Elgato Wave:3 review - The professional microphone for streaming, gaming and podcasts?
With the Elgato Wave 3 *, the manufacturer Elgato, which is actually known for its camera accessories, has launched a microphone for streamers, gamers and content creators. Due to the price range and good audio quality, podcasters have also become aware of this microphone.
Elgato Wave 3: First impression and scope of delivery
The scope of delivery is simple, the large diaphragm microphone comes with a USB cable in the packaging. There are no other accessories. That sounds negative at first, but it’s anything but bad. Because: the Wave3 is directly connected to a stand and has a built-in pop filter, so you get the whole setup straight away. The stand is adjustable, but not super flexible. If you want to attach the microphone to a microphone boom, you can of course do that, you just have to unscrew parts of the supplied stand.
The fact that everything is already assembled (unlike the newer model, the Elgato Wave Neo) means that everything actually looks very high quality. The black look suits the target group of streamers and gamers and gives the microphone an almost classy look.
In our opinion, it stands solidly on the table and looks well made. The accompanying software also appears clear at first glance. After connecting the microphone (without software via Plug and Play) and recording the first test, we were pleasantly surprised by the sound. It sounds full and relatively neutral. The background noise is also kept within limits.
Cardioid polar pattern - control dial - USB. What more do you need?
The Elgato Wave3 is a condenser microphone with a cardioid polar pattern. Thanks to the built-in A/D converter (analog to digital), you can connect the microphone to your device via USB cable. It then appears directly in the programs in the audio sources.
The dial on the front has several functions. You can use it to adjust the microphone volume, the headphone volume and the microphone gain. Elgato also advertises Clipguard technology. The Clipguard is designed to counteract clipping and thus continue to transmit the sound pleasantly, even when things get loud.
High-quality USB Type C microphone with integrated pop filter
Our test with P-sounds also confirms that the “premium microphone” does not need an extra pop filter, because even if you get close to the microphone, P-sounds are reliably attenuated. If that’s not enough, you can also buy the Elgato Pop Filter * as an accessory. This can be useful if you tend to talk very close to the microphone.
Another accessory is the Wave Shock Mount *, which makes the microphone look really professional in a Wave mic arm *. Then it comes very close to the “premium microphone” that Elgato always talks about. Highly recommended for podcasting, gaming and streaming. You can also tell that they offer a complete package that is compatible in any case, whether it’s a pop screen or microphone boom.
Wave Link as associated software
The free Wave Link mixing software is available to get everything possible out of the microphone for streams. Here you can select different sources and destinations, so the Wave Link software works like a classic mixer. You can then integrate the signal into your stream with minimal latency. To get really crystal-clear audio, you can also integrate third-party effects into the software via the VST interface. This is really user-friendly and makes it easier to achieve professional audio quality with familiar effects.
With the Stream Deck, lights and other streaming accessories, Elgato offers almost everything you need to complete your streaming equipment.
★★★★★
Absolutely balanced and natural sound, light pop protection and clip guard help to make the sound appear high-quality
★★★★★
The connectivity is good, with the Wave Link software you can use all VST plugins directly
★★★★★
The workmanship is high quality, the tripod stands securely and the accessory options are also good!
Conclusion Elgato Wave:3: Cardioid polar pattern
The Elgato Wave3 is a really good microphone, especially compared to the Røde NT USB Plus. We were actually surprised at how good the microphone sounds and how easy and intuitive it is to use thanks to Wave Link and, above all, the dial. The
Overall, we can really recommend the mic for a stream or podcast. It stands up well alongside the other USB microphones, including the Røde NT USB and the Blue Yeti.
As mentioned in the linked video, we have also tested other Elgato models, you can find them here: Elgato Wave Neo review and Elgato Wave DX review
You can find more microphones here: Streaming Microphone and Podcast Microphone.
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