IK Multimedia ARC Studio

Make any studio monitors sound better

High-definition monitoring for all
Upgrade any studio monitors instantly with the first out-of-the-box acoustic room correction system that anyone can afford. ARC Studio combines a standalone correction processor, new ARC 4 measurement software and a room analysis microphone.

There’s a reason all today’s top-tier studio monitors are adding active room correction – it supercharges their performance and ensures mixes translate flawlessly. ARC Studio offers this same massive boost in performance and accuracy to any monitor in every studio.

For the first time in the recording industry, an affordable hardware processor can be used as a correction and calibration system for any type of studio — be it home, project or professional — without the limitations of a software-only system.

FEATURES

• Standalone digital acoustic correction system

• Dramatically improves your mixing accuracy

• Works with any monitor system in any room

• Installs in minutes in any studio or space

• Sonically invisible, audiophile performance

• Emulates top monitors and playback systems

• Customize your monitors’ performance to taste

Improves mixing accuracy
Your room has a big impact on how you hear your music. The size, shape, materials and furniture all work to distort the frequency and stereo balance of your monitors, degrading your sound.

ARC 4’s all-new algorithm analyzes and corrects these issues in minutes. Your music snaps into focus, with more controlled low-end, tighter transients and pinpoint stereo imaging. It’s like an instant upgrade to your monitors.

And when you trust what you hear, you’ll mix faster and more confidently than ever.

Installs in minutes
Plug the mic into your interface and you’ll be guided through measuring acoustical spots within your listening position. IK’s award-winning ARC technology uses this 3D snapshot to identify and completely correct all the problematic issues degrading your monitors’ performance.

An all-new listening experience
ARC 4 stores the correction profile and loads it into the ARC Studio processor, sitting invisibly between your interface and monitors to apply to all incoming signals. The standalone processor corrects studio monitors in any studio, including hardware- and console-based setups.

Audiophile performance
ARC Studio features a 120 dB(A) analog input to analog output dynamic range, 0.5 Hz to 40 kHz frequency response and ultra-stable clocking for vanishing low jitter, offering total sonic transparency and a level of accuracy you only find in mastering-grade audio converters.

The AD and DA conversion in the ARC Studio is the result of long research, experimentation, measurements and listening tests that led to the selection of the AKM Velvet Sound™ converters. They are simply the best sounding ones among all the high-end solutions we tested. Learn More.

ARC Studio connects to your studio and monitors via balanced XLRs with power-safe relay-based hard bypass – so when bypassed you’re protected from sudden power-related pops. Between the premium audio quality and ARC Studio’s all-new correction algorithm, you’ll enjoy the most natural, transparent monitoring ever.

Affordably priced
ARC Studio hardware is not only designed and made in Italy to the highest precision and quality standards, but its clever engineering makes it available at a fraction of the cost of other hardware solutions.

Now everyone can dramatically improve the sound in their mixing environments: from a single pair of monitors to multiple monitoring systems, up to large facilities with multiple mixing and recording rooms.

Improves any studio
For pro studios, whether in-the-box or console-based, ARC Studio allows for a sonically transparent correction and custom-tuning for any monitoring setup from nearfields to mains, preserving the inherent system’s sonic quality.

For DAW-based studios, ARC Studio frees you from the hassle of inserting plug-ins on the master bus of your work and preserves zero-latency monitoring setups, plus it allows you to listen to your preferred streaming service with acoustically corrected monitoring without messing around with system drivers.

You can create a profile for every configuration, listening position or even monitor pair. Whether you’re in a makeshift studio or a world-class one, fine-tuning your monitoring to your taste has never been easier and has never sounded so good.

Customize your monitors
Customize your setup for ideal performance no matter your preference. ARC 4 offers deep control over each profile so it always sounds its best:

Target curves
ARC 4 now comes with 9 factory target curves for most situations. The default curve offers optimally balanced results with other specific curves for different needs or setups.

Adjustable correction range
By default, ARC corrects the entire frequency spectrum, but you can define limits to both upper and lower correction ranges separately. This is useful if you want to preserve the unique voicing of your monitors or are just looking to correct a certain frequency range.

Variable resolution and smoothing
Adjust the resolution of the correction filter to use more or fewer frequency bands. Depending on your room’s unique sound, this lets you achieve more surgical correction, or a broader, smoother balance.

2 Phase Modes
Natural and Linear phase modes ensure precise stereo imaging. Natural mode improves the phase response, while linear phase maintains the original inter-channel phase response, which may be preferable in certain rooms and conditions.

Includes monitor emulations
ARC Studio can be reloaded instantly with new settings using ARC 4 software, which now features a monitor emulation function. Transform you monitoring system into iconic studio monitors, plus popular hi-fi speakers and mobile devices, with breathtakingly true-to-life results, accurately reproducing the frequency and phase response of the originals.

With over 20 profiles included in ARC 4, a single pair of monitors now lets you test your mix on different reference systems quickly, without ever having to head to your car or buy additional pairs of monitors!

The ARC of success
With updateable firmware, ARC Studio offers a future-proof solution that you can rely on for years to come, as your studio grows and evolves.

For Every Studio

• Compact digital room correction processor

• High End audio conversion

• Full-range correction for any kind of audio production

• Zero latency for real-time monitoring in any setup

• Improves even untreated or makeshift spaces

• Ideal for all studios, from in-the-box to console-based

Faster Workflow

• Includes ARC measurement mic and software

• Generate correction profiles in just minutes

• Switch sweet spots for clients, collaborators

• Test mixes thru virtual monitor profiles

• Emulate common “real-world” playback systems

Performance and Features

• Premium AD and DA conversion, total sonic transparency

• 120 dB dynamic range, ultra-low THD and jitter

• Natural or linear phase correction

• Set upper/lower frequency correction limits

• Up to 9 target curves to fine tune the in-room response

SPECIFICATIONS

Audio
AD and DA converters: AKM Velvet Sound™
Audio conversion and internal processing sampling rate: 96 kHz
Audio conversion resolution: 24-bit
Internal processing resolution: 32-bit float
Frequency Response: 2 Hz - 45.0 kHz (- 2.0 dB)
Dynamic Range: 120 dB (A-weighted)
THD (20-20 kHz): 0.00035%
THD+N (1 kHz@-1dBFS): -107 dB
Channel Crosstalk (1 kHz): -122.5 dB
Max Phase Deviation: +7° 20Hz, +16° 22kHz
Input Impedance (balanced): 20 kOhm
Output Impedance (balanced): 50 Ohm
Maximum output level: +17 dBu

Latency
Natural Phase mode: 1.4 ms
Linear Phase mode: 42 ms

Power: Powered by included Power Supply Unit

Dimensions
Size: 14.4cm / 5.6" x 12cm / 4.72" x 4.5cm / 1.77"
Weight: 465g / 1,03lb

Package includes

• ARC Studio room-correction processor

• ARC Measurement Microphone (depending on the version)

• ARC Measurement Microphone Clamp (depending on the version)

• USB C-Type to USB A-Type cable (1.5 m / 4.92')

• Power Supply Unit

• Registration card

SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS

Mac® (64-bits)

• Minimal: Apple M1 or Intel® Core i5 Processor, 4 GB of RAM, macOS® 10.15 or newer (macOS 11 or newer required for Apple Silicon Processors).

• Supported Plug-in formats: Audio Units, VST 2, VST 3, AAX.

• Works with any audio interface with a phantom powered XLR microphone input and a pair of outputs for monitoring.

• 44.1 kHz or 48 kHz sampling rate is required for the measurement process.

• One free USB port required.

Windows® (64-bits)

• Minimal: Intel® Core i5 Processor or equivalent, 4 GB of RAM, Windows 10 (64 bit) or newer.

• Supported Plug-in formats: VST 2, VST 3, AAX.

• Works with any audio interface with ASIO drivers, a phantom powered XLR microphone input and a pair of outputs for monitoring.

• 44.1kHz or 48kHz sampling rate is required for the measurement process.

• One free USB port required.

Requires an OpenGL 2 compatible graphics adapter.

For more information, click here to visit the manufacturers website.