Godox WES Kit2 Review

As mentioned with the Godox WEC Kit2, the Godox WES Kit2 is one of the most affordable wireless mic systems on the market. However, this price point doesn’t fully reflect its quality. The build quality is good; if you take care of the Godox WES Kit2, it will last you a good number of years. However, if you throw it into a kit bag unprotected, the aesthetic quality of the materials will start to look quite battered.

To compensate for the relatively lightweight build materials, Godox has encased the system within a charging case, which is of a similar middle-of-the-road build and material quality. This is then contained within a high-quality semi-hard case, which offers more than enough protection and keeps everything in one place—a standard expectation for any manufacturer producing these kits. For example, a pull-string bag is absolutely not enough protection for expensive wireless mic kits.

Removing the charging case from the semi-hard case, it resembles almost identically the one from the WEC2 kit and charges through a USB port on the base. This seems like a slightly odd position, as most other systems place this port at the back or side so that you can access the mics and transmitter easily without having to lift up the case. However, this is a small design refinement rather than anything that restricts the use of the mics.

Flip open the lid, and you’ll find the usual inserts for the two mics and transmitter. There’s an LCD display on the front that shows the amount of charge held by the case—a pretty unique feature of the Godox WES Kit2 and Godox WEC Kit2, but one that all wireless mic charging cases should have. Next to the two mics is a white LED which flashes to let you know that the mics are being charged. The transmitter is powered by the phone once plugged in.

A common feature across these mic systems is auto-pairing; as soon as the mics are removed, the auto-pairing starts with the indicator lights flashing green on both the transmitter mics and receiver, turning solid green once connected. A nice touch here is that the receiver features two indicator lights, one for each of the mics.

The mics themselves are very small and lightweight, with a small clip on the back that enables them to be easily attached to clothing. Like all wireless mic systems currently, the Godox brand is emblazoned across the front in large white letters; however, the size and shape of the logo is easy to tape over if needed to make them more discreet.

As the system is designed to be simple, there’s no ability to attach a lavalier mic; these are essentially self-contained. In the box, along with the mics, are the two furry windshields (wind jammers) that simply clip on top of the mics. As a further boost to noise reduction, the mics feature DNR (Digital Noise Reduction), which is standardly switched on. On the side of the unit, a small orange button, with a quick push, can be used to switch the DNR on and off; OFF is indicated by an orange indicator light, while green indicates that DNR is on.

When it comes to features for a wireless mic system at this price, you certainly get a lot for your money. Firstly, the design is lightweight, which is partly due to the quality of the materials used. Still, they should be more than strong enough to handle everyday use as long as you’re careful. In terms of weight, the transmitter tips the scales at just 12g, and the receiver at 7g. The light weight of the transmitter means that when attached to the fabric of a shirt or lightweight material, it is less likely to pucker than heavier mic systems. Similarly, the 7g of the receiver means that when inserted into the base of your smartphone, it doesn’t add too much additional weight, making it a great companion for a gimbal system.

Size-wise, the units are quite compact, with the transmitter measuring 48mm x 22mm x 16mm and the receiver 48mm x 27mm x 11mm.

Regarding connection quality, the WES2 Kit enables a maximum line-of-sight transmission distance of up to 200 meters and uses a high-gain, interference-resistant 2.4GHz antenna. This is all internal, so there’s nothing to get caught in the workings of your rig. As is usual with this type of system, you generally don’t have more than a couple of meters between the transmitters and receiver, although it’s reassuring to know that you have the option for distance filming. The system utilizes a 2.4GHz Frequency Hopping System, which helps maintain a stable connection.

One of the big selling points is that the WES2 kit is MFi Licensed Technology, meaning it is certified by the APPLE MFi Program. This certification essentially allows you to plug in and go without the notification that this is an unknown device that could potentially harm your phone. Essentially, this certification guarantees that the microphone meets APPLE’s quality and performance standards, thus preventing damage to both the accessory and the connected iOS device.

Like most of the wireless mic systems currently on the market, the WES2 Kit features a 3.7V ⎓ 140mAh lithium battery which provides 8 hours of working time, depending on how the units are being used and the distance, etc., with a charging time of about 2 hours. Commonly, the system includes a charging case, which can charge two devices simultaneously and has a larger capacity battery of 3.7V ⎓ 1400mAh.

Getting started with the system is straightforward: remove the two transmitters and the receiver from the charging case, and they should quickly pair. If not, a long press of the pairing button on each of the units will put the devices into pairing mode and they’ll all quickly connect. In this test, there were no connection issues with the system, and the forced pairing process took just a few seconds.

Once everything is connected, a green light shows on the two transmitters, and two green lights appear on the base of the receiver, which needs to have been inserted into the base of the smartphone in order to receive power.

Once everything is connected and powered on, the transmitter mics can be attached to your subjects and then you’re ready to go. The use of the mics is straightforward, so there’s little room for adjustment aside from the Digital Noise Reduction, which can be switched on and off.

In use, the lack of volume adjustment isn’t generally a huge issue. If you have a situation where one person has a booming voice and another is quieter, you might need to rethink, but asking people to adjust their volume can usually balance the audio a bit better. Generally, people will adjust their volume depending on whom they talk to, and the sophisticated technologies in our phones do the rest.

Usability is key here, and there’s little to confuse or go wrong—even if this is the first mic system you have ever used, there is absolutely nothing that should stump you. Simply plug in and go.

The audio quality is also surprisingly good considering the simplicity and price. While you might not have a full range of control, the system integrates seamlessly with your mobile phone’s native apps or any third-party app you may be using. When you compare the audio quality with and without the WES Kit2, the difference in audio quality boost is instantly apparent.

The audio might lack some depth, and the inability to adjust the separate tracks or tweak the settings might seem limiting for some, but if you’re only used to using your mobile phone’s audio, then, to be honest, you will be amazed.

The audio quality is good, although it lacks the depth of tone of more expensive systems, and the DNR, while effective, is also limited and doesn’t offer any adjustment other than on or off. However, once again, this is a huge boost to smartphone audio, so it really is difficult to fault.

When it comes to build quality, it’s balanced and hits the mark for the price point—the units feel well-made, but the plastic has a slightly cheaper feel to it than more expensive models. However, for the intended audience, I don’t think that this will really be an issue, and the fact that Godox has supplied the high-quality semi-hard case will just ensure that everything stays well protected for the most part.

If you’re looking to upgrade the quality of your vlogs and smartphone videos, then adding a wireless mic system is the easiest and cheapest way. The WES Kit2 is extremely well priced, easy to use and understand, and really is a simple plug-and-play solution. If you’re just starting out with filming on your smartphone, then this really is the mic system you should be looking to buy.