IK Multimedia has introduced ARC ON·EAR. This revolutionary portable hardware device instantly corrects a headphone’s response and replicates the soundstage of professional studio monitors in an ideal studio setting without compromise. For the first time, users can now mix, master, and produce with total confidence anywhere.
Headphone Correction/Virtual Monitoring System
Removes the guesswork of mixing on headphones
Recreates the experience of real monitors in a studio
Virtually audition mixes on other top playback systems
Standalone audiophile DAC and headphone amplifier
Control software to customize and load up to 5 profiles
Support for hundreds of popular headphone models
Rechargeable battery for mobile mixing and listening
USB-C and analog audio inputs support all audio sources
Mix with Confidence, Not Guesswork
Mixing with headphones is challenging. Even “reference” headphones colour the sound, and exaggerated stereo width makes spatial judgment nearly impossible. ARC ON·EAR solves both problems – providing a neutral frequency response and a natural stereo image – so users can trust what they hear every time.
A Reliable Reference
Every pair of headphones has its own sonic fingerprint. ARC ON·EAR uses precision calibration profiles, measured with state-of-the-art reference rigs, to ensure accurate, transparent, and reliable sound. With support for hundreds of popular headphone models, users will experience the mix exactly as it should sound – clear, balanced, and true to life.
Real Studio Monitors
Unlike plug-ins or impulse-based “virtual rooms,” ARC ON·EAR utilizes advanced physical modeling to recreate the behaviour of real studio monitors in an ideal acoustic space. There are no artificial reverbs or timbral coloration, just the natural depth, width, and clarity of a real control room – right in the user’s headphones.
Accuracy Begins with the Amplifier
The behaviour of a headphone amplifier directly influences what is heard. Even high-end audio interfaces and mixers can modify a headphone’s frequency response – sometimes subtly, sometimes significantly – depending on the model and its output impedance.
ARC ON·EAR eliminates this variable. All calibration profiles are created using the exact same amplifier circuit found in the product, ensuring precise, reliable, and repeatable correction across all headphones and listening sessions.
Uncompromising Audio Quality
Powered by a 32-bit ESS SABRE converter, a high-damping-factor, ultra-low-distortion power amplifier, and a digitally controlled analogue volume stage, ARC ON·EAR delivers a truly audiophile-grade listening experience – with no compromises.
Virtual Monitoring that Goes Beyond
Instantly test mixes on a wide range of playback systems. With over 20 virtual studio monitors and more than 15 multimedia playback systems available at release, ARC ON·EAR enables users to precisely understand how a mix translates without ever taking off their headphones.
Effortless Control
The included and dedicated ARC ON·EAR control software lets users easily set up and fine-tune their listening experience. Once configured, the device operates completely standalone for up to 4 hours on a charge.
Quick and easy device setup
Fine-tune tonal balance to taste
Save and load up to 5 presets
Customizable Function button
Manage firmware/software updates
The ARC of Confidence
With continuous firmware updates, an expanding headphone database, and a growing collection of virtual monitors, ARC ON·EAR is a future-proof investment in mixing and enjoying sound. Whether producing on the go, mixing at night, or traveling the world, ARC ON·EAR offers the accuracy and confidence of a professional studio – everywhere.
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