2014/06/20 13:00:41
Starise
Apparently there are two different mics used with ARC...I had a tough time figuring out which one came with my plug-in because the description wasn't the best..If you don't tell it which one you have it throws off the measurements.
 
Karyn-You can sometimes get a good deal on ARC at certain times with IK promos..
2014/06/20 16:52:48
batsbrew
the very first thing the program asks you to do when you begin a reading, is to pick between the two mics.
 
it's in their programming, those particular mic curves
2014/06/20 17:50:58
Danny Danzi
Hi Karyn,
 
Mind if I throw a few things your way? I know you're not interested in ARC and I don't mean to sound like I'm trying to sell you on it. However, I do think a few things may be missing that I'd like to at least share.
 
As far as software, this was the best one I tried. http://www.roomeqwizard.com/
 
But I also really felt the need to address a few things because well...I felt the need! :)
 
So you have this mic that is a pretty flat response mic. Have you tried any type of room eq software to fix your problems? I have tried several that I found on the net that looked promising and I even bought a really nice analyzer like the ones the "room eq guys" use when they come to your studio to eq your monitors for flat. I've really done my best there and though I have always had decent mixes, nothing has ever helped me as much as ARC. Now hold on, that's not a sales pitch...stick with me.
 
The one thing I'd like to throw out the window for a second, is the whole thing about ARC correcting a room. Let's say it does nothing at all for your room. I don't know what it does....but it helps my sorry @ss. LOL!
 
What I can say that it DOES do and it does it well, is at the worst case scenario, it will flatten your monitors. If you are not having any major issues with your mixes translating anywhere, I'd not buy ARC and would try to figure something else out. I gotta tell you though, I'm not a rich man but I can't put a price on NOT having to second guess myself anymore. Whatever it does do, it stopped that from happening.
 
I've worked in some really crappy rooms my entire life as a recording guy. Some rooms were in million dollar studio's that were over-booked and their A, B and C rooms were taken. So they put me and the band we'd be working with in a closet, bathroom, storage space, you name it, I made it work. But they put me there because I always delivered the goods. The reason for that was my monitors I used were always corrected. To me, having flat monitors and good ears can get you super close to where you need to be even in an unforgiving room. Nothing I've tried has gotten me to that point other than ARC or when you hire one of those pro analyzer dude's to come to the studio and you supply them with a few Rane eq's to flatten everything.
 
Even there, they only get the main sweet-spot sort of down. ARC seems to make the listening experience much better on the ears wherever you are in your room. Not that THAT matters at all, but it's nice to hear what you mixed sounding good all over your room as well as in your sweet spot.
 
My point in saying this.....if you can find something that truly gets your monitors "flat" you'll be in pretty good shape. I can't think of anything that can do that better than ARC. Yeah, the price sucks and I've always felt it was a bit high. BUT...frustration is an even higher price for me. I can't tell you what it does to me. I paid $500 for my ARC 1 and again...I'm not loaded but even that was a small price to pay to NOT second guess myself. For $300....if a person doesn't have the money, they simply don't have the money and I can understand that. But I have to ask "what is your level of frustration and how happy are you with your mixes?" Happy to semi-happy...you don't need ARC. Seldom happy and frustrated quite often....think about taking the plunge.
 
If the thing does nothing at all to my room and is a load of crap....it sure did fool me into making everything I work on sound better and get done faster. At the worst....it flattened my monitors pretty darned good and I didn't have to hire anyone to do it or buy any additional hardware eq's.
 
For what it's worth, the stuff I have heard from you always sounded pretty good. Most of the stuff you shared here, you didn't put a load of time into so I couldn't really tell what you were capable of. But at the end of the day, if your level of frustration is high and you'd like to get things done faster without second guessing, ARC is definitely something to consider that should help fix at least THOSE things. Good luck. :)
 
-Danny
2014/06/20 23:19:53
sharke
I think I only paid $200 for ARC2 from Sweetwater in the sale? I don't think I would have bought it otherwise. But having heard the difference now, I think I would have paid double that for it. Even forgetting about the mixing benefits, the difference it's made to my recreational listening experience has been earth shattering. I guess getting a sweet little pair of Equator Audio D5's has a lot to do with it, but even so, the monitor position in my room gives me this really boomy low end mud which makes it impossible to enjoy a great bass part. Even watching videos was a nightmare - all the dialog had this low end boominess which made me reach for the volume control and turn it down to the point where the highs were whisper quiet. All of a sudden, with ARC2, that problem has pretty much completely gone. Everything just sounds so much more crisp, focused and balanced. I feel like I've had cataract surgery, but for the ears!
2014/06/21 13:42:07
Danny Danzi
sharke
I feel like I've had cataract surgery, but for the ears!



Hahaha! Similar for me....I felt like the storm clouds parted and went away for good then the sun came out showing me a rainbow. You know...like when a hurricane leaves and everything seems fresh and new again. :)
 
-Danny
2014/06/22 13:22:17
bapu
mike_mccue
I'm thinking maybe a couple ARC3 equipped iLouds and a iReallyfreakyLoud™ subwoofer all doing the magic would be so good I'd want to fly bapu in for a listen see.


Will there mint juleps and kettle korn popcorn and a movie afterwards?
 
If so, I'm there when you need me.
2014/06/22 13:28:36
bapu
Danny Danzi
sharke
I feel like I've had cataract surgery, but for the ears!



Hahaha! Similar for me....I felt like the storm clouds parted and went away for good then the sun came out showing me a rainbow. You know...like when a hurricane leaves and everything seems fresh and new again. :)
 
-Danny


Yup. Same here. I drank the kool-aid and it tastes (errm... sounds) good.
2014/06/22 19:31:28
S.L.I.P.
Arc 2 is going for $179.00, with free shipping on Amazon:
 
http://www.amazon.com/IK-...8-1&keywords=arc+2
2014/06/23 08:00:32
Karyn
S.L.I.P.
Arc 2 is going for $179.00, with free shipping on Amazon:
 
http://www.amazon.com/IK-...8-1&keywords=arc+2


That's great,  fantastic value.
 
 
But for anyone who doesn't live in the centre of the known universe and therefor has to subsidise the cheap US prices, it's £199.54 on Amazon,  or about $340 at current exchange rates...
2014/06/23 08:51:01
The Maillard Reaction
How about telling bapu he can keep the mic if he acts as your domestic agent by buying it at £106 and sending you the box as a .zip in an email?
 
Would using your personal mic actually be so bad?
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