Product Reviews

Ok so I finally used the mics for a video and LOVE them. I had zero issues connecting it to my camera right out of the box. I love that it comes in a chargeable case that uses USB-C. Huge upgrade from what I was using before so I'm a huge fan. Highly recommend for both ease of use and quality!

These wireless mics might be small, but there are certainly packed with features and sound great. Charging is a piece of cake with the provided case that holds both mics and the receiver. Being able to simply plug in the case to charge all three is very convenient, not to mention it makes easy to pack. The flexibility of these mics makes for several recording possibilities. The easiest way is to use a compatible Sony camera and placing it in the hotshot. Not having to worry about plugging in any additional cords is such a great feature. But even if you don't have a compatible camera, there are certainly other options available. You can use either a USB-C cable to connect to a laptop or even a cell phone, or an AUX cable to connect to a separate audio recorder. The quality of the audio is unsurprisingly outstanding. There are several features to ensure the high quality of the recording, such as the SAFETY mode and the included windscreens. An underrated feature of those windscreens is that they plug in securely to the auxiliary input jack, which is a far easier way to secure a windscreen than other wireless mics I've used. The LEDs provide quick and easy feedback to determine if they're charging, recording, connected to the receiver, or in SAFETY mode. Being able to determine everything is working properly at a glance makes things easier. A really intriguing feature is the SEP/MIX mode switch. When in SEP mode, the mics will record to left and right channels instead of one mix. It adds just another possibility to be creative while using these mics. As amazing as these mics are, there are a couple things missing that I'd like to see added in the future. The biggest one is that the only way to attach the mic to clothing is by a clip on the back of mic, which depending on the type of clothing, can be difficult. I've seen other mics that use magnets, which can sometimes be a better method. Also, there was no manual in the box. It may seem like a minor issue, but having a physical copy of the manual instead of having to scan a QR code can be very useful. The last issue is the price. Certainly they're worth top dollar for someone wanting the best quality sound and reliability, but there are many wireless mic options out there for much cheaper. But overall, these mics are almost unbeatable for the quality of the sound.

I use the professional Sony UWP line of microphones regularly for work. They're second to none when it comes to ease of use, quality and reliability. The ECM-W3 are consumer mics that can also be extremely useful to professionals when we need the fastest reliable setup possible. Recently I was filming a series of social media videos for the Hollywood Make-Up Artists & Hair Stylists Guild Awards event. I had to switch between 20 speakers within a couple of hours and it would have been impossible with a wired lavalier setup. The client wanted to avoid a handheld mic because they needed to handle and show off a lot of products. With the ECM-W3, it took seconds to clip them on to the next speaker. The sound was nice and clear even in a large room with hundreds of people. Not just because of the noise, but there were hundreds of phones with BT and Wi-Fi around and there were no dropouts and no interference. Very impressive. Not only does it take seconds to attach them to the person speaking, it also takes seconds to attach the receiver to the camera. If you use a Sony camera there are zero wires and no time wasted setting up inputs or syncing the mics. It all happens in seconds on its own. It's truly as easy as it could possibly get. There are also two levels of noise cancelling available on the device and it works great. It makes it very easy to post videos without doing any post processing of audio. Normally I would at least add a noise reduction filter, dynamics compressor and limiter. All of this already happens on the mics automatically with no knowledge required, so the audio in your videos are ready to be posted on social media sounding great out of the box. The case also contains a battery so it acts as a charger when you need to top them up quickly on the go. And it can be charged itself with a regular USB-C cable. All of it has an unintrusive and smart design that looks professional and clean. There's only one thing I wish was done better. The switches on the mics are small, not very clicky and offer very little resistance. It makes them easy to be moved by accident. Luckily there's only three of them, so it's quick and easy to check if all the settings are correct before clipping it on. You also need to make sure the mics are off before putting them in the case, otherwise they won't charge. And the off switch is in a different place on the mics and on the receiver. I wish they were placed more consistently and more robust. It's really the only small downside to these mics and I can live with it because the rest is excellent. These mics will be used more than I originally thought because they're so easy to use and reliable. And the sound quality is very good considering they do everything automatically with no user intervention needed.

~What is in the box:~ - A charging case is included, it holds the receiver and two transmitter mics - Dual-channel wireless receiver for high-quality digital recording. It has multi interface (MI) shoe compatible - MI Shoe Cap - Two transmitter microphones - Two soft/fuzzy gray windscreens (one for each mic) - Soft black bag to hold everything ~Product weights:~ - Everything minus black bag weighs 5.93oz or 168g - Empty case by itself weighs 3.87oz 109.8g - Receiver without hotshoe plastic cover weight .87oz or 24.7g - Receiver with bottom hotshoe plastic cover weight 1.04oz or 29.6g - Transmitter Mic without windscreen .59oz or 16.7g - Two transmitter mics without windscreen 1.18oz or 33.5g - Transmitter mic with windscreen .74oz or 20.9g - Two transmitter mics with windscreen 1.47oz or 41.6g - Black bag .45oz or 12.8g - Everything (black fabric bag, two windscreens, two mics, receiver and case) 189.0oz or 6.67oz ~Pros:~ A noise cut (NC) filter using digital signal processing to effectively remove noise, and a low cut (LC) filter that reduces noise in the low-frequency range Multi Interface (MI) Shoe compatibility allows the receiver to work with a digital camera, but it can also use USB-C, so you can use the receiver with a computer. The ECM-W3 includes two microphone-transmitters and a dual-channel receiver, enabling wireless audio capture from two speakers. Sony says it supports communication up to 492 feet or 150 meters in clear line-of-sight conditions, utilizing Bluetooth 5.3 and LC3plus3 codecs for low power consumption, minimal latency, and high sound quality. I tested these both indoors and outdoors and if you stay in a clear line of sight you can easily go 300ft. I ran these the receiver and both transmitter mics for about 3 hours on one occasion. Sony states the max battery life is 6 hours. When using a digital camera, power is supplied directly from the alpha series camera or vlogging camera to the receiver. If your camera is not compatible with the digital audio interface, there is an analog option. It does come with a hardcase that serves to hold the components so they are not lost. The case is supposedly dust-and moisture resistant (resistant NOT waterproof). The case can also charge the mics and receiver. For those wondering, if you dropped this case, it is just made of plastic, so it may not protect the receiver and transmitter mics, if you dropped them in the case. I have dropped one of the transmitter mics onto a tile floor from about waist height and it still works fine. I do wish the case would hold the windscreens. There is a mode switch (SEP/MIX) that you can make recordings with audio from either of the two microphones individually as the left or right channel audio. You must pick a mode before recording begins - either SEP or MIX. Optional “safety” mode/button. While the receiver is in SAFETY mode, audio recordings are made with the 20 dB reduced channel gain to suppress audio distortion at loud volume levels. To active this mode, you must press and hold the safety button on the back of the receiver for approximately two seconds. To turn it off, press again for two seconds. The USB-C port on the receiver, it can be connected to a device with a USB audio input capability, such as a computer or a smartphone, for audio recording as well. On the receiver shoe cover, there is a screw hole for tripod attachment (1/4 in. in diameter) The microphones have an "ATT" switch for adjusting recording levels: use "20dB" for loud sounds to reduce distortion, "0dB" for quiet sounds, and "10dB" for recording human voices. It's best to choose a setting while monitoring the volume level on the camera or with headphones. This is extremely easy to use. The two transmitters mics and receiver have LED lights so you know when they are charging (orange) or when they are on and working. There is a solid green LED for on and a solid blue LED for the units being linked. The LED will flash blue when you first turn them on. The audio quality is great, and even if you are in a hurry - without any editing, it sounds warmer, clearer and stronger compared to just using my A1s built in mic. I tested the ECM-W3 on a day without wind and a day with 15mph winds. If it is breeze of windy, I suggest using the windscreens. ~Cons:~ The case does not hold the windscreens. Currently, I keep the windscreens in the black sack, so they don’t get lost. But one product change Sony could make is making room for these in a newer/updated case design. One thing that some people may not like are the size of the transmitter mics. If you are doing professional work, particularly weddings, they are larger in size and if the person you clip it on is wearing a lighter fabric shirt, it might be an issue. For me, most of the people I am interviewing or recording, they wear polos, t-shirts or cotton dress shirts, so this is not an issue. The price is a downside/con. At full MSRP, I can easily see people not wanting to buy this, as there are alternative receiver and transmitter mic options available at a lower price. Lastly, would I recommend this to a friend? I would. The audio quality, ease of use, battery life, and portability factor plus charging case are amazing. I realize this product is priced more than some competitors, but I have never had issues with Sony gear malfunctioning. I do have Sony lenses and other products that are eight years old and still going.

I have been working in film/video production for about 40 years and have had the pleasure of working with many professional microphones. The ECM-W3 does a sterling job at a reasonable value. There are cheaper alternatives, but they don’t have the ease of use for Alpha cameras. There is no need to connect a wire to the side of the camera or balance the levels.

The ECM-W3 main advantage is that it works seamlessly with Sony Alpha cameras. The receiver plugs into the hot shoe. The units are already paired with the transmitters. The camera (In my case a#ILCE-7CM2) recognizes the unit and displays the status in the camera menu. Included are low-pass filters and a button for attenuating the level if it is too hot.

Of course, the ECM-W3 can be connected to a computer or camera through USB or 3.5mm analog plug.

I prefer to record sound with no filters and clean up BG ambiance in post. The quality of the recording is excellent. The mic is sensitive to a wide dynamic range and sounds very natural. I have now used the system from about 30 feet away, and it works very well. The transmitter unit is slightly cumbersome. The 2” x 1” unit is difficult to hide on a person’s clothing. Fortunately, it is possible to plug in a standard lapel mic with a 3.5mm analog plug and hide the transmitter on a belt or inside the person’s shirt. A smaller mic is easier to hide on a lapel, behind a tie, or in a collar. The audio quality is still excellent using the lapel mic. Sony does not include a lapel mic in the package.

The two transmitters and receiver fit into a box for charging and storage. The box is made of hard plastic with a single LED status indicator. The kit included a cinch sack to hold the charger and windshields.

As a multi-camera user, with everything from my A7III through to my FX6, The Sony ECM-W3 is the perfect addition to the Sony multiverse because of it’s direct delivery of digital audio via the camera’s hotshoe (also referred to as the multi-shoe). I own other brands of wireless lavaliers that, while they fit into the camera’s shoe, are just a cold shoe mount that require an analog out cord to plug into th side of the camera. The all-in-one storage and charging system has become a given among this lavalier category and price point, and this solution does not disappoint. Included is a small piece that serves to both cover the receiver hotshoe when not charging and has a 1/4-20 integrated so you can mount the receiver if you are using it outside of the hotshoe connection. The receiver is also much smaller than the others, largely because the switches on it are all that’s needed, and the audio meters that take up the screen space on receivers can be seen on your camera screen without any problem. Further, when paired with a Sony camera the camera supplies power to the receiver, so your receiver is always being charged by the camera. While the ECM-W3 provides excellent option for two lavaliers, if you are sure you’ll never need a second mic, you can opt for the ECM-W3S. I’d recommend you go with the ECM-W3 for future functionality you might need and be able to work with a second mic, whether that’s for a second person speaking, or when you want to record continuously for long periods of time and as the receiver maintains charge from the camera, you can just rotate between lavaliers with one in use and one charging, but with a 6+ hour battery life per lavalier, you’re likely doing extensive recording and this is an outlier use case, but a good one to be prepared for. The audio quality is excellent, and without any tweaking in an editor, is warmer and sounds more robust when compared side by side with other options. There is also a -20dB safety option, so you can protect against unexpected peaking that could blow your audio out. The system auto-controls your levels, but receiver allows you to attenuate down for loud environments, as well as a switchable option to engage a Low Cut and Noise Cancelling feature, when needed. While the Sony does not offer on-mic recording like some other choices, with a line-of-sight range of about 500ft, using the mic at this distance is also an outlier case and unlikely. A mic input on the transmitters is an option, should you want to use one. The simplicity of the Sony can’t be beat, and you can immediately check playback with the video and audio on camera, if you have any concerns, something that’s not as easy to do with other choices. The key here is simplicity without sacrifice. This lavalier kit travels in my FX6 A Camera case, and is the lavalier I reach for before the other brands I also own. ———— John Harrington Award-winning Documentary Filmmaker

Super happy with product due to the fact that super easy to set it up. I pair it with my Sony 7R4 camera and all I did is just take it out the box turn them on then attached the receiver to camera, turn them on and start recording. Love the fact that Mic and receiver all have physical button so you don't have to cycle through complicate LCD menu to activate feature settings. One thing I wish Sony add a back up local recording as well battery indicator then we are golden.

These mics and MI shoe adapter eliminate the need of 3.5mm audio jacks. Removing the "hiss' you get with cabled setups. Allowing for clear and consistent audio with the 2 receivers. The switches provide a ease of use versus the swiping or touch screen on similar products. You can also use the MI adapter via USB to connect to you smartphone and laptop. Great product!!

The audio recording quality from ECM-W3 wireless mics is excellent. It made the speaker's audio level consistently loud and clear with richer audio tone compared to Sony Alpha a7R V's built-in mic. The two clip-on transmitters with built-in mics pairs flawlessly to the dual channel receiver that connects to Sony camera with Multi Interface hot shoe (e.g. A7R IV, A7R V, A1, FX30, etc.). I love how the storage case is also a charging station for the transmitter mics and receiver. I can easily go about 400ft away from the receiver outdoors without any connection loss. Battery life is also excellent.

This is my new favorite wireless microphone system. The range is great but I don't think I ever moved far away enough to see when they would drop off, but that being said I know in line of sight in a crowded (airwave interference) environment I never moved out of range, even when I was over 100 feet away, which is more distance then I would probably ever need in real world applications. I love how Sony kept the controls similar to the rest of the microphone ecosystem they have developed. The same controls make learning the system easy and is well matched across the different devices within the system. Sound quality was top notch and never had an issue. Where I really wasn't impressed with this set was in the overall design of the product. I have several issues that stand out. The first is the carry case/charger, while I really appreciate the idea of it, I would rather it be a bit bigger so it can hold both wind socks, and the foot adapter for the receiver. In order to use the case, you can not have the foot installed on the receiver, nor the wind socks installed. The case needed to be able to carry all of it, foot, the wind socks, and a small USB-C cord to fully win me over. I am still having to carry these items separately in my camera bag, and try not to lose them. The next big issue for me, (and will only be an issue for a few people wanting this system) is, I use the XLR-H1 on my FX30 with a mono XLR microphone attached. You must plug the receiver into the XLR-H1 using a TRS cable. While this option works....you must also mount the receiver only using it supplied mounting foot. This must be done by using a double ended 1/4-20 treaded adapter. The receiver does fit in a standard cold shoe mount, but it (one) leaves the small hot shoe pins exposed, and (two) fits too loosely to actually use. Like I said however, this is only a real issue for those of us with slightly more advance line up of equipment. Mount it right on top of the camera as most people would, and this isn't even an issue. It is nice that it does at least have the TRS output available, so you don't have to rely solely on a Sony camera with only a hot shoe input, to be able to enjoy this wireless set. Lastly, my last critique on this set is the transmitters themselves. If I had to put these microphones on a couple at a wedding, or other client type work, I see the on/off switch and other setting switches far to easy to operate. It would be nice to see either an old fashioned hold slide hiding on the body somewhere, or a switch system that wouldn't be so easy to switch. Speaking from past experience,(and not with this Sony set) its a bad day when a client accidentally shuts off the microphone as the bride starts walking... With those items of design in consideration, I would recommend this only to someone that is just a self or solo creator that works for themself or does YouTube. While it will work very well for most people shopping in this range of wireless microphones, the design is limiting for those reaching for a more professional use.

With how quick social media fades, creating content at a viable pace has become paramount. The ECM-W3 takes away the worry and fear associated when not being prepared. Eliminating the need for cables, and having a charging case, the ECM-W3 takes any creator's audio up to the next level with its clarity and depth on this system! The integrated switches makes on the go recording absolutely versatile, eliminating the nuisance of having to swipe to get into settings! Once you attach the W3 onto your camera, monitoring becomes a little different than the typical analog approach. That said, what you hear is what you get when you use a good pair of headphones with this mic! The noise cut is the real deal, even in a loud and busy cocktail bar!

The ECM-W3 makes sense. I like the form factor and how it works with most cameras in the Sony ecosystem. The peace of mind of knowing once you plug into your hotshoe, it will work is refreshing. I also use my ECM-W3 with my laptop during video calls, and it works perfectly.