SINCE CORSAIR ACQUIRED the Elgato brand back in 2018 (yikes, that feels like a long time ago now), it’s been slowly expanding the options for would-be streamers. We imagine trade has been strong recently, as more people have sought to make some cash while confined to their homes as a pandemic ravaged the outside world. Starting with Elgato’s original selection of docks and capture cards, Corsair expanded into streaming decks, lighting, and even green screens. The Wave:3-one of Elgato’s two shiny new microphones-was the next logical step.
Yes, that’s how it’s stylized. Not the Wave 3, or the Wave: 3. This microphone has demanded that we repeatedly print the :3 emoji all over this page of Maximum PC, and we’re furious about it. But weird punctuation aside, this is a serious addition to Elgato’s streamer-centric selection, whether you’re an aspiring Twitch gamer or an educational talk streamer.
We wouldn’t exactly call it revolutionary, as it should be immediately familiar to anyone who has used a similarly high-end USB mic, such as the venerable Blue Yeti X. Still, the Wave:3 (ugh) is no slouch. 24-bit audio, a 96kHz sample rate, and a built-in pop shield mean that this USB-C mic is a viable option for those who take their streaming audio seriously. Elgato teamed up with Austrian audio professionals Lewitt Audio to build this mic, and it shows. In practice, voice recording comes out extremely clear, even when played over game audio. It picks up deep and high vocal pitches well, but what really brings the audio into next-level quality is this mic’s secret weapon: Clipguard.