Overview
Inovonics' AARON 640 is a premium FM rebroadcast/translator receiver developed to meet challenging reception scenarios. Boasting off air performance superior to even the most elite professional and consumer receivers, AARON 640 provides many of the features of it's big brother AARON 650, but at a budget-friendly price point.
The extremely sensitive and selective front end of the AARON 640 digitally decodes the entire Analog baseband. Outputs are low-latency MPX, Balanced Analog and AES-Digital signals for retransmission.
The back panel provides a 50 Ohm (N) antenna connector, a true (off air) composite outputs, Balanced Analog and AES-Digital audio, and remote IP access. Rear-panel and self-logging alarms constantly check for Audio Loss, RF Loss, and RDS Loss (or ‘hijacking’). Online notifications can alert personnel with e-mail or instant text messages when any of the alarms occur. The front panel displays left and right audio metering, local LED alarms and an LCD screen with jog wheel for advanced control and editing of all tuning and monitoring parameters.
AARON 640's "responsive" web interface allows complete setup, listening, logging and control of the unit from your PC, tablet or smartphone, and reliable 2-way connectivity is ensured with a built-in Dynamic DNS utility. Advanced off-air metering tools include an FM BandScanner and FFT of the MPX region. Reception bandwidth, auto-blending and many other receiver parameters are controlled via manual or automatic reception processing.
Features
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High-performance ‘Software-Defined-Radio’ design.
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Synchronous (low-latency) off-air composite output
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Balanced Analog and AES-Digital Program Line outputs
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Active reception processing for Bandwidth, Stereo Blend, HF Blending and more
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BandScanner for onsite RF Spectrum Analysis
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Local alarm tallies plus self-logging alarms constantly check for Audio Loss, RF Loss and RDS Loss
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Remote control web interface and listening + email and text notifications
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Includes "N" to "F" antenna adapter
Specifications
GENERAL PERFORMANCE
Tuning Range
Extended FM band: 65.0MHz–108.0MHz
Sensitivity/Noise Performance
Unweighted monaural SNR for AES Digital and L/R Analog line outputs referenced to ±75kHz carrier deviation at specified RF input levels:
- 82dB Digital, >80dB Analog at 60dBμv
- 78dB Digital, >76dB Analog at 40dBμv
- 60dB Digital/Analog at 20dBμv
- 50dB Digital/Analog at 10dBμv
- 43dB Digital/Analog at 0dBμv
Selectable IF Bandwidths
- 311kHz, 287kHz, 254kHz, 236kHz, 217kHz, 200kHz, 184kHz, 168kHz, 151kHz, 133kHz, 114kHz, 97kHz, 84kHz, 72kHz, 64kHz and 56kHz
Frequency Response
- Composite/MPX Output (pass-through): ±0.5dB, 20Hz–100kHz
- AES Digital & L/R Analog Line Outputs: >±0.2dB, 20Hz–15kHz
Stereo Separation (at 1kHz)
- Composite/MPX Output: >45dB
- AES Digital & L/R Analog Line Outputs: >50dB
Program Signal Latency (Delay)
- Composite/MPX Output: <250μs
- AES Digital & L/R Analog Line Outputs: <2.0ms
Regional Settings
- Tuning Steps: 200kHz, 100kHz or 10kHz
- De-Emphasis (Line Outputs): 75μs or 50μs
- Radio Data System: RBDS or RDS
REAR-PANEL APPOINTMENTS
Antenna Inputs
50-ohm (N)
Digital Line Output
The AES3 (XLR) stereo output is a 24-bit, 48kHz output that may be adjusted between –30dBFS and 0dBFS, corresponding to ±75kHz carrier deviation, with or without de-emphasis.
Analog Line Outputs
Active balanced (XLR) outputs are adjustable between –20dBu and +18dBu (+15.5dBm), corresponding to ±75kHz carrier deviation, with or without de- emphasis. Source impedance is 200 ohms.
Composite/MPX Outputs
The unbalanced (BNC) output may be adjusted between 1V p-p and 6V p-p, corresponding to ±75kHz carrier deviation. Source impedance is 75 ohms.
Composite Audio Processing
Up to 3dB of composite clipping may be applied to the composite/MPX output to better define the FM deviation limit. The 19kHz stereo pilot and the 57kHz RDS subcarrier are stripped, filtered and reinserted after the clipper. This clipping feature does not affect the demodulated L/R program outputs.
Network Port
An RJ45 jack accepts TCP/IP network connections for remote setup and operation of the AARON 640.
Headphone Jack
(Front Panel): A quarter-inch (TRS) headphone jack monitors the off-air program signal. Head- phone volume is a menu item.
USER INTERFACE
Front-Panel
A front-panel graphic display and jog wheel allow easy, menu-guided in-situ setup and operation of the AARON 640. LED “VU” meters display L/R program audio levels.
Software Control
The IP network port enables complete remote setup and operation of the AARON 640 over a local network or the Internet using any Desktop, tablet or mobile browser.
SNMP
SNMP remote monitoring supported
MISCELLANEOUS
Test Tone Generator
20Hz – 20kHz; 60dB attenuator
AC Mains Requirements
90–130VAC or 200–255VAC, 50/60Hz; 5W
Size
H: 1¾in/44mm, W: 19in/483mm, D: 9½in/240mm (1U)
Weight
9lb/4kg (net), 12lbs/5.4kg (shipping)
Environmental
Continuous operation at ambient temperatures between 32ºF/0ºC and 122ºF/50ºC; 0-95% relative humidity, non-condensing, altitudes to 10,000ft/3,048m.
