Not way back, high-quality wi-fi mic methods price over $500 and required a cumbersome transmitter and lav mic wire tucked beneath the topic’s shirt. DJI’s Mic Mini confirmed how pointless all of that was, combining mic and transmitter right into a 0.35-ounce machine that delivered top quality sound for beneath $100.
Now, DJI has launched the Mic Mini 2 (round $100) as a light replace to the unique at a a lot cheaper price. It’s extra style ahead due to the colourful new magnetic covers and gives an audio improve by way of new voice tone presets. These adjustments make it the perfect funds wi-fi mic for brand new patrons, but it surely’s not definitely worth the improve if you have already got a Mic Mini — and DJI’s flagship Mic 3 is healthier in case you can afford it. Nevertheless, beware that the Mic Mini 2 isn’t presently on sale within the US because it hasn’t but been licensed by the Federal Communications Fee (FCC).
DJI/Engadget
DJI’s Mic Mini 2 gives an incredible mixture of sound high quality, vary and options at a really low worth.
- Good sound high quality
- Efficient noise discount
- Excellent wi-fi vary
- New modern colours
- Very delicate improve from the Mic Mini
- No US availability
- Lack of 32-bit float audio
Design and options
The Mic Mini 2 now is available in two packages for smartphone and digital camera customers. One features a receiver with a 3.5mm mic output for mirrorless cameras, whereas the opposite gives a cell receiver with a USB-C port for smartphones. Each kits embody a charging case, one or two transmitters (mics) and a receiver. You additionally get a magnetic mount, clip mount, black and white magnetic entrance covers and a windscreen for every mic. The digital camera equipment features a smartphone adapter as properly.
The digital camera equipment incorporates 10 mic covers in a rainbow of hues that appear to be they have been borrowed from ‘90s iMacs, letting you match a topic’s clothes or add a pop of colour. All of them have an enormous, distracting DJI emblem, although, so many creators could need to cowl it with a bit of tape. DJI additionally has optionally available designer entrance covers with 4 very ‘90s wanting summary patterns in a number of pastel shades, out there for round $45.
Steve Dent for Engadget
DJI has modified the transmitter design barely from the earlier mannequin’s faceted form to a flatter design to raised accommodate the brand new magnetic covers. The mic portion additionally weighs barely extra at 0.39 ounces. Although tiny, every mic is rated to run as much as 11.5 hours on a cost, and the receiver is meant to go for about 10.5 hours with noise cancellation disabled. In my very own testing (recording constantly with a looped video as an audio supply), I used to be even in a position to barely exceed these instances, so you might simply use it for a full capturing day. That is higher than almost all rivals together with the Rode Wi-fi Go III, which is rated for seven hours on a cost. One other wi-fi mic on this worth vary, the Hollyland Lark M2, has a said runtime of 10 hours between fees.
As earlier than, the transmitters and receiver snap into the charging case magnetically. The cell charging case is sufficiently small to slip right into a pants pocket, whereas the bigger digital camera model matches right into a jacket pocket or a bag. On prime of being a handy option to retailer the transmitters and receiver, they’ll cost the mics and receiver 3.6 instances, supplying you with 48 hours of use even and not using a wall plug in sight. It took me about two hours to cost all three units within the digital camera case and about an hour to cost the smaller receiver and single transmitter with the cell case.
The Mic Mini 2 transmitters will be paired instantly with smartphones by way of Bluetooth or you may join them to DJI cameras just like the Osmo Motion 6, Osmo 360 and Osmo Pocket 4 by way of DJI’s OsmoAudio system.
Audio high quality
To make use of the Mic Mini 2, simply affix the mics (transmitters) to your topic, both by way of the clip or magnetic attachment, and switch them on. Then, energy up the receiver and join it to your digital camera by way of a 3.5mm cable or plug it into your smartphone’s USB-C port. Every thing pairs mechanically, and the ultimate step is to regulate the extent between -12 db and +12 db utilizing the dial on the facet (digital camera receiver solely). Noise discount is about by way of a change on the cell receiver, or the Mimo app for the digital camera receiver.
There are a number of main variations between DJI’s Mic Mini 2 and the more expensive flagship Mic 3 in terms of audio specs. The most important is that the Mic 3 helps 32-bit float inner recording (with 32GB of storage) that eliminates clipping in most conditions, even when your ranges are too excessive. It additionally comes with dynamic acquire management to stability quantity in case your topic tends to decrease or elevate their voice lots.
Steve Dent for Engadget
Compared, the Mic Mini 2 solely gives automated limiting, which does forestall clipping however can cut back audio high quality. It additionally gives no inner recording so that you received’t have a backup in case your digital camera or smartphone recording fails. The Mic Mini 2 additionally lacks an audio stage show just like the Mic 3.
Regardless of these limitations, the 48Khz, 24-bit audio high quality on the Mic Mini 2 is superb. I recorded my voice utilizing all three voice tone presets, and located that I may use the “wealthy” mode (which emphasizes low tones) with out the necessity to do equalization in put up. The “common” setting gives impartial and balanced sound, whereas the “shiny” mode provides readability in noisy conditions. In case you desire doing EQ your self, the common mode is greatest.
A superb check of a microphone is to report your voice after which max out EQ ranges in a slim band throughout a spread of frequencies. A mediocre mic will distort audio in a couple of vary, decreasing sound high quality. DJI’s Mic Mini 2 carried out properly right here, displaying minor distortion for my voice solely at one frequency. Once I lowered the acquire at that vary, my voiceovers sounded clear and full.
One other key function is noise cancellation. DJI’s Mic Mini 2 gives two ranges of AI-powered cancellation relying on the quantity of background noise. On the low setting, it lowered background noise however produced some distortion. Nevertheless, the excessive stage noise cancellation distorts audio significantly, so you need to solely use it in a pinch when noise is extreme. I additionally examined the Mic Mini 2’s wi-fi vary and was in a position to report audio at 450 yards away from the receiver as DJI claims, although the machine disconnected as soon as at that distance.
The Mic Mini 2 retains different features from the unique Mini like automated limiting to forestall clipping. It helps two mics without delay, and when utilized in Stereo mode, enables you to seize every mic to a separate channel so you may combine them in a while. To set these features, it’s essential use DJI’s Mimo smartphone app.
Wrap-up
Steve Dent for Engadget
The Mic Mini 2 is now out there in Europe and elsewhere however not but the US resulting from lack of certification. It prices virtually half as a lot because the Mic Mini did at launch, simply €89/£89 for the digital camera equipment with two transmitters and a receiver, or €49/£54 for the cell equipment with one transmitter and a receiver.
Given the options and worth, the Mic Mini 2 doesn’t have plenty of competitors. One in every of its essential rivals is the Rode Wi-fi Go III, however that mannequin is double the value and lacks noise cancellation. It does have barely higher audio high quality, although. Different choices in the identical worth vary from Hollyland, Boya and others both can’t hook up with each a digital camera and smartphone or don’t stack up by way of sound high quality and options.
General the Mic Mini 2 gives an incredible mixture of vary, audio high quality and noise cancellation. It’s not price an improve from the Mic Mini, however in case you’re shopping for your first wi-fi mic and don’t need to spend a bundle, it’s an incredible possibility.
