Sony ECM MS908C Stereo Video Microphone with Switchable Pick Up Angle
Sony’s ECM-MS908C is a quality stereo microphone for your video camcorder. Coming with the microphone are a shoe attachment and extension arm, making it ready to plug-and-record. The one-point stereo design matches many stereo camcorder formats, although it is essential you check for compatibility. This one-point stereo design microphone delivers stereo sound with a single mic.
A key feature of this microphone are the mid/side (MS) capsules. The mid capsule picks up monophonic sound while the side capsule picks up left/right difference sound. By subtracting and adding the two capsule signals you can achieve left and right channels, thus stereo sound. The MS capsules also allow you to vary the pick-up from the left and right channels according to camera zoom, weather and setting, and the shooting situation. Choose 90 degrees for close-ups and noisy recording situations and choose 120 degrees for wide shots and quiet environments. With these sort of options, you are sure to capture superb sound quality.
The included oxygen-free copper (OFC) Litz cord provides minimum loss and minimum noise disruption. The gold-plated plug gives the mic maximum conductivity and, like the Litz cord, minimum noise disruption. To further enhance your audio recordings, Sony has also included a windscreen.
This video microphone is for advanced amateur use. The stereo sound takes advantage of the two-channel sound tracks on many of today’s top video recorders: DV, Digital8, Hi8, 8mm, VHS, S-VHS and VHS-C formats. Make sure you check your camcorder for proper compatibility
What’s in the Box
Sony ECM-MS908C microphone, Litz cord, mini-plug, windscreen, microphone holder with camera shoe, pouch and user’s manual.
User Ratings and Reviews
2 Stars NOT a directional microphone!
Put this microphone on a Canon HV20. The built in microphone has much better sound quality. Tested directionality set to 90 and 120 degrees by turning around with the camera in a 360 degree circle. There was no difference on the recording level no matter which direction the sound came from or what setting it was on. Even with the accessory bar that places the microphone a few inches away from the camera the level of noise recorded from handling the camera was as bad as the built in microphone. Maybe on a lesser camera that has a really bad microphone, the MS908C will be an improvement, but on the HV20 it is a bad idea.
5 Stars Good product
This microphone was an excellent purchase. I am using this on my Canon HV20 HDV camera. The sound quality is great and it reduces the noise from the camera motor to almost 0. It was a snap to install and fits nicely on top. The provided shoe mount worked great.
Great product.
4 Stars great stereo mic
I used this mic on my Panasonic GS-200 video camera, its good. No camera mounted mic is very good, they all pickup motor vibrations. This is NOT a shotgun mic, buts it is stereo, so ambient room sounds, just sound true and live. I also use this through a mixer with an iMic for voiceovers. It’s very good. The nice thing about having a camcorder mic and VO mic, is its easier to match the sound for voice over videos.
There are only a few stereo condensor mics in this price range.
CONS: Hardly any, its easy to forget and leave it on too long, the led only flashes at powerup time, and not
while on. Would be nice to flash once every few seconds as a reminder. But they are battery conservative, my battery has lasted over 2 years.
From what I heard, on the net and microphone reviews, it sounds very close to the $150 microphones for a lot less. If you don’t want the stereo pickup, you can always use one channel and Y-cable or flip a mixer switch, on a camcorder, you are stuck with stereo and have to mix down to mono in post.
5 Stars Great low end Mic for Mid Consumer Camcorder
I tried several mics and finally came across this one which works perfectly on my Cannon HV20 Consumer camcorder. It comes with an extension arm to reduce the the occasional tape or motor noise heard while recording with the built in mics. However even with using the camcorders hot foot it works very well as well. The hot foot DOES NOT supply power to the Mic though, it is just used to mount the mic…;). Excellent low end mic for this camcorder…
5 Stars Great microphone
Works great with my Sony DCR-TRV17. The built-in mic captures the noise of the motor from the tape transport, so every video has this whine. I tried an Audio-Technica shotgun mic for camcorders, but it produced a low hum on every recording. The Sony ECM-MS908C works great, captures good sound. Finally, noise free recordings!
