Sonarworks Headphone Calibration software

[markanini]

  Nevermind, couldn't resist, finished it already and listening. Sounds pretty bassy.
 
Will listen some more tomorrow.
 
EDIT: Yeah, sounds pretty bassy. Trance and hiphop sounded good. Sounded veiled on some other songs. I prefer the Sonarworks reference curve, but I can't say this sounds wrong. It's like the difference between the HD800 and the LCD-2/3 or something. Diffuse field vs Harman.

 
It's hardly your grandfathers bassy headphone sound, just non-bloated well extended bass that's still track dependant. Vocals have high intelligibility. I'd grant it's not for those that hunt insane detail a la HD800.
 
Again who knows what transfer function Sonorworks used for ear compensation. But with the harman in-room curve the tonality very much resembles large speakers in a good room which is exactly what Harman targeted, so it appears to be a good match.

 

[markanini]

I went on youtubes popular music section to see how more modern recordings fare with the Harman room curve and I still favor it.

 

[SodaBoy]

Well I realized today my listening impressions were hardly perfect. I'm using old compressed pads on my HD650s, this would boost the bass by at least 2dB if not more and tilt the whole FR. With new pads your curve should sound less bassy, however I might end up with new phones before the new pads arrive lol.

 

[RudeWolf]

Pad wear is something that tends to change the sound a lot. We usually do our measurements on new pads, so there's a common reference point.
 
By the way - we just finished our newest review!
 

 
Read the full review here - http://sonarworks.com/2015/06/studio-headphone-review-sony-mdr-7506/

 

[Music Alchemist]

  Jriver
Tools > Options > Audio > DSP & output format > Manage Plug-ins > Add JRiver, VST, or Win-amp Plug-in > Point to file Reference3.dll
 
Use 32 bit version for Jriver, as it does not support 64 bit plug-ins.

 
How about foobar2000? (I don't own JRiver.)
 
How do I:
 

1. get it to work while music is playing?
2. select the appropriate headphone profile?
3. mess with the settings?

 
Edit: See my post below with foobar2000 tutorial.

 

[interpolate]

I am going to play with this tonight....
 
So supposing I use one instance on the master bus and I toggle it and off as a necessary it should fix some mixing decisions when mixing on headphones. There is an analogy going around that you should never mix with headphones and trust them to be completely correct.
 
So say, I find a setting in Reference 3 and then bypass it, Add some limiter amplification by the amount of headroom recovered, for example 10dB; how do you know the maximum level/RMS Average correspond to the measurements when the Reference 3 plug-in is bypassed. Will using Reference 3 and 0dB on the mastered track provide you with a neutral mix with very little differences?
 
 
Previously I demo'd this software however the trial expired.
 
Hopefully my question makes sense to someone else in the know.

 

[Music Alchemist]

Okay, I got it to work with foobar2000. Here's what you need to do.
 
Download and install the free trial of Sonarworks Reference 3 Headphone. (Or purchase it.)
 
Download and install this VST adapter in foobar2000.
 
Go to Components, VST plugins and add the Sonarworks plugin.
 
Go to Playback, DSP Manager and activate the Sonarworks plugin. Then click Configure Selected.
 
If anyone needs more specific info, I can help.
 
I haven't listened yet, but I'm excited!

 

[Music Alchemist]

Noooo! I sold my amp/DAC and can't get as much volume now...and this plugin decreases the volume. Bummer... I'll need to find songs with louder volume.
 
But I tested with and without the plugin already. Sounds worlds better!!!
 
Update: I deselected avoid clipping and can get more volume now.

 

[markanini]

  I am going to play with this tonight....
 
So supposing I use one instance on the master bus and I toggle it and off as a necessary it should fix some mixing decisions when mixing on headphones. There is an analogy going around that you should never mix with headphones and trust them to be completely correct.
 
So say, I find a setting in Reference 3 and then bypass it, Add some limiter amplification by the amount of headroom recovered, for example 10dB; how do you know the maximum level/RMS Average correspond to the measurements when the Reference 3 plug-in is bypassed. Will using Reference 3 and 0dB on the mastered track provide you with a neutral mix with very little differences?
 
 
Previously I demo'd this software however the trial expired.
 
Hopefully my question makes sense to someone else in the know.

What are you trying to do exactly? I wouldn't recommend mixing with stock settings as it simulates an anechoic chamber which is an unrealistic listening environment. 6dB tilt and 4dB bass boost will get you in the ball park of the Harman reference room.

 

[Music Alchemist]

Just wanted to emphasize how much of an improvement this software makes with my Sony MDR-7506. Without the calibration activated, it sounds so bright, tinny, harsh, and nasty. Once it's activated, it sounds so much more natural it's unbelievable. If you own any of the compatible headphones, trying out this software is essential! I also plan on sending in future headphones to get custom calibrations someday.

 

[interpolate]

I just wanted to know what adjustments if any would be needed.
 
My input monitor volume is already -18dB, so I needed to know where there reference point stood with this. Thanks for the advice.

 

[RudeWolf]

  What are you trying to do exactly? I wouldn't recommend mixing with stock settings as it simulates an anechoic chamber which is an unrealistic listening environment. 6dB tilt and 4dB bass boost will get you in the ball park of the Harman reference room.

 
The reference "flat" curve stimulates flat speakers in a well treated room, not anechoic chamber. It actually resembles the Harman curve in many ways, so applying it once gain might be "too much of a good thing".
 
 

  Just wanted to emphasize how much of an improvement this software makes with my Sony MDR-7506. Without the calibration activated, it sounds so bright, tinny, harsh, and nasty. Once it's activated, it sounds so much more natural it's unbelievable. If you own any of the compatible headphones, trying out this software is essential! I also plan on sending in future headphones to get custom calibrations someday.

 
Thanks for posting the tutorial! There is actually more than one way to get it working on a Windows system. VSTHost for example would allow you to route all system sounds through our plug-in.
 
Also - glad that you liked it!

 

[markanini]

   
The reference "flat" curve stimulates flat speakers in a well treated room, not anechoic chamber. It actually resembles the Harman curve in many ways, so applying it once gain might be "too much of a good thing".

I can't square that with the graph and the available settings. When I deselect B&K curve, for example, the curve becomes flat. In that case the B&K curve and all other setting besides flat are too much of a good thing too.
Besides, the flat setting is not the sound I hear of speakers in a good room, such as this this studio control room in my town:

That's why I started tweaking and eventually supplied my own curve based on Harmans.

 

[Music Alchemist]

@markanini
 
Can you tell me which alterations to make to the default setting for the Sony MDR-7506 to follow the Harman curve? I'd like to compare.

 

[Music Alchemist]

  There is actually more than one way to get it working on a Windows system. VSTHost for example would allow you to route all system sounds through our plug-in.

 
I was actually about to ask how to apply the calibration to everything, including videos. I'll try that out soon.
 
It would be especially helpful if you could show how to do what you described, with VSTHost. (It may be intuitive, but just in case it's tricky.)