The Sound Devices Astral ARX8 is a 4, 6 or 8-channel ultra-high-performance, true-diversity digital wireless receiver with 169 - 1525 MHz SpectraBand, Real Time RF Spectrum Analyzer and NexLink transmitter remote control. It is a half-rack sized wireless receiver with 4 channels as standard, though the channel count can be expanded from 4 to 6 or 8 channels using Sound Devices' expansion licenses.
ARX8 bags the job.
When you’re doing bag work, you need a high-quality, high-channel-count audio receiver that won’t weigh you down. Sound Devices’ ARX8 true-diversity wireless receiver was made with portability in mind. It comes with four receiver channels, and can be expanded to six and eight channels via software license, without additional hardware.
Want to transition to a rack or cart, work with an OB-van, get the receiver directly to the action? The ARX8 receiver’s one unit half-rack size will save long antenna cable runs, and space too. It’s ready for anything.
Power in a small form.
The ARX8 receiver has an advanced set of features inherent in the Sound Devices Astral family of products, including:
- SpectraBand: The ARX8 receiver utilizes the unparalleled SpectraBand tuning range of 169 - 1525 MHz, allowing you the ability to find clean frequencies, even in the busiest UHF TV band, plus above up to 1525 MHz, plus in VHF bands.
- GainForward: No more stopping the action on set. No more adjusting the transmitter gain on the talent as before. Now you can set your TX levels remotely on the ARX8 receiver with GainForward.
Go the distance.
The Sound Devices Astral ARX8 receiver is ready to go the distance, thanks to Sound Devices’ proprietary NexLink protocol.
NexLink: By utilizing the NexLink protocol, the ARX8 receiver has full long-range remote control of your transmitters, even in the presence of 2.4 GHz interference.
RTSA: With NexLink and the Astral ARX8 receiver’s integrated RTSA (Real Time Spectrum Analyzer), you can visually monitor the changing RF environment in realtime, without interrupting the audio, while recording.
AutoAssign: Save time on set. The AutoAssign function automatically scans the current tuning band for clean frequencies and assigns them to multiple channels on the receiver. The clean frequencies are then automatically pushed to transmitters linked with the NexLink protocol. This is all done with one button in mere seconds.
Astral ARX8 Features:
- 4, 6 or 8-channel ultra-high-performance, true-diversity receiver in a half-rack size (8.0” x 6.6” x 1.6” / 20.3cm x 16.8cm x 4.1cm).
- Upgradeable to 6 or 8 channels via expansion licenses.
- 169 MHz - 1525 MHz tuning range via Sound Devices’ proprietary SpectraBand Technology.
- SpectraBand Technology with narrow-band passive SAW-filters on antenna inputs for maximum rejection of out-of-band signals.
- When selecting country of operation, only legal frequencies will be shown.
- Displays Q (quality of digital RF data), RF signal strength for antenna A and B, high signal and overload for antenna A and B, RF history up to 10 minutes.
- Sound Devices NexLink: integrated, long-distance remote control of wireless transmitters, including frequency, RF power, modulation type, group on/off.
- AutoAssign: automatic deployment of clean frequencies in seconds.
- Integrated Real Time RF Spectrum Analyzer (RTSA) and scanning for intuitive frequency coordination.
- Standard modulation, Long Range modulation, T&M modulation (Test and Measurement), selectable per channel
- Flexible powering: via DC input, 8-Series recorder, or mains (with optional adapter).
- DB-25 connector for 8 channels of mic, line, or AES outputs.
- Wide, 6.2” color OLED array display with touch control.
- Astral QuickDock allows docking and undocking in seconds from Sound Devices 8-Series mixer-recorders with no tools or additional hardware.
- Supports GainForward Architecture: No gain setting on the Astral transmitter. Adjust gain at the receiver or mixer.
- 100% digital long-range modulation delivers the longest transmission distance of any digital system on the market.
- Passive RF SAW filters directly on the input for excellent rejection of interference from nearby IFB or camera hop transmitters.
- Excellent audio quality, full 10 Hz - 20 kHz audio bandwidth.
- BNC timecode input for auto timecode sync of transmitters over NexLink.
- Front panel and rear panel BNC antenna inputs. Compatible with passive and powered antennas.
- Supports control of Wisycom LFA smart booster antennas.
- Cascade out option on rear BNCs.
- USB-A port for thumb drives, keyboards, transmitter pairing, and timecode syncing. Supports USB hubs.
Specifications
RF
- 169 - 1525 MHz tuning (1356 MHz switching bandwidth), 25 kHz steps.
- Spurious rejection: higher than 100 dB typical.
- Active antenna and booster powering: 12V, 200 mA each BNC.
Audio
- Audio frequency response: 10 Hz-20 kHz, +/-1 dB.
- Audio output sample rates: 44.1, 48, or 96 kHz.
- Dynamic range: > 130 dB with Astral transmitters.
- Output level: Line +20 dBu for 0 dBFS, Mic -20 dBu for 0 dBFS.
- Digital audio output: AES3 balanced 110 ohm.
- Latency on analog or digital outputs: Standard modulation = 2 ms, Long Range modulation = 3.9 ms, T&M modulation (Test and Measurement) = 7 ms.
Power
- DC input, 10 to 18V, 2A minimum at 10 VDC.
- 10W idle, default configuration.
- Extra power needed for USB power, active antenna power, and DC outputs.
- Power on Hirose DC: max 500 mA combined.
- Power on USB-A: 5V, 500 mA; supports keyboards, thumb drives, Astral transmitters, and USB hubs.
