Not long ago, high-quality wireless mic systems cost over $500 and required a bulky transmitter and lav mic wire tucked under the subject’s shirt. DJI’s Mic Mini showed how unnecessary all of that was, combining mic and transmitter into a 0.35-ounce device that delivered high quality sound for under $100.
Now, DJI has released the Mic Mini 2 (around $100) as a mild update to the original at a much lower price. It’s more fashion forward thanks to the colorful new magnetic covers and offers an audio upgrade via new voice tone presets. Those changes make it the best budget wireless mic for new buyers, but it’s not worth the upgrade if you already have a Mic Mini — and DJI’s flagship Mic 3 is better if you can afford it. However, beware that the Mic Mini 2 isn’t currently on sale in the US as it hasn’t yet been certified by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC).
Design and features
The Mic Mini 2 now comes in two packages for smartphone and camera users. One includes a receiver with a 3.5mm mic output for mirrorless cameras, while the other offers a mobile receiver with a USB-C port for smartphones. Both kits include a charging case, one or two transmitters (mics) and a receiver. You also get a magnetic mount, clip mount, black and white magnetic front covers and a windscreen for each mic. The camera kit includes a smartphone adapter as well.
The camera kit contains 10 mic covers in a rainbow of hues that look like they were borrowed from ‘90s iMacs, letting you match a subject’s clothing or add a pop of color. They all have a huge, distracting DJI logo, though, so many creators may want to cover it with a piece of tape. DJI also has optional designer front covers with four very ‘90s looking abstract patterns in several pastel shades, available for around $45.
DJI has changed the transmitter design slightly from the previous model’s faceted shape to a flatter design to better accommodate the new magnetic covers. The mic portion also weighs slightly more at 0.39 ounces. Though tiny, each mic is rated to run up to 11.5 hours on a charge, and the receiver is supposed to go for about 10.5 hours with noise cancellation disabled. In my own testing (recording continuously with a looped video as an audio source), I was even able to slightly exceed these times, so you could easily use it for a full shooting day. This is better than nearly all rivals including the Rode Wireless Go III, which is rated for seven hours on a charge. Another wireless mic in this price range, the Hollyland Lark M2, has a stated runtime of 10 hours between charges.
As before, the transmitters and receiver snap into the charging case magnetically. The mobile charging case is small enough to slide into a pants pocket, while the larger camera version fits into a jacket pocket or a bag. On top of being a convenient way to store the transmitters and receiver, they can charge the mics and receiver 3.6 times, giving you 48 hours of use even without a wall plug in sight. It took me about two hours to charge all three devices in the camera case and about an hour to charge the smaller receiver and single transmitter with the mobile case.
The Mic Mini 2 transmitters can be paired directly with smartphones via Bluetooth or you can connect them to DJI cameras like the Osmo Action 6, Osmo 360 and Osmo Pocket 4 via DJI’s OsmoAudio system.
Audio quality
To use the Mic Mini 2, just affix the mics (transmitters) to your subject, either via the clip or magnetic attachment, and turn them on. Then, power up the receiver and connect it to your camera via a 3.5mm cable or plug it into your smartphone’s USB-C port. Everything pairs automatically, and the final step is to adjust the level between -12 db and +12 db using the dial on the side (camera receiver only). Noise reduction is set via a switch on the mobile receiver, or the Mimo app for the camera receiver.
There are a few major differences between DJI’s Mic Mini 2 and the more expensive flagship Mic 3 when it comes to audio specs. The biggest is that the Mic 3 supports 32-bit float internal recording (with 32GB of storage) that eliminates clipping in most situations, even if your levels are too high. It also comes with dynamic gain control to balance volume if your subject tends to lower or raise their voice a lot.
In comparison, the Mic Mini 2 only offers automatic limiting, which does prevent clipping but can reduce audio quality. It also offers no internal recording so you won’t have a backup if your camera or smartphone recording fails. The Mic Mini 2 also lacks an audio level display like the Mic 3.
Despite those limitations, the 48Khz, 24-bit audio quality on the Mic Mini 2 is excellent. I recorded my voice using all three voice tone presets, and found that I could use the “rich” mode (which emphasizes low tones) without the need to do equalization in post. The “regular” setting offers neutral and balanced sound, while the “bright” mode adds clarity in noisy situations. If you prefer doing EQ yourself, the regular mode is best.
A good test of a microphone is to record your voice and then max out EQ levels in a narrow band across a range of frequencies. A mediocre mic will distort audio in more than one range, reducing sound quality. DJI’s Mic Mini 2 performed well here, showing minor distortion for my voice only at one frequency. When I reduced the gain at that range, my voiceovers sounded clear and full.
Another key feature is noise cancellation. DJI’s Mic Mini 2 offers two levels of AI-powered cancellation depending on the amount of background noise. At the low setting, it reduced background noise but produced some distortion. However, the high level noise cancellation distorts audio considerably, so you should only use it in a pinch when noise is excessive. I also tested the Mic Mini 2’s wireless range and was able to record audio at 450 yards away from the receiver as DJI claims, though the device disconnected once at that distance.
The Mic Mini 2 retains other functions from the original Mini like automatic limiting to prevent clipping. It supports two mics at once, and when used in Stereo mode, lets you capture each mic to a separate channel so you can mix them later on. To set those functions, you need to use DJI’s Mimo smartphone app.
Wrap-up
The Mic Mini 2 is now available in Europe and elsewhere but not yet the US due to lack of certification. It costs almost half as much as the Mic Mini did at launch, just €89/£89 for the camera kit with two transmitters and a receiver, or €49/£54 for the mobile kit with one transmitter and a receiver.
Given the features and price, the Mic Mini 2 doesn’t have a lot of competition. One of its main rivals is the Rode Wireless Go III, but that model is double the price and lacks noise cancellation. It does have slightly better audio quality, though. Other options in the same price range from Hollyland, Boya and others either can’t connect to both a camera and smartphone or don’t stack up in terms of sound quality and features.
Overall the Mic Mini 2 offers a great combination of range, audio quality and noise cancellation. It’s not worth an upgrade from the Mic Mini, but if you’re buying your first wireless mic and don’t want to spend a bundle, it’s a great option. And as a final reminder, like with other DJI products, the Mic Mini won’t be available in the US to start with, but may go on sale stateside later.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/audio/dji-mic-mini-2-review-the-tiny-wireless-mic-is-colorful-and-much-cheaper-120046171.html?src=rss
