What is a .prst file? Opening Valeton GP-200 presets

Updated

If you download a GP-200 preset from a forum, a friend or a preset site, you get a file ending in .prst. Your computer will not know what to do with it, and opening it in a text editor shows only gibberish. This guide explains what is inside a .prst file and how to open, edit and use one.

What a .prst file is

PRST stands for preset. A .prst file holds exactly one preset for the Valeton GP-200 multi-effects pedal. It is a small binary file: user presets are exactly 1224 bytes. Because it is binary, a text editor cannot show it in a useful way.

What is inside

  1. 1.The preset name and the author name, each up to 16 characters.
  2. 2.Eleven effect blocks in a fixed set: PRE, WAH, DST, AMP, NR, CAB, EQ, MOD, DLY, RVB and VOL.
  3. 3.For each block: whether it is on or off, which effect it uses, and up to fifteen parameter values.
  4. 4.The order of the signal chain, plus the expression pedal and controller assignments.
  5. 5.A checksum at the end, which the pedal uses to reject damaged files.

How to open a .prst file

You need a GP-200 editor. Preset Forge opens .prst files directly in the browser, on Windows, macOS and Linux, without installing anything.

  1. 1.Open the editor.
  2. 2.Drag the .prst file onto the page, or click “Load preset from disk” and pick the file.
  3. 3.The editor shows the full signal chain. Click a block to see and change its parameters.

Loading a .prst file onto the GP-200

  1. 1.Open the .prst file in the editor as described above.
  2. 2.Connect the GP-200 over USB and click “Connect GP-200” (Chrome or Edge).
  3. 3.Choose the target slot on the pedal and click “Save to [Slot]”. The preset is written to the GP-200 and is ready to play.

Where to find .prst files

The Preset Forge gallery has more than 150 free GP-200 presets, sorted by the amp model they are built on. Each one downloads as a .prst file or opens straight in the editor. You can also upload your own presets and share them with a link.

Common problems

  1. 1.The file will not load: check that it is a GP-200 preset. Files from other Valeton models are not supported.
  2. 2.The file was renamed or zipped: unpack it first and make sure it ends in .prst.
  3. 3.You have a Line6 HX Stomp preset (.hlx) instead: load it in the editor anyway — Preset Forge converts it to GP-200 format (experimental).
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What is a .prst file? Opening Valeton GP-200 presets | Preset Forge