VRM - Revolution or crap?

[Hakon]

Hey,

Anyone had any experience with the VRM (Virtual Reference Monitoring) that comes with the Saffire Pro 24 DSP and allows you, through your headphones, 'to choose from 10 pairs of industry standard nearfield and main monitors in an acoustically treated control room'?

Too good to be true or a fantastic alternative to spending one billion dollars on speakers - with the added benefit of getting a rough (or a good?) idea how your mix translates throughout different environments?

[bozmillar]

Seems kind of like a dumb idea from the beginning. Why would you want to emulate other speakers unless you already have a pair of them and refuse to mix on anything else?

well, I guess I've change my mind a little from when I started writing this response 30 seconds ago. Room emulation effects can sound pretty good on headphones. At least they can be fun to listen to. Good for watching movies and stuff with headphones. How it translates to mixing I guess will be seen. I wonder if not being able to feel the low end would be better or worse for mixing.

[String7th]

I have seen this but haven't heard about it myself. I honestly don't think it's equal to having $12K in monitors and a $100k mixing enviorinment. I'm sure millions in research went into these monitors and rooms, but I can't imagine much more than a simple eq curve emulating certain types of monitors frequency response, and delay/reverb style to emulate the room sound.

I'd really like to hear samples of the different rooms and monitors.

[Hakon]

Yes, I'm not sure anyone is claiming it is exactly the same though as actually having all of this $tuff. I can't help but think though it's could be an excellent way of getting some idea of how your stuff translates to other listening environments, taking into account the usual reserves about the drawbacks of mixing with headphones. Surely it can't hurt?

They have a podcast explaining how it was made right here:
http://www.focusrite.com/media/podcast/VRM_Podcast.mp3

[Audio~Geek]

Snake oil etc.

[Hakon]

So no benefits at all and a waste of time?

[bozmillar]

I think to dismiss it as a good mixing tool without trying it is pretty short sighted. Who's to say that listening with monitors is the best way to mix anyways? What makes the "standard" practices of mixing music so great? The only reason it's a standard practice is because it's what has always been done in the past.

it's possible that we'll soon discover the best way to mix music is to stick transducers on your teeth and bypass the whole sound through the air thing altogether.

I can't see any evidence that this emulation would not exceed mixing with monitors in every way possible. I'm not saying that it is better, but to dismiss something because it's not standard seems pretty lame.

[richiebee]

I think its a good concept. Is there more information about it? Calibration of your equipment and ears would be an essential part of the success or failure of this, but if that were comprehensive and successful, then I think this could be very beneficial for those of us that aren't in very high end studios. It wouldn't replace mixing on speakers but would be a great comparison if done well.

[Audio~Geek]

Originally Posted by Hakon

So no benefits at all and a waste of time?

Yes, I have no doubt it's a POS. It's a gimmick, which almost worked, it got your attention.

I'm sure the interface is great otherwise.

[Hakon]

Soundonsound: "VRM useful and effective". Better cancel my subscription seeing how easily they are fooled