IK Multimedia ARC ON-EAR Headphone Amplifier and DAC
1,215.00 Excl. VAT
- Portable Headphone Correction System
- Monitoring with Crossfeed & Room Models
- 250+ Hand-Measured Headphone Profiles
- Store and Select up to 5 Custom Presets
- ARC ON•EAR Software for EQ and Control
- 20 Virtual Studios, 15 Playback Systems
- Proprietary DSP and Physical Modeling
- USB-C & 3.5mm Inputs, 1/4″ Headphone Out
In stock
Work with confidence. Anywhere.
Traditional headphones — even “reference” models — don’t tell the whole truth. Their frequency response is never perfectly flat, and their exaggerated stereo image alters your perception of balance, timbre, and space. The result? Endless revisions, ear fatigue, and mixes that don’t translate.
ARC ON•EAR is a revolutionary standalone headphone DAC and amplifier that instantly corrects your headphone's response and recreates the experience of mixing on professional studio monitors.
For the first time, you can mix, master, and produce with total confidence — anywhere.
Preset and Battery Level Indicator
Turns on/off headphone calibration/correction
Turns on/off the assigned preset's virtual monitoring
Turns on/off an additional setting, like mute or dim
High-end digitally controlled analog volume control
6.3 mm headphone out, high-power/low-distortion amplifier
Power on/off, with up to 4 hours of use on the built-in battery
USB-C port for control panel, digital audio in, and recharging
3.5 mm stereo analog audio input
No guesswork, no compromise
Mixing on headphones has always meant compromise.
Even “reference” headphones color your sound, while exaggerated stereo width makes spatial judgment nearly impossible.
ARC ON•EAR solves both problems — restoring a neutral frequency response and a natural stereo image — so you can trust what you hear every time.
Connect
Configure
Create
ARC ON•EAR changes the game
- True-to-life monitoring – Experience the natural perspective of high-end studio monitors in a properly tuned room.
- Pristine sound – Advanced acoustic modeling, not flawed convolution, ensures clarity and transparency.
- No guesswork – Get reliable, “first-shot” mixes that translate across every playback system.
- Consistency – Built-in amplification guarantees stable frequency response, free from amp-induced coloration.
A reference you can trust
Every pair of headphones has its own sonic fingerprint.
ARC ON•EAR uses precision calibration profiles, measured with state-of-the-art reference rigs, to ensure accurate, transparent, and reliable sound. With support for hundreds of popular headphone models, you’ll experience your mix exactly as it should sound — clear, balanced, and true.
Studio monitors — in your headphones
Unlike plug-ins or impulse-based “virtual rooms,” ARC ON•EAR uses advanced physical modeling to recreate how real studio monitors behave in an ideal acoustic space.
No artificial reverbs. No timbral coloration. Just the natural depth, width, and clarity of a real control room — right in your headphones.
Standalone freedom, zero latency
No drivers. No plug-ins. No DAW required. ARC ON•EAR is a self-contained hardware system that works with any setup.
- USB-C and 3.5 mm audio inputs
- Compatible with any OS, app, or playback system
- Store up to 5 presets for instant recall
- 4-hour rechargeable battery
Take your reference studio anywhere — from the control room to the coffee shop.
Uncompromising audio quality
Powered by a 32-bit ESS SABRE® converter, a high-damping-factor, ultra-low-distortion power amplifier, and a digitally controlled analog volume stage, ARC ON·EAR delivers a truly audiophile-grade listening experience — with no compromises.
- Ultra-low output distortion
- No loss of resolution, even at low volumes
- Powers even the most demanding headphones
Built for practical everyday use
- Compact, durable aluminum chassis
- Elegant design, suitable for any environment
- Analog input (3.5 mm) & digital USB-C inputs
- Standard 6.3 mm headphone out
- Includes protective carrying case
Accuracy begins with the amplifier
ARC ON•EAR’s amplifier has the lowest distortion across the entire audio spectrum compared to leading high-end interfaces and laptops.
When pushed to their limits, typical headphone amplifiers reveal their weaknesses. The plot shown here compares the total harmonic distortion of leading audio interfaces and high-end laptop headphone outputs with ARC ON•EAR, measured at high volume on a low-impedance (32 Ω) headphone.
The behavior of a headphone amplifier directly affects what you hear. Even high-end audio interfaces and mixers can alter a headphone’s frequency response — sometimes subtly, sometimes significantly — depending on the model and its output impedance.
ARC ON•EAR eliminates this variable. All calibration profiles are created using the exact same amplifier circuit found in the product, ensuring precise, reliable, and repeatable correction across all headphones and listening sessions.
| Weight | 0.47 kg |
|---|---|
| Dimensions | 12.1 × 11.94 × 10.67 cm |
| Type: | Headphone Calibration w/Room Simulation |
| Input Channels: | 1 |
| Output Channels: | 1 |
| Analog Inputs: | 1 x 1/8″ |
| Headphones: | 1 x 1/4″ |
| USB: | 1 x USB-C |
| Computer Connectivity: | USB |
| Software: | ARC ON-EAR |
| OS Requirements - Mac: | macOS 10.15 or later |
| OS Requirements - PC: | Windows 10 or later |
| Power Supply: | Rechargeable Lithium Battery |
