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Gear / Technical Help => Microphones & Setup => Topic started by: attheshow on October 08, 2007, 12:35:52 PM
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This Mic appears to be an earlier version of the ECM-MS907. It takes one AA battery internally, has a 3-way switch on the back: off...90 degrees...120 degrees. It is a single point stereo mic that is M/S internally, but outputs a standard L/R stereo signal to 3.5 mini.
I recorded Project Percolator (instrumental blues) with this mic into my Sony MZ-RH1 HiMD from essentially the same location as Janka taped with his rig (AKG JWMod C461 > Apogee MiniMp > Korg MR-1) at the Stone Church a few nights ago. I feel that his rig/recording will provide a solid reference by which to determine the quality of the ECM-737 mic. Both recordings have been posted in 16/44 (his rendered from DSD, mine unaltered PCM) to the LMA.
The recordings:
Janka's AKGs http://www.archive.org/details/jwpp2007-10-06.Flac16 (http://www.archive.org/details/jwpp2007-10-06.Flac16)
The Sony ECM-737 http://www.archive.org/details/jwpp2007-10-06.ats.flac16 (http://www.archive.org/details/jwpp2007-10-06.ats.flac16)
More notes about mic placement and settings are included in my notes on the LMA.
Since there is so little info available on the web (including this board) about this mic, I decided to create this thread to document it. If you know more about this mic, or have other samples, please share. know the Sony mics don't carry a great reputation, but overall, I don't think this is a bad mic for the original price of about $200US, and might just be a bargain today on ebay or at a yard sale/flea.
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Talking about mics is like talking about sex partners. Everyone has one that is "the best" for their own reasons. SONY has some good one in the higher price ranges and some OK ones in the lower price ranges. I got some pretty good recordings with an ECM-MS957. Mid-side stereo gives a good image. If you stay with this long enough you will be shopping for a replacement, I am pretty sure. 8)
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I'm not saying that this is the end-all be-all of mics... It certainly isn't. However, it may represent a good value at a particular price-point. It's better. imho, to get out and tape with what you can afford, than sit at home saving your pennies for "someday" when you can afford the best.
I'm already shopping for an upgrade (fairly important show coming up), but imho, this mic isn't a bad place to start. I started taping years ago with crappy radio shack mics (wish I had this mic then...) and just recently bought an MZ-RH1 to transfer my old MD recordings and get back into taping. i own an ECM-719 and got this ECM-737 on loan.
If you can get a 737 cheap, and do not have a lot to spend on a rig, I think this could be a good mic for the money. I like it better than the 719, which probably costs more new than the 737 is likely to go for used. So, for the new and/or budget minded taper, I thought it would help to have some info and samples in case this mic becomes available.
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It's better. imho, to get out and tape with what you can afford, than sit at home saving your pennies for "someday" when you can afford the best.
or with what you can borrow from friends ;D Without Nick and Carl Beck I wouldn't have been taping much the last year or so. If we did a comp between gear we each owned, it'd be no comparision.
Nice meeting you attheshow.
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Thanks Janka,
I wish I had that kind of borrowing power. ;D As it is, the 737 mic was a loaner.
Good meeting you. Thanks for your advice on mics as well. You've really got me thinking. If I can expect to loose very little buying higher end mics used and then reselling them later, then I need to figure out how much money I can afford to tie up in a better setup, and how soon. But then it's not just mics... it's phantom, pres, outboard a/d... just what I needed... another expensive hobby.
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I listened to both yours and the comparison recording of the same event done by another taper. Given they were using AKG mics I'm familiar with, I could compare pretty well. I think the Sony acquits itself nicely. I often tell people that Sony mics are an under-the-radar brand. I own several Sony Mid-Side ECM-series mics and I'm pretty impressed with them. No mic is perfect in every situation and the skill of the recordist in placing it never disappears. To be honest, even given my pro-Sony prejudice, the Sony ECM-737 surprised me after hearing the AKGs. Nice open sound and good soundstage. Thanks for posting your taping and references to the same event captured using different mics. It's a great way to compare.
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I used to use an ECM737 a lot. I traded it away and regret it b'c I wish I had it for camcorder and non-rig situations
If anyone has one that's in great shape with the windscreen drop me a line,
Thanks
AZ