Sonarworks

Electronic Music Production // Dark Arts
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Mattias
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Re: Sonarworks

Post by Mattias »

terly wrote:
Mattias wrote: I changed them to the HD600 but with the 650 cable. Need a good headphone amp though.
How do you find the sub-bass response on the HD600s?
The 650 have much more bass, but all in all I like the 600 better once I got to know them.
The Sonarworks plugin ups the low end on the 600 so they sound more similar to the 650, I tend to dial in a bit of the "mix" signal (about 80%) so the signal doesn't sound that adjusted.
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NAO
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Re: Sonarworks

Post by NAO »

Lost to the Void wrote:Well I`ll be testing the results against my mastering monitors, so I`ll be putting this shit through a hard test.
Did you get to compare the plug-in to your system yet? :)

Trying out the plug-in today but since I'm in the same spot as Planar (lack of reference) I just don't know what I'm hearing really..

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Re: Sonarworks

Post by Exercise Bike »

Interested to try this, was unimpressed by the Focusrite VRM Box

arkos
Re: Sonarworks

Post by arkos »

I for one bought this the same day as trying the demo, finally I feel't I could "hear" what was going on. As for you guy's measuring the Eq curve and applying it to a eq of your choice imo you might as well just steal all your software too. Those guy's have gone through the trouble of measuring the frequency respond of lot's of headphones and your stealing their work..... And as to your headphones sounding dull using the plugin never thought to stop and look at the measurement taken of your supposedly "flat" studio cans? Not so flat at all....

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Re: Sonarworks

Post by Exercise Bike »

This is brilliant. Going to purchase today. Thanks for the heads up.

Planar
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Re: Sonarworks

Post by Planar »

arkos wrote:As for you guy's measuring the Eq curve and applying it to a eq of your choice imo you might as well just steal all your software too.


You know what, 99 times out of 100 I would agree with you. I spend a lot of money on music software. A lot. I am dead against software piracy. However, in this case I am not laying down the money for this plugin. Firstly, what I have done is not software piracy, I do not like the insinuation that I would steal software- please pack that in. Secondly, the eq responses of most of the well known headphones are easily attained to build a similar preset of my own, or more accurately using other processes (http://www.head-fi.org/a/how-to-equaliz ... a-tutorial). Thirdly, my eq match is not a 100% match for theirs, so it's not their curve.

I'm ok with the morals of it, they've ultimately saved me a bit of time that if I'd done it manually. I also don't like how evasive the company are about saying what the plugin actually does.

arkos wrote:And as to your headphones sounding dull using the plugin never thought to stop and look at the measurement taken of your supposedly "flat" studio cans? Not so flat at all....
Of course we have. But like everyone else, we listen and learn our headphones and don't look at the graph every 2 minutes. I'm mixing my current track using the demo version and my filthy pirate EQ preset (switching between them). Once I'm done I'll decide for myself if this is worth bothering with at all, the main difference is a bit of a dip in the upper highs. There is no improvement in clarity or separation in my headphones. Now I'm aware of that upper area I may push my highs a bit more and not bother with any of this shit on the master channel (is that still stealing ;) ).

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Re: Sonarworks

Post by The_G »

If all you want is to "flatten" your headphones, then just download the free demo. Even after it expires, that part will still work. The part that won't work anymore is the speaker/headphone emulation.

That said, I find the speaker/headphone emulation really useful--to hear bass response on Japanese white cone monitors or shitty beatz headphones.

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Lost to the Void
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Re: Sonarworks

Post by Lost to the Void »

The reason I was going to get this is that I decided to switch out from in ear monitors to normal cans for a change.
After testing a shit load of phones I ended up with AKG701's.
They perform lovely (some say they are bass shy, I say they are bass accurate) so good that my mixes translate almost perfectly to both the production room and the mastering room.
So now I am used to them, I don't need this plugin at all. Bargain!
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arkos
Re: Sonarworks

Post by arkos »

Planar wrote:
arkos wrote:As for you guy's measuring the Eq curve and applying it to a eq of your choice imo you might as well just steal all your software too.


You know what, 99 times out of 100 I would agree with you. I spend a lot of money on music software. A lot. I am dead against software piracy. However, in this case I am not laying down the money for this plugin. Firstly, what I have done is not software piracy, I do not like the insinuation that I would steal software- please pack that in. Secondly, the eq responses of most of the well known headphones are easily attained to build a similar preset of my own, or more accurately using other processes (http://www.head-fi.org/a/how-to-equaliz ... a-tutorial). Thirdly, my eq match is not a 100% match for theirs, so it's not their curve.

I'm ok with the morals of it, they've ultimately saved me a bit of time that if I'd done it manually. I also don't like how evasive the company are about saying what the plugin actually does.

arkos wrote:And as to your headphones sounding dull using the plugin never thought to stop and look at the measurement taken of your supposedly "flat" studio cans? Not so flat at all....
Of course we have. But like everyone else, we listen and learn our headphones and don't look at the graph every 2 minutes. I'm mixing my current track using the demo version and my filthy pirate EQ preset (switching between them). Once I'm done I'll decide for myself if this is worth bothering with at all, the main difference is a bit of a dip in the upper highs. There is no improvement in clarity or separation in my headphones. Now I'm aware of that upper area I may push my highs a bit more and not bother with any of this shit on the master channel (is that still stealing ;) ).
Well you are benefiting from other peoples work without paying for it,so ? my English is not advanced enough to find any other word for it then I used, I meant no offense by it :D As for attaining the frequency response from the internet or for that matter the maker, would you really trust that ? Seeing as they are selling us "flat" studio cans that aren't?

Planar
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Re: Sonarworks

Post by Planar »

I'd describe what I've done as a little cheeky (not denying that), but it's not theft. I have an approximation of the effect, not an exact copy. Their room correction and bespoke analysis services look great, and I would pay for these if I needed them, but I don't right now.

I don't think many manufacturers are claiming reference headphones are completely flat, there will always be imperfections. There's no conspiracy, some are flatter in certain areas compared to others, I spent a long time choosing between dt880's, Sennheiser 600's and the 701's Steve has. I had to use graphs as I don't have a refined enough ear to tell which is flatter in the areas that matter to me. We get used to the imperfections after a while and subconsciously compensate for them, hence why I'm really on the fence about Sonarworks. At the end of the day, it's not too different from mixing with pink noise or a spectrum analyser- just another tool to train the ears with.

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Re: Sonarworks

Post by Merah »

The_G wrote:If all you want is to "flatten" your headphones, then just download the free demo. Even after it expires, that part will still work. The part that won't work anymore is the speaker/headphone emulation.

That said, I find the speaker/headphone emulation really useful--to hear bass response on Japanese white cone monitors or shitty beatz headphones.
You sure about this?
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Re: Sonarworks

Post by The_G »

Merah wrote:
The_G wrote:If all you want is to "flatten" your headphones, then just download the free demo. Even after it expires, that part will still work. The part that won't work anymore is the speaker/headphone emulation.

That said, I find the speaker/headphone emulation really useful--to hear bass response on Japanese white cone monitors or shitty beatz headphones.
You sure about this?
I downloaded the free demo. When the demo license expired, I found I could still use the plugin with functionality in this way. Don't know whether that's how they designed it or it's a glitch, but it does still work.

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Re: Sonarworks

Post by Merah »

Nice! I might give it a try at some point,as for now I've just created a preset in pro q via the sweeping sine wave through pink noise technique...
Creativity is not a technique, it is a way of life.

arkos
Re: Sonarworks

Post by arkos »

Planar wrote:I'd describe what I've done as a little cheeky (not denying that), but it's not theft. I have an approximation of the effect, not an exact copy. Their room correction and bespoke analysis services look great, and I would pay for these if I needed them, but I don't right now.

I don't think many manufacturers are claiming reference headphones are completely flat, there will always be imperfections. There's no conspiracy, some are flatter in certain areas compared to others, I spent a long time choosing between dt880's, Sennheiser 600's and the 701's Steve has. I had to use graphs as I don't have a refined enough ear to tell which is flatter in the areas that matter to me. We get used to the imperfections after a while and subconsciously compensate for them, hence why I'm really on the fence about Sonarworks. At the end of the day, it's not too different from mixing with pink noise or a spectrum analyser- just another tool to train the ears with.
Planar;

I'm sorry mate I don't know what came over me yesterday, I don't usually whine like that and I apologize. Guess I'm a total Sonarworks fanboy without even realizing it :D

My mixes have improved a hundred fold after picking it up and using it in conjunction with Sample Magic A/b has really opened my ears.

G; you should really think about picking it up to show support it's a small company and 99 euro's is not a lot of cash :)

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Lost to the Void
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Re: Sonarworks

Post by Lost to the Void »

You can find accurately, professionally measured graphs for most pro headphones, for free here. http://www.headphone.com/pages/build-a-graph
And then build your EQ settings guilt free.
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Re: Sonarworks

Post by arkos »

Lost to the Void wrote:You can find accurately, professionally measured graphs for most pro headphones, for free here. http://www.headphone.com/pages/build-a-graph
And then build your EQ settings guilt free.
Nice man, thanks. Gonna check if my other studio can's are there.

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Re: Sonarworks

Post by The_G »

arkos wrote: G; you should really think about picking it up to show support it's a small company and 99 euro's is not a lot of cash :)
I'm going to, especially with the 20% off promotion they are running. But that's because the real value isn't in flattening the headphone response, but in how the program simulates different monitors (and headphones). That's what's really been useful for me.

arkos
Re: Sonarworks

Post by arkos »

The_G wrote:
arkos wrote: G; you should really think about picking it up to show support it's a small company and 99 euro's is not a lot of cash :)
I'm going to, especially with the 20% off promotion they are running. But that's because the real value isn't in flattening the headphone response, but in how the program simulates different monitors (and headphones). That's what's really been useful for me.
They have a user survey going on and if you participate I think you will receive a voucher or you could bag it for free, runs till tomorrow so better hurry;

https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/SBP3QZ3

It's pretty awesome to be able to simulate other speakers/headphones. Save's one a lot of time instead of having to check your mix on other systems, well I still do that but this save's a lot of headaches :)

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Re: Sonarworks

Post by Planar »

arkos wrote: Planar;

I'm sorry mate I don't know what came over me yesterday, I don't usually whine like that and I apologize. Guess I'm a total Sonarworks fanboy without even realizing it :D
No worries. I don't take anything written on Subsekt personally. I've just added you to my cunt list :lol:

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Re: Sonarworks

Post by Lost to the Void »

arkos wrote:
The_G wrote:
arkos wrote: G; you should really think about picking it up to show support it's a small company and 99 euro's is not a lot of cash :)
I'm going to, especially with the 20% off promotion they are running. But that's because the real value isn't in flattening the headphone response, but in how the program simulates different monitors (and headphones). That's what's really been useful for me.
They have a user survey going on and if you participate I think you will receive a voucher or you could bag it for free, runs till tomorrow so better hurry;

https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/SBP3QZ3

It's pretty awesome to be able to simulate other speakers/headphones. Save's one a lot of time instead of having to check your mix on other systems, well I still do that but this save's a lot of headaches :)

That's actually the one aspect of this software I give no credence too. The speaker emulation just seems a bit snake oil to me. Speakers are more than an EQ curve. It's a completely different theory. Trying to emulate a larger quantity of air movement inside headphones with small air movement and enclosures.... I just don't trust it.

For example, trying to emulate the operation of a high velocity ribbon tweeter within a standard coil driver within headphones, not going to happen.
Mastering Engineer @ Black Monolith Studio
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