SoundID Reference Virtual Monitoring Add-on: See it in action

Introducing SoundID Reference Virtual Monitoring Add-on!
Choosing between speakers and headphones has always been a crucial decision for creators. Each option offers a distinct listening experience but comes with its own set of advantages and limitations. With SoundID Reference Virtual Monitoring Add-on, we've reimagined headphone mixing, bringing it to a level that rivals studio-grade speaker monitoring.
This DEMO video demonstrates how it simulates the immersive experience of listening on studio speakers, in cars, or in living rooms, all within your headphones.
You too can get high-end studio monitoring in your headphones and no more "inside your head" sound feel when monitoring.
👉 Hear realistic simulations of high-quality near-, mid-, and far-field speakers calibrated to reliable flat reference sound.
👉 Monitor your mix reliably on virtually simulated speakers inside your headphones. Works with over 500 supported headphones from our best-in-class database.
👉 With Virtual Monitoring, Translation Check includes 10 revamped spatial simulations of various consumer devices - cars, laptops, phones, and TVs.
👉 It allows you to apply it to all content your machine plays. The virtual studio captures the essence of a treated control room, using a stylized aesthetic that's both engaging and easy to interpret.
Try SoundID Reference Virtual Monitoring Add-on now! Free trial is available 👉 bit.ly/48LUxEz
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[@DavidFlow]

Just dropping by to pay my respect to Sound ID Reference , the virtual monitoring add on is a game changer for me, it save me countless hours of mixing ,especially balancing work which is very tricky and complicated, thank you very much for making my mixing and mastering work so so so much reliable and secure...First time that i feel completely confident on headphones.. im in love of this .😍

[@SoundIDCreators]

Hi David, I hope you are doing well! We are happy to receive your positive feedback on the Virtual Monitoring add-on. Keep in mind that the feature is fairly new and there will be more updates and improvements to make it even better in the long term. Thanks! 💪

[@mavicsofficial]

Love it ! I tested it both systemwide (Spotify, Tracks 5 standalone etc) and as a DAW application playing a wide range of reference tracks. In my DAW's control room I have all the Waves NX versions first and the SoundID Reference plugin last. Tested with Neumann NDH-30 and Sennheiser HD 650 cans. Waves NX Abbey Road Studio, Germano Studios, Ocean Way Nashville and CLA, all with ambience set at low 60%. SoundID Reference Virtual Monitoring sounds right - just like good monitors in a well treated room. Moreover, the fact that you can use this systemwide as well is a breakthrough, you then get the same crossfeed and ambience (Spotify) as in your DAW. In the future I hope to see a few more monitor alternatives (while maintaining the CPU load low). Well done, Sonarworks !

[@jeconiamaasbach]

Verry nice! I use to do this with different plugins on my master bus, but now can do it directly in de soundid plugin! 🔥

[@SoundIDCreators]

Hi Jeconia, Thank you for the great feedback! We are happy to hear that the VM addon is a great addition to the SoundID Reference app. It opens a new perspective on how to tweak your mix or even just when listening to music. Have a wonderful day!

[@Dave_Crewe]

"Stable internet connection (offline use not supported)" - why on earth would you make this a requirement?

[@SoundIDCreators]

Hello, Thank you for the comment. Unfortunately, based on the previous products we have released, a decision of not having an offline activation was taken. The reason is quite simple - to counter piracy. I hope this answers your question. If there is anything else I may help you with, please let us know!

[@Dave_Crewe]

@@SoundIDCreators So the internet requirement is just for activation? Once activated the plugin can be used offline? If that's the case, that's totally fine but you should reword that information, because it reads as if you cannot use the plugin whilst offline.

[@SoundIDCreators]

Hi Dave, Thank you for the comment! Unfortunately, the activation has to take place when online and the software has a built-in mechanism that would recheck the license legitimacy after several days. The timeframe is always randomized thus using the software offline won't be possible. I hope this answers your question.

[@Dave_Crewe]

@@SoundIDCreators Thank you. Is this also the case with non-upgraded Sound ID Reference?

[@SoundIDCreators]

This applies to all SoundID Reference products apart from the old legacy Reference 4 software. Hope this helps!

[@ruthlesslykind1]

I just bought the above SoundID Reference Virtual Monitoring Add-on and it literally transformed my headphones into the most amazing creatures. I settled on the Mid filed setting and then compared my headphones with my Adam Audio A7V near-fields and I could barely tell the difference. Besides the obvious lack of being able to feel the bass in my body that I can with the monitors, the software recreated the sound stage perfectly if not better in some ways. I'll have to live with them for awhile to get the nuances but I can immediately say that this is the best 49 bucks I've spent so far on my system.

[@SoundIDCreators]

Hello, Thank you for the great feedback! We really appreciate that the Virtual Monitoring Add-on has found a place in your workflow and that the results are great compared to your monitors! Hope it will bring new ideas, better mixing decisions, and will allow hear your music in new ways.

[@Kingchord2000]

Purchased it a while ago. What an excellent experience! It's as if I'm listening to actual monitors. I love the effect! Kudos to Sonarworks!!!

[@SoundIDCreators]

Hello, Thank you for the great feedback! We are always working on improving our product and implementing some innovative features. Glad you are enjoying it! Have a wonderful day.

[@dzonidbejsist4336]

This was just released a couple of days ago. How did you purchase it "a while ago"???

[@Kingchord2000]

@@dzonidbejsist4336 Sonarworks emailed me yesterday.

This is awesome!

[@SoundIDCreators]

Thank you for the great feedback! 😎

[@XRaym]

Oh, it's an add-on ? I would have expect this to be native, as the based software is not cheep. I dont see the price for the add-on. Nice to have these features at sonarworks level though.

[@SoundIDCreators]

Hi, Thank you for the feedback! Yes, the Virtual Monitoring Add-On is not included within the regular license. As an addition to SoundID Reference, it can be purchased separately at our store, on the very first page. I hope this helps!

[@tablaninja]

This is great! Easily worth the price.

[@SoundIDCreators]

Hello, I hope you are doing well. Thank you for the great feedback! We are happy to hear that our new addition to SoundID Reference is making a difference! If you have any questions, please reach out to us via our support center. Thank you!

[@username30020]

1:25 what is the title text doing at the center lol

[@rafaelmatosdasilva]

aahhah loved this!

[@rafaelmatosdasilva]

Hopefully, you will add something that simulates an auratone, to check things mono and some earbuds since a lot of people hear mixes that way. These are crucial to get your mixes translate. Having TV translation check is not a priority for most people, so i don't see the point of having them first.

[@rafaelmatosdasilva]

Through multiple trials, I have come to realize some issues with this virtualization generic approach. Here are my observations: 1. If your headphones cannot reproduce sound below a certain frequency range, such as 30 to 60 Hz, Sonarworks cannot enhance the low-end for you. This is important to note, as it may mislead some users into thinking that this tool can magically add low-end to their headphones as if you were listening through an actually high-end set of studio monitors. 2. If virtual monitoring is compensating for the bias of your headphones to achieve a flat response, then using different headphones with this system should produce similar outcomes since all headphones are calibrated to be as flat as possible. However, this is not the case, and the results are vastly different. Therefore, it is difficult to determine the "truth". 3. I have noticed some issues with the phantom center - it appears to be blurry, and the overall virtualization lacks depth when compared to other systems. From my perspective, this serves as more of an "Environment Tester" than an actual virtual monitoring system.

[@ph9674]

this is already available since ages in "translation check" and then "mixcubes"

[@rafaelmatosdasilva]

​@@ph9674 ​ @spaceflexin in this new Virtual Monitoring for headphones there isn't. It's only available for Monitors calibration, which is a different thing. Those translation checks for mixcubes and others are gone as soon you enable virtual monitoring. Virtual monitoring has a completely different set of translation checks. They are not interchangeable.

[@SoundIDCreators]

Hello, Thank you for the great comment! Yes, as per the Virtual Monitoring (VM) add-on, we currently do not have separate speakers/studios to choose from. As for now, the only options available within the VM are Car, Laptop, Smartphone, and TV emulation. It differs from the regular translation check with crossfeed and room simulation. I hope this helps! Thank you for the feedback! It is really appreciated.

[@rafaelmatosdasilva]

@@SoundIDCreators what about everything else i've mentioned? 1. If your headphones cannot reproduce sound below a certain frequency range, such as 30 to 60 Hz, Sonarworks cannot enhance the low-end for you. This is important to note, as it may mislead some users into thinking that this tool can magically add low-end to their headphones as if you were listening through an actually high-end set of studio monitors. 2. If virtual monitoring is compensating for the bias of your headphones to achieve a flat response, then using different headphones with this system should produce similar outcomes since all headphones are calibrated to be as flat as possible. However, this is not the case, and the results are vastly different. Therefore, it is difficult to determine the "truth". 3. I have noticed some issues with the phantom center - it appears to be blurry, and the overall virtualization lacks depth when compared to other systems.

[@majarimusician]

Tried this VM add-on to SoundID in my studio, with HD600s. Disappointed, not anywhere near the quality of the Waves Abbey Road plugin. However, I do use the SoundID HD600 Headphone Eq and not the one built into Waves AR. This is the first iteration of this Sound ID Virtual Monitoring add-on. Hopefully it will improve over time, maybe even to include actual famous studio simulations (like Abbey Road). Try harder Sonarworks!

[@SoundIDCreators]

Hello, Thank you for the feedback! It is really appreciated. It's our first addon, but with time we will only get better 😎

[@denizenofclownworld4853]

Shit's a gimmick either way.

[@RudeWolfy]

Is the HRTF generic or can I customize stuff like head dimensions? Also - why not let me capture the IR of my room and lay that on the headphone DSP, so I can bring my speaker sound everywhere?

[@SoundIDCreators]

Hello, I hope you are doing great! Currently, the VM addon is a generic studio profile and no personal customizations are not available. The only option to customize would be the custom target which works in a similar fashion as your regular custom target. As per adding your own studio sound, I will forward all of the feedback to our product team for further discussion. It would indeed be a nice feature as it could bring a lot of potential. Thank you!

[@savagerift8727]

Yeah, top. This is really going to help. It keeps the profile for my headphones engaged which is what I want, in contrast to the 'Translation Check' options. Can we have a smoother transition on low latency buffers when switching between Near field, Mid field and Farfield?

[@SoundIDCreators]

Hello, Thank you for the comment! If you are experiencing any issues with the new update or have any feedback regarding the latest update, please let us know by creating a support request via our website, support center. Looking forward to hearing back from you.

[@VPROXE-HELLRAISER]

So it's like Canopener but in the plugin? Hmmmm🤔 different studios would be nice just like the Slate ones

[@SoundIDCreators]

Hello, Thank you for the feedback! It is indeed a great idea and we will forward this feature request for discussion. Thank you! If there are any additional questions, please reach out to us via our support center.

[@drvoodoo3073]

I'd like to upgrade my Reference 4 (headphones and monitors) to the new SoundID Reference, will there be a Black Friday sale next month?

[@SoundIDCreators]

Hello, Thank you for the comment! Unfortunately, I am unaware of any upcoming sales in the near future. We have had Black Friday sales in the past thus there might be a chance that we hold a sale this year. I'd suggest keeping an eye out during black Friday. Keep note, that there are no guarantees that we might hold the sale. I would strongly suggest subscribing to our Newsletter via our website so you don't miss out when we hold a regular or a flash sale. I hope this helps!

[@drvoodoo3073]

@@SoundIDCreators I am subscribed, hope there's a sale this year!

[@SoundIDCreators]

There's always a posibility 😎

[@SoundIDCreators]

Hello, Thank you for reaching out! Yes, we did hold a Black Friday sale. Unfortunately, the sale is over and it's out of my boundaries to issue a discount after the promotion. So far I am not aware of any discounts soon, but, likely, this is not the only sale that we are going to hold. In order to not miss out, subscribe to our newsletter at the bottom of the website here: www.sonarworks.com/blog/product-news If you have any additional questions, please reach out to us. We'll be happy to help!

[@MichaelSchuerig]

Nice, a free trial. But how much is it when I decide to buy it? I'd like to know beforehand. Please add the add-on to your store.

[@SoundIDCreators]

Hello, Thank you for the comment. Currently, it can be found on the very first page of the store. We will look into adding the addon in other store tabs so it will be easier to find for other users. Thank you for the feedback.

[@MichaelSchuerig]

@@SoundIDCreators Sorry, yes, you're right. I looked under "Upgrades".

[@SoundIDCreators]

Glad you found it. Thank you! Have a wonderful day!

[@artsymoods7839]

Seems cool in stereo, but can it also simulate being in a Dolby Atmos Studio Room ? (I mean, not like Binaural) Also can I export those new kinds of preset into my Merging Anubis?

[@SoundIDCreators]

Hello, Thank you for reaching out! As per the Dolby Atmos Studio Room, we do not have multiple options from studios to choose from, but it is indeed a great idea. What you can do is use the Dolby Target which would have a standardized frequency response coming for the Virtual Speakers and will produce a great result. For VM export functionality, currently, this is not available. I will forward both requests forward to our developer team for further discussion. Thank you! If there are any additional questions, please reach out to us via our support center.

[@artsymoods7839]

@@SoundIDCreators Thanks for your answers! I really love the simplicity of those standard speaker setup, so first thing congrats for this, and I'll try the Dolby Target. Thanks for considering adding Atmos Studio Room, because that would be quite interesting and making thing easier to setup faster. Also, if you could add the Apple Spatial Audio too, which is a tiny bit different than Dolby Atmos apparently, that would be the perfect all in one most useful soft ever! 👌

[@axelltaylor]

@@artsymoods7839dolby atmos for headphones (dolby access) custom preset with only virtual surround check, combine with sonaroworks atmos target in APO mode, atmos content film/tvseries/games with atmos support work pefect. Only dd+ atmos on Windows (movies e tv app only can decode atmos metadata) and the dolby access is the room 7.1.4 can decode max dd+ atmos, if u play standard surround 5.1/7.1 ac3/dd+ use flat target on sonarworks and dolby atmos room (dolby atmos for heaphones custom preset only check surround virtual)

[@axelltaylor]

Target atmos is correct only with atmos source (eac3 atmos dd+ or selected games like re2remake or the last metro)

[@axelltaylor]

Dolby atmos for headphones is the same headphones virtuallizzation of dolby atmos render and work with sonaroworks plugin atmos target perfect. Good job sonarworks !

[@nuttapongpunpipat918]

finally, a headphone virtuallization bundled with speaker calibration software my laptop come with pre-installed Dolby Atmos, but it does not do headphone virtualization on normal stereo (it seem designed to do that but it seem buggy wheb comming to headphone virtualization, it is not work correctly) now with this paid software, i got both

[@SoundIDCreators]

Thank you for the feedback! We are happy to hear that Virtual Monitoring is making a difference. 😎 There will be updates and more customization options available in the future since this add-on is relatively new. Stay tuned!

[@blackorangegraphite]

I compared it to Sienna and Acustica Audio is far ahead Sonarwork's technology.

[@AngeloMerte]

I activated the trial but I can't click on "enable" for some reason. Already reinstalled it...

[@pierrepicot]

Same here !

[@spencerb2631]

same

[@SoundIDCreators]

Hi everyone! There have been some server issues today, but everything should be back up and running now. Rebooting and launching the trial again should now work 💌

[@spencerb2631]

Still not working for me. Now the sonarworks site itself isn't even loading @@SoundIDCreators

[@AngeloMerte]

@@spencerb2631 Same

[@youngfelakuti5330]

Game Changer

[@SoundIDCreators]

SoundID Reference always has been on top of the leaderboard. 😎

[@toesuc]

Does this also emulate room reflections or just crossfeed?

[@SoundIDCreators]

Hello, Thank you for the great comment! VM is a combination of both crossfeed and spatial room simulation of certain devices and environments (a well-balanced studio). This is especially great if you are just using headphones to have a different post-mix check, lessen listening fatigue, and have a studio space where you are unable to bring it with you. Learn more about the VM plugin here: tinyurl.com/SonarworksVM I hope this helps!

[@DayVDingo]

honestly i think its bs thaat you have to pay so much for just the headphone edition plus the emulations for a total of 150$ its not really that gound breaking when its just eq'd audio to sound flat, that make it sound nice but still needs work and more to offer for a price like that "DT880 headphones 250ohm"

[@SoundIDCreators]

Hello, Thank you for the comment! Since Virtual Monitoring is a relatively new feature to SoundID Reference, there should be more customisability options available in the future to match your personal needs. SoundID Reference might seem simply as an EQ but there is more into it - numerous measurements taken in our audio lab to see how headphones perform and how to tweak them for the flat standart. There is much more than a simple EQ and, in addition, there are custom targets and translation checks that will allow you to edit your existing flat target and reproduce how the sound will be on other devices - mobile phones, car audio systems, etc. I hope this helps!

[@DayVDingo]

@@SoundIDCreators I get that, but still I ran through the room simulations and found them to sound very displeasing, the phone one sounds very close to my iPhone good job on that, but the car sim just sounds bad, even with a test mix from artist I enjoy.

[@SoundIDCreators]

I appreciate the feedback and will forward it to our product developer team. Perhaps we will be able to improve on the translation check modes! Thanks!

[@SchulleHBS]

Ist das so ne Art Crossfeed Plugin?!

[@SoundIDCreators]

Hello, Thank you for reaching out! It is an additional feature of our software that allows users to simulate a studio environment within their headphones. This allows to open new perspectives whilst listening or making music. In my opinion, it also reduces listening fatigue when mixing on headphones for extended periods of time. Give it a try by activating a trial from our website, in your User account. I hope this helps!

[@brokenheartsyndrome4881]

i´d rather have my "old" functioning sonarworks reference back, rather than buggy, but fancy looking software and addons nobody needs. i really loved your stuff. then you guys rebranded to soundid and after that it just got worse and worse and worse. sorry 4 flaming, just my 2 cents on this.

[@SoundIDCreators]

Hello, Thank you for reaching out! After the new update, we have indeed encountered some unexpected errors since it was a major update - a new driver. However, there are workarounds and options to install the previous versions that will work as flawlessly as good old Reference 4. If you require assistance, please let us know by submitting a request here: soundid-reference.support.sonarworks.com/hc/en-us/requests/new I hope this helps!

[@Pearlpassionstudio]

Reference 4 with your studio monitors is great...This add on virtual monitoring is worthless to me. When I mix session, it has to work on ALL devices. Using the TV. iPod, phone, what ever listed changes the entire sound EQ. I took my best mix that was great on room, studio, car, iPhone and listened to this on the headphones and sounded unmixed. Please trial this before purchase. Try this. Take a profession mix you think is great, put it on a session and playback the studio monitors, then switch the headphones to your choice of listening experience, then make your decision to purchase.

[@Harrysound]

I really like the sound and space of the mix with the virtual monitoring. I fail to see how this helps in mixing? My goal is to get a mix that sound like this plugin....without this plugin.

[@Harrysound]

In fact you know what, the Car check and living room check etc sound like I'm watching a KZbin video and the sound is in someones car or living room being picked up by the camera microphone rather than actually sounding like a living room or car.

[@silkroad1201]

You can make your mix sound exactly "like this plug in", but if your room and monitors aren't perfectly treated and flat, then it will only sound good on your monitors in your room. I think you're missing the point of the software lol

[@Harrysound]

@@silkroad1201 on the contrary. I use sonarworks. I just don’t see the benefit of using this spatial add on. If I mix it through this then listen elsewhere it’s just not going to work.

[@SoundIDCreators]

Hi, Thanks for writing in! Virtual Monitoring offers a spatial simulation of stereo studio speakers right on your headphones. Used during the mixing process, this tool allows you to create better mixes on headphones, ensuring an even more consistent sound translation across various devices. It also may reduce listening fatigue when headphones are used quite extensively. It is also great if you are unable to mix within your studio and require the studio aucustics. Virtual Monitoring also comes with 10 new spatial simulations of consumer devices. To learn more about Virtual Monitoring, see our guide here: Virtual Monitoring Add-On for SoundID Reference (soundid-reference.support.sonarworks.com/hc/en-us/articles/13898987783698) Let us know if you have any questions!

[@espressomen]

Please publish your professional work and process of mixing and mastering with only this plug-in and headphones. Without that, I don't think we will understand the value of this plug-in.

[@SoundIDCreators]

Hello, Thank you for reaching out! We have a detailed video for a plugin workflow on our KZbin channel: SoundID reference Please try searching for the following - Setting up with the SoundID Reference DAW plugin - and you will find our getting started video. I hope this will be useful and informative!

[@MR_Cellarpop]

Great

[@SoundIDCreators]

Thank you for the feedback! We are grateful to hear the feedback on the new feature in SoundID Reference. This will open a new perspective on how you listen and create music.

[@MR_Cellarpop]

@@SoundIDCreators Is it a free update if you own Sound ID Ref?.

[@SoundIDCreators]

The SoundID Reference VM add-on is an optional extra that can be purchased separately. As it brings new features and use cases, it is not included together with the regular licenses. I hope this helps!

[@whiseman]

Здравствуйте! Когда Bitwig GmbH, решила поменять политику, в точности, похожая ситуация. Дополнения к их основному продукту на платной основе, была масса недовольств. Они пересмотрели, они прислушались. В моём случае, тут если деньги и имеют быть место, я больше не могу приобрести... Из России я. Я ценю Ваш продукт, и всегда им пользуюсь

[@username30020]

Всем пох на твое сообщение чел, санкции для всех, привыкай.

[@whiseman]

@@username30020 Да уже давно прочувствовал на себе. Это так, типа крик души)

[@username30020]

не надо было вашему мистеру ПУ начинать, видишь как за Украину все заступаются? Даже великая Америка.@@whiseman

[@kostyakonstantinoff]

@@username30020 когда кто-о начинает заикаться про коллективную ответственность можно смело утверждать, что перед нами НАЦИСТ. Так, что ПУ по сравнению с вашими англосаксонскими хозяевами просто рыцарь добра и света)

[@Powhart]

I'm sorry, but not worth it for 50$ extra. For this cash I'd expect there to be models of renowned Music Studios. So far the basic version is serving me well.

[@SoundIDCreators]

Hello Powi, Thank you for the comment. The feature might come in handy for some users thus why it is an add-on to our regular licenses. It might create a new listening experience and is especially great if you'd like to have a studio environment when listening on headphones. I'd suggest giving it a try by activating a trial in your user account and seeing if it suits your workflow. If there are any additional questions, please reach out to us via our support center. Have a wonderful day!

[@Powhart]

@@SoundIDCreators Yeah im trying it right now, and don’t see much use for it 🤷‍♀️

[@SoundIDCreators]

Thank you for the feedback! It is appreciated. If you have any questions, we'll be happy to help!

[@Powhart]

@@SoundIDCreators I hope I didn't make You mad guys, cause You're doing a fantastic Job and I'm sure this feature will be Next Level in the future :)

[@SoundIDCreators]

No worries! Critique is healthy as it only lets us become better! Thank you.

[@gooshie3]

Steven Slate has close to perfected this concept. This is nowhere near that quality.

[@rafaelmatosdasilva]

its not even close!

[@SoundIDCreators]

Hello, Thank you for the feedback! We have only just released our new Add-on and future features will be added to make it better. We are used by thousands of studios and grammy winning producers, so improvements will happen! 😎