Song Meter® SM5 Acoustic Recorder

About this product

The SM5 Acoustic Recorder is the latest from Wildlife Acoustics, a top-of-the-line recorder for professional ecologists studying wildlife that vocalise within the audible range. The all-new SM5 can record birds in the canopy, amphibians in the understory, and much more. Plus, it does so while delivering the best battery performance on the market, offering class-leading battery performance for long-running deployments. Thanks to a re-engineered flexible enclosure, this device can be powered by lithium-ion and alkaline batteries. Additionally, it is compatible with the Solar Power Kit, or it can be connected to another external source.

The brand new reimagined IP67 weatherproof enclosure and microphones facilitate a reliable setup in any terrestrial environment. Record with stub mics, cabled mics, or a combination thereof for multi-taxa surveys spanning varying heights and distances. The SM5 Acoustic Recorder comes with two built-in acoustic stub mics and the ability to add up to two cabled SMM-A2 mics for mono or stereo recording.

A built-in GPS/GLONASS antenna precisely records your time and location, enabling time synchronisation within 30 microseconds across multiple recorders. Use this data to perform localisation calculations and accurately pinpoint where an animal was calling. 

The SM5 Acoustic Recorder is now compatible with the Song Meter Configurator app for easy wireless programming via your iOS or Android device. Change settings, create schedules, and get estimated deployment timelines. 

The brand-new expansion port for a cellular remote access accessory (coming late 2026) enables data downloads, recorder status checks, and settings adjustments. This feature will also support customer-created electronics for edge analysis. 

Specification

• Acoustic channels: 2 (Mono or stereo)
• Built-in microphones: 2 acoustic stubs
• Recording formats: 16-bit WAV or compressed W4V
• Sample rates: 8, 12, 16, 22.05, 24, 32, 44.1, 48, 88.2, 96 kHz
• Battery life: LI-ion 1,330 hours / Alkaline 700 hours
• Built-in GPS: Yes
• GPS time sync: Yes (30 microseconds)
• Memory/storage capacity: 2 SDHC/SDXC up to 2 TB each (4 GB total)
• Battery power options: 18650 Lithium-ion 1-6 or 11 / 4 x D cell alkaline
• External/Solar power compatible: Yes, via Wildlife Acoustics power kit
• Cellular remote access: Yes (Coming late 2026)
• Configuration options: iOS or Android device, Via App or on unit buttons/ screen
• Quick start scheduling: Yes 
• Custom Scheduling: Yes
• IP67 Waterproof: Yes
• Dimensions (h x w x d): 191 x 175 x 64 mm
• Weight (with batteries): 1113g w/11 x 18650 or 1138g w/ 4 x D cell alkaline
• Warranty: 3 years, including built-in microphones

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