IK Multimedia ARC Studio Review: Room Correction Hardware
Stand-alone room correction for studios!
4,3 / 5,0 | 
ARC Studio from IK Multimedia is a new standalone hardware in the field of acoustic room correction systems. It’s priced so that it’s accessible to most music producers. ARC Studio combines the small and easy-to-use standalone correction hardware, the latest ARC 4 measurement software, and a measurement microphone. The tool analyzes the room and optimizes your studio monitor speakers.
Today, with many more expensive studio monitors increasingly using active room correction, this bundle provides a vital improvement for any studio, regardless of size or equipment. But is there a catch, such as latency, phase issues, incorrect measurement results, and associated incorrect corrections?
IK Multimedia ARC Studio – The Highlights
- Room correction in a standalone hardware
- No noticeable latency in “Natural Mode”
- Simple and intuitive measurement workflow
- Create individual correction profiles
- Virtual sound profiles from other sound sources
- Measurement microphone included
- Updates and settings through the software and the USB-C connection
IK Multimedia releases ARC Studio – what’s new
The new ARC Studio system from IK Multimedia is designed to improve your monitors’ accuracy when mixing your songs by automatically correcting frequency and stereo balance problems caused by room size, shape, materials, and furniture. The updated algorithms from the new ARC 4 version analyze and fix these potential issues in just a few minutes. Afterward, you can hear your music in a more focused way, with more controlled bass, tighter transients, and precise stereo imaging. And that ultimately leads to a better (perfect) mix.
For our review series, I wanted to take a closer look at the exciting concept of ARC Studio in my studio and test it extensively (thanks to IK Multimedia). Room correction is an important topic, and many producers are looking for an affordable, simple, and perfect solution for the ultimate sound in their own four (or more) studio walls.
Installing the hardware in the studio and the ARC 4 software
Installing the ARC Studio is more than simple: connect two XLR cables (L & R) from the main out of your audio interface to the small box, and another two XLR cables (L & R) from the hardware to your two monitors. An external power supply unit is provided. That’s all there is to it. You can connect the hardware to the computer using the included USB-C (to USB-A) cable. You should also authorize and install the software on your computer via the IK app (using the enclosed serial number).
You first start the measurement process through the ARC Analyzer software. This is the only way the hardware “knows” what needs to be corrected. When I loaded the app, I was offered a firmware update for the hardware.
Audio measurements in the sound lab in just a few steps
For room correction to work, the ARC Studio hardware and software require an acoustic profile of your room. To do this, you connect the measurement microphone to your audio interface using a reasonably long XLR cable (note: phantom power is required!). You will also need a microphone stand for a perfect measurement. The software will then guide you through the process of capturing acoustic measurement points in the room. There are several options for a profile that you can choose from:
- Will you be sitting alone in the studio, or will there more than one producer?
- Is your room small, medium-sized or huge with a couch in the background?
- Do you want to measure quickly (with just seven measuring points) or accurately (with 21 measuring points)?
In the next step, the analysis software shows you the exact positions, i.e., where and at what height you should place the measurement microphone in the room. It does not have to be that precise, however. Sometimes, that is not possible due to your room’s conditions. I opted for the 21-point analysis, which measures seven points in my “small” control room at three different heights (15 cm below ear level, at ear level, and 15 cm above ear level) for my studio profile.
Before starting each measurement, you must confirm its start with a mouse click. Then, you should move away from the microphone stand to avoid disturbing or intercepting any reflections. The software uses several sine sweeps from the right and left speakers in each position to create the correction profile.
ARC 4 and the studio
Once the measurement in the studio is complete, you can save the new profile on your computer and open the ARC 4 software. The app transfers the new preset to the hardware. You can then apply the room correction to your monitors independently through the small box without any software plugins on the master bus or complicated audio routing of signals on the computer. Another cool feature you can use is a 6-band equalizer in the app to adapt the measurement results.
This means you can add or reduce a little bass, do the same with treble or somewhere in the mid-range, and trim the main volume. You can even exclude the bass or treble range from the calculation at any point (this section is then ignored, so it remains unaffected by the correction). It is essential that you play back reference songs through your monitors so you can hear any improvements or errors immediately.
ARC Studio sound quality
Once you have completed all the fine-tuning, you can then transfer the measurement result to the hardware via the store button and close the software. Sound quality is, of course, vital here, and I am genuinely interested in this product. I have already tested many room correction solutions and have heard reports from colleagues who were somewhat dissatisfied with the results. Most of them swear by acoustic components for corrections. That is undoubtedly correct and probably the best solution. I have also optimized the sound of my studio in this way without a software add-on.
However, I am nevertheless very impressed with the results of ARC in my well-equipped recording studio. Perhaps ARC 4 can improve the sound in my studio even more, as it is pretty neutral and balanced due to the damping material and alignment of the monitors. This is a question that requires further testing in other environments. But the result here is definitely worth listening to. The A/B comparison (on/off) is fascinating. With active correction, I get a more defined sound in the bass range. But the stereo field is now a little more resolved and more “tangible“.
Latency? Yes, but …
Of course, everytime something is digitally added to the signal path, it generates a latency. That is quite logical. The same applies to ARC 4 and the Studio hardware. In “Natural Mode”, which I prefer and which is more than sufficient for me, the sound is output with a latency of 1.4 ms (according to the manufacturer). This is absolutely cool for me, as I am neither a professional finger drummer nor a great pianist. I don’t notice the latency, but I hear the positive room correction!
If the time delay still hinders audio or MIDI recordings, you can deactivate the correction with a single click on the ARC Studio. The audio signal is routed from the input to the output without any latency.
Different listening profiles with just one click!
How does the mix or master sound on a smartphone, on inexpensive speakers, in the car, or on an expensive high-end music system? You can test this directly in the studio with the ARC 4 software at the click of a mouse. And it’s really “funny”. The profiles sound authentic and give a good impression of how the mixes and masters sound on other monitors.
What are the advantages of ARC Studio?
ARC Studio is an excellent improvement for my workflow. In my case, several audio groups run from the DAW into different hardware effects and are summed up in the audio interface. This means that I hardly have any way of using room correction software on my computer – without having to route the audio signal from A to B (and maybe even C) in a complicated way using additional software on my Mac. This hardware solves the problem simply and elegantly.
However, if you only work “in the box”, you can, of course, use a pure software solution. All you need to do is insert a plug-in with the room correction data into the master channel, and everything sounds “perfect.”
Conclusion
For me, ARC Studio from IK Multimedia is an excellent and successful room correction system. Especially for sound or project studios that don’t work completely “in the box” and analog, this hardware solution is a perfect add-on if you want or need to optimize the sound in the music room. There are many ways to intervene in the correction via the software, which you can complete quickly and intuitively in just a few minutes using the supplied measuring microphone. You can also transfer various sound profiles from other sound systems to your monitors to better analyze your mixes.
I haven’t noticed any issues worth mentioning in my studio. But correct room correction requires a pretty good room. That’s why you should test the software before you buy it. In my opinion, ARC Studio is an excellent solution that can improve the sound in various studios very well, from home studios to project rooms and professional facilities. And at a really attractive price.
Prices and specifications for IK Multimedia ARC Studio
You can get the IK Multimedia ARC Studio here at Thomann*. The bundle includes the hardware, a measurement microphone, and a license code for the ARC 4 software, which you have to download via the IK Installer and then activate. You can also purchase the ARC 4 software separately—i.e., without hardware and either with or without a measurement microphone.
The plugin runs on macOS 10.15 or higher (including Apple Silicon Support) and Windows 10 or higher as VST, VST3, AAX, and AU in 64-bit mode. You will need the company’s free installer software for installation and authorization. The manufacturer’s website provides a detailed online user manual and tutorial videos.
More info on IK Multimedia and ARC Studio
- Deal at Thomann*
- Product page of IK Multimedia ARC Studio
- More about IK Multimedia
Pros and cons of IK Multimedia ARC Studio
Pros
- Room correction in standalone hardware
- No noticeable latency in “Natural Mode”
- Simple and intuitive measurement workflow
- Create individual correction profiles
- Virtual sound profiles of other sound sources
- Measurement microphone included
- Updates and settings via software and USB-C
- ARC 4 software included
Cons
- No on/off switch on the hardware
- No digital inputs/outputs
Videos about the standalone room correction hardware from IK Multimedia
Originally published on Gearnews.de by Marcus Schmahl. Translation by Julian Schmauch.
* This post contains affiliate links and/or widgets. When you buy a product via our affiliate partner, we receive a small commission that helps support what we do. Don’t worry, you pay the same price. Thanks for your support!
- Hardware and measurement microphone: IK Multimedia
- Connectivity: IK Multimedia
- IK Multimedia Arc Studio Software: IK Multimedia
- Each step comes with detailed descriptions : IK Multimedia
- Measuring my studio with ARC Studio: IK Multimedia
- ARC Studio analysis results: IK Multimedia
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One response to “IK Multimedia ARC Studio Review: Room Correction Hardware”
Unfortunately only for one pair of speakers, no option to switch to another correction for other physical speakers on the hardware itself. If you need your mouse to do this, you might as well put three room correction plugins in series on your master and switch them on and off for each speaker set with a little midi mapped controller or with short cuts on your keyboard.