Author: mattwaddell

Best-in-class wireless receiver recognized by top UK Association for Motion Picture Sound

Greenwich, UK, April 16, 2025 ​ — Astral ARX32 Wireless Receiver has been awarded the Excellence in Production Hardware or Software Audio Product Award by the Association of Motion Picture Sound (AMPS) – the preeminent organization for UK-based sound engineers and RF professionals in film and television production. The award was presented at the 2025 AMPS Awards for Television Drama, Factual Film & Product Innovation on Sunday, April 13 at the University of Greenwich in the UK, an annual tradition for the organization that recognizes creative and technical accomplishments in the sound industry through a peer-voted process. ​ For more information about AMPS and the AMPS Awards, please visit: https://www.amps.net

“The location sound industry has been Sound Devices’ core audience from the beginning, and this valuable relationship has informed all of the wireless innovations we developed that resulted in Astral ARX32,” said Sound Devices CEO Matt Anderson. “We’re incredibly honored to be recognized by AMPS – one of the most prestigious organizations in location sound in the industry – and graciously accept this award.”

Astral wireless on the forefront of film production
​Sound Devices’ Astral family of wireless devices have quickly become standard kit for location sound and RF professionals within the film industry. The versatile wireless ecosystem – boasting an industry-leading worldwide tuning range of 169-1525 MHZ – ​ offers peerless RF stability, sound quality, and ease of use. In addition to Astral ARX32, the Astral wireless range also includes the more compact Astral ARX16 and Astral ARX8.

Alongside the Astral family wireless receivers, the Astral family also includes the new Astral HH handheld microphone, the Astral Opto expansion box, which adds native Optocore audio I/O to the Astral ARX32 receiver; the Astral Outpost box, intended for remote-mounting NexLink antennae via Ethernet; the Astral TX digital wireless bodypack transmitter with a multipurpose input, flexible powering, and sunlight-readable e-Paper display; the Astral Mini ultra-compact digital wireless bodypack transmitter with optional A20-BatteryDoubler for twice the battery runtime; and Astral ARX2 two-channel slot-in portable true-diversity wireless receiver.

About Sound Devices:
​For more than 25 years, Sound Devices has created premier audio equipment that helps sound professionals capture superior audio. The company’s products have been used for an array of applications, from award-winning feature films and television shows, to live events, houses of worship, and educational applications. Sound Devices designs, assembles, and supports its products at their Reedsburg, Wisconsin, headquarters and their Madison, Wisconsin, and Rickmansworth, UK, offices.

For more information, visit www.sounddevices.com.

Newest addition to the Astral wireless ecosystem honored at top broadcast industry trade show

LAS VEGAS, NV, April 15, 2025 ​ — Sound Devices Astral HH wireless handheld microphone is recipient of Future’s Best of Show Award, presented at the 2025 NAB Show by Sound and Video Contractor. The awards recognize innovative product designs within the pro audio and broadcast industry and are judged by a panel of top engineers and industry experts. Astral HH is the newest addition to Sound Devices’ innovative Astral® ecosystem of wireless devices and is already in high-demand with some of the top performers and RF teams in the world. For more information about Astral HH and the Astral family, please click here.

“The Astral series has been designed from the onset to rise to the high standard required in today’s challenging RF environments,” said Sound Devices CEO Matt Anderson. “Astral HH is the result of years of fruitful collaboration between our engineers and R&D team alongside some of the industry’s brightest minds in wireless. We’re incredibly proud to be honored once again by Future’s panel of industry experts and humbly accept this ‘Best of Show’ award.”

About the Astral Wireless Series
​Sound Devices’ Astral family of wireless devices is a versatile wireless ecosystem designed for increased RF stability, sound quality, and ease of use. Astral wireless receivers such as ARX32, ARX16, and ARX8 utilize Sound Devices’ proprietary SpectraBrand Technology for an industry-leading, region-free global tuning range of 169-1525 MHz making them operable worldwide. Ideal for a wide range of live events use, Astral wireless receivers offer high channel counts in extremely small packages.

Alongside the Astral family wireless receivers, the Astral family also includes the new Astral HH handheld microphone, the Astral Opto expansion box, which adds native Optocore audio I/O to the Astral ARX32r; the Astral Outpost box, intended for remote-mounting NexLink antennae via Ethernet; the Astral TX digital wireless bodypack transmitter with a multipurpose input, flexible powering, and sunlight-readable e-Paper display; the Astral Mini ultra-compact digital wireless bodypack transmitter with optional Astral Mini-BatteryDoubler for twice the battery runtime; and Astral ARX2 two-channel slot-in portable true-diversity wireless receiver.

To learn more about the entire Sound Devices Astral wireless audio family, visit www.sounddevices.com.

About Sound Devices:
​For more than 25 years, Sound Devices has created premier audio equipment that helps sound professionals capture superior audio. The company’s products have been used for an array of applications, from award-winning feature films and television shows, to live events, houses of worship, and educational applications. Sound Devices designs, assembles, and supports its products at their Reedsburg, Wisconsin, headquarters and their Madison, Wisconsin, and Rickmansworth, UK, offices. ​
​For more information, visit www.sounddevices.com.

LAS VEGAS, NV, April 4, 2025 — Sound Devices [North Hall, Booth N1812] will give a sneak preview of a series of brand new feature updates to their flagship 8-Series family of products at the 2025 NAB Show. The new features ​ once again extend the functionality and service life of the industry-standard mixer/recorders for professionals who rely on them in the field. For more information and to book an appointment with the Sound Devices team at NAB, please visit: http://www.sounddevices.com/

The new features for the 8-Series will be part of an upcoming firmware update, for which registered users of the platform receive at no charge. “At Sound Devices, we are constantly refining our products to reflect user feedback and changing methodology in the industry,” said Sound Devices CEO Matt Anderson. “These new feature upgrades for the 8-Series reflect our dedication to extending the life of the trusted instruments for folks using them every day on set who require additional workflow flexibility and functionality, and we’re proud to include them.”

In addition to the latest from the 8-Series, Sound Devices will also be showcasing the Astral family wireless ecosystem and giving an offline preview of a new communication protocol for Astral and DiGiCo products that will be introduced with an upcoming firmware update. 

In addition to the software preview, Sound Devices’ NAB plans include live demos of the ARX32 wireless receiver with HexVersity®, a versatile platform with up to 32 channels packed into a 1U 19” rack form factor, the Astral Opto expansion box, which adds native Optocore I/O, the Astral Outpost-NL box for remote-mounting NexLink® antennae, as well as the new Astral HH handheld microphone. 

Also on display in the Sound Devices booth will be the easy customization of the Astral HH microphone, including an Astral HH mic with Swarovski crystals meticulously hand-placed by Rebel Stage Gear. It will be available for taking selfies.

About Sound Devices: ​
​For more than 25 years, Sound Devices has created premier audio equipment that helps sound professionals capture superior ​ audio. The company’s products have been used for an array of applications, from award-winning feature films and television shows, ​ to live events, houses of worship, and educational applications. Sound Devices designs, assembles, and supports its products at their Reedsburg, Wisconsin, headquarters and their Madison, Wisconsin, and Rickmansworth, UK, offices. ​
​For more information, visit www.sounddevices.com.