Sound Devices has released v5.00 firmware for its A10-TX, A10-RX, A20-Mini, and A20-Remote.
v5.00 firmware introduces a new modulation type for the A10-TX, A10-RX, A20-Mini, and companion app A20-Remote. This new long-range modulation is 100% digital and is claimed to offer the longest transmission distance of any wireless system on the market. Both line-of-sight and heavy multipath transmission should see marked improvements over the original “standard” modulation. Long-range modulation features the same audio quality (10 Hz – 20 kHz) as the standard modulation with little additional latency.
The new firmware also introduces a quality meter or Q-meter. Previously, the A10/A20 system only offered an RSSI meter, which only displays information on incoming signal strength. In an RF-heavy environment, it is possible to have a strong incoming signal but still experience dropouts due to RF interference. The new Q-meter displays the difference between the signal from the transmitter and any interference. When a frequency without little to no interference is selected, the Q-meter will display five bars. Professionals can use the Q-meter to confidently choose frequencies which will give the best performance and range.
The long-range modulation and Q-meter join a growing list of features in the A10/A20 Digital Wireless System. Building off the A10 Wireless System’s renowned audio quality and rock-solid timecode, the A20-Mini transmitter introduced internal 32-bit float recording and proprietary GainForward Architecture. GainForward Architecture eliminates the need for setting gain at the transmitter, instead, the gain is controlled at the receiver or mixer. The A20-Mini’s companion application for iOS and Android, A20-Remote, offers full remote control the A20-Mini’s recording and settings and even the ability to turn the transmitter fully on and off. The A10-RX and A20-Mini offer a worldwide tuning range of 470-694.
Other enhancements in version 5.00 include additional group control settings in A20-Remote, menu enhancements for A20-Remote and A10-RX, and more.
Sound professionals can view a full change list for firmware v5.00 and upgrade their A10 Wireless System, A20-Mini, and A20-Remote by visiting www.sounddevices.com/download and www.sounddevices.com/a20-remote
