VSX 4.0 Headphone Mixing System

VSX Headphone Mixing System

The VSX 4.0 headphones from Steven Slate Audio use a technology called binaural psychoacoustics. It presents the same auditory cues to your ears that they would typically hear in a room with real speakers. I the VSX headphones by using the VSX plugin in Cubase (mixing) and WaveLab (mastering). See [here] for installation instructions. You can run VSX systemwide so that all of your system audio is run through the speaker emulations in which case there is no need to use the DAW plugin. You can also listen to your favorite references right through the emulations. Finally, the software is precisely tuned to an Ultra HD pair of beryllium driver headphones.

Image: The VSX Headphone

Emulated rooms

For a description of the rooms and headphones see [here] and [here]. The “orange” rooms are provided by the Platinum expansion that I also own. The rooms marked with an asterisk are (currently) my rooms of choice for mixing and mastering. In addition, I use some of the other emulations (e.g., car, cell phone, boombox) to check my mix and masters.

• *Steven Private Mix Room
  • Step inside Steven’s private studio, complete with everything you’ll need to mix a hit record. This perfectly tuned medium-sized studio features a pair of modeled Barefoot MM27 midfields and PMC IBS-1S farfields that have been customizedusing a Trinnov system for phase accurate sound. Both sets of speakers are extremely revealing and will make it easy to hear the most intricate EQ and compression tweaks. Finally, the nearfield is a model of the classic mono Auratone speaker that will allow you to hear balances with ease, and help you make decisions for more consumer speakers like laptops and phones.
• Sonoma Studios
  • This medium semi-dry studio lets you get intimate with every detail of your mixes. When you want to take a magnifying glass to your midrange frequencies, use the modeled ProAc Studio 100s nearfields to clean up any midrange mud and get your vocal balance spot on. Then use the Trinnov tuned Amphion Two18 midfield emulations which have incredible clarity, depth, and the perfect amount of transient punch to get a full mix perspective.
• LA Nightclub
  • So many producers are making music that ends up being played on large club sound systems, so this reference will be extremely useful, especially for checking how the extreme sub-lows will translate. We modeled this famous Hollywood Nightclub towards the DJ booth, and towards the back, so you can reference your mix in two unique and useful locations. This room is essential if you’re balancing low-end in Hip-Hop and EDM.
• Luxury SUV Car
  • The electric car was so hi-fi that we decided that we wanted one more car system that was a bit more typical. This SUV system fit the bill perfectly with its huge lows, scooped mids, and shimmery highs. While not the most flattering sound, especially when coming from the studio speakers, this car system will unapologetically let you know if your mix needs work or if the balances are off.

• Archon Studios
  • This studio is one of the most distinguished privately owned studios in the world. Owner/Producer Aris Archontis spared no expense to make this the perfect mix environment. You’ll notice it is quite a bit drier and contains less room tone than NRG’s mixing room. The Archon nearfield has a great sounding Amphion system with a subwoofer, which we modeled down to the slightest detail. The midfield is a reproduction of the ATC SCM150 and sounds insanely detailed and flat. Finally, the farfields model Pelonis dual concentric speaker. They are deep, punchy, and really fun to mix on.
• *NRG Studios
  • This famous Hollywood Studio has been home to countless artists and albums, from Beyoncé to Billy Joel. We modeled the three speakers in Studio C, the mix room. First, a classic pair of emulated Yamaha NS10’s with a DynAudio sub. While not known as the prettiest sounding speaker, they will tell you very quickly if something is wrong in your mix. Next, the midfield is a precise recreation of the ATC SCM25, which is rich, hi-fi, balanced, and fun to listen to. Last, we modeled NRG’s iconic Oceanway HR3.5 farfield with extra sub. This main sounds deep, punchy, big, and smooth. This mix room has a subtle but still noticeable room tone.
• Zuma Studios
  • A decade in the making, this private SoCal studio features over $50,000 worth of punchy speakers that are a dream to mix on. You’ll notice this studio’s incredible transient response and beautiful acoustics are unlike anything you’ve ever heard before. Zuma’s midfields are a 1:1 recreation of the ADAM S3H with subwoofer that lets you fix mix issues with clinical precision. Then open the throttle with Zuma’s farfield modeled ATC SCM110ASL Pros which highlight problems from top to bottom so you can fix them effortlessly.
• Mike Dean Studios
  • You haven’t heard your 808s and synth basses until you’ve heard them on Mike’s massive Tannoy System 215 DMT IIs paired with an entire row of earth-shaking JBL subs. These farfields will help you find the perfect samples fast and get you punchy, dynamic drums without any guesswork. With Mike’s crystal-clear NS-10 nearfields, you’ll quickly tame harsh or muddy frequencies so your beats sound incredible even on smaller speakers. Everyone will be surprised by how much faster you produce when you cook up in Mike’s Multi-Platinum studio.
• Mike Dean’s Car
  • Before you export your next beat, make sure it passes the car test in the punchiest, deepest, most revealing car you’ve ever heard. Modded by West Coast Customs and tuned by Mike Dean himself, this exact recreation of Mike’s custom Tesla Model X is a hip-hop or EDM producer’s dream car sound system. You’ll be able to balance your levels perfectly with Mike’s thunderous custom-built sub system, luxury tuned speakers, and ultra-linear amps. Once you hear it, you’ll know why Mike checks every beat in this one-of-a-kind Tesla.
• *Howie Weinberg Studios
  • Howie’s list of mastered albums reads like a who’s who of legendary artists. Now you can polish your mix in his private mixing room, complete with precise emulations of his PMC mastering speakers. They are very balanced, extremely clear, and have the famous PMC ultra-detailed high end and will show you the most minute details of your mix. They are set back as a fairfield, so you’ll hear some nice distance and depth to these speakers.
• Audiophile Room
  • Get ready for a seriously revealing room. This $80,000 audiophile listening room is one of the nicest sounding environments we’ve ever heard and now, it’s yours to mix in. Featuring a custom DynAudio Munro C4 hi-fi system emulation, this room has a beautiful room depth and space. You’ll hear ultra-clear highs and flattering mids, and punchy lows, making it great for final listens and mix checks.
• Boombox
  • Mix on the same boombox legendary engineers have used for over three decades. We modeled this classic Sony boombox from two-feet away, the ideal distance to hear if your mix is balanced. This is essential to hear how the low end translates on small devices like phones or laptops.
• Electric Car
  • Find out in seconds if your mix passes the car test with this electric car’s incredible sound system. Cars are the ultimate “mix check” reference because of their extended lows and highs. If there’s a problem with your mix, this system will let you know thanks to it’s incredibly revealing hi-fi sound system. Both car captures have 360 modeled sound, so it’ll appear as if some of the sounds are coming from behind you. This electric car has one of the most hi-fi sounding car stereos we’ve ever heard. You’ll get lots of punchy lows, clear mids, and smooth highs.
• Cell phone
  • This model of Steven’s iPhone 13 Pro Max is an essential tool to hear how your mix translates to the plethora of phones and small devices that have become a mainstay in the listening habits of the end user. Listening to your mix on the cell phone gives you confidence that it translates to almost any playback system. This model, whilst not a room to mix in, is a vital, modern day tool for referencing your mix.

Emulated headphone

• 770 Headphones Model (Beyerdynamic 770 80-Ohm / 250 Ohm)
  • Emulates Beyerdynamic 770 80-ohm: This modern-day classic headphone emulation captures bright characteristics and has a nice sizzle without being overly harsh. They’re quite revealing once you get used to them and offer a different perspective on your mix.
  • Emulates Beyerdynamic 770 250-ohm: These reproduce the sound of the 250-ohm versions of the classic 770s. They are brighter and more scooped sounding than their 80-ohm sibling. A/B test your mix using the 80 and 250-ohm versions to lock down fine details of your mix.
• Pod Headphones Model (Apple Earbuds and Airpods).
  • Emulates Apple Earbuds and Airpods: These two headphones are the most popular listening references in the world, so it’s important to check your mix on them! They have a classic mid-forward sound with punchy low end. The “Wireless” version has slightly more extended low end.
• HD Linear 1 & 2
  • VSX HD-Linear gives you a headphone tone that’s so flat, you’ll hear your mix in its truest, most authentic form. Since the VSX headphones are designed to be the ultimate blank
    canvas for the software, we designed these emulations as both mixing options and the default setting whenever you use the Level Match Bypass feature. Whenever
    you bypass the VSX plugin, the VSX HD-Linear software kicks in to ensure you have an accurate reference, every time. VSX HD Linear comes in two modes. The VSX HD-Linear
    2 mode has minor enhancements that give it a bit more linearity in the highs. Now when you use Level-Match Bypass, you can choose between HD-Linear modes 1 or 2 in Settings.
• 650 Headphones Model (Sennheiser HD650)
  • Emulates Sennheiser HD 650s: This emulation is so precise, that now you can record and mix using open-back headphones without bleed ruining your recordings.Known for their relatively neutral response, they have a smooth top and midrange with a slightly subdued bottom end.
• LCD Headphones Model (Audeze LCD 2 & 4)
  • Emulates: Audeze LCD 2 & 4: Mix on $5,000 worth of audiophile headphones with the modeled Audeze LCD-2 and the $4,000 LCD-4s. These headphone models give you two semi-flat headphone options that have wide soundstages and pronounced low-end. The emulated LCD-2 has great bass and a mid-forward tone, whereas the LCD-4 emulation has a smoother midrange and sizzly top end. Now, you can mix on these audiophile headphones for hours without needing to take a break.
• M50 Headphones Model (Audio-Technica ATH-M50x
  • Emulates Audio-Technica ATH-M50x Miss your old pair of M50s? Now you can add these popular entry-level headphones to your studio with this precise emulation. These cans are great to mix on and in many cases, they can help you fix some mistakes.

Image: a selection of simulated rooms. NRG Studios (Famous Hollywood mixing studio. Modeled Speakers: Yamaha NS10’s w/ sub, ATC SCM25, Oceanway HR3.5 w/ extra sub).  Audiophile room ($80,000 private listening room. Modeled Speakers: DynAudio Munro C4 with custom amps). Archon Studios (Tight and punchy private studio. Modeled Speakers: Amphion One15 w/ sub, ATC SCM150, Pelonis Signature 215AW dual concentric mains). Howie Weinberg’s Mastering Room (Famous mastering engineer’s studio. Modeled Speakers: PMC MB2S Mastering Speakers (engineer position), PMC MB2S Mastering Speakers (client position)).

Experience

I will update this section when I have gained more experience using the VSX for mixing and mastering.

• The headphone fits well and is comfortable to wear for longer periods of time. However, I think one should be careful to not turn up the volume too much for too long periods of time to prevent hearing damage.

• The cable that comes with the VSX is rather short (2m) and thin. It is a straight gold-plated 3.5 mm to 3.5mm jack extension cable that comes with a 6.3 mm jack adapter. It doesn’t feel as it will last long. Time will tell, but since the cable is detachable it can easily be replaced. I replaced the cable with a longer, 3m, straight gold-plated 3.5 mm to 3.5mm cable.

• I compared to the Acustica Sienna GURU and Waves Nx Ocean Way Nashville room emulations (both using my HD 650 headphones) and there is a huge difference. I have tried the Acustica and Waves for some mixes but could never get used to their sound. Moreover, I never resulted in mixes that better translated to other listening environments. Once in a while I tried them again but always quickly stopped using them. The VSX is different. It has a much more open and pleasant sound. One remarkable difference is the fact that when engaging a VSX room  there seem to be more higher frequencies  compared to the VSX HD-Linear emulation but also compared to the Acustica and Waves room emulations.

• Doing a first mix and master (Run Run Run from the band Arise) using the VSX. I used the NRG Studios room for mixing and the Howie Weinberg’s room for mastering. You can find the mix and master [here]. I did the mix and master without checking on other speakers. All was done in one go. I think the result is impressive. Normally, mixing on my Kali IN-8, Avantones, and HD650 headphones, I normally needed at least one iteration (also listening on my Sony WH-1000XM3 consumer headphones.

• With the VSX system it is really as you are sitting in a room. I doing some mixing on my Kali IN-8 and, subsequently, put on the VSX headphone. I thought that the VSX was somehow not working and that I was still listening to my monitor speakers. But this was not the case. The sound was really coming from the headphone.

• Currently doing a second mix using the NRG room. With this room you can select between near-field, mid-field, and far-field monitors. In contrast to the Nx Ocean Way Nashvill room, there is a large difference in spatiality and sound using the different monitors. The far-field monitors helped me directly to solve some bass issues that I did not hear with the near-field selected (and did not hear on my Kali IN-8).

• Once in a while I check with the audiophile (far-field) room which also helps to solve potential issues in the lower frequency range. After finishing a draft mix I evaluated it on my Kali IN-8, Avantones, and the Sony WH-1000XM3 headphone. I used the Sony since I know the sound of this consumer headphone very well. Surprisingly, it turned out that the vocals were way too loud. Listening again on the VSX learned that I could also have noticed it there, but it was just less obvious. Similar issue for the kick-drum. Both were easily solved. I think one must get acquainted with the sound of one or more rooms to prevent such issues. This is no different than when one starts working with new monitors and/or acoustic environment.

• Once I have finalized this second mix, I will do a master with the Howie Weinberg mastering room and let you know my experience. In addition, I will do a next mix with the VSX using my current experience.

• I have been using the VSX for a while. I switched the Audiophile room for the Steven Private Mix Room as one of my favorites. In particular I like the mid field monitors of this private room. Thus, I now tend to switch between the NRG and Steven Private Mix room for mixing. Still in combination with my Kali IN-8 (preparing a rough mix, and checking) and Avantones.

• I have now (9 October 2023) done three mixes and masters using the VSX. For the mastering I used the Howie Weinberg room.
  • Run Run Run (Arise)
  • Broken Again (Daimon B)
  • Once in a lifetime (Daphne Reijnoudt)

• Verdict: I am impressed by the VSX. It allows me to finalize my mixes and masters more quickly and they are over better quality compared to only using my Kali IN-8 and Avantones to check. My current workflow is to setup the mix (e.g., editing audio files, overall balance) using my nearfield monitors, and then switch the the VSX for the actual mixing and mastering. This prevents having to wear the headphone for longer periods. One ‘disadvantage’ is the potential for too loud levels on the headphone, which may cause hearing damage. 

Other comments

Below are comments from other forums that I believe are useful and relevant. I copied these comments and modified them when necessary.

From Steven Slate Audio Dojo Facebook group:

1. If you are not used to mid or far field monitors then you’re going to mix bass light because more low end is available to you.
2. On the flip side. In your physical space. If you don’t have an entirely flat low end including waterfall reverb reflection time (Sonarworks only does so much) then you’re likely used to more low end that is more felt than heard because of the build up in the room.
   1. So learning the difference between 1 and 2 from a flat custom curve with farfields vs a room that may not be serving as well but does “feel” more substantial is the learning curve to address, yes. And it may help you get a more expected response all around.
3. Yes the Focal Trio have more headroom to pump sub energy into my studio than the VSX headphone. But not useful low end in the sense that any of us should be putting it into our mixes.
4. A song like Big Rings by Drake has so much low end it plays very well in the VSX rooms but!!! A song like that will indeed peak the stereo out in the SUV and Club Bass and potentially more. This will cause clicks and distortion simply because it’s digitally clipping, not because of the headphone or your mix.
5. You might benefit from working in the VSX nearfields first, like NRG and Archon near that both have subs. And check in the mid and far. You might get a little more sub energy flowing that way instead of working in the larger monitors and feeling sub and mixing it out by accident. Just a consideration.
6. The VSX headphone at equal volume is audibly heard via sine tone to 20hz where the Focal Trio disappears at 26Hz. Compared to the Sennheiser HD600 headphones with Sonarworks which help boost back up sub low end, at equal levels, the quality of VSX is audibly cleaner, more potently powerful, with more headroom than them.
7. In the Steven Slate Facebook group the following question popped up: How to you guys that do the same manage the situation when an artist wants to come in person for final mix revisions?

Specifications

The VSX are 37ohm 127 watt beryllium closed-back headphones.

• Custom analog tuning circuitry using hi-fi grade components
• 32 ohms native driver impedance, +/- 10% tolerance (37.6 ohms final impedance, after analog tuning circuitry)
• 10 Hz to 20 kHz frequency response +/- 3db, THD < 1% (per specification chart)
• Advanced air management technologies, including sophisticated internal tuning vent system and patent-pending bass coupling for optimal low-end performance (APS – Acoustically Ported Subsonics). The APS technology means that the sub lows are actually semi-open, while the mid and high frequencies are closed.
• Aluminum alloy chassis components, for strength, stability and consistency of sound quality
• Stainless steel headband structure, for long-term professional reliability
• High grade collagen leather ear and headband cushions for phase-coherent acoustic performance, durability and comfort for long sessions
• Premium 24k Gold-plated electrical connectors, to improve reliability and reduce electrical losses
• Pro quality EMI-shielded signal cables, to eliminate potential electrical interference, and to ensure pure sound authenticity

Image: Headphone specifications

Image: Steven Slate

References

• Forum Sound on Sound
• Review (Sound on Sound,  March 2024)
• Spotify playlist with songs made with VSX (see [here] for instructions)

VSX Manual (pdf)

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