Hi

I´ve been offered this software + the mic for 70 US second hand but in very fine condition, is it worth the money and can it actually help me correcting problems in the room Im mixing in?

Cheers

 

Anyone?

 

it's worth it if your room is unbalanced with reverberation or even with acoustic level. BUT Do not expect drastic changes, or super changes, if you think you have a problem in your room that disturbs you, look for some acoustic technician to make a budget and see which one is best for you.

 

Thanks Window9s7
I dont have a dedicated room for this atm so I cannot do much regarding the acoustic so this should be some kind of workaround as long as the situation is at it is!

 

If you work for other people, mixing, mastering or processing of voice or instruments it is advisable that you have a room prepared acoustically, if you work for you I think the best room and the one you feel comfortable with the result

 

NOPE

 

Ok

 

I totally agree Windows97 but I live in a small house and have no spare rooms for this atm - Maybe later! The project Im working on is my own project but it is as importent as if it was for a costumer .... so in both cases a dedicated room prepared acoustically would be the right solution!

 

There is always ways to improve the room you are mixing. Assuming its your living room or bedroom for instance, a big book shelve ( almost filled with various books/mags etc) on the opposite wall to where your speakers sit, can act as a simple bass trap and cut a lot of bass reverberation. A chandelier or similar hanging from the ceiling in the middle of the room can act as a primitive diffusor, and so on. Reading and understanding about these and then doing the best with what you have at hand, is the best advice i can provide. As for the Arc2, imho its worth it, given you have already done the simple things like i mentioned. As correctly Windows97 stated do not expect miracles from the Arc2 but it can definitely improve room acoustics. It cannot magically eliminate your room's reverberation. But it can find most abrupt problematic frequencies and apply EQ cuts or boosts where needed, therefore leading to a much closer to "flat" master out frequency response.
Hope this was helpful to you
Happy new year

 

Thanks taskforce for your input

Happy new year from here too

 

I expressed myself poorly, I did not mean that what you do is not important, I meant that studio aesthetic influences the market.

 

I understood you very well Windows97 ... no harm done

 

Ok! I bought it. Lets see if it works for me

 

You may want to check this out:

https://www.groove3.com/Mixing-Basi...s/Home-Studio-Know-How-The-Room-and-Acoustics

It talks a bit about systems like ARC and why they aren't worth spending your money on, especially if you haven't invested in sound treatment. I agree completely... sound proofing your work area, no matter what its limitations, should be your first priority before you invest in calibration systems. It's also relatively inexpensive if you know how to do it right.

 

Last edited: Jan 8, 2017

I was gifted it a few years ago, spent hours setting it up with tape and whatnot, and never ended up using it... I work in different rooms, and have treated different ones in ways I can afford etc... but found it more of a hassle then anything, and wasn't sure if I could trust it... some producers and engineers I know who are very very successful swear by it though in different conditions.... and since you bought it, best of luck, and hope it works well for you! Please report back your findings!

 

I´ll check that video thanks

I´ll report back as soon as I´ve tested the gear

 

best of luck phloopy! and I hope your findings contradict mine.... I could just be too lazy, or did it wrong etc... would love it if it DID work and could be trusted!

 

$70 doen't hurt, there are good reviews of it. However read Daniel James review of Sonarworx here http://vi-control.net/community/threads/sonarworks-speaker-headphone-calibration-wow.58189/ In short, his room was a disaster and couldn't get it fixed. Personally, I don't have experience with ARC or any other but most reviews I have read in comparison were in favour of Sonarworx.
Similar more expensive solution is http://www.dirac.com/online-store/

 

Room treatment and monitor calibrations are the most important thing if you wanna mix. I dont use arc (i use sonarworks) but it has good reviews. It is allways a pain in the ass to set it up. But its defenatly worth it. Make sure you get the calibration mic with the software.

 

IMO, products like IKM ARC exploit people who love to cheat themselves. (And yes, I was such a person, too.)
The sooner you invest in some PROPER room treatment, the better for you and your mixes.
Treat your walls and corners, place your monitors correctly, calibrate them and isolate from the ground. (And then you will not need this software.) Good luck!