SmallRig Forevala W60 Wireless Microphone System Released

Wireless Audio

by Olaf von VossAugust 24^th, 2022

SmallRig, manufacturer of hardware accessories for building camera rigs (and lately also lights), has just released yet another product: the SmallRig Forevala W60 belongs to their audio line and is SmallRig’s second wireless audio system following the Wave W1-C system for smartphones.

I’m not suggesting that these types of wireless audio systems are flooding the market, but there’s no denying that many companies, most notably RØDE with its original Wireless GO (now in its second iteration), are producing fairly similar-looking wireless audio kits. Most of them contain two transmitters and a receiver in a sleek case. The transmitters usually have integrated omnidirectional microphones and the possibility to connect external lavalier microphones. 

The new SmallRig Forevala W60 is no different in this respect. It comes with two transmitters and a receiver, all nicely packaged in a travel case. The transmitters have a built-in microphone, and you can connect an external lav microphone (sold separately).

SmallRig Forevala W60

This new audio setup features low-latency, two-channel wireless audio transmission with a signal range of up to 100 meters (line-of-sight). The internal batteries ought to last about 8 hours before needing to be recharged, which should be enough for most shooting days.

Also nice is the ability to switch between mono and stereo recording, which saves you valuable time during post-production. Another notable feature SmallRig offers is a low-cut function, which eliminates low-frequency noise below 200 Hz.

The new SmallRig Forevala W60 system also has some tricks up its sleeve that might be interesting for usability. For example, you can adjust the gain without having to dive deep into the menu: Input and output levels of the two transmitters are independently adjustable via hardware dials on the receiver module.

In addition, each unit (TX and RX) has LCDs for monitoring power status, signal strength, volume and low-cut status. This may be beneficial to some, but I wonder if the transmitters would be better off without a display. Especially since they are meant to be worn “in-shot” using the built-in microphone.

This brings me back to a strange phenomenon that many of these wireless audio systems suffer from: The transmitters sport a large SmallRig logo, and while you can hide the unit itself under a shirt with the help of a clever magnetic sticker, that magnet also sports a SmallRig logo!

Isn’t the point of such microphones that they are relatively well hidden on a talent? So why print huge logos on them?

Back to business: The carrying case can be connected to a power source via USB-C and charges both the transmitter and receiver while they are stored. SmallRig has even included a hidden USB-A cable that can be used to connect the case directly to a powerbank or other power source.

More specifications

According to SmallRig, the Forevala W60 achieves a latency of just 10ms (one transmitter ⇾ receiver) or 15ms (two transmitters ⇾ receiver). The transmitter can be quickly muted with a short press of the power button.

The used frequency range is 2400 Mhz – 2483.5Mhz (2.4G) and it uses adaptive frequency hopping to minimize drop-outs. Audio is transmitted in 48kHz 16bit format.

In the box, the following is included:

• 2 x Transmitter
• 1 x Receiver
• 1 x Storage Case
• 1 x Carrying Bag  
• 1 x TRS to TRS Adapter Cable
• 1 x TRS to TRRS Adapter Cable
• 2 x Furry Windshield
• 1 x USB-C Charging Cable
• 2 x SmallRig Metal Sticker
• 1 x User Manual

The SmallRig Forevala W60 storage case is 16.3cm x 7.2cm x 3cm in size while the transmitter is 5.7 x 3.76 x 1.87cm and the receiver is 6.1 x 4.45 x 2.13cm.

Pricing and availablity

This new audio system sells for $199 and is available for preorder now.

Link: SmallRig website

What kind of (affordable) wireless audio systems have you used so far? Share your experiences in the comments below!