Table of Contents Section Page Introduction/Technical requirements 3 Product Activation and Authorization 4 ReValver Operating Modes Loading the VST, AU or RTAS Plug-in into the DAW 6 Reaper 6 Sonar 8 Cubase 9 Live 11 Logic Pro 12 Pro Tools 13 Recording the Guitar 3 Working with ReValver™ MK III.
Introduction Congratulations on your purchase of ReValver™ MK III.V! ReValver MKIII.V 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. ReValver includes 65 incredible linkable sub modules that model legendary amplifiers, stomp boxes and rack effects, making ReValver MKIII.
Product Activation and Authorization When ReValver™ is installed, it defaults to “demo” mode until activated with a valid ReValver serial number. Everytime you start ReValver you will be asked if you wish to activate or continue in demo mode. Click on the “Yes” button to begin the activation process. The next screen provides details into the product activation process.
On the following screen, enter your ReValver™ serial number. If you have an Internet connection, the activation process will register your copy of ReValver online. If you are ready to activate, click the “Next” button. During the online activation process, you will see the current status of the activation in the “Connection log” window at the bottom of the activation screen. Once the online activation is complete, you will see the following window stating that the activation was successful.
Product Activation and Authorization Without An Internet Connection If you do not have an Internet connection on the computer on which you are installing ReValver™, choose “This computer is not connected to the Internet” in the Internet Connection portion of the product authorization window. When you click the “Next” button, a window will pop up with instructions on how to activate ReValver from another computer. Carefully follow those instructions to activate ReValver.
To use ReValver™ on a track in Reaper, click on the “fx” button in the track. In the FX window, click on “VST” in the menu to the left and locate ReValver in the list of effects to the left. If you have a lot of VST plug-ins installed, typing “ReValver” in the Filter list at the bottom of the window will speed up your search. Once you have located ReValver, double click to load the plug-in.
Sonar Adding the VST path (Windows) Menu: Options Global VST Plug-ins (tab) From the VST Plug-ins tab, click the “Add” button (1) and browse to your plug-in folder. Once you have added the path, click the “Scan VST Folders” button (2) to rescan for all available plug-ins. Loading ReValver™ into a track To use ReValver on a track in Sonar, right mouse click in the “FX” window of the track.
In the pop-up menu, navigate to Audio FX load ReValver into an effects slot for the track. VST Folder ReValver. Click on ReValver™, this will Cubase Steinberg Cubase is available on Mac and PC. This host only loads VST plug-ins. It does not load AU or RTAS plug-ins. The ReValver installer automatically installs the VST plug-in in the default location, allowing Cubase to find it with no additional set-up.
In the VST 2.x Plug-in Paths window, click on the “Add” button and browse to your plug-in folder to add your folder path. Loading ReValver™ into a track Click on the “Insert” bar to open the inserts. Click on the desired insert to choose the ReValver plug-in from the menu.
Live Adding the VST path (Windows) Options Preferences File Folder Plug-in Sources section In order to use a custom folder as a source of VST plug-ins in Live, set the “Use VST Plug-in Custom Folder” option to “On” and then use the “Browse” button below to locate the folder. To complete the process, click the “Rescan” button to rescan for all available plug-ins. Loading ReValver™ into a track With a track selected in Live, click on the “Plug-In Devices” icon from the left menu.
Either double click on ReValver™ or drag ReValver from the plug-ins list to the device chain in the Track View Selector. Logic Pro In Apple Logic Pro, ReValver will appear as an AU plug-in. All AU plug-ins are installed in a default location and will after installation appear automatically in the AU hosts plug-in menu. Logic Pro does not support VST or RTAS plug-ins.
From the menu, under “Audio Units”, select Peavey Electronics ReValver™ MK III.V. Choose “Mono” or “Stereo” according to your situation. Pro Tools Avid Pro Tools only recognizes RTAS (and TDM) plug-ins. The ReValver installer automatically installs the RTAS plug-in at the default location. Pro Tools will automatically find it after installation. Loading ReValver into a track After creating a new track, you insert ReValver by switching to the Mix window.
Click on the Insert row where you want to insert ReValver™. Select the plug-in by selecting it from the menu. ReValver will appear as a mono or stereo plug-in depending on your track. ReValver will be found in the “Harmonic” sub menu. Recording the Guitar Recording a Guitar is not as easy as it might seem, but it doesn’t have to be difficult. If your Guitar is not powered by a battery (and very few are), then it is generating an electrical signal which is not compatible with most sound cards.
2) Another option is to use a Direct (D.I.) box or Preamp. DI stands for Direct Input or Direct Interface. It is an electrically powered box that can be used to match the input impedance of the sound card and the output impedance of the Guitar. The simplest DI box could cost around $20, but there are boxes that could easily cost $200 if you want all the “extras,” too. A DI box has a Hi-Z input (“Z” is the unit of Impedance; High Impedance input, in other words).
4) The best option is, of course, to purchase a good quality Digital Audio Interface, such as the Peavey Xport™ . Look for a device with ASIO (audio stream input/output) drivers, which is an industry standard and will work well with ReValver™ MKIII.V. After you install the device, the Audio Devices menu under the File menu will allow you to choose that device for input and output, then the Control Panel button will be activated, and serve as a link to your device.
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.
Working with ReValver™ MK III.V 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) and 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.
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.
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.V 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.
Module name = Peavey 3120™ Description =The Ultimate tone machine. The 3120 rips, with four 12AX7 preamp tubes and four 6L6GC power amp tubes. The amp is controlled by a master volume pot and independent volume knobs for each of its three channels. The Ultra and Crunch channels have gain controls to further assist in taming this beast. Tone contour is accomplished through passive controls on the Clean channel, while the Ultra and Crunch channels utilize active controls.
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.
Module name =Budda® V-Series Description = The Budda SuperDrive V-20 offers the best in British Class AB guitar amplifier design. The V-20 delivers rich, harmonically complex tone that rewards your playing with exceptional sensitivity to variations in your pick attack and to subtle changes in playing style.
Module name =Redhot Description = This Class A British amplifier sports two dual stage channels with completely separate signal paths, resulting in essentially two vintage amps in one. Channel One has a classic thick voice that screams when pushed. Channel Two has a tighter character with more upper mids and gain. Featuring four 12AX7 preamp tubes, four EL84 power tubes, and a GZ34 Rectifier, the Redhot is a classic rock standard.
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.
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.
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.
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. Module name = ‘62 BluesMaker preamp Description = This preamp was taken directly from the BluesMaker ‘62 amp. It contains both the clean and tremolo channels, including the tremolo controls.
Module name = Flathill Modern preamp Description = This is the Modern channel preamp from the Flathill. Very high gain and bright. Module name = Flathill Normal Red preamp Description = This is the Normal Red channel preamp from the Flathill. This high-gain preamp has a presence control, which usually sits in the power section, but gives extra control over the brightness. Power amplifiers A module from this category is preferably placed after a module from the preamp category.
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 is not driven by the usual Long Tail Pair (LTP). It does have a “clean” switch for less drive and slightly different tonal character.
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 = Budda® Budwah™ Description = The Budwah is one of the most sought-after wah-wah pedals ever made, designed with tightly focused tone sweep and an outstanding vocal-like quality. At bass settings (heel rocked back), the Budwah tone is thick and honky without losing clarity of the note.
Module name = ACS-LM3 limiter Description = A limiter is a specially tailored dynamics compressor. This particular limiter compresses the sound by a factor of 50:1 over the given threshold. It will stop sounds or transients over this threshold, limiting the output volume. 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 = 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.
Module name = MagnaVibe Description = Not to be confused with Tremolo, a vibrato is a frequency modulator that produces an effect similar to the sound you hear when you bend the string up and down, changing its pitch. This vibrato allows you to select a rate between 0 and 10 Hz, as well as a general depth. A knob for “delay” allows the vibrato to kick in after you pluck the string, making it more transparent when you play fast.
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.
General effects Module name = Peavey VC/L-2 Description = The Peavey VC/L-2 is an all-tube, dual channel Valve Compressor/Limiter, featuring the exclusive OptoDynamics system. With OptoDynamics, compression and limiting is much more natural and transparent than with solid-state designs, as there are no solid-state opto-isolators, opto-couplers, or opto-diodes. The “heart” of this design features an EL84 tube and two 12AX7s (four stages) for each channel.
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.
Module name = Channel Delay Description = This module can delay the left and right channels 0-100 ms independently (each channel can be adjusted +-16dB). With the Ambiance option engaged, the module acts as if the time delay represents a distance in a room. The farther away from the source a channel is, the fewer high frequencies and less volume it has.
Module name = Gr8 Graphical equalizer Description = This simple 8 band graphic equalizer has frequency bands placed strategically for bass and Guitar. The bands can be adjusted manually by pressing the “T” button. Pressing “R” will reset the band. Module name = Convolution Reverb Description = A convolution type reverb which uses pre-sampled impulses as source templates. The sound and reaction of the original sampled reverb is what you hear in C-Verb. You can load your own *.
Module name = Leveler Description = A utility module that 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 0dB. 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.
Module name = Single triode Description = This module contains a single triode tube with no filters, with a level adjustment before and after the tube. Using a couple of these in a series is like building your own amp! Tweaking modules One of the most powerful features of ReValver™ MK III.V is the ability to tweak each parameter of a module other than the usual knobs and buttons on the front of the module.
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.
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.V, or any VST plug-in in the VST module.
The Tube Tweak GUI One of the most powerful features of ReValver™ MK III.V 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.
On the tube Tweak GUI, the editable parameters are divided into two groups, the Physical and the NonPhysical (which has no meaning in reality but can be used to enhance the sonic properties). 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.
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, 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.
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.
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 tonestac
Table 1: Plug-in automation parameters VST name AU name Description Amp Out Power amp Output level Output adjust knob on amp or powerampmodule Pre Out Preamp Output level Output adjust knob on preamp module MIDI control and automation example To demonstrate native plug-in automation in a host, the following example will automate a parameter of a ReValver™ stompbox module in Reaper.
In the envelopes window, locate all of the parameters listed under “VST: ReValver MK III.V (Peavey Electronics)”. We will be automating the “Wah Pos” parameter. This will control the sweep of the wah pedal. Locate “Wah Pos” and click on the box before the name. Also make sure that you click the “Visible” box so that the automation envelope is displayed in Reaper. Now you will see a new automation “lane” under your guitar track in Reaper.
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. Most amps have bass, mid and treble controls to adjust the tonestack’s filter parameters. You should assume the default values are actually the best for most users, for that amp.
Features and specifications subject to change without notice. © 2011 Peavey Electronics Corporation • 5022 Hartley Peavey Drive • Meridian, MS 39305 (601) 483-5365 • FAX (601) 486-1278 • www.peavey.
