Comparison of DRCs: Dirac Live for Studio, IK Multimedia ARC System 3 and Sonarworks Reference 4 Studio edition

[landco]

Can I use umik-1 as the IK Multimedia ARC System 3 test microphone? Because I only have the umik-1 test microphone, without an external sound card.

I think no. USB microphones have limitations, they will not work with some programs, for example, Sonarworks

 

[Berwhale]

Can I use umik-1 as the IK Multimedia ARC System 3 test microphone? Because I only have the umik-1 test microphone, without an external sound card.

Yes, I have used my UMIK-1 with ARC3.

 

[sunnyboy]

Yes, I have used my UMIK-1 with ARC3.

How do you connect and operate? My equipment includes umik-1-pc-smsl d-6-jBL305p. Can you guide me to test this system with IK Multimedia ARC System 3?

 

[Berwhale]

How do you connect and operate? My equipment includes umik-1-pc-smsl d-6-jBL305p. Can you guide me to test this system with IK Multimedia ARC System 3?

The process is described here:

Note the microphone selection at 0:35, you also have to select something like 'USB' as the microphone channel on the next screen.

Sorry I can't be more specific, I haven't used ARC3 for over a year as a I found the measurement process overly laborious. I use REW to take measurements (moving microphone method) and calculate corrections and them apply systemwide PEQ with eAPO/PEACE.

 

[sunnyboy]

此处描述了该过程：

请注意 0:35 时的麦克风选择，您还必须在下一个屏幕上选择“USB”之类的东西作为麦克风通道。

抱歉，我不能更具体，我已经一年多没有使用 ARC3，因为我发现测量过程过于费力。我使用 REW 进行测量（移动麦克风方法）并计算校正，然后他们使用 eAPO/PEACE 应用系统范围的 PEQ。

Thank you.

 

[dasdoing]

I now prefer REW for phase-correction (coming soon)

 

[czt]

Yes, UMIK-1 works with both ik arc 3 and sonarworks (through asio eg. FlexASIO). But arc 3 is pointless because the loaded calibration file not used.

 

[sunnyboy]

但是弧 3 是没有意义的，因为没有使

Yes, UMIK-1 works with both ik arc 3 and sonarworks (through asio eg. FlexASIO). But arc 3 is pointless because the loaded calibration file not used.

Flexasio is really available, thank you very much.

 

[landco]

Yes, UMIK-1 works with both ik arc 3 and sonarworks

Don't be fooled, USB mics DO NOT work with sonarworks

 

[czt]

Don't be fooled, USB mics DO NOT work with sonarworks

Are you a fool? USB mics do work with sonarworks, despite what they claim. I use it with one (UMIK-1 through FlexASIO as I wrote).

 

[tifune]

Are you a fool? USB mics do work with sonarworks, despite what they claim. I use it with one (UMIK-1 through FlexASIO as I wrote).
View attachment 241137View attachment 241136

I believe he's referring to this; as to how much it impacts the measurements, I haven't a clue.

Using third-party measurement microphones | Sonarworks Support

SoundID Reference software calibrates your speakers and studio headphones, so you can trust that every mix will translate.

www.sonarworks.com

 

[czt]

I believe he's referring to this; as to how much it impacts the measurements, I haven't a clue.

Using third-party measurement microphones | Sonarworks Support

SoundID Reference software calibrates your speakers and studio headphones, so you can trust that every mix will translate.

www.sonarworks.com

Yes, I met with this statement, but since sonarworks doesn't do anything with phase... (and measurements precisely correlate between sonarworks and REW).

 

[Davide]

Yes, I met with this statement, but since sonarworks doesn't do anything with phase... (and measurements precisely correlate between sonarworks and REW).

As far as I know it does not make time domain corrections, but uses stereo imaging to precisely locate the microphone during measurements.
I don't know why but they use this technique, so a clock drift could lead to inaccurate mapping.
Then if there are real differences in practice I do not know ... but the reason should be that.

 

[czt]

As far as I know it does not make time domain corrections, but uses stereo imaging to precisely locate the microphone during measurements.
I don't know why but they use this technique, so a clock drift could lead to inaccurate mapping.
Then if there are real differences in practice I do not know ... but the reason should be that.

Mapping is as accurate as possible from measuring the distance between the speakers and MLP to the actual measurement points.

 

[Berwhale]

Yes, UMIK-1 works with both ik arc 3 and sonarworks (through asio eg. FlexASIO). But arc 3 is pointless because the loaded calibration file not used.

Thanks, I didn't know that. I was more concerned with taking 27 measurements consistently and repeatably. This was a chore, even with a mic stand marked for the 3 horizonal planes and tape on the floor marking the 9 measurement points for each plane. I'm getting good results with MMM and REW in a fraction of the time and I don't have the additional complication of getting and keeping the VST working with eAPO.

 

[czt]

I know... not mmm, just 1/6 smoothing, etc. Before, and an older Sonarworks (Listening Spot: on, Limit Controls LF/HF: neutral) with the new (awesome) official foobar2000 VST Adapter, nearfield mlp. single sweep. (Just my remark: Sw's "sound" is not bad at all, and their measurement seems very consistent and repeatable.)

 

[192kbps]

IK Multimedia ARC System 3 Advanced Room Correction Software with MEMS

IK Multimedia ARC System 2.5 with MEMS microphone is the first acoustic correction system that combines a super accurate MEMS measurement microphone, measurement software AND a correction plug-in. Sound Devices - We specialise in the latest audio technology, recording & studio equipment. 255...

sounddevices.com.au

IK Multimedia ARC System 3≈Audyssey MultEQ XT32
I didn't read it wrong, did I?

 

[Berwhale]

IK Multimedia ARC System 3 Advanced Room Correction Software with MEMS

IK Multimedia ARC System 2.5 with MEMS microphone is the first acoustic correction system that combines a super accurate MEMS measurement microphone, measurement software AND a correction plug-in. Sound Devices - We specialise in the latest audio technology, recording & studio equipment. 255...

sounddevices.com.au

View attachment 275084

IK Multimedia ARC System 3≈Audyssey MultEQ XT32
I didn't read it wrong, did I?

It may be an error. There's no mention of Audyssey on IK Multimedia's product page: https://www.ikmultimedia.com/products/arc3/index.php?p=specs

 

[Davide]

Version 2 employed Audyssey technology from what I recall. Either it's a typo or they stayed on that tech...

 

[czt]

IK MULTIMEDIA. SOUND BETTER.

IK MULTIMEDIA. SOUND BETTER.

www.ikmultimedia.com