The Azden Pro-XR is probably the most versatile, feature packed, affordable wireless microphone system for less than $250.00. Let me explain why:
Azden recently released the Pro-XR 2.4ghz wireless mic system and after testing it for several weeks I am really impressed. There are a lot of small systems out on the market today but Azden has done several things to set the Pro-XR apart from the rest.
The biggest stand out feature and what made me most excited about it is the ability to pair the transmitter with multiple receivers. This is a fantastic ability that will really help anyone filming events, conferences, corporate videos or any video where you have a speaker and a multi camera setup. With the Azden wireless system you can send perfectly synchronized audio to all your cameras which makes it a breeze to sync the footage in post!
The second feature that sets this system apart from others on the market is the ability to connect 2 sound sources to the transmitter. On the side of the transmitter there is a 3 way switch which selects between the aux jack the mic jack or if it's in the middle, both. You can then plug a mic in and a feed from a sound source like an iPhone or sound board and send both signals through the transmitter to all your cameras. This is a great feature for anyone shooting weddings and conferences.
Another great stand out feature of this system is the ability to monitor the audio directly off the receiver while sending a separate feed to your camera. Speaking of feeds to your camera the output of the receiver has 6 different settings so you can easily make sure there is a loud enough signal to over come any weaker mic preamps in your camera.
The final feature that I really want to highlight is the transmitter power settings. You can select from 3 different modes low (20mw) medium (50mw) and high (100mw). When on the high settings I had no trouble walking several hundred feet away or even loosing direct line of sight at closer distances. The Pro-XR system stayed locked and had very few drop outs.
The construction quality of the units is nice and well made. They have handled my throwing them into my camera bag with ease even though they are made of plastic. The boast an astounding 14hr (transmitter) and 20hr (receiver) battery life while the recharge time is just 2.5 hrs. You can also power them via usb to give yourself even more shooting time but honestly after 14 hours you'll want a break.
The self noise of the system itself is extremely low and the included lapel mic works really well and has plenty of output level. The lapel does have a little bit of self noise but it's nothing to worry about in practical use.
You can see and hear the system in action here:
For under 250.00USD you will be hard pressed to find any system that can match the quality and feature set of the Azden Pro-XR. I would highly recommend it for anyone considering a purchase of a first or additional wireless system for your filmmaking kit. This has become my go to system for interviews, run and gun and corporate videos.
Check out the Azden Pro-XR wireless system here: https://www.azden.com/pro-xr-2-4-ghz-wireless-microphone-system/
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