At this point, I want the GoXLR and the Wave Link software to have a baby together. The Wave Link's UX is so far ahead but the omissions of the Wave XLR put it way behind the GoXLR in my opinion. I do appreciate the small form factor, though.
I could see the switching between audio devices being an issue. I just started using a button on my stream deck to switch what my Default device is and its super useful. For this I use the button as a Multi Action switch, one press makes my headphones the default audio device and the other press makes my speakers the default device!
The most "realt talk" review man, I was waiting for this. As a musician used to an array of capable hardware already available, this didn't impress me as far as the inputs (granted the app is still cool). Anyways, well done as always EPOS!
I just stumbled across your channel looking for help getting my new WAVE XLR set up and I'm happy I found you. (Subscribed, duh!). The lack of headphone jack caused me the most grief. My PC is dual purpose - Daytime: The day job and and off Zoom and Teams meetings vs. Nightime: TH-cam channel making videos (OBS). It would be so much easier to just route all my audio through this thing and then just connect my speakers to it. Instead, I had to fumble around with all my settings in multiple apps so I can hear what I want to hear without headphones. Hey Elgato, "There is more than one type of user out there!!!" That said, I bought this with the Shure MV7X XLR mic and it sounds AMAZING! Thank you; I'll be back!
9:30 I solved this issue on my Wave 3 by using a program called Equalizer APO. It allows me to use any VST plugin with the Wave 3 on a SYSTEM-WIDE basis without any additional latency or CPU usage. This way I have the full power of the Wave Link software AND all my EQ, gates, compression, etc in any program that accesses my mic, not just OBS. This workflow means my mic sounds the same whether I'm in a Zoom call, streaming, recording a podcast, or just fragging out in Apex.
So to take advantage of the headphone audio features with the app, do they need to be connected to the device? As if so that's a bit frustrating due to me having a DAC/Amp setup already...
in combination with stream deck wave is in fact a "wave deck" the sheer amount of stuff you can do with it is insane. glad went with wave last year and will be getting the wave xlr. once they add the native vst, which they revealed on Harris Hellar's channel its their current focus it would be all a streamer would ever need in this price range. but I do think would be nice if they released an hardware addon to give us some knobs and faders physically.. Also with dual PC you use a out put on your PC to listen to the stream mix and plug that into an input on the stream rig. I have been using my wave mic in an dual pc this entire past year lol.. man people are misinformed af lol.. elgato even tells you this on one the wave FAQ pages and is how they intend for you use it in a two pc setup. just a note though you may need a ground loop isolator to do so. Also sorry for any typos one handed atm with a broken wrist
@@EposVox well what ever the case if they are working on good if it isn't anytime soon I will just keep using this VST host application I use to do "live" audio processing on my mic. will be nice when they do add it right to wave link
If youre using an Elgato 4K60 Pro Mk2 you don't need the Wave XLR to have an input line. You can pass the audio through the 4K60 Pro Mk2, the Wave XLR can handle the audio of every other thing on your stream PC. They also announced VSTs are coming to the Wave Software.
There should definitely be VST support. Imagine having that for everything you use your microphone for? This is why I have it as hardware before my microphone signal enters the PC.
Harris Heller from Alpha Gaming showed DMs with Elgato saying VSTs are their next priority and coming soon... once VSTs come out this will be a FANTASTIC Interface. Makes me wanna cry its so nice
I’d been using the GoXLR for about a year and just switched over to the Elgato. The onboard VSTs with the GoXLR makes it outstanding but I love Elgato’s more robust audio controls and the ability to switch between different outputs is a much needed change.
If you have an app that doesn't remember what output you set it to, try using EarTrumpet, I use it for routing with my goxlr and its free on the win 10 store, def worth checking out as it works so much better than the default windows controller
Got mine recently, I love this thing. I upgraded from a scarlet solo and the interaction with the pc is so much smoother with this! I also love its small size and the fact it has the same form factor as the stream deck. I was debating on a go xlr mini but it was too big for my setup
I know this question comes late, but can you tell me if you had found any difference in sound between the scarlet and the wave? or do they sound exactly the same? thanks :)
@@Danisumi1 hey there! they sound pretty similar raw on my old at2020, though the wave comes out better with its use of vsts and low pass filter, which the solo doesn't have. it also can power higher powered mics much easier than the solo, so it will easily make an sm7b or another hard to drive mic sound better than on the solo.
@@Its_Soph_ie I saw they implemented the vst's since it came out a year ago. Is the use of vst's actually pretty simple? haven't found any videos which cover it :/ I want to use it for a Condenser Mic, not the shure SM7B, the Blue Baby bottle SL, it shouldn't be too hard to drive so both would be fine, but was unsure of how the reliability and sound quality is different 😅😄
@@Danisumi1 yeah it's really simple. they use plugins that other things use, I know I ported my settings directly from obs. there's lots of videos that show how to tune with vsts so find someone with a similar voice to yours and just copy theirs, that's what I did lol
Thanks. I really appreciate your testing with the SM7B. I really did not want to go with a Cloudlifter and Focusrite interface for the small desk I use for video conferencing and recording.
It does sound quite nice - user-friendly virtual cables and some solid build and sound quality info - but the things they've overlooked like you mentioned with no real line in or out or other I/O features gives me cause for concern. I can't imagine myself moving to a dual PC setup but it still gives me alarm bells - 'this is a piece of hardware tuned for a limited number of use-case scenarios and I can't guarantee that mine would stay that way'. Really appreciate you laying it all out in this review.
The expensive Shure sounds bad at all for me. The electrovoice mic with the audient interface sounded very deep and the last mic CAD sounded way high but good with the last interface GoXLR… thats what I figured.
Is there any way you could somehow provide raw uncompressed audio, before any post adjustments (including gain) for the mic samples you make in these videos? Even as a perk for supporting on Patreon, for signing up to Nebula, that kind of thing.
An ART USB Mix 4 does pretty much everything this does, with physical knobs you can see to know how things are set gives you TWO mic preamps with phantom power and allows you to have multiple input sources. When it goes on sale it's less than $100.
7:40 - Even Pulseaudio, one of the most hated pieces of Software in the Linux community remembers which outputs/inputs a program was attached to and will even permanently override client settings if you tell it to
If I already have an audio mixer, in what ways can this device benefit me? Would this device help me control all the individual audio sources within the PC and then allow my mixer to route audio to my headphone/speakers?
I don't know man The focus rate scarlet solo doesn't seem much harder in my mind. There used to be driver issues but I think they're all ironed out for the most part now
@@ClassicRoc87 idk what that is or what focus rate is haha but ok cool! I’m just very new to it all so anything that makes it super super easy is extremely appealing in my book
@Derek Hall The focusrite will work just as well in my opinion and you have the option to add additional audio with the outputs on the back. Additionally it's cheaper. The solo gen 2/3 really is plug and play.
@@justpeachytv_ I mean obs let's you control your levels with similar granularity. I'm not saying it's a bad product or someone won't find value in it but personally it doesn't feel right paying $80 more for less features. Or $80 for a piece of simple software. But that's just me no judgments.
If I am using this device with something like the SM7B do I still need something like a cloudlift in-between them to get a good volume or does the Elgato device provide enough gain on its own?
I agree, if this also and outputs for Studio Monitors, this would have been THE Audio Interface to get for most basic needs. I still might get one tho and switch between the Wave XLR and the output from my motherboard in the windows sound device settings for listening to my monitors. But would have been nice to adjust the volume from 1 device, luckily I got a keyboard with a volume knob so yeah.
i dont get why elgato doesnt have a routing table built into the app like how beacn does. would make it so much easier to see what apps are running in what track.
@@EposVox if you are talking about windows shitting settings menu the keeps resetting back to default randomly. Also, in windows you have to open each apps tab manually to see what track its on, then scroll through the not even alphabetically sorted list to find the exact track, which wastes so much time when trying to troubleshoot mid stream, that's not built into the app like beacn. unless you don't understand what i am talking about. With the beacn app it shows all apps that are open and you can just drag them to what track they go to and the track will always display what tracks are going to, also the beacn app saves what track each app is assigned so if windows ever resets your setting the app will automatically put them back for you. I thought with how big a brand Elgato is the app would be at least on par with beacn but it seems like it is nowhere close.
I wish Elgato would revisit their Game Capture software... they keep pushing forward with their new products and software which is great, bbbuuuttt... they could do better on their old stuff too.
This is 1 reason I am slowly not liking Elgato Products (and I got a few Elgato products). The track record as you pointed out here for future support isn't great. The stream Deck will be next to stop getting updates
Yeah... I ran their software for my capture card once. It was terrible, specially the Sound Capture part. Once I realized I don't actually need their software everything became a whole lot less buggy and complicated. Capture Card is plugged in, OBS and VoiceMeeter handle it from there.
I recently started streaming. I ship my Wavelink Stream audio over HDMI to my streaming PC. It works... I think the Wave XLR could work in this configuration with the capture card being able to listen to whatever audio you ship to it.
I'm a bit confused by reading the tech specs of the mixer I currently have (Yamaha AG03). I use a Pod Mic and find that I have to absolutely crank it even when it's right up against my face and am wondering if I should be replacing my interface or adding a Fethead / Cloudlifter instead.
I have a Pod Mic as well and I too have to crank it up on my PreSonus mixer. I'm thinking if I should get this for the gain and the software interface and use my mixer for the rest of audio devices such as guitar etc.
If anything, I would go with one of the _substantially_ cheaper Klark Teknik mic boosters. The PodMic is kind of a quiet one at -57 dBV/Pa... if I interpret the AG03 block diagram correctly and my _maff_ does not fail me, that means about -5 dBFS on the digital side for 94 dB SPL at full mic gain (mixer settings - PAD: OFF; TO PC: DRY CH1-2G). You may actually get away using purely _digital_ gain just fine (e.g. using Voicemeeter or something, which would be offering +12 dB at least). A quick calculation shows an effective self noise for this mic of 21.2 dB SPL, or 72.8 dB below 94 dB SPL = 1 Pa. So mic noise would end up at ~ -78 dBFS on the digital side (that's just thermal noise... preamp input noise should add about another 3 dB). AG03 ADC noise is likely to be at least 10, more like 20 dB lower than that (it uses a CS4270 codec, nominal input dynamic range 105 dB(A) but expect somewhat less in a practical circuit). Now mic preamps in cheap gear tend to exhibit early bass dropoff and so-so distortion at full tilt, so a mic booster that allows backing off input gain may still be worth considering, but as I said, I would not be spending any more than for a Klark Teknik CM-1 or CT-1 (which will set you back the princely sum of $29) given your gear and use.
Man, as cool as all these streaming audio devices look nothing has even made me consider switching away from my MG10XU mixer. Its only downside is not offering multiple channels over the USB out.
@@EposVox True but it's also a much older device. Changing it for streaming audio gear would be a downgrade for nearly everything except the preamps. Another proper mixer would be a better upgrade or I'll just add a separate mic preamp
It's great for what it is. Would never work for me as I'd want to be able to plug speakers (as mentioned in the video), and 1/4 input for my guitar. It's great otherwise, but just not for me.
I'm between this and the focusrite scarlet. I just want an XLR interface that doesn't have the cord going in the front. Can this be used without the crap software?
£160 for basically a single XLR interface.... seriously overpriced. The software though looks amazing but dang £160... Just checked, the GoXLR Mini is the same price in most places and I have even spotted it for £135. I know what I would go for
9:54 As someone who streams as well as usues my Mic for Zoom calls etc this is everything. It should have effect persist on the interface so that I can do other things in my life other than just stream.
Am I the only one having issues with this Wave XLR? I have been using with a shure sm7b and there is a persistent mic crackling issue. I've messed with buffer latency, changed cables, checked drivers - you name it and I've tried it, and the microphone still crackles here and there.
so would you recommend having Elgato wave DX with a GoXLR mini? because i do have dual PC setup and there is plenty of issues that the XLR from elgato is giving, is kinda tricky to fix the audio problems. Thanks in advance.
So about a year and a half ago I splashed out on a Sony A6600, K3M-XLR, MKH416 and of course a Cam Link and that was that. I guess I don't really have a need for this, but I do use virtual audio cables though. I do wonder about the build quality of the K3M-XLR though. I got a question, why is there so much stuff going on about native VST support with the Wave XLR when you can just add it through OBS?
Im probably being dumb and tired but what is so wrong with a 3.5mm jack. I have bought 200/30 800 dollar studio headphones and none of them have a 6.35mm end justy 3.5mm ends although each came with a 6.35mm adapter.
@@RiccardoLulli my dt990 pro 250 ohms are my choice of headphones currently and they most deffinitly use 3.5mm and comes with a solid gold plated adapter.
@@TheCrispyChip Then you don't need an adapter, good for you! :D The point is that the production cost wouldn't change that much if the put a 6.35 port and include a 3.5 adapter in the box. It could be a nice touch for many users and it wouldn't change a bit for others.
What would you pick if you had to choose between this interface or a goxlr mini? I just bought a goxlr mini and i paired it with a sm7b and I'm questioning whether I should stick with the go xlr mini or switch to the wave xlr
Help me if I am wrong, but outside of the software how is this better than a normal interface ala the Motu M2? And I most likely could use bananameter to replace the wave software right? Just curious, since the hardware aspect of the device seems underwhelming.
Does anyone know how to factory reset the Elgato XLR? I can't find any information online anywhere. I have this slight static noise, tried different, PC, different XLR cable, same hissing effect
@@RealBigNeal You are right! My bad, I forgot that catpure devices capture audio too so the solution in my head was to connect the monitor/console optical to GoXLR. I was wrong, thank you for the solution! :D
An awesome review and video as per usual, Adam 😆👍👍 as ever, I appreciate you for taking the time to create this content as well as the high level of detail and thoroughness that you go into here. In all truth and honesty for me personally, having the ability to use the Wave Link software with any given XLR mic of my choosing is one of the biggest selling points of this audio interface. However, even with that being said, the advantage of the audio routing options combined with the on-board DSP audio plug-ins within the GoXLR Mini are definitely factors that push it up several notches in regards to my shortlist of audio quality upgrades from my current Behringer 802USB interfaces to purchase at some point in the foreseeable future. ☺👌🎧🎤 Cheers to you, my man! 🍻 P.S. Here's hoping that Elgato's eventual adding of native VST support to both the Wave Link & Wave XLR will be worth the wait. ☺✌✌
I really wish they would add vst support, I have been using Equalizer APO on the mic in, then using Nvidia broadcast as a passthrough so obs, discord etc can actually use the mic, since equalizer apo doesn't makes it where the mic is not picked up in those apps for some reason but using Nvidia broadcast as a pass-through seems to fix that
Since I don’t see it mentioned, I assume the control knob can’t be used to control the audio of different devices, say through the use of a StreamDeck button toggle?
If I recall from videos I saw on the Wave USBs in the past, most people used up and down buttons on a StreamDeck to control other devices/mixes in the wavelink software. I imagine that remains the same since the software is pretty much the same.
It is what it is and it does it well, good product. However, imo the presonus revelator io24 will be better. Same mixing features, powerful preamps, full fat channel support, 1/4" connections and monitor outs. Admittedly I don't know how well that would do dual pc but anyone could fix that issue with a few minutes of configuring voicemeeter vban.
That would be interesting. Only the M1 iPads could run it, previous ones can’t power devices over the USB port and didn’t work with most things. That being said, there’s no UVC support on iPad OS in any fashion right now
It’s $30 cheaper and doesn’t do any of the actual compelling features of the Wave XLR….cooooool Wave XLR offers features only available in a $250 or $500+ products and thus is literally the cheapest option for those features lol
@@EposVox while i understand what you are saying, $30 more for software and less tech just isnt for me. Maybe its for someone out there. Im sure it is, since its marketed towards "streamers" And the 3.5mm jack is an oversight at best
I have a motu m2 and it's great for being able to drive both my mics and have them at different levels, (one is a condenser and the other is a dynamic) but, if you have a single mic setup then this elgato device seems better to me. I have other hardware from my mic before the motu to add hardware expander gates, compression and limiters but honestly, this elgato device seems incredible for the money. Just needs some VST support added and GG. Would be comparable if not better than my $1k+ hardware setup for much less.
@@WyattOShea thanks for the reply. This def seems good, main reason I would side for MOTU M2 is because the gain level/clipping visual thing it has would be really helpful to me 😅 My current mic is a Blue Ember someone got me because they heard I was getting into streaming but the Behringer U2 or whatever (the £20 one) has a lot of problems that I can’t fix so a working audio interface would bring me back to streaming
@@LegendOfStrider Oh yeah being able to see the levels is super helpful honestly :). If you want something cheap and you're going to add vsts in obs or something then the motu m2 is great. I just don't do any streaming stuff so haven't bothered with live vst plugins. I just have an overkill setup for discord haha.
Lol honestly that’s what my mic is used for now but streaming for friends has been fun so I got lucky I guess since a family member gifted me the mic haha
Yeah; no line out & optical audio in ports make this a non existing option for me. I'd just get the GoXLR mini for $250 even with the issues it has. Edit: I wont be surprised if elGato releases a $400 audio interface with more usable ports and multiple knobs and faders.
elgato deserve their succes. i don't know where did they get so much clever emplyees, but everything they create turns gold for content creators. i can't believe all of that awesome products came for a single and same company. that xlr wav look innocent and useless abstract decoration. and if you aren't open minded to be curious of that strange stuff, you miss an incredible piece of material.
@@ChristopherColeman That’s the illusion. El Gato wants you to think that there is such a thing as a “gamers” XLR audio interface. The Motu M2 has everything that the Wave XLR has and more ..except for the “customizable” plates.
@@Radhaugo108 If you took about 15 seconds to understand the value the Elgato product offers to the target audience, you'd realize how dumb this comment is.
I came here for a comment that would compare a device like the Motu M2 with the Wave XLR. If I understand it correctly, the Wave Link software is the unique selling point.
@@ChristopherColeman Epox literally spent the first 5 minutes completing trashing the product. He admitted that it has no use for him. The omission of inputs to plug in speakers is literally the dumbest thing ever.
At this point, I want the GoXLR and the Wave Link software to have a baby together. The Wave Link's UX is so far ahead but the omissions of the Wave XLR put it way behind the GoXLR in my opinion. I do appreciate the small form factor, though.
I could see the switching between audio devices being an issue. I just started using a button on my stream deck to switch what my Default device is and its super useful. For this I use the button as a Multi Action switch, one press makes my headphones the default audio device and the other press makes my speakers the default device!
I was debating between this and the GOXLR Mini. This helped me decide the GOXLR Mini is the best choice for me.
The most "realt talk" review man, I was waiting for this. As a musician used to an array of capable hardware already available, this didn't impress me as far as the inputs (granted the app is still cool). Anyways, well done as always EPOS!
Thank you!
Appreciate the look at this. It's helped me decide this isn't what I want or hoped for at all.
I just stumbled across your channel looking for help getting my new WAVE XLR set up and I'm happy I found you. (Subscribed, duh!). The lack of headphone jack caused me the most grief. My PC is dual purpose - Daytime: The day job and and off Zoom and Teams meetings vs. Nightime: TH-cam channel making videos (OBS). It would be so much easier to just route all my audio through this thing and then just connect my speakers to it. Instead, I had to fumble around with all my settings in multiple apps so I can hear what I want to hear without headphones. Hey Elgato, "There is more than one type of user out there!!!"
That said, I bought this with the Shure MV7X XLR mic and it sounds AMAZING!
Thank you; I'll be back!
if they made a version with another dial + 2nd XLR port, even it cost slightly more I would get it.
9:30 I solved this issue on my Wave 3 by using a program called Equalizer APO. It allows me to use any VST plugin with the Wave 3 on a SYSTEM-WIDE basis without any additional latency or CPU usage. This way I have the full power of the Wave Link software AND all my EQ, gates, compression, etc in any program that accesses my mic, not just OBS. This workflow means my mic sounds the same whether I'm in a Zoom call, streaming, recording a podcast, or just fragging out in Apex.
You think I can do Vmix with this?
@@marvincolon Possibly but since Wave Link added VST support, I just use that now
So to take advantage of the headphone audio features with the app, do they need to be connected to the device? As if so that's a bit frustrating due to me having a DAC/Amp setup already...
in combination with stream deck wave is in fact a "wave deck" the sheer amount of stuff you can do with it is insane. glad went with wave last year and will be getting the wave xlr. once they add the native vst, which they revealed on Harris Hellar's channel its their current focus it would be all a streamer would ever need in this price range. but I do think would be nice if they released an hardware addon to give us some knobs and faders physically.. Also with dual PC you use a out put on your PC to listen to the stream mix and plug that into an input on the stream rig. I have been using my wave mic in an dual pc this entire past year lol.. man people are misinformed af lol.. elgato even tells you this on one the wave FAQ pages and is how they intend for you use it in a two pc setup. just a note though you may need a ground loop isolator to do so. Also sorry for any typos one handed atm with a broken wrist
They didn’t really “reveal” it there - they also told me they were working on it *last year* with the Wave Mics.
@@EposVox well what ever the case if they are working on good if it isn't anytime soon I will just keep using this VST host application I use to do "live" audio processing on my mic. will be nice when they do add it right to wave link
If youre using an Elgato 4K60 Pro Mk2 you don't need the Wave XLR to have an input line.
You can pass the audio through the 4K60 Pro Mk2, the Wave XLR can handle the audio of every other thing on your stream PC.
They also announced VSTs are coming to the Wave Software.
There should definitely be VST support. Imagine having that for everything you use your microphone for? This is why I have it as hardware before my microphone signal enters the PC.
Harris Heller from Alpha Gaming showed DMs with Elgato saying VSTs are their next priority and coming soon... once VSTs come out this will be a FANTASTIC Interface. Makes me wanna cry its so nice
@@RealBigNeal That's nice. Elgato also mentioned it on stream after I saw this video. It's good they're on it.
@@Alexandra-Rex yeah that’s really the biggest thing they’re missing.
They also said that last year with my Wave Mic review so we’ll see when they actually do it
@@EposVox Maybe it keeps getting put back in the queue.
I’d been using the GoXLR for about a year and just switched over to the Elgato. The onboard VSTs with the GoXLR makes it outstanding but I love Elgato’s more robust audio controls and the ability to switch between different outputs is a much needed change.
What about a dual pc stream setup? Can you make a guide?
If you have an app that doesn't remember what output you set it to, try using EarTrumpet, I use it for routing with my goxlr and its free on the win 10 store, def worth checking out as it works so much better than the default windows controller
Got mine recently, I love this thing. I upgraded from a scarlet solo and the interaction with the pc is so much smoother with this! I also love its small size and the fact it has the same form factor as the stream deck. I was debating on a go xlr mini but it was too big for my setup
I know this question comes late, but can you tell me if you had found any difference in sound between the scarlet and the wave? or do they sound exactly the same? thanks :)
@@Danisumi1 hey there! they sound pretty similar raw on my old at2020, though the wave comes out better with its use of vsts and low pass filter, which the solo doesn't have. it also can power higher powered mics much easier than the solo, so it will easily make an sm7b or another hard to drive mic sound better than on the solo.
@@Its_Soph_ie I saw they implemented the vst's since it came out a year ago. Is the use of vst's actually pretty simple? haven't found any videos which cover it :/ I want to use it for a Condenser Mic, not the shure SM7B, the Blue Baby bottle SL, it shouldn't be too hard to drive so both would be fine, but was unsure of how the reliability and sound quality is different 😅😄
@@Danisumi1 yeah it's really simple. they use plugins that other things use, I know I ported my settings directly from obs. there's lots of videos that show how to tune with vsts so find someone with a similar voice to yours and just copy theirs, that's what I did lol
If it had some digital outs to connect to a DAC it would be more attractive to someone who wants to use higher end headphones or monitors.
Thanks. I really appreciate your testing with the SM7B. I really did not want to go with a Cloudlifter and Focusrite interface for the small desk I use for video conferencing and recording.
what microphone are you using?
RE 20 I believe but I could be wrong
It does sound quite nice - user-friendly virtual cables and some solid build and sound quality info - but the things they've overlooked like you mentioned with no real line in or out or other I/O features gives me cause for concern. I can't imagine myself moving to a dual PC setup but it still gives me alarm bells - 'this is a piece of hardware tuned for a limited number of use-case scenarios and I can't guarantee that mine would stay that way'. Really appreciate you laying it all out in this review.
The expensive Shure sounds bad at all for me. The electrovoice mic with the audient interface sounded very deep and the last mic CAD sounded way high but good with the last interface GoXLR… thats what I figured.
Well … I was checking for the Electrovoice RE20 i kinda liked it… but yea its more expensive than the shure …. Dang … 😂
Is there any way you could somehow provide raw uncompressed audio, before any post adjustments (including gain) for the mic samples you make in these videos?
Even as a perk for supporting on Patreon, for signing up to Nebula, that kind of thing.
An ART USB Mix 4 does pretty much everything this does, with physical knobs you can see to know how things are set gives you TWO mic preamps with phantom power and allows you to have multiple input sources. When it goes on sale it's less than $100.
I'm waiting for them to add audio filters in Wavelink
7:40 - Even Pulseaudio, one of the most hated pieces of Software in the Linux community remembers which outputs/inputs a program was attached to and will even permanently override client settings if you tell it to
Elgato says they will be adding VST to the app and that it's in the front of development. Fingers crossed it's soon.
They told me that last year when I reviewed the Wave Mics.
If I already have an audio mixer, in what ways can this device benefit me?
Would this device help me control all the individual audio sources within the PC and then allow my mixer to route audio to my headphone/speakers?
Without line in and out it’s not really going to work with a mixer
In short, what you already got is most likely better
I’ve never streamed before but this thing makes me want to try, doesn’t look too hard
I don't know man The focus rate scarlet solo doesn't seem much harder in my mind. There used to be driver issues but I think they're all ironed out for the most part now
@@ClassicRoc87 idk what that is or what focus rate is haha but ok cool! I’m just very new to it all so anything that makes it super super easy is extremely appealing in my book
@Derek Hall The focusrite will work just as well in my opinion and you have the option to add additional audio with the outputs on the back. Additionally it's cheaper. The solo gen 2/3 really is plug and play.
@@ClassicRoc87 does focusrite have sub mixing software like wave link? I think that’s the major difference if it doesn’t.
@@justpeachytv_ I mean obs let's you control your levels with similar granularity. I'm not saying it's a bad product or someone won't find value in it but personally it doesn't feel right paying $80 more for less features. Or $80 for a piece of simple software. But that's just me no judgments.
If I am using this device with something like the SM7B do I still need something like a cloudlift in-between them to get a good volume or does the Elgato device provide enough gain on its own?
Do not need a cloudlifter, as covered in the demos with the SM7b included for this very reason
I agree, if this also and outputs for Studio Monitors, this would have been THE Audio Interface to get for most basic needs. I still might get one tho and switch between the Wave XLR and the output from my motherboard in the windows sound device settings for listening to my monitors. But would have been nice to adjust the volume from 1 device, luckily I got a keyboard with a volume knob so yeah.
i dont get why elgato doesnt have a routing table built into the app like how beacn does. would make it so much easier to see what apps are running in what track.
Windows already provides that
@@EposVox if you are talking about windows shitting settings menu the keeps resetting back to default randomly. Also, in windows you have to open each apps tab manually to see what track its on, then scroll through the not even alphabetically sorted list to find the exact track, which wastes so much time when trying to troubleshoot mid stream, that's not built into the app like beacn. unless you don't understand what i am talking about.
With the beacn app it shows all apps that are open and you can just drag them to what track they go to and the track will always display what tracks are going to, also the beacn app saves what track each app is assigned so if windows ever resets your setting the app will automatically put them back for you.
I thought with how big a brand Elgato is the app would be at least on par with beacn but it seems like it is nowhere close.
I wish Elgato would revisit their Game Capture software... they keep pushing forward with their new products and software which is great, bbbuuuttt... they could do better on their old stuff too.
This is 1 reason I am slowly not liking Elgato Products (and I got a few Elgato products). The track record as you pointed out here for future support isn't great.
The stream Deck will be next to stop getting updates
Yeah... I ran their software for my capture card once. It was terrible, specially the Sound Capture part. Once I realized I don't actually need their software everything became a whole lot less buggy and complicated. Capture Card is plugged in, OBS and VoiceMeeter handle it from there.
I recently started streaming. I ship my Wavelink Stream audio over HDMI to my streaming PC. It works... I think the Wave XLR could work in this configuration with the capture card being able to listen to whatever audio you ship to it.
I'm a bit confused by reading the tech specs of the mixer I currently have (Yamaha AG03). I use a Pod Mic and find that I have to absolutely crank it even when it's right up against my face and am wondering if I should be replacing my interface or adding a Fethead / Cloudlifter instead.
I have a Pod Mic as well and I too have to crank it up on my PreSonus mixer. I'm thinking if I should get this for the gain and the software interface and use my mixer for the rest of audio devices such as guitar etc.
@@yMeMoo Yeah same. I just have no idea how to read the nonsensical tech specs Yamaha has published for my mixer to know if this is even an upgrade.
If anything, I would go with one of the _substantially_ cheaper Klark Teknik mic boosters. The PodMic is kind of a quiet one at -57 dBV/Pa... if I interpret the AG03 block diagram correctly and my _maff_ does not fail me, that means about -5 dBFS on the digital side for 94 dB SPL at full mic gain (mixer settings - PAD: OFF; TO PC: DRY CH1-2G).
You may actually get away using purely _digital_ gain just fine (e.g. using Voicemeeter or something, which would be offering +12 dB at least). A quick calculation shows an effective self noise for this mic of 21.2 dB SPL, or 72.8 dB below 94 dB SPL = 1 Pa. So mic noise would end up at ~ -78 dBFS on the digital side (that's just thermal noise... preamp input noise should add about another 3 dB). AG03 ADC noise is likely to be at least 10, more like 20 dB lower than that (it uses a CS4270 codec, nominal input dynamic range 105 dB(A) but expect somewhat less in a practical circuit).
Now mic preamps in cheap gear tend to exhibit early bass dropoff and so-so distortion at full tilt, so a mic booster that allows backing off input gain may still be worth considering, but as I said, I would not be spending any more than for a Klark Teknik CM-1 or CT-1 (which will set you back the princely sum of $29) given your gear and use.
@@PileOfEmptyTapes This is incredibly helpful, thank you!
Man, as cool as all these streaming audio devices look nothing has even made me consider switching away from my MG10XU mixer. Its only downside is not offering multiple channels over the USB out.
And not great pre-amps. But once you’ve got it set up to do what you want, not much reason to Switch!
@@EposVox True but it's also a much older device. Changing it for streaming audio gear would be a downgrade for nearly everything except the preamps. Another proper mixer would be a better upgrade or I'll just add a separate mic preamp
It's great for what it is. Would never work for me as I'd want to be able to plug speakers (as mentioned in the video), and 1/4 input for my guitar. It's great otherwise, but just not for me.
I'm between this and the focusrite scarlet. I just want an XLR interface that doesn't have the cord going in the front. Can this be used without the crap software?
How are you handling the latency issues? I have found Monitoring the stream mix while gaming simply unusable.
Lack of IO ports is a bummer for me.
I use my focusrite with my camera sometimes and this would just make it impossible
£160 for basically a single XLR interface.... seriously overpriced.
The software though looks amazing but dang £160...
Just checked, the GoXLR Mini is the same price in most places and I have even spotted it for £135. I know what I would go for
In the US the GoXLR mini is $100 more :X
@@EposVox dang that's bad, so for once we have a bargain on the GoXLR Mini. Might have to try snag one then.
too bad @06:28 you don't have more controls directly on the hardware. it's probably the reason who makes the goxlr is much more popular.
So if I'm using a USB wireless headset I'm doomed or does it allow me to monitor it through non 3.5mm devices?
9:54 As someone who streams as well as usues my Mic for Zoom calls etc this is everything. It should have effect persist on the interface so that I can do other things in my life other than just stream.
Am I the only one having issues with this Wave XLR? I have been using with a shure sm7b and there is a persistent mic crackling issue. I've messed with buffer latency, changed cables, checked drivers - you name it and I've tried it, and the microphone still crackles here and there.
Great review. Thanks for the samples and detailed review of the software.
so we don't need virtual cable anymore?
With this, the Wave Mic, or the GoXLR, nope!
The GoXLR (mini and big) has been around for a few years now. Where were you? :D
For podmic (teams/zoom and gaming) Scarlett 2i2 v4 or Elgato? Wave is $30 cheaper in my area.
so would you recommend having Elgato wave DX with a GoXLR mini? because i do have dual PC setup and there is plenty of issues that the XLR from elgato is giving, is kinda tricky to fix the audio problems.
Thanks in advance.
Does everything work on Mac?
I have a question, so with this I wont need my cloudlifter? or is still needed. Thank you
Stoked about this!!!
Thanks for the microphone samples. I’m impressed that it pushed the SM7B as well as it did. Really appreciated the video!
Had to come show some love here Epos...
how would one use this with a wireless headphone that uses usb dongle?
So about a year and a half ago I splashed out on a Sony A6600, K3M-XLR, MKH416 and of course a Cam Link and that was that.
I guess I don't really have a need for this, but I do use virtual audio cables though.
I do wonder about the build quality of the K3M-XLR though.
I got a question, why is there so much stuff going on about native VST support with the Wave XLR when you can just add it through OBS?
I explained that very clearly in the video :P
will this be able to power my dt990 pros?
Is necessary buy the cloudlifter and add to the wave Xlr for shure sm7b
No.
NDI audio direct exists now and is free ;)
Should I use the wave 3 with the wave xlr?
Well the Wave 3 is a USB mic not a XLR mic so no
does tis have zero latency monitoring or is it software based with delay?
Zero latency to the headphone jack
@@EposVox thanks for the super quick reply, i'll be getting one of these then
Im probably being dumb and tired but what is so wrong with a 3.5mm jack. I have bought 200/30 800 dollar studio headphones and none of them have a 6.35mm end justy 3.5mm ends although each came with a 6.35mm adapter.
I explained it very thoroughly.
@@EposVox I replayed that portion of the video a few times and I'm still clueless on that part xD I'm obviously just misunderstanding. Thanks though.
Most high-end headphones (even my 100 euro Sennheiser HD558) have 6.35mm jack.
The 6.35-to-3.5 adapter is way smaller than 3.5-to-6.35.
@@RiccardoLulli my dt990 pro 250 ohms are my choice of headphones currently and they most deffinitly use 3.5mm and comes with a solid gold plated adapter.
@@TheCrispyChip Then you don't need an adapter, good for you! :D
The point is that the production cost wouldn't change that much if the put a 6.35 port and include a 3.5 adapter in the box.
It could be a nice touch for many users and it wouldn't change a bit for others.
What would you pick if you had to choose between this interface or a goxlr mini? I just bought a goxlr mini and i paired it with a sm7b and I'm questioning whether I should stick with the go xlr mini or switch to the wave xlr
Personally I still prefer the faders and extra physical I/O of the GoXLR/Mini
links for the products dont work for me
Help me if I am wrong, but outside of the software how is this better than a normal interface ala the Motu M2? And I most likely could use bananameter to replace the wave software right? Just curious, since the hardware aspect of the device seems underwhelming.
Does anyone know how to factory reset the Elgato XLR? I can't find any information online anywhere. I have this slight static noise, tried different, PC, different XLR cable, same hissing effect
There is no factory reset, there’s no on-device settings to reset
@@EposVox darn bummer
Hello! Can I route another usb interface to the software as auxiliary? Thank you for the video!
Yep
@@EposVox thank you!
Can you please explain the minus 0.3 dB in post, I'm new to this? Thx always great vid in this channel!
How does this compare to EVO 4 USB Audio Interface?
Good thing that was one of the interfaces I used for the comparison section
@@EposVox Cheers, not sure how i missed that but anyone else wondering 13:54
Really wish someone would make something for Console /Xbox creators.
Thanks for the Vid!
This actualy is very ideal for console creators!
@@RealBigNeal It is not. At all.
You can't plug console audio anywhere in this, it lacks inputs.
Give a look at GoXLR Mini.
It has to be plugged to a PC to control it but it has both 3.5mm line in and optical in for console audio.
@@RiccardoLulli your console audio is coming from your capture device… then you go in Wave Link and add the capture card as an audio device
@@RealBigNeal You are right! My bad, I forgot that catpure devices capture audio too so the solution in my head was to connect the monitor/console optical to GoXLR.
I was wrong, thank you for the solution! :D
Can I use the blue yeti with this?
If you have the Pro one with XLR output
@@EposVox I do not, but I bought a XLR mic for this, so thank you. Great video also. Learned so much.
An awesome review and video as per usual, Adam 😆👍👍 as ever, I appreciate you for taking the time to create this content as well as the high level of detail and thoroughness that you go into here.
In all truth and honesty for me personally, having the ability to use the Wave Link software with any given XLR mic of my choosing is one of the biggest selling points of this audio interface.
However, even with that being said, the advantage of the audio routing options combined with the on-board DSP audio plug-ins within the GoXLR Mini are definitely factors that push it up several notches in regards to my shortlist of audio quality upgrades from my current Behringer 802USB interfaces to purchase at some point in the foreseeable future. ☺👌🎧🎤
Cheers to you, my man! 🍻
P.S. Here's hoping that Elgato's eventual adding of native VST support to both the Wave Link & Wave XLR will be worth the wait. ☺✌✌
Would u be able to connect a maonocaster to this n a mic setup to make a cheap version of a go XLR
I really wish they would add vst support, I have been using Equalizer APO on the mic in, then using Nvidia broadcast as a passthrough so obs, discord etc can actually use the mic, since equalizer apo doesn't makes it where the mic is not picked up in those apps for some reason but using Nvidia broadcast as a pass-through seems to fix that
Can I connect my Beyerdynamics DT 990 pro 250ohms to this audio interface? Do I need a cloud lifter with the wave XLR???
How the hell does it provide enough gain to power a sm7b without a power source?
Plenty of USB powered interfaces do
Would a iPad Air power it?
it doesn't really
@@ee1yd explain?
Cant you just plug speakers into your computer and use them?
Since I don’t see it mentioned, I assume the control knob can’t be used to control the audio of different devices, say through the use of a StreamDeck button toggle?
If I recall from videos I saw on the Wave USBs in the past, most people used up and down buttons on a StreamDeck to control other devices/mixes in the wavelink software. I imagine that remains the same since the software is pretty much the same.
Hi how is the headphone amp 🎧 will it drive 250ohms/300/600?
get a dac, don't rely on a interface lol that's just silly
@@ee1yd it's perfectly reasonable to use audio interface. Dedicated DAC isn't going to help you in any way.
@@ee1yd this is ignorant, plenty of interfaces can power headphones up to and even above 300 ohms. Motu M2, Focusrite Scarlett and I am sure others.
It is what it is and it does it well, good product. However, imo the presonus revelator io24 will be better. Same mixing features, powerful preamps, full fat channel support, 1/4" connections and monitor outs. Admittedly I don't know how well that would do dual pc but anyone could fix that issue with a few minutes of configuring voicemeeter vban.
Great video! Love the Vapor95 shirt. 😎
At this point I wonder why they couldn’t make this software and hardware on iPadOS especially with the new ones having M1
That would be interesting. Only the M1 iPads could run it, previous ones can’t power devices over the USB port and didn’t work with most things.
That being said, there’s no UVC support on iPad OS in any fashion right now
@EposVox I’m a noob so I basically use the power adapter to connect usb mics to iPad. I’m curious to learn what UVC is
does anyone know if this software can pick up ableton live audio? or any DAW
Just buy the audient evo 4. Cheaper and offers more with close to the same footprint
If you only have 1 mic and don’t care about speaker outputs it definitely doesn’t offer more
@@EposVox but it’s $30 cheaper
The wave is just overpriced imo
It’s $30 cheaper and doesn’t do any of the actual compelling features of the Wave XLR….cooooool
Wave XLR offers features only available in a $250 or $500+ products and thus is literally the cheapest option for those features lol
@@EposVox while i understand what you are saying, $30 more for software and less tech just isnt for me. Maybe its for someone out there. Im sure it is, since its marketed towards "streamers"
And the 3.5mm jack is an oversight at best
Audient evo 4 ?
I have one it's pretty nice for recording purposes I can't speak for mixing udio though
The software needs more outputs!! its so useless for me without that.
consider a Wave XLR Pro with 2 xlr ports, line in, optical audio, a 1/4 jack, and faders to control the wave link app basically a elgato go xlr
Hmmm debating this or MOTO M2 :/ good review as always
I have a motu m2 and it's great for being able to drive both my mics and have them at different levels, (one is a condenser and the other is a dynamic) but, if you have a single mic setup then this elgato device seems better to me. I have other hardware from my mic before the motu to add hardware expander gates, compression and limiters but honestly, this elgato device seems incredible for the money. Just needs some VST support added and GG. Would be comparable if not better than my $1k+ hardware setup for much less.
@@WyattOShea thanks for the reply. This def seems good, main reason I would side for MOTU M2 is because the gain level/clipping visual thing it has would be really helpful to me 😅
My current mic is a Blue Ember someone got me because they heard I was getting into streaming but the Behringer U2 or whatever (the £20 one) has a lot of problems that I can’t fix so a working audio interface would bring me back to streaming
@@LegendOfStrider Oh yeah being able to see the levels is super helpful honestly :). If you want something cheap and you're going to add vsts in obs or something then the motu m2 is great. I just don't do any streaming stuff so haven't bothered with live vst plugins. I just have an overkill setup for discord haha.
Lol honestly that’s what my mic is used for now but streaming for friends has been fun so I got lucky I guess since a family member gifted me the mic haha
@@LegendOfStrider Haha fair enough man :). Can't go wrong with the m2 tbh. I've had mine for more than a year now and it has been great :).
Not enough direct control dials for streamers and the much cheaper EVO4 beats it for regular users.
Audient evo 4 is $10 cheaper in the US and offers almost the exact same amount of physical controls
wow the 7b doesn't sound like a £350 mic there, now I realise why you use a 20
Yeah; no line out & optical audio in ports make this a non existing option for me. I'd just get the GoXLR mini for $250 even with the issues it has.
Edit: I wont be surprised if elGato releases a $400 audio interface with more usable ports and multiple knobs and faders.
"with the issues it has" which issue are you talking about?
I have a GoXLR Mini (160 euros here) for about a year and had no big issue at all.
This KNOB, or the Dock XLR for the Knobbi Boi? 🤔
audient id4 is more attractive price. the selling point of this gadget is the wave link application..
elgato deserve their succes. i don't know where did they get so much clever emplyees, but everything they create turns gold for content creators. i can't believe all of that awesome products came for a single and same company. that xlr wav look innocent and useless abstract decoration. and if you aren't open minded to be curious of that strange stuff, you miss an incredible piece of material.
just what i need, perfect, thanks!
just wondering why this channel not getting views as it should.
I get views. You’re a viewer. You’re viewing the video.
@@EposVox keep it up bro👍
im a tech guy, do you think its worth it for me to start a tech channel in 2021 or it is too late
It’s never too late
Thanks
Anybody here who would help me? Elgato Wave XLR or Audient ID4 mk2 for Shure SM7B?
that shirt is dope!
With quality headphones, these preamps absolutely do not sound the same.
I can get a MOTU M2 for that price.
This interface is for kids with mom credit cards.
It’s almost like they’re two different devices that serve two different markets 🙄
@@ChristopherColeman That’s the illusion. El Gato wants you to think that there is such a thing as a “gamers” XLR audio interface. The Motu M2 has everything that the Wave XLR has and more ..except for the “customizable” plates.
@@Radhaugo108 If you took about 15 seconds to understand the value the Elgato product offers to the target audience, you'd realize how dumb this comment is.
I came here for a comment that would compare a device like the Motu M2 with the Wave XLR. If I understand it correctly, the Wave Link software is the unique selling point.
@@ChristopherColeman Epox literally spent the first 5 minutes completing trashing the product. He admitted that it has no use for him. The omission of inputs to plug in speakers is literally the dumbest thing ever.