Saramonic Air Review: Wireless Voice Recording Made Easy

Capture clear, professional audio remotely with the Saramonic Air wireless mic system designed for creators on the go.

A Wide Range of Wireless Microphones

If you've browsed the market lately, you know there's a massive selection of wireless microphone kits available. Whether you're a professional videographer or a content creator on social media, there's something tailored to your needs.

Wireless mic kits differ not only in features but also in price, so it's worth checking out guides on picking the best wireless microphone to find your perfect match.

What Is the Saramonic Air?

Saramonic Air is a straightforward wireless microphone set featuring two transmitters designed to clip onto both the interviewer and the interviewee. The receiver plugs into your smartphone or camera via USB-C or a 3.5mm TRS jack. This setup lets you walk around, speak freely, and have your voice wirelessly transmitted and recorded directly onto your device.

Portable charging case and accessories fit neatly into a drawstring bag, making it easy to capture excellent sound quality on the move.

Saramonic Air vs. Other Models

Back in August 2024, I tested the Saramonic Blink500 ProX B2R, which is geared more towards professionals with features like built-in recording. The newer and more affordable Saramonic Air lacks built-in recording but has a lot to offer.

In many ways, the Air is closer to the Saramonic Blink 500 B2+ released in March 2024, but thanks to improvements, the Air provides better sound quality than its predecessor.

So, should you pick up the new Saramonic Air or save some cash with an older model? Let’s dive deeper...

Technical Specifications of Saramonic Air

Transmitter Features

• Transmission Type: Digital 2.4 GHz frequency
• Range: Up to 300 meters (line of sight)
• Polar Pattern: Omnidirectional
• Frequency Response: 20 Hz – 20 kHz
• Sensitivity: -32 dB
• Sampling Rate: 48 kHz
• Bit Depth: 24-bit
• Signal-to-Noise Ratio: ≥85 dB
• Max SPL: 120 dB
• Battery Life: 10 hours
• Weight: 11 grams

Receiver Features

• Audio Output: Lightning / USB-C / 3.5 mm TRS; 3.5 mm monitor port
• Battery Life: 6.5 hours with screen on, 9.5 hours with screen off
• Size (L×W×H): 53 × 25 × 15.5 mm
• Weight: 22 grams

Pricing Details

The Saramonic Air costs roughly $130 without lavalier microphones and around $150 with two lavalier mics included. If you prefer a bigger mic, you can simply attach a mini mic with a plastic transmitter to your subject and save some money.

Every kit includes a USB-C adapter to connect the receiver to various smartphones, plus a 3.5mm TRS-TRRS cable for camera connection. If you’re using an older iPhone, note that only some versions come with a Lightning adapter along with USB-C.

A version including Lightning and USB-C adapters runs slightly higher, about $140 without lavaliers and $160 with two lavalier microphones.

Considering the professional-grade sound quality Saramonic Air delivers, the price seems fair. Paying a bit extra for the lavalier mics is wise since these look more discreet and offer smoother, more intimate sound than the bare plastic transmitters.

Design and Usability

Like most wireless mic kits, Saramonic Air contains two small plastic brick-shaped transmitters clipped or magnetically attached to your subject, plus a receiver that connects to your phone or camera.

All components fit snugly inside a charging case that doubles as a protective carrying pouch, ensuring your devices stay powered throughout your shoot. You only need to plug one USB-C cable into the case to charge everything. The receiver can also be mounted on your DSLR or mirrorless camera’s hot shoe via a small adapter.

Saramonic describes the Air's style as "retrofuturistic." For those of us who remember the 70s and 80s, it feels more like 90s tech with its black curved edges, colorful TFT display, and a little red power button. But for Gen Z folks, those 90s vibes might as well be vintage!

Its black metal curved case with a glass panel on top shows the charge levels of both transmitters and the receiver — a sleek and handy touch.

The kit includes two lavalier mics that clip onto jackets discreetly, perfect for documentary filmmakers or series creators who don’t want bulky plastic transmitters visible on their actors.

When you enable noise cancellation, the transmitter mic lights up green, indicating active noise suppression.

The compact kit, along with accessories like windshields and clips, fit into a drawstring bag included in the package, making it ideal to slip into your camera bag or pocket.

The transmitters are small plastic blocks with omnidirectional mics. The included windshields attach easily and stay firmly in place.

Performance Insights

Having worked in corporate video for decades, I've seen tech evolve from bulky U-Matic cameras to sleek mini-DVs to modern digital devices. Today, I mostly shoot using an iPhone 16 Pro, so I was excited to see the "Made for iPhone/iPad" logo on the Saramonic Air packaging. Using the included USB-C adapter, I plugged the receiver right into my iPhone.

Then, I clipped a mic onto my shirt and recorded audio and video with excellent clarity using the standard camera app on my phone. The plug-and-play setup is fantastic and should work just as well with Android devices.

Older iPhones with Lightning ports occasionally failed to detect the mic properly, mistaking it for headphones, which was frustrating. Thankfully, Saramonic Air, designed specifically for iPhones, sidesteps this hassle.

For a range test, I took it to a grand estate garden on a rainy day and found a long tunnel of plants and flowers perfect for the experiment. The 2.4 GHz dual-channel system delivered impressively clear audio with balanced lows and highs.

At 7.5 meters away from my iPhone 16 Pro (connected via USB-C receiver), my voice stayed crisp even when I turned away from the camera. Around 30 meters, the signal began to drop if the mic lost line-of-sight with the receiver — no surprise for wireless setups. The signal returned instantly when facing the camera again.

Even at about 50 meters, the sound quality was as good as at one meter!

Switching to the included lavalier mic, I noticed a clear improvement in sound quality. These 9.7 mm lavalier mics feature a 6 mm diaphragm — 1.5 times bigger than standard lavaliers — capturing deeper bass and cleaner highs.

Because the lavalier sits closer to the mouth, it reduces plosive or "pop" sounds effectively. When I said “perfect” and “professional” close to the mic, no pops were detected!

Check out the supporting video below to hear both the built-in and lavalier mics in action.

The compact lavalier mics deliver pro-level voice recording with better quality than the transmitters alone.

I also recorded an interview with cinematographer Andrew Roger about lenses used in his recent film "Sessions." Attaching the lavalier mic made me feel more professional than sticking the plastic brick transmitter magnetically to his shirt.

The lavalier mic added cinematic charm and excellent sound quality, matching the turquoise and orange lighting I used for Andrew’s face. A minor downside was slight noise from the foam windshield rubbing against Andrew's shirt, which I plan to remove for indoor shoots.

One common wireless mic issue is audio delay (where voice lags behind video by a few frames). Luckily, delay with Saramonic Air was minimal, so I didn't waste time syncing audio and lip movement in editing software.

Physical buttons and a 27mm full-color TFT screen on the receiver let you adjust input volume and toggle two noise reduction levels.

Wind noise often plagues wireless mics, but Saramonic Air includes two "dead cat" style windshields that attach securely to the transmitters — a thoughtful inclusion.

Unlike some other kits I’ve tested (looking at you, Boyalink 3, with its slippery round windshield), Saramonic’s windshields stay put.

The Air also features AI-based noise reduction to minimize distracting background sounds. While I’m usually skeptical about built-in noise suppression—often it muffles voices—Saramonic offers two noise cancellation levels, toggled on the receiver's NC button.

In testing, the first level softly quieted bird calls without distorting my voice, while the second level barely differed. The TFT display was easy to read in rain, but sunlight made it tough even at max brightness.

Noise cancellation can only be activated via the receiver, not the mic itself, though you can mute the transmitter mic without returning to the receiver by pressing its red side button.

Using the free Saramonic app, you can apply five noise reduction levels, which are more aggressive but tend to lower voice volume, making them less practical. I recommend sticking to the built-in two-level noise reduction for cleaner sound on set.

The app also offers low-cut filtering to reduce wind and mic noise and a Vocal Booster feature, though I haven’t tried the latter.

Final Verdict on Saramonic Air

Saramonic Air markets itself as a professional microphone, and the audio quality backs that up. It has a built-in limiter to prevent distortion and records a safe track at -6 dB to minimize clipping.

However, for true pros, onboard recording is crucial to fill signal dropouts — a feature missing in the Air’s transmitters.

Still, signal loss was rare and only occurred when I turned away from the camera at around 25 meters. Facing the camera at about 35 meters, the 2.4 GHz dual-channel signal remained crystal clear with rich highs and deep bass.

If you want wireless audio recording with professional sound at a mid-range price, Saramonic Air is a solid choice. The receiver’s headphone jack helps catch issues like signal drop or passing airplane noise on the spot.

"The combination of retro and futuristic black metal curves with a glass panel gives this compact mic kit a sleek look."

— Reviewer

The noise reduction feature could use improvement but at least it doesn’t distort your voice like many others. Honestly, I’d handle noise suppression during post-production in Premiere Pro or Final Cut Pro for better results, so it’s not a big concern during filming.

Summary Table

Alternatives to Consider

• Boyalink 3: A budget-friendly option under Saramonic Air’s price, offering 24-bit audio. Be cautious of its fragile windshields that slide off smooth transmitters.
• Hollyland Lark M2S: Similar specs to Saramonic Air (24-bit/48 kHz). No wired lavalier mics included, but the wireless transmitter looks like a lavalier when clipped on, eliminating wires.

Frequently Asked Questions

• What devices are compatible with the Saramonic Air?
  Compatible with smartphones (iPhone and Android) and cameras via USB-C, Lightning (select versions), or 3.5 mm TRS.
• How long does the battery last on the transmitters and receiver?
  Transmitters last up to 10 hours; the receiver runs 6.5 hours with screen on or 9.5 hours with the screen off.
• Can I use the Saramonic Air outdoors in windy conditions?
  Yes! It comes with effective "dead cat" windshields to reduce wind noise.
• Is the noise cancellation feature effective?
  It reduces background noise with minimal voice distortion but is best supplemented by post-production editing.
• Does Saramonic Air support onboard recording?
  No, the transmitters lack built-in recording, so it relies on your device for capturing audio.

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