I used to have a reference music playlist in iTunes and I would hop in there to play something, then hop back to the DAW to compare. I also found it useful for when you just want to focus on listening and not get distracted by looking at waveforms or the interface. There is even a mini A/B mode for saving screen space. This is great for when you want to close your eyes and focus on listening.
You load the plugin (VST/AU/RTAS/AAX) directly to the master channel inside your DAW. The Sample Magic Magic AB is built around a simple, but ingenious idea. I just wanted to let you know about this tool.) (And just so you know, I am not affiliated with Sample Magic in any way. This post is more an introduction rather than a review, because truthfully it’s a very straightforward plugin to use and works like a charm. This plugin has been nothing short of a revelation for me. I recently bought this plugin by Sample Magic called Magic AB.
Every now and then a tool pops up that revolutionizes the way you work (or some aspect of it), and after a while you’re thinking “How did I ever manage without this before?”.