Sony has unveiled the ECM-AX10, a compact USB-C microphone designed to bring spatial audio recording to smartphones. It features four built-in microphones and supports ambisonic, binaural, and stereo recording, giving content creators more control over how sound is captured in their videos.
The microphone works with Sony’s Spatial Audio Video Tool app, allowing users to record videos with spatial audio directly on their smartphones. It supports recording at up to 48 kHz and 32-bit float, with compatibility for Eclipsa Audio and workflows for Sony 360 Reality Audio.
Spatial audio captures sounds from different directions to create a more realistic listening experience. Unlike conventional stereo recordings, which place sounds across the left and right channels, spatial audio can preserve directional information. This can be useful for recording live performances, outdoor scenes, and events where the surrounding sounds add to the experience.
The Sony ECM-AX10 uses four electret microphones arranged inside a compact capsule. Users can record in ambisonic, binaural, or stereo formats depending on their needs. Ambisonic recordings capture sound from multiple directions, while binaural recordings aim to recreate how people hear sounds through their ears.
The microphone has a frequency response of 20 Hz to 20 kHz and a maximum sound pressure level above 120 dB. It also records motion data from a three-axis gyroscope and a three-axis accelerometer, which could help with spatial audio processing and workflows that use device movement information.
Weighing just 24 grams, the ECM-AX10 connects directly to a smartphone through its USB-C port and draws 100 mA at 5V. Its compact design should make it convenient for creators who want to record immersive audio without carrying a separate recording device.
The ECM-AX10’s ambisonic recordings are compatible with Eclipsa Audio, the spatial audio format developed through a collaboration between Google and Samsung. The recordings can also be used to master audio in Sony’s 360 Reality Audio format.
Spatial audio is becoming increasingly common across movies, music, and virtual reality content. However, recording is only one part of the process. Creators may need compatible software and audio processing tools, while listeners generally need suitable headphones or other supported equipment to experience the full effect of immersive recordings.
The ECM-AX10 could make spatial audio recording more accessible to smartphone creators. Its usefulness will depend on the quality of the recordings, the companion app’s capabilities, and how easily creators can use the captured audio in their existing editing workflows.
Sony ECM-AX10 Price and Availability
Sony has not announced the price of the ECM-AX10 yet. The microphone will go on sale in Japan on October 23, 2026. Details about availability in India and other international markets are yet to be announced.
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