Sonarworks | Reference 3 Room Calibration SW

• Perceived Acoustic Power Calibration: Sonarworks calibrates your speakers based on Perceived Acoustic Power measurements which is the closest representation to how humans hear sound.
• High resolution phase linear calibration plug-in allows you to set filter resolution up to 4 000 coefficients for razor-sharp calibration, while ensuring the phase response of the sound is not distorted. To maintain phase linearity plug-in introduces signal latency. The plug-in is intended for mixing and mastering applications and is not recommended for live monitoring due to latency. Sonarworks 2.2 plug-in supports audio sample rate up to 192 000 Hz.
• Up to 30 measurement points: Sonarworks 2.2 allows you to make up to 30 measurement points in each measurement session for best-in-class result accuracy.
• Microphone location detection technology: Sonarworks unique patent-pending technology automatically detects the test microphone’s location during measurements enabling Sonarworks to deliver the best possible result in any environment.

 
Sonarworks is a recording studio software development start-up specializing in acoustic calibration and DAW plug-ins. The company made its debut in the music industry by pioneering a plug-in based headphone calibration that makes them suitable for mixing and mastering.
 
The company is currently offering a free and fully functional 21-day software trial of the Sonarworks Reference 3 software at Free trial of Speaker and Headphone Calibration Software | Sonarworks. A measurement microphone is required to use the software. Sonarworks offers a bundled version with a custom calibrated measurement microphone for 269.00 EUR / 345.00 USD. A download only license is currently 229.00 EUR / 299.00 USD. Both bundles contain one measurement software license and two plug-in licences.
 
http://sonarworks.com/product/overview/

Good to hear that you liked the sound, Carl!
 
When we did our beta testing round about four or five testers did direct comparisons with ARC2 and their impressions match with yours.
 
One thing we have and so far no other calibration software offers is headphone calibration. We can ensure that you will have the same reference quality sound on all of your listening devices. It's easier to try out actually - we have average calibration curves for these headphones - 
 

• AKG K141 MKII
• AKG K701
• AKG K712 Pro
• Sennheiser HD598
• Sennheiser HD600
• Sennheiser HD650
• Sony MDR-7506
• Superlux HD681

Sign up for plug-in trial and you will have everything to try it out.

1. Every measurement session generates a separate calibration file. Store as many as you like for different speakers, rooms or setups.
2. The basic bundle includes 1 measurement software licence and 2 DAW plug-in licences. Therefore you can use one computer for calibration and then utilize the calibration on two computers.
3. Currently no and most of the guys in the team are skeptical about it. We'd rather use the effort and funds to improve our software.
4. You can download the trial if you have access to measurement microphone, preferably calibrated one. Otherwise - you will need to buy our Trial package which includes a measurement microphone with 30 and 0 degree calibration curves done by us in an anechoic chamber against an Earthworks mic. If you are still unsure after the 21 day trial period, send the mic back to us and we'll refund the purchase.
 
To make the deal sweeter - enter a "Trial-50" coupon on discount to get -50% off.

I wonder if the stock ARC microphone would work with the trial or if you actually need a calibration file for the software to read/use?
 
I just signed up for the headphone trial and plan to use the average AKG K701 cal file. I am interested in this as it looks like the latency is low enough that you could possibly Track using it also.

carl
That's what I used (or use a similar condenser microphone)

Thanks Carl
 
I just tried out the headphone correction software using the AKG K701 and stock correction file. I am impressed enough that I am going to bite on it. Maybe just my initial perception but it sounded like it opened things up and I seem to hear the sound field a bit better. Hope the above discount code works on it and a second license...

carl
That's interesting you like the phone correction SW.
I was going to demo that but they don't have the calibration file for phones I'm using here.

I could use an inexpensive spare set, I'm almost tempted to get the software+Superlux HD681 to check it out.

It is a bit of a disadvantage that they don't have other cal files available for some of the more popular phones. I would think it would help increase sales. I did see somewhere that shipping for a bundle w/phones was around $30 to the US. It looks like they are located in Riga, Latvia. That's way out there from where I am...
 
I think I will send them an email requesting some other default cal files.
 
I would like to see this take off and gain a sizable customer base. It is possible it could change the entire thought process about mixing on Phones. It would be so cool to be able to carry your mixing reference around wherever you go.

Tried the discount code for the software only regularly priced at $69 but it doesn't take it.  I'm also curious about this but they don't have my KNS8400 headphones on file.  I'm also reluctant to ship them out to Latvia!  The concept sounds great but their list of headphones is fairly sparse at the moment.  I did find an average curve for these but you have to send in a text file of the curve (i.e. frequency, level, frequency, level, etc.) and they generate the file for you.  All of this just seems complicated and more akin to a science project!

dlesaux
Tried the discount code for the software only regularly priced at $69 but it doesn't take it. 

The discount code applies only to the $49 Trial + Mic deal here...

http://storeus.sonarworks...mac-xref-20-microphone

That sounds about right.
The software download is $216.00  & the kit with Discount/ shipping is 54.50.
Total $273.50 instead of $299.99 (plus shipping)
Windows upgrade to 3 from 2.2 is free, correct?
I'm certain it is but want to make sure before ordering.

carl
Windows upgrade to 3 from 2.2 is free, correct?
I'm certain it is but want to make sure before ordering.

Yup, no man gets left behind!
 
As for the trial + download version price difference, that's right as well. It isn't easy to be sure about the benefits of our software, so we try make it as easy as we can for you to try it out.

Hrodulf
I understand your doubts about sending your headphones abroad, we are looking into getting an agent in US to do the measuring.
 
It is good that you mentioned what your headphones are, we already have had a few requests for KNS8400, so we'll surely make an effort to acquire a few samples to measure them.
 
As for average curves - we usually generate them by measuring a number of samples from the same model, to account for FR spec spread. You can send in a curve, however we can't be sure how accurate it is. The problem is that currently there are no set standards for measuring headphone FR and everyone does it according to their understanding. I can send you message once we get a KNS8400 average curve out.

I truly appreciate the response and support.  I really want to try this software and have already downloaded the demo.  I'll continue to monitor the website to see when my headphones make the list!

I did it for both trials and the reply was almost immediate. Do you have another email address you can try? or you might try adding sonarworks.com to your safe contacts list.

Just an update. 
I ordered the mic + trial promo (software on a flash drive) Sat. night & it arrived from Lativa this morning.
Great service, thanks.

I measured again & the results were quite a bit different the with the ARC mic, especially what was corrected in the high end.
I find this so much nicer than ARC for my tastes. I'll be this using it instead of ARC which I think does something strange to the sound & sound field.

Well, This must be some pretty good stuff as US Customs has had my package for around 10 hr's now and still have not cleared it. Is it possible that they have a DAW setup there and want to keep the room correction software for themselves??? 

Yeah, that's the way things work sometimes. Tried several times today to contact the agent but with no luck. I have the case number so I will be a little more persistent tomorrow. I might add that Sonarworks also has been in contact with them so I suspect it will probably get corrected soon.
 
Sonarworks had shipped it Fedex Priority and I watched it move from country to country to country and then it hit the states and everything just stopped. A single small package, that wasn't even containerized, could cause such a stir with US Customs... End of rant, just a little disappointed right now.