Overview
DualIR Player is a two-lane IR loader for blending, comparing, or stereo-pairing impulse responses. Use it after an amp modeler, preamp, distortion, or recorded guitar part when you want separate IR A and IR B paths with matching tone controls.
DualIR Player is free and requires no license file, account activation, or machine authorization.
Each lane can load WAV, AIFF, AIF, or FLAC impulse responses. The plugin runs as an audio effect, does not use MIDI, and stores selected IR paths with the plugin state and presets.
Signal Flow
IR A and IR B each process the input through their own IR, filters, phase, pan, and level controls. Enabled lanes are combined at the output.
For mono input with stereo output, DualIR Player copies the mono source to both output channels before IR processing.
Stereo IR Loading
DualIR Player has special handling for stereo IR files. If you choose a stereo IR from either IR selector, the editor loads that same file into both IR A and IR B, labels the sides as (L) and (R), and sets IR A left and IR B right.
Use this for true stereo IR captures or paired left/right cab files stored in one stereo audio file.
IR Directory
Each IR selector separates the bundled FACTORY library from USER LIBRARY. The user-library menu reads supported files from the configured directory and its subfolders. Browse For IR can load a file outside that directory and remembers the last location used.
The factory library includes a matched pair of V30 cabinet IRs. Factory Default loads the pair with IR A hard-left and IR B hard-right. The default user-library location is the IRs folder in Documents.
Presets
The preset strip stores the current control settings and selected IR A and IR B references. The configured user-library and last-browse folders remain session preferences. Bundled factory IRs use portable references so factory presets work across computers.
Factory and user presets are stored under /Users/Shared/SignalworksDSP/Presets/DualIR Player/.
Plugin Formats
Current packaging builds DualIR Player as Universal 2 VST3 and AU for macOS 14 or later.
Click the DUALIR PLAYER product name for About, version, manual, support, updates, and copyable system information. Click the Signalworks DSP wordmark to open the company website.
Quick Start
Load Two IRs
- Insert DualIR Player after your amp, preamp, modeler, or distortion plugin.
- Factory Default loads the included matched V30 pair with IR A panned left and IR B panned right.
- Or open the IR A and IR B selectors and choose an IR for each lane.
- Use each lane's Level, Low Cut, High Cut, Pan, and Phase controls to balance the pair.
Load A Stereo IR
- Open either IR selector.
- Choose a stereo WAV, AIFF, AIF, or FLAC IR.
- DualIR Player loads the file into both lanes, marks the labels
(L)and(R), and pans IR A left and IR B right. - Adjust Level, cuts, and Phase per side if needed.
Set Your IR Folder
If USER LIBRARY is empty, open IR Directory Settings and choose the folder that contains your IR collection. FACTORY remains available separately. Use Browse For IR when you only need to load a file from another location; the dialog remembers where you last browsed.
Save The Setup
Use SAVE in the preset strip to store the current controls and selected IR paths.
Keep user IR files in the same locations after saving. Presets recall IR references; they do not copy audio into the preset. Bundled factory IR references remain portable.
Controls
Interface Tour
DualIR Player has two matching panels: IR A and IR B. Each panel has its own IR selector, enable toggle, waveform/EQ previews, Level, Low Cut, High Cut, Pan, and Phase controls. The top strip handles presets.
Global Controls
| Control | Range or values | What it does |
|---|---|---|
| Preset selector | Factory/User presets | Loads saved plugin states. |
| NEW | Button | Starts an unsaved preset from the current settings without resetting the controls. |
| SAVE | Button | Updates the selected user preset; factory or unsaved states open Save As. |
| SAVE AS... | Preset menu | Creates a separately named user preset. |
| RENAME... | Preset menu | Renames the selected user preset. |
| COMPARE | Button | Temporarily compares the current edits with the loaded reference state. |
| DELETE | Button | Deletes the selected user preset. Factory presets are protected. |
| Settings menu | Menu | Opens preset and plugin settings, including IR Directory Settings. |
IR A And IR B Controls
| Control | Range or values | What it does |
|---|---|---|
| IR selector | Menu | Loads an IR for the lane from separate FACTORY or USER LIBRARY menus, or opens Browse For IR. |
| Lane enable | Off/On | Enables or disables that IR lane. |
| Level | 0 to 100% | Sets that lane's contribution to the combined output. The knob display is shown as dB. |
| Low Cut | 20 Hz to 1 kHz | Reduces low-frequency content after that lane's IR. |
| High Cut | 1 kHz to 20 kHz | Reduces high-frequency content after that lane's IR. |
| Pan | Left to right | Places that lane in the stereo field. Center is shown as CTR. |
| Phase | Normal/Inverted | Flips that lane's output polarity when set to Invert. |
Visuals
Each lane has a waveform view and an EQ curve view. When a linked stereo IR is loaded into both lanes, IR A displays the left side and IR B displays the right side.
File Handling
The IR selectors support .wav, .aiff, .aif, and .flac files and load up to 524,288 source samples. USER LIBRARY scans the configured directory and its subfolders. Browse For IR remembers its last location and can load files outside the configured directory.
Click the product name for About and product-help actions. Click the Signalworks DSP wordmark for the company website.
Troubleshooting
The Plugin Does Not Appear In My DAW
- Quit and reopen the DAW.
- Run the DAW's plugin rescan.
- Confirm DualIR Player is installed in the correct macOS plugin folder:
- VST3:
/Library/Audio/Plug-Ins/VST3/ - AU:
/Library/Audio/Plug-Ins/Components/
- VST3:
DualIR Player is free. It does not stop processing for license or demo reasons.
The Selector Says No IR Files Found
FACTORY remains available independently of the user library. If USER LIBRARY is empty, open IR Directory Settings and choose the folder that contains your IRs. The selector reads WAV, AIFF, AIF, and FLAC files from that folder and its subfolders.
If you only need one file, choose Browse For IR and load it directly.
A Stereo IR Does Not Sound Wide
Choose the stereo IR from either IR selector so DualIR Player links the same file to both lanes. The labels should show (L) for IR A and (R) for IR B.
If the image is still narrow, check that IR A and IR B are both enabled and that Pan A and Pan B have not been moved back to the center.
One Side Or Lane Is Missing
Check these first:
- The DAW's plug-in bypass is not engaged.
- The IR A and IR B enable toggles are on as needed.
- Both lanes have supported IR files loaded.
- Neither Level control is set to minimum.
- Pan settings are not placing both lanes on the same side unless that is intentional.
A Preset Cannot Find Its IRs
User presets store the selected IR file references. If a user IR was moved, renamed, or deleted, choose it again or restore the file to the saved path. Factory presets use portable references to the installed factory library.
When a saved IR cannot be loaded, the plugin may recover that lane with a bundled/default IR if one is available.
The Blend Sounds Thin Or Phasey
Try inverting Phase on one lane. If you are blending unrelated IRs, also try changing one lane's Pan or using different Low Cut and High Cut settings so the two lanes do not fight in the same frequency range.
Shared IR Content Is Missing
The installer places the bundled library under /Users/Shared/SignalworksDSP/IR/Factory. If that folder or its contents are missing after an update, re-run the installer. IR Directory Settings controls the separate user library and does not replace the factory location.