Sony Launches the ECM-M1 Microphone Designed for Content Creators and Videographers

Sony is hailing its new ECM-M1 Microphone as its “most versatile sound capture tool to date”, and it comes in a minimal contact setup.

Designed specifically for content creators and videographers, the ECM-M1 is an 8-in-1 shotgun microphone that can capture the best sound quality possible in various recording applications and environments. With over eight modes, the user can manually control and select using the mic’s rear, the ECM-M1 is highly versatile and convenient, especially for users with a “one-for-all-microphone” mentality.

The eight modes offered by the ECM-M1 microphone are super-directional, uni-directional, omnidirectional, super directional (rear), super directional (front and rear), super directional (front and rear separate), stereo, and ultra-directional. How is having eight modes a game-changer in the microphone game? Allow us to explain.

1. The super-directional mode is perfect for recording audio and sound sources that are directly in front of the camera or microphone (e.g. vlogs and interviews).
2. The uni-directional mode is used for recording audio and sound sources that are coming from a small group or wider source in front of the camera or microphone.
3. The omnidirectional mode allows the user to record audio and sound sources coming from different directions of the camera or microphone.
4. The super directional (rear) mode enables the user to record content where the sound source is walking and talking at the same time as it will exceptionally pickup audio that is only coming directly behind the camera.
5. The super directional (front and rear) mode will let the user pick up audio either from the or back while rejecting sounds coming from the sides.
6. The super directional (front and rear separate) mode is an interesting option that the ECM-M1 provides as it will allow the user to choose if it only wants to pick up audio from either the front or back while blocking the other one out. Either mode is perfect for Q&A recordings.
7. The stereo mode is for users who plan on capturing music recordings or audio recordings wherein separating the left and right channels is desired.
8. The ultra-directional mode allows the user to cut and block out all other sound sources except for what is coming directly in front of the mic in a hyper-focused way. If you plan on recording any ASMR content or recording in a noisy environment, then you would want to use this mode.

On top of having manual control over choosing which mode to use, the user will also have manual control over the ECM-M1’s noise suppression and low-cut noise filter, all of which can help cut out operational sounds for an immaculate finish. The ECM-M1 also has four channels the user can choose from; left, right, and two other backup channels. The two backup channels will record two backup tracks of omnidirectional sound, with one recording at -20bB.

For utmost convenience, the ECM-M1 microphone even allows the user to directly transfer the audio capture to the camera recording via the multi-function hot show connection on select Sony cameras.

Overall, the features and design of the ECM-M1 microphone make for one great versatile recording device. Sony has definitely done their research on what their intended users, content creators, and videographers, will need and look for in a microphone.

Currently, the ECM-M1 microphone is priced at $349. If this isn’t in your current budget range, then you may find the right microphone for content creation and streaming in our guide.