VRM Section - Virtual Reference Monitoring
Technical Information
VRM is a system that simulates the acoustics of loudspeakers and listening rooms for reproduction over headphones. A correct
sense of stereo image, perspective, and environment is normally absent in headphone reproduction. VRM provides these aural cues
for effective reference monitoring for mixing on headphones.
The VRM system works by combining three separate modeling and measurement processes:
The speaker emulations were achieved by sending test signals through the original speaker and then taking many measurements
through a reference microphone placed at varying positions and distances from the speaker. This process allows the creation of a
three-dimensional model of how each speaker radiates sound.
The listening environments were not obtained from real rooms, but built using computer models. The model includes not just room
dimensions but also the information about how sound is absorbed and reected by the oor, walls, and ceiling. Also included in the
model is the furniture found in each environment. This computer model allows the ne-tuning of the environment to produce the
most comfortable listening experience.
To complete the simulation, we obtained a set of head-related transfer functions – models of how sound arrives and is heard in both
ears of a human head. Thousands of measurements were combined to create a model of how direct and reverberated sound arrive
at the two ears.
The three listening environments available are a Professional Studio, Living Room, and Bedroom Studio. The following table shows
which speaker models and listening positions are available in each environment.
Room Model Speaker Models Listening Positions (all of these speakers)
Professional Studio Japanese White Classic centre (at 1.65m from speakers);
US Yellow Cone 7.5cm left; 15cm left;
Vintage Wooden Cube 7.5cm right;15cm right;
US Passive Neareld 80cm back.
British Studio
Finnish Studio
US Yellow Cone Pro
German Studio Ribbon
Vintage Broadcast
Modern Broadcast
Living Room British 90s Hi-Fi centre (at 1.8m from speakers);
British 80s Hi-Fi 45cm left; 90cm left;
Flat-screen Television 45cm right; 90cm right;
Finnish Studio 1.2m back and 45cm left; 1.2m back and 45cm right.
New Broadcast
Bedroom Studio US Yellow Cone centre (at 1.4m from speakers);
British 90s Hi-Fi 30cm left;
British 80s Hi-Fi 30cm right;
Computer Desktop 50cm back;
Budget Micro System 50cm back and 50cm left; 50cm back and 50cm right.
Flat-screen Television
Finnish Studio
US Yellow Cone Pro
New Broadcast
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