Very few recording studios have truly optimum acoustics: Peaks and gaps in the frequency response, unwanted resonances, and undersized sweet spots are among the persistent problems that, until now, could usually only be solved with a lot of hard work. The IKM Multimedia ARC Studio system provides a simple solution: It consists of a compact hardware box, the compatible ARC X software suite, and a measurement microphone. But ARC Studio doesn't just correct room acoustics – it also makes it possible to simulate various speaker types and listening environments, and all for a previously unimaginable price. Once it's been installed, the system operates completely autonomously and with zero latency in any environment. At a stroke and in the long term, mixing and mastering become noticeably easier – so the results improve markedly too.
The IK Multimedia ARC Studio package measures the existing room acoustics using a high-quality specialised microphone. The powerful ARC X software suite has been specifically programmed to identify problematic acoustic parameters, creating a reliable monitoring environment by correcting phase and frequency response – without any unwanted resonances, peaks, or gaps in the sound image. The system can be set up automatically, manually, or following one of six different preset curves. The ARC Studio can also generate multiple listening positions with a large sweet spot, and is even able to simulate external acoustic environments (such as listening to music in a car) and virtual speaker models. High-end converters with a dynamic range of 120dB ensure perfect audio quality, and once configured, the system operates independently of a computer or DAW, making it easy to use anywhere and at any time.
An acoustically optimised control room requires an enormous outlay in terms of additions, alterations, and even construction – of course, this is something usually only achievable in high-end professional studios. Until recently, digital correction systems were also priced at levels that home and project studios could hardly afford – an unfortunate state of affairs, because this is precisely where acoustic improvement is often most needed. The IK Multimedia ARC Studio system now provides everything required to immediately improve the acoustics of any space – and at an exceptionally attractive price. Thanks to its immense flexibility and straightforward operation (demanding no specialised knowledge at all), this package is bound to appeal to anyone whose current acoustic environment might be considered unsatisfactory: The IK Multimedia ARC Studio is ready to help them achieve significant improvements with minimal effort.
IK Multimedia was founded in 1996 in the city of Modena in northern Italy. Its two founders, both musicians and engineers, joined forces with the aim of emulating electronic circuits using computer algorithms. Today, IK Multimedia is a multinational company with seven subsidiaries in Italy, the UK, Japan, Mexico, Brazil, Hong Kong, and the USA and exclusively manufactures products which are perfectly tailored to the needs of musicians, true to its motto "Musicians first".
The IK Multimedia ARC Studio hardware device is simply inserted into the signal chain, via stereo I/O, before the monitor speakers. This means it doesn't matter whether the studio setting being corrected has a mixing console or works exclusively with a DAW: Apart from a computer, the thing required for setup is an audio interface or preamp with phantom power. Programmable sweet spots allow multiple listening positions to be configured for the engineer and for musicians or visitors, and the simulation of over 20 different speaker types and a number of virtual acoustic environments eliminates the need for extra monitors – not to mention the hassle of checking mixes in genuine consumer listening situations. Ultimately, this translates into significantly faster productions – and thus a reduction in costs. But home users can also audibly improve the sound of their living room hi-fi setup with the IK Multimedia ARC Studio system – without even having get out of their chair.