This polar pattern focuses on sound in front of the mic’s diaphragm. Unlike those aforementioned mics, the Wave:3 only has a cardioid configuration. If you’re looking for a mic that doubles up for your at-home re-recording of Fleetwood Mac’s Rumours, it’s best to look elsewhere, like the Yeti X or the HyperX Quadcast (look for the letter X in the name, basically). It’s not a versatile quasi-studio model with a variety of polar patterns, which explains the directions from which a mic picks up sound. This gives the mic points in the categories of ease of use and mobility. You can improve the Elgato Wave:3’s sound quality through some tweaking in the software (more on that below), but the streaming mic performs properly right out of the box. It would have been great to see a physical control for the low cut filter on the mic instead of having to load up the software, too, but that’s really getting into the weeds in terms of grievances.

You also get a USB-C port and 3.5mm headphone jack in the back. At least there’s no pop sound when you do, thanks to the mic’s internal pop filter. This makes it too easy to accidentally brush and mute yourself. However, the mic mute button located on the very top is a touch-sensitive inlay rather than a mechanical button. It feels better constructed than the Yeti X’s, so take another shot if you’re playing the Yeti X drinking game while reading this review. This dial is simple, efficient and it’s easy to keep track of and use. Pushing the dial in cycles between gain, monitoring volume and PC-mic mix, indicated by the lights above the dial. Like the aforementioned Yeti X, Elgato’s debutante streamer mic manages to place a lot of control into one dial at the front. If you want taller range over the Wave:3 though, the Yeti X can extend to up to 11.4 inches. For comparison, the Yeti X capsule is much heavier at 1.14 pounds, and the gear hits 2.8 pounds if you add the stand. I’ve genuinely taken bigger dictaphones to press events than this mic. The Wave:3’s mic capsule is just 6 inches tall and weighs 0.6 pounds (280g).

But while the Yeti X outshines the Wave:3 with its mix of materials and finishes, Elgato’s mic makes up for it in size and weight. In truth, the Wave:3 doesn’t look as convincing as a piece of studio kit as the marginally pricier Blue Yeti X, its nearest competition in both price and features.

Wave 3 app for windows