Audified has announced MixChecker Ultra as ‘the ultimate evolution of its mix reference concept’, assuming the status from MixChecker Pro plug-in for checking reference mixes without having to export them for auditioning on different loudspeaker set-ups.
Mixchecker Ultra offers 90 simulations of high-end pro audio monitors and commonplace consumer speakers, an attractive new GUI styling, and time-saving analytical features for measuring the most crucial mix parameters from within the plug-in.
Using instantly-recognisable icons and associated descriptions to help with identification of its emulations, it is possible to try out the sound profile of industry-standard studio monitors and headphones; check how a mix translates to cars, club PA systems, or small Bluetooth speakers; or check mixes in noisy real-world spaces.
The use of sandard WAV IR (Impulse Response) files enables MixChecker Ultra users to import an IR of any environment to see how a mix translates to that environment,.
Its new GUI and improved UX (user experience) make those simulations’ settings easily adjustable, allowing users to adjust the level of each device independently or to set the simulated Stereo Base to better match real-world conditions. Audified’s audio engine also takes into account the nonlinear behaviour of the devices concerned and simulates their distortion and clipping characteristics.
MixChecker Ultra also offers ‘serious yet seriously easy-to-use’ analytical metering tools available in a series of dedicated modules – Gonio (analyses the stereo image of a track to show how balanced a mix is), Loudness (checks how loud a track is to show whether it is exceeding an adjustable threshold, and includes presets for the most popular streaming services that set thresholds to their levels to show whether a mix would fit their criteria), Dynamics (checks the dynamic range of a mix to show the difference between the loudest and quietest parts), Stereo (shows how occupied the frequencies of a mix are in the stereo field to identify whether some crucial frequencies are only present on one side of the spectrum), and Spectrum (provides a quick overview of which frequencies need to be focused on to improve a mix when compared to a reference track).
MixChecker Ultra users can quickly import a reference track using a WAV and MP3 format-supporting Player module that allows them to switch between sources in each module to compare a master track with a reference track, analyse the differences, and make further changes. Users can save a combination of the ten devices shown in the main window, together with the selection and position of the analytical modules as presets.
Audified MixChecker Ultra is available to purchase for US$149 from a dedicated webpage, which also includes audio examples.