Another option to try:
https://www.bluecataudio.com/Products/Product_ReHead/

 

Thank you for the testimonials!

SKnote - MixingRoom (Headphones) 50 €
There is probably no demo!

Review – Re-Head from Blue Cat Audio
https://soundbytesmag.net/review-re-head-from-blue-cat-audio/

Blue Cat's Re-Head: Mixing Room Experience With Headphone Convenience

 

Last edited: Aug 9, 2021

I'm definitely not a fan of Slate's marketing and had never owned any Slate products, but for me VSX was a complete game changer.
I'd tried basically every headphone mixing plugin over the last 15 years and used IK's ARC 1 & 2 for quite a while, but VSX is the first thing that's lived up to the promise. No other piece of kit has come close to improving my mixes as much. Whether it's crappy earbuds, a phone speaker, or portable bluetooth one my mixes sound pretty much like I expect which is huge considering I could never get things to translate well before.

I'm not super keen on the headphones without the software and the early builds had many quality problems (thankfully they sent me a new pair when mine broke), but as a complete package, for me, it does what it says.

I don't think they have an exclusive license on the tech, and now that every company seems to be coming out with something similar I'm sure some will be decent, but trying to make it work with 50 different headphones vs. one pair the software was specifically designed for is a much harder challenge.

I recently tried Sienna (which supports the VSX headphones) and it wasn't even in the same league in my opinion (RealPhones seemed ok, haven't tried the new SKNote plugin yet...)

 

I wonder what will happen when ppl will realize VSX include a "pre EQ" mix reference
Because "FLAT" mean nothing with headphones

I prepare pop corn ...

My experience : try them all YOURSELF
I finished my quest by simply using my favs cans and a simple "cross over EQ" plugin like "redline monitor"

If you can't test and return, just don't buy

 

Mixing On Headphones
https://www.soundonsound.com/techniques/mixing-headphones

 

Don't know if it helps much, but I would recommend Sienna by Acustica Audio, I've been using it for a while now, paired with my HD650 and I'm happy with the results. For me it has the most realistic room simulation (what take some time to get used to if you're used to work on headphones) and if you don't want to use the room simulation it has the most natural "headphone frequency correction" plugin out there (Sienna Reference).
You need to find the sweet spot on the center knob for your headphone, but it really does the trick. For me with my HD650s, I set the Sienna Rooms center knob at 40% and if I'm going to use the Reference version I would use it at around 75%.

Since I don't have a treated room I usually work with headphones, so I have tested almost all the "headphone mixing tools" options available (Sonarworks, Morphit, Sienna, Realphones, DearVR Monitor, CanOpener Studio, Blue Cat Re-Head, All Waves NX, etc). And in my opinion the best options out there are Realphones (Specially with the new "easy mode" setting that sounds natural right out the box) and Acustica Sienna, that said I recommend everybody looking for a headphone "translation" solution to test these two options.

Ps. I have not tried Slate VSX tho, even because I think they should create a generic software that works with your favorite headphones instead of forcing you to use their own.

 

Last edited: Aug 9, 2021

Can you elaborate on what you mean by "pre EQ" mix reference?

I definitely agree to try all these things for yourself. Not everyone responds the same to room emulation stuff so some may prefer one over the other. There's also a slight adjustment time so I wouldn't necessarily take a short first impression as gospel.

I actually only use a few of the room emulations. I find the Tesla kinda phasey and was let down with the club as it sounds like you're in the back of an empty club. 99% of the time I'm on the Archon mids (ATC SCM150's).

My advice would be use Equalizer APO (or something similar on Mac) and listen to a playlist of your favorite reference tracks from Spotify on the Archon mid or far-fields. It's by far my favorite way to experience music.

Another tip if you want something that's closer to a dialed in club sound is to use the Archon far-fields and boost the lows and highs a bit (to replicate the Fletcher-Munson effect of high SPL). Apparently a SubPac takes it to another level as there's no possible way to simulate high SPL bass vibrating your bones with headphones alone.

Regardless of personal preferences it's great to see this product segment evolve and help level the playing field for the 99.999% who can't afford a high-end acoustically treated studio space. I'd even go further and say being able to mix/produce consistently anywhere at anytime is an advantage over an expensive studio.

 

I mean ppl doing coding on "FLAT" frequencies for headphones make an ORIENTED choice.
Like cans makers.

Because NEUTRAL, FLAT means NOTHING regarding headphones frequencies.

There is an "oriented" frequency choice in ANY so called "flat, neutral" frequency curve.
So there is one inside VSX. Like in any other solution.

It will NEVER be right for "everyone" and "everything"
Like any pair of cans

Side note : how a crappy VSX pair of cans can compete with a DT 770 or DT990 ?
Even corrected, they are not going to be dynamic / large soundstage ... by magic
The same snake oil than "mic emulation" creating an U87 with an SM57
Tell me HOW a software emulation will recreate DYNAMIC ?

 

Last edited: Aug 10, 2021

Listen Creates Harman Target Response Curve Test Sequence for Headphones
https://audioxpress.com/news/listen...t-response-curve-test-sequence-for-headphones

HARMAN NAMM Podcast: Headphone Innovation with Dr. Sean Olive and Omid Khonsaripour

But regardless of whether it is diffuse field, free field or Olive & Welti - even with perfect basic equalization, the sound development process of headphones is far from over. The reason for this: Just putting on headphones changes the acoustic behavior of the auricles permanently - and that even depends on whether it is an open or closed circumaural, supra-aural or in-ear earphone.

In addition, various cavities with their specific reflections and resonances arise between the transducer system and auricles, which cause noticeable ripples in the frequency response, especially in the range above 5 kilohertz. To make matters worse, the auricles are individual to each person. At least now it is becoming clear that a “majority conform” sound adjustment of headphones is tantamount to the much-cited search for a needle in a haystack.

 

Thas a pity, no demo no buy.

To high latency for my taste ... (1411 samples)

 

Any idea when they will be available again ? I would live to test them but they are nowhere available.

How much latency does the VSX plugin introduce ?
How much CPU uasage ?

 

AnyOne ?

 

in one week...
https://www.thomann.de/de/slate_audio_vsx_modeling_headphones.htm

 

Why I'm Returning My Slate VSX Headphones

 

Remember, the key benefit is if you work in various or untreated rooms. I move around a lot between rooms of different character, so using the software provides a consistent sound no matter where I am. Even if the room is not 100% emulation of the real thing, the idea is you learn the translation to your real targets and mix into that translation.

I have been using VSX for over a year now. I have their platinum bundle which comes with all the rooms. The software is incredibly easy to use - one or two clicks to choose your favorite room and speaker type. The headphones are not a gamechanger, but have the right calibration for the application. Technically, you can use any headphone and adjust your ears to the translation.

I spend this past week with SoundID, and I find it complicated in the wrong areas. The interface is not great, the target emulations are not intuitive, some options are confusing. Can it do the job? I supposed so, but I was not willing to invest more time for studying their manual. I already have a great solution.

 

Last edited: Sep 5, 2024

I find SoundID's answer to room simulations quite embarrassing.

I switched to Realphones for all the pairs I've got and it works just awesome!

Next pair might be VSX.