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Now that we’ve slid into the Sonarworks/headphone mixing domain, has anyone used Slate VSX?
Now that we’ve slid into the Sonarworks/headphone mixing domain, has anyone used Slate VSX?
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13 Replies
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Ooh, great question, @Jon_Plett ! I have not personally tried those, but I hear about them all the time. Do you use them and love them?
I went ahead and made a new discussion thread here from your original reply… Hoping others will chime in with any cool ideas or reviews related to favorite headphones for mixing! 🎧
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Haven’t tried them yet. I’ve been tempted to pick some up though. I don’t like the idea of constantly having to pay for upgrades (new rooms etc.) However, I guess with some self-control, I can just work with the rooms it comes with. 😂
I do most of my mixing on ATH M50’s (no sonarworks… maybe that’s the next move). I got some HS8s mostly as a first set of references (cuz my room is bogus), and then my laptop speakers and a bounce to my phone for a fourth reference.
Once I realize I can’t make it sound good on any of those, I shut down the computer and go play drums. 😂
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Hahahaha, I know the feeling!
And hey, good call on the AT headphones and the HS8s – I think Yamaha make really great powered monitors these days, and I recommend them often. I mixed tonnnnns of albums on my 5″ Yamaha MSP-5’s back in the day, in my old 5’x5′ spare-bedroom studio, including this #1 Neil Diamond album. And I have mannnny pairs of those AT headphones and use them daily.
Sonarworks is pretty incredible too, esp if you get their microphone to shoot out your room (I have their measurement mic but also got great results prior to that purchase using my old inexpensive Behringer measurement mic).
dananielsen.com
Home Before Dark - Dana Nielsen
My Role Explore more albums below 👇 Explore more albums below 👇 Explore more albums below 👇
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Man, that’s incredible. Truly amazing the product you can deliver with whatever tools are available. Just gotta have good mentorship and put in the work. Currently streaming Home Before Dark on Tidal, very nice!
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That is absolutely true, man! – You can definitely produce high quality work using minimal (and inexpensive) equipment when you have a clear vision and trustworthy ears. And for me, I guess when I say the word “ears” I’m really talking mostly about my imagination, the mind’s ears. (See Mix Power Tip #5: “Don’t be Snobby”). If you know how you want something to sound in your imagination – and can hold onto that imagined sound long enough to track it like a hunter tracks its prey – you can sculpt that sound into reality, often with simple tools like stock plugins and budget-friendly microphones, speakers and preamps.
Here’s a pic I found of my wife @CMN in our old home studio (circa 2007) where I mixed that Neil Diamond album. You can see the tiny Yamaha MSP5’s I used at that time. And get a load of the intentionally gaudy wall treatments! 😱 It was a carpeted square box of a room and I covered every wall floor-to-ceiling with thin, cheap, packing material from U-Haul, and then covered that with large swatches of several of THE most hideous fabric prints I could find in the discount bin at the fabric store. It was ugly as hell! But also dry as a bone, acoustically, and worked great for many years and many records.
PS – YES! TIDAL! Tidal is my absolute fav DSP, especially since they’re the only ones who provide full album credits!
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Love Tidal for that reason. I can deep dive into someone’s body of work (given they’re credited accurately). I’ve used it for doing deep dives into studying my favorite drummers and their tendencies, and for finding new producers and songwriters. I do like Apple for the lyrics feature.
Dude, I love that you shared this photo. It’s actually so inspiring. You mean I don’t need barefoot’s and SSL everything to make hit records!? 😂
At least you had that candle on the desk to get the vibe right. 😂-
Hahaha – you know it man! And yeah … my scented candles and paisley print walls were QUITE the vibe 😂
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Hey Jon,
In addition to my studio monitors, I use the Slate VSX all the time with my mixes! What I found out is I can get a mix done a lot faster and more accurately/translatable than using my monitors by themselves. I love being able to reference (producing/mixing/mastering) on different monitors, in the club, and car without having to leave my desk. I think they are a great investment.
My Personal Favorite Rooms to Produce/Mix/Reference are: The Archon (ATCs), Zuma (When I’m producing), Mike Dean’s Studio (NS10s), Yellow Matter Studios, and the Club, Luxury Car. I also like using the earbuds reference as well!
I HIGHLY RECOMMEND these! You can Produce/Mix/Master anywhere in the universe! Get a pair
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Well, that is quite the testimonial!
I am really interested and probably will eventually. My mind is too ‘businessy’ for my own good sometimes, so I look at my revenue from mixing and don’t feel like that’s the best place for my ‘investments’. But it’s taking a lot of will power these days to not pick a pair up.-
What is this “willpower” you speak of? … I’ve heard of that but don’t really know what it is. 🤔😂
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Read it in a book somewhere.
Do as I say, not as I do. 😂-
Hahaha, touché!
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Ooh, this is such an awesome endorsement and explanation man thanks! And love that you shared your fav room models too – makes me want to check those out!
Every time I try the headphone-room-model thing (or car or earbud etc) I always get an odd vibe, like it just doesn’t feel “right” to me or particularly useful — or maybe I just kinda love the unadulterated sound of tiny speaker cones strapped mere millimeters away from my eardrums 🤷🏻♂️ — BUT … all that said, I have not ever heard the Slate version! So I’m definitely keen to try it when the opportunity presents itself. I’ve heard good things from lots of folks about the Slate headphones system, including you, so I’m sure they’re badass.
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