to define how the low and high end is
processed. The default mode is the electrically correct approach, but
by simple rearrangement of the processing, the effect can be
adjusted. Some settings can place the sound better in a mix.
The RIR 2 and RIR 2 Lite modules make use of these measured electrical
characteristics, while the original RIR can only make guesses since RIR
allows 3rd party IR samples without such information. If more than one RIR
2 cab module is inserted in the preset, only one of them interacts with the
amp. If more than one amp is in the preset, the cab will interact with both.

26
(3.1) RIR 2

RIR 2 is the flagship cabinet modeling module within ReValver, which

brings even more dynamics and feel to the program. The full RIR 2 module
is now included with ReValver. The RIR 2 Lite module is included for
backwards compatibility.
Note: The cabinets available for purchase in the Amp Store will only
function under the full RIR 2 module, not the Lite version.
The speaker cabinets modeled in RIR 2 have been created by sampling the
actual Impulse Response of the real cabinets with different mic positions.
This time-consuming convolution method, when loaded into our algorithm,
yields incredibly realistic results. This captures the electrical features of
each cabinet and how it interacts with the amplifier module giving unique
tones and feel.
Selecting an amplifier module will automatically load RIR 2 and a matching
cabinet. Loading a preset will have the cabinet, mic, position, and various
parameters adjusted to make that preset sound the way it does. These can
be altered to your taste.
To change the cabinet, click the drop-down menu above
the cabinet graphic for a list of cabs to choose from.
Descriptions and sound clips are available in the Amp Store
to give an idea of how they will sound.
A comprehensive list of microphones can be selected,
which exhibit different tonal characters. Some microphones
have options where different frequencies are cut or boosted
and variable polar patterns are selectable. If you’re not
familiar with different microphones and how they can affect
the tone, feel free to experiment.
Once a microphone is selected, the amount of gain applied
to the mic can be altered with the “gain” dial and the
proximity to the grill of the speaker, resulting in different
tonalities. Click the off-axis button to select the impulse
response where a mic at a 45-degree angle can be adjusted
to another position. Off-axis tones usually result in a roll off
of high frequencies and less of the proximity effect resulting
in a more mellow tone.

27
Adjust the microphone placement for a tonal change. Small
movements with a mic against a cabinet can make big
differences. The general rule is that the center of the
speaker will have a bright and aggressive sound, tight in the
top end with less low resonant frequencies. Pointing the mic
at the inner part of the cone tames the high frequencies and
introduces lower end, with the sound getting darker
towards the outer extremes of the speaker cone. It’s best to
experiment, remembering perfect mic placement can take
time. Being able to change the speaker position after
recording in a DAW is an ideal way to help fit a guitar sound
into a mix without having to introduce an EQ, which may
give undesirable characteristics to the tone you have
created.
There are also delay compensation and phase controls on
RIR 2. These are useful when blending different cabinets to
correct any phase issues but can also be used to create
wide stereo sounds using phase effects from 0 - 30 ms,
although as most corrections require less than 2 ms, the
control is of a higher sensitivity in the lower numbers. Hold
Shift while adjusting these controls for small increment fine
tuning.
Add a subtle neutral-room reverb using the Ambience controls, adjusting
the Amount (-24 – 0 – 12 dB) and Size (25 – 350 ms) for the length of time
for early reflections) controls. Hold Shift while adjusting these controls for
small increment fine tuning.
You can boost or cut low and high frequencies (from -16 – 0
– 16 dB) using the Filters control.

28
(3.2) ACT Combo

ACT Combo is a sophisticated ReValver add-on module, available through

the ReValver Amp Store, capable of analyzing the gain/distortion and
frequency content of a guitar amplifier recording and then replicating the
analyzed sound as an amplifier/cab combo simulation.
The ACT Combo is typically used in two scenarios:
• You own or have access to a specific amplifier and would like to
replicate its sound in ReValver.
• You would like to replicate the sound of a recording of an amplifier
from an album or other recording.
No matter what the scenario, ACT Combo can replicate the recording of
the amplifier and allow it to become part of your ReValver toolkit.

(3.2.1) Module Presets

ACT Combo can export and import module presets so you can share or
save the presets that you've made. The text above the Save and Load
buttons will show the name of the audio file loaded in the Analyze section
until a module preset is saved. Then it will show the name of the saved
preset.

29
(3.2.2) Features

Like most amplifiers, the signal in ACT Combo flows from left to right. Let’s
have a look at the controls and features of ACT Combo.
ACT Combo has 3 base character channel
settings for distortion level: Clean, Crunch, and
Heavy, each with its unique character. Before
analyzing any content, you should set the
channel. The level of distortion in the target
sound should be the leading factor in this
choice.
Clean Channel: The clean channel analysis does not perform an automatic
gain adjustment. The Master knob is used to add a little bit of saturation to
the sound, slightly compressing it and fattening it up.
Crunch Channel: If the analyzed sample has a good amount of gain, ACT
Combo can set both the Gain and Master knob to maximum in order to try
to achieve the distortion levels. In that case, it is useful to know that the
Master knob in the Crunch channel pushed to the maximum will increase
the distortion levels since it adds saturation, but by doing so it reduces the
dynamic range (compresses the sound) resulting in a less dynamic tone. A
good compromise level would be a level between 4 and 6. Note that even
though some amps have a channel named crunch, they may have a great
amount of gain and if this is the case, you will probably get closer results
by using the Heavy channel in ACT Combo.
Heavy Channel: After analysis, the Gain levels may sometimes be too high.
Dialing down the Gain knob will result in less distortion, cleaning up the
sound. Dialing down the Volume knob will increase dynamics, but the
sound may lose some presence. The Master knob adds saturation,
compressing the sound. While high levels may sound better, it will
drastically alter the tone and the dynamics. A good level for the Master
knob usually lies between 3 and 5.
If any fizzyness or rumble needs to be tamed, use the Low and High knobs
above the Presence and Master controls. The Highs on the input can be
used as an effective noise reduction filter, whereas the Highs on the output
will affect both noise and tone. If the distortion appears rumbly, muddy, or
uncontrollable, try reducing the Lows on the input. If you lack low end, try
increasing the Lows on the output.
Since ACT Combo performs an analysis on the audio for the distortion
levels and dynamics, it is enough to set the gain knobs only roughly. ACT
Combo will adjust the gain knobs for you. You may need to re-adjust the
gain after the analysis.

30
(3.2.3) The Preamp

ACT Combo has 3 different preamps, one for

each channel. If the Clean or Crunch channel is
selected, the volume knob will be disabled. The
gate is only available when using the Heavy
channel.
When working with the Crunch or Gain channel,
ACT Combo will adjust the Gain and Master
controls by itself, according to the audio clip
being analyzed. The clean channel does not.
The Low, High, and Trim controls impact the sound before it enters the
preamp circuit. They are there as an additional option to shape the DI
signal being fed into ACT Combo. The use of these controls won’t impact
the analysis of the clip.

(3.2.4) The Tonestack

Each channel comes with its own tone stack.

In addition to the internal tone stack, the EQ
Assist will add a final EQ after the amp,
roughly having the same bands as the tone
stack itself. By having an additional EQ after
the amp, distortion characteristics and
dynamics will be less affected, acting more as
post processing.
When the EQ Assist option is disabled, the Bass, Mid, and Treble controls
work just like a regular tonestack. If you are loading an audio clip that you
actually know how the tonestack was set or analyzing an amplifier of your
own, it is advised that you set the tonestack controls to match that of the
sound being fed into ACT Combo. If you don't have that information, it is
advised to leave the tonestack controls at their default setting.

31
(3.2.5) The Power Amp

The power amp circuit of ACT Combo adds a final

touch of saturation to the sound and can impact the
dynamics in a different way for each of the 3
channels. The Presence control is available only with
the Heavy channel.
The Lows, Highs, and Trim controls impact the
sound after the power amp, not affecting the
dynamics. They are used for post processing and to
reduce harsh high-end noise and rumbling low end.
The Master control adjusts the overall output gain.

(3.2.6) The Analyze Section

This section of ACT Combo is where you input the

audio clips that ACT Combo will analyze and
replicate. It offers 2 types of analysis, one for live
amp recordings and one for pre-recorded audio
clips.

(3.2.7) Analyzing a Live Amp

Even though ACT Combo can calculate guitar distortion levels and tone
from an arbitrary recording of a guitar amp, having ACT Combo itself
provide the audio to play through the amp will allow the analysis to
produce a more predictable result. Follow these instructions to analyze a
live amp:
1. Dial in a great tone for your amp and mic it properly while recording it
to an audio file. It goes without saying that if the original tone does not
sound good, the simulation in ACT Combo won’t sound good either.
2. Save ACT Combo’s test tone .wav file
by clicking on the highlighted icon.
The following message will appear.

32
3. Load the test tone file into your DAW and play it through your amplifier,
recording the output back into the DAW. Please consult the
documentation for your DAW of choice for details in routing the audio
in and out of the program.
4. Save the recording as an uncompressed file format (.wav, .aiff, etc.).
5. Mimic the settings of your amp on ACT Combo. Make sure that the EQ
Assist option is disabled when doing it, so you have more flexibility if
you need to tweak later.
6. Load the rendered file of your amp
recording back into ACT Combo by
clicking on the highlighted icon.
After selecting and loading the file the following dialog will appear:

Please consider this message to achieve optimal results. If you haven't set
up ACT Combo to match your amp settings, do it before you proceed with
the analysis. Also, normalize your input volume in the Input Mixer > VU
Meter section.
7. ACT Combo will perform an analysis of the loaded clip. After the
analysis you should have a preset that resembles your amp with
reasonable accuracy, both in tone and dynamics.

33
(3.2.8) Analyzing a Recorded Amp

Important: ACT Combo supports .wav, .aiff, .ogg, and .opus files. It does
not support the MP3 format.
Working with pre-recorded material in ACT Combo is, in theory, a much
easier and faster process than recording a live amp. However, since ACT
Combo will usually have less information to analyze, both in terms of the
scope of the recorded material and the quality of the clips, the result may
be less predictable. Follow these instructions to analyze a recorded amp:
1. Load the audio clip you want to analyze in
ACT Combo by clicking on the highlighted
icon. Select an audio clip that contains only the
guitar amplifier sound you want to replicate,
without any other instruments.
2. Select the base character channel (Clean,
Crunch, or Heavy) that best matches the
distortion level present in that recording.
3. ACT Combo will perform the analysis of the
information contained in that audio clip.
After analysis, you may want to tweak the final
result, altering the gain or change distortion
characteristics by changing the tone stack. If
you have done so, you can use the Refine
Impulse Response function.
Changing any control will change the characteristics and dynamics of the
sound. By using the Refine function you will match the frequency response
of the amp.
Note: When loading an audio clip, the gain is adjusted, and a frequency
profile is created. When using Refine, only the frequency profile will be
recreated.

34
Profiling with your own guitar as reference:
Optionally, you can elect to make the finished analysis
particularly suited for your own guitar and pickup
combination, rather than for a generic guitar. This requires
that your own guitar is profiled first, and that is done in the
Input ACT window. After recording a few notes on your
guitar, a profile is saved which can then be selected in the
ACT Combo dropdown.
You must select a guitar profile before analyzing a prerecorded sound clip
or live amp. Selecting the profile after analysis will change nothing.

(3.2.9) Amp Cloner Presets

You can load amp clones into ACT Combo that were purchased through
the ReValver Amp Store.
Note: In order to use ACT amp clones, a
license for the ACT Combo module is
required which can be purchased from
revalver.headrushfx.com.
Amp clones are loaded into Amp Cloner
by selecting an Amp Cloner preset from
the ReValver preset manager or
purchased from the ReValver Amp Store
at revalver.headrushfx.com.
The Preset Manager can be used to load
or save Amp Cloner Player presets.
Note: You can only export presets that
you have created. Any Amp Cloner
presets that were purchased from the
ReValver Amp Store cannot be exported
- even if you have modified them.

35
(3.2.10) Amp Recording Tips

Since the audio clip determines how ACT Combo will sound, it is important
that the source material is of good quality. Here are some guidelines on
how to choose audio clips that will help in getting the best results.
Important: ACT Combo does not load files saved in the MP3 format.
Format: Compressed formats (known as “lossy”) such as MP3, cut off
frequencies from the original file to reduce the file size, resulting in loss of
information. The same is true for clips taken from YouTube. When
downloading the audio, save it as a .wav instead to avoid
re-compression of the audio clip. Compressed or uncompressed source
files can be used, but some highly compressed files may give poor results.
Sample Rate / Bit Depth: The sample rate should be 44.1 kHz or higher,
but it may not be beneficial to use very high sample rates. Noise in the file
(such as having a low bit depth file) will not result in a noisy result.
Dynamic Range: You may choose a clip that was limited/compressed.
Although that shouldn't affect the dynamics analysis of ACT Combo, it may
fool ACT Combo into adjusting the gain knobs overly high. Avoid clipped
audio samples as this will give results having too much gain and can bring
undesirable distortion.
Editing: No editing is necessary, but make sure no other instruments other
than the source guitar are present in the file. Silent passages will
automatically be removed during analysis.
Frequencies: The ideal sample would have a good representation of the
frequency range of the amplifier in the audio clip. If you load an audio
sample that has a very prominent low end, with arpeggios in the lower
strings, you may get a result with a huge amount of low frequencies.
Loading an audio clip that contains a solo in the higher frets generally will
result in a thin sounding profile.
Many factors influence how the frequencies are perceived, from the player
being used, the monitoring system, the position of the speakers,
soundcard, playing style, etc. The analyzer in ACT Combo will read the
frequency response in the audio clip regardless of all those elements, and
that may result in a profile with frequencies that were hidden in the audio
clip being more prominent and thus audible after the analysis. Some source
clips may sound terrific, with lots of punch and bottom, but the resulting
ACT Combo preset may not be as expected. The same applies for audio
clips with too much high end, which can result in an ear-piercing noisy
preset. It's good to keep in mind that the guitar that was used in the
recording of the audio clip in question can deeply impact the sound and if
you are not using the same guitar, you are bound to get a different result.
Use the controls for Lows and Highs for both input and output to fine-tune
adjustments.
Room Sound: Look for a clip that has as little room sound as possible, as it
will affect the final results, generally in a bad way. Built-in camera mics or
web cams will generally make room noise more apparent.

36
(3.2.11) ACT Combo Tips

• Choose an audio sample that follows the requirements given earlier in

the Amp Recording Tips section. The better the sample, the better the
chances of getting a good result.
• Normalize the input level in ReValver's Input Mixer > VU Meter. Based
on the sample, choose a base character for the ACT Combo that
closely matches the distortion level of the sample being profiled.
• Without making any changes, load the clip into ACT Combo. After the
analysis, the gain levels might be too high. If so, adjust it accordingly.
Normalize the output level in ReValver’s Output Mixer > VU Meter.
• Try resetting it and start again by adjusting the gain and the tonestack
controls, then load the source clip into ACT Combo. The resulting gain
might be exaggerated and if so, adjust it accordingly.
• You can further dial in the sound by turning the EQ Assist option on
and adjust the tone to match the that of the source sample.
• If you are profiling a sample that was recorded using a guitar with
single coil pickups set to the bridge pickup, but you are playing a
guitar with humbuckers set to the neck pickup, it will make the
matching much harder. The input Lows and Highs knobs in the preamp
section of ACT Combo can be used to add or remove high and low
frequencies to your guitar sound, so they affect the sound before it
enters ACT Combo's amp circuit. They are very subtle and can be used
to further match the distortion character if it doesn't match the source
file. If your result is too noisy, try reducing the highs. If the distortion is
too muddy or rumbling, try reducing the lows. If there is too much
distortion, try reducing the input trim.
• Use the ACT Input Module to help the guitar you are playing better
sonically match the instrument being recorded. ACT Input Module
presets are available in the ReValver Amp Store to simulate the sound
(both instrument and electronics) of countless acoustic, bass, and
electric instruments.

37
(3.3) ACT Rack

ACT Rack is a smart EQ cloning/matching effects module, suitable for both

instruments and mixes, with extra tone-shape tools to help dial in the
sound you are looking for. The ACT Rack module can analyze the
frequency response (EQ curve) of a Target audio file or DAW track and
apply the frequency response to your Source track.

ACT Rack can process mono and stereo audio, but the analysis steps are
done in merged mono. As with most other filtering processes, the final EQ
is applied to both channels in equal amounts.
Note: The System Mono switch from the Input Mixer is duplicated in ACT
Rack. System Mono merges the incoming stereo signal to a replicated
mono signal.

(3.3.1) Source and Target Sounds

The EQ created by ACT Rack is the difference in frequency response

between a Source sound and a Target sound. That EQ can be applied to
the source to have it sonically match the target sound.
Both the Source and Target sounds can be analysed by either streaming
audio using a track in your DAW or loading an audio file (*.wav, *.ogg, *.aiff,
*.opus, or pre-analyzed profile.)

(3.3.2) Creating a Source or Target Profile

The process of analyzing the Source and Target profile is identical. In some
cases it may be more intuitive to create the Source profile first.
An analysis profile is created either by using the Learn or the Load
functions. While the Load function is very fast and able to compute the
frequency response of an external audio clip right after loading, the Learn
function requires an audio stream that will be analyzed as the stream plays.

38
To analyze an audio signal using the Learn function, click
on the button for either the source or target profile slot.

If you are working in a DAW environment, play the track

that you are analyzing until the progress bar in the ACT
Rack module indicates completion.

As the ACT Rack requires audio

running above a set threshold
level, the Learn process will
remain paused if the audio is
not loud enough. If this is the
case, ensure you are playing
the correct track and raise the
level as needed.
When done, the source profile
will be displayed in the
frequency response graph as
green, and the target will be
displayed as red.

To analyze the frequency

response of an external audio
clip, click on the Load button,
highlighted in the side picture.

Locate the audio file you wish to analyze and load it. ACT Rack will
automatically create an analysis profile from the loaded audio clip and
display its frequency range on the Profiles display.

You can save this profile by clicking on the Save button . ACT Rack will
save a file that contains the frequency response of this profile, that can be
loaded later using the Load button.

The profile can be cleared by clicking on the button.

When an EQ has been created based on the source and
target profiles, it will be disabled by default. To enable
and apply the EQ profile you will need to enable it
manually.
After enabling the EQ, the ACT EQ
profile will be applied to the audio
passing through the ACT Rack module.
The Transform display will present a
curve that represents the difference
between the Source and the Target.

39
 Amount: This is a blend control to mix the original sound with
the transformed one. The default value is 100%.

Smooth: Sharp peaks in the transform can be attenuated with

smoothing. This function can often enhance the transformation
that is applied to the audio.

Tip: Sharply defined EQs carry a certain amount of phase distortion, which
is reduced in the smoothing process. Smoothing tends to work better for
complex audio such as mixes, whereas sharper EQ tends to work better for
single instruments. In the end, you should trust your ears to determine
whether to use smoothing.

The Amount and Smooth knobs will be unavailable, and the transform
graph will be empty when reloading an ACT Rack preset. However the
transform function will be fully operational. To tweak the transform in any
way after reloading the ACT Rack preset you will need to load the source
and target slots again.

A Delete button is available to remove the transform. A

Level knob allows for output adjustments.

ACT Rack provides an extra set of

tools to shape the final
transformation, without the need
of having to load an external
parametric EQ. The Post EQ
section has high and low pass
filters, a high shelf and a low shelf
with two bands.

40
(3.4) Gig Mode
Note: This mode is only available in standalone operation.

Gig mode gives you the ability to preload up to 8 presets and then switch
between them seamlessly.

To enable Gig mode, select it from the top

menu icon.

This will bring up the Gig

mode interface over the
standard ReValver GUI. From
here, click on the empty slots
to bring up the Preset
Manager and load in your
desired presets.

If you click any of the preset

slots, you will see that the
preset you selected loads
instantly with no delay. Each
slot corresponds to MIDI
Program changes 1-8, so using
a MIDI command you could
change entire presets, along
with being able to still employ
Control Changes for switching
within that preset. See the
MIDI Control section for more
info on this.

There is also a set of filters on the top of the Gig mode view. Use these as a
master EQ to tweak the entire set of presets to maybe suit a specific room
or scenario.

You can also Save and Load gigs from the

main File menu to have any number of gigs
preprogrammed and ready to load up when
needed.

41
(4.0) Tweaking Guide
ReValver has a remarkable set of parameters that can
be adjusted in most modules. This can be found by
right clicking (Ctrl+click on macOS) on the module you
wish to tweak and select Tweak schematic.
Note: Some modules (or circuits in modules) may have
editing disabled. This may be because the owner of the
schematic or the third party developer has requested
editing to be disabled.

The layout of the UI is that of a schematic. Some

circuits are of an electrical type and others are purely
digital. The signal flow through these circuits is
indicated with lines, in the general direction of left to
right.

The electronic circuits use a complex modeling engine that allows for high
accuracy in filter and nonlinear simulations. It uses a recognised set of
techniques to evaluate large electronic networks. It is not possible to
remove or insert circuits or components within ReValver, but you can edit
parameter values.

You may drag the schematic to fit appropriate sections to the screen, and
if you have a scroll wheel you can zoom in and out.

The most common electronic parameters that can be edited are resistors,
capacitors, inductors, op amps, preamp tubes, and power amp tubes. Each
component provides its own UI to adjust the parameters of interest.
Changing a power amp tube is as easy as clicking on the tube diagram in
the circuit and swapping the tube. Take note that the tubes are in pairs so
if there are four power tubes, you’ll have to change both pairs. See the Tips
and Tricks section for more details.

42
Changing other components, such as a tone pot, brings
up different options.

The value of a resistor or capacitor in ReValver is

composed using two drop downs, for example 2.0 x 10k
Ohm = 20k Ohm, just as components are specified. The
values to choose from depends on the “tolerance” they
are said to have. It’s virtually impossible to manufacture
a resistor or capacitor with the exact value wanted. A
resistor with 5% tolerance will have been manufactured
to an actual value +/-5% of what is specified. The actual
difference is specified in ReValver as the “Randomness”.
You can either set it to zero or click the “!?” button to
randomize it. By randomizing as many components as
possible within the set limit, the interaction between the
components will become more natural. You can create
endless variations in sound using the same circuitry, just
as in real life.

If the resistor is variable, such as a rotary pot, the value

varies with position. The “Taper” defines how the
resistor varies with position. Changing the taper
usually changes the apparent volume of an amp
unless the pot is in absolute min or max position.

Global map names and value transformations are used

to tie the component to a UI element. It is usually not
recommended to change that. Digital circuits usually
have parameters inside “green boxes” that will open a
specialized UI. Of course, the amplifier modules prove
to be the most in depth when entering the tweak UI,
but all modules of ReValver are tweakable.

43
(4.1) MIDI Control

MIDI control can be done in two ways:

1. Using a dedicated MIDI controller, you can send Program, Note, and
Control Change (CC) messages.
2. Use Plugin automation within your DAW.

(4.1.1) Using a MIDI Controller

Virtually all parameters in ReValver modules can be controlled by MIDI.

Using Control Changes, this allows you to switch stomp boxes on and off,
switch channels on amplifiers, control expressive effects such as a Wah and
even use expression pedals to control something such as Diffusion on the
World Wide Verb delay for extreme delay control.
To assign a MIDI CC to ReValver, right click (Ctrl+click on macOS) on the
control you wish to assign, select MIDI mapping, and choose Create MIDI
mapping for this control.

You’ll then be presented with this screen:

44
Using a MIDI foot controller, you could move an expression pedal and the
pedal would now control the Wah. See the Tips and Tricks section for
more details on MIDI control.

Using MIDI CC messages is a very powerful way to get a lot out of just one
preset. If MIDI control is used in conjunction with Gig mode, then even
more can be achieved.

Gig mode automatically has Program Changes 1-8 assigned to seamlessly

switch between the 8 presets you can load. By consulting your MIDI
controller’s manual you can usually setup Program and Control changes to
be sent by different pedals, allowing you to switch between presets and
control the effects within them.

See the Tips and Tricks section for an example of how to do this with a
MIDI controller. All MIDI controllers differ so please consult their
documentation for information.

(4.1.2) Plugin Automation

Plugin automation is a way to control the ReValver UI element from within

the DAW. To do so, a GUI element must be mapped to a “name” that is
exported to the DAW. ReValver provides a set of predefined suggestions
such as “Amp Gain” or “Mid”, but any UI element can be mapped to any
name.

In previous versions of ReValver, certain UI elements were pre-mapped

with logical names. In the event you had two amps, it was not possible for
either ReValver or the DAW to say which was the Amp Gain or Mid Tone
control. In ReValver, such mapping must be manually done.

To map an automation name to a UI element, right click (Ctrl+click on

macOS) and select Host automation mapping to select a control. Then
either select a map name or remove it. The DAW is aware of the map
names even before you have made an association with a UI control, but
before you map anything, no connection will be made.

Please refer to your DAW’s User Guide on how to record and make use of
automation information.

45
(4.2) Amp Store

One of the great features of ReValver is the ability to expand the gear
available via the Amp Store. Even if you are just using the free download of
ReValver, you have full access to all modules to demo, with save being
disabled and a beep sounding intermittently. If you want full functionality
of any of these modules, you can go and purchase them from the Amp
Store at revalver.headrushfx.com.

Once purchased, the license for that module will be added to your account.
Login to the Amp Store within ReValver, input the purchase activation
code, and download the license to your machine. There are amp, stompbox
and effect models, cabinets, ACT Instrument models, amp clones, and
producer pack bundles available to purchase.

After purchasing any item in the Amp Store, this item will be available for
download any number times, to any number of computers; however, to use
the item(s) you must still have your personal USB device attached or the
item will run in demo mode.

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(5.0) Troubleshooting
(5.1) Tips and Tricks

Using a Signal Splitter:

• Use a signal splitter in pedal board view to blend two different effects,
add distortion, or act as a wet/dry control. Let's say you want to create
a unique modulation effect to blend a chorus pedal and a flanger. Load
the signal splitter and put the chorus pedal into the blue part and the
flanger into the red part and then experiment with the blend control.
You can also use it the same way to blend different distortion pedals
and get different flavors of distortion. To use it as a wet/dry control,
load the pedal you wish to use into the blue part of the signal splitter
and leave the red part without any pedals. Then use the blend control
to mix the effected signal with the dry one.
• In the amp view, one can use the signal splitter to accomplish unusual
setups, like to connect an amp with 2 different speaker simulation
modules (RIR, RIR 2, or RIR 2 Lite) or even load two different amps and
their respective cabinet simulators, with the option of blending the two
different signals for a greater tonal pallette or simply panning each
different signal to a side of the stereo field to get a stereo sound.
• In the effects view, you can use the signal splitter to blend 2 different
effects such as flanger and chorus, or even blend two different reverbs
for a richer ambience.

Using ACT Instrument Modeler:

• If you have an old set of strings in your guitar, the input ACT libraries
can help get a little brightness back!
• It's likely that you will get better results in ACT if you use the same
pickup as the one used in the library that you are choosing. For
example, use the neck pickup of your guitar with a neck library in ACT.

Using the Output ACT Module:

The ACT output module can be used to salvage some poorly recorded
guitars. Just load ReValver as an insert plugin in your DAW on the same
track that you want to “fix”. Select a profile in the ACT module and profile
the sound from your guitar track in the DAW by playing it back. Then, after
the preset is applied, you can browse through the various samples we have
provided as your recorded track plays back to find a more suitable tone.

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Signal Processing Tips:
• If you are using any ambience (reverb or delay) in your sound and use
the compressor in the Output mixer, be conservative with how much of
the effect you put in your sound. The compressor is likely to make it
much more present.
• If you want more control, use a shorter attack on the compressor, since
it will tame the transients. If you want more punch, use a longer attack
time and it will let more transients pass before compression kicks in. If
you want more sustain, use a longer release time. To have a better
notion of what the attack and release of your compressor are doing to
the sound, exaggerate the ratio and threshold controls until it is really
affecting the sound in a way you can perceive clearly. After adjusting
the attack and release to your taste, dial back the ratio (3:1 or 4:1 are
commonly used) and then the threshold.
• When using an EQ, cut out the frequencies you don't want rather than
boosting the ones you want. After cutting, don't forget to compensate
the gain of the EQ before you compare with the unequalized sound
since the loss in volume may trick you into thinking that the
unequalized one sounds better.
• High Pass and Low Pass filters do wonders for guitar sounds. One can
roll off the frequencies below 80 Hz and above 12 kHz. Sometimes a
Low Pass can go much lower and still allow the guitar tone to cut
through (8 kHz is possible).
• All modules have a setting allowing for oversampling or
undersampling. While the default setting is appropriate to the nature of
the module, it can be changed to save CPU.

Tweaking the circuitry:

• The schematic in the Tweak UI can be tweaked in the same way a
circuit could in real life. The same tweaks that can be applied to a
hardware amp can be used in ReValver. You may find tips on the
Internet that would apply to ReValver as well.
• Although you cannot set the idle bias current in ReValver (just the
voltage) you can display the idle current in the power amp section by
hovering over the green “?” icon at the bottom right of the
transformer. A suggested range of idle currents for each type of tube
can be found in the tube tweak UI.
• A quick way to change the gain of a preamp tube stage is to alter the
“plate resistor” above the tube. Higher resistance means higher gain
and vice versa.
• Try different tubes in the power amp section. Switching EL34 and 6L6
tubes can create obvious but pleasing tonal differences.

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Sound Tips:
• For a better metal sound, add the Greener module before the amp to
get a tighter and more pronounced sound.
• Add weight to the guitar sound by driving the power amp. Sometimes
this control is labeled as “drive” or “volume”. Clipping the power tubes
gives a different feel and tone to clipping the preamp tubes.
• For a better lead guitar sound, sometimes it is better to use a small
cab than a bigger one.
• If you are multi-tracking, use different amps with different cabs for
each track. It will make it easier for you to place each guitar in the mix
later while creating richer textures.
• Always audition your guitar sounds in a mix context, even if you have
to use jam tracks or backing tracks to do it. A great guitar sound on its
own can be easily buried in a mix and a guitar that sounds harsh on its
own can sound just perfect mixed with other tracks.
• When normalizing your input, make sure to play all strings. If you
normalize it by playing a riff using only the higher strings, it will clip
when you play a power chord since the lower strings carry more
energy.
• For more realistic guitar sounds, add some ambience. Be careful
though, too much can muddy things up.

MIDI Tips using a Roland® FC-300

• Set the pedal to Program mode to simply
switch presets in Gig mode. Pedals 1-8 will
correspond to the relevant preset slots.
• Switch the controller to Control mode to send
Control Change messages. Easily assign CC’s
to switch stomp boxes on/off, switch channels
on amps and assign expression pedals to
control the BudWah, Wham! Pedal, or any
other parameters. The BudWah features a toe
switch button at the top of pedal. If the
expression pedal has been assigned and this
switch is engaged, the pedal will automatically
switch on and off when the expression pedal is
98% of the way forward.
• To have the Wah operate more like a traditional Wah, disengage the
toe switch and with the expression pedal already assigned and pushed
all the way forward, use the physical toe switch of the FC-300 to
assign that function to the circled on/off switch at the bottom of the
wah. Now when “toe switching” the FC-300’s expression pedal, it will
switch the Wah on and off.

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Follow these steps to send Program Changes to switch presets in Gig
mode and also Control Changes for switching effects:

1. Click the first pedal on the FC-300. Click the Parameter > button then
click the Write button twice. From where it says 001 scroll across to
the first ------ section and click Value ⬆ to display PC. As a default it
should be CH#01 and PC#001. This is correct for this instance, but for
controller pedal 2 make it PC#002 so switch 2 will switch to the
second preset in Gig mode.
2. Continue to assign all the bottom row of pedals to switch Program
changes 1-5 and then use the bank up pedal to control the last three
program changes (6-8) available in Gig mode.
3. If you go back to the first preset, you can now click the Parameter >
button to scroll to assign a CC# for the CTL 1 button.

To assign two expression pedals to include use of the toe switches, send
a Control Change message to switch more than one pedal at a time. Try
having one pedal off and one pedal on, then assign the same CC to them.
You’ll then have them switch at the same time. For example, one button
could switch the Chorus off while also switching the Compressor on.

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(6.0) Appendix
(6.1) System Requirements
ReValver can be used as a standalone piece of software on macOS or
Windows platforms, or as a VST/AU/AAX plugin that can run within Digital
Audio Workstations (DAWs). See below for system requirements.

macOS Windows
System macOS 12 or later Windows 7 or later
(64-bit CPU)

Host DAW VST2.4/VST3/AU/AAX VST 2.4/VST3/AAX

Sound Output Built-in audio (CoreAudio) Sound card (ASIO

preferable)

CPU 64-bit with SSE2 32/64-bit with SSE2

RAM 2 GB 2 GB

Disk Storage 700 MB 700 MB

USB Port A free USB device/port to A free USB device/port

lock the license to (existing to lock the license to
dongle, audio interface, hard (existing dongle, audio
drive, etc.) interface, hard drive, etc.)

Windows Tablets are supported if they fulfill the requirements above.

Tablets with ARM processors are not supported. A keyboard may be useful
for some tasks.
ReValver does not support RTAS and for Pro Tools compatibility requires a
64-bit AAX enabled version, version 10.3.5 or later.
The built-in AU / VST host of ReValver will require the 3rd party plugin
being built for the same platform. The 64-bit version will require 64-bit
plugins.
Significant effort has been made to ensure ReValver can be run on the
greatest number of systems. You can evaluate compatibility with the free
software download before purchasing additional modules.
Specifications are subject to change without notice.

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(6.2) Trademarks & Licenses

HeadRush is a trademark of inMusic Brands, Inc., registered in the U.S. and

other countries.
Roland is a registered trademark of the Roland Corporation in the U.S. and
other countries.
Windows is a registered trademark of Microsoft Corporation in the United
States and other countries.
macOS is a trademark of Apple Inc., registered in the U.S. and other
countries.
All other product names, company names, trademarks, or trade names are
those of their respective owners.

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 revolver.headrush.com
revalver.headrushfx.com

revolver.headrush.com

Manual Version 1.0

Manual Version 1.0