Slate VSX Headphone Tutorial

In this video, I'm giving a Tutorial on how I use Slate VSX Headphone in the studio.
- How to use it with your DAW (Studio one and other DAWs)
- How to set it up on your head and ears and lock it
- How to setup the Ear Profile based on your Ear Canal Size
- How to use the Bypass button
- What to expect when you hear it for the first time
- What Volume level you should use
- How to use VSX emulation rooms to your liking
- What not to do !
This Tutorial will answer most of the questions that people who has the VSX or want to buy it are asking. And will get you into using it as fast as possible without wondering what to do or not to do !
if this video was useful to you in anyway, please support the channel by liking the video and subscribing if you didn't yet.
Please drop your comments down below if you have any other questions that I forgot to cover in this video.
Happy Mixing

[@bossistheboss6996]

Great Tutorial, I have been using VSX now since version 2 and wouldnt be without them, this is a great tutorial for new VSX users!!

[@HomeStudioGuru]

Thanks man...Glad you liked the tutorial

[@tomas_zamba]

Hey, guys. Can you tell me if the VSX is comfortable? I’m looking for something to use for a longer period. Usually, what bothers me the most is clamping force. Does it clamp too tight? I’d appreciate it if you could help me

[@RayneSilverio]

HSG: Thanks for putting together this great tutorial. Love the way you really took the time to go into details and sharing your own workflow. I got the VSX Platinum a couple of days ago and since then, I have learned a lot on the proper use of my VSX based on your video! Thanks again! Quick question: After you get your mix where you would like it to be (after testing it in different emulations), do you render your mix with the VSX plugin enabled in the master channel or do you disable it? I know it may be an obvious question but thought I ask since it wasn't covered at the end. One last question: I use Ozone Advanced in my master channel as a mastering plugin. Do you recommend I use it before or after the VSX plugin in the chain? Thanks again HSG. New fan of channel!

[@HomeStudioGuru]

I'm glad I could be of help. Now regarding your question, I did cover it at the beginning of the video. So the emulation shouldn't be part of your export. So it has to be shut off...VSX has an automatic option to shut off when you export and it is set ON by default. You can see it in the setting next time to "Auto Bypass On Export". Make sure it's enabled and enjoy mixing without thinking about it every time you export.

[@dagovevareberg]

Thanks a lot, this was a very helpful video! Slate should link to this video - all I found in his playlist were a bunch of “ads”. I really like the way you explained how you used different speakers from different rooms to check bass, nasality/harshness in vocals etc. Tip: You should make a 3-5 min video of just those tips, because that’s not necessarily something an inexperienced mixer finds out right away I reckon? And it will boost your channel, I think. Thanks again, I’ll share this video with my friends, very relaxed and to the point presentation too, you know what you’re talking about! Subscribed and liked 👍😀

[@HomeStudioGuru]

Thanks, man...I appreciate your lovely comment...I will take your advice and do a short video with the main tips of this video. Cheers

[@dagovevareberg]

@@HomeStudioGuru Very cool, looking forward to it!

[@ghymanMusic1]

You brought so much understanding, and changed my mind about returning them!!! Slate should pay you!!!

[@HomeStudioGuru]

Thanks Man... glad I could help. ✌️

[@JoeLSoL]

I might purchase soon. Do I mix master all in one session or wait to add the mastering plugins after the mix in the same session?

[@HomeStudioGuru]

If your computer can take mixing and mastering, you can do that but I don't advise it. Try to master after a couple of days totally fresh on a different session. Your master will be more objective and more analytical. If you master while you mix, it will be more of a mixing decision from my experience. About the VSX, always throw it at the end of your chain on the mix bus if you're mixing or mastering bus if you're mastering. Supposed to be the last plugin. Don't put anything after it cause the whole idea is to hear what your plugins are doing in the mix in an emulated studio. You can't do that if there is any plugin after it.

[@MichaelTapes]

Thanks for the video. Helpful. Can you please tell me what the 2SPC button does next the the fave 5 section. Thanks in advance.

[@HomeStudioGuru]

Thanks, man.glad I could help. The 2SPC is an automatic 2-second silence to give your ears enough time to reset before playing in the next room. Our balance through hearing happens through room reflection, in reality, we cannot jump from one room to another.

[@thewedge8823]

Awesome tutorial... But do you really have to use the headphones since the sound is processed anyways? can't you use your studio monitors? since the signal is processed anyways thru the VSX plugin?

[@HomeStudioGuru]

Thanks. You can't use your monitors cause they're under the law of physics of your room. You can not standardise the sound when each person has a different room and different speakers. Vsx was made for Mix translation outside your studio. Wasn't made as an effect plugin for speakers. Though you can still use it as an effect in an experimental way, honestly, there are way better reverb plugins that can do that. All that you have to focus on is, when you finish your mix in VSX, how would it translate outside your studio? In the car, on a Bluetooth speaker, in the club, or on your headphones. That's why studios pay millions of dollars for room acoustics so engineers can hear the real sound and it is coming out of the speakers without the interference of the room? This way, you can edit the sound itself and get perfect translation. Vsx save you millions of dollars and get you inside these studios virtually.

[@thewedge8823]

@@HomeStudioGuru Ok, but I can still hear the mix being affected in my studio monitors... I just hate mixing in headphones, its an extremely unrealistic and artificial sounding image. BTW, I'm also a SAE grad lol

[@HomeStudioGuru]

Yes you can hear the effect of VSX emulation on your speakers. But as I said above, they won't translate. Unless your room is 100% flat and your speakers were 100% flat and the emulation was set to work in your room on your own speakers. Anything else, is just some room effect on your sound that is not gonna help you in anyway in your mix.

[@vargasjose2929]

@@thewedge8823your room (if untreated) will still affect the sound coming out of the speakers regardless. which is why the vsx headphones was made for people that don’t have a well-treated room. it’s purpose to give you a real studio space that emulates rooms with good acoustic treatment that gives you a realistic sound without spending money on a real studio.

[@DJsDayOut]

So is this a plug-in for ableton. Or just it's own software

[@HomeStudioGuru]

It's a standalone and a Vst plugin. Works with any DAW that support VSTs.

[@mikearlotta8635]

Hey would you recommend these for producing as well or only for mixing/mastering? Im about to start producing again on ableton and just found out about these.. if you dont recommend them for writting can you list some good ones.. i was looking at beyerdynamic 900pro xs

[@HomeStudioGuru]

They're super awesome and very light for production. You don't need to use the emulation app with them. They're not super flat without the app but they're really good, light and can be worn for 10 hours without knowing they're on your head. But if you want something different, good for all kinda work. I advise for the Neumann NDH30. I have both VSX and the Neumann that I bought recently. And I love both. I just wish VSX hardware is on the same quality of the Neumann. That's my only concern. I'm always afraid to break the VSX. I have like over 10 headphones, and never had that fear to break them. Other than that, I don't think anything out there competes with the VSX technology as an emulation.

[@rjb6919]

Your other VSX video helped to convince me to grab and then got the expansions in the deal they ran. Thanks for the great tips in here, I've just been throwing mine on so will be sure to set on my ears properly now. This might be a silly question but not seen it covered anywhere - but you do turn VSX off when you export right? I'm questioning myself after noticing such a level mismatch like the threads below have. It is changing the signal so must be off, but then what with the mixdown that's quiet - normalise it?

[@HomeStudioGuru]

Thanks, man...glad I could help. VSX has an option to turn off automatically when you export. You will find it up in the setting. Mine is on the listening bus. So it doesn't get exported even if it's turned on or off...so the vsx level doesn't get exported. Your limiter level. On my limiter, I have a LUFS meter that shows me where is the level. I usually export at a specific LUFS level with a peak of -0.2 dB. Also right before I export...I shut off vsx totally and I listen without the emulation on other systems to compare the levels with other reference tracks and see if my master translates well and that there are no distortion peaks ..but I do this one time at the end.

[@rjb6919]

Can't believe I came back for another watch, and you explained the above 3 mins in! Thank you for pointing out, logically it's the only option of course.

[@ahmetbaykara.mp3]

Of course, I'm not listening to this review through the VSX but Isn't there too much low-end on the "cell phone" profile? I have an iPhone 14 Pro Max with clear bass reproducing but not the real low-end like in this review. What is your opinion about it? What a deep review of the VSX by the way, I appreciate it 🔥

[@HomeStudioGuru]

If you're not listening through the VSX you won't get the right representation of the sound. I have an iPhone 13 Pro and it's so close to vsx under iPhone preset. Also don't forget where you listen to changes the frequency too. But it will get you in the ballpark of an iPhone frequency response. Especially when you master in high volume. The iPhone helps me to work on the distortion on small systems. It's phenomenal man.

[@chrissneider7550]

oh well, 99% of users listen to music from Spotify and Apple Music with the earbuds that come with their phones and in general the music they listen to is pure garbage. It won't matter to them what monitors you used or if you recorded it in the best studio in the world, as long as the song is played on the radio and they tell them it's the best in the world they will consume it. The point is that if you listen to for example the song 'Despacito' which has billions of views on youtube, it is literally garbage sound if you listen to it in a good studio. The point is not so much how good you make your songs sound but how much people like them. Make a song that is pure garbage with a poopy sound but people like it and you've succeeded! just sayin'...

[@HomeStudioGuru]

100%. But if you're a sound engineer who loves your craft, you try to do it the best possible way, and I mean by that not to have any shortcuts. For instance, when I mix a song for a client, I never think who's gonna play it. All I think about if this song was played on any system in the world it will always sound the same. No one knows where these songs go at the end of the day. I would hate though that my client would come to me after a month and go, I played my song in a club or a car and it sounded wrong. It means I failed. And I love my craft not to allow this to happen. So it's not about the listener as much as loving the craft to make it as good as physically possible. What else do I have except music? It's the only thing I do in life and I don't mind wasting extra time to perfect what I do!

[@DanHealymusic]

Pretty sure Decpacito was mixed by Jaycen Joshua who is one of the greatest engineers of all time. 🤔

[@feiloubeats]

@@HomeStudioGuruhey man, this is a good reply. I’m like this as well. Even on my worst days, I love my craft. You’ve made me a fan with this reply. Subbed!

[@yeftasmind]

@@HomeStudioGuru💯🥂

[@Get_Yo_Life]

Typical response from a slacker

[@thewedge8823]

What if we really like how the studio sounds, can we export the mix with the VSX plugin enabled?? Does anyone do that? Or is that not advised?

[@HomeStudioGuru]

You can use VSX as an effect on a certain track..it will give it a reverb room effect. But I don't advise that on the whole track. Cause you're hearing the effect in VSX. But when you move that to another place, it will be phased and the low end will lose its punch. VSX was made to help you hear your mix and edit based on what you're hearing, which is supposed to be the true sound coming out of your DAW. But there are no rules, you can always experiment.

[@mcsstudios101]

I was thinking of getting this. You shed some light on a few things for me. Great video!

[@HomeStudioGuru]

Glad I could help. 🙏

[@mcsstudios101]

@@HomeStudioGuru I had one question i just thought of. My question is output. What are you listening from?... direct from computer or sound board or interface.? I'm wondering if either outputs will color the sound due to individual pre amp amplification/noise. Curious. :)

[@Joeknowsit-ALL]

​@@mcsstudios101I have an Rme fireface 400 connected to Audient Nero monitor station on my Studio PC. And with my laptop I use motu m2 interface. Abd though I jump a lot in between the 3 interfaces I didnt see any effect on the translation. The only time I felt something is wrong when I connected my VSX directly to my asus laptop headphone amp. The sound was a disaster. Other than that you won't feel the difference as long you have a good interface

[@mikearlotta8635]

@@Joeknowsit-ALLwill scarlet solo be ok? Has impedance of max 200ohms

[@WonderlandMad]

Silly question but if you use the EQ in the VSX software L, LM, M, LH, H does that EQ you added translate to the Output file when you master, or is it just for monitoring sound inside the software? TY!

[@HomeStudioGuru]

It just works as a taste for your own ears in the software alone. It helps you in getting the sound to translate. Let's say you're used to the sound in your studio to be bassier than usual to get it right outside the studio. VSX emulation try to get it as flat as possible but it didn't work with some people who are used to having it bassy. So basically you fix it to your taste so it will help you in the final translation. But it won't change anything in the exported mix. It will change in your mixing decisions only.

[@-Deena.]

Nah...

[@HomeStudioGuru]

Cool

[@capionthegreat4582]

Waiting on my vsx headphones delivery today.My mixes are good now but I’m hoping they can take my mixes to a new level.Thank you for the information.Its going to help me get started quicker and informed!

[@jcpuga]

Following for the update

[@yardleylfc]

What do i do when i render my mix. Do i leave the bypass alone?

[@HomeStudioGuru]

Yeah the VSX plugin by default is set to bypass automatically...you can make sure it does in the setting of the VSX.

[@BezaleelIsrael]

Thank you. I saw your first video and I a bought vsx platinum. I have an album to rework now after hearing it on vsx.

[@HomeStudioGuru]

I'm glad I could help with your decision. Hope you will have a blast mixing your first on these awesome headphones

[@youngpmartinez9269]

Great job sir, you have a new subscriber. 🔥🔥🔥

[@HomeStudioGuru]

Thanks man. Glad I could help and thanks for your support

[@youngpmartinez9269]

@HomeStudioGuru of course, my friend.

[@DjR3aper]

I want to use these with my meta quest 3. I'm tempted to turn these rooms into 3d

[@HomeStudioGuru]

That's an awesome idea. Let me know how that worked for you. I might follow too. I wish they give us a 360 degrees view of the studio with head monitor, you can turn your head and hear the sound differently. I believe waves did that with their NX plugins. But waves ain't accurate in terms of mixing like VSX is unfortunately!

[@BigJessMusic]

Helpful video. However, whoever put 2pac’s vocals over this beat…well they didn’t even place them correctly. 🤦🏼‍♂️

[@MichaelDeRusso]

Great explanation 👌 I will buy them soon

[@HomeStudioGuru]

Great 👍

[@dodo13500]

Bought the first version a few years ago, really didn't get it so they went into the closet. Pulled them out about a month ago to give it another try. This video has been just what I needed. Thank you!!!

[@HomeStudioGuru]

I'm so glad I could help.

[@SouthCat]

Thank you! I've had my headphones for awhile now but was never able to get a mix to translate in my favorite rooms. I got it now!

[@HomeStudioGuru]

Glad I could help.

[@sambanks1425]

The best vsx review thank you

[@HomeStudioGuru]

Glad I could help

[@alihassanmusik]

Love the explanation! I am just starting out learning to mix and master, and could only afford VSX (no studio space sadly). Do you think I can learn to mix on VSX alone, until I can afford to build, or get hired to work at, a studio?

[@HomeStudioGuru]

Thanks. Definitely, you can. As a matter of fact, if you start with VSX, your standard will get so high when you wanna build a studio. Cause you won't settle for an unprofessional studio after you taste the real deal.

[@kenedshog]

Thank you for your help. You cleared a few things up for me.

[@HomeStudioGuru]

Thanks. Glad I could help

[@DylanAyalaGtr]

Great video man. I was on the fence but I think you just sold me. One question - does your preference for rooms change depending on the needs of the genre?

[@HomeStudioGuru]

Thanks, man. Regarding my preference, I just change rooms based on my knowledge of what I'm looking for. Like a room with specific speakers for sharp tones in the vocals..others for sub and low end, etc. When you learn all the rooms well, you will find a power in each that will help you to solve a different problem. Take your time with it and understand each room. Just like you start with a real studio. Sometimes it takes me up to 3 months in a new room to calibrate my hearing and my brain. Same with VSX but now you have loads of studios to work with.

[@jeffsstuff6575]

Excellent tutorial. I've been using VSX since 2020 and they are phenomenal! I have to admit that I still struggle with getting my low end correct after being used to my previous studio. For some reason, my low end level is always too high until a check it on my car and then adjust accordingly.

[@HomeStudioGuru]

Thanks, man. Are you using ear Canal 1 or 2 or average? I used to use 1 and suffered the same problem till I realised 2 fit me more and have a bigger bass..so it was calibrated more to my ears.

[@jeffsstuff6575]

@@HomeStudioGuru I'm using Canal 1. I've tried Average. I definitely fit the description for Canal 1 but I'll give Canal 2 a try. Thanks for responding!

[@junovue]

did you ever figure it out?@@jeffsstuff6575

[@makethemix]

I was contemplating returning them. I’ve been trying to mix through them for the last month since getting them. I’m so used to my monitors and doing car checks in my SUV that my ears are not trusting what I hear on the VSX. I will try the tips and tricks from this video. I really want them to work. I can see the use for them and I think I just need to approach the VSX with a different mindset.

[@HomeStudioGuru]

Hold on to them. I had the same feeling the first month I had them. It takes time for our mind to realise the difference between a headphone on purpose head and a room mixed together. All that you should think about, is translation and not how they sound. If you set them right exactly to your ears and profile and do a mix on them, it's supposed to translate right outside the studio. If it didn't? Try to find out what you did wrong or even thought it's right. Also, it all depends on how right was your room. Cause everything you're hearing, you're comparing to your room. I fixed my room frequency response based on the Yellow Matters Midfield and didn't Try to fit my VSX to my room.

[@skipstermusic]

I just got them … this was super helpful..thanks a lot

[@DJsDayOut]

Very helpful video. Thank you for this. Im thinking of getting them.

[@HomeStudioGuru]

I'm glad I could help

[@WernerCarrascofilms]

Is it necessary to use the VSX headphones exclusively? Does the software work with ANY headphone?

[@HomeStudioGuru]

No. The software was designed to work perfectly, translation-wise, to the VSX. Now you can try it with any other headphone I doubt you will get the right translation.

[@enterpriseentertainment3939]

I have a quick question what is the best export settings is it? The emulation reference are from your favorite room, but we had three different systems of speakers.

[@HomeStudioGuru]

Hey man. When exporting, as I mentioned in the video, the emulation will shut off. The emulation is just to help you get a proper mix. Just like a real studio, but it's not made to be exported. Cause it will sound so weird in anything other than the vsx headphones.

[@CoachBillyMcMahon]

Should I mix with these headphones as I produce my song? or wait until my song is finished and then begin mixing from scratch with these headphones on? Thanks.

[@HomeStudioGuru]

You can do both...starting production through them help you specially with chosing the right and wrong samples or sounds...helps you with reverb ...even when you record vocals through them...you can tell how good is the recording or the sound of your room...they're so revealing...so having them in all steps if making music..mixing and mastering is a 😊

[@Emmiekay]

Hi home studio Guru, is it possible to send you a track for you to mix and master it? I will appreciate your response

[@HomeStudioGuru]

Hey man. Email me at [e-mail] and we can discuss it.

[@Emmiekay]

@@HomeStudioGuru Sure!

[@lightburning9693]

How do i identify problems in my mix? I do not know what I am listening for!

[@HomeStudioGuru]

The best way for untrained ears to identify problems is either by training or by comparing your mix to similar mixes in the same volume, that's what we call referencing. I studied sound engineering, and we used to have the professor have a test for us that is very tricky. He used to let us hear a white noise, which is a full spectrum frequency, and then in the white noise he used to increase or decrease frequencies, and we have to figure out which one it is. Doing that in Pink noise is even better. This is the hard and long way, it will take you from 2 to 3 month to train your ears to figure out where are the mistakes in a spectrum of frequencies. The easy way, is having a referencing plugin like ADPTR AB right behind the VSX. So your song will be A and the reference will be B. You can chose at least 16 songs and match their volume automatically to your song before mixing and mastering. The moment you hear the 16 or whatever number of mastered songs and then you flip to your song, you will directly hear the mistakes in your mix. Always start the focus on the low end. How it compares to a mastered song. Followed by the low mid and mudd in the mix. Then look for the midrange and see how yours stands compared to a mastered song and look for the resonance frequencies. Then look for the high mid at 2.5khz and 4khz. Around these areas these frequencies are always harsh and resonant. Then the harshness in the highs. So with all these try to match the levels and frequencies as close as possible to a mastered song and this way, your mix will sound like a mastered song when it's finished and all you need is increasing the volume of your mix in the mastering to match the levels of these mastered songs. So it's a good practice to pick one speaker that you like a lot and use it as your main speakers. Dont jump between rooms while you're mixing. Train your ear one one speaker in a room and it will be easy to find out the mistakes easier when your ears know how music sounds on a certain speaker.

[@SkeadFerdinandMusic]

Thanks for the great video. Just want to know, should VSX be the last plugin on the Pre fader like in your video or the Post Fader position?

[@HomeStudioGuru]

Thanks 😊. Unless you move the Main Fader up or down, it doesn't matter. I just use the Post cause it is easier to locate a place for my signal analysis and vsx right at the end of everything. Pre and post-fader means the signal reaches VSX before that channel fader or after it. Vsx don't get affected by the input signal volume unless you're passing the 0db which will sound like distortion in this case. So as long it is the end of your chain, you can put it anywhere pre or post on both main and listening bus.

[@mph20007]

Are the VSX worth it for a small studio ?

[@HomeStudioGuru]

I think it was made mainly for small studios. Cause those with big studios can get a better acoustic any day than a small studio. Especially the sweet spot. It's impossible to have a good bass in a small studio cause your sweet spot is very close to the middle of the room where the bass disappears totally. I have a small studio and VSX was honestly the best investment I ever spent in my studio. The translation you get with this headphone is like nothing I've seen in my last 25 years working in this business. Seriously, if you're having problems with mix translating outside your studio, buy VSX and get over with it. For this price there is nothing can do what this piece of hardware can do. nothing!!!

[@mph20007]

@HomeStudioGuru Cool man. Thanks for the video. If I can get a Black Friday deal, I'll pick up a set

[@Joeknowsit-ALL]

​@@mph20007glad I could help 😊

[@jonosmitho4212]

Thank you very much for this video, it was very helpful., and you got a new sub! Just bought my vsx today on sale, and I am excited to try them out.

[@HomeStudioGuru]

I'm glad I could help. Thanks 😊

[@khalidalkhamiri7510]

one of perfect lecture about mixing, and a good explanation about VSX Like and follow 👏

[@HomeStudioGuru]

I'm glad that was helpful... thanks for watching

[@medstone3409]

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.

[@HomeStudioGuru]

Did you try to do a mix and see if it translates to other systems regardless of how it sounds in the headphones?! Cause the whole idea of VSX is not how it sounds, but how good it translates?!

[@andthensome512]

You’re spamming every vsx video with the same comment.

[@axelstay]

Hello, excellent video, just one question, how can I know if I am mixing at an adequate volume? Since the headphones are closed, I can't test turning up the music until I can't hear a conversation, or how do you do it?

[@HomeStudioGuru]

If you ever mixed on real monitors. Usually, the best volume level is around 75 to 80spl which is equal to a conversation level. Never mix in high volume. Stop exactly when you feel the music is relaxed and getting to your ears. Anything above that, is noise and will exaggerate a lot of frequencies that are not actually in there l.

[@axelstay]

@@HomeStudioGuru yes but how i know that I am in 80 dbSPL in headphones??

[@HomeStudioGuru]

As I said in my previous message. Conversation volume. If you get someone in your studio and talk to them in a normal conversation volume, no shouting, no screaming, that would be the right music volume. It has to be as relaxing to the ears as possible so you can sit for hours without feeling stressed or annoyed by the volume.

[@karma_moths]

Excellent tutorial on how to use these headphones the right way - thank you very much - I learned a lot - been doing a few things wrong but did not realise until I watched this.

[@HomeStudioGuru]

So glad I could help

[@kissfist1]

Thank you man! That was a super helpful video for this new VSX customer. Rock on!

[@HomeStudioGuru]

Glad I could help. Now hit the studio and make some awesome music 🎶

[@khalilroukoz]

video too long bareley understood anything, are you able to break it down under 3 mins how to use this, or simulate a live project,thank you

[@HomeStudioGuru]

Sure man...I'm working on a new video for VSX that is 10mn only and it includes the new updates that I didn't include in my old video. Sorry for the long video.

[@khalilroukoz]

@@HomeStudioGuru Sweet,thank you sir, would be much appreciated, mainly trying to understand how to compare, or to set a target or what to mix against, a ref or room or both, I was able to gain stage between the bypassed sound and the room sound, so needed to learn this piece of the puzzle. Ex: if im listenin to the mix in a SUV should i be aiming to get as close to the same levels ? I checked out so many videoa yet did not find any! Out of all them Ii felt you knew more about it, you beoke it down niceley! Apologies if I came off a bit harsh, I need to tone it down ! Thanks again!

[@khalilroukoz]

@@HomeStudioGuru Nope video not too long , think i got impatient to finding the answer! again mh apologies! Cheers

[@jonsnow5518]

some very helpful tips thanks

[@andyjamescourt]

Thanks so much buddy,very helpful indeed

[@HomeStudioGuru]

Glad it helped

[@onoesmurlocs]

I am learning to mix and still not decided if I like VSX yet, but I learned a few things here that seem to be help using them , thanks! I did a mix last night and set the drums level and didn't change it the whole mix and sort of mix into it , I found that really helpful , I don't know if that is a common thing people do.

[@HomeStudioGuru]

Till a certain time in the mix. This is 100% right. Except if your client ask for a very hot mix, about 8 or 6 LUFS. this is the only time I would touch the kick and Bass levels. But other than that I would never touch them

[@doum]

Do it its a game changer

[@lilocapitalT-ix4nz]

for best results should i mix start to finish wth vsx, or could i mix with my monitors and check with diff vsx rooms?

[@HomeStudioGuru]

I like mixing on my monitors and I just make sure that all my mix is right with VSX. But you still can mix the whole thing on VSX...I did two songs in a hotel in the UK from scratch to finish...they sounded like they were in my studio...but it cause headache having a headphone for hours and hours..I prefer my ears to be relaxes

[@lilocapitalT-ix4nz]

@@HomeStudioGuru ok, thanks for the response

[@nickteslamusic]

Thanks for the Video! It was a lot of help!

[@HomeStudioGuru]

Glad I could help. 🍻

[@anthonyacosta7235]

Great info glad I listened

[@HomeStudioGuru]

Glad I could help 🙏

[@doum]

Thanks really well explain!

[@HomeStudioGuru]

Glad I could help! 🍻

[@djcj]

Thanks!

[@HomeStudioGuru]

Thanks for watching.

[@GenoMusic]

Awesome vid! Curious, what`s your opinion on the new Yellow Matter Studios room?

[@HomeStudioGuru]

Thanks, man...I kinda like them, but I still didn't gotten used to them..they're so analytical ... in my studio, I use the same Neumann KH120 in the nearfield and I have it nearfield too...so it was amazing to see how close to mine it is...I'm using also Soundid in my room with my 3 monitors. I think Yellow Matter Studio is different than all the others in terms of tone...they're toned very very mid and high..less muddy...but I use it only to find a mistake...I can't stay there..it gives me a headache. Especially the sharpness in the highs and ssss in the vocals are very very clear in this studio. There's nothing like it in all the other studios...so it fills the missing parts.

[@KyleValet]

mucho gracias!!!!!!

[@HomeStudioGuru]

Most welcome 🙏 🤗

[@kiddakotamusic]

After placing the VSX as the last plugin on my master fader why does it decrease my master volume so much? Why is there such a discrepancy between the Slate VSX Out Level VSX and my Pro Tools master bus? What meters do you use for mix reference? Clearly you would have to use the Slate VSX Out Level meter as the master bus meter is suddenly about 10db quieter. The meter on the Out Level, however, is not the best for detailed mixing. Also, if you're relying on the Slate Out Level meter for your volume information, you have to keep opening the plugin. Clearly I am doing something wrong. Please help!

[@HomeStudioGuru]

Hey man. I believe I explained that in the video. Having a headphone on your head is different from hearing speakerd from far away. Vsx ain't a headphone. It is an emulation of speakers in a studio that is far from you. Some of them are as far as 2 meters away. So that's why the volume sounds lower. That's why also I mentioned that you shouldn't use the bypass button from your DAW. Instead, use the bypass button on the vsx which is calibrated to keep the same volume. Now watch out, the same volume doesn't mean the same energy. The further the speaker is away from you the less the energy and the more room coming into your ears. So you can't compare headphones to a studio. That's why mixing engineers mix in very low volume in studios. But you will feel something is wrong if you never mixed in a real studio with speakers very far away from you, the whole VSX concept will be weird for you. But you need to get acquainted with it. It might take you 2 to 3 weeks to get used to that. Usually, it takes me from a month to 2 months to get used to a new studio. Cause my brain is calibrated to my old studio. Same with you. If you mixed on headphones for a long time, you will feel everything is wrong. Cause you're used to music coming out of the headphones directly to your ears. There is no distance. That's what they call the perfect frequency. But VSX is not a headphone unless you're using it as a headphone emulation. Even the emulation of open headphones will sound weirder for you. Now what you have to do. Is keep vsx on all the time and press bypass on the vsx itself. Keep the levels always low when you're mixing. You should never mix in high volume. The perception will be totally wrong. Steven Slate knows what he's doing cause he's an engineer himself and knows volume should be low while mixing and that's why he calibrated it this way.

[@kiddakotamusic]

I understand that it's a speaker emulation. But when I'm mxing I try to maximize volume in my DAW so I'm constantly consulting the master bus level to make sure I'm getting the loudest mix possible without peaking. When you use VSX, the master bus meter becomes useless because the volume is decreased so dramatically. So how do you tell if your overall mix volume is peaking? Only by the Out Level VSX meter? If so, that's incredibly inefficient as you will have to keep opening the plug in whenever you want to verify you mix volume. Perhaps I'm not making myself clear.@@HomeStudioGuru

[@nicolasfernandez4747]

get the youlean loudness meter for free and put it before vsx @@kiddakotamusic

[@dilloinitaliano]

@@kiddakotamusicI’m having the same problem. Did you find a solution?

[@kiddakotamusic]

​@@dilloinitaliano The only solution is to create an aux that functions as a second master. It's kind of a pain but it works.

[@PuTiBuNdO]

Well, like others said, very good explanation, but I'm still a little lost of how to use it.. so let me see, I record then when i proceed to m mixing, I will mix with the VSX using a room, not mixing as I mix before with the other headphones... and at the end of exploring and tweak my mix around the rooms It should be a better mix?, I was listening to project's that I finished before VSX and to my understanding they sound very good, but when I add the VSX at the end and start listening on different rooms is very awful, I might doing something wrong here..

[@HomeStudioGuru]

Did your mixes, that sounded good before, translated well outside your studio or headphones? Or it sounded good only on your old headphones or speaker system in the studio. The idea of VSX is not how it sounds. Sounding good doesn't help much here, otherwise, no one would have used the Yamaha NS10 ever. It's all about accuracy and translation. Like if you mix a song in a studio, does it sound the same in the car, in the club, on headphones, or small speakerphones? That's what the VSX or a calibrated studio was made for. To be accurate enough to get your mix out to the world. Now if your mix already translated well and sounded good everywhere after mixing in your studio or headphones, and you find it sounding weird in VSX, it's one of these problems. Either you were mixing on headphones before, and never mixed on studio monitors that are far from you or something is wrong in your setup or you might have a faulty VSX, or your wire is not plugged properly. If you never mixed in a studio before, VSX will sound ad weird to you as you enter a real studio now and hear your mix for the first time. No matter how good it was mixed on headphones, it's a big mess, cause there are only a few headphones out there that are accurate enough for mixing, and none of them is less than 1500 dollars. So all I mentioned above are questions I usually ask to solve a problem. Any of these questions could be what is happening depending on your answer. So I will wait to see which scenarios are you in and then give you the right answer

[@OmgItsAlexOfficial]

Very helpful. Where can I find the song?

[@HomeStudioGuru]

Thanks, man. You can find it on my Soundcloud on this link on.soundcloud.com/EWkTs

[@coldskoolbeatz]

1:16 If you use Cubase add it to the Control Center, which Studio One got the "Listen Bus" idea from.😂

[@HomeStudioGuru]

True. I was one of the first who requested this option from Presonus on their request forum, me and thousands others after I saw how useful it is in Cubase.

[@andthensome512]

This is a great video.

[@HomeStudioGuru]

Thanks man

[@andthensome512]

@@HomeStudioGuru I just ordered them.

[@Joeknowsit-ALL]

​@@andthensome512enjoy great accurate mixes.

[@thegroove2000]

Do the headphones also have correction?

[@HomeStudioGuru]

Yes. If you go on Headphone HD linear which is the last one. This is the VSX headphone frequency response flattened 100%. Also, you have in the VSX software an extra eq with 5 bands to customize the whole experience based on your taste.

[@thegroove2000]

Nice thanks. Would you recommend this headphone system?@@HomeStudioGuru

[@Joeknowsit-ALL]

@thegroove2000 I honestly can't recommend it enough!!! If you train your ears on these headphones properly. You will do wonders in mixing and mastering. There's nothing out there in this price range that can remotely do anything close to the VSX. I count on it now as my business partner lol

[@Marsouin-tz8vx]

​@@HomeStudioGuru I have VSX and I wonder if the HD linear correction is always activated even with the studios emulations. Do you know something about that?

[@HomeStudioGuru]

​@Marsouin-tz8vx the flat correction emulation is always on as long you're using Bypass from the vsx itself and not the DAW bypass. So HD linear 1 and 2 which one you chose turn on when you use the bypass. Otherwise the VSX was corrected first then emulated. So the correction is always on as long as the plugin is on at all time.

[@oliverqueen3434]

Maybe you should do a video to compare full mix and mastering between VSX and your studio monitors... I am search for headphones and now i'm between VSX and Neumann NDH 30.

[@HomeStudioGuru]

Good idea. I have a new song that I'm preparing to mix and master for the channel. So I will do two mixes with the vsx and with my studio monitors and compare them with the listeners on the channel. Neumann is good but it can't compare to VSX in terms of translation. Only AUDEZE MM500 Or any headphone above the 1500 dollars in the Planars field can compete with VSX. It's really hard to beat cause its not supposed to be a headphone.

[@radovanstepanov9355]

For me ndh30 and mm500 sound pretty similar. Both have great midrange that is great for translation.

[@johnvcougar]

@@radovanstepanov9355”At the end of the day,” if you have a pair of cans that you are happy with, and whose mixes translate well, then you don’t need much else! Personally, I find the VSX cans plasticky and kind of cheap-feeling, compared to my Beyers or my LCDs. But the sound modelling is very interesting.

[@johnvcougar]

I think you’ll get a better listening experience if you lose the cap and let the headphones seal against your head.

[@Joeknowsit-ALL]

@johnvcougar definitely. Its just that im bald head and the light shines badly on my head 😆 so I keep the hat to reduce the reflection 😔

[@joseantoniozegarra8965]

Is there any problem if you put the vsx plugin in the post fader part?

[@HomeStudioGuru]

As long you don't move the Master fader there's no problem. As you want the level to be consistent coming out of the last plugin which is the limiter. Cause the nice thing about the VSX is that when it peaks it distorts. So even the True Peaks in there they distort too. So it's a good sign to know how much you should limit too

[@coldskoolbeatz]

That remix sounds dope!💯💯💯

[@HomeStudioGuru]

Thanks man.

[@eaabr9595]

Amazing video...! Thanks...!

[@HomeStudioGuru]

You're welcome

[@illson72]

That was helpful

[@HomeStudioGuru]

Glad I could help 😊

[@Ezrashah]

Hi Joe, Thank you or that tutorial, it was super helpful and a great starting point. I just got these headphones yesterday. I have a question for you, (and would also be keen to hear others' thoughts on this if you see this comment): When you are at the composition phase of the track (ie when you are just starting out), do you bypass Slate VSX or do you use near-field monitor emulation from the very start? (I imagine its the latter but i just thought I'd check)

[@HomeStudioGuru]

Thanks mate for your comment. I'm glad I could help. Now regarding producing music with VSX. I don't like to use a headphone or even my studio system when I produce music. I'm a producer and engineer and learned not to mix or even try to be critical when I'm producing music. I don't want to think about frequencies, I just wanna make music. So, I have those 2 small logic speakers that I produce music on, they keep me out of the critical engineer mind. But where I use VSX in production is while choosing low-frequency samples, like Kick and Bass. As 50hz in my room has a long decay time. So a kick that has a length of 120ms will stop at 1 full second. I need to fix that, but 50hz solutions cost a lot of money. So here is where I use vsx to choose the right kick that fits with the right bass in terms of time. You can always do that with an LFO plugin later on in mixing, but somehow, I like it this way. Also, it helps me find the best microphone recording spot in my studio. Though my studio is treated mainly for vocals, the accuracy of VSX helps me with mic placement to get the best sound possible, was it acoustic guitar or vocals. Other than that, I don't use VSX till after I finish my mix on my studio monitors. I usually fix the kick and bass with VSX first, and I don't touch them till I finish the mix on my monitors Now it doesn't mean you can't use VSX from the beginning. I used it once while I was on a trip. I produced a song, mixed it and mastered it on my laptop only with VSX. So you can do that, and you won't notice any latency while it's on. I heard so many stories of people doing both scenarios. So to each their taste of doing things. But both scenarios were successful. So I don't see any problem using it from the beginning if that would help you in any way through your production journey.

[@Ezrashah]

@@HomeStudioGuru Thanks so much for your valuable input. I think I will get used to using it from the get-go as I’m going to be travelling in 2 months and will be away for a while. When you’re working on kick and bass, do you have a preferred room? And what kind of monitors would you use for that (still near-field?)

[@HomeStudioGuru]

I usually like Mike Dean's farfields. Cause its low is massive with 2x18inch subwoofers. Perfect to see what's happening in the very low end. Specially that I do a lot of hiphop and electronic music with very heavy sub bass

[@fabricator.cap.hill.seattle]

Oh pleaaase don't ever play that Dear Mama remix ever again.

[@HomeStudioGuru]

Sure

[@Taneracikgoz]

Well you are really a guru of home studio 😁 Thank you for explaining everything you know. I will buy this headphone soon when I got the money👋 High Five big brother 😁

[@HomeStudioGuru]

Glad I could be of help. ✌️