DJI hasn’t finished yet with its busy 2024, as it just announced the Mic Mini wireless microphone system. The company took most of the characteristics of the popular Mic 2 and shrunk it down considerably, while also making it much more affordable.
The Mic Mini consists of a receiver and one or two transmitters with built-in microphones. To use it, you just affix the mics to your subject, either via a clip or magnetic attachment, and turn them on. Then, power up the receiver and connect it to your camera via a 3.5mm cable. Everything pairs automatically, and the final step is to adjust your levels using the dial on the side.
The mics feature omnidirectional recording and the receiver can work with two of them at once, either to separate channels or mixed together. If you use it with the DJI Mimo app, you can record backup audio at 6db lower than the main track to avoid any clipping issues. Audio can be transmitted up to 400 meters (1,300 feet) and DJI says it provides stable audio even in busy electronic environments thanks to the anti-interference tech.
The Mic Mini is part of DJI’s OsmoAudio ecosystem, so the transmitters can connect to other DJI devices like the Osmo Action 5 Pro, Osmo Action 4 or Osmo Pocket 3 without a receiver to simplify workflow. It also connects directly to smartphones via Bluetooth, again with no receiver required (if you want to use multiple mics with your smartphone, there’s an optional USB-C adapter for the transmitter). It’s available in a kit with a charging case that keeps everything in one place and provides 48 hours of extended use when fully charged.
The main feature missing that can be found on the more expensive Mic 2 is a 3.5mm port on the transmitters for an external microphone. The Mic Mini also lacks the Mic 2’s internal 32-bit float recording that eliminates clipping.
I’ve used the system for a short while and the microphones are the smallest and lightest I’ve seen yet and are relatively discreet apart from the DJI logo (which is nothing a piece of black tape won’t fix). They’re easy to attach with the magnetic clips and don’t flop around like the Mic 2 or other larger wireless mics on loose clothing (t-shirts etc.) because they’re so light at 10 grams. I used them for two videos and they offered crisp sound across all frequencies — in fact, I couldn’t tell the difference between the Mic Mini and Mic 2 by ear.
I also tested the Mic Mini with an Android smartphone, iPad and DJI’s Action 5 camera, and it worked flawlessly. You can use the DJI Fly app to connect to a Neo drone and benefit from the noise reduction, much as you can with the Mic 2.
The Mic Mini arrives shortly after Sennheiser launched its $299 Profile Wireless Mic, though that product competes more closely with the DJI Mic 2 (and lacks a Bluetooth transmitter). Another option is the $150 Rode Wireless Micro, which only works with smartphones and not cameras.
For creators, the most interesting part of the Mic Mini is bound to be the price. For a one receiver and one transmitter, you’ll pay just $89, and a full kit with a charging case, two transmitters, a receiver, cable and wind muffs is $169. It’s available at DJI’s store, Amazon and elsewhere.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/audio/djis-tiny-mic-mini-offers-high-quality-wireless-sound-recording-starting-at-89-130036583.html?src=rss
