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.
Unlike conventional correction plug-ins or virtual control room systems, ARC ON•EAR doesn’t sound artificial or over-processed. Instead, it delivers the precision, depth, and trust of a real control room — inside your headphones.
Headphone correction/virtual monitoring system
- Audiophile DAC and headphone amplifier with built-in correction
- Removes the guesswork from mixing on headphones
- Recreates the experience of monitors in a studio
- Virtually audition your mix on other top playback systems
- Control software to customize and load up to 5 profiles
- Support for hundreds of popular headphone models
- Rechargeable battery provides up to 4 hours of playback
- Digital and Analog audio inputs support all audio sources
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 app, 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.
1 Connect
Plug ARC ON•EAR into your computer using the included USB-C cable — compatible with any PC or Mac, no drivers or setup needed.
2 Configure
Open the ARC ON•EAR software, choose your headphone model, and customize the listening experience and presets to suit your workflow.
3 Create
ARC ON•EAR is ready and works as a standalone device, usable anywhere to enjoy the clarity, depth, and realism of a professional studio.
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.
The graph above shows the wide variation in response curves of over 200 headphones IK profiled, highlighting the challenge of achieving consistency without ARC ON•EAR.
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.
Effortless control
Easily setup and fine tune your listening experience with the dedicated ARC ON•EAR Control Software.
- Quick and easy device setup
- Fine tune tonal balance to your preferences
- Save and load presets
- Customize the user button with your favorite functions
- Manage firmware and software updates
Adjustable Frequency Response
Listening Environment Controls
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.
Virtual Monitoring that goes beyond
Instantly test your mix on a wide range of playback systems — without taking off your headphones:
- Studio monitors
- Smartphones
- Smart Speakers
- TV sets
With a growing library of virtual monitors, you’ll know exactly how your mix translates in the real world.
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
Musicians. Creators. Producers.
Sound Engineers. ARC ON•EAR
Yoad Nevo
Multi Platinum Producer and Mixer
Sia, Ed Sheeran, Giggs, Jem, Pet Shop Boys, Bryan Adams, Girls Aloud, Sugababes, The Dandy Warhols, Goldfrapp, Sophie Ellis-Bextor, Moby, Air, Morcheeba, etc
The AR-ON-EAR delivers a realistic headphone mixing experience. The combination of its powerful amplifier, room and speaker simulation and the precise headphones EQ correction curve, makes my headphones sound significantly better.
OJ & Fridel
Producers at Soho Sonic Studios
Diplo, Usher, BBC, National Theatre UK, Arrow Benjamin, Idris Elba, Lisa Stansfield
For producers and engineers who often need to check, revise, or approve mixes on the go, this feels like having the studio with you wherever you are. It has truly created a home-away-from-home listening environment.
Definitely a keeper.
Jan van der Toorn
Multi-platinum Producer
Nana, NSYNC, Papa Bear and Outkast
ARC ON EAR sounds, feels, and looks amazing! It's IK Multimedia's little box of headphone sorcery
Roberto Rosu
Studio and FOH Engineer
Andrea Bocelli, Ennio Morricone, Avion Travel, Renzo Arbore, Banco del Mutuo Soccorso, Samuele Bersani, Gigi D’Alessio, Elisa, Michele Zarrillo, etc.
ARC ON·EAR is a killer product!
Marco Dellatorre
FOH and Monitor Engineer/RF manager
Nile Rodgers, Cat Stevens and many others acts, festivals, events
It's hard to find so many qualities packed into a single small device that is portable and can be used practically anywhere thanks to its internal battery. The dual analog (audio IN) and digital (USB-C connector) options make it a must-have for those who, like me, live off music while traveling the world. Plus, it sounds great too! What more could you want? Well done, IK!
Enrico Brun
Producer
Pinguini Tattici Nucleari, Måneskin, etc.
Finally, a solution for recreating the listening experience I have in the studio when traveling, with the Barefoot Micromain 27 paired with the Sony MDR-MV1 headphones.
Andrea Pellegrini
Studio and FOH Engineer
Gizmodrome, Adrian Belew, Gavin Harrison, Tony Levin, Brit Floyd, Elio e le Storie Tese, Il Volo, BBC, etc.
ARC ON·EAR: My dream comes true, in the size of a candy packet!
Marco Borsatti
Tracking, Mixing, Mastering and Dolby Atmos Mix Sound Engineer
Måneskin, Vasco Rossi, Laura Pausini, Il Volo, Damiano David, etc.
I chose ARC ON·EAR because, in addition to being a very useful portable audio interface, its software allows for linear listening through headphones. I just connect my headphones, set the right parameters, and then in the studio I can make all the stereo comparisons with my speakers. When I'm on the road, having four presets means I can also mix with total freedom.
Francesco Donadel Campbell
Audio & Video Mastering Engineer
Yamato Video, RAI, Sky, Mediaset, etc.
ARC ON·EAR: Finally, a convenient, efficient, and truly effective solution for working with headphones on the go. As always, Italians do it better!
Maurizio Nicotra
Studio and FOH Engineer
Claudio Baglioni, Renato Zero, Dire Straits Legacy, Carmen Consoli, Paola Turci, Irene Grandi, Jovanotti, etc.
ARC ON-EAR is an extremely valuable product. The option to narrow the stereo field with the Width control is very useful for achieving a remarkably realistic result, similar to that of a pair of real studio monitors. Another gem is the EQ for making further custom adjustments.
Mirko Cascio
Studio and FOH Engineer
Fabrizio Moro, Alex Britti, Daniele Silvestri, Paola Turci, Luciano Ligabue, Maldestro, etc.
I found ARC ON·EAR fantastic, both in terms of construction and audio performance. I created presets for various headphones and found them extremely useful.
Sandro "Amek" Ferrari
Studio and FOH Engineer
Negramaro, Nek, RAI, RTL, Radio Italia, etc.
The hardware and software are very impressive. Truly remarkable! And finally, the headphone amplifier/sound card that was missing has arrived! A real gem.
Fabrizio Bacherini
FOH and Monitor Engineer
Max Pezzali, Giorgia, Fiorello and many others
ARC ON-EAR is a pocket-sized device that has solved my listening problems. I always suspected that my headphones were a little bloated on the low end, and by activating the correction, I can clearly hear what's going on in the mix. I connect the headphone output of the mixer directly to ARC ON-EAR, and the dynamic response is identical to that of the mixer, even in terms of power. Really functional.
Giacomo Mandelli
Studio and FOH Engineer
Dire Straits Legacy, La Tana del Lupo, Cineteatro San Luigi
I tried ARC ON·EAR during the Dire Straits Legacy tour: I really like it, it's a real secret weapon in my backpack.
Raffaele Stefani
Studio+Live Engineer
Cesare Cremonini, Gianna Nannini, Sananda Maitreya, Raphael Gualazzi, etc
Whether it's checking a mix you've just finished, preparing social media content on the fly in a hotel, on the train, or in the car after a show, an electronic programming session for an album, or even just the pleasure of listening to a good album while lying on the sofa: Effective and transparent processing, generous amplification, low latency... if it made gin and tonics, it would be perfect.
Davide Linzi
Studio and FOH Engineer
Ultimo, Bresh, Ghali, Negrita, etc
After trying out various types of headphones, the correction guarantees excellent performance on all models tested, including my beloved Ollo headphones. Since I often have to mix live performances in hotel rooms or while traveling, having a sound and stereo image reference for many well-known speakers makes my job easier, especially when checking from my cell phone.
Massimo Barbieri
Studio and FOH Engineer
Mika, U. Tozzi, Mia Martini, Irene Grandi, XFactor, "Mediterraneo" soundtrack
When people used to ask me if I also mixed with headphones, I would usually reply, "I'd love to, but I can't mix with headphones."
Now I finally can, thanks to ARC ON·EAR.
Danilo Ballo
Keyboardist and Arranger
Pooh
From now on, my workplace can be anywhere, but my listening experience will always be the same as it is in my studio.
IK Multimedia ARC ON·EAR is here to make sure of that.
The ARC of confidence
With continuous firmware updates, an expanding headphone database, and a growing collection of virtual monitors, ARC ON•EAR is a future-proof investment in your sound.
Whether you’re producing on the go, mixing at night, or traveling the world, ARC ON•EAR gives you the accuracy and confidence of a professional studio — everywhere.
FINALLY HEAR THE TRUTH IN YOUR HEADPHONES
*Legal detail | Warranty
ARC® ON•EAR, ARC® System and ARC® Studio are a trademarks property of IK Multimedia Production Srl. All other product names and trademarks are the property of their respective owners, which are in no way associated or affiliated with IK Multimedia. Product names are used solely for the purpose of identifying the specific products that were studied during IK Multimedia’s sound model development and for describing certain types of tones produced with IK Multimedia’s digital modeling technology. Use of these names does not imply any cooperation or endorsement. Mac and the Mac logo are trademarks of Apple Computer, Inc., registered in the U.S. and other countries. Windows and the Windows logo are trademarks or registered trademarks of Microsoft Corporation in the United States and/or other countries.The Audio Units logo is a trademark of Apple Computer, Inc. VST is a trademark of Steinberg Media Technologies GmbH.