Speaker specialist Totem Acoustic from Montreal, Canada, is looking to hit target on its Kickstarter campaign to fund production of the first series of its new ARC amplifier. Since Totem is known primarily for its quality high-end speakers, the ARC represents a new adventure into the realm of amplifiers. The ARC is not just another amplifier, but possibly the first in line of a new generation of digital amplifiers. This amplifier allows all digital music to be played on a system with the sound quality of any large sound system. Totem is betting many music enthusiasts have been waiting for this advance for quite some time.
The ARC is revolutionary in that it allows Bluetooth audio wireless streaming from any digital device directly to almost any 8 Ohm speaker system. Small and easy to use, all that is needed is a pair of speakers and the ARC. With the integrated Bluetooth audio wireless connection, the ARC works autonomously with a set of speakers and a smart phone. It can also be hooked up to a computer via USB. The ARC will thus act as a USB audio device, but will switch automatically to Bluetooth Audio if it is connected to a smart phone.
The ARC is ultra-compact and space-friendly. Being the size of a book, it can be placed anywhere. Just connect it to your speakers and forget about it. The ARC has no buttons or knobs; it turns on automatically when you connect to it. With a total power of 60 Watts per channel, it runs at high efficiency thereby providing large amounts of audio output power while requiring very little space and without need for heat sinking.
The ARC is a fully-integrated amplifier system. Amplification is provided by the latest in Class-D amplifier technology. It is designed using digital inputs: USB Audio 2.0 and Bluetooth aptX Audio. The USB audio connection delivers professional audio quality sound, with 24-bit resolution and sampling rates up to 192 kHz. The Bluetooth connection can provide a "CD-quality" connection via aptX.
Although the ARC performs very well on its own initiative, it is possible to customize sound with the free and optional ARC App. The ARC App allows for optimal sound control and is available for download on the iTunes App Store or Google Play. The ARC Kickstarter campaign is offering the amplifier for $250, saving $100 over its projected retail price. The offer closes on December 25th.