Great $23 Budget Preamp for Video Shooters

Today we look at using the Saramonic SmartRig XLR preamp with video cameras. This cheap $23 preamp is very impressive and offers 48v phantom power and level control with a knob.
See my hack video for this preamp here: • Hacking the $23 Saramo...
UPDATE 1: A lot of people has asked me if the headphone jack on the unit works out of the box. It does not work unless you're using the unit as a phone. So no headphone jack. That said, check out this similar unit that will give you a headphone jack that works: • Best Audio Accessory F...
UPDATE 2: Please note that this preamp does NOT provide low voltage power needed for microphones like the Rode VideoMicro and Rode VideoMic GO. This unit only works with microphones that have batteries or microphones that support 48v phantom power.
Saramonic SmartRig
Amazon (PAID LINK): geni.us/saramon...
B&H: tinyurl.com/h4h...
eBay: tinyurl.com/eba...
Rode TRRS to TRS Adapter
Amazon (PAID LINK): geni.us/rodetrrs
B&H: tinyurl.com/z8c...
Keep in mind there are cheaper options out there, this is just the adapter I had on hand for this video. Just search for "TRRS to TRS adapter"
Here is the video showing you how to mod this great preamp for use with video accessories and cameras:
• Hacking the $23 Saramo...
Follow me for behind the scenes!
Instagram: / calebpike
Twitter: / calebpike
Facebook: / dslrvideoshoote

[@ArikGST]

Hey Caleb. I wanted to give you a HUGE thank you for this and the hack video. I got this preamp, hacked it and now I am running it on my Canon Rebel T5i (700D for us europeans) with a Rode VideoMicro. I have to run phantom power to provide power for the VideoMicro which worries me a little, but so far it works flawlessly and the audioquality is much better than it was recording on my Zoom H1 which actually suprised me. You are really helping me a lot to improve my video quality. Greetings from Germany!

[@agustin.1991]

Hi! How did that setup worked over time?

[@MrSenpaiTV]

One of my fav KZbinrs

[@dslrvideoshooter]

Thank you! Means a lot.

[@americalex6788]

he's channeling a bit of the tim heidecker vibe

[@ZachYoung626]

For those asking if it can work with a Rode videoMic with a 3.5 to XLR adapter, it can but do not switch it to the +48 volt mode. It could potentially fry your mic.

[@EnnTomi1]

ok you prove one thing, a good mic is really important.

[@dslrvideoshooter]

That is very true!

[@willmillett]

DSLR Video Shooter I bought 1 and it does not live view the sound into by headphones! How does it work??

[@willmillett]

DSLR Video Shooter I bought 1 and it does not live view the sound into by headphones! How does it work??

[@RyanH0809]

I realize this is an old video.. but dude, your stuff rocks. I love this channel.

[@nighthawkX13]

I took your advice and and used this and the Rode SC-3 and it works like a charm on my G85 with my Sennheiser ME64 and ME66. No headphone output but other than that it works so well for the price. Thanks. On another note, for those that asked, it does indeed help with field recorders. I have the original Tascam Dr-100 (not the Mark II). Always hated the preamps as you always had to be on H gain to get any decent levels but it was always too noisy to my ears. Hooking this rig up with the SC-3 into the Tascam and setting it to Line input worked really well after adjustments to the gain on both the recorder and the Smarttrig. The same setup should work with those that have a Zoom H4n which also has preamp issues. I've ordered a Rode VXLR and will see if it will work on the Tascam's XLR and XLR input setting with this setup.

[@ERIKCANTU]

Thanks so much for showing this new product, the comparison and how to hack it to be even better!

[@SaramonicInternational]

Thank you Caleb for the nice video! Great to hear that you like the Saramonic SmartRig!

[@ToastedSynapseGaming]

I really love that preamp as I see myself getting a ton of use out of it. I think it can even be possible to record sound board audio from a DJ's mixer to your phone as long as you bring some attenuators with you. Headphone jack is great. You were not using it, but it's great to have. The only thing I hate is that here, in Europe I end up paying like double for it :(

[@crizmartinez2982]

I've had it for almost a year now and it works amazing. Nice vid :)

[@dslrvideoshooter]

Sweet! Wish I had heard of it sooner!

[@KKM13200]

You are both a gentleman and a scholar.

[@keiando]

I couldn't tell the difference (c100 vs saramonic)...but isn't it because the ntg4 is a great mic? I wonder how it would sound if you compared a simple mic without phantom power, like a video mic go, so we could hear the difference between the 6d preamp, the c100 and the saramonic... having said that... i really love that you come up with creative budget friendly options!

[@milgeekmedia]

I must admit I bought the IRig before seeing this and have to say that I wish I had gotten the Saramonic instead! The major gripe I have with the iRig is the ridiculous gain dial, for a start it has no 'Min' and 'Max' labels nor any number values so you can determine volume levels or easily replicate a good level if you find it. I had to resort to painting on my own labels with white paint! Also, the recessed dial in the iRig is horrible to use I would much prefer the raised knob of the Saramonic. Thanks for a really useful video.

[@travisreuben9895]

Great, professional review with good visibility of product features. Thanks for your work man.

[@GeekyNerdDad]

I am going to pick this up and try it with my A7R2 and my Sennheiser MKH-416! Great work as always

[@dslrvideoshooter]

Thanks Larry! I think you'll be very happy. Can't go wrong with the MKH-416! Killer mic.

[@mattheweasterday8599]

I have been looking for a video on how to do this for a while now. Excellent! I'm looking forward to watching all of your future videos on this topic! Keep up the good work

[@dslrvideoshooter]

Thank you Matthew!

[@thephotonauts]

Thank you so much for that! Hadn't heard of that thing before. I wanted to get a Zoom to use as a preamp but this actually does just what I need, while being smaller, cheaper and having a headphone jack for monitoring. You honestly made my day :D

[@KenTanis]

Loving these hacky sorts of projects, Caleb. Definitely sets your channel apart.

[@dslrvideoshooter]

Thanks Ken! Glad people are enjoying it. I love this stuff!

[@joseangel4428]

I have just bought the Saramonic. Waiting to see the brico... Thank you, DSLR Video Shooter!

[@dslrvideoshooter]

Thank you for watching!

[@JakobSFilms]

Great video Kaleb! The preamp sounds pretty good.

[@SS454LS6]

I noticed in the description you said it doesn't work with the VideoMicro. Do you know of a Preamp that does? I really hate the hiss when using the Rode with my Canon T6i. Maybe the Aputure A.Lav?

[@makeupbysaz]

I second this!

[@INSTINCT777]

Have you found a solution?

[@the-creative-block]

With the amount of different ways that I've seen to record clean audio in-camera on this channel, Caleb REALLY must hate syncing sound in post lol! Very clever, though. Props on the innovative thinking.

[@dslrvideoshooter]

Haha! I really do hate it. If you think about it, recording separately trickles all the way down the production/post production process. Managing two devices, two SD cards, more files, more editing/syncing etc... Good to have backups, but man do I hate it!

[@MohammedZainal]

oh well, this is another useful tip Caleb! can't wait for the next video

[@dslrvideoshooter]

Thanks Mohammed!

[@exclusivelynyc]

Thanks for always producing great videos. Do you think I could use this with the rode wireless go so Ill have a preamp and a monitor out? Thanks.

[@laboratoriodicinemadifranc8332]

BEFORE PURCHASING IT IS IMPORTANT TO KNOW THAT: If you connect "SmartRig II" to a smartphone, the headphone socket is for monitor the audio output of the smartphone. If you connect "SmartRig II" (via TRRS / TRS adapter) to a camera, the headphone socket cannot be used to monitor audio captured by the connected microphone.

[@bryanoliveira9513]

5 years later, still amazing

[@ejameslee1981]

Loving where you're going with these videos. I hope you come out with your own line of gear in the future.

[@dslrvideoshooter]

Thanks James! I would love that, but getting into the manufacturing game isn't very easy, much less taking time away from video making. But maybe! If anything, I'd love to do short runs of certain products. We'll see!

[@estebanmedellin4489]

the saramonic smartrig is already out of stock!!! in both b&h and Amazon, i'll be looking in other places. Great video!!!

[@dslrvideoshooter]

Whoops! Check eBay too: tinyurl.com/ebaysmartrig Should be able to find a few there.

[@thenerdherdforum]

Quite impressive results!

[@dslrvideoshooter]

Thanks Nerd Herd!

[@superjwtv]

Hey Caleb, Quick question for you. Of the top of your head would you expect that the new version of this ( the saramonic smartrig+ ) will have better preamps? Im trying to figure out if its worth waiting for that one to be available.. Thanks for all your great videos, keep up the great work!

[@ivanbigirimana7788]

Thanks for these wonderful tutorials and product reviews. I truly appreciate your insights very detailed thanks again. Can I be able to use this on a Blackmagic Production 4k Camera?

[@ChartreuseNature]

Thanks for this video mate. To record human voices and nature sounds on my Eos 600D (worst preamp I know lol) I got the Tascam DR05. Would this SmartRig XLR be better in addition with my Videomic Pro ? Cheers. Nico

[@simkarte123]

i could really use this for my PC because it has a really bad preamp as well... thanks for the video!

[@scottlamp3097]

I already did this exact thing with one of these! The only difference is that instead of removing the whole cord, I re-terminated it with a TRS connector.

[@dslrvideoshooter]

Very nice Scott!

[@scottlamp3097]

Great minds think alike I suppose

[@MUNDODEDIJHELLY]

thanks for the video . great video again .

[@stevenbaileytv]

Nice, it does a really good job, especially given the price.

[@dslrvideoshooter]

It is quite good indeed. I was really impressed.

[@TobiDnz]

Looking forward to part 2. I like how your videos are turning more and more into hacking stuff ;) More useful to me than some expensive ("affordable") pro-gear reviews. Honestly, did you hear anything in the sound with the Saramonic that would justify getting some fancy Zoom/Tascam or even Sound Devices preamps (I know there are other features on those devices)?

[@dslrvideoshooter]

I'm sure you'd hear a difference, but you would REALLY have to listen hard to hear it. And for $23 you can't go wrong!!!

[@TobiDnz]

Totally, that's great value. I usually try to use a recorder but for times when I need to go straight to camera, this seems like a good solution.

[@ItsKapow]

Would you say this would be a good setup for a Blackmagic Pocket, or would the low quality preamps in the bmpcc still let it down?

[@rydstedt94]

Hey, just found your channel, great videos! I have just bought a Nikon D3100 to get into photography. I thought I would be able to plug a standard mic into it but as it turned out it do not have audio in so I have to use a preamp I guess. Could I use this setup too? I would need a separate device to record to audio, right? Since I do not have a audio in port.

[@EposVox]

I will have to try this once I have a camera w/o AGC -_- damn 600D

[@EposVox]

Shit, you sold me. Gunna try it out anyway.

[@dslrvideoshooter]

Haha! Nice.

[@JorgeArias]

The first video i saw is about lenses and accesories and automatic i subscribe to your channel!

[@dslrvideoshooter]

Thank JAAGGERG! Glad to have you aboard!

[@danyayurkevich]

Can it be setup with Rode VideoMic?

[@Faigh_as]

Daniil Yurkevich yes

[@TheGroovyGuitarDude]

So right now I'm using the Rode Stereo Videomic (not Pro) and I'm getting a ton of hiss. It seems what I need to do is drop the camera gain low and somehow boost the signal from the mic with a preamp like this or something along those lines. I would really rather not record audio separate if possible even though I know the Zoom or Tascam recorder options would be ideal. Would this work for that? I'm using a Nikon D5100 with a Rode Videomic Stereo in a near silent room with no background electronics or fans running. Thanks for any ideas!!

[@dslrvideoshooter]

Yes, this preamp (and all preamps for that matter) are designed for that very use.

[@ion-christopherstudio490ac3]

Not really - this one only accepts an XLR in and not sure if it provides MIC POWER if that's what a mic needs. Makes it ideal for a phantom powered XLR mic.

[@DavidNW_]

He was just referring to the preamps though @ion-, and you can use a cheap XLR adapter that connects to the Rode Mic. The most important part being the preamps being controlled with a small price/footprint. :)

[@yuniea2670]

thanks for sharing these cool tips and comparisons. Is it possible to use that Saramonic Preamp on a Blackmagic Production camera 4k? I have a Røde NTG4 Plus mic.

[@MiecholCanteros]

Great quality video! Thanks, this helped a lot!

[@HERCULES0070]

I'm listening with ear monitors through my phone and I hear a good amount of noise like electronic interference. I don't know if that's the microphone or the sermonic device itself. I purchased a microphone that's specifically has a low noise floor and I don't want the preamp to create noise.

[@betweenframesproduction3968]

Awesome! Can you monitor the sound via the headphone output easily?

[@CaitlinBurt]

wish this was still available or maybe theres a new option

[@angusvisionsaudiovisual6848]

Could you please let us hear what the mic sounds like directly to the 6D, without a pre-amp?

[@Soldier1287]

non-edited audio though?

[@ChetTank-]

Hi, I bought the Saramonic SmartRig 2 and have tried using it with my Rode VideoMicro but I am not getting any signal. My setup is as follows... Rode (with original cable) into XLR-3.5mm adapter into SmartRig into TRRS-TRS adapter into my camera. I have checked if the SmartRig is faulty by using my guitar and it works fine. And my Rode is fine when I connect it directly to my camera. But for some reason when I hook it all up, it just does not want to work! HELP ME please!!!!

[@abebarrera]

this is great thanks for the tip, what kind of adaptor do you recommend for the panasonic GX8?

[@ZaberAnsaryOfficial]

Awesome. Now I'm excited for the next one... Tomorrow or next week?

[@dslrvideoshooter]

Probably next week, but I may get it out sooner.

[@MamabrosFootballandmore]

Hey Caleb, I was wondering if I bought an xlr to 3.5mm jack adapter then plugged my rode videomic go into this and use it as a pre amp would it work, thanks!

[@ArikGST]

Hey, I am running that setup on my Canon T5i. You have to turn on the phantom power to provide power to your Rode VideoMic. I don`t know if that can cause any issues (since phantom power is quite a high voltage) but so far it works for me. The audio quality is really good, it`s actually better than recording on the Zoom H1 (havn`t posted my newer videos yet so I can`t show you).

[@MamabrosFootballandmore]

German Survivalist Thanks so much!

[@aggi1212]

www.rode.com/faq/my-mic-doesnt-need-phantom-power-but-it-is-switched-on-will-phantom-power-damage-my-microphone. Straight from RODE, by them "no problem"

[@dariushilla]

Looks and sounds great

[@bandofbros8112]

Would this add alot to a Telephone or Gopro? And would it possible to use a Rode videomicro or a lavelier mic on this by using a 3.5mm female to Male XLR?

[@ToastedSynapseGaming]

Quick Question about this Preamp (before the modification you did - so just out of the box). Does this work with a Stereo Input? I'm asking this because I was wondering if I could use the Safety Track Attenuator you mentioned in your other video and place it right before the Saramonic and then plug the Saramonic into the camera. Would I still get the -18 difference in camera on the right channel?

[@ShootAndThrill]

Should I go with this or get a zoom h4n?

[@Petrolhead66]

This seems to be a good way to add headphone out to cameras that do not have a headphone out?

[@marcondesmarcondable]

I ordered one but had two problems... My rode mic didn't work with it, nor with fanton power on. The monitoring output also does not give a signal from the microphone - only the audio from the computer or cell phone video playback comes out, for example. what am I doing wrong?

[@FoiMal123]

I have one question, does it really matter if I remove the cable or not? I just don't wanna fuck it up.

[@Evliveoyuncu]

Do you use audio gain levels -12 db on gh4? Love ur videos btw

[@dslrvideoshooter]

Yes, I always keep my levels at -12 and use preamps to do the rest. I wish the GH4 actually went lower! And thank you for the kind words. Means a lot!

[@DJB1609]

I see your note that this doesn't work with the Rode Video Micro. I have Lavalier mic and Rode Video Micro and the sound floor in-camera is terrible. What's the best pre-amp to use to improve the quality?

[@DENILSONr98]

fav channel.

[@dslrvideoshooter]

Thanks Denilson!

[@funkmafia05]

Hi, Caleb (home I've typed your name right). In another your video you talked about rode videomic pro (with built-in preamp). So my question is it worth to buy videomic pro or I can buy videomic go + this preamp? Is this a good direction to move or am I completely wrong?

[@billygraham7913]

What if you set the camera's gain levels to just about as low as they can go? Could you boost the gain on the Sarmonic SmartRig some more? You had it set to less than 1/4th of the total range it could go in this video. You did not explain how high you had the camera's gain set up.

[@Delightfully_Enchanted]

Will this work with any dslr.

[@PieterBreda]

sounds really good.

[@pierrebiretbordier]

Thanks! I have just saved a lot of money!

[@MrDeeb8]

Do you still need a 9v battery if you're just using a dynamic mic?

[@themessage6531]

Would this work with the panasonic g85 with the takstar sgc 598

[@yonoko6901]

I wish to see how did you mount that mic on the top of the Saramonic SmartRig please. I mean the shoe mount how does is it mounted on the smartrig?

[@vulpinebaton9172]

absolutely great

[@mauryrutch3469]

When the Saramonic gain is fully counterclockwise, is the mic basically muted?

[@JeremyGalloway]

I wish it had a 3.5mm option instead of XLR only

[@goo-o8g]

how are you attaching that to your cold shoe adapters? and similarly, i have the hacked iRig, and was wondering if there was attaching something like that to it? Simply super/hot glue the cold shoe adapter to it?

[@BlackenBurg]

This thing combined with a Self powered mic and a FetHead would be more than enough to low-no noise audio on an SLR in a small package

[@dslrvideoshooter]

For sure!

[@openbeta843]

Is there a delay in sound from the mic to the headphones... planning to us one for song recording

[@JKFLASH]

Hey i ordered two of the saramonic smartrig and same thing no sound. i used a rode xlr to 3.5 without phantom power, nothing. Do i need a actural microphone that used xlr. I need to send them back to amazon asap.

[@BrooklynAL2010]

Very helpful video. I tried using it on my Panasonic G85 mirrorless camera and everything worked like a charm except the headphone jack is useless - I can't monitor my audio. I don't have that problem when I use it with my iphone - headphone jack works perfectly. Any suggestions? Much appreciated.

[@thatmaheshrs]

would have appreciated if you had shown the improvement the amp adds over the regular 6D amp.

[@dslrvideoshooter]

That would have been a good idea. I do plan on doing a "Why you need a preamp" video in which, I'll be doing that very test.

[@LoganHenry]

I love this stuff- sound is so mysterious! That "why you need a preamp" video will be awesome too.

[@jimmyhuynh5729]

how does this compare to somthing like a micro juicedlink?

[@dslrvideoshooter]

I haven't tested them together, but I'm sure the juiced link is a little better. That said, $350+ vs $23 is a big difference!

[@jimmyhuynh5729]

Thats what I was thinking. Major difference in price. I'd probably try this $23 dollar mod anyways but would love to see a comparison test video! That would save your views tons of money.

[@ethanclarkfilm]

Can you add a 9v battery to let it send out phantom power at 48v??

[@lukewestwood]

think this would have given a better idea if you used a mic like a rhode video mic or a low budget shotgun mic etc :). But big fan as always

[@dslrvideoshooter]

I was going to, but the VMP make it even harder to tell the difference.

[@arnold2603]

Instead using saramonic phantom power, how if i use the ntg 4+ connected to zoom h1n ?

[@EdoardoConti]

@DSLR Video Shooter Does this preamp work with canon 200D + Takstar sgc-598? Thank you so much! Great job!

[@rad0ri]

How does this compare with having the rode videomic pro plus with the built in preamp?

[@yogamazing]

Does the headphone jack work on the Saramoic so you can monitor the audio? I would use this with my 70D or Canon EOS M3.

[@dslrvideoshooter]

Yes, you'll be able to monitor the audio coming from the unit. Just remember you'll be listening the to the preamp, not the camera's recorded audio.

[@tim6650]

DSLR Video Shooter Do i need some special headphone? It preamps fine, but the headphone jack gives me nothing

[@dslrvideoshooter]

Turns out the headphone jack only works when using a phone :-(

[@JulianDuqueMusic]

What's the mount you're using for the rig?

[@colsh_1]

I picked up one of these to use with my Canon 6D. I have not purchased the TRRS to TRS connector yet. While testing the unit with a condenser mic into my phone when I flip on the 48 volts there is a high pitch noise that is inside the box that makes its way into the recorded audio. Any thoughts on how to fix this? Did I just get a bad unit? Thanks for this video! Just what I needed.

[@itteshadhossain]

Hey Caleb, I ordered one of these as a back up preamp but the headphone jack doesn't seem to work. It's the second model I've ordered with the same problem so I feel like I'm missing something. It gets the sound fine but I can't monitor it which is frustrating

[@mayhem434]

Has this device got an imput for my rode videomic (normal microphone plug not XLR) for a better pre-amp?

[@ian0renos]

Have you tried looking at the iRig series pre-amps and phantom power? Small, light and and can be hacked to work with cameras fairly easily might be worth a look!

[@dslrvideoshooter]

I have. But I don't really care for the dial on those. The SmartRig is built much better and sounds great. Also cheaper!

[@ian0renos]

Definitely going to have to give it a go, my audio setup is currently lacking,

[@SheldonBlake]

Hi, what if I was taking audio from a soundboard to this device which is then connected to a cellphone to livestream on Facebook, would I be able to monitor the audio coming in using the headphone monitoring jack?

[@josenadesan]

Instead of a mic can this be used with a line out from am audio mixer?

[@caliagentlife]

Great video, I bought this after watching your videos on this preamp. I have the audio technica atr6550 and it has its own battery as well as a trs plug. I bought the rode sc3 and a rode vxlr adapter. I have a nikon d5300 and and I still get lots of noise and this shotgun is know to have. I have troubleshot the crap out of everything for the batteries to the in body settings. I am beginning it’s the rode vxlr adapter but I’m not sure. Is there anything else I can do to cut down the noise? Thanks

[@franziskusehmeir4098]

How can I pre amp a 3,5 mm input, for example the rode video micro?

[@AnthonyRecenello]

This is perfect but what if I don't want to use XLR input?

[@DavidNW_]

You can use a XLR to 3.5mm TRS adapter. It just plugs into the XLR and directly to the 3.5mm Mic plug in. Usually pretty cheap as well. :) good luck.

[@bdonne07]

Would this work with a mic that had a 3.5 mm and not xlr? Specifically I'm talking about the rode VMP. would I have to add a 3.5 > xlr adapter to make it work? On the GH4 did you turn your mic level to -20 (or whatever the lowest is) or just 0? Great video. I've been trying to get better audio with my rose VMP and my GH4. I always get a couple seconds of hiss at the beginning and during quiet sections in interviews and it's hard to get rid of.

[@dslrvideoshooter]

Yes, any 3.5mm can be use via a 3.5mm to XLR adapter with a catch... Microphones that use low voltage from the camera will NOT work. So you can use a VM Go or Micro.

[@dtechlogic]

Also do you do anything with the audio in audition