Setting up with SoundID Reference Virtual Monitoring

This article deep dives into the SoundID Reference Virtual Monitoring Add-on and Virtual Monitoring PRO products, highlighting the difference between the two and explaining how to use them.

In this article:

• SoundID Reference VM Add-on & VM PRO
• Virtual Monitoring Add-on
  • System and license requirements
  • License registry, activation & free trial
  • Load a Virtual Monitoring Add-on profile
  • VM speaker simulations and Translation check targets
• Virtual Monitoring PRO
  • System and license requirements
  • License registry & activation
  • Room & headphone measurements with the binaural microphone
  • Load a Virtual Monitoring PRO profile
  • Listening Spot
  • Reverb adjustments
  • VM PRO profile (L/R) channel imbalance
• Frequently asked questions
  • Where can I buy the Virtual Monitoring Add-on?
  • Why do I need a new mic for VM PRO when I already own a measurement mic?
  • Can I create the VM PRO profile with speaker calibration applied?
  • Why does the Virtual Monitoring feature no longer show up after updating?
  • Can I use Virtual Monitoring with my EDU license?
  • Can I buy an EDU license for VM Add-on or VM PRO? 
  • Can I use Virtual Monitoring with Apollo Monitor Correction or any other integration?
  • Upgrade bundles with Virtual Monitoring Add-on
  • How can I upgrade to VM PRO?
  • I don't have a USB-C port on my computer, can I use a USB-A hub or adapter?
  • Can I use the EREF binaural microphone to create headphone calibration profiles, or for other needs?

SoundID Reference VM Add-on & VM PRO

Virtual Monitoring is an extension to the SoundID Reference software, and it is available in two versions:

• Virtual Monitoring Add-on: Apply pre-made spatial speaker & consumer device simulation presets on headphones. Works with SoundID Reference headphone calibration (requires Sonarworks-supported headphones).
• Virtual Monitoring PRO: Ultra-realistic simulation of your room or any other environment (stereo) on headphones. Requires any over-ear headphones (no headphone calibration needed) and the SoundID Reference In-ear Binaural Microphone. Also includes the Virtual Monitoring Add-on features.

Note: While headphone calibration is not involved in VM PRO, existing SoundID Reference speaker calibration users have the option to capture the calibrated room sound (upload your existing .swproj speaker calibration profile during the VM PRO measurement process). Note that speaker calibration is NOT included in VM PRO - this functionality depends on your SoundID Reference base license. 

Virtual Monitoring Add-on

The Virtual Monitoring Add-on (VM Add-on) for SoundID Reference simulates a spatial speaker listening experience on headphones, allowing music to sound as if it's being played through professional stereo speakers in a well-treated control room. Here are the simulations included with the VM Add-on:

• 3 speaker simulations: near-field, mid-field, and far-field.
• 3 car simulations: entry-level car sound system, Executive Sedan, and Luxury SUV.
• 3 laptop simulations: Latt 14", MB Airy 13", and MB Professional 15".
• 1 smartphone simulation: Smartphone Average.
• 3 TV simulations: Japanese 46" TV, Korean 90" TV, and TV Average.

The VM Add-on uses binaural audio rendering technology - a combination of crossfeed and spatial room simulation of certain devices and environments. Working with the VM Add-on on headphones assumes the same workflow one would expect when working with stereo monitors or other simulations. Using this tool enables creators to produce better mixes on headphones, ensuring a more consistent sound translation across various devices.

Note: VM Add-on is a paid add-on for SoundID Reference; learn more below.

System and license requirements

To use the SoundID Reference Virtual Monitoring Add-on, make sure the system requirements are met:

• SoundID Reference product license (any version).
• Virtual Monotoring Add-on product license.
• Sonarworks-supported headphones; see the full list of 500+ supported models here.
• Supported computer:
  • macOS 11 Big Sur (or higher).
  • Windows 10 (or higher).
  • Internet connection for periodic license validation (full offline use and offline activation are not supported).
• SoundID Reference software installed (download here).

License registry, activation & free trial

If you have already purchased a Virtual Monitoring Add-on license, follow these steps to register and activate:

1. Log in to your Sonarworks Account.
2. Click on 'Register a new license'.
3. Enter your license activation key.
4. Click on 'Activate on this device'.

Note: If you have separate licenses/keys for SoundID Reference and Virtual Monitoring Add-on, register and activate each key separately. 

Follow these steps to start a free trial for SoundID Reference and the VM Add-on:

1. Log in to your Sonarworks Account.
2. Navigate to 'SoundID Reference for Multichannel with Add-ons | Trial'.
3. Click on 'Activate on this device'.

Note: This free trial includes the top-tier version of SoundID Reference (Multichannel) and all available add-ons.

Load a Virtual Monitoring Add-on profile

The VM Add-on feature can be enabled in the SoundID Reference standalone app and DAW plugin. Note that the VM Add-on is a headphone-exclusive feature, so it will only appear when a headphone profile is loaded:

1. Add new output > New preset in the Output Panel (left sidebar).
2. Click on the 'What do you want to do?' menu.
3. Click on the Virtual Monitoring > Load Virtual Monitoring factory profile.

Note: [WIN] For the SoundID Reference standalone app on Windows, VM is supported in two driver modes only: Virtual Windows audio driver, and Virtual Windows audio to ASIO driver. Learn more here: [WIN] Audio driver types in the SoundID Reference standalone app.

VM Add-on speaker simulations and Translation check targets

With Virtual Monitoring loaded, you can choose between target modes, such as Flat Target, Dolby Atmos Music, Custom Target, and Translation check. 

Speaker simulations

• Near-field monitors are best for close listening and provide an intimate and direct sound, emphasizing detail and precision. They're ideal for fine-tuning individual tracks and emulate common listening environments like desktop speakers.
• Mid-field monitors have a balance between near and far field monitors, mid fields offer a fuller sound with a better sense of depth and space in the mix. They capture both detail and spatial dynamics.
• Far-field monitors provide a comprehensive view of the frequency spectrum. They're ideal for gauging mix translation on large systems and offer an impressive listening experience.

Translation Check targets for the VM Add-on

Translation Check also features 10 spatial simulation targets (Cars, Laptops, Smartphones, and TVs) developed exclusively for the Virtual Monitoring Add-on on headphones, unlocking the full potential of the Virtual Monitoring Add-on (VM). While the regular Translation Check targets only simulate the frequency response of a certain device, the VM targets contain additional data to provide a full spatial simulation of the given target on headphones. 

For example, activating the Smartophone or the Car target with VM is enabled will simulate the physical sensation of holding a phone in front of you, or sitting in a car physically - all while monitoring on headphones. Learn more about VM here: Virtual Monitoring Add-on.

Note: Translation Check will only feature 10 Spatial Simulation targets while a VM profile is loaded (the dedicated spatial targets for the VM Add-on). To make the other Translation Check targets visible again, create another output preset for a regular headphone calibration profile.

Virtual Monitoring PRO

The Virtual Monitoring PRO (VM PRO) for SoundID Reference is used to create an ultra-realistic simulation of your own room (or any room you have access to) on headphones, such as a studio (studio monitors), a car, a living room, and more; allowing you to take your studio with you anywhere.

System and license requirements

To use the SoundID Reference Virtual Monitoring PRO, make sure the system requirements are met:

• SoundID Binaural In-ear microphone.
• Any over-ear headphones (calibrated or not).
• SoundID Reference Virtual Monitoring PRO product license(s):
  • SoundID Reference Virtual Monitoring PRO | with Binaural Microphone
  • Upgrade from Virtual Monitoring Add-on to Virtual Monitoring PRO | with Binaural Microphone
  • Upgrade from SoundID Reference to Virtual Monitoring PRO | with Binaural Microphone
• Access to the room/environment to be measured (stereo).
• Supported computer:
  • macOS 11 or above.
  • Windows 10 or above.
  • USB-C port with USB 3.0 (or above) support.
  • Internet connection for periodic license validation (full offline use and offline activation are not supported).
• SoundID Reference software installed (download here).
• Audio interface requirements during the measurement process:
  • Independent speaker and headphone outputs.
  • 44.1kHz 24-bit sample rate.
• Audio interface requirements for playback:
  • Use with or without an audio interface.
  • 44.1 kHz - 192 kHz sample rate formats are supported.

Note: The Virtual Monitoring PRO product license also includes the Virtual Monitoring Add-on features; see the requirements above. 

License registry & activation

To use the Virtual Monitoring PRO software, you will need to add a Virtual Monitoring PRO product license to your user account:

1. Log in to your Sonarworks Account.
2. Click on Register a new license.
3. Enter your license activation key.
4. Click on Activate on this device.

Note: If you have separate licenses/keys for SoundID Reference and Virtual Monitoring PRO, register and activate each key separately. 

If you have purchased an upgrade to Virtual Monitoring PRO, follow the upgrade instructions here: How to upgrade a Sonarworks product license.

Room & headphone measurements with the binaural microphone

The Virtual Monitoring PRO measurement process consists of 6 stages in the dedicated SoundID Virtual Monitoring PRO Measure app:

• Microphone setup - EREF microphone check
• Playback device setup - Speakers and headphones output selection process
• Measurements - Speaker and room measurements followed by headphone measurements
• Profile fine-tuning - Virtual Monitoring Pro profile tuning 
• Results - Customization process, such as profile naming and choice of a profile image

Microphone setup

This process ensures that the EREF binaural microphone is connected to your computer, and the software will proceed with the microphone detection before it can be used. Once the binaural microphone is detected, the signal verification process will begin. Gently tap on each binaural microphone for the software to verify the input signal. The binaural microphones should be kept in your ears at all times during this process.

Note: On Windows, make sure the Audio enhancements are set to Off for the EREF in-ear microphone. 

Playback device setup

During this setup stage, we can specify the audio interface in use and confirm the output channels for our speakers and headphones. Test tones can be used to verify that the correct device has been selected, and we can hear the test tone coming from each speaker. The speakers can be measured with or without SoundID Reference calibration:

• Capture the room & speakers as they are: Your default settings, no calibration applied.
• Capture the room & speakers with calibration applied: Load your existing .swproj speaker calibration profile from SoundID Reference and capture the calibrated speakers instead.

Next, we need to specify the headphone output. The process is similar to the one above, where we select our audio interface and test the outputs for L-R channels to confirm that they are correct.

Measurements

The measurement process consists of two stages: 

1. Speaker & room measurement: 
   1. Keep the binaural microphones in your ears.
   2. Verify and adjust speaker loudness. 
   3. Run the speaker & room measurement.
      
      Note: Do NOT put on your headphones during this stage. The binaural microphones must capture only the speakers and the room, with no obstruction.
2. Headphone measurement:
   1. Keep the binaural microphones in your ears.
   2. Now put on your over-ear headphones.
   3. Verify and adjust headphone loudness. 

   4. Run the headphone measurement.
      
      Note: Ensure there is no sound coming from your speakers during this stage. The binaural microphones must record only the headphone audio. Any speaker sound will interfere with the measurement.

Profile fine-tuning

With the profile created, we can now address the profile realism. The fine-tuning process consists of an A/B comparison to get the best results:

1. Choose one of the default or a personal track that will be used as a reference.
2. Switch between output devices (Headphones/Speakers) to evaluate the results.
   Note: An auto switch timer can be set to automate the switching process.
3. Fine-tune the Bass or Treble to match the speaker sound as close as possible for the best realism.

Saving your profile

Once the Virtual Monitoring PRO profile is complete and ready to be saved, the software will provide image presets, or we can upload our custom image that will be used. The image will be used in SoundID Reference once we load the calibration profile. Lastly, we can name our profile for ease of use.

Load a Virtual Monitoring PRO profile

With the VM PRO calibration profile saved, we can open the SoundID Reference app to automatically load the calibration profile. If the SoundID Reference Measure app was closed, simply load the newly created profile as follows:

1. Add new output > New preset in the Output Panel (left sidebar).
2. Click on the 'What do you want to do?' menu.
3. Click on the Virtual Monitoring > Load existing Virtual Monitoring PRO profile.

Note: The Custom Target feature is available for Virtual Monitoring PRO profiles for further customization.

Listening Spot

The Listening Spot feature within Virtual Monitoring PRO adjusts for any asymmetric listening position during the measurement process and balances it out, ensuring that the phantom center is accurately reproduced, even when the listener's position was slightly off-center. See below how to enable this feature, which is enabled by default. 

Reverb adjustments

Within the SoundID Reference standalone app or DAW plugin, it is possible to adjust the reverb settings. This feature enables the option to decrease the reverb of the Virtual Monitoring PRO profile. The default is set to 100, which matches the reverb amount of how the room was captured during the measurement.

VM PRO profile (L/R) channel imbalance

1. When you reach the measurement stage, unplug the binaural microphone from the USB-C port.
2. Keep the SoundID Reference Virtual Measurement PRO Measure app open.
3. Plug the binaural microphone back in.
4. Proceed with the measurements.
5. Save the VM PRO profile when the measurements are completed.

Windows Audio enhancements 

On Windows, it can be that the microphone is set to Voice Clarity or Device Default Effects. This influences the measured results and in order to have a successful measurement, this setting needs to be set to Off. 

When this setting is incorrect, a warning message staring "Failed to check loudness check" may appear. To double-check, go to: 

System -> Sound -> All sound devices -> Properties -> Audio enhancements -> Off

Frequently asked questions

Where can I buy Virtual Monitoring?

• Virtual Monitoring Add-on can be purchased as a bundle item with the SoundID Reference base license (see pricing here.), or separately here, if you already have the base license. 
• Virtual Monitoring PRO can be purchased as a single license with SoundID Reference for Headphones included, and upgrade paths are available for existing license owners. See pricing here.

Why do I need a new mic for VM PRO when I already own a measurement mic?

The Virtual Monitoring PRO comes with a Binaural in-ear microphone (EREF). This in-ear microphone is specifically designed for the Virtual Monitoring PRO measurements, which require measuring your monitors, room, and headphones to create a binaural calibration profile, simulating the measured room. The SoundID Reference XREF and/or MREF measurement microphones can not be used for this purpose. 

The software can not be purchased without the binaural microphone. Currently, the dedicated microphone is not available separately.

Sonarworks EREF Binaural In-ear Microphone (2025) user manual

Can I create the VM PRO profile with speaker calibration applied? 

Yes, you can. If the room you wish to measure is less than ideal acoustically, and you're already using SoundID Reference speaker calibration on it, you can create the VM PRO profile with speaker calibration applied.

The Virtual Monitoring PRO Measure app features the option to "Load your existing speaker calibration profile" during the profile creation process, and essentially, allows you to capture the calibrated room sound instead of the raw room sound. See here: Playback device setup.

Why does the Virtual Monitoring feature no longer show up after updating?

Since the SoundID Reference v5.13 update (the Virtual Monitoring PRO release update), the layout for Virtual Monitoring functionality has changed: the Virtual Monitoring section at the bottom-right corner has been removed. 

Virtual Monitoring (both VM and VM PRO) is now added as a separate preset from the 'What do you want to do?' menu (previously known as the 'Select your calibration profile' menu):

1. Click on 'Add new preset' in the Output Panel (left sidebar).
2. Click on the 'What do you want to do?' menu (select your calibration profile).
3. Scroll down to the Virtual Monitoring section, and add a VM or VM PRO profile.

To turn the Virtual Monitoring profile ON/OFF, simply switch between your regular Headphone Calibration and Virtual Monitoring presets in the Output Panel (the left sidebar):

Can I use Virtual Monitoring with my EDU license?

If you own an existing SoundID Reference EDU base license, both Virtual Monitoring Add-on and Virtual Monitoring PRO can be used with it.

Is there an EDU license version for Virtual Monitoring?

No, currently, educational deals do not extend beyond the SoundID Reference base license.

Can I use Virtual Monitoring with Apollo Monitor Correction or any other integration?

No, Virtual Monitoring profiles cannot be exported to Apollo X devices or other integration devices.

Can I upgrade to Virtual Monitoring PRO from my existing license?

Yes, there are two upgrade paths available for existing license owners (see the pricing section here):

• For existing SoundID Reference license owners (any version): Upgrade from SoundID Reference to Virtual Monitoring PRO.
• For existing Virtual Monitoring Add-on license owners: Upgrade from Virtual Monitoring Add-on to Virtual Monitoring PRO.

I don't have a USB-C port on my computer, can I use a USB-A hub or adapter?

By default, we highly recommend using the USB-C cable that comes with the SoundID binaural in-ear microphone (EREF). However, a USB-C to USB-A 3.0 cable can be used. This rule applies to hubs as well. USB 2.0 is not supported.

Can I use the EREF binaural microphone to create headphone calibration profiles, or for other needs?

The SoundID binaural in-ear microphone has been designed specifically for the measurement process with Virtual Monitoring PRO. It is not possible to create headphone calibration profiles with it, and we do not recommend using this microphone for other purposes. 

However, it is a USB-C class-compliant audio device, and it will be available as an input option in the I/O settings of various applications - feel free to experiment!