Translation Check

Packed with simulations, allowing you to experience your mix in specific environments, and highlighting the elements that may need adjustment, Translation Check saves time and brings more power to your mix-check routine.

In this article:

• Translation Check target mode
• How to enable Translation Check
• Headphone simulations
• Translation Check targets for Virtual Monitoring

Translation Check target mode

Translation Check realistically simulates the frequency response of different devices and device classes so you can check your mix on things that are really relevant and bring the translatability of your mix to a new level. A library of 25 predefined simulations allows you to check your mix in different listening environments:

• Cars
• Headphones
• Laptops
• Smartphones
• Studio speakers
• TVs
• Other (B&K, X-Curve, Tilted curves, and more)

Checking how your mix translates on these devices will provide a competitive edge to your work while saving time too. For example, a good use case would be checking how your kick drum, bass, and other low-end mix content translates to a smartphone, or what your mix sounds like on popular in-ear headphones, or performing your critical car mix check without having to bounce your audio or make the actual trip to the car.

Translation Check can be an especially useful feature if you find yourself creating audio for a specific device class, as you can tailor the sound for the best translation on this particular device.

How to enable Translation Check

The feature is available in both the DAW plugin and the standalone app of SoundID Reference. To load a Translation Check target, proceed as follows:

1. Create an output preset and load a calibration profile
2. Select Translation Check in the Target Mode options
3. Load one of the available target simulations

Notice that there are "ⓘ" informative descriptions available to help you understand the added value of each individual target. You can also click on the "♡" (heart) icon to add a target to the Favorites section.

Note that Translation Check (or any other Target Mode) will be saved as a part of the Preset automatically. Additionally, a red "CHK" label will appear next to your Preset for a quick visual indicator that the Translation Check target mode is active. 

How to turn off Translation Check

One of the calibration target modes will always be active, so to turn off the Translation Check feature, simply switch back to Flat Target instead. Learn more about different target modes and how to switch between them here: Calibration target modes

Headphone simulations

Want to make sure your mix translates well on a specific headphone model? With Tranclation Check, you can simulate the sound of any SoundID Reference-supported headphones on your own calibrated setup. To add a headphone simulation target:

1. Select your output preset, and navigate to the Target Mode panel
2. Select Translation Check > Headphones
3. Select Add a headphone profile
4. Select any of the predefined headphone simulation targets

You can delete any of your simulation targets, or click on the "❤" icon to add them to your Favorites

Important to know when using headphone simulations

• Only an average freq. response of the target simulation will be applied
• Simulating headphones will not give you the precise sound of the target headphone curve. It is a rough representation of how things MIGHT sound on the simulated headphones
• When simulating Individual Headphone Calibration profiles, the individual L-R correction curves of the simulated profile will be summed and applied as an average

Translation Check targets for Virtual Monitoring

Translation Check now also features 10 new targets developed exclusively for Virtual Monitoring on headphones. These are brand-new targets (such as Cars, Laptops, Smartphones, and TVs) containing additional simulation data, unlocking the full potential of the Virtual Monitoring Add-on.

While the regular Translation Check targets only simulate the frequency response of a certain device, the VM targets provide a full spatial simulation of the given target on headphones. For example, activating the Average Smartphone target while VM is enabled will simulate the actual sensation of a smartphone being in front of the listener - all while monitoring on headphones.

The same applies to all 10 Translation Check Targets for Virtual Monitoring on headphones. Learn more about the Virtual Monitoring here: 

• Virtual Monitoring Add-on for SoundID Reference
• How to trial & activate Virtual Monitoring Add-on