Sonarworks SoundID Multichannel with Measurement Mic

Full Description

Consistent measurements between locations

No matter what studio or location you are mixing surround audio in, the SoundID Multichannel offers consistency across different locations, users and measurements to create a consistent listening experience. The combination of a patented microphone location algorithm, 37-point measurement system and individually calibrated microphone ensures that you will follow the same procedure across multiple systems. By doing this, Sonarworks SoundID Multichannel learns the frequency response of each measured point as well as the location around your listening position, ensuring a more accurate calibration for systems up to 9.1.6.

Upgraded for the Multichannel system, the microphone included with your Sonarworks SoundID now features multi-angle calibration profiles for 0, 30 and 90-degree angles. Often in surround systems, your speakers will be at angles across the plane from floor to ceiling, meaning now your calibration can account for acoustic variances in your space across both the X and Y-axis.

Accurate time alignment of speaker channels

An essential aspect when mixing or mastering surround audio is the time it takes for each speaker to hit the listening position. Speakers that arrive at different times to you will result in an imbalanced sound with an incoherent sound stage which will be even more emphasised by the inclusion of a subwoofer in your system. In order to avoid this, the Sonarworks SoundID Multichannel accurately measures the phase relationship of speakers within your surround system, calculating the required time delay needed per speaker and applying this to your calibration. The result will be a sharp and precise sound that's cohesive across every speaker, allowing you to create a soundstage even more accurately than ever before.

With sub-millisecond precision, SoundID Multichannel delivers the perfect time alignment for your listening position. Using advanced phase response measurements during the speaker measurement process, no additional measurement steps are required and you will be guided step-by-step to ensure maximum efficiency across your system.

Your choice of target curve

Traditionally, studios mixing audio in stereo will aim for flat response to create mixes that translate across different systems and speakers. Surround audio differs slightly as achieving a flat response is not always the aim. Knowing this, Sonarworks SoundID Multichannel offers a few target modes to choose from depending on your situation.

Much like other Sonarworks products, Multichannel offers a 'flat' response as an available target curve to be confident in the translation of your productions across different systems. Next, Multichannel offers a Dolby Atmos target curve. Dolby Atmos presents a specific target curve that your system should be tuned to according to their guideline documentation to best match the playback systems that feature Dolby Atmos. The official documentation provides a very slightly different curve in appearance to what is presented in Sonarworks SoundID Multichannel as the calibration measurement method is slightly different. To compensate, SoundID Multichannel Sonarworks calculates the transfer function to make up for the differences to create an exact replica of the calibration.

A third option presented for your target curve is the 'tilt' option. This enables you to slightly bias the response favouring either treble or bass without adjusting the complicated calibration and therefore changing the tonality. This gentle curve is ideal for quickly identifying how your productions sound on speakers that are generally darker or brighter than your mixing room. Last but not least, Sonarworks SoundID Multichannel gives you flexible customisation, welcoming you to design your target curve using the Custom target curve function.

Hardware and software integration

Unique to Sonarworks SoundID Multichannel, there are several ways that you can apply your calibration profile. Once you have measured the calibration profile of your system and chosen your target curve, you can apply this to either selected hardware options or your software.

A first for Sonarworks, SoundID Multichannel offers you to apply your calibration on a select number of hardware converters. Including Avid MTRX Studio, Avid MTRX with SPQ card, DAD MTRX with SPQ card and more. Exporting your calibration profile can then be imported to your hardware and converted to include both parametric EQ and delay settings. At this time, Multichannel calibration profiles can not be loaded system-wide on your computer or workstation, meaning exporting to a hardware profile can be the perfect solution for system-wide changes.

Alternatively, SoundID Reference Multichannel is supported via software integration of up to 16 channels. Ideal for when working on projects within your DAW with discrete channels separated into different speakers, applying the software application offers zero-latency filters with maximum resolution and accuracy of up to 2000 taps per channel.

Jam-packed with professional features

Supplied with bot ha multichannel DAW plug-in and stereo standalone desktop application, Sonarworks SoundID Multichannel can be loaded in a wide variety of different ways to suit your workflow. Customisation of both standalone application and the plugin is presented with zero-latency, mixed and linear phase filters along with additional DSP controls including mono summing, wet/dry blending and safe headroom parameters. Alongside this, MIDI mapping of several parameters lets you switch between profiles or adjust settings on the fly.

Supported hardware

• AVID MTRX with SPQ DSP
• AVID MTRX Studio
• DAD AX32 with SPQ DSP
• Dolby Atmos Renderer Mastering Suite
• Jones-Scanlon Studio monitors
• Plus more to be announced

What's included

• SoundID reference measurement microphone with individual calibration profile
• Microphone clip and 5/8" microphone thread
• Activation key for software licence to be used on up to three machines
• SoundID Reference DAW plugin for Multichannel (AAX, AU, VST2, VST3)
• SoundID Reference standalone app for Stereo (ASIO, WASAPI, APO, HAL)

Features

General

• Intuitive and guided speaker measurement process will get you up and running in under an hour
• Create mixes that translate with a flat response across the full frequency spectrum
• Includes reference microphone, clip and thread and download code for software package
• Purpose-designed for multi-channel systems
• Calibrates speaker setups up to 9.1.6 Dolby Atmos to ensure consistent, accurate monitoring
• Phase-based time alignment between speaker channels with sub-milisecond accuracy
• Provided in a variety of formats including standalone and plug-in compatible with all major DAWs
• Supports VST2, VST3 AAX, and AU
• SoundID Reference offers support for headphone calibration with over 480+ ready to use profiles
• Save customised profiles for different systems and headphones in different studios
• Three filter responses including zero latency, mixed and linear phase
• Additional processing controls including mono, dry/wet controls and safe headroom
• MIDI-enabled for mapping of various parameters to controllers and keyboards for tactile adjustments on the fly
• User presets for switching between predefined output devices/channel pair combinations
• Export calibration profile to supported hardware devices
• Native support for Apple Silicon platforms / M1 chip
• Customise the Target Curve by limiting calibration frequency range or adjusting curve manually
• Correct for the Dolby Atmos Music curve, flat frequency response, or create a custom profile

SoundID Calibration Software

• Updated streamlined interface takes you through setup step-by-step
• New and updated tutorials for measurement of systems between stereo 2.0 to multichannel 9.1.6
• Improved range of sample rate support from 44.1 - 192kHz
• Subwoofers (LFE) can be measured as part of a system in your setup
• Improved speaker volume and channel volume matching
• Time alignment measures applies correction per speaker in your system with stunning accuracy of sub-miliseconds
• Support for multiple microphone angle calibration profiles

SoundID Plug-in

• Improved interface with dedicated channel groups, tooltips and more
• Channel group selection offers view and modification of calibration curve for selected channels in a group
• Simulate different devices via Translation check to mix more accurately
• Zero latency filter
• Accurate signal monitoring of both input and output signals
• Master output fader controls all channels simultaneously
• More Safe Headroom options with Specific, Unified and Disabled modes
• Correct between group delay using Listening Spot control to fine-tune time alignment
• Dry/Wet fader blends between all groups simultaneously
• Dolby Atmos Music target - Calibrates audio to the Dolby Atmos Music curve target

SoundID Standalone

• Target curve options- select Flat Target, Dolby Atmos Music, or Custom Target mode
• Export multichannel profile to supported hardware device

Specifications

System requirements

• Operating system:
  • Mac: MacOS 10.15 or later
  • Windows: Windows 10 or later
• Processor:
  • Mac: Intel Core 2 Duo or higher with support for Apple M1
  • Windows: Intel Core 2 Duo / AMD Athlon 64 X2 or higher
• RAM: 4GB (8GB recommended)
• Sample Rates: 44.1kHz, 48kHz, 88kHz, 96kHz, 192kHz
• Format: AAX Native, VST2, VST3, AU, Standalone 64-Bit
• Drivers:
  • Multichannel measurements: ASIO
  • Stereo measurements: ASIO, WASAPI

General

• Supported configurations: From 2.0 to 9.1.6
• Hardware export: Avid MTRX with SPQ DSP, Avid MTRX Studio, DAD AX32 with SPQ DSP, Dolby Atmos Mastering suite, Wayne Jones AUDIO Studio Monitors
• Setup: Audio interface with +48V phantom power required for measurement
• Product code: SW-5MX