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Sonarworks Reference 4

Thoughts about Sonarworks Reference 4? Has anyone used it? How well does it work? I wonder how well the mixes are translated when using headphones.

Thank you!
It’s great - it has definitely helped me out with headphones mixes. However, I have gone through the Toonebosters’ Morphit/Isone route. Worth checking them out, too.
 
Use it in muy monitoring chain and on systemwide. basically for everything. Listening to music, practicing, composing, mixing. great stuff
 
Wow. So no one else has a problem with the significant loss in audio quality of running your mix through this equalizer?

I just can't get past it.
 
Having Sonarworks in a studio should be like having wheels on a car.

once you know "flat" like the back of your hand. You can travel to any studio that's also calibrated and NOT feel lost.

Also, it's advised to run the EQ with Audio-Hijack (Mac) so all computer audio runs through it. Sonarworks offers Systemwide, but there's still too much latency.

@Blakus has a cool video on it.
 
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Digital room correction can be a nice improvement under the right circumstances. I tested several options a while ago, and Sonarworks was among the ones I found to be the least effectual. The best were Dirac Live (currently only available with hardware, but should be back as standalone software app), and Python Open Room Correction (PORC).

For my setup, both Dirac's and PORC's correction was vastly superior to Sonarworks. Sonarworks sounded like an eq that linearized the frequency response. Dirac and PORC do that too. But on top of that they also correct phase problems, resulting in a much more defined stereo image.

If you are tech savvy, PORC currently is the best option in my opinion. Together with REW and Equalizer APO it offers systemwide DRC, and it's completely free. Needless to say it's what I have been using for a few years now, and still am using today.
 
I've been using SonarWorks since V1 for room and headphone. I'm another believer in it's abilities. It is not a miracle worker, nothing other than full treatment of the listening space is, but assuming your room is decent, your monitor placement follows the standard rules and you have decent monitors to begin with, SW is an excellent addition to your toolbox. They do have a demo I believe, so give it a try.
 
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I've downloaded the demo of Morphit ( https://www.toneboosters.com/tb_morphit_v1.html ), selected my headphones from the profile list, set it to "correct" and listened to some music. Is that what "reference sound" is supposed to sound like? It's a clear difference on the headphones, but fairly close to how my desktop speakers with turned down bass sound (I always have it turned down). Is that a good sign?

I don't have any aspirations of getting a "studio grade" setup here, I'm just a hobbyist and will happily settle for "ok-ish" in this regard.
 
Canopener studio into Sonarworks headphone is how I do it.

No matter what you do, or don't, you still should be familiar with whatever you use as monitors and AB your tracks with reference material. Ideally the tools you use help make that faster and easier. If not, don't use them!
 
Canopener studio into Sonarworks headphone is how I do it.

No matter what you do, or don't, you still should be familiar with whatever you use as monitors and AB your tracks with reference material. Ideally the tools you use help make that faster and easier. If not, don't use them!

My goal is to monitor in random places (on the go), not to use it in my calibrated studio monitors/setup.
 
Made a huge difference for me - more than any other piece of software I've purchased in the last couple of years. Doesn't beat a well treated room of course, though I still found it useful when I did have a pretty good room (which I no longer have, unfortunately). Great for headphones. I bought a pair of headphones from them which came with a custom preset for that particular pair. Nice. They have sales on those now and then.
 
I did the next step to level up and send them my BD 880 pro for calibration! Are you jealous? :D

Its totally worth it! Or buying pre calibrated headphones from them.
At least you can be sure what you are listening to into headphones! Because speakers are hard to fix cause of acoustics and all that!
 
Wow. So no one else has a problem with the significant loss in audio quality of running your mix through this equalizer?

I just can't get past it.
I’m with you on the loss of audio quality 1000%. I have it. Use it. Hate it. Quit using it. Decide I need it again because ...in theory... it should work. Use it again. Realize the pre-ringing and phase issues drive me bonkers while mixing. It has been a vicious cycle, but I’ve landed on “better off without it” for my own sanity while mixing rather than due to results.

That said, I (like you), probably fall into a very, very small percentage of users that would actually notice that problem to the point it bothered them in an OCD kind of way. I’d assume for many the software serves as a revelation and helps many people greatly improve mixes.
 
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