SUPPORT & DOCUMENTATION

Installation guides, licensing,
and common questions.

Everything you need to get Stones Audio products installed, activated, and running, in one place.

ANVIL

ANVIL

DRUM SAMPLER · VST3 · STANDALONE
Product Page

Installation

1
Copy the .vst3 folder to your VST3 directory

Place the ANVIL .vst3 bundle into the standard VST3 plugin directory.

C:\Program Files\Common Files\VST3\
2
Install the Visual C++ runtime

ANVIL requires the Microsoft Visual C++ 2015–2022 Redistributable (x64). Download and run it if you haven't already.

Download VC++ Redistributable ↗
3
Rescan plugins in your DAW

Open your DAW and trigger a VST3 plugin rescan. ANVIL will appear under the Stones Audio manufacturer folder. For Standalone use, run the ANVIL.exe directly.

System Requirements

OS
Windows 10/11 · 64-bit
FORMAT
VST3 host or Standalone
CPU
x64 · SSE2 required
RAM
4 GB min · 8 GB recommended
Bug reports: Use the FAQ below or contact support, include your OS version, DAW name and version, and steps to reproduce.

DAW Compatibility

ANVIL requires a VST3-compatible host with MIDI and instrument track support. Minimum tested versions:

FL Studio 20.6+
Ableton Live 10.1+
Cubase 5+
Nuendo 3+
Studio One 1.0+
Bitwig Studio 1.0+
Reaper 5.0+
Reason 12.5+
LUNA 1.8.1+
Cakewalk / Sonar X3+
Not compatible with ANVIL
Pro Tools — AAX format only. ANVIL does not ship in AAX.
Audacity — VST3 effects only, no instrument hosting.
Sound Forge — VST3 effects only, no instrument hosting.
No DAW? ANVIL also ships as a Standalone application and runs on any Windows 10/11 (64-bit) system without a host.

Windows Security Warnings

Because ANVIL and FETCH are independent products without paid Windows code-signing certificates, Windows may show a security warning during installation. This is expected and safe to bypass. Three scenarios are possible depending on your Windows configuration.

SCENARIO 1 · WIN 10 & 11SmartScreen Warning

You may see a blue dialog: "Windows protected your PC." Click More info, then Run anyway.

Alternative: Right-click the installer, select Properties, check the Unblock checkbox at the bottom of the General tab, click OK, then run the installer.

SCENARIO 2 · WIN 11 ONLYSmart App Control

If Smart App Control blocks the installer with no "Run anyway" option: open Windows Security, go to App and Browser Control, click Smart App Control settings, select Off, and restart. Then run the installer again.

Disabling Smart App Control is permanent and cannot be reversed without resetting Windows. All other Windows security features remain active.
SCENARIO 3 · WIN 10 & 11Windows Defender Quarantine

If the installer file disappears after downloading, Defender quarantined it as a false positive. To restore: open Windows Security, go to Virus and threat protection, click Protection history, find the installer entry in the list, and click Restore. Then run the installer again.

Recommended long-term fix: Add the plugin's installation folder to the Windows Defender exclusions list (Virus and threat protection settings > Manage settings > Exclusions > Add an exclusion > Folder). Default paths: C:\Program Files\Anvil for ANVIL, C:\Program Files\Fetch for FETCH.

You can also add the installer .exe file itself as an exclusion before running it (choose "File" instead of "Folder" in step 4). For full coverage you may also add C:\Program Files\Common Files\VST3 as a secondary exclusion.

Full step-by-step PDF included with your download. Questions? support@stonesaudio.com

FETCH

FETCH

MANAGEMENT UTILITY · WINDOWS
Product Page

Installation

1
Run the NSIS installer

Double-click the FETCH installer (.exe). Custom installation directory is supported. Choose any path on your system.

2
Launch and configure scan paths

Open FETCH and go to Settings → Scan Paths. Add your VST2/VST3/AAX/CLAP plugin directories. Click Scan to populate your library.

3
No dependencies required

FETCH bundles everything it needs. No runtimes, no .NET, no Visual C++ redistributables required.

System Requirements

OS
Windows 10 or later · 64-bit
DEPENDENCIES
None — all bundled
Bug reports: Use the FAQ below or contact support, include your OS version and steps to reproduce.
LICENSING

License Information

LICENSE TYPE
Perpetual

One-time purchase. No subscription. No expiry. Yours permanently after purchase.

FREE UPDATES
Always included

All future updates and bug fixes are free with a valid purchase license and email address. No renewal required.

ANVIL

ANVIL

ANVIL
Built with JUCE 8 under a valid JUCE Starter license. Proprietary / Commercial. Third-party notices included with the application.
JUCE 8 EULA
Proprietary
NeuralAmpModelerCore — bundled in ANVIL
Copyright © 2022 Steven Atkinson
MIT 
MIT License (Neural Amp Modeler)

Copyright (c) 2022 Steven Atkinson

Permission is hereby granted, free of charge, to any person obtaining a copy
of this software and associated documentation files (the "Software"), to deal
in the Software without restriction, including without limitation the rights
to use, copy, modify, merge, publish, distribute, sublicense, and/or sell
copies of the Software, and to permit persons to whom the Software is
furnished to do so, subject to the following conditions:

The above copyright notice and this permission notice shall be included in all
copies or substantial portions of the Software.

THE SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED "AS IS", WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR
IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO THE WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY,
FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE AND NONINFRINGEMENT. IN NO EVENT SHALL THE
AUTHORS OR COPYRIGHT HOLDERS BE LIABLE FOR ANY CLAIM, DAMAGES OR OTHER
LIABILITY, WHETHER IN AN ACTION OF CONTRACT, TORT OR OTHERWISE, ARISING FROM,
OUT OF OR IN CONNECTION WITH THE SOFTWARE OR THE USE OR OTHER DEALINGS IN THE
SOFTWARE.
FETCH

FETCH

FETCH
Proprietary / Commercial. Built with Electron, React, and Tailwind CSS. Third-party notices included with the application.
Proprietary
FAQ

Common Questions

Any VST3-compatible host with MIDI and instrument track support on Windows 64-bit. Minimum tested versions: FL Studio 20.6+, Ableton Live 10.1+, Cubase 5+, Nuendo 3+, Studio One 1.0+, Bitwig Studio 1.0+, Reaper 5.0+, Reason 12.5+, LUNA 1.8.1+, Cakewalk SONAR X3+. ANVIL is also available as a Standalone application and does not require a DAW. Pro Tools, Audacity, and Sound Forge are not compatible — ANVIL requires an instrument host, and Pro Tools is AAX-only.
FETCH is a standalone Windows application that scans and manages VST2, VST3, AAX, and CLAP plugins across all your audio software — DAWs, audio editors, and standalone hosts. If a program on your system uses any of those formats, FETCH can find, organize, and uninstall those plugins. No minimum DAW version required.
Not currently. Both Stones Audio products are Windows 10/11 (64-bit) only. Mac and Linux builds are not planned at this time.
First, confirm you have the Visual C++ 2015–2022 Redistributable (x64) installed — this is the most common cause. Next, verify the .vst3 file is in C:\Program Files\Common Files\VST3\ and your DAW has rescanned. If the issue persists, email support@stonesaudio.com with your OS version, DAW name and version, and the error message if any.
WAV (16/24/32-bit float), AIFF, and FLAC. Drag-and-drop onto any pad, or use the built-in Browse panel to preview and load samples. Multi-channel WAV files are supported and will load as stereo pairs.
Yes — kit files include routing configuration. When you load a kit, per-pad output assignments are restored from the kit. If you need to preserve your current routing, save your state in your DAW or export the project before loading a new kit.
After purchase, you'll receive a license key in your confirmation email. Install the software using the download link in that email, then launch the application (or load it in your DAW for the plugin version). On first launch, an activation prompt will appear — paste your license key and click Activate. An internet connection is required for the initial activation. After that, Anvil runs without one. Your license is stored securely on your computer.
Only for the initial activation. After that, Anvil runs fully offline — no background checks, no re-validation. If you see "Could not connect to the activation server" during setup, check your internet connection and try again. If the issue persists, contact support@stonesaudio.com.
After completing your purchase, a confirmation email from Stones Audio will arrive within a few minutes containing your download link and license key. Click the download link to get the installer. If the email doesn't arrive, check your spam folder — if you still can't find it, contact support@stonesaudio.com with your order number and we'll resend it.
Your license key is in your Stones Audio order confirmation email from Lemon Squeezy. If you can't find it, check your spam folder or contact support@stonesaudio.com with your order details.
Your license covers 1 computer at a time. To move Anvil to a new machine, open Anvil on the current machine, go to the Settings tab, and click Manage License. Click Deactivate and confirm — your seat is freed instantly and you can activate on the new machine right away.
Yes, and it's fully self-service. In Anvil, go to the Settings tab and click Manage License. Click Deactivate and confirm — your activation is released immediately and you can activate on the new machine straight away. No email required.
If you can't open Anvil to deactivate, email support@stonesaudio.com with your license key and the email address you used to purchase. We'll remove the activation manually so you can use your license on a new machine.
Each license covers 1 machine at a time. If you're switching machines, open Anvil on the old machine, go to Settings → Manage License, and click Deactivate. Once deactivated, activate on the new machine. If you no longer have access to the old machine, email support@stonesaudio.com with your license key and purchase email and we'll release the slot manually.
This means the key has been deactivated on our end. If you believe this is an error, email support@stonesaudio.com with your order details and we'll investigate.
Anvil is a digital product. We offer refunds within 14 days of purchase if the plugin is not working as described and the issue cannot be resolved. After 14 days, all sales are final. To request a refund, email support@stonesaudio.com. See the full Refund Policy for details.
Email support@stonesaudio.com. Include: your Windows version, DAW name and version (for ANVIL), steps to reproduce, and any error messages. The more detail you provide, the faster we can investigate.