EMPref User Manual

Reference track A/B comparison

1. Insert EMPref on your master or monitoring bus.
2. Load one or more reference tracks into the slots.
3. Turn on Level match so the reference plays at your session’s loudness.
4. Switch between Session audio and Reference to compare.
5. Use Mono and the Analyser view to check balance and mono compatibility.

3. Interface overview

The header holds the preset menu, undo and redo, the A/B compare buttons, and the settings menu. The display shows the reference waveform or the spectrum comparison. The source buttons sit on the left, the level and matching controls in the centre, the twelve reference slots beside them, and the level meter on the right.

4. Reference slots

There are twelve slots for reference tracks. Click a slot’s load icon to choose an audio file (WAV, AIFF, FLAC, MP3, or OGG), or click the × icon to clear it. Click a loaded slot’s name to make it the active reference.

When a file loads, EMPref measures its loudness and true peak once, so level matching can work instantly. Loaded references are remembered with your session and included in presets and A/B snapshots.

5. Listening and level

Session audio / Reference

Chooses what you hear: the incoming audio from your DAW, or the active reference track. The switch is smooth, with no click or gap. The Reference button becomes available once at least one slot is loaded.

Session / Reference  ·  Default: Session

Level match

Automatically turns the reference down (or up) so it plays at the same loudness as your session. Your session is never adjusted. Only the reference moves. While Level match is on, the R knob is set for you and cannot be moved by hand.

On / Off  ·  Default: Off

S (Session gain)

Trims the level of your incoming session audio.

−18 dB to +18 dB  ·  Default: 0 dB

R (Reference gain)

Trims the level of the active reference track. Set automatically while Level match is on.

−18 dB to +18 dB  ·  Default: 0 dB

Mono

Sums the output to mono so you can check mono compatibility.

On / Off  ·  Default: Off

Reset

Returns both gain knobs to 0 dB, restarts the level-match measurement, and clears the meter holds and the overload lamp.

Button

6. Waveform and cursor

The display shows the active reference’s waveform with a playback cursor. Click or drag anywhere on the waveform to jump to that point. The reference plays only while your DAW is playing.

Follow

The reference follows your DAW’s playhead position, which is useful for lining a reference up against your arrangement.

Follow / Free cursor  ·  Default: Free cursor

Free cursor

The reference plays on from wherever you place the cursor, and loops back to the start when it reaches the end. Clicking the waveform switches to this mode.

Follow / Free cursor  ·  Default: Free cursor

7. Analyser view

Click Analyser to switch the display to a spectrum comparison from 20 Hz to 20 kHz. The reference is drawn as a filled curve and your session as a line over it, so you can see at a glance where the tonal balance differs: too much low end, not enough air, and so on.

8. Meters

• S and R level meters: session and reference levels side by side, each showing peak and RMS with slow-falling hold lines.
• Overload lamp: lights when either signal clips. Cleared by Reset.
• Correlation: how well left and right agree, from −1 to +1. Values below 0 warn of phase problems in mono.

9. A/B, presets and settings

• A / B: hold two complete setups, including loaded references, and switch between them. A > B copies the current one across.
• Preset menu: save and load your own setups, set a default for new instances, or reset to the factory default.
• Undo / Redo: step backwards and forwards through changes.
• Settings menu: interface size from 50 % to 200 %, the About panel with your licence information, and licence management.

10. Specifications

EMPref User Manual · Belgrave Audio Mastering