The new Saramonic WiTalk 9 Series has been announced at IBC 2024. It is being touted as a next-gen wireless intercom system that utilizes Saramonic’s ClearTalk noise cancellation technology and dual antennas that are claimed to deliver high-quality full-duplex voice calls within the team over long distances.
They support multi-person hands-free operation without the need for a hub, and they could be used for a wide array of applications.
With dual antennas, the WiTalk9 Series can cover a range of up to 500m / 1640′ and they are said to have less interference from other radio signals like 4G, 5G, Wi-Fi, and Bluetooth.
Saramonic’s ClearTalk technology, which consists of a three-microphone array and noise cancellation algorithm, is claimed to effectively filter out background and wind noise.
Saramonic also claims that the system works well in places where the Sound Pressure Level (SPL) reaches as high as 130 dB. The WiTalk9 Series can also connect with smartphones or computers through cables or wirelessly for cross-location communication via online means.
Key features
- The 9-user intercom system is ready out of box, and can be cascaded up to 4 systems to accommodate 30-user voice communication
- Dual antennas deliver reliable wireless communication up to 500 m [2]
- Clear Talk 360-degree omnidirectional noise cancellation, self-developed AGC algorithms, and a high-volume design
- Supports wireless connection to Saramonic app for operations and controls
- 150 Hz – 8 kHz frequency response ensures authentic and clear audio quality
- Supports wired or wireless connection to multiple internet conference systems, and 4 G / 5 G roaming for remote communication
- Boasts a water-resistant feature rating at IP x 5 and a wind-resistant feature rating at the third grade
- Aviation-grade condensation cushions effectively filter ambient noise
- Rechargeable and replaceable battery for extended working time
- Various accessories for system expansion
What do you get?
The Saramonic WiTalk9 Intercom Headset System (1-to-2-configuration) comes with the following items:
- WiTalk9 SMH Single-ear Master Headset (1)
- WiTalk9 SRH Single-ear Remote Headset (2)
- Replaceable Battery (6)
- 6-Slot Charging Case (1)
- Charger for Charging Case (1)
- On-Ear Foam Cushion (3)
- Condensation Cushion (3)
- Headset Pad (3)
- Foam Windscreen for Microphone (3)
- Number Sticker Sheet for Headset (3)
- Drawstring Pouch for Headset (3)
- Carrying Case (1)
The included case they come in is pretty decent.
What are they for?
On film sets, wireless headsets can increase efficiency by allowing team members to easily communicate with each other. They can come in very handy when you are filming live shows with multiple cameras, reality TV, or any type of event where a team needs to communicate with each other over large distances.
You could also use them for simple communication between a solo shooter and a director or producer, or even to talk to a sound recordist. There aren’t any hard fast rules as to what you could use them for.
I often use headsets on my productions as it easily allows members of the crew to talk to each other when you are not close and it also means that nobody needs to shout. If you have clients on set then having the crew be able to communicate quietly and efficiently without shouting or trying to track down someone who isn’t close sends the correct message. If you want to be professional then it is also important to act professionally as well.
Wireless headsets are not a new concept by any means. There have been systems in place just like the Saramonic WiTalk9 for a long time, and in recent years, we have seen companies such as Hollyland and CAME-TV also start to make affordable solutions.
Build Quality
The build quality of the Saramonic WiTalk9 is decent enough. There are a lot of plastic parts and lightweight materials being used, but everything works correctly.
The headsets have leather (although I can’t tell if it is real leather or not) on the top and a thin layer of padding underneath where it sits on your head.
The buttons and dials are tactile enough.
The earphone cover and padding that goes on the opposite side of your head look pretty cheap, so it will be interesting to see how comfortable the headset is to wear. More on that later in the review.
There is a locking switch on the battery compartment.
There is a metal frame underneath, although as I previously mentioned, Saramonic has still used quite a lot of lightweight materials to keep the weight down.
Comfort
Comfort is right at the top of the list for me when it comes to purchasing any type of headphones. So is the Saramonic WiTalk9 comfortable to wear?
With any type of headphone, comfort is going to be different depending on the individual. We all have different head shapes and sizes, and our ears aren’t all the same either.
The WiTalk 9 Series features a lightweight design that is claimed to make the headset comfortable to wear even for long periods of time. The adjustable headband is wrapped in lambskin to ensure a proper fit that won’t cut into your scalp, and the aviation-grade cooling gel ear cushions (protein leather for SE) provide not only noise isolation but also cooling and sweat protection for your ears. The replaceable temple pad is made from protein leather for stable long-term wear, while the PC+30GF frame is touted for its high durability and wear resistance. With an IPX5 rating, the WiTalk 9 headsets will work even in rainy weather.
If I am going to wear something for a long period of time, which is something you would be doing in most scenarios with a duplex headset, it has to be very comfortable.
I was a little skeptical, but I found the Saramonic WiTalk9 to be very comfortable to wear. It sits on your head nicely and it doesn’t feel uncomfortable.
The ear covering, despite not being that deep, offers good comfort.
The pad on the opposite side of the headphones is soft, so it won’t hurt your head.
The headsets offer a reasonable amount of adjustment so you can make them fit different-sized heads.
All-in-all the headsets are pretty comfortable to wear for long periods of time. Yes, they will get slightly hot like any over-ear headphones, but not uncomfortably so.
Size & Weight
The Saramonic WiTalk9 headsets weigh 231.5g / 8.16 oz.
Size-wise, the Saramonic WiTalk9 is slightly larger than something like the Hollyland Solidcom C1 Pro as you can see above. They are also heavier. Below you can see the weight comparison:
| WEIGHT | |
| Saramonic WiTalk9 | 231.5g / 8.16 oz |
| CAME-TV KUMINIK8 | 262g / 9.24 oz |
| Hollyland Solidcom C1 Pro | 175g / 6.17 oz |
Depending on your requirements you might not mind having slightly heavier or bulkier headsets.
Battery
The Saramonic WiTalk9 uses a readily available NB-6LH style battery that can power the master headset for 10 hours, and each remote headset will operate for 13 hours on a single charge. This is enough time to get you through most days, but if you are going to be working for longer than that you will need to charge the batteries or buy additional ones.
Just like the competing Hollyland Solidcom C1 Pro systems the Saramonic WiTalk9 comes with spare batteries.
The battery goes into a compartment on the opposite side of the headphone.
With the Saramonic WiTalk9 system I was testing, which consists of three headsets, you get 6x batteries and a 6-port charger.
The headsets are easy to power up and to power down. You get a nice audible warning telling you that the headset is getting turned on or off.
Operating Range
As I mentioned earlier, Saramonic claims that the maximum operating range of the WiTalk9 is 500m / 1640′. Saramonic also states they are said to have less interference from other radio signals like 4G, 5G, Wi-Fi, and Bluetooth.
So how does that compare to some of the competition? Well, below you can see:
| CLAIMED RANGE | |
| Saramonic WiTalk9 | 1640′ / 500m |
| CAME-TV KUMINIK8 | 1,500′ / 450m |
| Hollyland Solidcom C1 Pro | 1100′ / 335m |
The 1640′ / 500m is slightly longer than the competing CAME-TV KUMINIK8 and the Hollyland Solidcom C1 Pro.
I wanted to test out the range of the Saramonic WiTalk9 in a typical operating scenario. As with any type of wireless system, the distance you can actually get will depend on the environment you are in.
I found that even in a busy suburban area of Tokyo the range was very impressive. I was able to go around the other side of tall apartment complexes and still be able to hear and talk to someone using one of the headsets. I could easily get 500m /1640′ line of sight without any breakup issues.
When you do lose the connection you will hear an audible beep. What was nice is that as soon as the system comes back into range it just reconnects up, you don’t have to restart the headsets.
How do they work?
The headsets automatically pair once they are on which I like. It saves time and there is no setup required. You do need to use the master headset for the system to work, but you can just use 2 of the headsets, you don’t have to use all of them.
The WiTalk9 intercom system supports full-duplex multi-person communication without a hub, connecting up to 9 users. With wired cascading, it can connect 4 systems to support as many as 30 users at once. The WiTalk9 SE, on the other hand, supports up to 5 people in a single full-duplex system and up to 9 people with 2 systems connected with wired cascading, which is good for smaller and more compact groups.
You need to press and hold for 2 seconds to turn the power on or off. There is a voice prompt of “Power on” from the master headset if turned on, or a voice prompt of “Power off” if turned off.
By activating the Announce feature (the master headset only), the system will mute all paired remote headsets and their mic indicators will blink red slowly, allowing the whole team to hear the direct instructions or commands from the master headset. To use the Announce function, you press and hold the Announce button to talk and then release the button to mute yourself. You can unmute yourself via the mute button or boom.
You can only tell the headsets apart by the letter M or R. M is for Master and R is for the other headsets. Saramonic does give you some stickers that you can also additionally use.
The mic in the mute position 
Mic in the active position
To have the microphone active it needs to be in the downward position. To mute it you pull the microphone up and once it goes past a certain point you will hear a little click.
To talk you then need to pull the microphone back down and again you will hear a little click.
As far as the volume adjustment goes there is a large and tactile dial that you can use. This offers a good range of adjustment when it comes to the volume.
Environmental Noise Cancellation (ENC) Button
The headset defaults to weak noise cancellation mode, but you can change how it works by pressing and holding the button.
App Control
The free Saramonic app supports real-time monitoring of the current battery level of the device, connection status, and their names.
It also supports manually muting the remote headset, creating a separate 1 v 1 communication, the Announce feature, the master headset pairing, as well as offering support for customized names, and firmware updates.
It’s a pretty basic app and I personally didn’t find any real benefit in using it. What I didn’t like is that you need to create an account using an email address to use it. Why companies insist on doing this is still a mystery. I know its just to get your information for mailing lists
Wireless connection to Saramonic app
Step 1: Download Saramonic app on your phone or computer and launch it.
Step 2: Enter the home page, click “Add Device” on the top left and search for Bluetooth, then click “WiTalk9” in the Bluetooth list to connect them.
Step 3: Click “View Device” on the current page to enter the WiTalk9 device management page, Or return to the home page and click “Device Management” to enter the device management page.
Note: You need to open the Saramonic app, then search for and connect WiTalk in the Bluetooth list in the Saramonic app. If you directly search for and connect WiTalk9 in the Bluetooth list of your phone system, app control is not available. You need to disconnect them or forget this device, then follow the above steps to achieve app control.
Audio quality
Audio quality needs to be good with duplex headsets otherwise what’s the point!
So is communication clear? Yes, the headsets do a pretty good job. The ear cup seals your ear well and it is easy to hear when someone else is talking. The microphone also does a good job in windy conditions.
The clarity is decent enough and you can clearly communicate as long as you are not in noisy environments.
While you can still hear someone in normal environments if you try to use them in a noisy environment then you are going to struggle. This would certainly be a problem working on a multi-camera shoot at say a concert. I personally don’t think that single-ear headsets are a good solution if you need to operate in noisy environments. You are much better off using headsets that cover both ears.
Real World Use
A product such as a duplex wireless headset can meet all of the requirements on paper, but if it doesn’t work well out in the field on location then no one is going to want to use it.
For me, along with comfort, usability is a big factor. Everyone on your crew who has a headset needs to be able to use it easily without it getting in the way of what they are doing. If there are issues pairing, the communication isn’t clear, or they are uncomfortable, then the product has failed.
The Saramonic WiTalk9 works well, and they are comfortable to wear for long periods of time. They were actually more comfortable than a lot of other options I have tried.
The signal works over large distances when you have line of sight, and it also works well if buildings or other man-made structures are between two of the headsets, especially over shorter distances.
The battery life is decent and the headsets work as advertised. They are trouble-free to use and they require no set-up as they are automatically paired out of the factory.
Specifications
Price & Availability
The Saramonic WiTalk9 1.9G version ranges in price from $449-$1,749 USD. The WiTalk9 2.4G version ranges in price from $409-$669 USD.
The price range depends on the number of additional units included, with the lowest price for 1-to-1 configuration and the highest for 1-to-8.
Other Options
Eartec is arguably one of the leading companies when it comes to duplex wireless intercom systems, but there are also very good options available from Hollyland. There are a vast array of options at varying price points. Below are some of the available options:
- CAME-TV Kuminik8 Full-Duplex Wireless DECT Intercom System with 5 Single-Ear Headsets $919 USD
- Hollyland Solidcom C1 Pro-6S Full-Duplex ENC Wireless Intercom System with 6 Headsets $1,949 USD
- Hollyland Solidcom C1 Pro-4S Full-Duplex Wireless Intercom System with 4 Headsets (1.9 GHz) $1,299 USD
- Hollyland Solidcom C1-4S Full-Duplex Wireless DECT Intercom System with 4 Headsets $999 USD
- Hollyland Solidcom C1-6S Full-Duplex Wireless DECT Intercom System with 6 Headsets $1,479 USD
- Eartec UltraLITE 4-Person Full-Duplex Wireless Intercom with 4 Single-Ear Headsets $735 USD
- Eartec UL541 5-Person Full-Duplex Wireless Intercom with 4 UltraLITE Single-Ear & 1 UltraLITE Dual-Ear Headsets ($940 USD)
- CAME-TV WAERO Duplex Digital Wireless Foldable Headset with Hardcase 4 Pack $535 USD
Conclusion
The Saramonic WiTalk9 is a decent option if you are looking for a relatively affordable duplex wireless headset system. The audio quality is decent, they are comfortable to wear, and they work over large distances.
The WiTalk9 surprised me because it was better than what I initially expected. Considering their affordability compared to a lot of other options on the market, they are well worth looking at.
