Slate Audio VSX - Don't Buy Unless!

Affiliate link options below.

Please know that by using any of the links below helps me continue with the channel as if you choose to buy from any of the links below I will get a small commission.

[robertramirezmusic]

We don’t appreciate and thank enough, how lucky we are for having people like you sharing your experience.
It’s like having a private teacher in front of your sofa, anytime you need it.
Amazing !!!
Thanks a lot Barry and
Best of the wishes for your YouTube project!

[chrisishoy]

As an early adopter of VSX, I was skeptical but desperate to improve my mixes and masters. After completing the online Berklee College of Music Masters Certificate “Producing Music with Pro Tools”, I realized that I couldn’t hear some things through my monitoring system that my professors were pointing out in my mix submissions. I ended up re-doing a lot of assignments in the mixing and mastering courses, sometimes just implementing their suggestions but still not hearing what they were hearing. Before the classes I had designed and built a studio in my basement, and I spent a lot of time submitting my room design for free acoustic evaluation, and a lot of money on acoustic treatment, measuring speaker placement, and using Soundworks room correction. I should have spent money on an acoustic designer as well. Even with a 9 foot ceiling in my basement(which is higher than most) I still have low end room nodes that I need to eliminate(if possible). Now my room isn’t terrible sounding, but after using VSX for the last couple of years I know what I was missing. So now I only use my monitoring system for composing, and only VSX for making mix and mastering decisions. If you can ensure that your mix room is designed, treated and measured for acoustic accuracy, and you can afford something like the ATC mid monitors in the VSX Archon room($22k list price), then I suppose VSX isn’t for you. But for me, until that point if ever I’ll continue to use the VSX system and make better and faster mix decisions. And without having to run around my house and car trying to figure out why my mix doesn’t translate! When mixing with VSX, it’s almost always one and done. I know it sounds impossible, but it’s not a gimmick. PS. I do not work for Steven Slate, but I wish I did!

[JeffAulich]

Man, I absolutely love mine. I hate that I love them so much. I don’t even have the extra rooms. I mixed an album for a client this year while traveling on a tour bus. It came out really well, and while I still do the car test, I don’t really need to anymore. They are great.

[bremflux]

Thanks. You were very helpful. I'll grab a pair since my studio is far from treated.

[gooshie]

Owned them since founders edition, and I have to say, I wasn't overly impressed with version 1 or 2 of the software, so I did'nt use them much. The emulations got much better with version 3 and with version 4 released recently, they nailed it. Well worth the money.

[marklholloway]

Agree on going for Platinum edition straight away. Next step is to support 'Atmos mixing for streaming services' in these headphones to avoid the ridiculous $40k speaker setup that no one else will ever listen to your mixes on :)

[svarogstudio]

Thanks for the follow up Barry, after a time considering buying these I think I'll finally buy them today. The reviews are just overwhelmingly positive anywhere I searched, and it is perfect for my situation currently.

[dccarsonmusic]

I have some and they have made a HUGE difference in mixing!

[CamariMusic]

They are the best headphones to mix on hands down!

[vancenichols]

I truly love this and the other content you create! I appreciate the honest and objective information you present! I own the Platinum VSX offering of these headphones and am greatly empowered in all aspects of studio music production. Thanks so much!

[asacrusoe]

I’ve had mine for around a year and love them.

[andreievkalupniek]

I have the latest one and I love it. I currently don't have a proper room with speakers and they are working better than anything else I used before, including Waves NX, Acustica Sienna and SonarWorks with Audeze LCD-X and Senheiser HD600. It is great not having to do a car test and other environments. I can just switch these around on the VSX

[jdromeroherrera]

Great video man. You have so much experience and I value your honesty and independence. Thank you

[djcolinturnbull]

I bought the 2nd release with the metal band. I have tried them on and off since then. Here's my honest thoughts. The marketing drives me nuts! They were the greatest thing ever when they were released... but they have needed multiple revisions and many major software upgrades. It was an un-finished product when it was released and marketed as the "holy grail" of headphones. I have found them to be far from that. They do not compete at all with the headphones they emulate when those models are driven properly. A good pair of balanced Planar Magnetics driven with a decent amp/dac will give a much more realistic, open, and dynamic mixing experience... In my opinion this helps dramatically with mixing decisions. With the VSX I am almost always straining to hear what impact it has on the mix... and the ear fatigue is real. I can work 4-5 times longer with real planar magnetics and a decent dac/amp combo, without out ear fatigue. Compared to poorly placed speaker placements and room treatments, and less then average headphones.. The VSX´s will definitely fill the gap. For travelling and needing a halfway decent mixing environment on a laptop.. the closed backs and the software are good enough. But not excellent. Can they be used successfully.. yes. Are they optimal. No, not in my opinion. I will keep my pair of VSX and see how they develop. But up to now.. I have not found much use for them. I get all the info I need from my monitors and planar magnetics.

[frequincyrecording]

The multiple rooms are great references for different things. Slate room mix cube is great for leveling vocals, Mike Dean great for the low end just for examples. So I do bounce around the different rooms, especially later in a mix.
I primarily use my speakers for 90% of the mix, but my room is treated well and very flat. By saying that and the fact that I do use VSX, I’d say it’s just another example of VSX being a great tool and product.

[hendricksam]

I bought the essentials version because money was tight, then over time I got the other rooms.

I would say like Barry, buy the Platinum version if you can. Any new room that gets released gets added to your account for free. Essentials owners have to buy to add every single time, but you can upgrade to Platinum by buying the bundled expansions.

In addition to what Barry's covered, VSX introduced a Systemwide app, similar to what SonarWorks have, this is really good for listening to your references off Spotify or Apple Music, or YouTube. In fact it's really improved my experience of audio engineering tutorial.

VSX 4.0 is simply amazing, they improved all the rooms, and your can always go back to the previous version right there in the app/plugin.

[unstopology]

Just got mine and they sound great so far. I turn the low eq all the way up. The plastic feels really cheap. I think this will be a game changer for me.

[THEBMANY]

Yea these are gold. I had it when it first came out. Can’t believe it’s not getting more recognition

[zazoomatt]

Beginning Headphone Mixer with 7 pairs of HPhones to start. After many reviews from various youtube users of VSX Platinum, I have purchased them awaiting arrival of the Essential System to start. This is a tool to achieve "Great Starts" in the very Subjective Art of Mix & Mastering of Music. I will report back as soon as I know of WHAT to say to describe what I learned and remember of sound design a couple of years ago 2020. This stuff is not easy to do and know what of it until you DO IT. My journey is 7 years of basic finding information to continue from ZERO. Thanks for the offering to chime in.

[richherring]

Thanks Barry. Exactly the info I needed. I'm ordering mine today.