Mixing on HEADPHONES? SoundID Reference vs Waves NX Studio

Thank you very much for this very interesting test !! You have the perfect approach, very positive and accurate :)

good video! is not a Funny thing..what is Flat? ...... if each Room sounds Different??? maybe is just better to know YOUR Headphones!

Great info Chris! Question where do you put the NX plugin on the master channel chain? Thanks😎

Hey Chris, thanks for your videos.. what do you suggest, open or closed back headphones for mixing

Though it shows the frequency spectrum as flat, is it using the Fletcher-Munsen curve? Because that's what sounds flat to is. I assume so, but I've never heard it mentioned in relationship to sonatworks.. Also, do they give the option of partially correcting them, like wet/dry mix?

Very informative, thank you! In addition to that, the manual of SoundID Reference says: "Default plugin placement ...

The SoundID Reference DAW plugin should always come last in the chain. By default, the plugin should be placed ... after all the analyzers and metering plugins (including speaker emulation and crossfeed plugins, such as Waves NX and Can Opener)."

Hello! Thank you very much for this great video! I was checking another video that recommends using Sonarworks in the plugin chain but after NX, but here I can see that you recommend doing it the other way around! Now I'm a bit confused..! can you please explain why? Thanks again...

Chris, what if you have Neutron 4 ? do these sound references plugins become useful with it in some way ?

soundID didnt really help my sennheiser at all no difference... nx made a difference though

Embody Immersive or Waves Nx? Is one better?

I've tried both but the best is the Vsx system...

Thanks, this is the best explanation videos so far…. I’m follow you.

I don't have Waves NX Studio. I can see where I would want its room emulation sound of the studio to be switched on in my DAW to affect the mix itself. But the plugin's "EQ HEADPHONES" feature is designed to affect just the way my particular brand and model of headphones are hearing the mix. I would think I would want that feature to be switched so while I can hear its effect, it would not affect the mix's final output in any way. Is that possible to do? If not, how do you handle this issue? (With Sound Reference ID, I have my DAW set so the plugin flattens Sennheiser 650's unique frequency response, but I set it so that its correction to my particular set of headphones doesn't affect the mix itself in any way.)

I thought there was a wet/dry option in sound ID Reference?

Very nice video. I will try first the Sonar works one, and then we'll see.

You saved me some money with this video! I was about to buy the sonarworks but I already have the NX collection and the sony 7506. After reading the NX manual, The headphone EQ in NX does do what the sonarworks does to the headphones. Heres what it says: "The Headphone EQ section provides EQ correction curves for specific headphone models. These curves are based on precision headphone measurement data provided. The Nx EQ curves are designed to correct model-specific irregularities in the frequency response of the of headphones. This results in a more transparent starting point for monitoring and mixing." Am i understanding that correctly?

I use SoundID Reference with my Sennheiser HD600 and I have to say that I wouldn't be able to work without SoundID Reference. This app pluggins are just amazing and now I can mix with way better translation than before. I live in a condo so I can't use speakers by respect for my neighbours :) so this is very useful for me. Very useful video. Great job Chris as usual.

Should have called the video "What a lot of headphones I've got". Could have been 10 minutes long.

Phil from Sonarworks here. Bro you nailed it. Thanks. Please return the headphones as soon as possible.

Do a review on Slate VSX system please.

Great video just a question if you use both and put NX after SoundID how to manage the headphone model on NX software. I mean all the correction should already be done form SoundID so no headphone model should be checked.. is it right? and if so wich correction will make NX plugin?

I'm now much more happy buying today my purple black ATH-M50x LE after watching this. I believe I've made a good choice. I bought them not because of they are the best, but affordable and I knew I can use them with these plugins together to get better results. Thanks Chris, subscribed. 🙂 👍

Hi Chris, as a bedroom hobbyist with no real experience, would I be better off with the Sonarwork or the Wave plugins to get me closer to a decent mix on my own productions?
Also, I have been fancying the studio monitors Kali LP-6s but I am literally in a bedroom with no real sound treatment. Would I be better off with one of those headphones plugins than with monitors to get more accurate mixes? ( I currently have the MX-50x headphones) Thanks.

I love this video, I have been using Id and nx at same time but I was a little confused that is it right to enable both of these plugins at same time & you answered my question very well.

Great video. Thanks chris! I’m getting the ID Reference demo today. How much better would you say having Sonarworks custom calibration compared to the stock calibrations makes? I see the numbers, but what about sonically? I’m doing critical mixing. I’m my treated room, these would be for late night mixing in my nyc Apt

Great information

Why no manufacturers of headphones tried to actually do flat sounding headphones ?

Thank you for the videos man.

if you dont measure this it is just a model.....


useless in my opinion...

Great video Chris I have been using wave nx for a while know and love it :-) I am about put the sound ID in next week and i was hoping you could do it the way you do.

Hey Chris how can you have that many headphones when I don't even have one😊😂. Awesome video and tons of information. With love from lagos, Nigeria.

I use AT M20x headphones, Reference provides a nice improvement, as I dont use them for mixing but to hear how it translates the stereo image Waves NX studio wouldnt help me but for mixing it adds a subtle nice feeling, both plugins together sound pretty good!
Anyway, I suggest disabling NX to check the stereo mix and I do not like head tracking, it´s useless and distracting (for me). Thank you Chris.

Do pro mix engineers use the sound Id reference ? it sounds great but is it really worth mixing through this plugin always ? Nice video

Any idea when the NX Tracker might go on sale?

Bonjour, quels sont les réglages a faire pour enregistrer à -18db, entre ma carte son, ma guitare, mon clavier midi et micro ?
Je vous remercie d'avance.

Using SoundID before Waves NX is an interesting choice. I was thinking of using SoundID to calibrate the sound coming out of the Waves NX to my specific headphones. My logic must be flawed 🙃

When you bypass the plugin, I get a different sound, I want to export as it sounds ????

I use Slate VSX and i never go wrong with it

I would advise to use Sonarworks and then place waves Nx for the Balance and set the reverb. Sonarworks the CPU usage is 1% while waves NX is 10%

I use Sound ID, it’s essential. I get the same sound on my headphones and out my speakers……can’t stand waves

I'm all for headphone correction like Sonarworks to get a more flat response but I can't mix using any kind of studio or room simulation because it just ads reverb and ambience which messes with the reverb and ambience already used in the track. I mean really, that's all emulations are doing is adding ambience and possibly some crosstalk. Canopener is a good plugin if you just want the crosstalk but no added ambience.

Great video, Chris. One question, though. I notice that you inserted the plug-ins on the Main output, in the controlroom. This means that you still need to remember to turn them off, when using the speakers. Wouldn't it be more logical to place them only on the Phones?

Boa! Minha escolha é o HD650 como é ou qualquer outro fone com SoundID. A ideia da Waves é interessante, mas não é pra mim 😀

Thanks for bringing up that both can be used and that is exactly how by logic I use them and always thought they could be used.....first flat out the frequency response and then apply the room emulation. On my end this is a life saver because I cannot mix any other way than on headphones where I live. Again, thanks for the excellent video!!!

What about Acustica Sienna. There is also a free version

most people today listen to music on headphones so makes more sense to mix on headphones