Reference Vst

REFERENCE is my go-to plugin to A/B between reference tracks and get my mix & master where I want it to be! Music Tech ★★★★☆ REFERENCE is an excellent, well-designed plug-in that offers unique and useful visual insights into your mix and references.

Installing the Reference 4 plugin

Sonarworks headphone and room calibration can be applied in DAW (e.g. Cubase, Logic Pro X, Pro Tools, etc.) using the Reference 4 plugin. The plugin can also be loaded in other apps/platforms that feature plugin hosting capability in one of the formats specified below. For example, some advanced music playback apps, like Audirvana, can host plugins too.

Reference 4 installer (download here) will install the plugins into the common plugin folders on your computer. Here are the Reference 4 supported plugin formats and their respective default install directories:

SoundID Reference sets the frequency response target to be completely flat across all audible frequencies. The headphone frequency response target is designed to emulate neutral-sounding speakers. With calibrated headphones you can seamlessly switch between speakers, headphones, projects, and mix with full confidence in sound.
Mastering The Mix – REFERENCE v1.1.1 VST, VST3, AAX, AU WiN.OSX x86 x64 Leauger October 19, 2019 Leave a Comment on Mastering The Mix – REFERENCE v1.1.1 VST, VST3, AAX, AU WiN.OSX x86 x64 Reference is intended for comparing tracks with reference material during mastering.

PC: Windows 7 or higher

VST 64-bit: C:Program FilesVSTPluginsSonarworks_Reference4_x64.dll
VST 32-bit: C:Program Files(x86)VSTPluginsSonarworks_Reference4_x64.dll
AAX 64-bit: C:Program FilesCommon FilesAvidAudioPlug-InsReference4.aaxplugin
AAX 32-bit: C:Program Files (x86)Common FilesAvidAudioPlug-InsReference4.aaxplugin
RTAS 32-bit: C:Program Files (x86)Common FilesDigidesignDAEPlug-InsReference4.dpm

Tip [WIN]: Custom install locations can be assigned on Windows by clicking on Customize during the installation

MAC: macOS 10.12 High Sierra or higher

VST: /Macintosh HD/Library/Audio/Plug-Ins/VST/Sonarworks Reference 4 plugin.vst
AAX: /Macintosh HD/Library/Application Support/Avid/Audio/Plug-Ins/Sonarworks Reference 4 plugin.aaxplugin
AU: /Macintosh HD/Library/Audio/Plug-Ins/Components/Sonarworks Reference 4 plugin.component

Reference Vst Plugin

Locating the plugin in DAW

In most cases, your plugin host app (e.g. DAW) will then recognize the plugin automatically on start-up. However, if it doesn't, please make sure that the plugin is located in the correct folder and your host software is scanning the same folder. For more information on troubleshooting plugin issues please refer to this article.

Tip [WIN]: If the plugin is missing in DAW, make sure you are not mixing up the default VST directory with the Steinberg VST directory:

C:Program FilesVSTPlugins
C:Program FilesSteinbergVSTPlugins

Start using the Reference 4 plugin in a DAW

Create a new session or open an existing one in your DAW
Find or open your audio mixer view and locate the stereo master bus. If your new session does not have a master bus (e.g. Pro Tools), please create one
Insert the Reference 4 plugin as the LAST pluginon the master bus.
Load one of the headphone calibration profiles (pre-made headphone profiles are readily available in Reference 4 Headphone Edition; see the full list of supported headphones here) or a speaker calibration profile (Studio Edition) that can be created using Reference 4 Measuresoftware.
Follow the onboarding steps - there are some key aspects for using Reference 4:

We suggest that you keep the Reference 4 plugin inserted on the master bus throughout the entire recording, mixing, and mastering process.

IMPORTANT! Reference 4 plugin functions as a solution for your individual monitoring setup only! For that reason it should be hard-bypassed rendering your project (turned off completely in the channel strip), to avoid imprinting your unique calibration EQ curve on the track:

Streamline your workflow with Reference 4 in DAW

For a more effective solution, a dedicated monitoring bus can be created for Reference 4 (not a part of the master output chain). That way, you can avoid bypassing the plugin for rendering and also avoid the volume drop which is introduced by the Safe Headroom feature. For more information on how to avoid the need to bypass the plugin for mixdown, see this article on our blog: How To Use Reference 4 In Pro Tools, Logic, and Cubase.

Some DAWs feature dedicated monitoring plugin sections (for example, the Control Room section in Cubase) which are bypassed automatically for rendering. If your DAW has such a feature, we recommend taking advantage of it.

For a more detailed feature and settings review on the Reference 4 plugin, take a look at this Sonarworks blog entry: Getting The Most Out Of Sonarworks Reference 4’s Settings