Sonarworks is room correction software aimed at making sure your monitor speakers and/or headphones are calibrated to give an accurate picture (mixed metaphor) of what you are hearing. It works as a plugin on your mix buss and if you use this little trick here you can use it on your main computer outputs.
My First Impressions
I was late to the Sonarworks party. Dan Cooper had been bending my ear (ironically) about using it but I'd never got around to checking it out. For a number of reasons;
Whilst my studio was being build I was using a temporary bedroom in my house to work in so didn't really want to bother using Sonarworks.
I'd also never been a huge fan of room correction software. It wasn't some kind of deeply held philosophical view about the science. it was more a case of me thinking that once I got to know the sound of a room then I could mix within that space. I still believe this but if there's anything that can help me then I'd be a fool to ignore it.
Setting up seemed such a palaver, so I just kept putting it off.
I was wrong, setting up Sonarworks couldn't have been simpler. All it took was around 20 minutes of my time, a tape measure and the ability to read the instructions that appeared on screen. It's almost idiot proof, I got it set up and I'm from Birmingham.
The Results
The difference Sonarworks has made to my system is excellent, in fact whilst it has ironed out some frequency bumps the biggest impact is on the stereo image - it really makes a difference.
Could I mix without it? Yes. Would I? No.
Hands down the most used piece of equipment (software) in my studio this year.