Measurement spacing depends on the chosen listening area and while IKM do not specify actual horizontal locations, the graphic shown for each listening area gives you an idea of useful positions.
And I can slide the mic column up and down for the high and low measurement “layers”. This allows moving the mic side to side by swinging the boom and forward and back by sliding the boom.
One audio engineer has even said it’s best if you can leave the room during measurements, which is not really practical! I crouch low directly behind the mic stand as each measurement is made, always in the same location, and use a mic boom oriented horizontally with the mic body parallel to the boom and aimed over the chair back, facing toward the front. You should not sit in your listening position, odd as that may seem, and the best location is directly behind the mic, low to the floor.
This is very important since your body will distort measurements, especially at mid to high frequencies (I’ve measured 6-10 dB changes standing or sitting in different locations within a foot or two of a measurement mic). Do not stand or sit near the microphone while the analysis are running.” This helps avoid reflections from the stand that will interfere with the analysis at high frequencies.
Review arc system 2.5 manual#
And I was also happy to see that IKM stress the need to get out of the way when measurements are made – the manual states “Try to use a mic stand with a boom arm that is extended as far away from the stand as possible.
Review arc system 2.5 full#
Another great feature is that the analysis window can be resized up to your full video monitor width making it easy to see the text and graphics from behind a mic stand. You can carefully position the mic at each location, click the “Capture Point” button, and then have a few seconds to get out of the way before the test signals start. I was pleased that the measurements do not just start running automatically, forcing you to move quickly. Finally it tells you to move the mic up another 6 inches and make the last seven measurements. Then the program tells you to raise the mic up to ear height and run the same locations again. You make seven measurements at this height starting at the center location and symmetrically on the left and right. Each measurement location is shown graphically in the analysis window with a ‘Capture Point’ button used to start each test. Then you begin the measurements starting with the mic at the center location, but with it lowered about 6 inches (15 cm) below nominal “sitting” ear-height. Suggestions I’ve read saying you can use a studio mic like an AKG C414 set to omni are fine if you don’t care about erroneous peaks and dips as large as 8 to12 dB!Īfter mic and interface set-up you specify the listening environment from a choice of five rooms, project studio to home theater. BTW, a calibrated measurement mic is not one of your studio mics! It is a small capsule omni-directional microphone specifically designed for room measurement and there are good models available for well under $100 (and great ones for over $1,000!). I checked this out with two of my mics and it worked fine. You can even use the calibration file supplied with a good measurement mic to get the best measurement accuracy.
Review arc system 2.5 software#
The big difference is that you have more choices of mics to use with the new analysis software – you can use the MEMS mic if you have one, use either of the previous two ARC condenser mics, or any RTA measurement mic that you have. And the measurement process is new – you always make the same number of measurements (21) and you make them in three dimensions!Īs with ARC 2.5, ARC System 3 (ARC 3) can be purchased with the MEMS mic or as software only. The measurement program has been totally changed and now “steps” you through the procedure, from mic selection to specifying your audio interface to indicating your listening environment. Since I have four such mics, I was eager to check it out.Īs before you get an analysis program to use with a measurement mic and the correction plug-in to use for playback in your DAW or other audio program. Spring of 2020 saw the release of ARC System 3 which can still use the MEMS mic, but introduces a totally new analysis program using a new measurement approach that can use any calibrated measurement microphone. As previously reviewed on Gearslutz, IK Multimedia ARC is a software based room correction system that was last updated in 2017 with new software and a new impressive MEMS solid-state microphone.
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