Logicvinnie Posted June 25, 2020 Share Posted June 25, 2020 Does anyone know of any speaker emulation software? While we look for a sweet spot when mastering, whatever we create will sound different depending on what it is played through. That points to a need for a way to efficiently run test/auditions on our creations to help in the mastering process. While I was designing a physical rig to make this testing/audition process easier, it occurred to me that someone may have already created a software version of this concept. Is this a thing already? If not, could it be a thing? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fisherking Posted June 25, 2020 Share Posted June 25, 2020 just a humble suggestion: no. get used to your monitors. test your mixes on other devices (smartphone earbuds, a bluetooth speaker... whatever). but let your reference monitoring be... your reference. still, wonder what others here think... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Logicvinnie Posted June 25, 2020 Author Share Posted June 25, 2020 Your approach is what I was designing a more efficient set up for. With all of the variables in acoustics from head shape of the listener to room dynamics, I have begun to doubt the relevance of my reference speakers beyond fundamental data clarity. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fisherking Posted June 25, 2020 Share Posted June 25, 2020 Your approach is what I was designing a more efficient set up for. With all of the variables in acoustics from head shape of the listener to room dynamics, I have begun to doubt the relevance of my reference speakers beyond fundamental data clarity. adapt to your monitors, that becomes your reference. aim for a flat (or flat-ish) overall eq. playback on other devices, get feedback from friends. or 'consult' a few times with another engineer (or someone here, for example). once you have a reference setup YOU'RE comfortable with.. you should be good. and flat is the goal, so that people with bass-heavy speakers, or tinny earbuds, get the best sound they'll be able to get. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Logicvinnie Posted June 25, 2020 Author Share Posted June 25, 2020 Why isn't that best accomplished on headphones? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fisherking Posted June 25, 2020 Share Posted June 25, 2020 Why isn't that best accomplished on headphones? as a reference? headphones are great to work on (well, great headphones), but have their own characteristics, and don't translate so well to speakers (the width of the soundfield, notably). i once had a meeting with a publisher in nyc. he said 'i love your work, but stop mixing on headphones'. he could hear that, and i realized why; the soundfield was narrow, i'd overcompressed everything; the sound was squashed, lacked air. (the mixes sounded great on my shure earbuds, tho). i go back & forth, between my monitors & my (pricy) sennheiser headphones; a decent set of monitors should always be your primary source for mixing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
triplets Posted June 25, 2020 Share Posted June 25, 2020 Why isn't that best accomplished on headphones? Headphones are good as a secondary reference. Real studio speakers should be your primary reference. If it sounds great on them, it will sound even better on headphones. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cleamon Posted June 25, 2020 Share Posted June 25, 2020 Why isn't that best accomplished on headphones? Remember, sound waves traveling through air (from speakers) interact with each other, possibly partially cancelling frequencies, and result in a different sound. Sound waves from headphones DO NOT interact with each other. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
facej Posted June 25, 2020 Share Posted June 25, 2020 The latest ARC 3 from IK Multimedia might help you out...Virtual Monitoring https://www.ikmultimedia.com/products/arc3/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fisherking Posted June 25, 2020 Share Posted June 25, 2020 fwiw, i JUST got the new 'sound on sound' magazine, and the lead article is on 'mixing on headphones'... might be worth checking out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
facej Posted June 25, 2020 Share Posted June 25, 2020 My other "fix" for headphone mixes comes from my Monitor2USB monitor controller. There is a "Crossfeed" function that can be used to narrow and widen the stereo field in the headphones... https://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/MONITOR2USB--behringer-monitor2usb Modeled after the https://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/2Control--spl-2control about one quarter the price. I'm pretty happy with it...two sets of monitors, a mono "grot box", 2 headphones, and two (actually 3) sets of inputs. The "B" inputs can be USB or XLR, just don't use both at once... NB - this forum is stupidly difficult to use with the ads running...currently replying in Chrome...bad idea... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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