Elgato Wave 3 Review: There is a cutting-edge analog-digital hybrid processing in use, which is helpful for podcasters and gamers but may sound a little too processed for musical vocalists. Additionally, you can check our article on Elgato Wave 3 review. We had the chance to try the Elgato Wave 3 microphone after spending some time testing the Yeti X, another option that kept coming up when we looked into which microphones people liked to use when game streaming.
The Wave 3 is a great phone, but it’s not perfect. The audio quality is good, but it can be better. The Yeti X is better in every way, and we think you should choose it if you want the best phone possible.
Design
The Elgato Wave 3 is a great microphone for audio production. Its matte black appearance and low profile make it easy to take up less space in your workspace, and its sturdy 6.5-foot USB-C cable is already linked to the microphone’s weighted, circular black base. You also receive an adapter so you can connect the mic to a boom arm, making it perfect for use with any audio equipment. One multifunction gain knob on the front of the Wave 3 allows you to control the headphone volume and the mic/pc audio mix when pressed.
The LED lights above the multifunction gain knob serve to individually register the volume for each of the three speakers. The top-mounted capacitive mute button, which is seamlessly integrated, is our favorite feature of this microphone. It only requires a light tap to mute, but it isn’t too sensitive that you won’t accidentally mute while recording. The 3.5mm headphone monitoring jack and USB-C input are both located on the Wave 3’s back.
The Wave 3 USB microphone grille is constructed of metal, but most of the device is composed of plastic. It’s good, but other rivals primarily produce metal and alloy microphones, which somewhat detracts from the Wave 3’s quality appearance. But we must admit that there is nothing inherently cheap about this mic. ..
The Elgato Wave 3 is a great option for travellers because it is lightweight and has a plastic construction. ..
Elgato Wave 3 review: Feature
The Wave 3 is the only microphone that records in only one direction, which some people may find to be a deal-breaker. However, it eliminates the possibility of new streamers being set up incorrectly because it is the mode single-person streamers should be using to sound their best. ..
Elgato has removed a lot of the guesswork from optimizing the audio on your broadcast. There is a headphone connector on the rear for zero-latency monitoring, which allows you to monitor your levels in real-time. Elgato’s ClipGuard built-in compressor will prevent you from peaking and distorting your audio if you become too loud during your stream.
The Blue Yeti is a great microphone for streaming because it has a built-in pop filter that actually works, and ClipGuard improves it by eliminating plosive distortion. Even a hardware-based low cut filter is included to reduce voice boominess. You’ll need to experiment to determine what sounds best for you because this may make you sound a little thinner. You won’t ever have to be concerned about your audience not hearing you, that much is certain. Despite the fact that the microphone sounds best when it is six inches from your mouth, there is enough gain to be heard properly from a distance of up to several feet if you need to get up or move while streaming. ..
The good news is that the included stand is adjustable, so you can get the mic as close to your mouth as you need it to be in order to get the best results. However, if you’re looking for clean, clear audio without having to be right up against the mic, be prepared to move a bit further away from it. ..
The Elgato Wave 3 microphone is only a few inches taller than the original Wave 2, but it does not come with an extension cable. This means that you have to purchase an additional stand in order to use the microphone to its full potential. The Wave 3 is already a popular option for streamers, but it gets even better when you combine it with the Wave Link programme. ..
Software
The Elgato Wave 3 is a USB microphone that features proprietary software that improves its performance. It takes little time to install the software and you can control up to eight additional audio inputs and resources on your computer. The Wave Link software also has a lot of features, such as being able to adjust the mic gain, headphone volume, and mix.
With the help of this digital mixing board, you can easily create two separate output mixes—one for you and one for your audience—while collaborating with other programmes like OBS, Audacity, or Elgato’s own Stream Deck to provide the user with a wide range of options and control.
Wave Link makes it easy to record multiple audio tracks for each microphone or audio source. It is also simple to connect microphones and record distinct audio tracks.
Elgato Wave 3 review: Sound Quality
The Elgato Wave:3’s audio quality can be enhanced by software adjustments, although the streaming microphone functions well out of the box. This offers the mic credit for portability and ease of use. It’s not a flexible quasi-studio model with a selection of polar patterns, explaining why a mic takes up sound in certain directions. It’s best to look elsewhere, such as the Yeti X or the HyperX Quadcast, if you’re looking for a microphone that can be used for both your at-home re-recording of Fleetwood Mac’s Rumours and other purposes.
The Wave:3 is a cardioid microphone that accentuates sounds that are close to the microphone’s diaphragm. This polar pattern ensures that the mic sounds great and has high end clarity and richness. Additionally, it sounds really good. The Elgato Wave:3’s high end clarity and richness stood out when we utilized it, which is useful for discussing gameplay footage. And that wasn’t burdened with the tinny or cheap sound. No matter how loudly you shriek as you open FUT packs or win in Fortnite, The Wave:3 is full-bodied, sounds professional, and will make sure your streams remain very listenable.
The Wave:3 is a great device that helps to reduce distortion and noise in audio recordings. It is also able to record in high-res audio, which is great for streaming or for recording video content.
The Wave:3’s recordings have significantly less low end than Blue’s Yeti X.
Performance
We compared the Elgato Wave 3 microphone to our other two finalists, the Yeti and the Wave 3. The Wave 3’s clear, natural sound gave our voice a little bit more “bite.” The Elgato microphone did not provide a frequency response graph, but our vocals gained a little extra edge from the slightly elevated middle frequencies. Because of this tuning, the microphone sounded slightly less warm while remaining rich and improved the ability of our voice to be heard over game audio.
Desktop stand is inadequate; it can be used if you have no other option because of the considerable amount of gain, but doing so demands you to let in additional noise from your surroundings. Elgato advises keeping microphone “two fists” from your mouth (6-8 inches), but using the included stand, we had to stoop and lean in order to do so. We wasted no time mounting it on a boom arm with the provided adapter so that we could sit comfortably and enjoy Wave 3’s rich, crisp sound. ..
We communicated clearly whether we were playing a game in real time or speaking with pals on Discord. On a conference call, a coworker even mentioned how much better our microphone was than everyone else’s. It even worked flawlessly when we used it to record voiceover for a tech review on our individual YouTube channels. The Wave 3 would be a fantastic vocal mic even if there was no audio mixing involved.
The Wave Link is a great addition to our setup. We don’t need another box on our desk with our computer setup, Stream Deck, lighting, headphones, and decorations. Combined with the Wave 3, it allows us to use nearly all of its features without any additional hardware. Even without the Stream Deck, we can still get close by taking a few extra seconds to double-check that the software has our levels set correctly.
Elgato Wave 3 review: Price and availability
Conclusion
The Elgato Wave 3 is a great streaming microphone that is underappreciated by many. It has low cost, powerful capabilities, and a supportive software ecosystem.
The microphone has advantages over other options for the streaming market, such as the shotgun mic and the condenser mic. It is lower in versatility, but it can deliver ten times more sound than other options. Additionally, it is relatively affordable. However, its low price may not be enough to justify its use in this niche.
