Saramonic has released a new wireless microphone system, the Saramonic Blink500 B2+. The system features two transmitters and a receiver unit supplied in a charging case.
Saramonic Blink500 B2+
The Saramonic Blink500 B2+ wireless microphone system comes with two transmitters and a receiver. The transmitters don’t feature any memory for on-board recording, so you need to attach the receiver to a camera, audio recorder, or smartphone. Saramonic says that the system has a range of up to 492 feet (150 meters) with line of sight.
Transmitters
The Blink500 B2+ transmitters are compact and lightweight, with a built-in clip to attach them to your subjects. Alternatively, you can use the included magnetic mounts. The transmitters feature a built-in omnidirectional microphone with a 17-step remote mic gain control and one-touch muting. However, unlike some other systems, there’s no option to plug in external lavalier mics. The transmitters also come with clip-on furry windscreens to help eliminate wind noise during outdoor shoots. In addition, they offer two-stage Active Noise Canceling, allowing you to choose the level of noise canceling you need.
Receiver
You can mount the Blink 500 B2+ receiver on a camera shoe and connect it with the included TRS or TRRS cables. Alternatively, it comes with USB-C and Lighting adapters for attaching to a smartphone. The Blink500 B2+ receiver also offers dual-device simultaneous output, connecting via USB-C or Lightning and a 3.5 mm cable. You can choose between Mono, Stereo or Safety channel output settings, along with a selectable low-cut 75 or 150 Hz filter. In addition, the receiver has a 3.5 mm headphone output so you can monitor your audio.
Charging case
The Blink 500 B2+ features an impressive battery runtime of up to 20 hours for the transmitters and 16 hours for the receiver. In addition, the included 1250 mAh charging case will recharge the system around 1.6 times, extending the usage to over 40 hours. You can also power the transmitters and receiver while in use or charge them with a USB battery bank or mains power supply. The system turns on and connects automatically when you remove the receiver and transmitters from the case.
What we think
The Saramonic Blink500 B2+ is a great value wireless microphone system. It doesn’t offer the option for on-board backup recordings with the transmitters. However, you do get two transmitters for less than the price of RØDE’s single-channel Wireless Me mic. The ability to connect the receiver to two devices at once is also a nice feature. This could be useful if you are streaming via a smartphone while recording on a mirrorless camera for example. If you are in the market for a new wireless microphone system and don’t need built-in backup recordings, the Saramonic is worth checking out.
Pricing and availability
The Saramonic Blink500 B2+ wireless microphone system is available now and retails at $129.
