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Sony ECM-AX10: First Eclipsa Audio-certified mic for phones
A compact USB-C microphone records spatial audio for vloggers and mobile filmmakers, with four omnidirectional capsules and no wires to the phone.
Sony has released a compact USB-C microphone called the ECM-AX10, which Popular Science reports is the world's first Eclipsa Audio-certified mic for smartphones. It weighs 24 grams.
The microphone uses four omnidirectional capsules to capture audio in three formats: Ambisonics, binaural, and stereo. That lets a user record the sense of space and direction for projects such as travel videos, festival footage, sports events or gear reviews.
For Ambisonics, the ECM-AX10 records four channels at 48 kHz with 32-bit float quality. Sony's Spatial Audio Video Tool can then produce a full-sphere Eclipsa Audio experience for YouTube, based on the open IAMF standard, Popular Science reports. Binaural recording at the same sample rate and 16-, 24- or 32-bit depth can translate to 360 Reality Audio for headphone-based 3D sound. Stereo recording works with general recording and video apps and any social platform.
The microphone includes a Selfie Mode for aligning the mic to the front or rear camera, an attenuator switch that drops sensitivity by 20 dBFS to prevent overloading, and noise cut controls. A 3-axis gyroscope and 3-axis accelerometer keep audio aligned with the video's orientation. A 3.5 mm minijack allows wired monitoring. The package also contains a windscreen, spacer sheet, shoe-mount microphone holder (cold shoe, no electrical contacts) and a USB-C extension cable.
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