Sony ECM-AW4 Review
Bluetooth Wireless Microphone System
- Includes Two Monaural Earphones
- Receiver Mic & Mic Input for Talk-Back
- Supports Talk-Back Communication
- Microphone Attaches to an Arm or a Belt
- 3.5mm Headphone / Audio Outputs
- Use Built-In or 3.5 mm Microphone
- For Camcorders, DSLRs, Audio Recorders
Introduction
In this article, we delve into a detailed analysis of 3,930 user reviews from various languages worldwide to examine the Sony ECM-AW4. This analysis is performed by the RR artificial intelligence and updated daily with newly submitted reviews. The RR AI utilizes a complex algorithm to first scrutinize user reviews for credibility, filtering out unreliable ones. It then proceeds to dissect and evaluate the valuable insights within these reviews, providing users with ratings regarding the features of this product. Based on these assessments, users can make informed decisions about whether this product is suitable for them or not.
Ratings Based on Features
These results are a summary of user reviews of the Sony ECM-AW4. For example, 66% of 206 users who have commented on the Value for money of the Sony ECM-AW4 have given positive feedback.
Highlighted Customer Reviews
Showing 1 to 20 of 46 Reviews
Promising but not perfect, Keep your cans on.
Sony ECM-AW4 Bluetooth Wireless Microphone System
Reviewed by Ryan on B&H Photo Video
Considering the price point for this wireless mic, it's not too shocking that there are some short comings. I also got it from a great daily deal here on B&H so I am not complaining, just helping others understand the limitations that I found. So here's what I've found from the VERY brief experience I've had from my first project with them.1) Pickup range is basically within about 12 of the mic. It's not something you could easily have attached to a waist belt without using another lav plugged in. And it looks pretty ridiculous to have a glowing blue light coming from your subject, even if you could get over the fact that you'd have a small black cylinder hanging from a shirt. 2) Using two of these sets near each other can cause some interference. Keep the two transmitters at least 2-3' away from each other. 3) When using 1 set, be mindful of drops in the signal. Since they are digital you won't loose quality, you'll just notice it cut out for a 1/4 or 1/2 second of silence. If this is being used for an interview, keep this in mind and keep your studio monitors on to make sure you didn't have a glitch during important sentences.4) Battery life was certainly long lasting through a 60 minute session, but I can't attest to longer.5) The unit picks up TONS of contact noise from anything that rubs against the plastic body. Don't rely on the mic in the body, unless you're ok with it being 100% visible. It's not a microphone you can hide under clothing while relying on the built in microphone. It works fine with a $- Audiotechnica wired lav but you'll end up with a lot of extra wire to manage (which isn't the end of the world if you have a cable tie.6) When testing out the 2-way communication feature) The audio quality from the transmitter is 100% better than the audio from the receiver. Considering that you don't even have an alternative product in this price point, I can't complain. However don't rely on it as a second microphone plugged into a separate recorder. (the quality from the receiver just isn't that good). Perhaps. If you needed a safety recording it COULD do in a pinch. 7) If you plan to use the 2-way feature. there is a 1/2 second delay in the signal and I would plan on using something far more inconspicuous like one of those CIA ear buds with the clear tube wrapped around the ear. ... More
Don't Yet Trust This Bluetooth Mic
Sony ECM-AW4 Bluetooth Wireless Microphone System
Reviewed by dannygrizzle on B&H Photo Video
I bought two of these bluetooth mics after watching glowing reviews on YouTube. If they performed as well as the reviewers experience, they would be a great product at an amazing price. My primary application for this product is sound reinforcement, not video production. I own Sennheiser wireless mics for video production, so I can compare and contrast. For sound reinforcement, I tried to use these mics for speakers in front of a live audience. Not too successful. We got through the day, but I will be more careful in the future. My specific application was hourly breakout sessions, where topics and speakers change each hour in multiple meeting rooms. I experimented with an external lavalier plugged into the transmitter, but it was unwieldy. Part of what I need is a quick change, no fooling with the lav cable. My speakers often arrive in the presentation room at the moment their presentation begins, and there is no need to hide the transmitter in their clothing. This Sony seems ideal -- it only takes a second to clip it to a shirt or jacket. In reality, not so good. I didn't anticipate lady presenters with necklaces. The plastic mic body rattled noisily against their jewelry. These kinds of technical glitches don't help inexperienced presenters who are already nervous about speaking in public. Worse, and speaking to the specific of the product itself -- the mic is prone to feedback, and the bluetooth link introduces delay, sometimes very noticeably so. It is very disconcerting to speakers, and the audience, to have sync problems in a live presentation. Feedback is more a function of the room acoustics, something I can perhaps tune by loudspeaker placement or positioning. Frankly, a conventional cardiod mic like a Shure SM58 would be ideal, but my experience with conventional mics is dismal because I am working with non-professional speakers who are not accustomed to hearing their voice amplified, they all request no PA in the false belief that everyone can hear them (#1 complaint on our feedback forms I couldn't hear), and the speakers will sidestep a conventional mic and talk around the PA. So I am stuck on micing with lavaliers, which they can't get away from. The downside is omni pickups and feedback sensitivity. I write too much, but as a production mic, the application I saw reviewed on YouTube, I question if the sync delay issues I experienced in a live application are a deal killer. There does not seem to be a fixed delay, but rather some kind of digital buffer that varies as bluetooth digital data is transmitted. BTW - I was experiencing this when my transmitter and receiver were never more than 20 feet apart with full line of sight. There were no other bluetooth devices in the room, unless someone in the audience was wearing a cell phone earset. Would not seem to be challenging circumstances. A final reservation I have about this mic system is the jacks, which are simple 1/8 inch TRS, no different than a mini headphone connector. This is definitely amateur/prosumer gear, subject to reliability issues with connecting cables. I want very badly for these mics to work, and they seem like such a great idea, and a reasonable price for someone doing business meetings. But if they don't work transparantly and create a lot of distractions for presenters, I can't use them. I have not given up yet, but my first day's use did not go smoothly. ... More
Product is hard to rate, for our situation it was Good & Bad
Sony ECM-AW4 Bluetooth Wireless Microphone System
Reviewed by Nedster on B&H Photo Video
I have a Sennheiser ew 112-p G3 Camera-Mount System that we can't use because of all the interference in our Auditorium (even after doing the New Frequency Scans). I got the Sony ECM-AW4 tested it using an Audio-Technica ATR3350iS lapel and sure enough: NO other signal interference! Yay! BUT, our podium is about 75ft from the camera and I noticed some distortion in the audio signal while testing. (Yes, ALL batteries were good before testing)! I also lowered the receiver volume to no avail. During testing I had subject constantly speaking while wearing the ATR3350iS and transmitter, take a few of steps closer then stop (still speaking) while I monitored Audio from camcorder's headphone out. Few steps then stop, few steps stop etc. The closer he got the cleaner the Audio signal was till finally: NO distortion at all! (roughly 50-60ft. I didn't measure). Because of the time crunch we were in (about to begin our annual conference) this is all of the testing I did. I didn't have time to further test the system. Both transmitter and receiver were in direct line of sight during entire time of testing. If our podium or media booth were closer I would have kept the system. But because of the minimal distortion that was present during testing of the product I had to return it. It simply did not work in our situation. I must add that we do live broadcasting in our auditorium etc. Our flow is: Lapel, Camcorder, Grass Valley ADVC55, Computer. I am not sure if our flow had anything to do with the minimal distortion we experienced during testing, or of the fact that it was in our Auditorium that is notorious for terrible wireless signal interference etc., but as I mentioned earlier... the closer the subject got, the cleaner the Audio signal was till finally there was NO distortion at all. Overall, I think that this system will work for many, but I would recommend testing it out in your environment first. ... More
Great for single wireless speech usage
Sony ECM-AW4 Bluetooth Wireless Microphone System
Reviewed by Remektek on B&H Photo Video
I already had a Sony ECMW1M for a consumer Sony camcorder, and had found that to be very useful and cost effective. My new semi-pro camcorder, however didn't work with that device, so I bought universal ECM-AW4, which will work with any recorder that can take a 3.5mm (1/8th) jack audio input.The device is dead easy to use and provides bi-directional audio comms, so that the cameraman is able to talk to the talent and give directions via an earpiece that the talent can plug into the remote mic. Very handy.Only downside compared to the dearer devices, is that you can really only use ONE mic, so not suitable for mic-ing 2 or more people simultaniously.If that is acceptable, then I can highly recommend this device. ... More
Surprisingly robust in NYC & DC RF environments
Sony ECM-AW4 Bluetooth Wireless Microphone System
Reviewed by Roy on B&H Photo Video
For those of us replacing thousands of dollars worth of UHF mics which are about to become obsolete, this is a surprisingly robust choice. I've tested four of these (at the same time) in NYC (mid-town Manhattan) as well as in downtown Washington DC , and they are flawless. Per other reviewers, you can hear a bit of latency if you're monitoring the receiver output in real time, but so far, it hasn't shown-up on the actual video playback. The other most-frequent complaint I saw in the reviews was frequency interference (dropouts or complete loss of audio) in large auditoriums. Since I always work in smaller venues (only up to large conference rooms), I took a chance on these and ended up buying four, as my test results remained 100% positive in the smaller venues (even in NYC & DC). Just be sure to use the Sony-supplied cable between the receiver and your camera (or from each of multiple receivers to your usual splitter to your camera), as you need 25db to 35db of attenuation which is built-in to the Sony-supplied cable. Thanks to a couple of other reviewers for mentioning this in passing. ... More
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Works well, with some nice features
Sony ECM-AW4 Bluetooth Wireless Microphone System
Reviewed by Daniel on B&H Photo Video
This wireless mic system does what it is supposed to and does it remarkably well. The sound is quite good and is just about professional quality. The (plastic) build quality is adequate for light to moderate use. This is not a professional system but is really quite good, especially for the cost. Four very nice features are the small size of each component, the fact that each is powered by one AAA battery, the talk-back function, meaning that the videographer can talk to and direct the talent, and the included equipment (earbuds, connecting cables, and carrying bag). The wireless range is quite good, and the components easily pair via Bluetooth.I give the system 4 stars (not 5) only because of the plastic construction. But treat this system well, and it should give you very good service. ... More
Great Wireless Microphone System
Sony ECM-AW4 Bluetooth Wireless Microphone System
Reviewed by John E. on B&H Photo Video
I purchased this system to mount on my Panasonic UX 180 for a reality show we are producing. We needed a system that is small, easy to use and sounds decent. It was important to find a system that incorporated small-in-size transmitters and receivers in order to conserve weight and space on the camera rig since we already have a Teradek broadcast module and external battery mounted. I was able to Velcro the receiver to the camera's connection swing door. We fired it up and was very happy with the sound quality for what we required and the range was more than adequate. We tested it out with the built-in mic and one of our wired lav mics. Both worked well. Lastly, the cost of the product is extremely reasonable for what you get. We will be using it for recorded and live broadcast of our reality show. ... More
Not ready for primetime
Sony ECM-AW4 Bluetooth Wireless Microphone System
Reviewed by Brian on B&H Photo Video
Its not Sonys fault. They make great products. But Bluetooth is not ready for primetime. Your audio is too important. I bought this trying to save some money on wireless audio. turned out to be a waste of money. These are to iffy. If anything gets in the way they cut out. If there is any interference, they cut out. I spent more time editing my audio than was worth it. Audio has to be good. Its way more important than the video. You cant cover audio with B-roll. Good thing I had a duplicate audio track from my shotgun mic. And I was never more than 20 feet from my subject. Dont waste the money. Get the Comica UHF wireless set for $50 more and dont mess with these. I am ebay-ing mine at a loss. ... More
The truth
Sony ECM-AW4 Bluetooth Wireless Microphone System
Reviewed by Regretful on B&H Photo Video
I don't know what product these other guys were rating but these things are not worth the money. The sound quality is only good at a very short line of sight. They feel cheap and their light weight plastic. (Dont drop it). And the ear buds they provide are worse then those things the airport provide for an in flight movie. Save your money and get something better.
Works for Camera Crew
Sony ECM-AW4 Bluetooth Wireless Microphone System
Reviewed by Robin on B&H Photo Video
This is actually a reasonable solution for the crew of a live two camera shoot - sporting event, concert, musical, play, etc. where crew communication is critical. It isn't really very useful as a conventional wireless mic - many other products can do that better. My biggest peeve is that there is no sidetone - really important in a quiet environment. When using over the ear headphones it is important for the person talking to have feedback so they don't end up shouting. Another limitation is the limitation of a matched pair. It would occasionally be nice to have 3 or 4 people on the same circuit. ... More
SMALL BUT INVINCIBLE
Sony ECM-AW4 Bluetooth Wireless Microphone System
Reviewed by dodik on B&H Photo Video
I bought this product to record music sung by our cantor in the church. I used my computer to attach the receiver and about 3 meters away, I placed the microphone on a microphone stand. The cantor sang at about 1 meter away from the microphone. The place was a huge open area. The result of the recording was unbelievable. The microphone picked up the sound very clear. The noise was subdued. The only downside of this product is you cannot determine the volume of the microphone and the receiver.
Not recommended, very weak signal.
Sony ECM-AW4 Bluetooth Wireless Microphone System
Reviewed by Rodolfo on B&H Photo Video
I bought this product for a simple interview where the person talking was only 6 feet in front of the camera standing still. The signal was very unstable and choppy. I had to bypass the wireless system altogether and just go straight to the camera with a lapel mic and cable extension. Also if you are using it in an environment where external WiFi signals are present, this definitely messes up your clean audio capture as well. My 2 cents.
A convenient portable Microphone system for video recording
Sony ECM-AW4 Bluetooth Wireless Microphone System
Reviewed by Pu on B&H Photo Video
I use it with Sony CX900 camcorder for classroom presentation. It performs well in our setup and the sound quality is acceptable for presentation purpose. It cannot match the profession system, but being small, highly portable and easy setup win in our situation. I take one star off because the sound becomes noisy when the volume is set high and the AAA battery only last one session of 2 hour recording.
Great Wireless Product!
Sony ECM-AW4 Bluetooth Wireless Microphone System
Reviewed by Steve on B&H Photo Video
Purchased this unit specifically for the bluetooth wireless format for my AX-100 Sony 4K camera microphone input. I also have a Sony bluetooth pair ECM-W1M where the receiver is mounted on the Multi-Interface shoe. This ECM-AW4 is very flexible because you can use it with the cameras microphone input jack which I need on my other cams that don't have a Multi-Interface shoe. Another great thing is that these units can be just used as a wireless communication device with another person. The sound quality is great and the range and speed of connection is very good. Battery life is also very good. ... More
I can't stand it!
Sony ECM-AW4 Bluetooth Wireless Microphone System
Reviewed by Zachary B. on B&H Photo Video
I understand these are not some of your more expensive mic units out there but so far I hate them. The audio coming through my DSLR is so HISSY that if it wasn't for post production, the audio would be completely unusable. Using a Canon T6i if anyone is wondering. The other thing I hate about this is the packaging included 4 (FOUR) operation manuals for every language known to man but failed to adequately explain how to properly operate the mic. It was so frustrating trying to read these instructions that I just gave up and went looking for a youtube video that showed how they hooked up. RIDICULOUS! ... More
Amazing, Sensitive, Light
Sony ECM-AW4 Bluetooth Wireless Microphone System
Reviewed by Aki on B&H Photo Video
This works great. I use it to record some lectures. It works for three hours with a pair of batteries. It is light enough to use as lavalier microphone and sensitive enough that I can put it on the desk. It also captures other voices from audience when the speaker is not talking. This is helpful for me to record the questions during the lecture.
For PA use
Sony ECM-AW4 Bluetooth Wireless Microphone System
Reviewed by JonJon on B&H Photo Video
First of all, I bought this item for PA (public address system) use. I needed something cheap but of good quality. Generally it works fine. But it sounds with echo. I tried to trouble shoot and see if it's incompatible, or is it the mic itself. I lookup online, youtube and see how to record with my iPhone. Bought the adapter, but it doesn't work. I don't know why. Still figuring out. Generally I'm satisfied with the design and the size. The range is good.
Exactly what I was looking for.
Sony ECM-AW4 Bluetooth Wireless Microphone System
Reviewed by Rohan on B&H Photo Video
This is perfect for recording voice clearly while using ,my dslr to record video. I can use my zooms to get close up while this Bluetooth mic can pic up audio clearly. A perfect companion for dslr video recording
Decent For The Price
Sony ECM-AW4 Bluetooth Wireless Microphone System
Reviewed by Soccer Coach on B&H Photo Video
This wireless external mic system is super easy to set up and to operate. The only issue I had was that the sound breaks up if there is not line of sight between the mic and receiver. I had the mic on my lapel, so if I ever had to turn away from the receiver it blocked the signal. I think it would work much better if I use the arm band attachment that comes with it. I use it to video tape soccer training sessions, so the sound quality is good for my purposes.
Clear and Precise
Sony ECM-AW4 Bluetooth Wireless Microphone System
Reviewed by Rev Ed on B&H Photo Video
Just when I was ready to give up on a wireless mic system for my camcorder, I found this Sony Bluetooth system. The other two systems captured noise from everywhere. The audio quality with this system is clear and precise. It works well with lapel microphone patch also. It is good for long distance shots to ensure good solid transmission. Two thumbs up!
