Sonarworks - anyone using this?

[Michael BParticipant]

Hey people. Has anyone tried the Sonarworks to compensate for their room / monitors?
It is easy to setup and seems to work. I am surprised how much compensation it says I need.
I am using the 30 day free trial.

I need to find a way to take my mixes to another better setup to judge if it's helping or not.
You either decide to trust it and realize you can't mix without it or don't trust it and decide it's not helping.
I don't think there is a middle ground on this kind of thing unless it says you don't need much adjustment or you have compensated for your room and monitors yourself in the way you already work.

Cool. Michael B

[Tony HolmesParticipant]

Shame to see that there's no replies to this... I just ordered this software yesterday, because of strong recommendations from a pro or two I know that use it. I've subscribed to the thread in case someone does reply, but I've heard good things, read good reviews; I await my delivery with anticipation (it's no small chunk of change to lay out).

Cheers

Tony.

[face (chris) JantonParticipant]

I'll reply. I have tried the Sonarworks software. It does as advertised. I use "the competition" - IK/Multimedia ARC 2. The amount of correction can certainly be surprising. My mixes got way better (translation to different things like car, living room, etc.) I am far better able to get "better" bass. Mixes are far clearer.

I listen to *everything* through correction these days - Audio Hijack helps me out. If I was doing it again the Sonarworks system would certainly be a top choice - well, I only know of two 😉

I demo-ed their headphone software with my ATH-R70x cans and couldn't detect any meaningful difference between my headphones and "corrected" headphones. My ATH-M40fs cans got "different".

Simply put, I won't run without it. My crutch.

[Niki PichlerParticipant]

Heho,

i have sonarworks installed and use it every day! it is a great addition to an already good studio place and helps me getting a good balanced sound.

BUT you have to be carefull! it is not a cure for everything, a room which isnt treated well will still have his problems (maybe a bit less on the listening spot) and there is not a single software that can make a poorly treated room sound awesome.

so first treat your room so that the biggest problems are solved and then you can go and grab a software like this to compensate.

the second thing is, if you are not a newcomer you have been mixing on your system maybe for years and you know from feedback and other devices, where you check your mixes, how it should sound in your room that it is balanced. if you install this software you have to learn your environment completely new!

my imidiate problems were the low end and top end, as the top end was too low in my room and the low end to hot. so the first mixes i made were more imbalanced than the mixes before, but now i am way more consistent as i got used to the sound.

last but not least, you cant get around listening in different locations with different gear! you will have to listen to your mix on other systems like without the sonarworks but for me the difference between the listeningsystems is way less than before using the sonarworks software.

thats my experience with it! great tool but not a cure for everything!

cheers, Niki

[Samuel BotsteinParticipant]

Hi! I have it, use it, and always say the same thing: I only think it is worthwhile with the individual calibration service. I sent my headphones to them, and they measured that specific pair and made a profile for it. It doesn't do all that much for other headphones I own.

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