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Two of the most important things you left out. 1. You can adjust the ear profiles to fit your exact ear shape and no other headphone systems let you adapt it to you. 2 The club setting which is designed specifically for the low end and has the bass setting. I've had 5 pairs of the VSX headphones because of them breaking just from taking them on and off. The customer service of Slate is the best in the business. They exchanged all 4 pairs and the 5th was the metal band. I've had no problems with them since they replaced the band metal. Love VSX and the company in general. They will truly change the amount of detail you hear in your mixes!
Wow! I'm glad to hear they've taken great care of you! Good call on the ear profiling! Not a fan of the club personally... That and Howie's room are the only two I really didn't like.
@@iansmirna5183 The customer service is top notch. The design has changed and the metal band fixed the issue. So you don't have to be "scared" anymore.
Personally, I don't think it matters which headphones you mix on. You just have to be super familiar with them. I also mix on Sennheiser HD650s. The lack of low end isn't that much of an issue. I know how low end SHOULD sound on them. And to check to make sure I got the low end right, I do a second pass of my mix on a cheap pair of closed-back headphones. They have a really hyped low end and not much top end. So if I can get a mix working in both pairs of headphones, it seems to work everywhere. I've tried headphone correction software like Sonarworks and I didn't find it helpful. I'm curious if I'd like VSX any better since it comes with a pair of dedicated headphones.
I have hd800's and also didn't find sonarworks helpful, but once I tried vsx that became my go to, now the sennheisers are just for editing and end check
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TB Pro Audio makes a great free utility plugin called, ISOL8 and gives you all kinds of m/s monitoring options and for isolating frequencies with a bandpass and you can set the crossover points. There are 5 band ranges and you can mute or solo any combination of them. That's what I use for comparing sub/lows to references.
Excellent review! I've been using the VSX for a little over a year now. I also experienced the headphone breakage issue and they replaced them in just a few days. It's funny that your go-to's were the Archon midfield. They're incredible and my favs as well. I love the Archon far-fields too. Third on my list of favs are also Slate's Barefoot monitors. I check my super lows on the SUV as well. I've been mixing my own music and music for clients with these and they get used more than my Focal Twin 6's. My twins are calibrated with Sonarworks, coupled with a 12" sub and the room is treated fairly well but I rarely turn them on. Some of the rooms are unusable for me but my favs are Archon, Sonoma, Slate's room, Suv, and Car. Great review! Love your stuff. Keep the good content coming!
@@TheMixAcademy I sure did, I can’t wait to get it; particularly because they’ve reworked the psycho-acoustic wizardry. I think it’s why most folks seem to prefer the Archon and Sonoma rooms, they’re drier and less phase-y.
Nice video, just ordered vsx. Used 650 before but sold them after 2 months, they are too flattering even for unmixed songs. I preferred the hd580 from sennheiser or th ndh30 from neumann i still have or dt800 beyer, hd650 always have been hyped to me
Great review!!!... I'm mixing with vsx only and I've never had second thoughts since I bought this headphones, the low end is solid...I tested with your low end mixing trick and it was pretty amazing... Now I'm only thinking about getting the sub pac but I'm not pretty sure yet...
Thanks so much, man! I appreciate the love. If you can find a Sub Pac you have to try it. Absolutely mind blowing how much it’ll help you mix low end. I don’t say that about but a couple of tools. 🙏🏻
Thanks for watching! I sure do. I have multiple sets of monitors in storage and enjoy mixing on them but when traveling headphones make the most sense. What headphones do you use?
Thanks for watching! It sure can but not with a tight slope. The max in ADPTR is 48 db/oct. I prefer the tighter 72 or even 96db slope from the ProQ3 as well as the visual feedback. Also, with ProQ3’s keyboard shortcuts we can really shape what we’re hearing from the mix and reference.
the real question is, how different can you get headphones and simply use an EQ during playback to compensate till it doesn't matter any more? I'm thinking a noise threshold to power threshhold or max volume. i'm going to buy some cheap headphones for fun and tweak the heck out of them! maybe do a noise floor comparison or something.
SonarWorx did something bad anyway. They didn't make patches or new drivers for their old stuff. So, if you bought it but got a new OS which is what new computers come with anyway, you're screwed.
Treating a small room is nearly pointless, basstraps and panels aren't gonna do much for standing waves and nodes in 10x10 room lol. just saying. It's probably better to use solutions like this and IK's ARC software/hardware for super small rooms and invest in treatment when you upgrade the space.
It'd be awesome to hear your opinion of how close the VSX emulation is to the real 650 since you have both now. I've never used 650's, so I'm super curious if the emulation is accurate. Cheers!
I listened back and forth quickly and it’s solid! It’s tough to compare because of the 650’s being opened back and VSX being closed but from what I heard it sounds good!
@@TheMixAcademy thanks for the reply. That's awesome to hear! It's definitely a change, in that regard, as I'm coming from 20 years of AKG k240's (with SW the past 5 years), so I can appreciate your thoughts. cheers!
@@ST-fl5fy Not with the plug-in enabled but they are a solid closed back can so it’s a great option. However, because I don’t mix with them much I don’t necessarily recommend them when you can pick up a great closed back can for much less.
I recommend the 650's with the Oratory 1990 preset/EQ curve. The 650's would be better for mixing or anytime you don't need to avoid headphone bleed. When recording, just about any well-reviewed pair of closed-back headphones will do! Thanks for watching!
I hear stuff like harsh midrange and fine detail much easier in my HD650s than I do on VSX. But VSX wins for tuning the low end and getting stereo image stuff right - so I’m keeping both too :)
@@ClintBilliams I don’t have an easy way to A/B both sets of headphones but I would probably say no, the Slate VSX HD650 model doesn’t really sound the same as my actual pair. I don’t find the VSX headphone models particularly useful anyway except for the apple earbuds. Sorry that I can’t be any more help.
@@Darkred11 i have the hd 600s, I sold them to buy the vsx. I think you might be better off with the vsx anyway as they come with many different profiles
Good Video! I switch between several pair of speakers in my studio. My "bigs" have stereo 18" subwoofers. Can I hear real bottom in the VSX 4, and only use my big speakers for impressing clients?
Thanks for watching! Haha. I'm personally using Oratory1990's target curves for my 650's now but you certainly can get great mixes on cans and save the bigs for impressing clients! That's a great idea! Haha
First the senn 650 doesnt have the bass extension and accuracy in the lows for a good mixing reference imo. I drops hard below 120hz. Can it be done? Sure,, when you learn how to correct and deal with it but then,, that goes for anything. Right? Second, The reference trick is fine and most people use references as its been a staple technique of mixing in general forever not kist for headphones but monitors too but thats mainly a leveling and eq technique. You need accurate freq response and low end definition to get your lowend clean. You didnt really say much about VSX in these regards,, so im still skeptical about the product and need to know more but im trying to be open minded. Thanks.
It's worth mentioning that Steven Slate VSX Headphones are prone to break. I got to return two pairs of these because of the same issue - cracked headband . and I'm very disappointed with the build quality. So I advise anyone who is gonna purchase these headphones to make sure the store you're buying from has a decent return policy.
@@vrodeii I've listened on multiple sets of high-end monitors, headphones, etc. and while a little more de-essing wouldn't hurt it certainly isn't taking any heads off. Do you have Sonarworks? Treated room? Are you boosting the top end in the rokits? I wouldn't trust your current setup. A way to check is to reference your mixes against industry mixes with a high-pass/low-cut filter around 1khz or so. Good luck, my boy!
@@TheMixAcademy my room is treated, speaker eqs are flattened to fit the room, and i use reference mixes every time, still just way too much sibilance mainly in the 9khz-16khz range, sounds like white noise
I was one of those that got the plastic headband that broke on me. They've replaced it and were really professional in the process too! I'm really grooving on Steven Slate Audio and REALY love all their products! Like you, I've almost exclusively gone to a "production in the cans" environment and these headphones have become some of my all-time favorites indeed! I'm glad I came across your video too! I subscribed and look forward to learning more from you! Thanks for sharing!
I have mixed feelings about Slate VSX. The bass in the emulations seems to be totally overpowering (in the reference tracks, not mine). It may sounds cool and exciting, but I can't believe that studio monitors have such an overly bassy sound in recording studios. In addition, the speaker balance within a given simulation seems strange, because when switching from small near-field speakers that can sound as if they somehow had sub-bass, we suddenly get even more bass. Totally weird thing. In the meantime, out of curiosity, I checked Realphones 2.0, which I was skeptical about, especially after spending a lot of money on VSX, but I must say that after listening to their emulations, it sounds much more realistic. I recommend checking it out. After a long time of comparing Slate VSX vs Realphones vs my KRK 5, I'm considering returning the VSX.
You might also try Oratory1990's presets for headphone calibration. I'm not a huge fan of the speaker emulations on any software but have found a whole new world of clarity and definition simply by applying the Oratory preset for my 650's. If you Google or search Reddit for Oratory1990 you should find everything you need. And... It's free!
Thanks. I have been using my 650's and VSX since VSX first came out. No break issues with the VSX headphones, either. Thanks for this vid and all you have been doing. I will go though your Mixing-On-Headphones guide. I want to learn more how you will be using your 650's and VSX in the future.
hey man great video, if i could only choose one pair of headphones for producing, dj, mixing and mastering and i couldn’t reference on studio monitors would this be a good choice? i’m a beginner by the way but i want something that will allow me to grow, i was wondering if they’re really worth the 500$ investment. i was also interested in the DT 770s i guess i just want to know if the software and everything vsx offers is not overpriced and if it has its value for its money
I bought the headphones a few days ago, I confess that I'm a little scared of mixing with them, it would be cool if you posted something mixed with the headphones, I think the VSX lack treble, lack of clarity and definition of brightness! I'm still unsure.
I have and it’s not bad. There’s a big difference between the closed back and open back experience. Just be sure to keep in mind that they emulated the frequency curve and while it’s one of the better options, it’s still misleading in many ways. Keep that in mind and use references and you should be fine.
Due to a change in my living space, i no longer have more than a desk in a corner of a kitchen to track, mix and master… so I’ve ditched my Adam Audio’s and turned to audio technica R70X open backs. They work very well, yet i still have to use car audio as reference, due to the low end being a little less than comes via the car speakers…
I’ve got a 4 foot plastic foldable table slapped up against the wall in the small master bedroom in an Airbnb mixing major records. We’re in this together, my man! Haha. So blessed to have the tools we do nowadays.
You would be correct except for things like mixing low end or when using a modeling/room emulation plug-in like VSX, Realphones, Acustica Sienna, etc. It's good to have at least 1 pair of each in my opinion.
I have HifiMan Sundara and HD599 headphones, but when those headphones are calibrated with Sonarworks, they don't really compare to VSX. My VSX broke a couple of months ago, and I was forced to use the Sundara headphones with Acustica Sienna while I waited for VSX replacements. The experience wasn't terrible, but it wasn't great either. Back up and running with the new metal band version of VSX, and I feel like I can trust what I am hearing again, and can hear a lot more detail as well. One thing that I would recommend trying out (if you haven't already) is Goodhertz CanOpener Studio 3 with the VSX HD Linear 2 profile.
Thanks for sharing, John! I've also used Sienna and really like it but it's super buggy on my M1 MacBook Pro. Like, really buggy! Can Opener is awesome! More people definitely need to hear about it. Pumped to hear you got the new metal band version of VSX!
@@TheMixAcademy I have had the same experience with Sienna on the M1 Air, using Cubase 12. The experience on an Intel based Mac hasn't been much better. It sounds awesome, but seems to be very poorly optimized compared to VSX. It's a shame, because I would love to use Sienna with the VSX HD Linear 2 profile to expand the virtual environments. Sienna eats about 25-30% of my available processing headroom, and seems to make the M1 Air run overly hot.
Realphones and Acustica's Sienna are both great options as well! I have both and have a hard time telling you one is better than the other. Thanks for watching!
@@TheMixAcademy it rly seems to be a good product. I just completed 2 mixes w it and it translates precisely as expected. I know a lot of ppl would want to know if VSX is that much better having dedicated hardware. I'm very hesitant to buy another plastic product and spend a bunch of money if there is a more environmentally friendly and inexpensive offering that works. Please do a review!
From what I understand, VSX 2.0 was all about the software. They added rooms and updated a few things within the plug-in. The latest version of the headphones does have the metal band but that change is reflected in the model number of the headphones you purchase. Thanks for watching!
Would you recommend VSX for casual music and multimedia listening without using the plug-in? I also have had the HD650 for years, a great allround headphone but I'd like a meaningful upgrade without issues on sound coloring and confusing soundstage like the HD650. And because VSX is a closed back it's a big plus to me.
What’s the use of using the headphones without the plugins? You will just end up paying a ton of money for no added sound quality benefit vs your existing HD650 if there are no plugins involved.
@@jan_07 VSX is closed type and I guess closer to neutral compared to HD650. If the VSX also has better imaging and soundstage it would be a winner since they are not ridiculously expensive.
The plastic band is definitely a problem. Thankfully, Steven Slate is a class act and their support is incredible. If you get the metal band you'll have zero issues. If not, they'll replace them quickly. Thanks for watching!
It sure wasn't! I'm still rocking my 650's for most of the process and using Realphones for their correction curve and spatial features. Not a fan of the room simulations in any of the plugs but that's just my preference. VSX is a killer tool. I'm using the Audeze LCD 4 model in VSX and it's great.
Beryllium still weirds me out in headphones. Sure, it’s fine as long as it’s not damaged, and fine in sealed products, but something about it being so close to my ear and if a driver gets blown? Possibility of irreversible long term lung damage. I’ll just use my HD600s with a room emulation software for now.
Wow, thanks for the review/channel. Insta subbed :) If I may, I have a question: I have the 650 & decent monitors , but my room is 💩. Generally speaking, given your experience, would you rather recommend Sonarworks to calibrate both, or better to forget about speakers (because even calibration has physical limits?) in a badly treated room and go with VSX or "650 w/ Realphones" instead? Thanks!
FWIW, Steven Slate himself wrote this on reddit, and it seems to pertain to my question lol "Before developing VSX we did room measurements in four average home studios. One of them even used a room correction software to try to flatten out their speakers. Despite that fact, this room still had the worst frequency response of the four with a huge dip at 80Hz. That’s because major room modes cannot be corrected with EQ since they are a result of the physical structure."
Thanks for the support! I love mixing on monitors but equally enjoy using cans. That being said, the 650’s with Realphones gets my top vote. Shoot me an email to support@themixacademy.com and I’ll reply with a screenshot of my Realphones settings for you to try.
@@TheMixAcademy first test with realphones was pretty underwhelming tbh. re VSX (which I haven't tried thus far) I read sooo many statements like "it's like sitting in the room" or "I reached to adjust the volume on my monitors"... with realphones on a couple of reference tracks, it gave the impression of a slight shift of the location of the audio source, the rest felt like EQ and not even remotely close to giving me an illusion of sitting in front of actual speakers. maybe it's my settings, but wow what a disappointment lol Edit: after some more testing (using B&W P7W instead of HD650) I have the impression the spatial illusion for some reason might work better on closed cans... maybe that's why they went that way with the VSX? I'm no audio pro and could be imagining things, who knows.
@@kostoglotow I actually can’t stand the speaker emulations and turn them off with Realphones. VSX sounds phasey and I can’t trust them either. The dial on VSX might as well not even be there in my opinion. It barely changes the room response. If you actually want the speaker emulation then Acustica Sienna is a better option with way more rooms and nowhere near the phasey sound that VSX gives imo.
ayo bro, I am going to have to be honest with you, this video would have been better if we could hear whats exactly being done as your moving through the different settings, you never should have chosen this song, if you were not going to be able to play it because of licensing reasons. Just find an old session, and use the VSX, and do a run through. It would have made the whole difference. Its like you showed up with a book report that wasnt complete. this video is unfinished and thats what i was left with. Next time just use a track that you can actually use.
My dude! This video was supposed to more so feature VSX but this technique is so powerful I wanted more eyes to see it and benefit from it. Here's a video where I explain the technique in more detail and show off the reference back and forth. ;) ruclips.net/video/mSbV1d9ZYeI/видео.html
I haven’t noticed any issues. I run an M1 Mac Book AIR. Not even an MBP… I also use Acustica Sienna and love that as well but CPU issues abound with that one so I find myself with VSX open more often.
on a mac no problem, on a pc it's a lottery and for the most part, just terrible. if oyu have vsx you are doing some audio work, just use a half decent audio interface.
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Done.
@@fen3184 Thank you! I messaged you directly with the link to access the course. 🙏🏻
Two of the most important things you left out. 1. You can adjust the ear profiles to fit your exact ear shape and no other headphone systems let you adapt it to you. 2 The club setting which is designed specifically for the low end and has the bass setting. I've had 5 pairs of the VSX headphones because of them breaking just from taking them on and off. The customer service of Slate is the best in the business. They exchanged all 4 pairs and the 5th was the metal band. I've had no problems with them since they replaced the band metal. Love VSX and the company in general. They will truly change the amount of detail you hear in your mixes!
Wow! I'm glad to hear they've taken great care of you! Good call on the ear profiling! Not a fan of the club personally... That and Howie's room are the only two I really didn't like.
Many are using the add-on Dean's large speakers and car for bass checks.
@@chaddonal4331 Pumped to check those out soon!
Scary to imagine you had to use 4 times the warranty....
@@iansmirna5183 The customer service is top notch. The design has changed and the metal band fixed the issue. So you don't have to be "scared" anymore.
Personally, I don't think it matters which headphones you mix on. You just have to be super familiar with them. I also mix on Sennheiser HD650s. The lack of low end isn't that much of an issue. I know how low end SHOULD sound on them. And to check to make sure I got the low end right, I do a second pass of my mix on a cheap pair of closed-back headphones. They have a really hyped low end and not much top end. So if I can get a mix working in both pairs of headphones, it seems to work everywhere.
I've tried headphone correction software like Sonarworks and I didn't find it helpful. I'm curious if I'd like VSX any better since it comes with a pair of dedicated headphones.
I have hd800's and also didn't find sonarworks helpful, but once I tried vsx that became my go to, now the sennheisers are just for editing and end check
VSX changed my life and that is no exaggeration.
How?
So easy to get a solid mix using them.i was a skeptic for a while but im glad I got them!
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TB Pro Audio makes a great free utility plugin called, ISOL8 and gives you all kinds of m/s monitoring options and for isolating frequencies with a bandpass and you can set the crossover points. There are 5 band ranges and you can mute or solo any combination of them. That's what I use for comparing sub/lows to references.
Very cool! Thanks for sharing, Dave!
i think you can take any multiband comp at 0 threshold and just solo the single bands as well
ISOL8 is incredible for doing the mix-ref trick. Great free plugin
Isol8 ftw 🎉
Excellent review! I've been using the VSX for a little over a year now. I also experienced the headphone breakage issue and they replaced them in just a few days. It's funny that your go-to's were the Archon midfield. They're incredible and my favs as well. I love the Archon far-fields too. Third on my list of favs are also Slate's Barefoot monitors. I check my super lows on the SUV as well. I've been mixing my own music and music for clients with these and they get used more than my Focal Twin 6's. My twins are calibrated with Sonarworks, coupled with a 12" sub and the room is treated fairly well but I rarely turn them on. Some of the rooms are unusable for me but my favs are Archon, Sonoma, Slate's room, Suv, and Car. Great review! Love your stuff. Keep the good content coming!
Thanks for the kind words! Did you see Slate announced VSX 3.0 coming Wednesday??? Apparently, all reworked from the ground up...
@@TheMixAcademy I sure did, I can’t wait to get it; particularly because they’ve reworked the psycho-acoustic wizardry. I think it’s why most folks seem to prefer the Archon and Sonoma rooms, they’re drier and less phase-y.
@@JackieStacyBakerMusic Excited to check it out! Only one more day. Haha
Nice video, just ordered vsx. Used 650 before but sold them after 2 months, they are too flattering even for unmixed songs. I preferred the hd580 from sennheiser or th ndh30 from neumann i still have or dt800 beyer, hd650 always have been hyped to me
I'd like to hear your review. Do you think it is a good investment? I am considering hd490 or vsx.
Can’t wait for this one 👍🤘
Yeah, brother!
Great review!!!... I'm mixing with vsx only and I've never had second thoughts since I bought this headphones, the low end is solid...I tested with your low end mixing trick and it was pretty amazing... Now I'm only thinking about getting the sub pac but I'm not pretty sure yet...
Thanks so much, man! I appreciate the love. If you can find a Sub Pac you have to try it. Absolutely mind blowing how much it’ll help you mix low end. I don’t say that about but a couple of tools. 🙏🏻
What is a sub pac ?
I have a question. Are you listening as you mix through your PC sound card or through your interface headphone out ?
What size drivers do they have
That reference trick was life ty 👍🏽👍🏽👍🏽
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Thanks for the video. Do you only mix on headphones?
Thanks for watching! I sure do. I have multiple sets of monitors in storage and enjoy mixing on them but when traveling headphones make the most sense. What headphones do you use?
@@TheMixAcademy I'm on a pair of HD600 and a pair of ns10 with a sub.. 😊
@@eranddroory9987 Nice! A great setup!
@@TheMixAcademy thanks.. Ditto bro 😊
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This entire referencing technique can be accomplished with ADPTR by pluggin alliance
Thanks for watching! It sure can but not with a tight slope. The max in ADPTR is 48 db/oct. I prefer the tighter 72 or even 96db slope from the ProQ3 as well as the visual feedback. Also, with ProQ3’s keyboard shortcuts we can really shape what we’re hearing from the mix and reference.
Jones Jeffrey Lee Brenda Hall Barbara
the real question is, how different can you get headphones and simply use an EQ during playback to compensate till it doesn't matter any more? I'm thinking a noise threshold to power threshhold or max volume. i'm going to buy some cheap headphones for fun and tweak the heck out of them! maybe do a noise floor comparison or something.
Hall Barbara Jones Joseph Perez Gary
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SonarWorx did something bad anyway. They didn't make patches or new drivers for their old stuff. So, if you bought it but got a new OS which is what new computers come with anyway, you're screwed.
Treating a small room is nearly pointless, basstraps and panels aren't gonna do much for standing waves and nodes in 10x10 room lol. just saying. It's probably better to use solutions like this and IK's ARC software/hardware for super small rooms and invest in treatment when you upgrade the space.
It'd be awesome to hear your opinion of how close the VSX emulation is to the real 650 since you have both now. I've never used 650's, so I'm super curious if the emulation is accurate. Cheers!
I listened back and forth quickly and it’s solid! It’s tough to compare because of the 650’s being opened back and VSX being closed but from what I heard it sounds good!
@@TheMixAcademy thanks for the reply. That's awesome to hear! It's definitely a change, in that regard, as I'm coming from 20 years of AKG k240's (with SW the past 5 years), so I can appreciate your thoughts. cheers!
@@TheMixAcademy do you track with the vsx? Vocals?
@@ST-fl5fy Not with the plug-in enabled but they are a solid closed back can so it’s a great option. However, because I don’t mix with them much I don’t necessarily recommend them when you can pick up a great closed back can for much less.
@@TheMixAcademy ok… so you mix still with the 650’s and sonarworks?? And only use the vsx for referencing
Would VSX be good for general use, not just mixing?
The closed-back design makes them a solid choice for recording and/or production if that's what you mean. Absolutely.
Do you recommend these for writting/ sound design as well? Or should i just be using these for mixes
I recommend the 650's with the Oratory 1990 preset/EQ curve. The 650's would be better for mixing or anytime you don't need to avoid headphone bleed. When recording, just about any well-reviewed pair of closed-back headphones will do! Thanks for watching!
And it´s even more easy to use ADPTR AUDIO Metric AB for that reference trick :)
Using an EQ gives more control but it’s definitely a handy feature! ADPTR is my go to for referencing and metering. Thanks for watching, man!
I hear stuff like harsh midrange and fine detail much easier in my HD650s than I do on VSX. But VSX wins for tuning the low end and getting stereo image stuff right - so I’m keeping both too :)
they now have an hd650 profile, do you think the same sonic reference is comparable to your own hd650 standalone headphones?
@@ClintBilliams I don’t have an easy way to A/B both sets of headphones but I would probably say no, the Slate VSX HD650 model doesn’t really sound the same as my actual pair. I don’t find the VSX headphone models particularly useful anyway except for the apple earbuds. Sorry that I can’t be any more help.
@andymcbain5441 Do you use the HD650 with EQ/Sonarworks? I'm trying to choose between the 650 and VSX
@@Darkred11 i have the hd 600s, I sold them to buy the vsx. I think you might be better off with the vsx anyway as they come with many different profiles
@@Darkred11 I do like the HD650 with Sonarworks and Canopener. But I use VSX more :)
Is this a paid promotion?
Nope
seems like the ready or not track was massively distorted
That was the sound they wanted. It’s not for everyone. 😎 Thanks for watching!
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Good Video! I switch between several pair of speakers in my studio. My "bigs" have stereo 18" subwoofers. Can I hear real bottom in the VSX 4, and only use my big speakers for impressing clients?
Thanks for watching! Haha. I'm personally using Oratory1990's target curves for my 650's now but you certainly can get great mixes on cans and save the bigs for impressing clients! That's a great idea! Haha
www.reddit.com/r/oratory1990/wiki/index/list_of_presets/
First the senn 650 doesnt have the bass extension and accuracy in the lows for a good mixing reference imo. I drops hard below 120hz. Can it be done? Sure,, when you learn how to correct and deal with it but then,, that goes for anything. Right?
Second, The reference trick is fine and most people use references as its been a staple technique of mixing in general forever not kist for headphones but monitors too but thats mainly a leveling and eq technique. You need accurate freq response and low end definition to get your lowend clean.
You didnt really say much about VSX in these regards,, so im still skeptical about the product and need to know more but im trying to be open minded. Thanks.
It's worth mentioning that Steven Slate VSX Headphones are prone to break. I got to return two pairs of these because of the same issue - cracked headband . and I'm very disappointed with the build quality. So I advise anyone who is gonna purchase these headphones to make sure the store you're buying from has a decent return policy.
great video bro but please but a de-esser on your sibilance is killing my ears
Thanks, man! Killing your ears? That's not good! What are you listening on that's giving you such harsh sibilance?
@@TheMixAcademy krk rokits my boy lol
@@vrodeii I've listened on multiple sets of high-end monitors, headphones, etc. and while a little more de-essing wouldn't hurt it certainly isn't taking any heads off. Do you have Sonarworks? Treated room? Are you boosting the top end in the rokits? I wouldn't trust your current setup. A way to check is to reference your mixes against industry mixes with a high-pass/low-cut filter around 1khz or so. Good luck, my boy!
@@TheMixAcademy my room is treated, speaker eqs are flattened to fit the room, and i use reference mixes every time, still just way too much sibilance mainly in the 9khz-16khz range, sounds like white noise
what's with the super crunchy guitars in the intro of the reference trick section ? that sounded awful to me
I was one of those that got the plastic headband that broke on me. They've replaced it and were really professional in the process too! I'm really grooving on Steven Slate Audio and REALY love all their products! Like you, I've almost exclusively gone to a "production in the cans" environment and these headphones have become some of my all-time favorites indeed! I'm glad I came across your video too! I subscribed and look forward to learning more from you! Thanks for sharing!
Love to hear that! Thanks for the support, Thomas!
Which plug-in should I use for my HD 650s to make them sound more flat?
Realphones!
none, 650 are pretty much the flattest out there
I have mixed feelings about Slate VSX. The bass in the emulations seems to be totally overpowering (in the reference tracks, not mine). It may sounds cool and exciting, but I can't believe that studio monitors have such an overly bassy sound in recording studios. In addition, the speaker balance within a given simulation seems strange, because when switching from small near-field speakers that can sound as if they somehow had sub-bass, we suddenly get even more bass. Totally weird thing.
In the meantime, out of curiosity, I checked Realphones 2.0, which I was skeptical about, especially after spending a lot of money on VSX, but I must say that after listening to their emulations, it sounds much more realistic. I recommend checking it out.
After a long time of comparing Slate VSX vs Realphones vs my KRK 5, I'm considering returning the VSX.
You might also try Oratory1990's presets for headphone calibration. I'm not a huge fan of the speaker emulations on any software but have found a whole new world of clarity and definition simply by applying the Oratory preset for my 650's. If you Google or search Reddit for Oratory1990 you should find everything you need. And... It's free!
Barely understood anything you said in this video 🔥
Thanks. I have been using my 650's and VSX since VSX first came out. No break issues with the VSX headphones, either. Thanks for this vid and all you have been doing. I will go though your Mixing-On-Headphones guide. I want to learn more how you will be using your 650's and VSX in the future.
Thanks, John! I appreciate the support!
Between your 650’s and VSX, which do you think is a better first purchase for mixing and audio engineering stuff?
hey man great video, if i could only choose one pair of headphones for producing, dj, mixing and mastering and i couldn’t reference on studio monitors would this be a good choice? i’m a beginner by the way but i want something that will allow me to grow, i was wondering if they’re really worth the 500$ investment. i was also interested in the DT 770s i guess i just want to know if the software and everything vsx offers is not overpriced and if it has its value for its money
I bought the headphones a few days ago, I confess that I'm a little scared of mixing with them, it would be cool if you posted something mixed with the headphones, I think the VSX lack treble, lack of clarity and definition of brightness! I'm still unsure.
@joelsmyth6120 what are your thoughts now? I'm trying to decide between open backs and VSX
Have you tried the HD 650 emulation available for VSX? If so, how do you think it compares to the real thing?
I have and it’s not bad. There’s a big difference between the closed back and open back experience. Just be sure to keep in mind that they emulated the frequency curve and while it’s one of the better options, it’s still misleading in many ways. Keep that in mind and use references and you should be fine.
is it me or is the mix of that song not very good? - for me it sounds if it should had been mixed a little more like a Smash Mouth song.....
To each their own, my friend! The band wanted in your face rock and they loved the results. Thanks for watching!
I was thinking of buy 650 but decided go with audeze lcd1 plus small corection using fabfilter eq and canopener on master buss as last two plugins.
I had 650s and sold them after I got the VSX
Due to a change in my living space, i no longer have more than a desk in a corner of a kitchen to track, mix and master… so I’ve ditched my Adam Audio’s and turned to audio technica R70X open backs. They work very well, yet i still have to use car audio as reference, due to the low end being a little less than comes via the car speakers…
I’ve got a 4 foot plastic foldable table slapped up against the wall in the small master bedroom in an Airbnb mixing major records. We’re in this together, my man! Haha. So blessed to have the tools we do nowadays.
i use only the VSX, no more monitors now
Can you use multiband instead of eq
I thought in terms of sound, open backs were superior to closed backs for mixing...?
You would be correct except for things like mixing low end or when using a modeling/room emulation plug-in like VSX, Realphones, Acustica Sienna, etc. It's good to have at least 1 pair of each in my opinion.
what do you think a year later?
I have HifiMan Sundara and HD599 headphones, but when those headphones are calibrated with Sonarworks, they don't really compare to VSX. My VSX broke a couple of months ago, and I was forced to use the Sundara headphones with Acustica Sienna while I waited for VSX replacements. The experience wasn't terrible, but it wasn't great either.
Back up and running with the new metal band version of VSX, and I feel like I can trust what I am hearing again, and can hear a lot more detail as well.
One thing that I would recommend trying out (if you haven't already) is Goodhertz CanOpener Studio 3 with the VSX HD Linear 2 profile.
Thanks for sharing, John! I've also used Sienna and really like it but it's super buggy on my M1 MacBook Pro. Like, really buggy! Can Opener is awesome! More people definitely need to hear about it. Pumped to hear you got the new metal band version of VSX!
@@TheMixAcademy I have had the same experience with Sienna on the M1 Air, using Cubase 12. The experience on an Intel based Mac hasn't been much better. It sounds awesome, but seems to be very poorly optimized compared to VSX.
It's a shame, because I would love to use Sienna with the VSX HD Linear 2 profile to expand the virtual environments. Sienna eats about 25-30% of my available processing headroom, and seems to make the M1 Air run overly hot.
I live in a situation where I can’t have monitors so I only use headphones. I’ll be getting some VSX soon because I like the open backs!
VSX are closed back ;)
lol
What’s your vocal chain on your uad console?
Can you compare these to Realphones by dSoniq? Any thoughts?
Realphones and Acustica's Sienna are both great options as well! I have both and have a hard time telling you one is better than the other. Thanks for watching!
@@TheMixAcademy Would you say VSX is a substantial step up from Realphones?
@@orenrittenberg8501 I haven’t compared them side by side but it looks like I need to. Realphones is great and a fraction of the price.
@@TheMixAcademy it rly seems to be a good product. I just completed 2 mixes w it and it translates precisely as expected. I know a lot of ppl would want to know if VSX is that much better having dedicated hardware.
I'm very hesitant to buy another plastic product and spend a bunch of money if there is a more environmentally friendly and inexpensive offering that works. Please do a review!
Hi! Is the change from plastic to metal in the headphones the only difference between VSX 1.0 and VSX 2.0?
From what I understand, VSX 2.0 was all about the software. They added rooms and updated a few things within the plug-in. The latest version of the headphones does have the metal band but that change is reflected in the model number of the headphones you purchase. Thanks for watching!
Would you recommend VSX for casual music and multimedia listening without using the plug-in? I also have had the HD650 for years, a great allround headphone but I'd like a meaningful upgrade without issues on sound coloring and confusing soundstage like the HD650. And because VSX is a closed back it's a big plus to me.
What’s the use of using the headphones without the plugins? You will just end up paying a ton of money for no added sound quality benefit vs your existing HD650 if there are no plugins involved.
@@jan_07 VSX is closed type and I guess closer to neutral compared to HD650. If the VSX also has better imaging and soundstage it would be a winner since they are not ridiculously expensive.
I just can’t find a good one:/
Thanks for the review. Looks like I got to check it out now... Just like you, I've been using the HD600, Subpac and Sound ID combo
An incredible combo! How do you like your Sub Pac?
David, just out of curiousity, what do you think about the 650 emulation that vsx has?
It was a bit heavier on the low mids than I'm used to but then again I've used Sonarworks for so long to flatten the 650's. It was useable for sure!
Too many saying they break
The plastic band is definitely a problem. Thankfully, Steven Slate is a class act and their support is incredible. If you get the metal band you'll have zero issues. If not, they'll replace them quickly. Thanks for watching!
Just curious if this was a paid review?
It sure wasn't! I'm still rocking my 650's for most of the process and using Realphones for their correction curve and spatial features. Not a fan of the room simulations in any of the plugs but that's just my preference. VSX is a killer tool. I'm using the Audeze LCD 4 model in VSX and it's great.
Beryllium still weirds me out in headphones. Sure, it’s fine as long as it’s not damaged, and fine in sealed products, but something about it being so close to my ear and if a driver gets blown? Possibility of irreversible long term lung damage. I’ll just use my HD600s with a room emulation software for now.
The 600's are awesome!
You have nothing to worry about. Beryllium is only harmful in powdered form. The drivers are metal film and will not become airborne.
@@au5music that’s bs. If they break, they then have dust particles, ergo, they are then unstable and threatening to the lungs.
Wow, thanks for the review/channel. Insta subbed :) If I may, I have a question:
I have the 650 & decent monitors , but my room is 💩. Generally speaking, given your experience, would you rather recommend Sonarworks to calibrate both, or better to forget about speakers (because even calibration has physical limits?) in a badly treated room and go with VSX or "650 w/ Realphones" instead?
Thanks!
FWIW, Steven Slate himself wrote this on reddit, and it seems to pertain to my question lol
"Before developing VSX we did room measurements in four average home studios. One of them even used a room correction software to try to flatten out their speakers. Despite that fact, this room still had the worst frequency response of the four with a huge dip at 80Hz. That’s because major room modes cannot be corrected with EQ since they are a result of the physical structure."
Thanks for the support! I love mixing on monitors but equally enjoy using cans. That being said, the 650’s with Realphones gets my top vote. Shoot me an email to support@themixacademy.com and I’ll reply with a screenshot of my Realphones settings for you to try.
@@TheMixAcademy first test with realphones was pretty underwhelming tbh. re VSX (which I haven't tried thus far) I read sooo many statements like "it's like sitting in the room" or "I reached to adjust the volume on my monitors"...
with realphones on a couple of reference tracks, it gave the impression of a slight shift of the location of the audio source, the rest felt like EQ and not even remotely close to giving me an illusion of sitting in front of actual speakers. maybe it's my settings, but wow what a disappointment lol
Edit: after some more testing (using B&W P7W instead of HD650) I have the impression the spatial illusion for some reason might work better on closed cans... maybe that's why they went that way with the VSX? I'm no audio pro and could be imagining things, who knows.
@@kostoglotow I actually can’t stand the speaker emulations and turn them off with Realphones. VSX sounds phasey and I can’t trust them either. The dial on VSX might as well not even be there in my opinion. It barely changes the room response. If you actually want the speaker emulation then Acustica Sienna is a better option with way more rooms and nowhere near the phasey sound that VSX gives imo.
get a pair of lcd x's they will blow your mind!
My mastering engineer and best friend, Joey Fernandez said the same thing. He has two pairs. LOL. It's on the list!
i don't think hifi headphones are any good for mixing & mastering, mud could sound clean on them etc.
ayo bro, I am going to have to be honest with you, this video would have been better if we could hear whats exactly being done as your moving through the different settings, you never should have chosen this song, if you were not going to be able to play it because of licensing reasons. Just find an old session, and use the VSX, and do a run through. It would have made the whole difference. Its like you showed up with a book report that wasnt complete. this video is unfinished and thats what i was left with. Next time just use a track that you can actually use.
My dude! This video was supposed to more so feature VSX but this technique is so powerful I wanted more eyes to see it and benefit from it. Here's a video where I explain the technique in more detail and show off the reference back and forth. ;) ruclips.net/video/mSbV1d9ZYeI/видео.html
Nice 😊 Just need your exact list of favorite rooms and speakers within VSX 😊
Haha. 1. Archon mids 2. NRG NS10's 3. Steven's mids 4. Steven's auratone/mix cube 5. Boom box
@@TheMixAcademy Awesome 😎 good info for the next time I’m mixing!
How is it on the CPU?
I haven’t noticed any issues. I run an M1 Mac Book AIR. Not even an MBP… I also use Acustica Sienna and love that as well but CPU issues abound with that one so I find myself with VSX open more often.
@@TheMixAcademy Legend, thanks for the information.
@@Mike_Benz_ Thanks for watching, man!
@@TheMixAcademy No worries brother.
plugg the headphones in the audio interface or into the pc - mac?????? without audio interface
on a mac no problem, on a pc it's a lottery and for the most part, just terrible.
if oyu have vsx you are doing some audio work, just use a half decent audio interface.