Slate VSX 5.0

[hightyde]

Kind of surprised no one has posted about this yet

https://stevenslateaudio.com/en/vsx

I’ve tinkered with it for a few days now. Sort of on the fence. I like the implementation of the new E.C.C.O. hearing profile. But the rooms all sound so different from version 4 (all the rooms were rebuilt from the ground up). Gotta give my ears time to adjust from the previous version.

Anyone else given this a try?

[jens]

Doesn't this thread actually much rather belong in the hardware-forum? Or does V5 now also has a plugin-only version that works with a range of other headphones?

[hightyde]

Eh. I wasn’t 100% sure which forum it belonged in. Since technically the headphones didn’t change. Only the app updated from version 4 to 5 and introduced new rooms and the E.C.C.O. calibration system. It was kind of a gray area. And no, it seems as though the plugin is still only linked to the slate headphones only.

[cryophonik]

There's already a thread about VSX in the Hardware forum and VSX5 has been discussed (mostly by me):

viewtopic.php?t=553455

[hightyde]

Thank you for directing me to that. I don’t ever visit the hardware forum. So I do appreciate the heads up. This thread can be deleted then.

[billinder33]

Kind of surprised no one has posted about this yet

https://stevenslateaudio.com/en/vsx

I’ve tinkered with it for a few days now. Sort of on the fence. I like the implementation of the new E.C.C.O. hearing profile. But the rooms all sound so different from version 4 (all the rooms were rebuilt from the ground up). Gotta give my ears time to adjust from the previous version.

Anyone else given this a try?

I downloaded and messed with it a bit today. For some background, I've demo'd most of the usual suspect headphone correction plugins - CanOpener, Sonarworks, Realphones, Sienna, etc. IMO VSX is by far the most useful, natural sounding of these room emulators. So I'm a fan.

However, I've pretty much stopped using it for a few reasons. First, while the cans sound really good despite the cheap construction, they are just too small to completely cover my ears causing me discomfort from clamping pressure on my eartips. Also, while the various rooms/cars/clubs/etc. can be useful, not sure I actually see much benefit over just knowing a good set of cans and A/B'ing against good reference mixes. Finally, Bitwig doesn't have a specific monitoring path for inserting plugins. You have to set up routing and maintain it with a template and if you happen to start a project without the template as I do form time to time, it's a real pain to set up from scratch. Plus you have to remember to enable/disable VSX plus any other room correction plugins if you constantly go between headphones and speakers as I often do. And there have been times where I've done work only to realize that I forgot to turn off Sonarworks room correction, or I was running the VSX linear headphone model (which can sound pretty close to bypass) with realizing it. So I want to get to the point my room correction happens on the other side of the interface (Trinnov or maybe GLM), and I just live without headphone correction. Feng shui.

Back to today's testing... One of the nice things about the VSX software is it allows you to flip back and forth between the engine versions. I much prefer the previous version 4 over the latest this version 5. V4 is way less 'boomy' and 'phasey' sounding to my ears. In v5 every room and speaker pair sounds like some alternate version of The Club. Even the mono Auratone sounds boomy and wide. V5 also has this unnaturally huge transient knock at about 120hz, right on the kick. The whole version is just very unnatural sounding to my ears, worse than v3 even. Fortunately you can always revert to the older engine, which I have done by default. There are some UI enhancements, and the E.C.C.O. hearing profile is a great addition, so worth the upgrade IMO.

The Zuma room mains have been my favorite model since it was released, and with engine at v4.0 and my personal ECCO settings engaged it's a really great sounding setup. I actually really dig it for pleasure listening streaming using the VSX Systemwide application.

Bottom line, don't be afraid to revert to v4 in the system settings if you're not digging the v5 engine.

[zeep]

VSX 5 is a great update. The new Human Linear is something i have been asking for since v1. "recreates the curve that human ears hear when listening to perfectly accurate speakers in a tuned room, without any room coloration at all".
I always wanted to hear monitors in VSX as i hear them in my room, dry and focused.
Coincidentally, most rooms are now much dryer sounding in V5.

I can't wait for the tech to be where you can scan your own room (and monitors). And then being able to have other monitors in your virtual room.

[Calagan]

There's something I don't understand : I did read here and there that Human Linear is the best compromise between rooms and HD linear, but to my knowledge there's no crossfeed in Human Linear.

[jrwaltb]

Kind of surprised no one has posted about this yet

https://stevenslateaudio.com/en/vsx

I’ve tinkered with it for a few days now. Sort of on the fence. I like the implementation of the new E.C.C.O. hearing profile. But the rooms all sound so different from version 4 (all the rooms were rebuilt from the ground up). Gotta give my ears time to adjust from the previous version.

Anyone else given this a try?

I downloaded and messed with it a bit today. For some background, I've demo'd most of the usual suspect headphone correction plugins - CanOpener, Sonarworks, Realphones, Sienna, etc. IMO VSX is by far the most useful, natural sounding of these room emulators. So I'm a fan.

However, I've pretty much stopped using it for a few reasons. First, while the cans sound really good despite the cheap construction, they are just too small to completely cover my ears causing me discomfort from clamping pressure on my eartips. Also, while the various rooms/cars/clubs/etc. can be useful, not sure I actually see much benefit over just knowing a good set of cans and A/B'ing against good reference mixes. Finally, Bitwig doesn't have a specific monitoring path for inserting plugins. You have to set up routing and maintain it with a template and if you happen to start a project without the template as I do form time to time, it's a real pain to set up from scratch. Plus you have to remember to enable/disable VSX plus any other room correction plugins if you constantly go between headphones and speakers as I often do. And there have been times where I've done work only to realize that I forgot to turn off Sonarworks room correction, or I was running the VSX linear headphone model (which can sound pretty close to bypass) with realizing it. So I want to get to the point my room correction happens on the other side of the interface (Trinnov or maybe GLM), and I just live without headphone correction. Feng shui.

Back to today's testing... One of the nice things about the VSX software is it allows you to flip back and forth between the engine versions. I much prefer the previous version 4 over the latest this version 5. V4 is way less 'boomy' and 'phasey' sounding to my ears. In v5 every room and speaker pair sounds like some alternate version of The Club. Even the mono Auratone sounds boomy and wide. V5 also has this unnaturally huge transient knock at about 120hz, right on the kick. The whole version is just very unnatural sounding to my ears, worse than v3 even. Fortunately you can always revert to the older engine, which I have done by default. There are some UI enhancements, and the E.C.C.O. hearing profile is a great addition, so worth the upgrade IMO.

The Zuma room mains have been my favorite model since it was released, and with engine at v4.0 and my personal ECCO settings engaged it's a really great sounding setup. I actually really dig it for pleasure listening streaming using the VSX Systemwide application.

Bottom line, don't be afraid to revert to v4 in the system settings if you're not digging the v5 engine.

There is probably something wrong with your setup or something, its basically the opposite of what you are describing so you might want to contact support or message Steven on Gearspace.