KRK headphones, Pleeeeeese!

A while back I painstakingly created an EQ preset for my own everyday headphones (ATH-M50) based on published frequency response curves. These are the settings if anybody's interested:
 
Freq    Gain    Q
45Hz   -4dB    3
120Hz -5dB    3
3KHz   +5dB   8
9KHz   -4dB    10
14.5KHz (high shelf) +4dB   0.7
 
However, after going to that trouble I don't actually use these corrections anymore. They don't make that much difference, and even if they did I simply won't make EQ decisions in headphones. Doing so only yields a mix that sounds good in those headphones, but probably won't translate well to other systems.
 
Now, I realize that some folks have no choice but to mix with headphones. They live in an apartment, like to work late at night when the significant other is sleeping, can't afford good speakers, or have a severely acoustically-challenged room. Maybe all of the above. For them, it makes sense to try and improve their headphones to the extent that it's possible.
 
However, I would suggest that when you demo this software be sure to perform a blind A/B test to verify that the difference is significant enough to justify the hassle. By hassle, I mean when you inevitably forget to bypass the correction before exporting and then wonder why your tune sounds so weird in the car. Don't forget to volume-adjust your A/B test, since the correction will almost certainly involve some boosts.
 
 
 
 

bitflipper
A while back I painstakingly created an EQ preset for my own everyday headphones (ATH-M50) based on published frequency response curves. These are the settings if anybody's interested:
 
Freq    Gain    Q
45Hz   -4dB    3
120Hz -5dB    3
3KHz   +5dB   8
9KHz   -4dB    10
14.5KHz (high shelf) +4dB   0.7
 
However, after going to that trouble I don't actually use these corrections anymore. They don't make that much difference, and even if they did I simply won't make EQ decisions in headphones. Doing so only yields a mix that sounds good in those headphones, but probably won't translate well to other systems.
 
Now, I realize that some folks have no choice but to mix with headphones. They live in an apartment, like to work late at night when the significant other is sleeping, can't afford good speakers, or have a severely acoustically-challenged room. Maybe all of the above. For them, it makes sense to try and improve their headphones to the extent that it's possible.
 
However, I would suggest that when you demo this software be sure to perform a blind A/B test to verify that the difference is significant enough to justify the hassle. By hassle, I mean when you inevitably forget to bypass the correction before exporting and then wonder why your tune sounds so weird in the car. Don't forget to volume-adjust your A/B test, since the correction will almost certainly involve some boosts.
 
 
 
 

I'm curious enough to try out your settings as I have those very cans and some of the handicaps you mention, plus another big one in that I need all the freakin' help I can get, so what would be the correct way to set it up.... output the master bus to another bus with that eq set up in it and only monitor that one or what ?

I have your EQ settings saved as a preset in Renaissance EQ, Bit. Can't say I use them much because I try not to mix on headphones and besides I have gotten very familiar with my ATH-M50's as they are, but I remember thinking it did make them sound a lot flatter than they were. 
 
I'm waiting for the day that ARC comes with a hearing correction curve which compensates for individual ear response. I have a feeling my curve would include a 20dB shelf boost above 15kHz 

I put the headphone correction on the master bus as the last thing in the chain, to keep it simple.
 
Alternatively, you could dedicate a separate bus just for headphone monitoring, assuming your audio interface gives you that kind of flexibility. That's more of a hassle, but it has the advantage that you don't need to remember to bypass the EQ before exporting.
 
Ultimately, though, the best strategy is to simply train your ears to a particular set of headphones or speakers. It's not hard, it just takes time. I've been using the ATH-M50's for so many years that their quirks and nonlinearities are etched into my subconscious. That's why if they ever died on me I'd buy the same model again rather than upgrade to better headphones, which would require starting the ear training all over again.
 

I haven't compared any final mixes yet but the best way to check this software out is to load it up a profile & start mixing.
One thing is I really like & notice is there's less ear fatigue while mixing with it on.
Also nice to be able to switch between different phones on the fly by selecting the appropriate file or preset.
Fully featured with lots of options to set up too.

I still have 17 days to demo & decide. If the mixes translate like those done with my regular monitors it might be worth the $70.00 investment.

bitflipper
I put the headphone correction on the master bus as the last thing in the chain, to keep it simple.
 
Alternatively, you could dedicate a separate bus just for headphone monitoring, assuming your audio interface gives you that kind of flexibility. That's more of a hassle, but it has the advantage that you don't need to remember to bypass the EQ before exporting.
 
Ultimately, though, the best strategy is to simply train your ears to a particular set of headphones or speakers. It's not hard, it just takes time. I've been using the ATH-M50's for so many years that their quirks and nonlinearities are etched into my subconscious. That's why if they ever died on me I'd buy the same model again rather than upgrade to better headphones, which would require starting the ear training all over again.
 

I am inclined to agree with what you say re just learning your gear - your eq settings pretty much confirm more or less what I suspected re the M50's when listening to stuff in the car or whatever, so I guess I was on the right track already, just curious to apply those settings to one or two of those mixes and see what gives.

It definitely makes a difference...that much is for sure...

The biggest problem with using an EQ plugin to do this is
"matching" the curve appropriately and precisely AND using a
"completely transparent" EQ...which there are very few of...

This is working well with my ATH-M50's which I never cared for mixing anyway. It makes them bearable over longer periods of time, more importantly  better overall mix choices.

"For these problems you need something like the VRM box which simulates the experience of listening through speakers with headphones on. However I wonder if the combination of this plus the VRM box would be a match made in heaven, because the VRM box becomes more useful the flatter your headphones are." (post #10)
Sharke, have you tried this yet?  If so what were your impressions?
Has anybody else tried this with the VRM box?