Sony - ECMW3 Dual-channel Wireless Omnidirectional Microphone - Black

Pros: - 2 separate audio tracks - low cut and noise canceling options - charging case to recharge - Connects directly to sony cameras via MI hot shoe mount. No cables - Simple and easy to use - lower db safety recording (kinda) - 0db 10db and 20db attenuator - very small form, lightweight, and strong clip - wired mic input (no lock) Cons: - Price. More than competitors but less features - does not work with A7iii or A6600 (and probably more) on digital setting, only analog - No backup recording local - buttons/switches don’t lock and easily move - shorter connection length than competitors - no digital display - No removable battery - no manual levels control - no magnet clips (yet) - no safety track if you’re using 2 mics w/ separate recordings I really want to love these mics, and for the most part, I do, but there are just some cons that I really don’t understand why Sony didn’t address them. The ECM-W3’s are really good mics that are simple to use, quick to set up, and extremely small and lightweight. But they do come with a hefty price tag and lack some features other mics in this category have. But first the good; these mics are small, light and easy to use. If you have a sony camera with a MI hot shoe, you can pretty much just hook up the receiver, flip the mics on and go. (unless you have an older body, more on that later.) The quality is equal to all the other mics I’ve heard or tested in this range, and the added options of low cut or noise canceling helps a lot on busy streets or crowded location shoots. It’s great for a vlogger who doesn’t have or want to use a camera mounted shotgun mic but can still get good clean audio with out all the background noise. Unfortunately though, you can not control the levels of the recording like you could with a mounted shotgun or some other wireless mics from other brands, so you have to be ok with Sony auto adjusting the levels on the fly. I did notice however this is pretty well done and sounds natural, plus there is a -10 and -20db attenuator switch if you want to have SOME control over the levels. The included case doubles as a charging station so you can recharge in the field. This is especially useful if you’re only using 1 mic at a time and can simply swap between the two when one dies and charge the other, meaning you can shoot for longer without waiting for charges. The case itself is charged by a USB C (not included). The receiver, when placed on a MI shoe, will use the battery in your body which means you don’t have to worry about your receiver battery dying. Another nice feature is the safety recording option, BUT it comes with a catch. You can only get a safety recording if you are using 1 mic or recording both mics in a mixed track as opposed to separate. This is because when you use 2 mics recording separate tracks, one mic is on the L channel and the other mic is on the R channel. If you use the safety recording, this recording is on the left or right channel (whichever is opposite of the channel your main track is recording to. Therefore, if you are using 2 mics with 2 separate recordings, there is nowhere for the safety track to record and you get no back up lower dB recorded track. You CAN use 2 mics mixed to one channel and still use the safety track feature, but now you don’t have the ability to edit each mic separately. I understand this is a limitation of only having 2 tracks in a stereo recording to work with, but I was sort of hoping the safety track was recorded directly to the receiver or the camera was able to create another audio track altogether and use that. If you bought this set of mics because you wanted to have two separate tracks for each mic plus a safety track, you’re out of luck. You would have to add in a backup shotgun mic to get a safety track of sorts. Which sort of brings me to some of the biggest cons I have with these mics; no backup recordings locally. This may be my biggest complaint mostly because the competitors offer it, but besides that, it’s a really big deal. If you are recording and banking on wireless connections, you know eventually that connection is going to blip out somewhere. It’s just the rules of wireless. When that happens, you’ll want to have a locally recorded backup to fall on. Other mics offer this local recording in the transmitter that can be used to fill any drop out losses, but the sonys do not. There is an indicator light on the receiver and mic that shows if there is a connection (link) but the odds of catching that light blinking or dropping off for a second while you’re shooting are very low. It’s just such a risk if you do not have someone on camera monitoring the audio. If you do have someone monitoring, it’s not that big of a deal, but you still are relying on them to catch it PLUS you have to reshoot the line if you can (You can’t ask a bride to repeat “I do” because it dropped out.) Since these mics seem geared towards the solo shooter, I thought they would include local recording backups, but I guess we have to hope for that in the next one. You can read the list of cons, I won’t go through them all, but my second biggest con is that it doesn’t fully work with SONY’S OWN BODIES. The biggest selling point Sony is making is that it works seamlessly with the Sony camera bodies, BUT if you have a A7iii (very popular body) or an A6600, or I assume, any of the 6000 series and maybe the 7Siii etc, the digital recording option will NOT work. See photos for the full error, but basically the body will tell you the accessory is not recognized. I have not heard back from Sony yet as of writing this review, so I’m not sure if there’s an update I missed that has or will address this, but to me this is a MAJOR miss on Sony’s part. The A7iii was a game changer camera and a TON of creators bought it. Same with the 6000 series crop bodies. The A6600 is an amazing body for shooting video with a small footprint, but you can’t use these mics full options on it. I assume this is the same for any body made before the “iiii” (4) series runs. I’m not sure what the issue is, but I know I have an A7iii, an A6600 and a Zv e10 and oddly enough, the cheapest of those 3 (the Zv) is the only one that allows these mics to use the digital option for recording. Which is why I assume it’s based on newer tech not found in the A7iii etc. You can still flip the switch to analog and use the mics as intended, but it feels a little shady that Sony didn’t have more warnings or explanations about this for potential buyers. I could see some people thinking it doesn’t work at all, not realizing they need to flip the switch to analog. And on that note, the switches are VERY easy to brush up against and move. I worry about the talent wearing the mic brushing up against the noise canceling switch or ATT switch and changing my recording settings during a shoot. A quick little “lock” switch would be nice that prevents any switches from changing anything. OVERALL I’m still really happy with these mics and they will work amazingly for my needs. But they do come with some buts. If you can get passed those issues or they don’t effect your needs, then you will be completely happy with this set. Or if you just want something that’s very user friendly and doesn’t have a ton of settings to figure out or screw up, then these are perfect for you, especially if you have a Sony camera body. If you don’t, you’ll need a cable to run from the receiver to your body (not included) and you’re good to go. The mics come with 2 clip on dead cats (wind screen) that work as intended and they have a jack for a wired lav mic to plug into if you choose to use those. (not included). For the price, I wish there were more features like their competition has, but if you’re a ride or die Sony user, or just want a simple setup that works great every time without thinking, then you will not be disappointed with this set.

This wireless mic set from Sony is overall impressive, but they do miss a few marks. The size is perfect - the traveling charging case is brilliant - the sound and range is generally amazing. And the features on the mic are great. However, there are a few things that keep these from being a 5-Star set. PROS Mics are really small LC/NC Feature on Mics work well Ability to Mix or Separate 2 Mics Works as Analog or Digital Available Safety Feature to record 2 Levels Works great with Phones and Cameras Long Battery Life & Charging Case Strong connection over long distance CONS Digital Hot Shoe Interface not compatible with Sony ZV1 Cameras No high-end Aux Cable Included Seem to get occasional split second interference in sound sometimes When you buy a Sony product, you’re expecting high quality and unfortunately, you always expect them to fall just short of being perfect as they seem to always make one or two choices that just don’t make sense. The Sony ECMW3 set lives up to both expectations. Overall, this is a high quality mic system. The fact that it is a dual channel system and includes two wireless microphones is great. As you would expect each mic can be used as is OR you can plug in another lapel type mic via the Auxiliary port on each mic. You can adjust the decibels up/down on each mic as well as use the Noise Cut Filter OR Low Cut Filter on each mic to help filter out unwanted noise in the recordings and although I’ve so far only tested these out a little, they seem to work well. The mic that’s built on to these is fairly large (not a tiny pin-hole) while the transmitters themselves are super small/slim which is great. I actually was comparing using the transmitter itself on my lapel versus attaching a lapel mic I have and the ECMW3 transmitter being so small, it didn’t look any worse than a lapel mic. The receiver has options for Digital or Analog output. Digital will use either the hot shoe interface (if using it with a compatible Sony camera) or the USB-C port (for iPhone, Computer, other Smartphones). Unfortunately, Sony did not make this compatible with the ZV1 Vlogging-centric Camera line. I’m not sure if that’s due to a limitation built into the camera or just a limitation with this mic system, but either way, that’s huge fail to me. I would expect a pricey high end Sony Mic system to work with the Sony high end cameras built specifically for Social Media Influencers. Of course you can still use these with those cameras - you just have to use the Analog output and an Auxiliary cord to connect audio into the camera. And again, with a system that cost this much AND knowing the hot shoe isn’t compatible with many top Sony cameras, I would have appreciated if they would have included a high end cord for that, but they didn’t. So I had to go find my own. The receiver also has an option to Separate or Mix the two channels when using two mics. This designation is used differently if you’re use the Safety feature which is another excellent feature on this system. If you put it into Safety mode, you essentially get two recordings with one being recorded at a lower level in case your normal level causes clipping. Another great feature of the receiver and mics are the LEDs which clearly indicate when the mics are connected to the receiver as well as things like if Safety mode is enabled. Of course, any mic system is only as good as it sounds. While it’ll take me some more time to use this mic in many more circumstances, I have used it several times already for filming review videos which I do as a side gig. The range on these is great! The mic doesn’t seem to have any problem over long distances or through walls in shorter to mid-range distances. The sound was consistent over these. However, I have noticed in my filming an occasional “staticky” sound - just a split second, less than a second even, but definitely there and definitely something I do not get if using a wired mic. I’ve got to do some more testing to see if this is innate and a mic issue or if there is something I am doing or not doing that might be contributing, but I have seen the issue on two very different recordings and have not heard the issue from recordings in the exact same situations but with a wired mic so it does make me a little nervous. Other than that issue, the sound is impressive and impeccable. My voice sounds as clear as if you were standing there with me - the filters also seem to work really well in my few times testing them out, though of course, you’ll want to check how those may alter your voice a little before deciding to use them or not. Sony did also include wind filters for the mics which was a nice addition to help for filming in breezy conditions. I’m a bit conflicted about this system. Overall, an excellent high quality system. But since I can’t use it with the hot shoe on my ZV1 camera, and considering the price point, would I choose these over the similar DJI or RODE systems? If you have one of the cameras that is fully compatible with the hot shoe digital sound on this, then, I’d definitely recommend it. But if not, then I’d probably consider one of the other ones over this system.

The Sony ECM-W3 microphone, while technically compatible with any device with a 3.5mm audio input, is clearly targeted to Sony Alpha camera owners and to a lesser extent Sony camcorder users too. For everyone else I’d say stop reading now and look at true universal microphone systems first – one’s where all features are available regardless of camera used. The ECM-W3 offers great out-of-the-box sound to all but its best features – minimal set up, being totally wireless and offering digital audio - are reserved for MI hot shoe equipped Sony Alpha cameras. Place it on another brand’s camera and you’ll need to plug an analog cable from the receiver to your device and, perhaps have to find a menu setting in your camera to turn on external audio in. This plus the ECM-W3’s absent features in my mind equates to a product best only for Sony users who maybe will use occasionally with non-Sony stuff too. I think my “use case” represents who will be happy with this system. I use the ECM-W3 with the Sony FDR-AX43 camcorder because, while it won’t capture audio digitally with no MI hot shoe, it remains 100% wireless system on this model and can draw power from this camcorder’s battery rather than its own if needed. I like that convenience, which is the ECM-W3’s “calling card.” I’m also unaffected by some of the “missing” features on the ECM-W3 which I’ll discuss in the features section below. As such I think it’s useful to give this microphone three distinct ratings depending on what equipment it will be used with – 4 stars if you’ll be using it with a Sony MI hot shoe equipped Camera, 3.5 for use with a Sony camcorder, and 3 for use with anything else. Again, if you don’t have a Sony camera I can’t recommend this system over it’s price peers. WHAT’S INCLUDED In the box is two microphone transmitters, i.e., mics, each with approximately 3 hours battery life fully charged, a receiver with Sony MI connector, a wind cover for each transmitter, an excellent combination charging/storage case with USB-C charging port (cable and charger not included), and a small travel pouch for the case. The charging storage case is compact, light and easy to pack in an medium size camera bag. The receiver and transmitters magnetically pop into their correct charging position and each component also has a charging indicator for visual confirmation. The best feature of the case is that it has its own battery so it’s capable of charging the system multiple times when unplugged. This is a huge feature if you are in the field. It takes about a couple hours to fully charge a mic but if you are only using one mic at a time you can swap between them for hours. Each mic has about 3 hours of battery life. The receiver can draw power from the camera’s battery if needed. FEATURES AND IDEAL USER (in my opinion) While this microphone is at its best on compatible Sony cameras it’s likely only a good match for an even narrower group of these creators. I think a happy user will be one that: 1. does not record scenes far away from the camera 2. shoots strictly in line-of-sight of the camera, not off camera or hiding behind objects 3. puts a high priority on “plug and play” ease of use The ECM-W3 seems it was designed for those who want good audio without the fuss of complex settings or extensive postproduction editing. For example, vloggers that are the talent, producer, and video editor. It’s about as “plug and play” as well sounding system gets, and it does sound great. If it’s limited on-board controls and lack of software or an app evoke hallelujah!, read on. But if you enjoy being the pilot, not co-pilot, of your audio quality, this model is not for you. A notable absent feature here, especially given the “low frustration” design of this system, is it has no backup audio capability like similar mic systems have. So if your audio drops out, you’ll have to do another take. For many creators this is a non-starter, others, especially for those doing live shots, or unlike to be far from the camera at any time, this won’t matter. Still, it’s a significant omission at this price range and a reason why I could not give it five stars. Four stars is no slouch, and I do feel this model serves it’s intended user well, but it’s not a “jack of all trades” product to be sure. The receiver has just two audio switches – one to toggle between digital and analog audio capture (only relevant if its sitting on an Alpha camera) and another to set the number of tracks when using both transmitters (mics) – “Mix” if you want audio from both mics on the same track or “Sep” if you want each on a separate track. i.e., stereo. There is also a “Safety” button…. If you will be using this with a Sony camcorder like me, be aware that the receiver must be switched to “analog” or you will get a “not compatible” message on your camera. If you see this message just know the lack of compatibility is with the digital audio capture not the system itself. The mics are equally simple. There are just two audio controls: a filter switch for either noise cancelling or low cut (or off), and an attenuator to raise the speaker’s voice 10 or 20dB in noisy conditions. And that’s it. The system sets other audio elements like gain automatically. I found the noise cancelling works sometimes and undetectable other times but the background noise never ruined the recording and worst case, most video editors can easily remove or at least greatly reduce this kind of noise – no stand along audio software needed. USE EXPERIENCE For Sony users, this might be one of the easiest accessories to set up. Compatible Sony cameras and camcorders recognize it immediately. The user doesn’t have to wade through a menu to activate anything. As I noted early, if you are using a camcorder you will need to make sure the receiver is set to analog. This ease of use is one of the key reasons, I think, to buy this model. I hate fiddling with menu systems and cables, especially cables because of the risk they’ll get caught on something and damage the camera’s jack. I conducted a lot of experiments with ECM-W3, most unrealistic to how I’ll actually use it, but I wanted to find its breaking point for reference, so I know there its limitations. They were not scientifically conducted so your mileage may vary. Like all lavalier mics, they attach to your clothes with a small clip. Placement is important. They should be on your collar. Any lower and the quality of the audio dissipates rapidly. I don’t think these are any different in that regard than other lav mics. My tests ranged from leaving camera on my main floor (#2 of 4 in a 1800 sq ft-ish townhome) and then moving around the house to putting my camera on a tripod and walking down the street 200 ft or so. Sony claims a 500 ft range, but I did not want to get that far away from my camera on a public street. Also, I can’t see ever shooting 500 ft away from my camera either. My results, regardless of location, were similar – when Sony says the mic has to be in line of sight of the camera believe it. There is a bit more wiggle room recording inside than outside though. Going up and down my stairs slight static started about 20 ft out of sight but at no time did I lose the signal. To be fair, I think the overall performance was admirable given that I was out of sight and behind walls. The static here was so minor it could easily be removed in post. When I took the camera outside though after about 60 ft with my back to the camera, so out of sight, I lost the signal completely. It quickly recovered when I turned around toward the camera, but static started in when I got behind a tree blocking my line of sight with the camera. One aspect I wonder about is how other atmospheric conditions may have affected the signal. I was in an urban area with lots of other radio waves roaming though the air. The good news, at least for my use case, is that both inside, with the camera mounted on a tripod and me sitting at a desk or outside with me standing a few in front of the camera, or hand holding it, all was well. Perfect clean audio. My conclusion is the ECM-W3 is a joy to use as long as you don’t push the system near its limits and stay in view of the camera. Frankly, this is the kind of shooting I do – I’m always in front or behind the camera – not mega feet away. So, this mic is perfect for the content I make. It’s compact, installs in seconds, good battery life, sounds sharp and realistic, not over processed or muddy. For ease of use with a compatible Sony camera I don’t think there is anything else easier to set up than the ECM-W3 at this level of sound quality and price point. It’s a great choice especially for the solo or two team creators who want to focus on content not whether the audio levels are OK. That said, I do feel it’s a niche system compared to its similar priced peers which seek to satisfy users of every brand camera and so pack in more features – though not ease of use. And if you want complete control over audio capture then you’ll want to look elsewhere too for a system that offers more on-board or “via app” settings.

A quick bit of background - I've been using the ECM-W2BT for the past 6 months and have been looking forward to moving onto a 2-mic setup from Sony. A lot of my opinions on this are compared against the ECM-W2BT, since that's my best point of reference. Design and Build The ECM-W3 consists of two compact microphone-transmitters and a dual-channel receiver. The transmitters are lightweight (17g each) and easily clip onto clothing, while the receiver, weighing 25g, mounts directly onto Sony cameras via the Multi Interface Shoe (MI Shoe). This design eliminates the need for cumbersome cables, enhancing mobility and ease of use during shoots. Both the transmitters and receiver are dust- and moisture-resistant, making them suitable for various shooting environments. Performance and Sound Quality The ECM-W3 delivers high-quality digital sound recording, thanks to its high signal-to-noise ratio (S/N) microphones. The system uses Bluetooth 5.3 and LC3plus codecs, ensuring low power consumption, low latency, and high sound quality. This setup allows for a clear communication range of up to 150 meters in line-of-sight conditions. The microphones also feature noise-cut and low-cut filters, which effectively reduce background noise and low-frequency disturbances, making post-production easier and more efficient. In windy conditions, remember to use the included windscreen/windshields to cover the mics and make your source audio clearer. They do work wonderfully. Versatility One of the standout features of the ECM-W3 is its versatility. While it integrates seamlessly with Sony cameras via the MI Shoe, it also supports other recording devices. The receiver includes a 3.5mm analog output and a USB Type-C port, allowing it to connect to PCs, smartphones, and other cameras that support USB audio input. This makes it a versatile tool that isn't limited to Sony gear alone. Pay attention to this point folks, because it's not easy to find a professional mic setup that's as multi-functional while also delivering clear, high quality audio. Meanwhile, the ECM-W3's charging case keeps everything charged and together in a single carrying case. The receiver and microphones magnetically snap into the case and its good peace of mind to know that your hardware won't be jumping around in its case during transportation. There's a part of me that wishes the MI Shoe cover and windscreens would fit in the case, but at the very least, the case is useful and solid. Ease of Use Setting up the ECM-W3 is straightforward. Once the receiver is attached to the camera and the microphones are clipped onto the subjects, the system is ready to go. The microphones and receiver feature a three-position attenuator switch for controlling audio levels and a safety function that records a secondary audio track at -20 dB to prevent clipping during loud recordings. The included charging case not only protects the microphones and receiver but also charges all three devices simultaneously via a single USB Type-C port. This is a huge upgrade from the ECM-W2BT which required 2 micro-USB cables/chargers for a single microphone and receiver and absolutely adds to the ease of use factor. Practical Applications The ECM-W3 is ideal for various applications, from vlogging and interviews to professional video production. Its ability to connect to multiple devices means you can use it for high-quality audio recording on PCs and smartphones, making it perfect for remote work, live streaming, and content creation on the go. Additionally, the 3.5mm input on the microphones allows for the use of external lavalier mics, offering even more flexibility in recording setups. The 3.5mm output on the receiver, as well as USB Type-C connection, mean you can output your audio to almost any device you can think of. The flexibility is awesome. Conclusion The Sony ECM-W3 is a robust, versatile, and high-quality wireless microphone system that caters to a wide range of recording needs. Its seamless integration with Sony cameras, combined with its ability to connect to other devices, makes it an excellent choice for anyone looking to enhance their audio recording capabilities. Although it comes at a premium price, the features and performance justify the investment for serious content creators and professionals. To those who value versatility, this setup will pay for itself. For those who don't need 2 mics with high quality audio and a myriad of capture/recording options, they may want to look elsewhere. There are certainly cheaper options to be found, but this product is for the enthusiasts and professionals.

Wireless mic is a game changer for those vlogging. Having clean audio track can make or break a good video. These Sony wireless mic dual channel is great if you want the option to have 2 people mic’d up. Pros: *Compact charging case *Compact wearable microphones *Sounds great *Wind sock Cons: *No internal recording *Noise filters are meh at best *True wireless with only cameras that support it, like Sony Alpha *No display on the mics *Does not include TRS cable These Sony ECM-W3 competes in a very tough market with competitors such as Rode and DJI. At this price point, the competitors are similarly priced but offer a bit more in benefits. At this price point, I would expect these to have an internal recording feature for an emergency backup track but these Sony does not. Sony also lacks any kind of display that Rode and DJI have on theirs. The Sony does have indicators showing power and what channel but nothing about levels or battery life. The benefit to these Sony over the others is if you have a camera that has a multi-interface hot shoe. That way you can go without a use of a TRS 3.5mm cable. For me, I vlog with a GoPro Hero 12 with a media mod case so I can have 3.5mm and cold shoe access. That means I also needed to purchase a separate TRS cable that other brands will provide in the box. It’s almost like Sony expects that everyone will be using these mics with an Alpha or MI capable camera. In summary, these Sony wireless Mics are well made but maybe should only be for folks with Sony Alpha cameras. With no display and internal recording capabilities, I would suggest only getting these if your camera has a Multi-interface MI hot shoe for the price.