If you’ve ever tried to get good wireless audio on a budget, you’ve probably encountered some common issues. The options are often clunky, overpriced, or simply don’t sound great. But Ceremonic’s new compact microphone system, the Saramonic Air, promises to stand out with some pro features that make it a viable option for content creators looking to keep things affordable. In this review, we’ll dive into what the Saramonic Air offers, its pros and cons, and let you decide if this system is right for you.
Table of Contents
What’s In the Kit?
The Saramonic Air comes with a comprehensive kit that includes:
- Two transmitters
- One receiver
- USB-C adapter for the receiver
- Lightning adapter (sold separately)
- Clip shoe adapter for mounting to cameras
- A metal charging case with a transparent lid
- USB-C charging cable
- Two windscreens
- Magnets and drawstring carrying pouch
- Coiled 3.5mm cable for connecting to your camera
- Two lavalier microphones with pop filter adapters
Pricing
The Saramonic Air comes in two price points. Base system (with just the transmitters and receiver) at $149 and Full kit (includes two lavalier microphones) at $169. The extra $20 for the full kit gets you two lavalier microphones, a useful addition if you want to take your audio setup a step further.
Charging Case
The charging case is one of the standout features of the Saramonic Air. It’s a futuristic design, mostly aluminum, with a transparent plastic lid. This allows you to see the gear inside and monitor the remaining battery life. The case holds almost everything you need, even with the windscreen attached to the transmitters. It has a USB-C port for charging and a digital battery indicator that lights up when you close the lid.
However, the case has some limitations, The clip shoe adapter does not fit inside when attached to the receiver and The windscreens tend to spill out the side slightly when they’re attached to the transmitters. These are minor issues, but worth noting.
Transmitters
The transmitters are mostly made of plastic, with a metal clip on the back for magnetic mounting. The mic capsule sits on top and features a compact snap-on windscreen. On the front, there’s an LED indicator and a power mute button. On the side, you’ll find an input jack for connecting the lavalier microphone.
While they’re lightweight and relatively compact, they are slightly larger than similar models like the DJI Mic Mini or Lark M2. What stands out is that Ceremonic has managed to include lavalier mic support, though it uses a proprietary mount instead of a standard 3.5mm jack. This limitation means you’re restricted to using the included lavalier mics or any future ones Ceremonic releases.
Receiver
The receiver is made of plastic and features an LCD screen for signal and audio levels. It comes with 3 buttons: Power, Noise cancellation, Mute. On the sides, you’ll find a USB-C port, a 3.5mm camera output, and a headphone jack. The back has a modular locking port for attaching various adapters, such as the USB-C, shoe clip, or Sony hot shoe adapter. The receiver has a convenient feature: when connected via cable, it powers on and off with the camera, helping to save battery life.
Battery Life
The system offers 9 hours of battery life on each transmitter and 6 hours on the receiver. The charging case can recharge the system about 1.5 times. While this isn’t the best battery life available, it has been more than sufficient for my needs.
Menu & Settings
The system offers key features like: Mono and stereo recording, Safety track (what I’m using to record this audio), Limiter settings, Low-cut filters at 75Hz and 150Hz. Navigating the menu involves a series of button presses, which might take some getting used to if you haven’t used a system like this before. With the help of a manual, you’ll be able to quickly grasp the functionality.
Lavalier Mic
The lavalier microphones that come with the $169 kit are a decent length and feature an aluminum mic housing and high-quality cable. They include a rotating metal clip and a channel for threading the wire through to help reduce tugging and noise.
Audio Quality
The system records in 24-bit 48 kHz, which is solid for wireless kits in this price range. It doesn’t feature 32-bit float or internal recording, but the safety track feature adds extra assurance during recording.
Saramonic App Control
One of my favorite features is the Saramonic app. It can connect to the receiver via a USB-C adapter and allows you to control several settings, including gain control for both the receiver and transmitters. The app also includes EQ presets like vocal boost, high lift, and low bump filters. While it would be nice if it worked over Bluetooth instead of USB-C, it’s still an incredibly useful tool for wireless audio control.
Signal Strength Test
The Saramonic Air boasts a range of 300 meters (about 1,000 feet), which is comparable to other high-end systems like the DJI Mic Mini. During my test at the park, I was able to walk across a significant distance without experiencing major interference. However, I did encounter dropouts when turning around or when obstructed by objects like trees, which is expected with wireless systems. This is normal behavior, and systems with stronger signals are required to eliminate these issues entirely.
Denoise Test
The Saramonic Air includes a Denoise feature with two settings Low Denoise and High Denoise. Low Denoise setting does a decent job of cleaning up background noise without affecting vocal clarity too much. High Denoise While it reduces background noise like water and birds, it can make the audio sound a bit muffled, which will require post-production cleaning.
Article Summary
The Saramonic Air is a fantastic option for beginners who want to dive into wireless audio without breaking the bank. It offers pro features like safety track recording and app control, making it an excellent tool for creators who need reliable audio at an affordable price. However, the proprietary mount for the lavalier mic and the occasional menu confusion may be drawbacks for some. If you’re just starting and don’t mind clipping the transmitter to your shirt, the base kit is a great deal. But if you need the ability to hide the mic or want the full audio control, the $169 kit is the way to go.
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