Meet the Astral HH: the most capable – and best sounding – handheld microphone that money can buy. Whether it’s a packed house on opening night or a long tour on the open road, you can always find open frequencies, because it can tune to more spectrum than any other handheld. Its fast setup saves time, and its rugged durability is built for the rigors of touring, yet the Astral HH microphone is easy to decorate, changing aesthetics for concerts, live events, theater, houses of worship, cruises, corporate events, and beyond. You’ll want to get your hands on this handheld.
Outperform
The Astral HH has been meticulously engineered for the ultimate in performance to help any performer sound their best. It uses state-of-the-art, 100% digital RF modulation for excellent sound quality. It boasts the longest-range RF transmission on the market, and features full 10 Hz – 20 kHz audio bandwidth, along with 10-hour battery life. All of this is packaged in an elegant yet very rugged mechanical housing.
Tour Globally, Find Open Frequencies
SpectraBand™ is built into the Astral HH as standard, which results in an astounding tuning range of 470 MHz up to 1525 MHz. This means that no matter where a tour takes you, you can find open frequencies to operate. And AutoAssign makes scanning and setting frequencies on all transmitters automatic and blindingly fast with one button press.
Introducing the CD1 Mic Capsule
Sound Devices has long been known for impeccable audio quality. It has put all this know-how into its first bespoke microphone capsule, the patent-pending CD1 – the only calibrated dynamic capsule in the world. Its smooth sound is tailored for vocals and is absolutely repeatable from unit to unit due to its 100% testing and calibration at the Sound Devices factory.
… or use any Other Capsule
The Astral HH microphone can natively use any manufacturer’s mic capsule, whether conforming to the Shure- or Sennheiser-style threads – with no adapter. Both threads are built-in; to change from one thread to another, simply flip the Astral HH Capsule Collar over.
Easily add Controls
The Astral HH microphone as supplied has no external switches for talent to accidentally change. You can further customize it with interchangeable Astral HH Control Rings to add physical control buttons or switches. These controls can be menu-configured for many different options, including triggering macros on mixing consoles.
Make it Your Own
The Astral HH has a quick-change Body Shell, Control Ring, Capsule Collar, and CD1 that you can decorate, paint, and bedazzle to fit the style of any costume. In just minutes, change the entire look of the microphone by swapping out these pieces. Want even more of a wow factor? We recommend Rebel Trading Company, a UK-based company that specializes in microphone customization. They offer custom paint finishes and crystal customization, even incorporating designs, artwork, names, and logos.
RocketAntenna: No Dropouts
You no longer need to stress about talent covering the bottom of the mic, smothering the RF level. Sound Devices’ patent-pending wideband RocketAntenna means that no matter where the mic is held, the antenna keeps transmitting at the same level. No Dropouts.
Full Remote Control, Built-in
All Astral transmitters have ultra long-range Remote Control built-in as standard – a protocol called NexLink®. Change frequencies and even fully power down and up all transmitters at the press of one button from your mixing console.
Adjust Gain at the Console, not on the Wireless
With Astral wireless, GainForward™ technology means that there are no gain controls to be set and messed with on the wireless transmitter or receiver – saving you valuable time. Simply adjust gain at the console’s trim with no loss in headroom or noise performance.
Mic Drop.
With the Astral HH’s solid magnesium die-casting, stainless steel construction, and its impact-absorbing polycarbonate outer shell, the Astral HH is designed to withstand years of abuse on the road. Sound Devices’ internal QA lab puts our mics through a battery of brutal tests — dropping, extreme cold, heat, humidity, throwing, soaking, shaking, and vibrating. Go on then, drop the mic.
Key Features
- Worldwide tuning range: 470 MHz-1525 MHz
- State-of-the-art 100% digital modulation delivers the longest transmission distance of any system on the market
- Patented wideband RocketAntenna design not affected by anywhere grip
- Reversible Astral HH Capsule Collar enables changing between Shure or Sennheiser capsule threads, allowing the use of capsules with these threads; no adapters needed
- CD1 high-precision, fully-calibrated dynamic mic capsule for incredible mic-to-mic consistency
- 10 hours (10mW) runtime from standard 18650 Li-Ion battery
Full feature list available in the user guide and application sheet
Specifications
Click on each group to expand. Specifications are subject to change without prior notice.
RF & Audio
Frequency Range
- 470 to 1525 MHz
- Transmitter tunable in 25 kHz steps
- Available frequencies dependent on region
RF Output Power
- Off , 2mW, 10mW, 20mW, 40mW, 100mW
- (Maximum Rf power is dependent on local regulations)
Antennas
- RF: 470-1525 MHz: Built-in
- NexLink 2.4 GHz: Built-in
Audio Frequency Response
- 10 Hz – 20 kHz, +/- 1 dB re 1 kHz
Audio Input (Mic Capsule)
- Compatible with Sound Devices CD1 capsule and capsules that use Shure and Sennheiser threads
- Bias power with Shure-style: 5V
- Bias power with Sennheiser-style: 10V
- EIN: -128 dBV (A-weighting)
- Dynamic range: >140 dB
Powering
- Sound Devices XL-B18650 Li-Ion battery
Power
Battery Runtime
- 10+ hours at 10 mW RF output power
- Power off unit remotely via NexLink or Astral-Remote to extend battery life
Battery Charging
- Built-in battery charging via USB-C
- Inductive charger dock for Astral HH (coming soon)
- Battery can be removed and charged in any standard 18650 charger
USB
- Mass Storage (USB-C): USB 2.0 high speed for file transfer of internal microSD card recordings
- Charges XL-B18650 Li-ion battery inserted in Astral HH
- Pairing to Astral ARX32, Astral ARX16, and Astral ARX8
Operational
Interchangeable Control Rings
- Control 0, supplied with Astral HH, no buttons
- Control 1, optional, one push button
- Control 3, optional, three push buttons
- Control Switch, optional, one slide switch
Menu and Controls
- E-Paper screen visible in direct sunlight
- E-Paper screen displays image without battery power
- Power and navigation buttons protected inside battery compartment
Remote Control
- Astral-Remote Android, iOS, and iPad app via Bluetooth 5.2 LE
- Astral ARX32, Astral ARX16, and Astral ARX8 receivers via super-long-range NexLink
Internal Recording
Recording Media
- Micro SD Card
- Media format: ExFAT for Micro SD cards 64GB or more, FAT32 for Micro SD cards 32GB or less
Recording File Format
- 32 Bit Float, 48 kHz, Monophonic wav
- Broadcast WAV (<4 GB), RF64 WAV (>4 GB)
Timecode
- Sync wirelessly over NexLink (from Astral ARX32, Astral ARX16, and Astral ARX8)
- 0.2 ppm accuracy
- Holds accurate clock for four hours while powered down with batteries inserted, holds for one hour without batteries via internal supercapacitor
- Auto Jams timecode via USB-C connector or wirelessly via NexLink
Timecode Frame Rates
- 23.98, 24, 25, 29.97 DF, 29.97 ND, 30 DF, 30 ND
- Frame rates are auto-detected from incoming source
Physical
Dimensions (H x W x D)
- 7.1 in x 1.5 in x 1.5 in; 18.0 cm x 3.7 cm x 3.7 cm
Environmental
- Operating: -10° C to 40° C
- Storage: -40° C to 85° C
- Water resistant
Weight
- 0.4 lbs / 0.18 kg (no battery or optional counterweight)
- 0.5 lbs / 0.23 kg (with battery)
- 0.6 lbs / 0.26 kg (with battery and optional counterweight)
Counterweight
- Astral-HH Counterweight-30 (internal) to balance heavy mic capsules
FAQ
What is the microSD card slot for?
The Astral HH offers the ability to record 32-bit float audio files internally via microSD card. This is also used for updating firmware.
Can you record and transmit at the same time?
No, the Astral HH cannot simultaneously transmit and record audio internally.
How long does a battery last?
The Astral HH will operate for 10 hours on a single charge with the 18650 Li-Ion battery (operating at 10mW RF output power).
What battery should I use?
Sound Devices’ XL-B18650 Li-Ion battery is designed specifically for powering the Astral HH. We recommend this model for ideal performance. Other standard 18650 Li-Ion batteries are also compatible.
Is there an Astral HH charging station?
Coming soon! See the user manual for details on a compatible charger.
Can other manufacturers’ capsules be used with this transmitter?
Yes, the Astral HH is natively compatible with any Shure- or Sennheiser-threaded mic capsule.
Accessories
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