No matter how much gear you stuff into your pocket or backpack for recording on the go, chances are high that you'll forget something. The AirStudio S1 is designed to ease the burden, serving as an EDC multi-tool for musicians, podcasters or sonic creatives.
At first glance, the S1 looks like a regular handheld wireless microphone. And that's true, the microphone part of the equation boasts switchable condenser and (enhanced) dynamic patterns as well as a built-in pop filter for the promise of "clean, studio quality sound."
The mic comes packing its own "high-performance DSP" for real-time fine-tuning of EQ, compression, reverb and more. And on-device controls can help you tweak your sound on the fly.
But there's more to this 4.9 x 1.42 x 1.42-in (12.5 x 3.6 x 3.6-cm) wireless mic than meets the eye. Just like gadgets from Nokia and Huawei, Hisong Music's portable all-in-one recording device plays host to a pair of 2.4-GHz wireless earphones – which take on the role of in-ear monitors, meaning that you can leave the full over-ear candy at home. Each bud rocks a 13-mm dynamic driver for 137 dB SPL and less than 1% THD.
There doesn't appear to be onboard storage here, so creators will need to wirelessly connect with a device to capture the audio and store the files. An included wireless USB-C receiver will be your link to mobile or desktop recording apps, with the startup's own transmission tech promising "latency as low as 24 ms."
The microphone's own 800-mAh battery is reckoned good for up to 10 hours of per-charge use, and is topped up over USB-C. The buds can run for about 3.5 hours, and are charged when docked in the mic's housing.
Hisong's own Link app includes virtual mixing and smart control, and Steinberg's Cubasis LE for iOS is included in the package. The S1 also features a 24-bit/48-kHz USB audio interface, and is reported compatible with popular music production suites like Logic Pro, Ableton Live, Pro Tools and GarageBand.
Hisong has launched the AirStudio S1 project on Kickstarter, where pledges currently start at US$199 for the Musician kit, which includes the mic/earphones plus a wired audio interface. A $239 Creator kit adds a wireless RX mini adapter. And a $279 Master kit tacks on a wireless RX Plus unit too.
All crowdfunding campaigns carry an element of risk, and this is Hisong's first product and the startup's first project on Kickstarter. The campaign has already met its funding target, and if all goes to plan, shipping is estimated to start from December.
Source: Hisong
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