Well that is a very different statistical guess on your part. You say most people mix on headphones these days? Not in my area, I don't know a single one. And I didn't get that impression on Gearslutz either though I haven't spent much time there past few years I'd be very surprised if this has changed all of a sudden. My knowledge and impression is that headphone mixing does not work for most people. Everybody I know would prefer even a bedroom studio with budget monitors and minor treatment over mixing on headphones.
I would not call LEDE "dead" I'd personally call it in the middle ground as far as professional treated studios go.
And most studios go for a ruler flat direct sound and some warmth comes in from the diffused early reflections. But this is not for everybody, there's always discussion about this. Some find that with this setting there is too little bass and the highs take your head off and use a house curve (some studios have a specific house curve and there are even studios which cater to for instance R&B which almost always have a curve especially for that style etc. It's a complex world.) And studios for classical work are usually ruler flat but very often use Geithain monitors which have much softer highs (even though they measure flat) etc etc. Much variety. But I've never been to a studio where the mixing monitors sound anything as warm as a HD650. Though sometimes they have main monitors that are voiced on the warm side where everything sounds good and are played to please the clients but not actually mixed on.
As for going from 3% to 5% as the typical result of the subbass boost in Sonarworks for open back dynamic headphones? I can't belief that is realistic those are often boosted in Sonarworks by 9db or even more right? Open back dynamic headphones don't go from 3% to 5% with a 9db boost at 20hz right? Seems to me it would be more. I would not call 3% to 5% huge, though it is certainly noticeable and a degredation. ButI'll check some headphone distortion graphs later and look at some of the default boosts for various open back dynamic headphones in Reference 4 and get back to you on this. (yes planars are different of course, though I've never personally owned one the ones I heard a few years ago had bad trebble in my opinion which I'm very sceptical Sonarworks could fix that either.)
As far as what I think is a reasonable and neutral analytical response I think this would probably be something in the direction of diffuse field equalized for headphones (though I'm not completely familiar with headphone curves as I mentioned before). But for me certainly not the Harman curves. And is there any literature that suggests the Harman curves correspond to a headphone similar version of average studio curves? I'm guessing (and hearing) this is a big no. (and as I learned by reading this thread again Sonarworks is indeed using a Harman curve? Which is also indeed the warmest curve there is in the headphone curve debate? So what I'm saying regarding the curve is not something that comes completely out of the blue but is something that is actively being debated amongst headphone makers and enthoustiasts? (not even just the studio ones, but even the hifi / audiophile use ones?)
But I do thank you for your reply.
I was simply airing my personal displeasure with Sonarworks and disagree with the marketing words used. Also a new user of this particular forum. Did not intend to pick a fight.
But since we are talking already. Perhaps I can suggest to at least alow the user to select different "flat" curves than just the Harman curve? That would be really cool actually
And my personal wishlist would also include more control over the eq. Instead of the limited treble and bass controls why not include a basic parametric eq?
And btw, I'm also curious why you claim / think to have the worlds best measurement technique for headphones. Have you written any information online about your measurement technique and advantages achieved over other systems? I'd be curious to read it.
Kind regards
