KVR Audio

Timerider · Post by **Timerider** » Fri Apr 25, 2014 10:02 pm

Hello all, can anyone recommend some good room correction software/plug ins that are tried and tested? Rather than completely re decorate my room with acoustic padding etc, I thought I'd maybe look into this method. Not sure if it's reliable, but it would be interesting to find out.

I note that Toneboosters do their Isone plugin, not sure if this one is any good?

Any advice, info or links would be great, cheers!

Peter - IK Multimedia · Fri Apr 25, 2014 11:06 pm

Take a look at our ARC System 2 which we get great feedback about.

RyanSeong · Post by **RyanSeong** » Sat Apr 26, 2014 3:24 am

I used ARC a little but found it kind of exaggerated LF a bit. Altho I switched four studios that year with all weird room shapes. It is a very cool tool regardless.

TBH no software will ever be able to correct room / monitor issues. Can't fight physics dawg.

RexXx · Post by **RexXx** » Sat Apr 26, 2014 4:18 am

MathAudio - Room EQ VST (formerly Auto EQ)
Similar ARC, but works with any standard measurement microphone!
Supports microphone calibration files.
VST demo for PC/Mac (32/64 bit) and a free plugin version for Foobar2000 audio player.
http://mathaudio.com/

Toneboosters Isone is a headphone mixing tool, like Focusrite VRM.
Focusrite VRM online demo: http://focusrite.de/vrm-sampler

Timerider · Post by **Timerider** » Sat Apr 26, 2014 5:23 pm

Yes, I read the Toneboosters plug was for headphones, and also read that it was for monitors/rooms as well, obviously they got mixed up.

Interesting concept the ARC, but not without it's problems, I can't help but think that this software is not successful with every home studio. Be worth giving it a go, but pricey regarding me using it just the once.

Spitfire31 · Post by **Spitfire31** » Sat Apr 26, 2014 6:48 pm

I use ARC 2 and it has vastly improved my monitoring (nearfields) and translation to other systems and listening environments. Like the OP, I have no choice – I can't transform the family study into a custom built control room.

/Joachim

do_androids_dream · Post by **do_androids_dream** » Sat Apr 26, 2014 7:09 pm

Nothing is better than proper room treatment. A few bass traps and treatment of left/right/ceiling reflection points is the way to go. You could do it for a cheaper price than that plugin too.

Breeze · Post by **Breeze** » Sun Apr 27, 2014 4:14 am

Check out the last post in this thread.

Timerider · Post by **Timerider** » Mon Apr 28, 2014 9:25 pm

This is all well and good if you CAN treat what room you do your music in, but be aware, there are people that cannot have this luxury!

Pule · Post by **Pule** » Mon Apr 28, 2014 9:39 pm

RexXx wrote:MathAudio - Room EQ VST (formerly Auto EQ)
Similar ARC, but works with any standard measurement microphone!
Supports microphone calibration files.
VST demo for PC/Mac (32/64 bit) and a free plugin version for Foobar2000 audio player.
http://mathaudio.com/

Toneboosters Isone is a headphone mixing tool, like Focusrite VRM.
Focusrite VRM online demo: http://focusrite.de/vrm-sampler

+1!

Compyfox · Post by **Compyfox** » Mon Apr 28, 2014 9:42 pm

do_androids_dream wrote:Nothing is better than proper room treatment. A few bass traps and treatment of left/right/ceiling reflection points is the way to go. You could do it for a cheaper price than that plugin too.

Agreed on the treatment, but I can't agree on the price (that you might get off cheaper - I spent as much money/time as I'd have paid for proper off-the-shelves absorber).

I can also recommend ARC as add-on. I'm still on v1 however, but I'm happy with it.

Keith99 · Post by **Keith99** » Mon Apr 28, 2014 9:54 pm

I have treated my room and use Arc 2 mainly to sort out the bass as it is very hard to get rid of bass problems in rooms without using enormous bass traps

Breeze · Post by **Breeze** » Mon Apr 28, 2014 10:21 pm

Keith99 wrote:I have treated my room and use Arc 2 mainly to sort out the bass as it is very hard to get rid of bass problems in rooms without using enormous bass traps

This is absolutely true and actually the biggest reason to treat a room: the biggest problems in rooms are under 100 Hz. But there are many problems that can be mitigated by studying the response of the room and choosing the lesser evils of speaker and listening positioning. I've never used the Arc or other automated systems, but I would think that their corrections are also subject to keeping your head in the "sweet spot" where the mic is placed when the corrections are established. Bear in mind that there are some mathematically predictable resonances and cancellation problems that no correction can compensate for. The smaller rectangular room is audio's worst enemy.

Room acoustics is a big subject, but it's also one that's too often ignored by amateurs and semi-pros; under the wrong circumstances, which are frightfully common, it's practically impossible to do a balanced professional-sounding job without a balanced treated room unless you are aware of the room's deficiencies and actively compensate for them. With an untreated room I would suggest extensive use of quality headphones as an alternate reference backup.

camsr · Post by **camsr** » Tue Apr 29, 2014 10:46 am

You could also use nearfields.
Bass traps are really cumbersome and it takes a LOT of them to make a difference, figure 66% of the room covered in bass traps.

Compyfox · Post by **Compyfox** » Tue Apr 29, 2014 11:21 am

I think if we talk about basic monitor speakers and not necessarily Stage speakers or those beyond 8" (woofers), then we talk about a nearfield system.

Your room also doesn't need to be 66& covered in bass traps. That is a myth. Placing it at the right spot however is not. And that is usually in the corners and first reflection points. That is certainly not 66% of the room.

I recommend taking a dive over to GIK Acoustics and the Knowledge Base. Just one among many places where certain myths are debunked. I trust these people and can recommend them up and down. They are also active in the DIY acoustic panel realm, yet their shops is still running strong.

So the only three logical steps IMO are:
1) Measure your room, see what'S going on (Room EQ Wizard might help, GIK Acoustics has a great tutorial on that)
2) decide if whether or not you have to add absorber panels. Plenty of solutions around.
3) Then use a system like ARC to do the final correction touches.

I first started with ARC without treatment (years ago). Since then I built absorber panels with a price of about 30-40bucks each (the most expensive one was my monster bass trap, source material cost about 50EUR, plus work hours - think 80-90bucks). My first reflection points are covered, I have a bass trap behind the PC (where the most energy is building up) and I'll try to get some suitable corner traps in the future as well (due to the shape of my room, I can only cover the ceiling corners - so a Tri-Trap or a Foam absorber are my only solutions). I basically use ARC as fine tuning tool only - since my monitor speakers can't be setup in a very fine way.

So yeah... speakers can only sound as good as the room they are placed in.

Monitoring/Room Correction Software.