This is just a basic usage question. I have the Abbey Road Suite and am demoing the Studio 3 plugin. I use Readon 10. For the Studio plugin, where do you recommend putting the plugin in the signal chain, and/or in the rack? At the beginning in the master section? At the end? How should the signal be routed through the plugin? I would think that the correct place would be at the end before the stereo outs. After all, it’s not an effect. You want all your channels to be processed through the Studio “space”. There don’t seem to be any instructions, guides, etc, on how it was designed to be used/placed in the user’s DAW software chain.
Same question with the the other non-effect type Abbey Road plugins. J37 Tape, Vinyl, channel strips, etc. Is it best to put then into a channel as an insert, or set up as an effect on a send/return buss? I’d like to know how to get the most authentic sounds out of these plugins. After all, a lot of modelling effort went in to recreating the sounds of the original equipment. What does Waves recommend as the best way to implement them?
Best,
Tim
Hi @oldsmartvet,
Abbey Road Studio 3 should definitely be placed as the last processor on your master track. Learn more here.
Regarding your second question - it is a personal and workflow preference, but as a rule of thumb - effects like channels strips, eq’s, compressors go on a channels’ insert, and delay, reverb, spatial, modulator and creative effects as a send/return.
Yishai, thank you for replying quickly. I hadn’t seen that video. Huart doesn’t really talk about how it’s actually placed in his DAW. In Reason I placed it as the only insert on the master buss. I think that should be correct.
A couple notes about the Studio plugin: I tried the NX camera tracking. It works, but the simulated head is turning opposite my actual head movements! Is there an “invert” setting somewhere in NX? I can’t find a mirror setting in my camera’s software.
Other note is: I have a pair of Behringer DT 770 250ohm headphones. Will there be an EQ patch coming out for that model? I’ve tried the DT 880 250 ohm headphone EQ setting but I don’t know how that differs from the 770.
Thanks,
Tim
Hi Tim,
In the 2nd paragraph, you’re describing an expected behavior of NX algorithm which works as the ears would perceive. This is one of the main factors that create the realistic sensation of “it sounds like being in a room”, and there is no technical way to invert it using a camera.
Theoretically, when turning the head to left, the right ear focuses more on the right speaker, and more on the left speaker, while the left ear focuses less on the right speaker, less on the left speaker, and more on the reflections coming behind. This is summed to an increased gain on headphones output R.
In the following image, you can see an example of NX Virtual Mix Room plug-in showing head movement to the left when an equal LR gain enters NX stereo plug-in. The stereo output meters when the head turns to the left.
Regarding the EQ curve, please note that the plug-in matches EQ curves for several models of Beyerdynamics, DT 880 & DT 990 while the Behringer models are not available.
We have forwarded a feature request for Beyerdynamics, DT 770 and I’m forwarding a request for Behringer models as well.
I would also emphasize that the main benefit of AR Studio 3 or NX \is not intended to match an EQ curve of specific headphones but rather delivering studio 3’s room-time response or impulse response in the context of the Nx directional binaural effect.
Thanks 
@OldWaves Sorry, I made a mistake on my headphone brand. It is Beyerdynamic DT770 250 ohm (I’ve been looking at other Behringer stuff lately, so was on my mind). There is a noticeable difference between using NO headphone curve and either of the two Beyerdynamic curves. There’s not too much difference between the two curves themselves.
I was finally able to find an advanced setting in my webcam software to mirror the camera image. Now, when I turn my head while using the NX tracker, the resulting aural image makes much more sense. The change in aural image seems to be a bit too dramatic compared with my head movements. For example, if I change my head angle left or right by 45 degrees, the corresponding perceived sound change “seems” to be more than 45 degrees, closer to 90 degrees. I’ve done the head measurements, which I think helped a bit from my first use.
All in all, a very interesting concept. I hope Waves keeps improving it.
Hi, basically, the Abbey Road Studio 3 is there to simulate you are listening to your material just like if you were sitting in that studio.
That means, you place it very last in your signal chain and use it for listening only - you do not use it to process you mix or any other part, when bouncing or rerecording it.
Also, it obviously works with headphones only, there is no point using this with you speakers.
Cheers
Hi Tim,
I’m not sure if there was a specific use case with your camera/camera app that inverted the image, to begin with, if it makes more sense now, I believe something there is out of the ordinary.
Changing head size preferences indeed affects the sound a lot, it can result distortion.
Nevertheless, we always recommended our users to trust their ears and use the plug-ins according to personal preference.
Thanks for the feedback. I believe NX technology will keep evolving in new platforms.
