A few weeks ago, I tested the Saramonic Ultra against the Rode Wireless Pro and DJI Mic 2 — and to my surprise, the Ultra held its own, even outperforming in a few key areas. But what if you need something more professional? The Saramonic K9 is the answer.
What’s in the Box?
The K9 system comes packed inside a rugged hard case loaded with gear. You get:
• Two beltpack transmitters
• One camera-mount receiver
• Two IP67-rated miniature lavaliers
• A stack of antennas tailored for different frequency bands
• Two 32GB microSD cards
• XLR cables, USB-C cables, and locking 3.5mm TRS cables
• Lav clips, wind muffs (tiny dead cats!), silicone ID bands
• A mounting adapter and more
RF Muscle + Multisystem Support
The K9 operates across an ultrawide 550 to 960 MHz UHF spectrum, and even includes GPS-based frequency updates. You can run up to 20 systems in the same area without stepping on each other’s toes. That’s a huge win for live events, conferences, or film sets.
You also get three antenna sets (550–680 MHz, 614–698 MHz, and 863–960 MHz), making this system adaptable to any RF environment. The K9 scans the environment and auto-selects the cleanest channel, then syncs that data wirelessly across your gear. Smart and simple.
Transmitters offer selectable RF power levels of 10, 25, 50, or 100mW, depending on your range needs.
Designed for Professionals
The K9 system is loaded with thoughtful pro touches:
• Dual LED displays on the receiver (front + top) — a dream for sound techs with gear bags.
• USB-C and dual TRS outputs, so you can connect to anything from mirrorless cameras to external recorders or smartphones.
• Monitor audio directly from the transmitter — useful for field backup recording.
• 130 dB dynamic range — clean sound in loud or quiet environments.
• 32-bit float recording with timecode support, for the ultimate post-production flexibility.
And yes, it works with the Saramonic System App, which lets you control everything — frequency scanning, gain, outputs, timecode sync, even starting recordings — from your phone.
But How Does It Sound?
In my tests, I compared the K9’s tiny lavaliers against two heavy hitters: the Sennheiser MKE 2 and the Rode Wireless Pro’s built-in mic.
Surprisingly, the Saramonic lav sounded extremely close to the Sennheiser — maybe even slightly better on headphones. It’s neutral, clear, and natural. The Rode still has that “baked-in” sound with boosted lows and highs, which I personally like, but for many pros, the flatter response of the K9 will be preferred.
Bonus: these lavaliers are tiny — just 0.1 inches in diameter — and rugged. They’re IP67 rated, meaning waterproof and dust-resistant, with reinforced cables. I didn’t dunk mine, but Saramonic has videos of them submerged in coffee, yanked by cords, and still recording.
Range & Performance
I ran a range test comparing the K9 to the Saramonic Ultra — attaching each transmitter to my front and walking until signal dropout. Both systems started to fade at roughly the same distance when facing away from the camera (as expected with UHF). But with line of sight, both performed excellently.
It wasn’t a blowout, but the K9 held up just as well, while offering way more pro-level control.
One Catch (for U.S. Buyers)
Here’s the one hiccup: in the United States, a patent restriction prevents the K9 from transmitting audio wirelessly and recording internally at the same time. It’s either/or.
However, the second your phone detects that you’re outside the U.S., the feature becomes available. Saramonic doesn’t control this — it’s a legal hurdle. Still, something to keep in mind depending on how you plan to use the system.
Conclusion
I’ll be honest — I’m not a full-time audio pro. And while the K9’s deep menu system and antenna charts are awesome, they can feel like overkill for simple shoots. I personally love the simplicity of 2.4GHz systems like the Saramonic Ultra for most of my work.
But if you’re a professional sound recordist, filmmaker, or field journalist, the Saramonic K9 is a seriously powerful tool.
The biggest surprise? The lavalier mic. I’ve paid $400 for my Sennheiser lavs, and I actually prefer the size and sound of Saramonic’s new mini lav. If they sell these standalone, I’m grabbing a few.
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