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Focusrite VRM
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| Stu Cox |
Has anyone tried this?
http://www.focusrite.com/products/a...rfaces/vrm_box/
It's basically a headphone soundcard (+ software) which tries to emulate various position speaker models and listening positions on your headphones.
Normally I'd be inclined to think that something like this would never work, but it's had some pretty good reviews. |
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| DJ RANN |
I think Dave (Cryo) actually started a thread a while back on this.
Basically, my feelings are that if you have nothing else (no option for monitors etc) then it has some merit, but otherwise it's not really a consideration.
I peronsally, do not like things doing active/adaptive EQ to my signal chain, especially not something that costs a couple of hundred bucks.
The principle does make sense, in that headphones have no divergence as we only hear one panned channel to each ear (unlike our normal hearing in front of monitors where we hear both left an right speakers in each ear), but still, I just don't rellay like the idea of something fudging that reality.
I'd prefer to actually know my heaphones and know how a mix on those headphones translates.
And anyway, if you're making a track for release, I just don't belive it's too difficult to get in front of a set of monitors at least for the final mixdown. You can do everything you need to up that point in headphones.
To me , the VRM is like the room correction sytsems for untreated rooms; it's a band aid for a bad situation, not a good solution for a problem that should be fixed at the root. |
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| Craig Bradley |
| quote: | Originally posted by Stu Cox
Has anyone tried this?
http://www.focusrite.com/products/a...rfaces/vrm_box/
It's basically a headphone soundcard (+ software) which tries to emulate various position speaker models and listening positions on your headphones.
Normally I'd be inclined to think that something like this would never work, but it's had some pretty good reviews. |
I have it , it's a brilliant product it does actually emulate speakers very well you need a really good pair of headphones to get the true emulations i will stress that. However brilliant product can't recommend it enough |
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| Stu Cox |
I was looking at it more as something which could be used to get some extra 'opinions' on a mixdown... at the moment when I finish a track I'll listen to it on my monitors, 2 different pairs of headphones, my TV, in the car, on my iPod, etc
Basically I think the more different environments you can expose your mixdown to, the better. And this offers a number of extra options.
Plus of course its intended purpose - improving your ability to mix down 'appropriately' when all you've got available is your headphones.
As much as anything else I was just interested from a technology standpoint of whether it actually does what it claims - as I know making something like this work wouldn't be easy! But it sounds like Focusrite have done a good job. |
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| jupiterone |
| emulation will forever be just an emulation |
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| Nightshift |
| quote: | Originally posted by DJ RANN
I'd prefer to actually know my heaphones and know how a mix on those headphones translates.
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+1 |
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| Craig Bradley |
| i've had my headphones around 8 years now they are the best investment i have made in my music making career, However due to not being able to have monitors and the space to own a pair the focusrite vrm just gives me that clarification that my mix translates well. Also at £79 its a bargin. |
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| cryophonik |
I bought the VRM Box about a month ago, but I've been so busy with other things that I haven't had a chance to formulate much of an opinion yet. But, it definitely offers you the opportunity to hear your mixes on other (virtual) systems. And, yes, they are obviously emulations - how accurately they represent the actual rooms/monitors that they are attempting to emulate can be questioned, but the point is that you have multiple referencing options all in a small, affordable box. The naysayers who believe that you can only get a quality mix with treated rooms, high-end converters/monitors, etc. will always come out full force when it comes to items like this, but for those of us whose only practical option is to do most of our mixing with headphones, it seems to be a pretty useful tool. It would also be very nice to have for a laptop when travelling, etc.
One thing I noticed right away, though, is that you probably have to take some time to "learn" the various emulations, the same way you "learned" your headphones. |
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| Craig Bradley |
| quote: | | [i][b] One thing I noticed right away, though, is that you probably have to take some time to "learn" the various emulations, the same way you "learned" your headphones. |
Totally agree mate :) i think you should get one stu you won't be disapointed |
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