IK ARC Users...Need advice

[B-San]

I have an issue with low freq, and how it will register in one speaker much more than the other... I'll do more tests so that I may give a more detailed description ...

[Dean Landon]

Originally Posted by B-San

I have an issue with low freq, and how it will register in one speaker much more than the other... I'll do more tests so that I may give a more detailed description ...

The problem on my end is low freq as well.

Let me know what you come up with. Thx

[Peter Z]

Originally Posted by Imagine

I purchased the IK ARC System, and followed the instructions regarding the 16 mic positions. Everything went well, except when I instantiated it on the master track in Pro Tools, there seems to be a phase problem. Also everything is extremely stereo and there's really no center definition.

I also imported 2 track wav files from certain commercial CD's, (Sting, John Mayer) and had the same problem.

I have a few 24 x 48 bass traps and other Auralex Acoustic Isolation on the walls, so I don't think it's a room issue.

Any ideas?

Thanks!

Had the same problem.
There is a button called "REF". If you click it you will find another called "allow phase correction" (or something like that). Disable it!

I don't know what this feature is for and i'm awaiting an answer from IK Multimedia for clarification.

Beside of this i'm surprised that ARC really works. I treated my room with 30m2 traps from 20 to 50 cm thickness but still had a very bad bass response. This is much better now.

Good luck

[Dean Landon]

Thanks Peter. I appreciate the info.

I didn't see this feature. I'll look for it when I get to the studio tomorrow.

Cheers.

[Dean Landon]

Originally Posted by Peter Z

Had the same problem.
There is a button called "REF". If you click it you will find another called "allow phase correction" (or something like that). Disable it!

I don't know what this feature is for and i'm awaiting an answer from IK Multimedia for clarification.

Beside of this i'm surprised that ARC really works. I treated my room with 30m2 traps from 20 to 50 cm thickness but still had a very bad bass response. This is much better now.

Good luck

Hi Peter,

I'm not able to find anything called "REF". There's a Preference button with 2 settings.

1- Remember last plug in settings for new instances (which is not checked)
2- Enable speaker delay trimming (which is checked)

I can't locate "Allow phase correction". Could you direct me to it?

Thanks!

[Dean Landon]

Never mind Peter. Someone already answered the question...

Un-checking Enable speaker delay trimming fix it.

[Peter Z]

Originally Posted by Imagine

Never mind Peter. Someone already answered the question...

Un-checking Enable speaker delay trimming fix it.

Sorry Dean!

You are right: one button is called reference and the other speaker delay trimming. I did not memorize this correctly.

Sorry for the confusion.

Do you know more about the function "speaker delay trimming"? I cannot find this in the manual and IK Multimedia did not answer my question until now.

nice day
Peter

[Dean Landon]

Originally Posted by Peter Z

Sorry Dean!

You are right: one button is called reference and the other speaker delay trimming. I did not memorize this correctly.

Sorry for the confusion.

Do you know more about the function "speaker delay trimming"? I cannot find this in the manual and IK Multimedia did not answer my question until now.

nice day
Peter

No problem Peter. I tried looking for some info regarding Speaker Delay Trimming, but can't seem to find anything on it.

Also, I can't figure out why we can't print to 2 track with ARC instantiated. What's the point of mixing with ARC activated, just to remove it when printing your 2 track mix? Won't it result in a completely different mix?

[psycho_monkey]

Originally Posted by Imagine

No problem Peter. I tried looking for some info regarding Speaker Delay Trimming, but can't seem to find anything on it.

Also, I can't figure out why we can't print to 2 track with ARC instantiated. What's the point of mixing with ARC activated, just to remove it when printing your 2 track mix? Won't it result in a completely different mix?

think about it for a sec. Arc is adjusting your mix to suit your room.

In a perfect room, you wouldn't need it. Hence you don't print the mix with it on - if you did, it would sound totally wrong anywhere else.

Think of it as part of your monitor chain, not your mix buss. You wouldn't print through a monitor graphic eq would you?

[Peter Z]

Originally Posted by Imagine

No problem Peter. I tried looking for some info regarding Speaker Delay Trimming, but can't seem to find anything on it.

Also, I can't figure out why we can't print to 2 track with ARC instantiated. What's the point of mixing with ARC activated, just to remove it when printing your 2 track mix? Won't it result in a completely different mix?

Dean, you can print with enabled ARC if you insert it in the main buss instead of a controll room insret slots.

But it makes sense NOT to do this. ARC is (more or less ;-) ) eliminating the problems of your room. Without ARC you would mix "against your room" - i mean you would turn frequencies down that you hear loud ONLY in your room. So your mix will sound good only in your room.

With ARC it is like mixing in a better soujnding room and you will not react on your room problems.

I hope I could make this clear.

[ssaudio]

Originally Posted by Peter Z

I hope I could make this clear.

About as clear as you think your monitors (now) sound

[Dean Landon]

Peter & Psycho,

Got it. I'll be doing some tests with and without to see how well ARC works. It will be interesting to hear the results outside the studio. One thing ARC is doing very well is removing a lot of the lo freq mud. I always knew my room had lo freq problems but I didn't know to what extent.

[Peter Z]

Got the answer from IK. As expected time alignment refers to speaker placement.
Here is what they wrote:

"ARC (MultEQ) works on various aspects. One of these is time-aligning the two L & R speakers, for example if the Right speaker is farther than Left ARC will apply a small delay to the Right channel to make them aligned at listening point.
But it can happen that this feature, sometimes, created more problems than solutions, and even if this is rare there is the possibility that the monitoring system sounds more coherent with the original timing."

I think it shoud be disabled by default - at least if there is no comment in the manual concerniong this feature.

ssaudio: yes, i know this is an imperfection. But you never hear the real sound of your monitors. It is the mix with the room sound you hear and that is an imperfection too - at least in my room.

However, there should be no religious discussion about ARC. If you like it use it, if not leave it.

[ssaudio]

Originally Posted by Peter Z

But you never hear the real sound of your monitors

Even at 1m you are still hearing over 80% room

Originally Posted by Peter Z

If you like it use it, if not leave it.

We can do without the censorship, thanks

[B-San]

Originally Posted by Imagine

Never mind Peter. Someone already answered the question...

Un-checking Enable speaker delay trimming fix it.

Thanks for the tips, fellas... Although this didn't completely eradicate the phase issues it improved my situation considerably...

Will test further...