80s Rack Manual

Overview

80s Rack is a Signalworks DSP guitar rack processor built around a NAM preamp, dual IR cabinets, compressor, chorus, detune, color delay, sync delay, reverb, and a line mixer.

Use it as a DAW plug-in when you want the host to handle audio and MIDI routing. Use the standalone app when you want to play through 80s Rack outside a DAW.

Formats

Platform	Included formats and applications
macOS	Universal 2 VST3, AU, and AAX plus 80s Rack standalone. Requires macOS 14 or later.
Windows 1.0.2	Native x64 VST3 and AAX plus 80s Rack standalone.

The Windows AAX bundle installs to C:\Program Files\Common Files\Avid\Audio\Plug-Ins\80s Rack.aaxplugin.

Manual Pages

Page	Use it for
Quick Start	First setup, input level, presets, and basic tone building.
Signal Flow	How the preamp, cabs, compressor, chorus, wet effects, and mixer are routed.
Controls	Plain-language reference for the main controls.
Presets and Snapshots	Saving tones, comparing edits, and using the eight snapshot slots.
MIDI	Fixed MIDI assignments, program changes, MIDI clock, and standalone MIDI input.
Standalone	Audio device setup, input permissions, and settings outside a DAW.
Troubleshooting	Common setup, routing, preset, MIDI, and loading problems.

Core Ideas

The signal-flow strip is interactive. Click supported block nodes to bypass or enable them.
Presets save full rig states. Snapshots save quick variations inside the current state.
The line mixer blends Dry Thru, Main, Detune, Color Delay, Sync Delay, and Reverb returns.
Settings separates audio device/calibration controls from Processing preferences. Processing contains Gate timing and position, preset/snapshot change fades, and the global Keep DIM at 100% wet option. Display scale, MIDI, library folders, and licensing have their own pages.
Keep DIM at 100% wet defaults off for compatibility. When enabled, Chorus Wet controls only the Tri-Chorus stage while DIM keeps its complete modeled signal path. This is a global Rack preference, not part of presets or snapshots.

Factory Content

The four factory S88 NAM models are embedded in 80s Rack, so they do not depend on loose model files or the configured NAM library folder. They are based on a Soldano X88IR with cabinet/IR processing bypassed. Factory preamp choices include clean, edge, crunch, and overdrive captures.

The factory EVM12L 57 A/B cabinet IRs are based on Pacific Woodworks 1x12 cabinets loaded with Electro-Voice EVM12L speakers.

IRs by Satsuki Kuvit <km.202257@gmail.com>. Included with permission for Signalworks DSP products.

All product names are trademarks of their respective owners. Signalworks DSP is not affiliated with, sponsored by, or endorsed by those owners. Product names are used only to identify equipment whose tones, sounds, or responses were studied during model and IR development.

File Types

80s Rack can load NAM models and cabinet IR files from disk.

File type	Supported extensions
NAM model	`.nam`
Cabinet IR	`.wav`, `.aif`, `.aiff`, `.flac`

Presets use the current Signalworks preset format, .sdsppreset. Older Rack preset files and legacy S88 model paths migrate when loaded. External NAM models and cabinet IRs remain normal user files on disk.

Quick Start

First Setup

Insert 80s Rack on a guitar or audio track, or launch the standalone 80s Rack app.
In a DAW, route your guitar track or audio input to the plug-in. In standalone, open Settings and choose the audio input, output, guitar input channel, and output pair.
Play at your normal level and set Input Trim so the input meter is healthy without clipping.
If the input is noisy, raise Gate Threshold until the idle noise closes cleanly. Use Settings > Processing for gate attack, hold, release, and pre/post position.
Choose a preset, or start from Factory Default.
Pick a preamp channel and model, then load or choose cabinet IRs. Factory S88 models are embedded; use RECENT or LOAD MODEL for external NAM files.
Click signal-flow nodes to enable the blocks you need, then balance them in the Line Mixer.
Use Output Trim for the final level into the next plug-in, bus, or recorder.

Build a Tone

Step	Control area	What to adjust
Set gain	Preamp	Choose Clean or Overdrive, then adjust Input Drive and Output.
Shape the amp	Preamp	Use Bass, Mid, and Treble.
Set the cabinet	Cabinets	Load IRs, then trim Level, Low Cut, High Cut, and Phase.
Add control	Compressor	Enable the compressor and adjust Threshold, Ratio, and Makeup.
Add width	Chorus	Blend the Tri-Chorus and DIM controls. To keep DIM on its complete modeled wet path while Chorus Wet trims only Tri-Chorus, enable Settings > Processing > `Keep DIM at 100% wet`.
Add space	Wet Effects	Enable Detune, Color Delay, Sync Delay, and Reverb as needed.
Balance returns	Line Mixer	Set Dry Thru, Main, wet return faders, pans, mutes, solos, and Wet Master.
Shape the output	Utilities	Set global Low Cut, High Cut, Low Shelf, High Shelf, and the Dry Thru tap position.

Adjust the Interface

Open Settings > Display and choose 90%, 100%, 125%, or 150%. You can also drag the lower edge of the Rack window to reveal more of the panel without changing the scale.

Use the Tuner

Click TUNER to open the tuner callout. The tuner shows note, cents, lock status, and input activity.

Tuner Mute can silence the output while tuning. If the rig suddenly goes silent while the tuner is open, check the MUTE switch in the tuner callout.

Save Your Work

Use SAVE in the preset strip to save a user preset. Use NEW to start a fresh state, COMPARE to hear your current edits against the loaded preset reference, and DELETE to remove a user preset.

Use the numbered snapshot slots for quick variations inside the current preset. For example, save one snapshot for rhythm, another for lead, and another for a wider wet part.

Signal Flow

Main Path

80s Rack starts with Input Trim, then runs through the selectable Gate position, Preamp, Compressor, and Chorus. Main and the wet returns meet in the Line Mixer, the mixer output feeds the Cabs, and the global Output Tone controls run before Output Trim.

Routing note: Dry Thru bypasses the Main/Wet path and Cabs, while the final Output Tone and Output Trim still process the complete output.

Stage	What happens
Input	Mono input can be mirrored to stereo before processing. Input Trim sets the level into the rack.
Gate	The Gate can run before or after the Preamp, depending on the Gate Position setting. Only one Gate position is active.
Preamp	The Preamp processes the selected Clean or Overdrive channel.
Compressor	The Compressor stays inline after the Preamp and before Chorus.
Chorus	The Chorus is part of the main series path. Its output feeds Main and the wet effects.
Dry Thru	Dry Thru is available from the Clean Preamp channel only. It uses its own Line Mixer channel, bypasses the Main/Wet path and Cabs, and can tap before or after Compressor. It still passes through global Output Tone and Output Trim.
Wet Returns	Detune, Color Delay, Sync Delay, and Reverb return to the Line Mixer. Detune, Color Delay, and Sync Delay can also feed Reverb.
Line Mixer	The Line Mixer sums Main and Wet Returns before the Cabs.
Cabinets	The Line Mixer output feeds the left/right cabinet section.
Output Tone	Global Low Cut, High Cut, 120 Hz Low Shelf, and 4 kHz High Shelf shape the complete post-cab output.
Output	Output Trim sets the final level after Output Tone. Chain Bypass bypasses the rack processing.

Cabinet Position

The Cabs are fixed after the Line Mixer and before the global Output Tone stage. This keeps the rack-style parallel mixer behavior while allowing final post-cab tone shaping before Output Trim.

Line Mixer Channels

Channel	Source
Dry Thru	A Clean Preamp channel tap from either pre-Compressor or post-Compressor, depending on Dry Thru Position.
Main	The post-series source after Chorus. This channel still has signal when Chorus is bypassed.
Detune	Parallel detune return.
Color Delay	Parallel color-delay return.
Sync Delay	Parallel tempo/manual delay return.
Reverb	Reverb return, fed by the post-series source plus optional sends from other wet returns.
Wet Master	Overall wet bus level plus limiter Threshold and Ceiling.
Utilities	Global post-cab Low Cut, High Cut, Low Shelf, High Shelf, and Dry Thru Position.

Reverb Sends

The Line Mixer includes sends from Detune, Color Delay, and Sync Delay into the Reverb block. Raise these sends when you want the wet effects to bloom into the reverb instead of keeping the reverb fed only by the main post-series source.

Clickable Flow Nodes

The signal-flow strip supports block toggles for the main processing blocks, including preamp, compressor, chorus, wet effects, and left/right cab nodes. The Line Mixer node is a routing overview point, not a bypass target.

Controls

Mouse and Keyboard Interaction

Mouse-wheel and trackpad scroll gestures navigate the Rack only. They do not change knobs, faders, or selectors.
Drag a knob or fader to adjust it. Hold Command on macOS or Ctrl on Windows while dragging for finer movement.
Double-click a continuous control to restore its neutral or active-mode reference value. Mixer faders and the four Wet Effects LEVEL controls return to 0 dB, Gate returns to -48 dB, and Compressor Threshold returns to -30 dB. Editable value fields also accept direct numeric entry.

Control	Values	What it does
80s Rack product mark	About	Opens product version, website, manual, support, updates, and Copy System Info actions.
Signalworks DSP wordmark	Website	Opens the Signalworks DSP website in the default browser.
Preset selector	Factory/User presets	Loads saved Rack states. A trailing `*` marks a modified preset; selecting that preset again reloads its stored state.
Previous/Next	Buttons	Steps through presets.
SAVE	Button	Updates the selected user preset. Opens Save As for factory presets and New Preset.
NEW	Button	Loads the basic init state, clears snapshots, and starts an unsaved preset.
SAVE AS...	Preset menu	Creates a separately named user preset from the current state.
RENAME...	Preset menu	Renames the selected user preset.
COMPARE	Button	Compares current edits with the loaded preset reference.
DELETE	Button	Deletes the selected user preset.
Snapshot slots	1 to 8	Recall populated snapshot slots. Empty slots do nothing on direct click.
Snapshot SAVE	Button	Arms snapshot save, then writes the next selected slot.
Snapshot COPY	Button	Copies a populated snapshot slot.
Snapshot PASTE	Button	Pastes a copied snapshot into the next selected slot.
Snapshot CLEAR	Button	Clears the next selected slot.
Snapshot COMPARE	Button	Compares the current snapshot edit state with the saved snapshot reference.
Gate Threshold	-96 to 0 dB	Sets the noise-gate threshold. -96 dB is effectively open/off.
Input Trim	-24 to +24 dB	Sets level into the rack.
Output Trim	-24 to +24 dB	Sets final output level.
TUNER	Button	Opens the tuner callout.
SETTINGS	Button	Opens Audio, Processing, Display, MIDI, Library, and Licensing pages. Display offers 90%, 100%, 125%, and 150% interface scales.
TAP/BPM	Button and tempo field	Sets manual tempo when host tempo is not driving the rack.

Line Mixer

Control	Values	What it does
Dry Thru Position	Pre Comp, Post Comp	Chooses where the Dry Thru channel taps the signal.
Dry Thru	Level, Pan, Mute, Solo	Balances the dry tap in the mixer.
Main	Level, Pan, Mute, Solo	Balances the post-series path after chorus.
Detune	Level, Pan, Phase, Mute, Solo	Balances the detune return.
Color Delay	Level, Pan, Phase, Mute, Solo	Balances the color-delay return.
Sync Delay	Level, Pan, Phase, Mute, Solo	Balances the sync-delay return.
Reverb	Level, Pan, Phase, Mute, Solo	Balances the reverb return.
Sends to Reverb	0 to 100%	Sends Detune, Color Delay, and Sync Delay into Reverb.
Wet Master	-120 to +12 dB	Sets the overall wet bus level.
Limiter Threshold	-24 to 0 dB	Sets where the Wet Master limiter begins reducing level.
Limiter Ceiling	-24 to 0 dB	Sets the Wet Master limiter output ceiling.
Output Low Cut	20 Hz to 1 kHz	Applies a global high-pass filter after the cabinets.
Output High Cut	1 kHz to 20 kHz	Applies a global low-pass filter after the cabinets.
Output Low Shelf	-6 to +6 dB	Applies a global 120 Hz shelf after the cabinets.
Output High Shelf	-6 to +6 dB	Applies a global 4 kHz shelf after the cabinets.

Preamp

Control	Values	What it does
Channel	Clean, Overdrive	Chooses the active preamp channel.
NAM model selector	Factory, Recent, or Load Model	Loads an embedded factory model or an external NAM model. Recent lists the five most recently loaded external models shared with DualRig.
Auto Gain	Off/On	Applies NAM metadata gain calibration when available.
Input Drive	-18 to +18 dB	Sets level into the selected channel.
Bass, Mid, Treble	-12 to +12 dB	Shapes the selected channel.
Output	-18 to +18 dB	Sets selected-channel output level.
Dry Thru	Level	Sets the clean dry-through contribution when using the clean-channel path.

Cabinets

Control	Values	What it does
IR selector	Factory choices or Load IR	Loads a cabinet IR.
Low Cut	20 Hz to 1 kHz	Reduces low-frequency cabinet content.
High Cut	1 kHz to 20 kHz	Reduces high-frequency cabinet content.
Level	-120 to +12 dB	Sets the cabinet level.
Phase	Normal, Inverted	Flips cabinet polarity.
Left/Right cab flow nodes	Enabled/Bypassed	Toggle the cabinet lanes from the signal-flow strip.

Factory EVM12L 57 A/B cabinet IRs are based on Pacific Woodworks 1x12 cabinets loaded with Electro-Voice EVM12L speakers. IRs by Satsuki Kuvit <km.202257@gmail.com>. Included with permission for Signalworks DSP products.

Compressor

Control	Values	What it does
Enable	Off/On	Turns the compressor block on or off.
Threshold	-60 to 0 dB	Sets when compression begins.
Ratio	1:1 to 20:1	Sets compression amount above threshold.
Makeup	-12 to +24 dB	Adds level after compression.
Knee	Hard, Soft. Default: Soft	Changes how compression begins around the threshold.
Curve	Classic, Tight	Chooses the transfer-curve feel.
Character	Off, VCA	Adds the optional VCA-style character stage.
Attack	0.1 to 100 ms	Sets how quickly compression reacts.
Release	5 to 800 ms	Sets how quickly compression recovers.
Mix	0 to 100%	Blends compressed and uncompressed signal.
Character Drive	0 to 100%	Sets the amount of character drive when Character is active.

When Rack blocks are bypassed, the signal-flow nodes and their primary visual indicators reinforce that state. The Preamp channel indicators and labels become subdued; Compressor meters go dark and show BYPASSED; and the Chorus, cabinet, and wet-effect displays dim behind a BYPASSED label. Controls and saved values remain visible and editable for the next time the block is enabled.

Chorus

Control	Values	What it does
Enable	Off/On	Turns the chorus block on or off.
Stage Order	Tri to Dim, Dim to Tri	Chooses the order of the tri-stereo and dimension-style stages.
Tri Enable	Off/On	Enables the tri-stereo chorus stage.
Tri LFO Mode	Preset, Manual, Preset+Manual	Chooses how the tri-stereo modulation is driven.
Left/Center/Right Depth	0 to 100%	Sets tri-stereo modulation depth per lane.
Rate	Hz	Sets manual tri-stereo modulation speed.
Dimension Mode	Off, 1, 2, 3	Chooses the base dimension-style mode.
+4	Off/On	Adds the fourth voicing to base mode 1, 2, or 3. It is unavailable while DIM is Off and is not a standalone mode.
Wet	0 to 100%	Sets the chorus wet/dry blend. With `Keep DIM at 100% wet` enabled in Settings > Processing, this controls only the Tri-Chorus stage.

Settings

Page	Controls	What they do
Audio	Standalone device and channel routing; Interface Input Level	Configures standalone audio I/O where available and stores NAM input-headroom calibration in dBu. The first-use default is +12 dBu; a saved setting takes precedence.
Processing	Gate Position, Attack, Hold, Release	Places the Gate before or after NAM processing and adjusts how it opens and closes.
Processing	Keep DIM at 100% wet	Keeps DIM on its complete modeled wet path while Chorus Wet blends only the Tri-Chorus stage. This global preference defaults off and is not saved in presets or snapshots.
Processing	Preset Change, Snapshot Change	Sets 0-100 ms crossfades for smoother preset and snapshot recall. Defaults are 12 ms and 5 ms.
Display	Interface Scale	Selects 90%, 100%, 125%, or 150% UI scale.
MIDI	Input devices, channel, incoming tempo, monitor	Configures standalone MIDI input and Rack MIDI behavior. DAW builds receive MIDI through host routing.
Library	NAM Library, IR Library	Chooses folders used to browse external NAM models and IR files.
Licensing	Demo and license controls	Shows demo status and imports or removes the signed 80s Suite license.

Wet Effects

Block	Main controls	Advanced controls
Detune	Mode, Cents, Left Delay, Right Delay, Level	Tone, Feedback
Color Delay	Mode, Time, Feedback, Diffusion, Level	Additional color-delay shaping where shown by the UI.
Sync Delay	Mode, Sync, Left Time/Note, Right Time/Note, Feedback, Right Phase, Level	Tone, Mod Rate, Mod Depth, Low Cut, High Cut, Duck Threshold, Duck Amount, Duck Attack, Duck Release
Reverb	Program, Decay, Size, Pre-delay, Level	Damping, Modulation, Early, Width, Low Cut, High Cut

Wet Effect Modes

Block	Modes
Detune	Classic, Micro
Color Delay	Circular, Pan Delay
Sync Delay	42 12-BIT, 22 DUCKED, and Pan Delay
Reverb	Hall, Chamber, Plate, Ambient, Room, User IRs, and Load IR

Some Reverb controls change behavior or become unavailable when a reverb IR program is active. Low Cut and High Cut remain useful for shaping IR-based reverb programs.

Presets And Snapshots

Presets

Presets store the current Rack state, including parameters, loaded model and IR paths, manual tempo, and snapshot data.

Action	What it does
Preset selector	Loads a factory or user preset. Selecting the current preset again reloads its stored state and discards temporary edits.
Previous/Next	Steps through available presets.
SAVE	Updates the selected user preset. When a factory preset or New Preset is selected, opens Save As instead.
NEW	Loads the basic init state, clears all snapshots, and starts an unsaved preset.
SAVE AS...	Creates a separately named user preset from the current state. Available from the preset-selector menu.
RENAME...	Renames the selected user preset. Available from the preset-selector menu.
COMPARE	Toggles between current edits and the last recalled preset reference.
DELETE	Deletes the selected user preset.

The preset selector adds a trailing * when the current Rack state differs from the last recalled, saved, or new-preset reference. This includes control values, model and IR assignments, and snapshot data. Returning the entire state to the reference clears the marker; recalling or saving a preset establishes a new reference.

Factory and user presets are stored under:

Preset type	Location
Factory on macOS	`/Users/Shared/SignalworksDSP/Presets/80s Rack/Factory`
User on macOS	`/Users/Shared/SignalworksDSP/Presets/80s Rack/User`
Factory on Windows	`C:\ProgramData\SignalworksDSP\Presets\80s Rack\Factory`
User on Windows	`C:\ProgramData\SignalworksDSP\Presets\80s Rack\User`

The current preset extension is .sdsppreset. Older .s87preset Rack presets may be migrated when they are found in the legacy Rack preset folders.

Factory Default

On launch, 80s Rack tries to load Factory Default. The four factory S88 NAMs are embedded in the plug-in and do not require a NAM folder. Factory cabinet IRs and any external user assets remain files on disk.

Snapshots

Snapshots are quick variations inside the current Rack state. Use them for changes such as rhythm/lead level, wet/dry balance, delay throws, or alternate block settings.

Action	What it does
Slot 1 to 8	Recalls a populated snapshot. Clicking the active slot again reapplies its saved state and discards temporary edits. Empty slots do nothing on direct click.
SAVE	Arms snapshot save. Click a slot to write the current state there.
COPY	Arms snapshot copy. Click a populated slot to copy it.
PASTE	Arms snapshot paste. Click a slot to paste the copied snapshot there.
CLEAR	Arms snapshot clear. Click a slot to empty it.
COMPARE	Compares the current edits against the saved snapshot reference.

Clicking PASTE or CLEAR a second time cancels the armed action.

Snapshot Safety

Snapshots skip tuner state and preset/snapshot fade settings. They do store NAM and IR assignments, including inactive channel assignments. When a user-loaded delay or reverb IR is active, the corresponding mode choice is left unchanged so recall does not unexpectedly replace that IR-based setup.

Keep DIM at 100% wet is a global Processing preference and is not stored in presets or snapshots.

Program Changes

Program Change messages can recall presets when MIDI is routed to 80s Rack.

Program Change	Target
0	Factory Default
1 to 63	Factory presets
64 to 127	User presets

Fade Settings

Open Settings, then Processing, to adjust Preset Change Fade and Snapshot Change Fade. These fades help reduce clicks when changing full presets or snapshot states.

MIDI

MIDI Support

80s Rack accepts MIDI input and does not produce MIDI output.

In a DAW, route MIDI to the 80s Rack plug-in through the host. In the standalone app, open Settings, then MIDI, and enable the MIDI input devices you want to use.

Fixed Assignments

V1 Rack uses fixed MIDI assignments.

MIDI message	Assignment
CC 23, value 0	Recall snapshot 1.
CC 23, value 1	Recall snapshot 2.
CC 23, value 2	Recall snapshot 3.
CC 23, value 3	Recall snapshot 4.
CC 23, value 4	Recall snapshot 5.
CC 23, value 5	Recall snapshot 6.
CC 23, value 6	Recall snapshot 7.
CC 23, value 7	Recall snapshot 8.
Program Change 0	Recall Factory Default.
Program Change 1 to 63	Recall factory presets.
Program Change 64 to 127	Recall user presets.

CC 23 uses literal values 0 to 7. Other CC 23 values are ignored. Snapshot recall only works for populated snapshot slots.

MIDI Channel

Open Settings, then MIDI, to set the MIDI Channel filter.

Setting	Behavior
OMNI	Responds to supported messages on any MIDI channel.
1 to 16	Responds only to supported messages on the selected channel.

Tempo

80s Rack can follow host tempo, MIDI clock, or manual tempo depending on the Incoming Tempo setting.

Incoming Tempo	Behavior
INTERNAL	Uses the manual BPM value.
EXTERNAL	Uses incoming MIDI clock when available.
AUTO	Uses host tempo when the host provides it, then MIDI clock when active, then manual BPM.

Use the TAP button or BPM field to set manual tempo. Sync Delay can use tempo-synced note values when Sync is enabled.

MIDI Monitor

The MIDI settings page includes a MIDI Monitor. Use it to confirm that the standalone app is receiving the expected device, channel, CC, Program Change, or MIDI clock data.

Standalone

What Standalone Does

The standalone 80s Rack app lets you play through the rack without opening a DAW. It uses a mono guitar input and stereo output.

The standalone app uses the same rack audio engine and main interface as the plug-in, plus local audio and MIDI device settings.

It is included on macOS and in the Windows 80s Suite 1.0.2 release. It installs to /Applications/80s Rack.app on macOS and C:\Program Files\Signalworks DSP\80s Suite\80s Rack.exe on Windows. On Windows, launch it from the Start menu or directly from that location.

Click the 80s Rack product mark to open About, including version, manual, support, update/download, and Copy System Info actions. Click the Signalworks DSP wordmark to open the company website. On macOS, the standalone application and Help menus expose the same About, Settings, Manual, Support, update, website, and diagnostics actions.

The app opens at the full Rack height when space allows. On a shorter display, resize the window down to the compact view, which keeps the top bar, signal flow, and full Line Mixer visible while the remaining Rack panels scroll below. The app keeps its window height, UI scale, scroll position, minimized panels, and advanced-drawer state between launches. It also keeps the title bar inside the current display's usable area so the operating-system window controls remain reachable.

First Launch

On first launch, macOS may ask for microphone or audio input permission. Allow access so the guitar input can reach the processor.

The app opens Audio/MIDI settings automatically on first launch, selects a supported low-latency buffer close to 128 samples, and keeps live input muted as a safety measure. Confirm the selected input, output, and level before turning off Mute audio input.

Audio Setup

Open SETTINGS, then choose OPEN AUDIO / MIDI... to configure standalone routing.

Setting	What it does
Audio Input Device	Chooses the hardware input device.
Audio Output Device	Chooses the hardware output device.
Guitar Input Channel	Chooses the mono input channel used by the rack.
Output Pair	Chooses the stereo output pair.
Sample Rate	Sets the standalone audio sample rate.
Buffer Size	Sets the audio buffer size. Lower values reduce latency but require more CPU.
Interface Input Level	Stores input-headroom calibration in dBu. The first-use default is +12 dBu; a saved setting takes precedence.

In plug-in versions, the host controls audio device, sample rate, buffer size, and track routing.

MIDI Setup

Open Settings, then MIDI, to enable standalone MIDI input devices, choose the MIDI channel filter, select the Incoming Tempo mode, and open the MIDI Monitor.

Processing Setup

Open Settings, then Processing, to set Gate position and timing, preset and snapshot change fades, and the global Keep DIM at 100% wet preference. The DIM preference defaults off and is not stored in presets or snapshots.

Library Setup

Open Settings, then Library, to set folders for external NAM models and IR files. The embedded factory S88 models do not depend on the NAM Library setting. Shared Signalworks assets are expected under /Users/Shared/SignalworksDSP on macOS or C:\ProgramData\SignalworksDSP on Windows.

Licensing

Open Settings, then Licensing, to view demo time or import the signed 80s Suite .lic file delivered after checkout.

Without a license, the standalone app processes for a 20-minute session. Restart the app for a new demo session or import a valid license to restore processing immediately.

Startup State

80s Rack tries to start from Factory Default. Factory S88 models are embedded; cabinet IRs and external user assets still load from their saved or configured locations.

Troubleshooting

No Sound

Check	What to do
Demo or license status	Open Settings > Licensing. Restart the host for a fresh 20-minute demo session or import the signed 80s Suite license.
DAW routing	Confirm the track is receiving audio and the plug-in is inserted on the right track or bus.
Standalone input	Open SETTINGS > `OPEN AUDIO / MIDI...` and choose the correct input device and Guitar Input Channel.
macOS input permission	Allow microphone/audio input access for the 80s Rack app.
Standalone input mute	Open Audio/MIDI settings and turn off `Mute audio input` after confirming safe routing and level.
Tuner mute	Open TUNER and turn off MUTE, or close/bypass tuner mute.
Mixer mutes and solos	Check Dry Thru, Main, wet return mutes, solos, and fader levels.
Output Trim	Make sure Output Trim is not pulled down.

80s Rack AAX Does Not Appear In Pro Tools On Windows

Windows 80s Suite 1.0.2 installs the Rack AAX bundle at:

C:\Program Files\Common Files\Avid\Audio\Plug-Ins\80s Rack.aaxplugin

Quit Pro Tools, confirm the bundle is present, and check that it was not moved to C:\Program Files\Common Files\Avid\Audio\Plug-Ins (Unused)\. Reopen Pro Tools and allow the AAX scan to finish. If a cache rebuild is needed, Pro Tools 2023.12 and later use C:\Users\Public\Pro Tools\AAXPlugInCache; Pro Tools 2023.9 and earlier use %APPDATA%\Avid\Pro Tools\InstalledAAXPlugIns.

Only Dry Signal

Check	What to do
Demo or licensing	If the 20-minute demo ended, restart the host or import the signed 80s Suite `.lic` file in Settings > Licensing.
Block toggles	Click the signal-flow nodes for preamp, cabs, compressor, chorus, and wet effects to confirm the needed blocks are enabled.
Mixer levels	Raise Main for the processed series path. Raise Detune, Color Delay, Sync Delay, Reverb, and Wet Master for the parallel effects.
Cabinet IRs	Reload cabinet IRs if they have been moved, renamed, or deleted.

Chorus Wet Does Not Change DIM

Open Settings > Processing and check Keep DIM at 100% wet. When it is enabled, Chorus Wet blends only the Tri-Chorus stage and DIM keeps its complete modeled wet path. Turn the preference off when you want Chorus Wet to blend the entire combined chorus path.

Presets Do Not Save or Appear

Check	What to do
User preset folder	Confirm the `80s Rack/User` folder is writable under `/Users/Shared/SignalworksDSP/Presets/` on macOS or `C:\ProgramData\SignalworksDSP\Presets\` on Windows.
Factory preset folder	Confirm factory presets are installed in the adjacent `80s Rack/Factory` folder.
Legacy presets	Older `.s87preset` files may need migration before they appear as current `.sdsppreset` presets.
Missing assets	If a preset loads but sounds wrong, reload any NAM model or IR files that were moved.

MIDI Does Not Respond

Check	What to do
Host MIDI routing	In a DAW, route MIDI to the 80s Rack plug-in.
Standalone devices	In standalone, open Settings, then MIDI, and enable the input device.
MIDI channel	Set the channel filter to OMNI or to the channel your controller is sending.
Snapshot values	Use CC 23 values 0 to 7 only. Other values are ignored.
Empty snapshots	Populate the target snapshot slot before recalling it by MIDI.
Program changes	Use Program Change 0 for Factory Default, 1 to 63 for factory presets, and 64 to 127 for user presets.

Sync Delay Does Not Follow Tempo

Check	What to do
Sync button	Enable Sync in the Sync Delay block.
Incoming Tempo	Set Settings > MIDI > Incoming Tempo to AUTO or EXTERNAL when using MIDI clock.
Host tempo	In AUTO mode, host tempo is preferred when the DAW provides it.
Manual tempo	Use TAP or the BPM field when running on internal/manual tempo.

NAM or IR Files Do Not Load

File type	What to check
NAM model	Use `.nam` files.
Cabinet IR	Use `.wav`, `.aif`, `.aiff`, or `.flac` files.
Library folders	Set NAM Library and IR Library folders in Settings > Library.
Preset paths	Restore moved assets or reload them from their new locations.

The four factory S88 models are embedded and should remain available even if the NAM Library folder is missing. RECENT shows up to five successfully loaded external models shared with DualRig. Selecting an unavailable Recent item removes it from the list so you can load the model again from its current location.

Tuner Is Muting the Rig

The tuner can mute output while tuning. Click TUNER, then turn off MUTE in the tuner callout if you want to hear the rack while the tuner is open.