DJI Mic Mini 2S Review: The Best Tiny Mic Now Offers A Pro Experience

Overview

DJI Mic Mini 2S review: The best tiny mic now offers a pro experience

With internal 32-bit float recording, it’s got nearly everything a creator needs.

Details

We may receive a commission on purchases made from links.

Since it first launched, DJI's wireless Mic Mini series has been a hit with vloggers and creators. It's easy to see why: They're inexpensive, reliable, easy to use and offer high-quality voice recording. That's a big upgrade from old-school wireless systems that were often expensive, tricky to set up and prone to interference. There has been one key feature lacking, though. Some pros have avoided DJI's Mic Mini models because they can't record audio internally, leaving no backup if something goes wrong.

DJI just rectified that issue with the Mic Mini 2S. It can record to internal memory at 32-bit float quality, giving content pros not only a high-quality backup but protection against clipped audio. The new model also lets you capture audio from four mics at once like the Mic 3. Those upgrades could convince many who are still sitting on the fence to finally use a set of DJI Mini microphones. But as I discovered with my testing, those might not be enough to win over all pros for other reasons I'll get into.

The Mic Mini 2S transmitters (mics) largely resemble the Mic Mini 2 and weigh just a gram more at 12 grams. That tiny bit of extra weight is due to the 14.5GB of internal memory now lurking inside each transmitter. It's enough to capture 28 hours of 24-bit audio, or about 22 hours of 32-bit float audio. More on that shortly.

There are also a few subtle physical changes. The clear cover is slightly more transparent than before and has a tiny "Mini 2S" logo in orange and gray. The power button is also orange instead of clear, and the embossed logo now sticks out by about a millimeter. Why? Well, the 10 colorful mic covers included with the camera kit now have a cutout that fits neatly over that protruding logo.

Speaking of which, I know that DJI wants to promote its products, but many pros really do not want its logo to appear in their videos. The company really needs to provide a cover or some other way of blocking it out. They can even charge extra for one! People will pay!

As before, the Mic Mini 2S comes in smartphone and camera kits. The latter includes a receiver with a 3.5mm mic output and cable for mirrorless cameras, along with two mics, a charging case and other accessories. The former offers a mobile receiver with a smartphone USB-C port, along with a single transmitter and charging case.

The camera receiver has a volume knob, 3.5mm mic port, power and Bluetooth buttons and a clip that slides onto your camera's hot shoe. It supports up to four transmitters at once, two more than the Mic Mini 2, with four numbered LEDs showing which are connected. As for the smartphone receiver, it includes a male USB-C connection for the phone and a female pass-through for charging, plus a switch for noise reduction.

There are a few things missing here compared to the receiver on DJI's more expensive flagship Mic 3. The Mic Mini 2S's receiver lacks a color screen to show levels and other information. Internal storage is also less than half the Mic 3, though 22 hours per mic is more than adequate for most creators.

Each transmitter is rated to run up to 11 hours on a charge, and the receiver can go for 10 hours, both 30 minutes less than before. At room temperature, I was able to run the receiver and transmitters for just under 10 hours, so DJI's specs are nearly spot-on. The camera kit case can charge both mics and the receiver 3.2 times, giving you about 40-plus hours of continuous use. That beats all rivals in this price range, including the Rode Wireless Go III and Hollyland Lark M2.

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 Osmo Audio system.

As with other DJI wireless microphones, the Mic Mini 2S couldn't be easier to use. Just attach the transmitter to your subject by clipping it to their clothing or using the magnet. Connect the receiver to your camera via the included 3.5mm cable, or plug it into your smartphone, and everything pairs automatically. Finally, adjust the receiver dial to set levels to your liking.

There are a few other settings you'll want to check before recording. Double pressing the link button will change audio capture from mono to stereo, so if you're using two mics, you can capture one on the left channel and the other on the right to keep them separate. If you're using four mics and want separate sound, be sure to record internally on each one.

To record, simply press the orange power button once to start recording, and press it again to stop. To access other settings, power the receiver on and connect it to your smartphone with the included adapter, then power up your receivers and run DJI's Mimo app. There, you'll find the option for 32-bit float recording, along with a loop recording function that will automatically record over your oldest audio if you run out of storage space.

The Mimo app also includes adaptive gain control, which automatically adjusts input gain to maintain stable output volume and avoid distortion. Another key setting is the AI-powered noise reduction, with a basic mode to reduce persistent low sounds like air conditioning, along with strong mode for use outdoors to help with loud or unexpected noises. Finally, there are three voice tone presets, including "Rich" for enhanced depth, "Bright" to add clarity and "Regular."

With my levels set just above green, the 48 Khz, 24-bit audio quality recorded on my camera was crisp and clear, though slightly lacking in bass. I mostly fixed that problem by enabling Rich mode, giving me a good setting without the need to equalize much in post.

As with other DJI microphones, voice quality isn't quite as accurate as high-end offerings from Sennheiser or others. As I noticed with the Mic Mini 2, there was minor distortion in my voice range that can be heard if you isolate its frequency. Reducing the gain at that range noticeably improved the clarity and fullness. However, audio pros used to broadcast-quality lav mics may find that the DJI Mic Mini 2S falls short of their expectations.

The 32-bit float audio provides a minor improvement in audio quality over regular 24-bit sound, but where it really shines is when you mess up. To test that, I cranked the levels on my camera and the Mic Mini 2 to the redline before recording internally and to my Panasonic S1R II. Camera levels were clipped, distorted and completely unusable, as you'd expect. However, once I adjusted 32-bit float audio in Da Vinci Resolve Studio, it was clear and distortion free.

DJI's Mic Mini 2 did a decent job of reducing noise, but the updated AI system on the Mini 2S is better. At the Basic setting, voice quality was noticeably degraded on the Mini 2 but I could barely hear any reduction in quality on the Mini 2S. And though audio distortion was still noticeable at the Strong NR setting, non-voice frequencies weren't cut off quite as brutally as before.

As with most new DJI products, the Mic Mini 2S is not available in the US and there's no word on when or if it will due to a national security ban. However, it's now on sale in Europe, Canada and elsewhere at

With those prices and 32-bit float audio, the Mic Mini 2 doesn't have a lot of competition. The

If you look at all features, including ease of use, sound quality and compatibility with other DJI products, DJI's Mic Mini 2S rises above all its rivals. It's ideal for beginners, and for just 10 euros more, could persuade creators that rejected the Mic MIni 2 due to its lack of a 32-bit float backup. If you don't need a broadcast-quality mic and can find the Mic Mini 2S in your region, I'd highly recommend it.

Key Takeaways

• DJI Mic Mini 2S review: The best tiny mic now offers a pro experience

• With internal 32-bit float recording, it’s got nearly everything a creator needs

• We may receive a commission on purchases made from links

• Since it first launched, DJI's wireless Mic Mini series has been a hit with vloggers and creators

• DJI just rectified that issue with the Mic Mini 2S