

Some people might want to turn this feature off and stay in the virtual sweet spot regardless of your head's position, but personally I found that the head-tracking gave a much more natural feel and, after a while, it felt weird without it.

#Waves nx sounds weird software#
Using a webcam, the software maps the features on your face and follows your head movements, changing the sound as if you were turning your head relative to the speakers in front of you. The most characteristic feature is the head-tracking. It also offers 5.0 and 5.1 surround sound options for those mixing down to multiple channels. Rather than emulating different environments, NX models a single optimum mix space, so after watching the five-minute quickstart video you'll be up and running in no time. Switching the plug-in on, there's a significant difference compared with a dry signal, with a rich feeling of depth and stereo space. Waves are one of the most respected plug-in companies in the game, and their expertise is evident in the NX's sound. If you want to get really serious, there's also the SPL Phonitor 2, which combines loudspeaker simulation with a high-quality headphone preamp for around £1000.

The first is more straightforward than the NX and the latter somewhat more involved in that it replicates a variety of different listening environments and monitors. There are a few other plug-ins on the market that try to replicate this already, like the 112dB Redline Monitor or the Focusrite VRM box. In a real-world listening environment, your left ear would hear some signal from the right speaker, both of your ears would hear reflections from the walls, floor and ceiling, and you'd also hear sound that has passed through your head. It uses a model of an ideal control room and the position of your head, ears and body to change the master stereo signal from a left-right output to one where each channel contains information from both channels and their interaction with the virtual room around you. Some plug-ins measure room character and adjust the frequency response of your monitors, where others use psychoacoustic techniques to imitate a three-dimensional, physical space in headphones. There are a growing number of solutions to deal with this. Some people are forced to use headphones for noise reasons, others might travel a lot and produce on the move, and many have studios in a bedroom or poor acoustic space where sound treatment is either impractical or feels like a battle against the odds. It largely comes down to your personal circumstances.
