I really wanted the DJI Mic to be great. So, too, did Haje. Ultimately, however, he walked away from the experience unimpressed by the end result. It was a disappointment from a category that can truly use a mobile-era upgrade. As someone who’s done his share of TV spots, videos and stage interviews over the years, it seems like the world of wireless lavalier/lapel microphones has remained largely static the whole time.
Over the past decade, as DJI has branched out from drone maker to audio/video expert (a surprising but logical jump in hindsight), the Shenzhen hardware giant has perfectly positioned itself to take on the job. But Haje’s review ultimately found the system lacking, with regard to features and cost.
These days, DJI isn’t alone in this burgeoning niche. Rode has issued a few offerings in its Wireless Go series (though it reportedly struggled with various hardware issues), while Anker came in and undercut everyone with the $250 M650, which can presently be purchased on Amazon for $180. I played around with a set at CES last week, though COVID severely hampered my real-world testing.
Available starting today, DJI’s Mic 2 promises improvements to sound and noise isolation/cancelation — the latter of which is of utmost importance for loud settings like CES. The company says the new system will also be able to handle loud volumes without peaking/distorting.
Battery capacity has been improved, as well, from 2,600 to 3,250mAh, bumping up run time up to six hours (from five). Like its predecessor, the Mic 2 works in configurations of one or two microphones. As someone always searching for ways to up my podcast game, I was hoping DJI would add the ability to bring a third mic into the fold.
The company tells me, “As of now, the receiver can link with up to two transmitters,” which seems to leave the possibility open — perhaps by way of a future firmware update. Meantime, you can purchase it in two primary configurations: two mics, one receiver and the charging case for $349 (not bad, if you ask me) or $219 for a single mic, receiver and phone adapter. Which makes more sense depends on precisely what the person is looking to do with the system. If it’s just an on-camera standup, one should do the trick.
The company is also selling accessories, including a $39 wired lavalier mic add-on. The Mic 2 is available now through DJI’s site.
