Sony Microphone ECM-MS957 converter for Audacity

[Elias Blackman]

I have a Sony Microphone ECM-MS957. I have recently turned to use Audacity for audio editing and recording. I tried connecting the mentioned microphone to my laptop but Audacity doesn’t recognize it. Does anyone know any converter or driver for this purpose? Is it possible to develop a converter, utility or plug-in for this purpose?

[-Deven-]

I too have used Sony Microphones in past and I know the wiring required is not the simple one. The end of Sony’s microphone is XLR5 male, while other microphones usually have XLR3. So the first thing someone needs to develop if trying to create a converter or driver is a XLR5 to XLR3 adapter for the computer. Again this adapter must be designed so that it works same on every platform. This whole process will require one to dematrix the audio signal and create a line driver that will be interacting with sound card using USB connection.

[QUENBY]

I read the manual of the microphone you have and it shows that it has a mini jack plug and has a switch to select between 90 to 120 degrees of pick up pattern. The presence of this switch makes me think that the sum-and-difference matrix for decoding the mid-side stereo is already present in the microphone. The output must be using conventional stereo mini-jack wiring (right / left to tip / ring and common/earth to sleeve). Many computer sound cards have slot for stereo mini-jack connectors but I haven’t seen any one with stereo conventional mini-jack connector.

[Leanne]

Typical microphones like the one mentioned in question require power supply. The ECM-MS957 is battery powered so it does not need the power connector. So, one can concentrate on stereo input driver. If mid-side stereo is decoded than recording stereo sounds is possible. Decoding needs one to split side recording.

[Essien]

I use Zoom H2n microphone and it generates MS + XY. It requires lot of track fiddling before audio can be mixed. For making a driver for microphones like Sony microphone ECM-MS957 and Zoom H2n the suitable presets for recording sounds are,

• wide ( 150⁰, S = +6dB)
• normal ( 120⁰, S = 0 dB )
• small ( 60⁰, S = -9 dB )
• mono ( only MID )

the person making plug-in or driver must take this into consideration for proper stereo sound conversion.

[Koman]

I studied the values of presets for microphones; I can say that they are good for reducing the mono sounds. This will also provide options for wider array of settings to reduce clipping. Again another problem would be of Nyquist plug-ins. To control a microphone one will need too many different types of controls including sliders, curve graphs and so on. Nyquist plug-ins doesn’t allow providing so much control.

[GALIENA]

One will need to use M/S decoding to work with audio signals coming through the microphone. By use of M/S decoder it is possible to know in advance the exact peak level of decoded sound signals. In extreme cases, a 0 db sound mix will produce output with peak of intensity of 6 db. This will lead to disturbance in height level of peak that is originally fed into microphone and the one that will be available in Audacity. Using M/S decoding technique, one will need to maintain the consistency of peak heights.

[BillieJ]

The peak value of output generated will be first calculated using M/S decoder. But if this technique is applied in Nyquist plug-ins, it will put the entire load on RAM. So for higher quality of output, more amount of RAM will be required. If the RAM consumption is not properly controlled while designing a driver or utility, it can be harmful for working of Audacity.

[JustineBB]

Many times only mono track is required. So while designing the plug-in, the developer will have to take into consideration the function to remove the side track by splitting the incoming audio signals. To achieve this, the plug-in will need to have a mid-side decoder that can integrate with channel mixer. I have worked on many M/S encoded files. Many of those had two single channel files, or as a single channel Middle and a 2 channel Side file or as a 2 channel file with mid in the first (left) channel.

[hotwaterbelly]

hi I have just used sony ecm-ms957,into Olympus ws-331m,out into laptop (mic in), running audacity. I just tried this, as I got the idea, while reading your request as I was looking for the same thing, seems to work ok.