Sony ECM-F8 Electret Condenser Microphone with Flat, Boundary Effect Design

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Product Details

Product Manual [69kb PDF]

• Product Dimensions: 8.8 x 3.8 x 1 inches ; 1 ounces
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Shipping: Currently, item can be shipped only within the U.S.
• ASIN: B000095SBW
• Item model number: ECMF8
• Average Customer Review: 2.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Date first available at Amazon.com: June 15, 2003

Product Description

Amazon.com Product Decription

Designed specifically for recording meetings, the ECMF8 from Sony is an inexpensive electret condenser microphone with a high-quality output and a small, inconspicuous design.

As a tabletop omni-directional microphone, the ECMF8 picks up sound from all directions, ensuring that speech is easily discernable, even in multiple sound source environments. As a boundary microphone, the ECMF8 is able to offer a flatter frequency response than many other microphones by reducing frequency distorting reflections, providing a low-noise signal even when the microphone is at a distance from the sound source. A frequency response of 50 to 12,000 Hz captures the most important speech frequencies, while a -51 (+/-4 dBm) effective output level delivers a strong signal to the recording device. Output impedence is 1.6 kohms (+/- 30%, unbalanced).

The ECMF8 operates on Sony's CR2025 lithium battery, which has a life of approximately 100 hours. The mini plug connects directly to most portable recorders, while its L-shape helps ensure that it doesn't come disconnected during use. Small and unobtrusive, the ECMF8 weighs just 0.88 ounces (including battery and cord) while its 3.3 foot long cord lets you position the mic a reasonable distance from your recording device. The ECMF8 also comes backed with a 90 day limited warranty on parts and labor.

Product Description

ECM-F8 Electret Condenser Microphone is optimized for recording lectures and meetings where voices are at a distance from the mic. It enhances voice, reduces background noise and room echoes. Small, inconspicuous format makes the recording process more natural and less obtrusive. Omni-directional pattern picks up voices from all directions. The microphone provides long battery life of approximately 100 hours continuous use with optional Sony CR2025 lithium battery. L-Shaped Mini-Plug fits portable recorders.

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

44 of 44 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars No improvement on built-in mic, November 17, 2004

By	Jeffrey M. Keuning (Indiana) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

I purchased this along with the Olympus DS-330 digital voice recorder. The Sony microphone does not perform badly, just not any better than the built-in microphone on the Olympus.

12 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars why do these require battery, June 28, 2006

By	S. Sozer (Auburn, AL USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

I did not like the fact that this microphone needs a hard to find battery which is not included in the box it was sold.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars DO NOT WASTE YOUR MONEY ON THIS MICROPHONE, September 23, 2009

By	Gregory T. Ourada "ouradaj" (Atlanta, Georgia United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

DO NOT BUY THIS MICROPHONE IF YOU CARE ABOUT WHETHER OR NOT YOU ARE ACTUALLY RECORDING A SESSION OR NOT. Steer clear!!! These mikes might look great, but of what use are they when they need a battery and there is no low battery indicator? There is absolutely no way to know that you're not getting a recording until you try to play something back and there's nothing there or it's faint sounding. What a useless microphone!! You also have to turn the microphone on and off on the bottom which is difficult to do because of the switch design and if you forget to turn it off, you'll run your battery down. Arrh!! This is the worst waste of money of my whole life... Thankfully, I only bought two, and they are not terribly expensive.

As a court repoorter, I'm always looking for new equipment and thought I would try these mikes for court as they looked low key and would be a nice addition to my microphone stable. I didn't see in the specs that they also require batteries (which by the way, don't come with the microphones) and I bought them only to find they would be of no use to me in my work as I can't run the risk of not getting a perfect recording each time.

Do not buy these microphones -- any microphone that needs independent batteries and doesn't have a low battery indicator is worthless. I highly recommend the Labtec VERSE 333 MON MOUNT MIC ( 980184-0403 ) which are available on Amazon and are cheaper than the Sony. They have identical plugs and are about the same size. I have three of them and they work great. I have never had a problem. I take down courtrooms, public meetings in large rooms, depositions -- and I get everything clearly enough to be able to provide a perfect transcript to my clients.