Elgato, known for their revolutionary Stream Deck and capture devices, has expanded its product offering considerably in recent years. The latest in their portfolio is the Elgato Wave 3, a USB microphone aimed at streamers and podcasters.
Teaming up with LEWITT Audio, Elgato is offering studio-level audio technology with these new microphone devices. The Wave 3 is also compatible with the company’s own Stream Deck.
Specifications
| CAPSULE | 17 mm Electret |
| POLAR PATTERN | Cardioid |
| RESOLUTION | 24-bit |
| SAMPLE RATE | 48 / 96 kHz |
| FREQUENCY RESPONSE | 70 – 20000 Hz |
| SENSITIVITY | -25dBFS (min gain) | 15dBFS (max gain) |
| MAX SPL | 120dB (140dB Clipguard engaged) |
| DYNAMIC RANGE | 95dB (115dB Clipguard engaged) |
| INTERFACE | USB-C |
| DIMENSIONS | 153 x 66 x 40 mm / 6.0 x 2.6 x 1.6 in |
| WEIGHT | Mic & U-Mount 280 g / 9.88 oz | Base 305 g / 10.76 oz |
Design & Features
The packaging comes in a blue packaging with photos and specifications on the sides. The box is durable and the microphone and accessories are well protected to keep it safe during shipping. Inside the box, we find the below.
- Elgato Wave 3
- USB-A to USB-C cable
- Desk stand
- Arm Mount Adapter
- Quick Start Guide
In terms of design, the microphone looks sleek and is largely made of plastic. The mesh cover is made of metal and the overall the build quality is good. The mic can be tilted up and down thanks to the U-mount design.
Most of the Wave 3 is the grill for the microphone, leaving the lower part with a control wheel/button. You can select the functions by pressing the rotary knob. You can choose from the recording volume of the microphone, output volume of the 3.5mm connection on the back and the mix between the sound of the microphone and the application you are using. The dial has a white illuminated ring that turns red when you press mute.
In terms of LEDs, the top row shows which of the three functions you have selected (microphone volume, headphone volume and mix-in volume), the bottom row is a volume indicator.
At the top of the frame is a capacitive touch button to mute the microphone. As for connectivity, there is a USB-C port to connect to the PC and a 3.5mm jack for the headphones.
The metal desk stand is heavy enough to keep the Wave 3 in place. It can be unscrewed and connected to other tripods, screen hooks, extension cords and other accessories.
Software & Performance
To take full advantage of the Elgato Wave 3, it is necessary to install the Wave Link software which comes with tons of effects and filters. The digital mixer application allows controlling multiple audio channels from the same device, for example, one for games, another for voice chat, apps and so on.
The Wave Link software interface is simple to use and allows for easy customization of each audio input allowing you to select different sources and make a mix of them to add to your recording or stream. In addition, the Wave 3 is also compatible with Elgato’s Stream Deck.
The Wave 3 comes with a number of features such as the Clipguard technology that avoids distortions in the recording or transmission by reducing the volume in loud situations. Also present is a low-pass filter that prevents the lowest tones from being included into the recording for example wind noise.
The Wave 3 produces a pleasant and neutral sound. It has a crisp audio with excellent depth and tone with its 96 KHz sample rate, frequency response of upto 20,000 Hz, and 24-bit depth. Recordings are super clear with barely any distortion.
Conclusion
The Elgato Wave 3 is a beautiful, sleek microphone that will look good on any desk. It produces a pleasant and neutral sound and its low-latency monitoring can match direct mic levels with the PC. It also comes with a full-fledged digital mixer app that works well for streamers and content creators.
