Sonarworks says its True-Fi software program can rework the music coming out of your headphones, bringing it nearer to what the recording artist heard within the studio, and bettering any headphone’s efficiency by eradicating the coloration that will get between you and the music. That is an superior promise, so the apparent query is, “does it work?”
Sonarworks despatched True-Fi and a few headphones for a check. The excellent news is that usually talking, I discovered that Sonarworks largely delivered on its promise, bettering to various levels the efficiency of every of the headphones I examined.
How does True-Fi work?
Sonarworks developed one other software program program, Reference 4, that’s aimed toward recording studios. The firm says Reference 4 is utilized in greater than 30,000 of those services worldwide. Reference 4 adjusts the frequency response of supported fashions of studio displays (loudspeakers) and headphones to match the corporate’s studio reference sound normal.
True-Fi, in contrast, works solely with headphones (287 models were supported at press time) and is designed for the common client. True-Fi works on each Windows and macOS, and there are Android and iOS variations within the works (these can be found for “early access” within the app shops, however I didn’t consider both). Sonarworks introduced at CES in January that prospects who buy a True-Fi license earlier than these apps are launched on the market will obtain a free improve for a lifetime license to the cellular variations. A free 10-day trial of the desktop version can also be obtainable.
Sonarworks’ True-Fi features in an analogous vein to as we speak’s high room-correction packages, akin to Audyssey, Anthem ARC, Dirac, and Trinnov. If you’ve ever examined a frequency-response chart, you’ll word that it’s not ruler flat. The typical curve is riddled with peaks and valleys, indicating that the drivers contained in the headphone will overemphasize some frequencies and under-emphasize others, coloring the audio replica in comparison with what was recorded within the studio.
In an ongoing effort, Sonarworks measures and analyzes every supported headphones’ frequency response, searching for its shortcomings. Once this evaluation is full, the workforce applies the suitable inverse curve to handle these frequency peaks and dips. The purpose right here is to make every headphone’s closing sound match their studio reference normal as carefully as bodily doable.
It’s tempting to assume that headphones ought to exhibit ruler-flat frequency response, from the underside of the frequency spectrum to the highest, however I’ll level you to the pioneering work of Dr. Sean Olive and his colleagues at Harman International, which suggests in any other case.
Customized sound based mostly in your age
True-Fi doesn’t simply compensate for a headphone’s frequency response shortcomings, like an EQ bundle would. As we age, we lose our means to listen to excessive frequencies. True-Fi subsequently additionally takes under consideration the listener’s notion of sound, adjusting its goal curve based mostly in your age and gender.
Sonarworks added a slight increase to the bass response of all of the headphones I attempted; in case you’re beneath 21 years of age, nevertheless, True-Fi received’t contact anything. The older you might be previous 21, the extra True-Fi compensates by boosting frequencies above 2kHz or so. Look on the display pictures under and also you’ll see how True-Fi boosted larger frequencies as I elevated the reported age of the listener.
True-Fi will increase the higher frequency response with the chosen age. For listeners aged 21 or youthful, just about no corrective EQ is utilized.
No matter which you settings you select, you possibly can flip any of those changes on or off, and you may independently increase or minimize the bass frequency response to your liking.
Will True-Fi work with any pair of headphones?
Sonarworks should analyze and develop a filter for every make and mannequin of headphones it helps, so this software program is not going to work with simply any set of cans—solely those the corporate has measured.
But Sonarworks helps a broad vary, with fashions that value as little as $100 to very high-end fashions that value as a lot $4,000—together with Apple’s AirPods and EarPods. Sonarworks maintains a current list here.
Theo Nicolakis / IDGThe Sonarworks True-Fi database helps headphones priced lower than $100 all the way in which as much as high-end fashions such because the Focal Clear.
Slight inconsistencies in supplies in and development can lead to minor sonic variations within the in any other case similar make and mannequin of headphone, so when Sonarworks provides assist for a brand new mannequin, its filter relies on the averaged outcomes of a number of pairs. The firm guarantees accuracy of ±3dB for every headphone mannequin its software program helps.
Theo Nicolakis / IDGSonarworks despatched me two pairs of factory-calibrated headphones for testing.
Send your headphones in for a customized filter
Sonarworks will even produce customized filters in your particular headphones—in case you don’t thoughts transport them to the corporate’s facility in Latvia. It’s not such a loopy concept in case you simply dropped 4 giant on one thing like a pair of Focal Utopia. When the corporate receives your cans, they’ll measure and analyze them, create a novel filter, add it to their database, and tag your headphones with a serial quantity. Enter that quantity into True-Fi and the software program will load that customized filter. Sonarworks guarantees accuracy of ±0.9 dB for its buyer filters.
Prices for this service begin at $148 for one pair of headphones with a single profile, or $213 for a number of profiles of a single set of cans. Why would you need a number of profiles? If your mannequin can function with our with out wires, for example, or in case your equipment got here with completely different units of earpads. Sonarworks additionally sells pre-calibrated headphones—each skilled studio fashions and client headphones—manufactured by quite a lot of builders.
Theo Nicolakis / IDGEach calibrated set of headphones is tagged and numbered.
Listening exams throughout a number of headphones
I examined Sonarworks on a Mac with six units of headphones. Sonarworks despatched me two pre-calibrated headphones: Marshall Monitor (client) and Samson SR850 (studio). I additionally used supported headphones from my assortment: Marshall Major II, Bowers&Wilkins P7 Wireless, V-Moda Crossfade II Wireless, and Focal Clear. I performed each 16-bit/44kHz tracks ripped from CDs in addition to high-res music performed from a Roon Nucleus music server and music streamed over Tidal.
Theo Nicolakis / IDGSonarworks despatched me a calibrated pair of Marshall headphones.
I had no drawback loading headphones into the software program. I had the choices of looking out the database by producer and mannequin, or getting into within the variety of the pre-calibrated headphones. Using the dropdown menu, I may bounce between headphone profiles.
I seen that I may solely retailer 4 headphones at anybody time, nevertheless; the second I added a fifth headphone mannequin/profile, the software program would delete one different from the checklist.
I began my exams with the Marshall Monitor and Samson SR850. Needless to say, the enhancements True-Fi yielded with each of those headphones have been dramatic. What I cherished most was how True-Fi cleaned up the darkish, muddy response of the Marshall Monitor. With True-Fi engaged, I felt that the Marshall Monitor lastly had a extra pure tonal steadiness.
On the Bowers & Wilkins P7 (examined wired), I seen a extra refined impact. With the Focal Clear, nevertheless, the headphone began to sound overly shiny with True-Fi enabled. I compensated by adjusting the EQ settings. With the headphones I attempted, I famous that True-Fi had a reasonably wide-ranging influence relying on the headphone: Dramatic with some; extra refined with others.
What is vital for potential customers to grasp is that the True-Fi will take away a few of a headphone’s character and voicing. You may uncover you want what True-Fi does for a given set of headphones, however there’s additionally an opportunity you may not admire every little thing it does and conclude that you must tweak settings to get probably the most satisfying efficiency.
Worth the value of admission
True-Fi eliminates the trouble of taking part in with EQ settings and immediately tunes your headphones towards the corporate’s studio reference sound curve utilized in hundreds of studios worldwide. This is a intelligent little bit of code that may impart something from a modest change to a radical transformation of your headphone’s sound. The software program’s means to assist compensate for age-related listening to loss is good.
But you don’t have to take my phrase for it, supplied you personal a pair of supported headphones. Give the free trial version a shot and listen to for your self what this software program can do in your subsequent listening session. I feel you’ll prefer it.