I've been looking for a systemwide alternative to the fabled Goodhertz CanOpener VST for a while now, as I find it to be the most effective, transparent crossfeed algorithm I've heard.
I've been a long-time user of SoundID/Reference 4 and I was super excited when Sonarworks released the Virtual Monitoring add-on. I was disappointed to find that even the "flat target" had some pretty drastic effects on frequency response.
I was hoping there would be a way to only impart the crossfeed and phase components of the HRTF algorithm while maintaining the stock frequency response. Unfortunately, it seems that you have to settle for one the the three frequency responses that I can only assume are averages of measured studio monitors.
I hope it's as straightforward as removing the EQ that emulates the frequency response of the speakers from the signal chain, and that this option may be added in the future. It seems pointless to EQ your headphones to a target you prefer just to have it messed with in order to get access to HRTF.
2 comments
I couldn't agree more, and I cannot believe this post hasn't gotten any traction in 9 months! I work exclusively on live classical concert recordings. The whole point in getting individually calibrated DT880 Pros was to have the flattest possible response. The name of the game in classical concert recording is making judicious use of EQ to mitigate the issues with the recording venue. In all but the finest venues, there are room modes that cause bass instruments like cello and bass to jump out of the texture on certain notes. It is a simple task to find these resonances with calibrated headphones and nearly impossible to accurately do so on anything else. I have a pretty flat studio but still feel I cannot completely trust my studio monitors in the low end. I have been using a combination of SoundID and CanOpener with great results but was excited to hear that I may be able to rely on SoundID to do both tasks. I too was disappointed (and mystified) to find that all of the available options for simulated studio monitors change the frequency response of my calibrated headphones so drastically that I can no longer trust them to eliminate those resonances, which, as you said, completely defeats the purpose of having calibrated headphones in the first place. I am puzzled as to why they would skip over a simple crossfeed option in favor of a simulation that functions in a way that is contrary to the stated goal of their calibration service. Crossfeed may not be as sexy as studio simulation but it works a hell of a lot better in the real world of editing. I don't want the sound of ANY room in my headphones… I want flat! I am hopeful that they will update the software in the future to provide a simple crossfeed option. Until then, thank goodness for Goodhertz.
Hear, hear.
I've been using Reference 3 and 4 in the past and truly enjoyed it. I just upgraded to SoundID exclusively to enjoy the Virtual Monitoring addition but sadly find myself wholeheartedly agreeing with the above comments. In fact, it turns out that there was no good reason for me to upgrade from Reference 4 to SoundID. Even the latency is identical. Here's hoping for improvements in the future.