Sonarworks Soundid Reference

[Baldovino Caya]

Reference used to improve my last headphones, DT880 Pros, pretty effectively. I wouldn't say it resulted in completely trustworthy mixes, but it improved the stock profile. I had always wanted to upgrade to a higher tier of headphones, and about a year ago I finally did it by purchasing Audeze LCD-X (post-2021 model). I knew before buying that LCD-X would not be perfect and that they have dips in the upper regions, so I figured SoundID would help there.

It did help to an extent, but the Reference profile was also overdone. Listening to beloved CD recordings that I knew pushed the limits of strong high-end, the profile just sounded harsh. Faced with always mixing my own music to the same edge-of-pain degree, I decided to scale it down to 60% where those CDs sounded improved but pleasant again. I got used to producing at 60% Wet and my mixes seemed to transfer well but it always bugged me that to stop the highs being shrill, I had to lose 40% of the correction for the bass and mids too. Searching the internet, it seems a lot of LCD-X customers have the same observations. Still, ears adapt, and this was workable and better for me than nothing.

That was until recently, when I discovered the free AutoEQ profiles. These made the world of difference. I even found a way to route a true systemwide equalizer with an AutoEQ convolution IR into Voicemeeter via a separate ASIO route so that the correction never affects my recordings or audio exports and only happens in my headphones, which means the only time I have to turn it off is when I occasionally switch to monitor speakers.

But the biggest change is the sound. I am no longer second-guessing anything or having to A/B as much with familiar reference tracks: this curve is simply correct, while the SoundID one must be wildly off. There's also a certain graininess and inaccuracy to the top end when using Reference, particularly audible in snare tops and cymbals, which is gone now with the AutoEQ profile. Looking at the dramatic ups and downs of the Reference profile curve, I suspect that it's just over-embellished. There shouldn't be so many ripples that you change the apparent "note" of a snare, for example.

Anyway, I'm sure some headphones go hand-in-glove with their SoundID profile. I just wanted to let you know that the product completely misses the mark with my particular headphones. That said, I was also getting fed up with the forced Safe Headroom switching and the way that Reference would regularly lose the plot completely and force me to start from square one with establishing the profile.

Hi Crow,

I hope you are doing well!

I would suggest double-checking if the correct profile has been loaded and applied for the exact headphone. In addition, please keep in mind that every unit is different and can vary in frequency response.

Also, what you could try doing is lowering the DRY/WET slider to see if the calibration is simply not being used to as that also might be the case. Gradually increase the slider to 100 over time and compare the mixes/masters with and without SoundID Reference.

Lastly, we do offer individual calibration service during which we will create a tailored profile for your exact headphone pair.

I hope this helps!

I have the same issue, i have been using dt-990s pro, audio-technica m50xs and lcd-2s with soundid reference for years and it had never been a problem, sadly today i have received my pairs of lcd-xs 2021 and i have been baffled at how worse they sounded with the correction, it is extremely harsh and it made me unable to even listen to music let alone mix with them, which is unacceptable. I really hope an update could come soon enough to fix this issue.

This article blew me away! I believe its content raises several questions and may answer some of yours. These are the results of a research concerning the shape of the pinna of the ear. On Sound on Sound ; The Listener Profile: How We Perceive Music

Hi! I do not know if people here uses Sonarworks, but if so, have anybody figuered out a way to more intelligently way to map different Profiles to SD-keys so one can quickly change from speakers to headphones or just disable Sonarworks with a button? I'm trying to make a macro using "Mouse Click relevant to UI element" but SF can't recognize the elements properly.

Hi Christian!
I Just google around and I noticed it's midi controllable in Abelton, and should be in Pro Tools - Although I do not know how to do it there. I saw that the most important features I want to have on the stream deck is available for automation, is there a way to map a command to change them in automation mode?

Unfortunately SoundFlow doesn't understand the contents of plugins in Pro Tools. So in this window we understand the Pro Tools defined buttons (such as the dark grey popup menus in the top of the window), but we don't understand any of the Sonarworks stuff.
To control this you would have to simulate mouse clicks relative to the window position. This would work for simple things such as switching to/from headphones and speakers though :)

Basically you'll need to use - in the Macro Editor - the "Mouse Click Relative to UI Element" action. When you click "PICK" to choose the UI Element, make sure to click in the window's empty title bar so that the full window is selected (it will not work to click inside the plugin).
Then you'll specify X and Y coordinates relative to the top left corner of the plugin. To measure this distance, I use the macOS shortcut ctrl+shift+alt+cmd+4 and then drag from the top left corner down to the position of the button you want to click.

Thanks for posting the script above. I've managed to edit it to select my factory default and it works but choosing my "No Correction" preset doesn't seem to work. Would someone be able to help? I've just started setting it up today so it's all quite new to me. The script I made for No Correction is:

And I get this error:
TypeError" Cannot read property 'popupMenuSelect' of undefined (Sonarworks Inactive line 8) - I think i'm on the right track but something is tripping it up. I just want to toggle between correction active/inactive with the level drop SW introduces intact.

Thanks for this, I don't think hte script copied across to the previous post properly for some reason, maybe because those fields were red? Anyway, the name of the preset I want is in there ("No Correction") but still isn't working although it does open the plugin window:

Hi Kitch et al,
I've been using the above script for a while and it has been so useful. Until I upgraded to the new version of Sonarworks which is now called SoundID. I have tried replacing any reference to Sonarworks with the AAX plugin's full name "SoundID Reference AAX Plugin" but it doesn't work. Also tried the sonarworks script and replaced the "Plug-in: Sonarworks Reference 4" line with "Plug-in: SoundID Reference AAX Plugin" and it also doesn't work.

I agree :-) I suggested this to Sonarworks back in an early version, as I only want to correct the low end as I have treatment for the high frequencies. Glad they implemented it. Next, let's hope they work out a way to correct the phase introduced by the EQ.