Sound Devices Has Expanded the Astral Series... Again—Here's What to Know

The new Sound Devices A20TX in a jungle setting.
(Image credit: Sound Devices)

Sound Devices launched of the latest additions to its innovative Astral series of wireless audio products: the A20-Nexus Go true-diversity digital wireless receiver and the A20-TX digital wireless transmitter. Purposefully designed to streamline wireless audio processes, Astral brings innovative features like Sound Devices’ proprietary SpectraBand, GainForward, and NexLink technology into a versatile ecosystem of portable, rugged, and easy to operate wireless audio devices that function across a variety of live and recorded sound applications anywhere in the world. 

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Designed for the on-the-move production sound professional, A20-Nexus Go is a portable four, six, or eight-channel wireless receiver ideal for mobile rigs and fast-moving production. Users can scan an industry-leading global tuning range of 169-1525 MHz with Sound Devices’ SpectraBand technology to quickly find clean and open frequencies anywhere in the world, easily assign transmitters to those frequencies using A20-Nexus Go’s AutoAssign function, adjust transmitter gain as needed directly from the receiver using GainForward, and keep tabs on any potential RF difficulties with A20-Nexus Go’s integrated Real Time Frequency Analysis (RTSA) functionality. Combined, this makes A20-Nexus Go a versatile wireless hub packed with forward-thinking features that can replace multiple devices in any crowded production sound bag.

“We created A20-Nexus Go based on the feedback of our users in the field—professionals looking for a portable wireless solution that could deliver these features in a compact, easy-to-use format,” said Sound Devices CEO Matt Anderson. “A20-Nexus Go is ready to go when you are, easy to adapt to any situation, and delivers when it counts across a variety of wireless use cases.”

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The A20-TX digital wireless transmitter utilizes a combination of innovative technologies and intuitive compatibility to make it a versatile, easily adaptable digital wireless transmitter. Built to offer a wider range of input compatibility than any other transmitter on the market, A20-TX serves equally well with two or three-wire lavs, dynamic and phantom powered microphones, balanced line-level sources, AES digital mics, and musical instruments. A20-TX utilizes the same high headroom mic preamp from Sound Devices’ 8-Series mixer-recorders – an industry first in a digital wireless transmitter—thus guaranteeing high-quality sonic purity with a minimum of noise. Multiple A20-TX transmitters can be controlled remotely by Astral-series wireless receivers utilizing Sound Devices’ long-range NexLink remote wireless control technology, and gain can be adjusted directly from the receiver using GainForward. Ensuring long-term ease of use, A20-TX has a 12-hour battery life and is compatible with both standard and rechargeable AA batteries.

"A20-TX is the culmination of years of development and innovation in wireless transmitter technology from both the Sound Devices and Audio Ltd. teams," said Anderson. "As a result, it is a highly engineered tool perfect for building out your wireless audio system, and functions perfectly alongside our Astral series receivers."

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