Sony announced the ECM-AX10 on Oct. 8, 2026, and lists it at $249.99 in the US, where it is on pre-sale now. Japan's release is October 23 at an open price. It is a USB-C microphone for smartphones that records spatial audio, and Sony says it is the first microphone certified for Eclipsa Audio.

Why it matters

The spatial mode is the reason to buy, and it has a condition. Ambisonics recording, the mode that feeds spatial audio, works with Sony's Spatial Audio Video Tool app for shooting, reviewing, editing and exporting video. Binaural and stereo recording work without the app, according to Sony Japan's release.

Sony says Ambisonics output can be published as spatial audio on YouTube, and that 4K recording support is planned from December 2026. A phone creator who needs 4K at launch should not assume it works yet. We have not tested the microphone.

Key facts

  • US price: $249.99 MSRP, per Sony's US press release. Sony's US product page lists "Add to cart" with estimated delivery of Oct. 19 to 20, checked 5:33 a.m. ET, Oct. 11, 2026.
  • Amazon US: $249.99, listed as pre-order and "released on October 18, 2026", sold by Amazon.com, checked 5:31 a.m. ET, Oct. 11, 2026.
  • Japan: release on October 23, open price, per Sony Japan's release dated Oct. 9. No yen price was published.
  • Phone requirements: a USB-C port, iOS 18 or later, or Android 14 or later, per Sony's US press release.
  • Recording modes: Ambisonics (spatial audio, needs the app), binaural (for headphone listening) and stereo.
  • Size and weight: about 116 mm long and about 24 g, per Sony Japan.
  • Capsules: four omnidirectional microphone capsules in a spherical module, with wind and background noise reduction, per Sony's US product page.

What Eclipsa Audio means here

Sony says the ECM-AX10 is the world's first microphone to earn Eclipsa Audio certification, approved on Sept. 15, 2026. Eclipsa Audio is an open spatial format from the Alliance for Open Media, licensed royalty-free. Sony's claim is that recordings made with the microphone play back as spatial audio on platforms that support the format, such as YouTube.

Buying options

  • Amazon (US): $249.99, pre-order. Buy on Amazon
  • Sony (US): $249.99 MSRP, sold direct on Sony's product page. Sony's press release names Best Buy, B&H, Sweetwater and Guitar Center as other sellers.
  • Japan: open price, release October 23. We did not check Japanese retailers.

What is not yet known

  • The exact US ship date. Amazon says October 18, and Sony's product page says estimated delivery October 19 to 20.
  • Whether the 4K date holds. Sony says "planned".
  • Full phone support. Sony Japan says iOS and Android app support is "planned" and points to a list of verified devices. We did not open that list.
  • Real-world audio quality. We have not tested the ECM-AX10.