DJI Mic 2

The $349 DJI Mic 2 is a wireless recording system for content creators, social media stars, and vloggers who want to step up the quality of their audio. The kit contains two microphones, a receiver, a sturdy charging case, and a handful of accessories for connecting to all types of vlogging gear, be that a phone, a camera, or a computer. Its wide-ranging support, along with improvements over the original including battery life, noise cancellation, and usability, make the Mic 2 a formidable tool for capturing clean audio in any scenario. If you want to save some money, the slightly older $299 Rode Wireless Go II is also worth considering thanks to its greater ease of use, longer recording times, and companion app.

A Complete High-Tech Recording Package

DJI sells the Mic 2 in two configurations. The $349 kit we tested includes two transmitting microphones and one receiver all in Shadow Black, a 3.5mm audio cable, two mobile phone adapters (one Lightning, one USB-C), two fuzzy windscreens, two clip magnets, a USB-A-to-USB-C charging cable, and a zip-up carrying bag. The $219 package drops one of the mics and swaps out the zip-up bag for a drawstring pouch. You can buy additional transmitters in Shadow Black or Pearl White for $99 each.

(Credit: Eric Zeman)

Each transmitter measures 1.81 by 1.57 by 0.86 inches (HWD) and weighs 0.99 ounces, which makes them bigger but lighter than the originals (1.9 by 1.1 by 0.7 inches, 1.1 ounces). The overall shape and dimensions of the plastic mics make them look like miniature pagers. The front has DJI's branding while the rear includes a clip for attachment to clothing. The clip has a small, square magnet that you can detach and position underneath clothing should the clips themselves not allow for optimal placement. DJI puts the omnidirectional microphone on the top edge of the transmitter, while a 3.5mm jack sits next to the mic. You can plug in your own 3.5mm TRS lavalier mic or use the plug to hold the included windscreen. A four-pin array on the bottom edge enables charging via the case.

(Credit: Eric Zeman)

With the Mic 2, DJI addresses one of our big complaints about the first-gen system. The USB-C port (for charging and firmware updates) appears on the left side now, as does the dedicated recording button. Previously, the recording button shared space next to the Bluetooth linking button, which led to accidental presses of the latter. The linking button and the power button are together on the right side of the transmitter. Pressing the record button starts and stops recording instantly.

(Credit: Eric Zeman)

The receiver measures 2.13 by 1.12 by 0.89 inches and weighs 0.99 ounces, making it larger but about as heavy as its predecessor (1.80 by 1.30 by 0.70 inches, 0.90 ounces). It benefits from a redesign: The top surface sports a 1.1-inch touch display that lets you easily gauge the status of each mic, including the connection strength, battery life, and recording mode. A big, rotating dial sits on one side of the display. You can turn the dial to switch between various settings or press the button to access more controls. The dial juts out slightly, has a red outline to help with visibility, and features well-defined detents. A dedicated power button is on the left edge, while two 3.5mm jacks are on the right (one for monitoring via headphones though not low-latency, one for analog out). A cold shoe protrudes from the rear panel for attaching the receiver to a camera. A USB-C port (for charging, connecting to computers, and firmware updates) and four charging pins line the bottom edge.

(Credit: Eric Zeman)

Like with the transmitters and receiver, DJI also updates the charging case. It's bigger and heavier than before at 4.57 by 1.63 by 2.35 inches and 7.0 ounces but features a sturdy metal construction that should keep everything safe. The front includes a new lock that, if engaged, you must first press to open the lid. This design change makes it less likely for everything to pop out should you drop the case. Four LED lights on the front indicate the charging status and a USB-C port sits on the rear. Rubber feet on the bottom keep it from slipping. The Rode system ships only with a pouch; a charging case costs extra.

Battery life is better across the board. The Mic 2's two transmitters and receiver can each run for 6 hours per charge (up from 5), according to DJI. The charging case carries an additional 18 hours of power (up from 10). It takes about 70 minutes to recharge the transmitters and receiver. DJI estimates that recharging everything takes 2 hours and 40 minutes. Rode's mics last 7 hours per charge, for comparison.

Simple Setup

You need to follow a few easy setup steps upon opening the charging case and removing the receiver. First, select your preferred language and set the time. Then, you can use the touch screen to swipe through the basic controls, which allow you to set the mute feature, check the battery status, and toggle the recording button. Deeper settings permit you to select between mono and stereo recording, choose whether or not you want a mono backup track, as well as adjust gain, fiddle with headphone volume, and link extra transmitters. Additional settings for the transmitters (via the receiver's menus) are also available: low-cut recording, gain, 32-bit float recording, record lock, auto record, storage, vibrations, and LEDs.

(Credit: Eric Zeman)

Opening the case turns all three devices on and shows their battery levels by default. A quick press of the power button locks their controls. This helps prevent accidental actions, such as starting or ending a recording or disconnecting the transmitter from the receiver.

The transmitters can operate independently, meaning you can pull one out of the charging case and use it to record audio without a connected camera or phone. It has enough onboard storage to handle up to 14 hours of mono recording at a peak of 24-bit/48kHz. The mic saves files in the WAV format and automatically clips the track every 30 minutes without interrupting the recording. The DJI Mic 2 can simultaneously record a "safety track" at -6dB. The idea here is to have a backup on hand should you have mismanaged the gain or volume settings for the main track and have unusable segments of audio. If you need longer recording times, the Rode Wireless Go II mic can record for up to 30 hours continuously.

DJI does not offer a mobile app for the Mic 2. Rode's mics, meanwhile, can interact with an advanced app that lets you tweak the controls via smartphone.

Clean Audio

The DJI Mic 2 is ready to go whenever you are. The transmitters automatically pair with the receiver and connect to it as soon as you open the case. The receiver also automatically provides a signal strength meter for one or both mics depending on how many you plan to use. The Mics rely on 2.4GHz Wi-Fi and have a range of more than 800 feet.

You can do just about anything with the Mic 2 system. The two transmitters make it a cinch to record audio from two people who can be close to one another or a reasonable distance apart. I tested the mics in a variety of ways and with several different devices.

(Credit: Eric Zeman)

First, I inserted the receiver's cold shoe into a Sony a7 IV mirrorless camera and used the 3.5mm output jack to connect directly to the camera's microphone jack. You can also connect via USB. Using just one and then both mics, I recorded mono and stereo audio that synced up perfectly with the camera's video. The audio was loud and clear.

I also connected the USB-C adapter to the receiver and plugged it directly into several phones, including an Apple iPhone 15 Pro Max and a Google Pixel 8 Pro. The phones reacted differently to the direct connection.

With the iPhone, I was able to create mono and stereo recordings in the native Apple voice recorder and iPhone camera apps. However, attaching via the USB port silences the phone's speakers for some reason. You have to remove the receiver if you want to hear the audio via the phone's speakers or attach wired headphones via the 3.5mm jack on the receiver. The experience was the same with an iPad Pro.

The Pixel was a little more receptive. Its native recorder and camera apps accepted the USB-connected mic with no problem and captured mono and stereo audio with either one or two mics, respectively. With the Pixel, though, I could play back video on the device and hear the audio without first disconnecting the receiver.

(Credit: Eric Zeman)

The included windscreens effectively reduce wind noise but don't do too much to reduce louder background sounds such as traffic or nearby conversations. The onboard noise-cancelling algorithm is a much better tool for recording audio in loud spaces, though you need to manually turn this feature on in the settings. In testing, the noise cancellation setting cut back environmental sounds and produced clear vocals with few unwanted audio spikes. This alone represents a huge upgrade over the original DJI Mic.

On the whole, voices sound balanced, clean, and forward in the mix, with minimal background noise. That recording mix should prove ideal YouTube videos, social media posts, meetings and briefs, and other professional applications including live feeds.

An Appealing Choice for Creators

People who need to capture audio on the go will appreciate the features and flexibility of the DJI Mic 2. It handily records mono or stereo audio, cuts back wind and other environmental noises, and captures clean vocals. The included receiver, transmitters, USB adapters, and connector cables ensure the system works with your phone, camera, computer, and other gear, while the revised physical controls ease some of the usability pains of the original model. It's easy to recommend if you don't already have the first-generation model. If you want to spend slightly less, however, the Rode Wireless Go II system offers even better battery life, can record continuously for longer, and works with a helpful companion app.