The unit
includes phantom power and battery supplies as standard. Should the phantom
power from the console fail or be accidentally switched off, the AR-133
automatically switches over to the internal 9V battery providing uninterrupted use.
The unit is housed in a rugged aluminium extrusion case, with robust
polyurethane end-cheeks which give the AR-133 a very distinctive look.
Input connectors are both 1/4″ jack sockets and an XLR socket, the latter
meaning that the AR-133 can be used to convert unbalanced signals to a balanced
output on XLRs throughout.
The arched case allows cables to run back underneath the unit from the end for
neat cable management.
Input attenuation is 0, -20 or -40dB, making the box suitable for instrument,
line or amplifier levels on inputs. On the output side, a ground-lift switch is
provided for quick solutions to ground-loop problems.
The AR-133 uses an enhanced version of the same audio path as the AR-116, now
regarded by many people as a reference standard. The sound quality is
legendary, particularly on acoustic and bass guitars.
Numerous applications can be satisfied by the AR-133. For example, as well as
the traditional guitar use, the AR-133 can be used with keyboards, DJ consoles,
amplifier outputs, and other electronic sources.
An additional bonus is the ability to use the AR-133 as an active balancing
device.
