Manual

TacoSounds IR Loader

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TacoSounds IR Loader is a free plugin that loads cabinet impulse responses (IRs) and runs your amp sound through them. This manual covers IR Loader in the order you are likely to use it: installing, setting up audio, loading and blending IRs, listening and checking levels, and getting the IR packs you bought.

1. 1. Getting started
2. 2. The main window
3. 3. Audio setup (Standalone)
4. 4. The IR library
5. 5. Adding your own IRs
6. 6. Choosing mics
7. 7. Blending two IRs (DOUBLE)
8. 8. Listening before you buy
9. 9. REFERENCE
10. 10. Levels
11. 11. ACCOUNT
12. 12. SETTINGS
13. 13. IR folders and sample rates
14. 14. Using IR Loader in a DAW
15. 15. Troubleshooting

01Getting started

What IR Loader does

IR Loader runs your amp sound through a cabinet IR. It is designed around TacoSounds IRs: it shows the product photo and the mic that was used, lets you switch mics with one click, and blends two IRs with automatic time alignment. IRs from other makers, or ones you made yourself, load the same way.

Formats and requirements

	macOS	Windows
Formats	AU, VST3, AAX, Standalone	VST3, Standalone
System	macOS 11.0 or later (Apple silicon and Intel)	Windows 10 or later (64-bit)
IR files	WAV and AIFF. FLAC and OGG files also load, but in a folder laid out like a TacoSounds product (13), only WAV and AIFF files appear as mics.

AAX (Pro Tools) is available on macOS. On Windows it will come later, together with a code-signed installer.

Installing

macOS — Open the installer package and follow the steps. You can choose which formats to install. If IR Loader is running, the installer asks you to quit it first.

Windows — Run the setup program. Before you install, quit any DAW that is using the plugin, and the IR Loader Standalone app.

The Windows installer is not code-signed yet (a code signature is a digital signature that shows who published the file); a signature will be added later. Until then, Windows shows warnings when you download and run the installer. These warnings appear for files that are unsigned and have not been downloaded many times yet. They do not mean that a virus was found.

• Download (Microsoft Edge): if Edge says the file “isn't commonly downloaded”, choose … › Keep. In the prompt that follows, click Show more › Keep anyway.
• Run: if you see “Windows protected your PC”, click More info, then Run anyway. The publisher is shown as Unknown publisher.

We will replace it with a signed installer as soon as the certificate arrives. The Windows AAX version for Pro Tools needs the same certificate, so it will follow at that time.

Format	Installed to
AU (macOS)	/Library/Audio/Plug-Ins/Components/
VST3 (macOS)	/Library/Audio/Plug-Ins/VST3/
AAX (macOS)	/Library/Application Support/Avid/Audio/Plug-Ins/
Standalone (macOS)	/Applications/
VST3 (Windows)	C:\Program Files\Common Files\VST3\
Standalone (Windows)	C:\Program Files\TacoSounds\TacoSounds IR Loader\ (with a Start menu shortcut)

First launch

• IR Loader unpacks the TacoSounds IR Free Sample Pack into your IR folder (Documents/TacoSounds/IRs), and the sample tones and product photos into its own data folder. This can take a few seconds.
• It starts in SINGLE with an IR from the Free Sample Pack already loaded. Click ▶ in REFERENCE to hear it right away (9).
• A short Quick Guide appears over the window. Click anywhere to close it. You can show it again from SETTINGS › Quick Guide.
• In the Standalone app, no audio input is opened until you choose one (3). The sample tones play without an input.

02The main window

Where	What it is
Top right	SIGN IN (ACCOUNT while you are signed in), the SETTINGS menu and the theme circle (11, 12)
Top center	SINGLE for one IR, DOUBLE to blend two (7)
Left edge	The handle (») that opens the IR library (4)
Photo	The loaded cabinet, with its controls (below)
Under the photo	Sample rate, file name, favorite star, and the mic photos (6), with the help line below them
Bottom center	LOOP, IN and MASTER (9, 10)
Bottom right	REFERENCE: sample tones and REC (9)
Bottom left	+ Add IR... (5)

Menu bar

SIGN IN opens the account screen (11). While you are signed in, it reads ACCOUNT and the person to its left is filled in. SETTINGS opens its menu (12). The half-filled circle switches between the Paper and Night themes.

The photo panel

Control	What it does
Ø	Inverts the polarity of this IR.
M	Mutes this IR.
S	Solos this IR. Cmd/Ctrl+click solos this one and turns off the other slot's solo.
×	Unloads the IR.
‹ ›	Steps to the previous or next mic (6), or to the previous or next file in the folder (5).
Mic picture	The mic used for this IR. A MIXED MIC IR shows two.
Product name	The link icon next to it opens the product page in your browser.

Click the photo to open the IR library for this slot. When you point at the photo, the help line shows what the cabinet is based on and which speakers it has.

If a saved IR can no longer be found, the slot shows IR NOT FOUND with the file name. Load the IR again from the library.

The name line

The name line shows the file name of the loaded IR, with a star at the right. Click the star to add the IR to MY FAVORITE (4). Small labels above the name tell you more:

Label	Meaning
48K	The sample rate of the loaded file (44.1K, 48K or 96K for TacoSounds IRs).
MPT	ALIGN is set to MPT and the official minimum-phase (MPT) file is in use (7).
+0.52 ms	On B only, with ALIGN AUTO: how far B was shifted to line up with A.

The help line

The help line is the line of text under the mic photos. Point at almost anything to see a short explanation there. Notices such as Adding … and update messages also appear there.

03Audio setup (Standalone)

This chapter is for the Standalone app. In a DAW, audio devices are set in the DAW.

Open the Audio Settings window from SETTINGS › Audio Settings, or click No input — open Audio Settings under the IN meter.

Input

• IR Loader never opens an input by itself. Many computers use a built-in mic or a webcam as the default input, which can feed back through your speakers. Choose your audio interface here.
• Choosing a device turns on its first input channel. Tick a second channel under Input channels if you need it (up to two).
• With Input set to None, the sample tones still play.
• A mono input is sent to both left and right.
• If the interface you chose is not connected the next time you start IR Loader, the input goes back to None and a message tells you so.

Output

Choose where the sound goes. Test plays a short test tone. If input and output are on different devices and the sound drops out, set both to the same device.

Sample rate

Choose the rate here or on your interface. IR Loader follows the rate the device runs at: when it changes, TacoSounds IRs and the sample tones switch to the matching version (13), and the sample-rate label updates.

Buffer size

Size	Use
32 – 128	For playing. 64 is recommended.
256 – 512	The delay becomes audible.
1024 – 2048	For mixing.

If the sound drops out or crackles at 64, use 128. The number under Buffer size is the delay in milliseconds.

Windows

• Choose the driver type in the Driver row. For playing, use ASIO with the smallest buffer that plays without crackles.
• ASIO uses one device for both input and output.
• Driver settings... opens the control panel of your ASIO driver.

Microphone access (macOS)

The first time you choose an input, macOS asks whether IR Loader may use the microphone. Click Allow (or OK). If the input is chosen but no sound arrives, No signal from the input — check microphone access appears under the IN meter. Click it to open the privacy settings, and turn on TacoSounds IR Loader under Microphone.

04The IR library

Opening and closing

Click the handle (») on the left edge of the window, or click a cabinet photo or an empty slot. To close the library, click the handle («) again, press Esc, or click anywhere outside it. The library opens at the IR you are using, which is highlighted.

Sections

Section	Contents
TACOSOUNDS IR	FREE SAMPLE PACK, then the whole TacoSounds catalog by type: ARTIST SIGNATURE, 4-SPEAKER, 2-SPEAKER, 1-SPEAKER, BASS. Only one type is open at a time. In 4-SPEAKER, a thin line separates the brands.
MY FAVORITE	IRs you starred, up to 20.
MY LIBRARY	Your own IR folders (5).

Products you don't own yet are shown in pale text. You can listen to their previews (8).

Products and mics

• Click a product name to switch to that cabinet. If it has the mic you are using now, that mic is kept. For a product you don't own yet, this plays its preview, or opens its product page if it has none (8).
• Open a product you own to see its mics: click the triangle, double-click the name, or press →.
• Click a mic to load that IR.
• MIXED MIC opens the window for choosing a mic pair and blend ratio (6).
• Click FREE SAMPLE PACK to load one of its IRs. The mic photos then show all four IRs in the pack.

In DOUBLE, the library loads into the active slot, the one with the colored frame (7). To choose the slot directly, right-click a row and use Load to A or Load to B. The open library covers slot A, so this is the easiest way to load A.

MY FAVORITE

• Add an IR by clicking the star on the name line or at the right of a mic row, or by dragging a mic row onto MY FAVORITE.
• Drag favorites to change their order. Click × to remove one.
• MY FAVORITE holds 20 IRs.

MY LIBRARY

Your own IR folders appear here (TacoSounds products are listed under TACOSOUNDS IR). Folders laid out like a TacoSounds product (13) show their mics. For folders with deeper layers, the row shows ⋯; click it to pick a file from a menu of its subfolders. That menu lists up to 400 files.

Right-click menu

Item	What it does
Load SINGLE	Loads the row.
Load to A / Load to B DOUBLE	Loads the row into slot A or slot B.
Add to MY FAVORITE / Remove from MY FAVORITE	On mic and favorite rows.
Browse IRs	On deep folders: the same menu as ⋯.
Show in Finder (macOS), Show in Explorer (Windows)	Shows the file or folder on your computer.

Keyboard

Key	Action
↑ ↓	Move through the list
Return / Enter	Same as clicking the row
→ ←	Open or close a product or section
Letters	Jump to the row that starts with what you type
Esc	Close the library

Some DAWs keep the keyboard for themselves; the mouse always works.

05Adding your own IRs

Click + Add IR... at the bottom left of the window to open this menu:

Item	What it does
Add IR Files or Folders macOS	Pick files, folders, or both in one window. They are copied into your IR folder.
Add IR Files / Add IR Folder Windows	The same, with files and folders chosen separately.
Browse	Loads a file where it is, without copying it.
Open IR Folder	Shows your IR folder in Finder or Explorer.

Adding folders

• Folders are copied into Documents/TacoSounds/IRs and appear in the library. TacoSounds product folders go under TACOSOUNDS IR; other folders appear in MY LIBRARY.
• Large folders are copied in the background; the help line shows Adding … until it is done.
• If the folder is laid out like a TacoSounds product (13) and has several mics, a menu of its mics opens so you can choose one. Otherwise the first IR in the folder is loaded.

Adding files

Files are copied into Documents/TacoSounds/IRs and the first one is loaded. If you picked folders at the same time, a folder is loaded instead, as described above.

⚠︎ Files on their own are not listed in the library, so put IR files in a folder and add the folder if you want to find them there later.

How your own IRs look

• IRs that are not TacoSounds products show a speaker drawing instead of a photo. It is the same drawing as an empty slot, without LOAD IR.
• If the file name contains a mic name IR Loader knows (for example 57III, 421, R121), its mic picture is shown.
• When the folder holds several IR files and is not laid out like a TacoSounds product (13), ‹ › step through them and the slot shows the position, such as 2 / 12.

06Choosing mics

The mic photos

• Every mic of the loaded product is shown as a photo. Click one to switch; the current mic is underlined.
• Point at a mic to see its name and a short description in the help line.
• ‹ › on the photo step through the same mics in order.
• While a single-mic IR is loaded, MIXED MIC is dimmed; while a MIXED MIC IR is loaded, the single-mic photos are dimmed. Dimmed items can still be clicked.

MIXED MIC

Many TacoSounds products include IRs that mix two mics at a fixed ratio. Click MIXED MIC at the end of the mic row (or the MIXED MIC row in the library) to open this window:

• Click the left mic (Mic A) or the right mic (Mic B) to open a menu of other mics. The menu offers only mics that have a mixed IR with the other one.
• Drag or click the slider to choose the ratio. The left end has more of Mic A. Only ratios that exist for the pair are shown.
• Every change loads immediately, so you can listen while you choose.
• Close the window with ×, Esc, or a click outside it.

While a MIXED MIC IR is loaded, ‹ › step through every pair and ratio of the product.

07Blending two IRs (DOUBLE)

Click DOUBLE at the top to use two IRs. Clicking DOUBLE sets ALIGN to AUTO, and clicking SINGLE sets it to OFF. A saved session opens with the ALIGN setting it was saved with. In SINGLE, the IR in B stays loaded but is not heard.

The active slot

The library and + Add IR... load into the active slot: the one you used last, shown with a colored frame. Click a slot's photo or any of its controls to make it active.

MIX

Turn the ring to set the balance. The numbers in the middle show A : B. At 50 : 50 both IRs play at full level; turning toward one side fades the other out.

STEREO

Sends A to the left channel and B to the right. It needs both slots loaded and a stereo output. MIX still sets the balance between the two sides.

ALIGN

Mode	What it does
OFF	Uses the IRs as they are, with no timing correction.
AUTO	Removes the silence at the start of each IR and shifts B to line up with A, so the blend does not thin out through phase cancellation. The shift appears above B's file name. B is aligned only when both files have the same sample rate.
MPT	Uses minimum-phase versions of the IRs. When the product includes official MPT files, those are used and the name line shows MPT; otherwise IR Loader builds a minimum-phase version. Same tone, no phase cancellation when two IRs are blended.

In every mode, IR Loader evens out the level of the IR files.

Ø, M and S in DOUBLE

Each slot has its own polarity, mute and solo. Inverting the polarity of one IR changes how the two combine; keep whichever setting sounds fuller. Cmd/Ctrl+click S to hear only that slot, even if the other slot is soloed.

08Listening before you buy

Product previews ♪

• Click ♪ at the right of a product to hear its preview: the demo recording from its product page. It plays in a loop and does not use your input or the loaded IRs.
• While it loads, ♪ shows … ; while it plays, it shows ■. Click again to stop.
• Previews are level-matched so products can be compared. Starting a preview stops REFERENCE.
• The link icon, which appears when you point at the row, opens the product page in your browser.

Products you don't own

Click a pale product to hear its preview. If it has no preview, its product page opens instead.

To buy a cabinet, click the link icon on its row in the library. It opens the product page.

09REFERENCE

REFERENCE lets you hear the loaded IRs without a guitar, or with a loop of your own playing.

Sample tones

• Choose a tone from the menu: ROCK 1–3, HEAVY 1–2, COMBO 1–3.
• ▶ plays the tone in a loop through the loaded IRs; ■ stops it. While a tone plays, it replaces the audio input.
• The knob sets the tone level (−12 to +6 dB).
• HEAVY 2 is played by PABLO; the panel shows PLAYED BY PABLO.

LOOP

While a tone plays, its waveform appears next to LOOP. Drag the two bars to choose the part that repeats. IR Loader remembers the range for each tone until you close the IR Loader window (in a DAW, the plugin window).

REC

1. Click the record button (○). It turns red, and the tone name changes to READY — play to start.
2. Start playing. Recording begins with your first note: the button fills in (●) and the time counts up to 60 seconds.
3. Click ● to stop, or let it stop at 60 seconds.

The take is saved as Rec 1, Rec 2 and so on, and starts looping through the loaded IRs, so you can switch IRs while your own playing repeats. REC records your input before the IRs, with silence at the start and end trimmed. To cancel, click the record button again while it says READY.

Importing audio

Import Audio File (at the bottom of the tone menu) adds an audio file as a tone. WAV, AIFF and FLAC work, and on macOS also MP3 and M4A. The file is copied into your tones folder (13), the first 60 seconds are used, and it starts playing right away.

Managing your tones

Your recordings and imports are listed under the built-in tones. Right-click the tone name, or point at the tone in the tone menu to open its submenu:

Item	What it does
Rename	Type a new name, then press Return (Enter on Windows).
Remove from List	Hides the tone and keeps the file. Show Hidden Tones in the tone menu brings hidden tones back.
Move to Trash	Moves the file to the Trash (Recycle Bin on Windows).

10Levels

IN

The IN meter shows the level going into the IRs: your input, or the tone while REFERENCE plays. The SWEET zone (−20 to −3 dB) is the level to aim for.

Message under IN	What to do
Input hot — lower the input level	The input has been peaking above −3 dB for a few seconds. Lower the level going into IR Loader: the input gain on your interface, or the output of the amp or plugin before it.
Input low — raise the input level	The input has been below the SWEET zone for a few seconds. Raise the level going into IR Loader.
No input — open Audio Settings	Standalone only. No input is selected. Click the message to choose one (3).
No signal from the input — check microphone access	Standalone only. An input is selected but sends no sound. Click to open the privacy settings (3).

MASTER

Output level, from −24 to +12 dB. The actual output level is drawn inside the MASTER stroke and turns red when it gets close to clipping. MASTER also sets the level of previews.

11ACCOUNT

Sign in to see the TacoSounds IR packs you bought and download them inside IR Loader. Click SIGN IN at the top right. You never type a password into IR Loader: it shows a one-time code, and you enter that code on the TacoSounds website when you sign in.

Signing in

1. Click Sign In. A code appears.
2. Click Copy Code (button 1).
3. Click Open Sign-In Page (button 2). Your browser opens the TacoSounds sign-in page.
4. Paste the code on the page and continue. Sign in with the email address you used at checkout, check that the code shown matches the one in IR Loader, and approve.

IR Loader notices the approval by itself and shows your purchases. If the page did not open, click the address shown under the hint. Cancel stops the sign-in. A code that is not used in time expires; start again with Sign In.

Your purchases

Item	What it does
Get	Downloads the pack and unpacks it into your IR folder. It then appears in the library.
42%	Download in progress.
Installed	The pack is already in your IR folder.
Get All	Downloads every pack that is not installed, one after another. Stop cancels.
Newest / A - Z	Sorts by purchase date or by name.
Refresh	Reloads the list, for example right after a new purchase.
Sign Out	Signs out of this computer.

While one pack downloads, the other Get buttons are hidden until it finishes. The list shows eight packs at a time; scroll for more.

If a pack shows neither Get nor Installed while nothing is downloading, its download is not ready yet. A line such as 2 item(s) not available yet under the list means that some of your purchases cannot be downloaded in IR Loader yet, usually because they have just been released. In either case, download them for now from the link in the download email, which arrives separately from the order confirmation. When the download is ready, the pack is listed here with Get.

If the list is empty, IR Loader shows No purchases were found for this email. Sign out and sign in again with the email address you used at checkout. If a download fails, the reason is shown under the list; click Get to try again.

12SETTINGS

Item	What it does
Audio Settings	Standalone only (3).
Language	English or 日本語. The first time, IR Loader follows your computer's language. Button labels such as SINGLE, MIX and ALIGN stay in English.
Window Size	100 %, 125 %, 150 %, 175 % or 200 %. You can also drag the corner of the window; the proportions stay fixed and the size is remembered.
Open IR Folder	Shows your IR folder in Finder or Explorer.
Quick Guide	Shows the first-launch guide again.
Manual	Opens this manual in your browser.
Check for Updates	Checks for a new version. When one is available, this item changes to Update to v…, which installs it (see Updates below).
Version	The version of IR Loader you are using.

On Windows, the Standalone app also shows the ASIO trademark notice at the bottom of this menu.

Updates

IR Loader checks for a new version once a day when its window opens. The check does not send your account or any personal information.

When a new version is available, a dot appears next to SETTINGS, the help line says so, and Check for Updates in the SETTINGS menu changes to Update to v… with the new version number. Choose it to download and install the new version inside IR Loader. No web page opens.

While the new version downloads, IR Loader shows the progress; click Cancel to stop. Before it installs anything, IR Loader checks that the download is complete and unchanged.

macOS — When your Mac asks for your password, enter the password you use to log in to your Mac. When Installed. appears, click Restart IR Loader. If you use the plugin in a DAW, restart the DAW to use the new version.

Windows — When Windows asks for permission (User Account Control), click Yes. The Standalone app closes, installs the update and opens again. If you use the plugin in a DAW, close the DAW; the update installs by itself after the DAW closes.

If the download or the installation does not finish, the reason is shown in the same window. Click Try Again.

Check for Updates shows You're up to date. or the new version. If the check fails, it shows Couldn't check for updates. Please check your internet connection.

13IR folders and sample rates

Where things are

What	macOS
Your IR folder	~/Documents/TacoSounds/IRs
Free Sample Pack	~/Documents/TacoSounds/IRs/TacoSounds IR Free Sample Pack
Your recordings and imported tones	~/Library/Application Support/TacoSounds/IRLoaderTones/User
Settings	~/Library/Application Support/TacoSounds/TacoSoundsIRLoader.settings
Audio settings (Standalone)	~/Library/Application Support/TacoSounds IR Loader.settings

The Library folder is hidden in Finder. To open these folders, choose Go › Go to Folder… in Finder and paste the path.

On Windows, the IR folder is Documents\TacoSounds\IRs.

TacoSounds packs can also be kept together in a folder named _TacoSounds IR ALL Products inside the IR folder; IR Loader finds them there too. If a DAW session was saved on another computer, IR Loader looks for the same IR under your own IR folder.

How TacoSounds packs are organized

A TacoSounds product folder is organized by IR length, sample rate and phase type. Short example:

TacoSounds IR 412 … / 500ms / 48kHz / RAW [Natural Phase] / … 57III.wav

Folder	Meaning
500ms, 200ms	IR length.
44.1kHz, 48kHz, 96kHz	Sample rate.
RAW [Natural Phase]	Single-mic IRs.
Mix [Natural Phase]	MIXED MIC IRs (two mics at a fixed ratio).
MPT	Official minimum-phase files, used by ALIGN MPT.

IR Loader uses the 500ms files when a product has both lengths.

Sample-rate follow

When the sample rate of your DAW or interface changes, IR Loader loads the same IR from the matching sample-rate folder:

Session sample rate	IR files used
44.1, 88.2 or 176.4 kHz	44.1kHz folder
48 kHz	48kHz folder
96 or 192 kHz	96kHz folder

The label above the file name shows the rate of the file actually in use. Your own IRs follow the same rule when they are kept in folders named like 48kHz.

14Using IR Loader in a DAW

• Insert IR Loader after your amp or amp simulator, on a mono or stereo track.
• It adds no latency.
• The session saves the loaded IRs and the parameters listed below. Theme, language, window size and MY FAVORITE are shared by every session.
• Offline export and bounce work normally.
• While a REFERENCE tone or a ♪ preview plays, it replaces the track's input, whether or not the DAW is playing. Stop it before you export, or it will end up in the export.

Automation

Parameter	Range
Mix A-B	0 to 100 % (0 = A only, 100 = B only)
Master	−24 to +12 dB
Stereo (A=L B=R)	Off / On
Dual (A+B)	Off / On (SINGLE / DOUBLE)
Align	Off / Auto / Min-Phase (MPT on the panel)
Tone Level	−12 to +6 dB
A Mute, A Solo, A Phase (and B)	Off / On (Phase is Ø on the panel)
A Trim, B Trim	−24 to +12 dB, the level of each slot (automation only)

15Troubleshooting

Problem	What to do
No sound from the guitar (Standalone)	Choose your interface under SETTINGS › Audio Settings › Input. IR Loader does not open an input by itself.
“No signal from the input”	macOS: System Settings › Privacy & Security › Microphone (on macOS 12 and earlier, System Preferences › Security & Privacy › Privacy › Microphone), turn on TacoSounds IR Loader. Windows: allow microphone access for desktop apps on the Microphone page under Privacy & security in Settings (Privacy on Windows 10).
Sound drops out or crackles	Raise the buffer size to 128 or more. Use the same device for input and output. On Windows, use ASIO.
The plugin does not appear in the DAW	Rescan plugins in the DAW. Logic Pro, GarageBand and Pro Tools: quit and reopen. On Windows only VST3 is available; Pro Tools on Windows is not supported yet (1).
Products you own look pale, or IRs are missing	Check that they are in Documents/TacoSounds/IRs. On macOS, make sure IR Loader may use the Documents folder: System Settings › Privacy & Security › Files and Folders (on macOS 12 and earlier, System Preferences › Security & Privacy › Privacy › Files and Folders). When the plugin runs inside a DAW, the permission belongs to the DAW.
IR NOT FOUND	The file was moved or renamed. Load it again from the library.
An IR file you added is not in the library	Single files are not listed. Put them in a folder and add the folder.
“Your sign-in expired.”	Click SIGN IN at the top right and sign in again.
Purchased packs are not listed	Click Refresh. If they are still missing, sign in with the email address you used at checkout. A product that has just been released may not be available in IR Loader yet; it is counted in the item(s) not available yet line under the list (11). For now, download it from the link in the download email, which arrives separately from the order confirmation.
“Preview could not be loaded.” / “Couldn't check for updates.”	Check your internet connection and try again.

For orders and downloads, see the FAQ. For anything else, contact us.