The DJI Mic Mini 2S, successor to the DJI Mic Mini, is an iteration of the new Mic Mini 2. Built on the same tech and design that make the Mini 2 series so great, the new Mic Mini 2S offers a few key upgrades that aim to justify its significant price difference over the Mic Mini 2S. Is there enough here to warrant an upgrade and price hike?
Out of the package, the DJI Mic Mini 2S is, as the name suggests, quite compact. While there are a couple of models available for this latest launch, including a single transmitter and receiver variant and a single transmitter and mobile receiver variant, the pride and joy of the launch is the Mic Mini 2S that comes with two transmitters and a single receiver.
In addition to the additional transmitter, the package also contains a charging case, a carry pouch, a mobile phone adaptor (USB-C), two windscreens, two magnetic clips and magnets, a charging cable, a camera audio cable, four magnetic covers and a sleeve of ten additional magnetic covers. It’s an impressive array of accessories included with the $265 price point.
“The new Mic Mini 2S offers a few key upgrades that aim to justify its significant price difference over the Mic Mini 2S.”
The transmitters are tiny, weighing a mere 12g (15g with clip) and measuring 28.58×28.04×13.52 mm or about the size of a 2 lt bottle cap. The hard plastic construction is easily customizable thanks to the included magnetic covers, making it easy to change up the look of the trimmers in seconds. DJI has additional covers available, including the four done in collaboration with Victo Ngai.
Featuring Bluetooth 6.0, the transmitters provide excellent range and come paired with the receiver. In testing, I was easily able to connect and record to the receiver at well over 350 meters, with the spec sheet confirming a max distance of 400 meters. For those concerned about distance or simply not wanting to deal with the receiver, a built-in record button allows for quick and seamless onboard recording, a first for the DJI Mic Mini series.
It works exceptionally well, capturing audio with whatever presets were last confirmed through the DJI Mimo app. With just over 14 GB of internal storage, you’ll have no problem recording longer-form content. This is by far the smallest transmitter I’ve worked with that includes onboard storage, and I am seriously impressed with the results.
Examining the receiver, while it looks very much like the Mic Mini 2, there are a couple of standout features of note and a few things I appreciate about the design in general. First and foremost, the Mic Mini 2S Receiver is exceptionally light. Weighing only 19g and measuring 46.50×29.61×19.32 mm, it fits quite well on the end of a phone thanks to the included mobile adaptor. As someone who often films with my phone and some form of wireless mic setup, I have greatly appreciated the lighter weight and sleek profile of the Mic Mini 2.
Another element of the design I’ve come to appreciate is that there is no screen. This might seem like an odd statement, but having worked quite a few systems over the past couple of years, I appreciate the minimalist design and the fact that I don’t waste time navigating menus on a tiny screen. The most valuable and important controls are present in the form of power, connection and a physical gain dial. A small set of indicator lights shows how many Transmitters are currently connected (Four in total).
A key feature of this latest iteration of the receiver is its ability to connect to four transmitters simultaneously. More impressive still is that the Mic Mini 2S is backwards compatible with a host of DJI’s other Mic Mini transmitters as well as the Mic 2 and Mic 3 transmitters. While the range varies depending on the transmitter model, it’s an impressive feat that adds a new layer of depth to what the Mic Mini 2S brings to the table over its predecessor.
With four transmitters connected, the Mic Mini 2S receiver can actually record four separate output tracks (Quadraphonic mode), providing considerable flexibility for mixing in post-production. This eliminates the need for an audio controller for more complex and robust recording sessions, such as a podcast or video production.
While only available via a coldshoe mount for cameras or on PC/Mac, it works quite well. I tested this on my MacBook Pro through Reaper, and the results were superb. As for the audio capture itself, the raw audio is clean and can be recorded at up to 32-bit float, leaving lots of headroom to reduce clipping. For those concerned with clipping, the Mic Mini 2S features an automatic clipping control as well as dynamic loudness balance settings that really help reduce overall spikes and dips in the audio file.
The Mic Mini 2S also comes with three voice tone presets: Regular, Bright and Rich. While the Bright and Rich added mids and low ends respectively, I found myself defaulting to regular as it presents the most balanced and accurate capture of my voice. For those who intend to shoot and upload, the other presets are nice, but for those who like to mix audio in post, I’d suggest sticking with the regular preset.
“If you are looking for quality audio capture and versatility, the DJI Mic Mini 2S delivers.”
Noise cancellation is also back with this iteration of the Mic Mini 2, and features the same basic or strong modes. In testing, I found that they worked fine, but weren’t outstanding overall. They do the job to a degree, allowing for the intended source to be captured clearly, but they do struggle with some louder background noise.
As for battery life, I was happy to see that I could average around 10 hours of continual use with the transmitters and receiver during testing. Interestingly, I was able to use my phone’s reverse charging to keep the receiver powered if needed. It’s a nice quality-of-life feature.
The whole setup is clean, compact and works incredibly well, providing a content creator with a powerful tool set for recording. The question, though, is whether you need such a robust setup. This is where the versions of the Mic Mini 2S become important.
If you are starting out and are looking to create one or two-person content as your main focus, then I would actually recommend the Mic Mini 2S with the mobile receiver. It’s a powerful two-channel system that provides the same battery life and record-to-transmitter features you’d find in the more expensive model and is only $149. It’s a great option if you are looking for quality, but you won’t need to utilize the more robust setup of a four-channel setup.
If, however, you are looking for an incredibly versatile setup that can grow fairly well with your content, I would recommend investing a little extra for the $265 version. The Quadraphonic mode is a game-changer for larger productions, essentially eliminating the need for more expensive gear. The ability to purchase extra transmitters means you can easily upgrade the setup as you go, and the recording quality is high enough that a multi-track podcast or filming recording will be great.
The DJI Mic Mini S2 is an excellent Wireless microphone system. From audio capture quality to impressive feature set, there is so much to love about DJI’s latest Mic Mini release. If you are looking for quality audio capture and versatility, the DJI Mic Mini 2S delivers.
