Sound Devices Astral ARX8 Digital Wireless Receiver
- 4 true-diversity channels, expandable to 6 or 8
- SpectraBand tuning from 169 to 1525 MHz
- Half-rack size for a bag, a rack, or a cart
$8,945.00 USD
In Stock
Sound Devices Astral ARX8 Digital Wireless Receiver
Built for bag work, the Sound Devices Astral ARX8 is a half-rack, true-diversity digital wireless receiver with four channels that expand to six or eight by software license.
The added channels need no extra hardware, and the half-rack size saves space when the receiver moves to a rack or cart.
Frequency Bands
SpectraBand tunes from 169 to 1525 MHz, so you can find open spectrum even when the UHF TV band is crowded, and RF SAW filters reject nearby IFB and camera hop transmitters.
NexLink Remote Control
NexLink gives the ARX8 long-range remote control of Astral transmitters, including group power on and off, even with 2.4 GHz interference on set. AutoAssign scans for clean frequencies and pushes them to the linked transmitters with one button. The real-time spectrum analyzer shows the changing RF environment without interrupting the audio, and a BNC timecode input syncs the transmitters over NexLink.
Outputs, Power, and Docking
A DB-25 connector carries eight channels of mic, line, or AES output. Power comes from a DC input, an 8-Series mixer-recorder, or AC mains with an optional adapter, and an A20-QuickDock docks the ARX8 to an 8-Series mixer-recorder in seconds with no tools. Front and rear BNC antenna inputs take passive or bias-powered antennas, the receiver controls a Wisycom LFA smart antenna, and a cascade output feeds a second ARX8.
Features
- 4 true-diversity channels in a half-rack chassis, expandable to 6 or 8
- SpectraBand tuning from 169 to 1525 MHz
- NexLink remote control with group power on and off
- AutoAssign and a real-time spectrum analyzer
- DB-25 output for 8 channels of mic, line, or AES audio
- Power from DC, an 8-Series mixer-recorder, or AC mains
- 6.2 in color OLED touch display
- A20-QuickDock support for 8-Series mixer-recorders
- Wisycom LFA smart antenna control and a cascade output
- USB-A port for thumb drives, keyboards, pairing, and timecode
What's Included
- 2 × Monarch antennas
- 2 × articulating arms with 1/4 in-20 mount for the Monarch antennas
- 2 × 30 in BNC to BNC antenna cables
- 2 × 2.4 GHz antennas, SMA-M
- 2 × Astral 2.4G Ant+Mount for the side panels
- 4 × rubber feet
- Astral ARX8 product document
Specifications
| RF | |
|---|---|
| RF Tuning | 169 – 1525 MHz (1356 MHz switching bandwidth), 25 kHz steps SpectraBand Technology Available frequencies depend on country of operation |
| Modulation | Proprietary, 100% digital RF modulation Standard, Long Range, or Test and Measurement, selectable per channel |
| Spurious Rejection | More than 100 dB typical |
| Cascade Output | 50 ohm 3.5 dB insertion loss from front BNC through rear BNC |
| RF Bias Output | 12 V, 200 mA each BNC Smart antenna support, Wisycom-compatible |
| Audio | |
| Latency | Standard modulation: 2 ms Long Range: 3.9 ms Test and Measurement: 7 ms |
| Audio Frequency Response | 10 Hz – 20 kHz, ±1 dB relative to 1 kHz |
| Dynamic Range | More than 130 dB with an Astral transmitter |
| Output Level | Line: +20 dBu for 0 dBFS Mic: −20 dBu for 0 dBFS |
| Tone Generator | 1 kHz, adjustable from −20 to 0 dBFS |
| Output Sample Rate | 44.1, 48, or 96 kHz |
| Digital Audio Output | AES3 balanced, 110 ohm output impedance |
| Sync | LTC or word clock BNC input, switchable 75 ohm termination 8-Series (when docked) |
| Power and Physical | |
| Power Sources | DC input on locking TA4 (pin 4 positive, pin 1 negative) 8-Series mixer-recorder, when docked AC mains adapter (XL-WPTA4, sold separately) |
| DC Input | 10 – 18 V, 2 A minimum at 10 V DC 10 W idle, default configuration |
| USB | USB-A, 5 V, 500 mA: keyboards, thumb drives, Astral transmitters, and USB hubs |
| Operating Temperature | −10 °C to 55 °C 14 °F to 131 °F |
| Dimensions (H × W × D) | 4.0 × 20.3 × 16.7 cm 1.6 × 8.0 × 6.6 in |
| Weight | 1.22 kg (2.7 lb), unpackaged |
| Latest Specifications | Specifications are subject to change without prior notice. For current information, visit sounddevices.com. |
