Testing Out Waves NX For The First Time

Summary

In this video, Daniel Jason Booth explores the NX by Waves plugin for headphone mixing. He measures his head and inter-aural arc for accurate audio modeling and tests various headphone models. Daniel plays a track on different virtual speaker setups, including NS10ms and Neumann KH310s, and evaluates the head tracking feature. He also discusses the importance of speaker positioning and ambience settings, highlighting the plugin's potential in mix referencing.

Takeaways

• 🎧 Daniel Jason Booth introduces NX by Waves, a plugin for headphone mixing that includes various headphone models.
• 📏 The user is guided to measure their head circumference and inter-aural arc for a personalized experience.
• 🖥 NX uses a webcam for head tracking, allowing the virtual environment to move with the user's head.
• 🎵 Daniel plays a track to test the plugin's effectiveness, noting that it convincingly mimics speaker playback.
• 🔧 The plugin offers an XYZ lock feature to maintain the virtual 'sweet spot' even when the user moves.
• 👂 Daniel suggests that the NX plugin could be useful for mixing, particularly for stereo instruments.
• 🎚️ He experiments with different speaker positions and finds the plugin's ability to adjust speaker width and rotation valuable.
• 📚 Daniel reviews other headphone models and environments, including those from Gimano Studios and Oceanway in Nashville.
• 🏆 He particularly likes the CLA-NX model for its realism and the inclusion of a boom box for a real-world reference.
• 🚫 Daniel advises against putting the Abbey Road Studio 3 plugin on the mix bus to avoid potential peak issues and recommends monitoring it on a separate track.

Q & A

What is the purpose of the video?

The purpose of the video is to explore and review the NX by Waves plugin, which is designed for headphone mixing. The host, Daniel Jason Booth, aims to check out its features and share his experience with it.

What is NX by Waves?

NX by Waves is a plugin that simulates the sound of various headphone models and allows for head tracking to create a more realistic listening experience in headphones.

What is the significance of measuring the circumference of the head and the inter-aural arc?

These measurements are significant for customizing the headphone model simulation to better fit the individual's head shape, ensuring a more accurate and personalized listening experience.

What does the head tracking feature do?

The head tracking feature uses a webcam to track the movement of the user's head, allowing the plugin to adjust the audio simulation in real-time as the user moves, creating a more immersive experience.

What is the XYZ lock feature and what does it do?

The XYZ lock feature locks the movement of the virtual head to the XYZ axes, ensuring that the listener remains in the virtual sweet spot even when they move their head sideways, forward, back, or up and down.

What is the user's initial impression of the NX plugin after listening to music with it?

The user is impressed with the plugin, noting that it convincingly simulates the sound of speakers and expresses surprise at the quality of the simulation.

What is the user's opinion on the speaker position simulation?

The user is hesitant to change the speaker position simulation but finds it interesting and thinks it could be useful for mixing on stereo instruments.

What is the user's recommendation regarding the output level when using NX?

The user recommends turning down the output level to avoid peaking, as the plugin can cause the audio levels to peak unexpectedly.

What are some of the different headphone models and studio simulations available in the plugin?

The plugin offers various headphone models and studio simulations, including models from Sennheiser, Neumann, and a simulation of the famous Oceanway studio in Nashville.

What is the user's preference for studio simulations?

The user prefers the simulations that offer a more dry and fast transient response, like the NS10ms, but also appreciates the utility of having different simulations for various mixing references.

What is the user's final verdict on the NX plugin?

The user finds the NX plugin to be very cool and useful, especially for its ability to simulate different headphone models and studio environments. He also appreciates the base version of the plugin, noting that it's 'pretty damn good'.