You will Love OR Hate this mic! - Sony ECM-W2BT Review
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- Опубліковано 9 січ 2022
- Ahh, the Sony ECM-W2BT microphone... the one piece of gear that I thought would be the ultimate accessory for any Sony camera owner... Well, maybe it is or maybe it isn't. You'll find out by the end of this video!
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Sony ZV-E10: (affiliate links ahead)
amzn.to/3k088Rp
Sony ECM-W2BT:
amzn.to/3p0N7r7
Other Studio Equipment:
Canon EOS T7i - amzn.to/2D8Pd0N
Lewitt LCT-440 Pure Condenser Microphone - amzn.to/2UWcAFf
Rode PSA1 Microphone Boom Arm - amzn.to/2UQmpnZ
Yamaha AG03 USB Interface - amzn.to/2D7dwMQ
Great video mate! I liked how you talked about some youtubers not having the sound experience as that described me perfectly! I can't hear the hiss so i'll probably give this mic a go unless something better has come out from the sony range since your video?
Yeeeeeaaaaa there is a ton of hiss. Watched a bunch of videos and hadn’t heard it until now. Good review 🤙
So glad you posted this! I was gutted when I heard how loud the background hiss is on this mic. Do on camera options like the rode mics have better quality and no hiss? Thanks!
Thanks for your question! I too was disappointed when I heard the audio quality from the ECM-W2BT as I wanted to love it for all the reasons I listed! With regards to alternatives, the RODE Wireless GO I (single transmitter) is in a similar price range, offers limited features for ease of use and IMO sounds way better than the ECM-W2BT. Hope this helps!
I liked this video so much, I ended up buying the mic. I'll use it for a channel I have at work that I shoot in my kitchen and streaming
Awesome Peter! Thanks so much for your comment!
amazing video! thanks a lot for this
Thanks for your comment! Hope the video was helpful!
Picked up the ECM-B10 (Who has time to wait on product delivery with the ECM-B1M) for the ZV-E10 and ECM-G1 for the Xperia Pro-I. Both sound great. The ECM-B10 has all the right buttons. Now if they merged the ECM-B10 with ECM-W2BT... that'd be a winner for sure!
Thanks for your comment! I totally agree! It feels like Sony either hits it out of the park or swings and misses. A little more consistency between their mics would go a long way!
Thank you man, very well done Video, you do a great job!
Thanks Dave! I appreciate you saying so!
I have a sony hx400v will this work to some extent? I know it’s not completely compatible but is it so much that I will notice? I shoot outside.
Mean video bro, like u said I have tried wide variety of mics, and fed up. and ended up using this Sony mic and same issue, perhaps worst..only thing its easy to use becoz less cables, especially for our hunting and fishing videos. but the quality of audio is terrible, peaking high and we can't control the gain..
thank you for your video
Thanks for this review 👌
You're welcome! Hope it helped!
I use this mic with the ZV1 and I set it to analog and use the included cable connection. Using it in this way you can adjust the levels in the camera. I think the sound is fine.
Sounds like a good workaround, but a bummer that the MI isn't cleaner.
I have 7 microphones. One of them is this. I am satisfied with the sound quality. :)
You also need more subs. This was an excellent video 👍🏻
Great Video!
I'm using Saramonic Blink500 Pro and looking to simplify my setup with they Sony ones.
Definitely for someone that is looking for simplicity, on a Sony compatible and doesn't mind that big transmitter that shouts "MIC!" then I agree with you. I also agree this is not a good solution for studio/podcast/inside untreated rooms as it was apparent the noise. Outside wasn't so bad, plus we got to see you play...LOL!! Thank you.
Lol, it was fun to sled, but not fun to shovel! You're totally right, for the casual outdoor use that's power on and go, the set is great! But it's a shame it's not as quiet as other options.
Great review thanks. Would you know of any alternatives for the Sony a600 ? It had no audio in mini Jack so it would need to use the hit shoe?
Very helpful review. I'm not an audiophile and I could not hear the hiss or white noise on your UA-cam video, so either its because my ears are not trained to notice it, or it was somehow tamed down when the video was published here. I soooo want to get rid of the cable and try this mic on my new Sony a7c!
Hey Mark! Thanks for your comment! I think it really depends on a few factors including what device you're watching a video on and where you are environment wise for any noticeable hiss to be detected. And IMO, if you're recording your videos in an inherently noisier environment, viewers are less likely to notice or even be bothered by it. Unfortunately, I have an audio channel... lol! But the trade off for a cable-less setup is super nice! Additionally, from what I've seen/heard, this mic can sound different using the MI shoe on different Sony cameras.
Lol glad to know it's not just me. Couldn't hear any white noise or hissing from my phone, Bluetooth headphones, or laptop. So wondered if I'd be ok with it, but my audience would be super annoyed 😂
Not just hiss, distortion too. BTW the Rode audible RF interference, maybe you should consider replacing the cable or change the position of the receiver
Great video, well made. I thought about purchasing this but now I'll look elsewhere. I subscribed.
Hi Tahnaiya! Thanks for your co and sub! Hope my videos are helpful!
Just got this and really like the convenience. Have just used it twice now and am encountering the noise issue from the mic.
Really quite enfuriating. Considering returning it for another alternative.
Nice review mate👍🏻
Hey, thanks for your comment! Yes, the convenience is great but the self noise is... meh! It feels like the system had huge potential but then the execution falls short. But for what it is the convenience is the trade off for audio quality.
@@WayneRECs Agree completely. Audio quality is king and the convenience factor just isn't enough to sell this. As far as I can tell you are the only reviewer to have mentioned this.
Would you recommend the rode wireless go 2 as a substitute? Ready to throw this thing in the bin😅
Hey Scott! I think there are a lot (maybe too many) prosumer wireless mic options currently on the market. The RODE Wireless GO II has proven to be a reliable workhorse with just the right amount of features to not be too overwhelming. I think a dual transmitter set like the Wireless GO II in your case could be useful to experiment with. You could mic yourself up with one transmitter and then utilize the 2nd with something like the RODE Videomic GO II (when and if you want to expand your audio gear) and then run both channels separately into your camera. It may sound redundant, but it provides the versatility of different use cases in different environments.
I saw that you have what looks like an SM7B for your stream set up! So having something like the above would compliment your gear with a wider range of use (especially if you want to take it out vlog style or use them in your talking head studio segments).
@@WayneRECs Seriously, thank you so much for taking the time and giving such a detailed response here. Especially the feedback after taking the time to review my own content.
Not a lot of people would have done that.
I'm really wading in here and trying to improve my overall production quality. Haven't streamed for a while but the SM7B was what I was using and also for some studio stuff, but need to be able to move around a bit and doesn't perform great at distance.
I hadn't even thought about being able to wire up a separate directional mic. That would be awesome. Tried a little vlog on the beach with the Sony thing but again the gain is ridiculous.
I think you've just made my mind up as I sit here with the wireless go 2 sat in my Amazon basket😂
Thank you once again and keep up the great content!
I feel Rode wireless go may be better. One more thing I can use it on Analogue Mode only. Dont Know why? Any body can help me with any suggestions for better quality?? Please suggest.
Great review - I have a Sony ZV-E10 camera and also bought this mic to go with it. I'm a bit disappointed with the background hiss. Can you please suggest a good upgrade? To have 2 wireless mics as well as on the camera would also be helpful. Looking for great audio but wireless as we do vlog style videos. Thank you!
Hey Paul! Thanks for your comment! While I no longer have my ZV -E10, there are a lot of 2.4 GHz wireless mic solutions out there in a number of varying budget ranges. But personally, the one feature that is a must with these systems is the ability to record internally on the transmitter while simultaneously sending a signal to the receiver. The two most popular systems that come to mind are the DJI MIC & the RODE Wireless GO II. Each have they're pros and cons but internal recording is the best way to combat signal dropouts.
With regards to your wants, having a 3 input system that records in camera is a tough one. As most cameras record stereo (tracks), having a 3rd involves splitter cables and/or mixing 2 signals together. If 3 mics is a must, I would consider either an external recorder with at least 4 individual inputs or using a wireless system with your camera (assigning one ch to L & the other ch to R) and then using a smaller external recorder for the 3rd person which would then be inserted in post. Hope this helps!
Hey Wayne, I wish I would have seen this video before I purchased the ECM-W2BT. I encountered the same HISSSS issues when I paired this on both my A7C and A7R4. I wanted to like this setup but went back to using the Rode Wireless Go 2 for Lav recording into the camera (no hiss).
Hey Laurence! Thanks for sharing your camera and mic pairings! Yes, I too wish I would have seen this video before I purchased the ECM-W2BT lol! I think it has its use cases and has a place in a specific user base creating a certain kind of content, but it's def not a Wireless GO killer! Thanks for commenting!
I have this mic. Can confirm the hiss is very loud! I can't quite believe how this mic made it out of Sony in this condition.
But the switch setup is another annoyance. The receiver unit has an analogue/digital setting and 'off' is in the middle. Very hard to get the off position! Usually you'll accidentally switch passed it into the digital or analogue position depending on where you were to begin with. Off should be a hard-stop position so you can switch it off with confidence and know it's done. Ideally this should have its own dedicated switch as well, so that you can also switch the analogue/digital modes with confidence in the same way.
If you use the analogue setting it's the worst because the 'off' option is then backwards between the receiver and the mic. You switch up for off on the receiver (to the middle position, grr!) and down on the mic.
I also found that hot-shoe connection was very unreliable. It's not the shoe on my camera because it happens across different cameras. When the problem happens you get an incompatible device error or, worse, sometimes you get no error but after some time filming you realise your audio levels are down to zero. To counter this I've ended up going with the wired mic connection!
The final thing I hate about this mic is the battery life. It doesn't last very long at all.
Thanks for the video. I will continue to use a mobile phone whith mic then, or lav mic+zoom h2n when vlogging. Have a Sony a6000 and been looking for wireless audio for it for years. This is a bummer Sony, will invest in other setups. And continue to sync audio in post.
Hey Frode! Thanks for your comment! I totally understand where you're coming from! Your current set up sounds great in your videos but I understand wanting to use a wireless setup to record audio in camera. These days, there are a lot of different options from RODE, Deity, DJI, Hollyland and the list goes on and on. Sound quality can vary but there are options for lots of different budget ranges.
The Sony MI ecosystem is super appealing but the execution of this particular setup doesn't hold up to other prosumer wireless options currently available.
@@WayneRECs thanks for the reply.. Current setup, especially with mobile phone which you always have on you, works ok and I find the audio to be quite decent. However, cable free is a wish. Going to pick up both the Sony and wireless go 2 tomorrow to try :)
I'm having a problen in mine with A7III: I recorded some interviews, and just to have a background backup i set the mic to MIX, but the problem later on editing was that, i imagined that each mic will record on a specific channel, on in the left and the other in the right, but NO it was all mixed and messed up all my interview recordings with the 2 mics.
Sorry to hear! Unfortunately, this is how the Mix function works by design. With this particular unit, there is no way to separate the two mics into separate L/R channels. Seems like an oversight on Sony's part to not have a split mode, but it's probably to simplify the use for less tech savy users.
I wished sony watched your video and addressed the issues. I thought my unit was broken when I heard the white noise, but probably it's not. They should be able to fix some things. Also, when using mix, they sould split one mic to left and other to right. Currently it seems to mix both channels, which limits audio editing afterwards in your editing software.
I hear you! It feels like Sony rushed this set out to market and omitted some key features that would have made it 10x better!
I conncted my Sony ECM-W2BT with Samsung s22 and I have a noticable and loud hiss background noice. Searched and found your video describing the same issue.
Sounds good to me mate.
Thanks so much for saying so!
Just received my ECM-W2BT and will compare it to my favorite Rode Wireless Go II
Awesome! Let us know how you like it!
Do you have a link to the video comparisons ?
I plan to buy this to record my voice in the gym where the music from the speakers in the gym is an issue. Because I do not want to record the music in the gym for my UA-cam videos to avoid copyright issue. Is this the right product that I should go for? Thanks in advance for your advice bro.
Thanks for your question! This is a tough one... I'm that kind of environment, it will be nearly impossible not to record the ambient music playing, regardless of what mic you use. There are two things you can try. First, take a test recording in the gym and try running the Audio track though the new Adobe Speech Enhancer. It's a free tool on the Adobe Podcast website. This might be able to remove any background music and isolate your voice.
Otherwise, you record voiceovers outside the gym and put them over your gym footage.
Hi there, I can't seem to find any answer anywhere to this. Do you know if you can record the camera's on board 3.5mm mic alongside the audio coming from this mic via the MI shoe on separate channels? Thanks!
Hey Nick! Thanks for your question! While I no longer own this particular set up, from my recollection, there is no way to record any combination of sources into split L/R tracks. When the Receiver is connected via the MI shoe, the camera only recognizes that device as the audio input. In fact, I believe you can't even split the ECM-W2BT Transmitter and Receiver mics into separate tracks. If you enable the RX mic, the system merges them into both L/R (dual mono). Hope this helps!
@@WayneRECs Thanks for letting me know! Seems like Sony really missed the mark not allowing their cameras to change the settings on these devices.
I bought Sony ZV 1 and Sony W2BT and I just Cant use the mic. Paid good money and resting in cupboard. I found very poor quality. Now I am using the Bilt in ZV 1. May I dont know the settings properly. Let me try once again in without dead cat and 10db.
Hi, thanks for your comment! Frustrating for sure! Sony has a list on their website of compatible cameras and the setting (analog or digital) that each accepts, but it seems odd that all Sony cameras aren't just digital... I think if you're using this mic indoors, it produces a less than ideal sound (mostly because you almost need exterior ambient noise to mask the inherent mic noise. The RODE Wireless GO would be a better sounding option, but the draw of the ECM-W2BT is the MI compatibility.
you will need to set the Mic to Analog out for it to work with ZV-1
I still use Rode Filmmaker kit, but the lavalier mics don't last more then some months because people pull the cable after the interviews. So i have to buy new mics every year... i'm using rode lavalier go with the filmmaker kit. I wish the rode wireless go transmitter was smaller... i'm just waiting to see what comes next... what do you think about the new dji wireless mic?
Hi Claudio! Thanks for your Comment! While I don't personally have one, I think the DJI wireless mic system may be the overall best option out there and that's mostly because of the control options, specifically gain settings. Based on what I've researched, I believe that you can control the output of the Receiver AND also adjust the gain for each transmitter independently. (Someone correct me if I'm wrong).
Coupled with features like built in recording, safety track options, included accessories and not needing to use a proprietary software/app to access certain features, the DJI system would be my next purchase if I was in need of another w/l system.
That being said, if/when RODE releases the GO III, it could be all that we want and more. They do seem to be paving the way for everyone else with regards to these prosumer wireless kits.
But at the end of the day, we can often get stuck in the loop of waiting for the next best and greatest piece of gear and miss out on buying what we need right now.
Which wireless mic would you recommend for Sony a6000? I need it for online pilates class videos.. Thank you, I appreciate the help!
Thanks for your comment! I think there are a few factors in your case. Are you conducting these online classes live? Or are you recording them to your A6000 and then editing and uploading them? As the Sony A6000 doesn't have any mic inputs, if you absolutely need to record wireless audio into your camera, then the ECM-W2BT is pretty much your only option as it can connect to the camera via the MI shoe (when set to Analog mode on the Receiver). Other options if you edit your videos would be to record your audio separately on a small wearable audio recorder and then sync that audio recording with your video in post.
If you are conducting live classes, it would depend on the device you're using to stream on as well as the software you're using if any. For example, if you are livestreaming with a PC and using OBS to stream to YT, you can configure all the video sources and audio sources independently (meaning that you wouldn't have to have your wireless mic run to your A6000 but rather to your PC).
So depending on your specific situation, there are a few different options you could take.
Hey@@WayneRECs! I will record them and then upload them on website. But I am not really good with editing, so I am trying to find the easiest solution since there will be a lot of videos. THANK YOU!
Does it work on iPhones ??
Does this youtube video have it? I don't think I hear it through my BT speaker or my phone earlier. I might not be able to hear those freqs. I hear what I think you might be talking about - but when I hit pause on the video, this continues on my BT speaker for about 8 seconds until it cuts out, so I don't think it is related to the audio in the video. My laptop speakers are too pathetic to make the audio sound decent. The sound I hear is like old record players playing static.
Hi, thanks for your input! Your comment is actually extremely insightful! The background noise is a light hiss or white noise. The most audible difference is at 3:00 with my direct comparison on my Zoom H6.
What's interesting is how the audio on any given video is heard differently based on the device and listening environment of the viewer. As I mentioned, for some, the audio quality will not be so noticeable, but for others, it could be unbearable.
I think our job as Content Creators is to try to provide the best experience for as many viewers as we can. And when it comes to audio, if a viewer doesn't even notice if it's "good" or "bad" then you're doing a great job! But for those who do listen to YT videos critically, they will always appreciate the best audio you can produce.
I tested the ECM0W2BT in the hot shoe, the ECM-XYST1M in the hot shoe, and ECM-DS70P plugged directly into mic in - They all sounded the same on the ZV-E10. (I was listening the the "dead space". The internal mic was the quietest during the dead space. I guess it's time to compare with my RX10M4?
Sony RX10IV - The 2 hot shoe Sony mics are not digitally compatible with the Sony RX10M4 (warning message). Plugged in the mic adapter - both sounded roughly the same. Both appear to pick to up green bars around 60%?. The ECM-DS70P was picking up what sounded like my fan noise from network fan. I put the wind muff on it, still the same. I tested with the RX10M4 internal mics - barely 10-20% registering on the green bars - and it was nearly DEAD silent on those mics. Turned down to audio rec level 13 on both to 13 with the mic adapter - there's no static noise. Looks like you lose control relying on the hot shoe as like you mentioned - you can't adjust it.
Thanks for reporting your findings! Frustrating for sure the inconsistencies between Sony's various cameras and accessories. I love the MI concept, but it seems like it's implementation is just... meh. Thanks for testing your mics and cameras and sorry you had to type out all of those ECM names lol!
Honestly, it doesn't sound that bad and the hiss is easeiy removed in post
I just bought this microphone but it is not working with Sony A6000. I don't know what to do and how to look for setup.
Try setting the receiver to Analog (as per Sony's website, some models need to be set to analog for MI compatibility)
man, you should read before buying, this mic only work with super new cameras hotshoe like Zv1 Zve10 A7c and so on, they even list the compatible cameras of the website,
They give you a cable and the option of using this mic in analog mode but a6000 doesn't come with mic input, so the mic is perfectly fine, just it's not compatible with your camera in both ways
I don't have a wireless mic yet.. I just use one with a cable 😬
You don't have the use the built-in mic the are 3.5mm on it so you can just set it up as BT and use a high end mic.
Try pairing it with the Rode Lavalier GO Professional
That's true, you can use any external mic with a TRS plug. But actually the Rode Lavalier GO has an issue with this Sony transmitter: You get an awful pumping sound that's getting louder the farther you go away from the receiver. Seems like the Lav GO's cable is not properly shielded and/or the W2BT's transmitter is inducing noise interference...
My only peeve outside of the sound quality is that I'm not able to mount it when I have my A7C in a camera cage. 😂😂
Totally! And if you have more than 1 MI accessory, well...
Ok... well... I dont hear any hiss at all... I recently got a Relacart MI Passport and that hisses real bad so im looking for something else.
As a audio engineer moving into filming, a lot of us audiophiles are heavily critical on little things that the average person probably wouldn't even notice or care about. Realistically, this mic sounds great, and if there is a hiss you can just use a de-hisser or a limiter in post to cut it out.
Can I use it with my laptop/PC
Using the 3.5mm microphone analog out port on the receiver I am pretty sure that you can use this wireless mic with any device with a mic input port.
Well, tbh - the sound of the speech in this video (both inside and outside) is perfectly fine through UA-cam. I listen on high end 2.0 PC speakers and there is no difference with pretty much all other content.
Thanks so much for your comment! It's super interesting to hear your experience and how UA-cam as a platform affects different video production aspects.
I agree with the original comment in this case. The artifacts between 5:16 -5:24 are very noticably though. Sounds like a problem with the bandwith over wireless to me, but who knows
Will this mic physically slide onto a Canon hotshoe?
While I no longer have the ECM-W2BT I can't test it on my Canon camera, but it should fit with no issues. You would obviously need to then use a 3.5mm TRS cable from the receiver to your camera as you wouldn't be able to take advantage of Sony's MI interface.
I only use Sony cameras for ENG and documentaries. If this is also your bag then DON'T get this, I have used R0de WiGo for three years very effectively, then two for dual channel recording, replaced the latter with the Wireless Go II but TBH swiftly settled on the latest version - the Wireless Pro.
Hard to turn away from the Sony mics but quite simply they do not have the flexibility of R0des products ESPECIALLY their ongoing updates - something very lacking with Sony
One other poor point is that Sony never produced at least a proper own camera list.
I use Rode go microphone
Thanks for your comment! The RODE mics are definitely great alternatives!
I would hate them, because you can't replace the batteries
Rode Wireless Go II. BTW, what background noise, you failed to share that, the entire point of your video.
Sony:
Rode:
Ha, no joke! But eeeee can sometimes be easier to notch out with EQ over noise reduction an ssssss lol
You do know it comes with a lave mic
Thanks for your comment! Sony does make a wired lav mic that they promote with this set, but it is a separate purchase and not included with the transmitter and receiver.