If you have ever worked as a part of a production team, you know that the communication struggle on set is real. Many teams use walkie-talkies (AKA transceivers), phone calls, or apps like Zello, but none of those solutions are very efficient. In fact, they have quite a few problems. They can be a pain to set up; the audio quality is often lacking, and you can’t speak while someone else is speaking.
Saramonic’s new WiTalk system ($329 – $1,999) provides a better experience than any of the options above for on-set communications. It tackles all the problems of walkie-talkies, from setup issues to audio quality. Plus, it’s a full-duplex system, meaning that, unlike the half-duplex walkie-talkies, everyone can talk and hear each other without needing to take turns.
The Saramonic WiTalk system
Saramonic WiTalk is a headless intercom system in the form of a few sets of headphones. Unlike traditional intercom systems, Saraminoc cleverly hid the hub inside one of the headsets. They call it the Master headset, and it must be turned on for the system to work.
The WiTalk system doesn’t use the conventional 2.4 GHz bandwidth; rather, it uses 1.9 GHz. This is actually a good thing. Using a less common frequency means you will have less interference, as there are fewer devices around that use the same frequency. It’s especially useful in conventions like IBC, which is actually where we first covered the WiTalk set.
You can use the set to communicate with up to five people — one person with a master unit and up to four people with receiver units. If you need a bigger network, you can get the WiTalk Hub, which expands the support for up to eight people for $299. The WiTalk Hub also offers a group function: an A channel and a B channel, and each supports up to four devices. If nine units are still not enough, you can get an extra hub and cascade the hubs using a TRRS to TRRS adapter cable ($69). This expands the network to 17 people in total.
The WiTalk set is available in various bundles. From a basic set that only has two headsets (a master and a receiver) to a large set that includes a master set, and eight receiver units. The difference between buying the bundles and buying units separately isn’t just the cost. Each bundle comes with a nice case, with the larger bundles including larger cases. Additionally, the larger sets include the aforementioned hub plus a multi-charger for the removable batteries that power the system.
Saramonic WiTalk – ergonomics
If you’re going to wear these for an entire production day, comfort isn’t something to skip over. Let’s talk about the ear pads first. I like them. They didn’t make my ears sweaty when using them, but It’s currently winter here, so the testing was a bit limited. The earpads are made with artificial leather, so they warm up more than foam pads. Maybe the best way to describe my experience would be that after I sat with the headphones on for a good couple of hours, it still felt pretty comfy.
Sadly, I can’t speak about the headband with the same positivity. Even on the widest setting, the headband doesn’t expand enough to sit on my (big) head. I can only fully cover one ear while the earpad on the other side sits halfway through my ear. This makes the dual-ear headphones act as a single-ear set, which is very awkward. Now, I do have a massive head. I won’t deny it. The “average person” will probably not have this issue. If you also have a large head, you may prefer the single-ear version.
The single-ear version is ideal for teams who need to keep an ear out for ambient sounds and communication. (think working in a big set with lots of moving fixtures or working roadside). You can choose which ear is covered by just flipping the headset. The mic on the headphones can rotate either way, and these headsets are (obviously) mono only. You can wear both the single-ear and the dual-ear headsets with the microphone on either side. (If you are left-handed, you will want to adjust the microphone with your left hand)
Saramonic WiTalk – audio quality
If you wanted to upgrade your team’s communication system for the single reason of audio quality, the WiTalk has you covered. The discussion via WiTalk is much clearer than a walkie-talkie or a phone call chatter. Using walkie-talkies or phones in crowded areas is a pain, especially if they lack noise reduction. The WiTalk does feature light noise reduction functionality. It does help in understanding audio coming from loud areas, but the background noise is still fairly audible.
As far as range goes, I got about 300 meters in my testing before the connection was cut. It’s less than the advertised 400-meter range, but maybe that’s because there were trees in the way, blocking the signal a little. If you need a larger range, this is one area in which walkie-talkies have the upper hand. A good walkie-talkie system can stay connected up to dozens of kilometers away.
Saramonic WiTalk – ease of use
There are a few control buttons on the side: a power button, a mute button, and volume up/down buttons. There is also a nice feature that allows you to mute yourself without fiddling for the mute button. Just rotate the mic upwards to mute yourself and bring it back down when you want to speak again.
The setup and operation of the WiTalk system are very intuitive. I assume that even non-techies will be able to figure it out in seconds. There is no need to pair anything as the set comes pre-paired out of the box. (Thanks, Saramonic!). If you plan to buy extra headphones later, or if a headphone gets disconnected from the main unit, you can, of course, sync them to the master unit.
To pair units together, you start with both units off. Then, hold the volume and power buttons up. The units will enter sync mode. Do the same with the master unit. While in sync mode, the LED indicator will initially flash blue. Once it slows down, turn off the master unit. Now, turn it on again, and it will be connected to the remote unit.
If you need to charge the headphones, you have two options: You can charge the battery directly by placing it in a multi-charger. You eject the battery by pressing the eject button on the headset. Alternatively, you can connect the headphones directly to power via the USB-C port at the bottom of the set. That port is particularly useful if you don’t have time to charge and you need the headsets “right now”. You can run the headset using a power bank, kind of like what you can do with your camera or video lights.
Thankfully, the batteries don’t run out quickly. The receiver units can last about two full production days, so I wouldn’t worry much about them. The master unit drains faster, especially if you connect extra units. I got about a day’s worth of use when connected to three units, but if you plan on using more units, I suggest keeping extra batteries for the master unit. It doesn’t matter how much power the receiver units still have if the master unit is empty, because the network must have a master unit. If push comes to shove, all WiTalk headsets use the same type of battery. You can take the battery of one of the receiver units and use it in the master unit. This goes for both the single-ear and the dual-ear versions.
Here is a nice thing, you get an audible indication when someone joins or leaves the channel. There are also audible indications for muting and unmuting. Those indications are very subtle and don’t distract too much during a conversation. You can also track the status of a unit using an indicator LED on the side. It will show you whether a unit is currently turned on, muted, syncing, or indicate low battery.
Value for the money
There are two ways to gauge the value here. The first is whether this system saves you time and enhances your workflow. The answer here is a resounding yes. If you’ve never worked with a wireless intercome before, it’s a game game changer. If you look at the options, money-wise the WiTalk is comparable to a good set of Walkie-talkies and is far more useful for short-range. Between the quality of the headphones themselves, the (optional) multi-charger, and the custom case, this system is really punching above its weight in terms of value.
The other way to look at value is to compare it to other Intercom systems in the market. Eartec makes a more affordable (though lower-end) set, and if you don’t mind being limited to single-ear headphones, Hollyland has the great Solidcom C1 system. Both of these also include a multi-charger and a case, although neither case is as nice as the hard case of the WiTalk.
Conclusion
The WiTalk system has great audio quality and is very easy to set up and use. It’s a great choice for production teams, and wholeheartedly recommend it. The limited size for big heads is a let-down, but if you have a standard-size head it’s not something you’ll note.
I recommend taking a larger set than you think you need. It will be cheaper than getting more individual units down the road and will save you the effort of finding a larger case and a hub later. When you are looking for bundles, note for bundles of five headsets or less you’ll need to get the multicharger separately. A five-person set costs $1099 for the dual-ear versions and $779 for the single-ear versions, but the link has sets ranging from two to eight units.
