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1 Table of contents Section Page Introduction/Technical requirements Recording the Guitar Working with ReValver® MK III The Modules Complete amplifiers Pre-amplifiers Power amplifiers Stomp boxes/Pedals Speakers/Cabinets General Effects Miscellaneous Utilities Tweaking Modules MIDI Control and automation Plug in automation Finding a good sound/FAQ License and copy protection Credits and
2 Introduction Congratulations on your purchase of ReValver® MK III ! ReValver MKIII is a revolutionary 64-bit amplifier modeling software that captures the true characteristics of vacuum tubes while allowing users unprecedented control over their tonality and gain structures.
3 Loading the VST or AU plug-in into the DAW On a Mac, a plug-in in the VST or AU format is automatically located by the host and no action needs to be taken for the VST/AU host to find the ReValver® plug-in. It should be automatically listed among the available plug-ins after a rescan. In Windows, it is possible to install the VST plug-in at any location. To make the VST host aware of this location it must manually be pointed to.
4 Connecting the Guitar to the sound card Here are three ways to connect your Guitar to the computer: 1) The simplest option is to hook it up to the sound card Line-In jack using a suitable connector, usually a 1/4” to 1/8” adapter. The advantage is that you don’t have to buy any additional gear (except maybe the cable adapter) but the sound is not ideal, probably not even good. The reason for the dull and boring sound is due to an impedance mismatch.
5 3) The middle road, which probably won’t cost you anything, but could be almost as good as a DI box, is the use of an ordinary stomp box, which in fact is a sort of DI box. It could be a pedal of any kind; a distortion pedal, chorus, echo, etc., as long as: a) It is electrically powered, and you actually use the battery or power source b) You use it in bypassed mode, i.
6 4) The best option is, of course, to purchase a good quality Digital Audio Interface. There are several on the market made specifically for Guitar for under $100. Look for a device with ASIO (audio stream input/output) drivers, which is an industry standard and will work well with ReValver® MKIII.
7 Recording the Guitar with or without effects? Should you use hardware compressors, distortion or other effects before you record the signal? It is your personal preference. If you can’t live without “that special sound,“ then you should probably record it that way. But when it comes to compression, EQ, reverb and other special effects that could be produced in software, then you should produce it in software and not in hardware. That way you can always change your mind afterward.
8 Working with ReValver® MK III The title module At the top of the graphical interface of the program is a module containing general setup functionality, including the Input volume +-16dB adjustment (with pre and post LED indicators), Output volume -32dB adjustment (with post LED indicator). The adjustment knobs can automatically adjust the input and output volume to 0dB by pressing the “Learn” buttons. Pressing the gearwheel icon brings up the Options window.
9 Quality modes By pressing the gearwheel icon on the title module you can select the Startup quality mode. The mix-down quality mode forces 64-bit processing at 4x oversampling. This mode fully exposes the qualities of the program, whereas the normal “real time” mode may be a little more noisy and is likely to contain some aliasing noise (especially in high gain amps). It is recommended to always use the “mix-down mode” when freezing/rendering or when mixing a track.
10 The Modules Complete amps The modules in this category are integrated preamps and power amps; thus, no module from the “preamp” or “power amp” categories is needed along with an “amp” in a ReValver® MK III preset. Module name = Peavey 6505® Description = Loud, mean and built for the road, the 6505 was named in celebration of Peavey’s first 40 years, 1965 to 2005.
11 Module name = Peavey ValveKing® Description = A true tone monster in its own right, The ValveKing delivers a tone ranging from bluesy clean to crunchy and classic rock. The amp has a built-in spring reverb and separate tonestacks for the Clean and Lead channels. The amp’s preamp and power sections use 12AX7 and 6L6GC tubes, respectively. The ValveKing also features global resonance, presence and reverb controls.
12 Module name = Peavey JSX® Description = Loaded with three independent channels and comprehensive tonal control, the Joe Satriani signature JSX puts the full spectrum of Guitar tones at your fingertips, starting with a pristine clean channel, the perfect foundation for layering outboard effects, and including the exclusive FAT switch that adds extra heft to the Ultra and Crunch channels.
13 Module name = Basic 100 Description = With one channel for Guitar and one for bass, this “100 watt” amp has a lot of bottom and is favored for it’s clean tones. The Guitar and bass channels have different gain and tone stacks. The bass channel even has a “Deep” switch that shifts the frequency response of the Bass knob. On the Guitar channel, the Bright switch gives you a brighter sound on lower gain.
14 Module name = Fox ACS-45 Description = This amp has three channels, all running at the same time; a Normal, Brilliant and Tremolo channel. The Tone controls (Bass & Treble) only work on the Brilliant channel. The Tone Cut control removes some high treble (on all channels), and works like a reversed presence control. Module name = HomeBrew SE-1 Description = The HomeBrew SE-1 is a low-wattage, single ended amp with two channels. For a low-wattage circuit it has as many as 3 triode stages for gain.
15 Module name = ‘62 BluesMaker Description = Loosely based on a 1962 classic, this amp has 2 channels, normal and tremolo. The original amp did not have a “Drive” control, but we put one here to modulate the distortion in the power amp. Module name = ACM 900 Description = This amp is modeled after a “Rock & Roll” amp built with both valve and solid state components. It has only 1 channel but the two gain knobs control the gain at two stages in the preamp.
16 Preamplifiers A module from this category is preferably placed before a module from the “power amp” category. Module name = Peavey 6505® preamp Description = The preamp from the 6505 amplifier. All the tonal control without the power amp section. Module name = Peavey Classic 30® preamp Description = The preamp section of the Classic 30 without the power section. Module name = Peavey JSX® preamp Description = All the functionality of the Peavey JSX without the power section.
17 Module name = Pre-HB Description = Simple preamp for clean and slightly overdriven sounds. The preamp goes easily into overdrive, but distorts gently and relatively cleanly. Module name = Pre-02 Description = This preamp has 2 parallel channels: a triode tube path and a diode clipping path. The tube sound mixed with diode distortion makes an interesting and dynamic mix as the two components deliver two different overtone spectra.
18 Module name = Basic 100 Guitar channel preamp Description = This is the Guitar channel preamp from the Basic 100. It is rather clean due to it’s dual 2 triodes, neither of which typically saturates. Module name = ACM 900 preamp Description = This is the preamp section from the ACM 900. The two gain knobs control the gain in two places in the chain. Module name = Flathill Modern preamp Description = This is the Modern channel preamp from the Flathill. Very high gain and bright.
19 Power amplifiers A module from this category is preferably placed after a module from the preamp category. Module name = Peavey 6505® power amp Description = The 4 x 6L6GC power amp section from the Peavey 6505 amplifier. Module name = Peavey Classic 30® power amp Description = The Classic 30’s power amp section is pure EL84 heaven. By decreasing the drive on the preamp and increasing the level of the power amp, you can achieve great EL84 saturation.
20 Module name = M-998 Description = This simple power amp, uses 2 triodes in series for extra gain, and also uses a pair of tonal character filters, that can be tweaked in the Tweak GUI. Module name = Standard Power Amp #2 Description = This power amp has a standard push-pull end stage, but not driven by the usual Long Tail Pair (LTP). It does have a “clean” switch for less drive and slightly different tonal char acter.
21 Module name = Basic power amp Description = This power amp is taken directly out of the Basic 100. Just like the original amp, the power section has only a master control. The Negative Feedback Loop (NFB) shapes the distortion character, and can be adjusted in the Tweak GUI. For an explanation of the Tweak GUI, see page 35. Module name = ACM 900 power section Description = This power amp is taken directly out of the ACM 900.
22 Stomp boxes / pedals A module from this category is usually placed before an amp module. They are designed to shape the sound before it is colored by the amp. Module name = OverDriver Description = This stomp box is wired somewhat like a Guitar amp, in that it uses 3 stages of diode distortion. The “Turbo” acts like a “Master,” adding some extra gain before the last stage. This stomp box could be used to drive a speaker by itself.
23 Module name = Slow Grow SG-1 Description = An auto swell effect tracks the notes you play and removes the transients to make the music sound like it’s being played backwards. Module name = Octapus Octaver Description = Behind every great tone is another tone waiting to come out. With Octapus you can release this sub octave, taken from and added to your melody. The Octapus is a tight and accurate octaver stomp box that works best when you play one note at a time.
24 Module name = The Sher’ff Description = The Sher’ff stomp pedal is a tough but versatile distortion effect. Loosely modeled after a 1980s-era cousin it’s perfect for blues and rock either by itself or with a clean amp channel. Module name = Re-Lay 2 delay Description = The Re-Lay 2 is a double delay with a lot of options. You can set the volume of each tap, plus 2 individual filters per tap. Module name = Re-Lay 4 delay Description = The Re-Lay 4 is a quadruple delay with a lot of options.
25 Module name = Driver Description = This is a very versatile stomp box that delivers anything from smooth overdrive (with “Blues” turned up) to a heavily distorted and overloaded sound (“Gain” and “Muffler” turned up high). The module uses a modified amp tone stack that allows for heavy mid scooping, great for blues and rock & roll.
26 Module name = Wow-Wah! Description = A Wah pedal is a low-, high-, or band-pass filter with adjustable frequency. At the point of cut off, there is a peak with adjustable resonance, making the Guitar sound “waaaoooowwwoooaaa”. The resonance has similarities with the human mouth, hence the name. The frequency can be controlled either by a MIDI pedal (or the main knob) or by automatic rotation. The resonance can range between any 2 frequencies of your choice.
27 Speakers / cabinets A module from this category is usually placed after any amp module. Module name = Convolution speaker simulation Description = This module uses real-time convolution to mimic actual speaker and cabinet setups. Convolution can be very CPU-intensive so there are 2 optimization options, “Resample” and “Hi-Res.” Forcing downsampling of the signal reduces the CPU utilization to an amazing 25%, while still retaining virtually the same tonal quality.
28 General effects Module name = 8Q Description = An eight band parametric filter with adjustable frequency, gain and Q in seven types: high shelf, low shelf, high pass, low pass, band pass, notch and peak. Each band can be either a first order or second order IR filter. (Please note that first-order filters cannot represent EQ, band pass or notch curves.
29 Module name = ACS R2 Stereo Reverb Description = Stereo reverb designed to be placed last in the chain to give ambience or width to the sound, with adjustable pre-delay and room size. Three filters can be programmed to shape the character of the wet signal. This reverb is thicker than the Reverb R1; it also has different default filter parameters. Module name = Ph2 Phaser Description = Phasing works by mixing the original signal with one that is phase shifted.
30 Module name = Stereo widening effect Description = This module with combines ambience, stereo widening and exciter/enhancer effects to give your tone a wider, fuller sound with more presence. The enhancer operatesby the delaying the lower frequencies to allow the high frequencies to come first, giving the sound a touch of presence and clarity. Because of the delay, the enhancer may appear to add “distance” to the sound. You can blend the enhancement with the mix control.
31 Module name = CS3 Tube Compressor Description = A compressor is used to even the volume so that the lower levels do not completely disappear. Many music professionals believe that a tube compressor sounds “warmer” than a solid-state variant due to the slight saturation of the tubes and because the transformer adds a subtle touch of “crunch.” Module name = CS2 Compressor Description = A compressor is used to even the loudness so that the lower levels do not com pletely disappear.
32 Miscellaneous utilities Module name = Signal splitter Description = The signal splitter divides the signal into 2 streams. Each runs in parallel using it’s own set of modules. In the “signal merge” module, these two streams are mixed into one signal again. You can only use signal splitter once per preset. Module name = Frequency analyzer Description = The frequency analyzer can scan the audio in real time and present the frequency content on a live display.
33 Module name = Stereo Levels adjust Description = Same as “Leveler” module, but with a control knob for each channel. This utility module can be inserted wherever you wish to monitor or change the volume levels. The module monitors both the left & right channels. This module has a volume adjust and a “Learn” button to automatically adjust level to 0 dB. Module name = Tuner Description = Guitar tuner with two simultaneous displays, needle and strobe.
34 Module name = Single tonestack Description = This module only contains one tone stack with Bass, Mid and Treble knobs to adjust the filter aspects of any of the included tone stacks of ReValver® MK III. (The Foxy tonestack does not use the Mid knob.) Module name = Single triode Description = This module contains a single triode tube with no filters, with a level adjustment before and after the tube.
35 Tweaking modules One of the most powerful features of ReValver® MK III is the ability to tweak each parameter of a module other than the usual knobs and buttons on the front of the module. In an effort to explain the Tweak mode in ReValver, we’ve written some short explanations of each tweak in the tube tweak GUI.
36 The Total Harmonic Distortion (THD) analyzer displays the relationship between the input sound and the distorted output sound. The Oscilloscope view illustrates how a module alters the sine wave. It is available for each module as a whole, and for any tube component thereof.
37 You can save the Impulse Response (IR) of a module to a .wav file in 44.1 kHz stereo. The impulse response is practically the same view as the frequency analyzer, but this tool allows you to save the response to disk. This IR can be used in the convolution speaker module (or any other IR plug-in by third party manufacturers) and can be very useful capturing a “filter” or a “sound” of any module in ReValver MK III, or any VST plug-in in the VST module.
38 The Tube Tweak GUI One of the most powerful features of ReValver® MK III is the detail and number of parameters that can be used to fine tune any tube circuit in a module. In the module’s Tweak GUI, click on a tube icon to bring up the tube Tweak GUI.
39 On the tube Tweak GUI, the editable parameters are divided into two groups, the Physical and the Non-Physical (which has no meaning in reality but can be used to enhance the sonic properties, anyway). Depending on which tube you wish to tweak, you can choose between triodes or pentodes. A power pentode is a tube type often used to drive the speakers; therefore you will usually find them as the last tube(s) in the chain of any amplifier.
40 The coupling capacitor removes the high voltage DC offset from the output signal of the tube stage. This high-pass frequency is usually between 5-10 Hz, but if it is set higher then a user can change the tonal and dynamic properties of the stage. The grid resistor value is an all-in-one resistor used to calculate the effects of the stage’s bandpass limitation. Inside each tube there is an internal capacitance called “Miller capacitance.” The greater the resistor, the lower the bandwidth.
41 MIDI control and automation In the stand-alone version, all knobs, faders and buttons can be controlled by MIDI. The VST and AU plug-in can be controlled using native automation, but not all parameters can be automated. MIDI To setup MIDI control in the standalone version, please select your MIDI interface from the menu (File -\> MIDI devices...). If you have added a new MIDI interface after starting the program, please restart to allow the program to find it.
42 Table 1: Plug-in automation parameters VST name AU name Description Ped Bass Distpedal Bass Distpedal Bass control Ped Mid Distpedal Mid Distpedal Mid control Ped Treb Distpedal Treble Distpedal Treble control Ped Tone Distpedal Tone Distpedal Tone control Ped Mix Distpedal Mix Distpedal wet/dry mix Pre Gain Preamp Gain Preamp Gain Pre 1 Gain type 1 Preamp Gain 1 Pre 2 Gain type 2 Preamp Gain 2 Pre 3 Gain type 3 Preamp Gain 3 AmpBass Amp Bass (tone control) Ampmodule tones
43 Table 1: Plug-in automation parameters VST name AU name Description Amp Out Power amp Output level Output adjust knob on amp or poweramp module Pre Out Preamp Output level Output adjust knob on preamp module Finding a great sound: FAQ Q. What can I do to improve the frequency response of a preset? A. Use an EQ or change the tonestack of an amp, but most of all, experiment with the speakers. A surprisingly large part of the sound comes from the speakers.
44 Q. I have some very cool Impulse Response (IR) files. Can I use them with ReValver MK III? A. Yes. The speaker convolution modeler (RIR) can load files in .wav format, provided they are reasonably short. RIR is using a real-time engine that requires no particular sample chunk size, so it can operate less efficiently with larger files. All input is therefore shortened considerably if needed. No reverb, echo or delay type of IRs can be used. Q.
