I think Elgato designed this mic to be foolproof when used by streamers. Clear voice regardless of bad positioning, bad mic technique or horrible mix in OBS. Great Review as always 👌
holy.... this is my first time finding Podcastage, and this was literally the best review video i have ever seen, no matter the topic. wow. amazing job!
Another thorough review, thanks Bandrew! I had the impression that I'd easily get fatigued if I had to listen to somebody using this mic on a podcast for 1 hour.
I used it for a full hour on my podcast last week. It’s 51 minutes and uses the Wave DX without any EQ. I did add a bit of processing but it should give you more of a long form real world example: ruclips.net/video/mTJSNoeSOag/видео.html
I really think Elgato should've made it USB + XLR like the Q2u. Elgato is probably the most popular brand for pro-sumer streaming gear, so a USB dynamic would make for a great entry-level mic, with a clear upgrade path to later buying their Wave XLR interface.
I've got the Mackie EM-89D and am always surprised how damn good it sounds - especially at that price point. Lots of handling noise in that mic prevents me from using it handheld. The DX sounds quite decent. Probably the best dynamic at the $100 price point right now. No harshness and pretty smooth. Great review!!
Listening to the comparisons, I think the Wave DX is competitive at this price point. None of the other ~$100 mics "trounce" it. That said, for my $100 I'd still opt for the RODE Podmic (of the mics compared). Broadening the aperture, I'd opt for the RODE VideoMic GO II because it sounds notably better and gets you the RODE Connect software. Great review Bandrew 👍!
When they first announced it they said they wanted a dynamic mic that sounds like a condenser... I don't like it at all... And a gaming company making a mic without a shock mount is crazy lol
I feel like as a pro-sumer brand they should've tried to make it as beginner-proof as possible. Having good pop-protection and shock-absorbtion should've been prioritized over tone, imho.
Man, your reviews are so well made i have no hesitations or regrets basing my purchases off your opinions. Not something i do very often. Good man, sir. This mic would fit very well if you communicate with others. There is nothing more fatiguing than speaking with someone with SM7B that have’t touched the high pass filters and are trying to sound like Howard Stern despite having a voice like Jim Carrey
Great review, Bandrew. For my $100, either the SM58 or the Podmic sound better, if used properly. The more expensive mics are, well, more expensive, and most of them did sound better to my old and tired ears.
I'm surprised Elgato hasn't made a shock mount for this yet. They have one for the Wave 1 and 3, which is also USB and includes their mixing software. I think they could do a TON with this mic if it got the similar treatment as their condensers.
The 100$ price range of mics is so over flooded. As long as the sm58 and v7 are around, one wonders why others even bother. Thanks for another great video dude.
Thank you very much for watching. The $100 side of things has gotten very crowded and it’s hard to compete because there are some great sounding options at that price.
I think aesthetics play a bigger part than sound at this point. The majority of $100 mics out there will sound just fine on at least 90% of what you are trying to achieve. Of course there are exceptions, but since El Gato is marketed towards podcasters/streamers/gamers, it will be fine for those types of scenarios.
Yay, the review I was waiting for. Thanks. Seems a little underwhelming, that lack of shock rejection was…shocking. Liked how it sounded on the acoustic though.
using my Focal clears on my thx 789 I can say that most of the $100 mics in the review sounded nearly identical. Honestly they were all a bit nasally, and oddly I found the $25 Behringer to have more character and low end definition without the nasal sound. Granted it is not as "nice" looking for say streaming, but heck nowadays they sell 3D printed kits that you could make these to look similar to a SM7B. I am still personally using a Neat King B as my main mic, but it is not a good streaming mic as it pics up all background noise and it has to be edited to remove such noise, but it has a wonderful recording characteristic. Thank you for yet another great video.
I really enjoy the very particular cadence that you use for your reviews, the special care to enunciation and the deliberate spaces between words... I am however trying to imagine you doing this in various random mundane social situations and it is ending me lolol
Hey Bandrew, i'm a relatively newer but avid watcher going on close to a year or so now, i've learned a lot from you and ended up getting my first major audio upgrade thanks to you. I wanted to know if you have any plans to review the Yamaha ZG01? i've recently seen it floating around and i instantly thought of you knowing the amazing detail and method in which you review this these things. And i wanted to say thanks for the time and effort you put in sharing a passion and helping others who share it while helping bring in new people like me into it with the knowledge and confidence.
I think for people who are gaming, this mic may work. The lack of shock rejection is not good though. The HPF helps to make it not sound so muddy, but I think they went a little far with it
Ever considered when you compare other mics comparing against their weakness. I can EQ to where they sound indiscernible on stream. What I can't do is remove the sound of repositioning my mouse or using the keyboard. The most important issue for any mic for me is how little sound other than a pointed voice it's going to pick up. I love everything about this mic but it seems to suffer at shock and noise. I remember you review the King Bee you can't even get anymore and there was absolutely zero shock but a lot of noise. I would think a lot of creators have the same concerns or maybe I'm on an island lol.
Had to lower volume on the electric guitar… It would be a nice a comparison for the best intelligibility. It can be achieved with a good mic, with processing and with a mix of both. But microphone wise it would be nice to have a pool of listeners taking notes from spoken words, in order to see which microphone offers the best intelligibility (in other words allows for the best understanding of the spoken message).
I was hoping you'd check this out/get sent it for the review. I hope they come out with an XLR dynamic mic because as cool as this is, Dynamic mics don't work well with my voice
Your videos have been incredibly helpful for me to pick up the basics of recording. Could you please review zoom u22 audio interface. I need a travel friendly interface and am considering it but will not buy anything that does not have a Podcastage stamp of approval.
i think my best bet is xm8500 since it osunds better ti my ears and since i am redoing my entire studio nex year i will save up for the sm7b and a cannon 700d, i bough the facecam and streamdeck elgato has me watching all day and all night.
Elgato more than likely designed this microphone _specifically_ to be paired with the Wave XLR. On its own, it's nothing to write home about. Processing right out of the box favors the high-ends. Plosives rejection is solid, but that shock absorption...Yikes. I'm using the Wave DX right now and even I have to wince at that. I was surprised at how great it worked with my voice right out of the box. A little bit of EQ, establishing a noise gate, and setting up a compressor through Wave Link really helped, though.
Elgato's site seems to suggest that the DX works with Elgato Audio Effects (noise gate/reduction and EQ) even without the Wave XLR interface. Is that not the case? Unfortunately nearly all the videos so far demo the DX together with Wave XLR, and confuse the perception of whether the DX works with the Wave Link software, regardless of which interface you use with it.
@@danmagoo Elgato Audio Effects are VST's, it's Elgato's in-house EQ and Noise Suppression. They can either be used in post-processing or added to Wave Link as device VST's. For all intents and purposes, the Wave DX is just a basic dynamic microphone.
@@or10nsharkfin Thanks for this As I said, much of what's out there right now really obscures or misleads about what this mic can do, and what the Wave XLR adds. The fact that the Wave 3 can use Wave Link and all the VSTs also skews expectations. But I think it's because the Wave 3 is a USB mic, .
Thank you for this elaborate review of the new Elgato mic. To keep it short - in a strong field of competition around this price I don't see any reason to recommend the Elgato in particular. Especially with it's two main caveats: terrible noise rejection and not nice sounding because of a lack of full body. In your comparison there was only one mic I liked less soundwise, I.e. the AT2040. But that's no surprise, I never liked it, especially with your voice.
Ya a condenser is way better for acoustics, the vocal talking spoken word I think is good for people needing a budget mic or just needing something to start with because of price
I was really getting my hopes up for this after a few initial reviews - that all paired it with Elgato's interface - but then I saw Aiden from Dark Corner's review, and it seemed agressively bad for him, and not impressive in your review. I wanted something in this price range to recommend to friends (I'm an RE20 user).
Well said. The Behringer XM8500 gets me every time on his voice. It's too cheap so no one wants it! Speakers first though - good monitors are mandatory.
I was eagerly waiting for this and the Sona reviews. I was expecting to jump from a Samson Q2U (not included in the comparisons portion) to either the DX or the Sona but now I have my doubts now. What's your take, Bandrew? Should I keep going with my Samson Q2U?
Wave DX owner here. As the Samson Q2U is generally around the same price and has additional USB functionality, probably wouldn't be worth it to upgrade to anything unless you can get a solid audio interface to plug the microphone into, or you were looking to spend more than $200 on the microphone itself. The Wave DX is just another dynamic microphone to be added to the market of choice. Voice capture on it is decent. Getting the Wave XLR along with it will also allow you to use additional filters that can be turned on in Wave Link.
I'm going to ask you a question that you need to be honest with yourself about. Why do you want to upgrade from the Q2u? What problems are you trying to resolve? Based on my review and the other reviews of the Wave DX, does it appear that the mic resolves the issues you're having with the Q2u?
I keep coming back to this video to help me decide, but I really can't. I'm upgrading from some run of the mill headset mic - what entry level xlr would you overall recommend?
Hey there! Great review once again, really appreciate it. I'm about to purchase my first mic up to ~150$ for purely spoken word, looking for that rather podcasty sound, or at least fuller than this. I find myself kind of overwhelmed with all these options currently out there, so I wanted to ask, which mic would you recommend within roughly that price range? Can be a bit above, hell, I suck with giving price ranges. Cheers!
@@bobbob-dj4lh Thanks for the recommendation! This is actually a mic I've had my eyes on for a while, and I'm also familiar with one the reviews you've mentioned. As you can imagine its on the top end of the price I'm willing to pay - there haven't been any good deals in a while over in Europe. :)
sE V7 is a favorite dynamic mic in the under $150 range. Very clear in the top end while keeping a full low end Also difficult to go wrong with an SM58, and it’s a sound people are very VERY familiar with
SAD W is the most important test! I'm thinking about moving over to XLR and audio interface. Looking at the focusrite you used with my Shure mv7 until I decide to get a higher quality mic. Do you recommend going with that or is USB good enough for a roll talking head videos?
USB mics are really fine for most people who don't care about audio. But if you're going to want to play around with it more and change things out, the interface would be the route to go.
@@Podcastage thanks for the response. I think I'll start experimenting with that in the future. But I like the plug and play aspect of mics and the mv7 I use sounds so good without any work needed.
ive been using it for a few weeks now. i like that it doesent make my voice sound exagerratedly bassy like my former aston element does. ive also tweaked it with the amek 9099 vst and with a desser. i sound good! i wonder if i should get the behringer instead tho
I hate how it sounds. Would love to see the frequency response... sounds V shaped... a little extra upper-bass, but an excessively boosted top-end. Somehow sounds compressed also, but it could just be due to the FR Like a cheap mic trying to stand out initially, then you realize how annoying it is after just a few seconds. So yeah, I prefer even the XM8500.
Idk what but the Wave DX has the most pleasant sound to me. I'm prolly going to have to pull out my DT770s to compare because I was listening to it on Apple Earbuds :/
i might be going crazy but why do i prefer the sound of the XM8500? might be a problem with my counterfeit airpods but the XM8500 sounded considerably fuller to me, idk
Most dynamics do not distort at the mic level, they distort because your audio interface gain is set to high.If your interfaces gain is set to high, then yes you will still encounter that distorting when you clip. Here's a video I made covering how to set gain and what filters to use with OBS: ruclips.net/video/FXphHY4AqAA/видео.html
As always, I would love it if you didn't announce the microphone names during the comparison. Maybe just show the name in the lower thing. I don't believe it's possible for the viewer to make a fair comparison in their minds because we're still listening with our eyes and wallets. Or at least mention the mic and price at the very end.
The only complain I have is that I ordered the Wave DX and they sent me the K70 pro. How do you even mess that up. Now I have to go out of my way to send back the keyboard so they can then maybe send me the correct order.
So your saying my Behringer XM8500 doesn't need a PodMic or Wave DX upgrade. Maybe only a Yellow windscreen cover to make it more "fun" for livestreaming. Guess I can draw a picture on the windscreen cover too.
Is it any good outside of streaming? Im torn between Wave 3 and Wave DX, Im gonna use mine for streaming + some other things, so I want somewhat natural sounding voice
Do YOU think it sounds good for any application outside of spoken word? I didn't really even like this for spoken word, but I understand that it's different strokes for different folks. Between this mic and the Wave 3, I would go with the Wave 3. But if I had a 3rd option which was the Wave XLR and an XLR Dynamic mic like the sE Electronics V7, Sennheiser E835, Shure SM58, Behringer XM8500, that's the route I would go.
I find it weird that you didn't compare this mic to the logi blue Sona. Not the same price category, but going for the same audience in my opinion, marketing wise
It's not weird. I did not include that in this video to keep the video manageable in terms of viewing time. The reason I found that acceptable was because I compared this mic to the blue sona in my review of the blue sona: ruclips.net/video/M7HE2i25gA0/видео.html
@@Podcastage oh I didn't know. True it's not weird. English is not my native tongue so sometimes my vocabulary is not the best and it can come off as rude. Sorry about that and thanks for the response
None of them you have to be very close to the mic and they dont have good higher frequenzies. You can easily use a usb device like the samson g track pro (best sound) or a yeti x for that. I know streamers that are using that and sound good! And you wont neet an expensive audiounterface that takes away space and energy too. . If you have one take a rode nt 1 o ra lewitt 440. These are a little bit more expensive but are probably the two best out there for still a normal price.
SM57 + either the A2WS (normal use) or A81WS (close talk) sounds better than the SM58 on all voices and even better than the SM7B on some. Whenever you see the iconic dual-mic setup on US presidents’ podiums, it’s the SM57 with one of these windscreens. Source: been working in live and studio audio production for ~14 years and am admittedly biased toward the SM57 and against the SM58 😂 I just don’t love what the SM58 does to the upper midrange in particular compared to the SM57. My opinion is that the SM58 only wins on durability (a metal grille will hold up to stage and touring better than foam windscreens) and price (the additional windscreens for the SM57 are ~$15 [A2WS] and ~$38 [A81WS] at the moment and are necessary for any vocal applications).
@@JeremyHalterman Many say the SM58 is nasally, would you agree with that? I have a bias towards the SM58 because that is what she and I use. Admittedly, she got hers because of the custom paintjob from Colorware
@@nerdyneedsalife8315 I can understand that people might say that because of the SM58’s honky upper midrange, but I wouldn’t define it as nasality. I would say, though, that if you already have an SM58, you’d do better to look at mics that are further away from that sonic profile than the SM57. Maybe consider removing the SM58’s grille/windscreen and using a more transparent pop filter in front of it.
When I first saw an elgato dynamic mic I got really excited! But then... I realized it's just ANOTHER $100 XLR dynamic.. like we need another one of those. :| If this had been USB with the Wave Link software, I would be ALL OVER this thing. I cannot for the life of me understand why it's not like their condenser mics. That was the whole value prop: decent condenser mic with lewitt internals + incredible software mixer with plugin support. Why would they not have that on this product??? It has, imo, no real value over any other mic at this price. Elgato confuses me sometimes
Grrr, i thought i decided to buy the Elgato DX with Elgato XLR Interface, but the Shock is to much for me, when you hit the table or the arm... Which dynamic mic is your recommendation?
I thought it flattered your speaking voice in many of the comparisons but wow, the electric guitar sounded bad and it didn't do your singing any favors.
DO NOT contact anyone on Telegram that is claiming to be me. I am not giving anything away. They are scammers trying to steal your money and data.
WAIT! So you are telling me that our dinner reservation for two at Wendy’s is canceled? 😠 unsubbed and reported.
Happy new year brother.
make a review about Maono Pd400 X?
That shock rejection from the boom arm was painful. Your face said it all.
Yeah, it was pretty rough.
I think Elgato designed this mic to be foolproof when used by streamers. Clear voice regardless of bad positioning, bad mic technique or horrible mix in OBS.
Great Review as always 👌
Man this mic is hella clear. I just bough it and got the elgato lp boom arm to go with it. Getting rid of this crappy Blue Yeti once and for all.
@@H2KSP How's the shock rejection when you move the boom arm, can you hear it?
@@scooba789 I don't move it much, I love this mic. Great quality, feels premium as well
holy.... this is my first time finding Podcastage, and this was literally the best review video i have ever seen, no matter the topic. wow. amazing job!
That is so incredibly kind of you.Thank you very much AJ, I appreciate that so much. Have a wonderful day.
Another thorough review, thanks Bandrew!
I had the impression that I'd easily get fatigued if I had to listen to somebody using this mic on a podcast for 1 hour.
I used it for a full hour on my podcast last week. It’s 51 minutes and uses the Wave DX without any EQ. I did add a bit of processing but it should give you more of a long form real world example: ruclips.net/video/mTJSNoeSOag/видео.html
@@Podcastage Will check it out, thanks! :)
I really think Elgato should've made it USB + XLR like the Q2u.
Elgato is probably the most popular brand for pro-sumer streaming gear, so a USB dynamic would make for a great entry-level mic, with a clear upgrade path to later buying their Wave XLR interface.
Another Mic review I've been waiting to hear from you. Thanks!
Thank YOU for checking it out Lars, I really appreciate that.
@@Podcastage Also based on this, I don't think my SM58 is going anywhere for live streaming. :)
This review is so thorough - it's like having the mic there with you to try. nice work!
That is very kind of you Craig. Thanks for watching, and I'm glad you found it thorough and helpful. Happy recording.
That throw was perfection! Seriously. Second baseman was checking his phone when the ball landed in his hanging glove.
I've got the Mackie EM-89D and am always surprised how damn good it sounds - especially at that price point. Lots of handling noise in that mic prevents me from using it handheld.
The DX sounds quite decent. Probably the best dynamic at the $100 price point right now. No harshness and pretty smooth. Great review!!
Listening to the comparisons, I think the Wave DX is competitive at this price point. None of the other ~$100 mics "trounce" it. That said, for my $100 I'd still opt for the RODE Podmic (of the mics compared).
Broadening the aperture, I'd opt for the RODE VideoMic GO II because it sounds notably better and gets you the RODE Connect software.
Great review Bandrew 👍!
Thanks so much TJ.
I watch just because of your presence, you make me feel so good
When they first announced it they said they wanted a dynamic mic that sounds like a condenser... I don't like it at all... And a gaming company making a mic without a shock mount is crazy lol
They achieved that brightness, but I don't agree with their site saying that it is a warm mic.
@@Podcastage Maybe they are listening it through blankets at Elgato...
I feel like as a pro-sumer brand they should've tried to make it as beginner-proof as possible. Having good pop-protection and shock-absorbtion should've been prioritized over tone, imho.
Elgato just a brand inside Elgato Mic is Lewitt Soul
Surprisingly I used this mic on my gamma guitar can and it sounded really good! It cuts really well in a band mix as well
Man, your reviews are so well made i have no hesitations or regrets basing my purchases off your opinions. Not something i do very often. Good man, sir.
This mic would fit very well if you communicate with others. There is nothing more fatiguing than speaking with someone with SM7B that have’t touched the high pass filters and are trying to sound like Howard Stern despite having a voice like Jim Carrey
The shock resistance was quite lacking, but I must admit, the plosive rejection on the DX was impressive.
I agree. Good rejection there, and the roll off in the low end reduces a lot of the energy typically heard in plosives.
Great review, Bandrew. For my $100, either the SM58 or the Podmic sound better, if used properly. The more expensive mics are, well, more expensive, and most of them did sound better to my old and tired ears.
Elgato's previous mic, the Wave:3, should've definitely been on the list of comparisons since it's also from Elgato
I'm surprised Elgato hasn't made a shock mount for this yet. They have one for the Wave 1 and 3, which is also USB and includes their mixing software.
I think they could do a TON with this mic if it got the similar treatment as their condensers.
The 100$ price range of mics is so over flooded. As long as the sm58 and v7 are around, one wonders why others even bother. Thanks for another great video dude.
Thank you very much for watching. The $100 side of things has gotten very crowded and it’s hard to compete because there are some great sounding options at that price.
Honestly, there's nothing really wrong about having choice. It'll make it more confusing to newcomers, sure, but that's about it.
I think aesthetics play a bigger part than sound at this point.
The majority of $100 mics out there will sound just fine on at least 90% of what you are trying to achieve. Of course there are exceptions, but since El Gato is marketed towards podcasters/streamers/gamers, it will be fine for those types of scenarios.
You were so much nicer than me...
I was grumpy I think......
We've all been there. I'm grumpy all the time.
@@Podcastage 😂
Yay, the review I was waiting for. Thanks.
Seems a little underwhelming, that lack of shock rejection was…shocking. Liked how it sounded on the acoustic though.
using my Focal clears on my thx 789 I can say that most of the $100 mics in the review sounded nearly identical. Honestly they were all a bit nasally, and oddly I found the $25 Behringer to have more character and low end definition without the nasal sound. Granted it is not as "nice" looking for say streaming, but heck nowadays they sell 3D printed kits that you could make these to look similar to a SM7B. I am still personally using a Neat King B as my main mic, but it is not a good streaming mic as it pics up all background noise and it has to be edited to remove such noise, but it has a wonderful recording characteristic. Thank you for yet another great video.
I really enjoy the very particular cadence that you use for your reviews, the special care to enunciation and the deliberate spaces between words...
I am however trying to imagine you doing this in various random mundane social situations and it is ending me lolol
Great comprehensive review. That Halloween pop punk reggae riff earned a subscription!
Hey Bandrew, i'm a relatively newer but avid watcher going on close to a year or so now, i've learned a lot from you and ended up getting my first major audio upgrade thanks to you. I wanted to know if you have any plans to review the Yamaha ZG01? i've recently seen it floating around and i instantly thought of you knowing the amazing detail and method in which you review this these things. And i wanted to say thanks for the time and effort you put in sharing a passion and helping others who share it while helping bring in new people like me into it with the knowledge and confidence.
I liked the Rode Podmic, I will buy it, thanks for the review
It actually sounded better in the untreated room, at least with your voice examples. SM58 beats it though for vocals.
I'd love to see your professional take on comparing this new DX mic with Wave 1 or 3.
I think for people who are gaming, this mic may work. The lack of shock rejection is not good though. The HPF helps to make it not sound so muddy, but I think they went a little far with it
Best back throw of any packaging box ever! It even left the room!
Can we make throwing the box a tradition for any mic review?
Great review!
appreciate the review! i think i'll stick with my wave 3 for a bit longer
The wave 3 with the support software is fantastic. Absolute crazy value.
You create the best review videos!
Think you realy should have reviewed the Elgato Wave XLR Interface which is what it was designed for.
Well, he already did 😅
Pretty good sounding. Would have liked to hear a comparison to other Elgato mics
These comparisons are great and all but that Music Man is hottttttttt
what is the meaning Gain you set on wave dx? how many number in wave link?
fantastic review, thank you
I'm definitely picking SM58 over this at that price range. And I think RE20 sounds 4.5x better than Elgato Wave DX.
RE20 is also 4.5x the price of the Elgato Wave DX, that really shouldn't be a surprise.
@@or10nsharkfin Well, yeah. Duh. Why do you think I said 4.5x? 😂
Very good comparation I prefer Elgato wave best sound and condenser.
Ever considered when you compare other mics comparing against their weakness. I can EQ to where they sound indiscernible on stream. What I can't do is remove the sound of repositioning my mouse or using the keyboard. The most important issue for any mic for me is how little sound other than a pointed voice it's going to pick up. I love everything about this mic but it seems to suffer at shock and noise. I remember you review the King Bee you can't even get anymore and there was absolutely zero shock but a lot of noise. I would think a lot of creators have the same concerns or maybe I'm on an island lol.
I have been looking into the elgato DX and Shure sm7b and i dont really hear a diffrence, great review :)
@EbonOnTheTrack.... 😳
Hey man ! Can you please do a review of the TLM 107? Really want to see what you think about that microphone. Cheers !
Had to lower volume on the electric guitar… It would be a nice a comparison for the best intelligibility. It can be achieved with a good mic, with processing and with a mix of both. But microphone wise it would be nice to have a pool of listeners taking notes from spoken words, in order to see which microphone offers the best intelligibility (in other words allows for the best understanding of the spoken message).
SM58..... what a beast 😁
Still holding strong. I liked the V7.
I was hoping you'd check this out/get sent it for the review. I hope they come out with an XLR dynamic mic because as cool as this is, Dynamic mics don't work well with my voice
Sounds like Elgato did some fine tunement with the mic it’s not as muddy as the others
I think the upper mid is a few decibals higher than I want it to be. The sibilance is a bit sharp or the treble is a bit too high as well
I liked the v7 or sm58 in the comparisons the most
Agreed. The V7 and 58 sounded great in comparison.
Your videos have been incredibly helpful for me to pick up the basics of recording. Could you please review zoom u22 audio interface. I need a travel friendly interface and am considering it but will not buy anything that does not have a Podcastage stamp of approval.
Daily reminder that the V7 is a king
Agreed. I own one and use it for everything. Can't see or hear any justification to spend more money.
Thank You for the video Bandrew
My pleasure. Thanks for watching.
i think my best bet is xm8500 since it osunds better ti my ears and since i am redoing my entire studio nex year i will save up for the sm7b and a cannon 700d, i bough the facecam and streamdeck elgato has me watching all day and all night.
The XM8500 is great for the price. I hope that the saving for your studio is coming along well. Happy recording.
Elgato more than likely designed this microphone _specifically_ to be paired with the Wave XLR. On its own, it's nothing to write home about. Processing right out of the box favors the high-ends. Plosives rejection is solid, but that shock absorption...Yikes. I'm using the Wave DX right now and even I have to wince at that. I was surprised at how great it worked with my voice right out of the box. A little bit of EQ, establishing a noise gate, and setting up a compressor through Wave Link really helped, though.
Elgato's site seems to suggest that the DX works with Elgato Audio Effects (noise gate/reduction and EQ) even without the Wave XLR interface. Is that not the case? Unfortunately nearly all the videos so far demo the DX together with Wave XLR, and confuse the perception of whether the DX works with the Wave Link software, regardless of which interface you use with it.
@@danmagoo Elgato Audio Effects are VST's, it's Elgato's in-house EQ and Noise Suppression. They can either be used in post-processing or added to Wave Link as device VST's. For all intents and purposes, the Wave DX is just a basic dynamic microphone.
@@or10nsharkfin Thanks for this As I said, much of what's out there right now really obscures or misleads about what this mic can do, and what the Wave XLR adds. The fact that the Wave 3 can use Wave Link and all the VSTs also skews expectations. But I think it's because the Wave 3 is a USB mic,
.
excellent review
Didn't love this mic but I did quite like it on the acoustic.
Thank you for this elaborate review of the new Elgato mic. To keep it short - in a strong field of competition around this price I don't see any reason to recommend the Elgato in particular. Especially with it's two main caveats: terrible noise rejection and not nice sounding because of a lack of full body. In your comparison there was only one mic I liked less soundwise, I.e. the AT2040. But that's no surprise, I never liked it, especially with your voice.
Ya a condenser is way better for acoustics, the vocal talking spoken word I think is good for people needing a budget mic or just needing something to start with because of price
Danke!
I was really getting my hopes up for this after a few initial reviews - that all paired it with Elgato's interface - but then I saw Aiden from Dark Corner's review, and it seemed agressively bad for him, and not impressive in your review. I wanted something in this price range to recommend to friends (I'm an RE20 user).
Whelp... At least you sold me on the Behringer xm8500 in this video!
XM8500 is one of the best deals in audio.
😄 Yeah... I bought it too...
It sounds a bit anaemic in the low end but has a much nicer topend compared to the sE V7 or the SM7B.
Definitely more open sounding than any of the other mics compared here. It made the condenser sound dull.
Aww, heck, another Bandrew song I wish I could download a full version of - catching some A7X vibes maybe
I struggle to find a reason to buy this mic when every single mic you compared it to sounded better. I did kind of like it on the acoustic though.
Well said. The Behringer XM8500 gets me every time on his voice.
It's too cheap so no one wants it!
Speakers first though - good monitors are mandatory.
Interesting mic, do you know the SPL rating of this one?
I was eagerly waiting for this and the Sona reviews. I was expecting to jump from a Samson Q2U (not included in the comparisons portion) to either the DX or the Sona but now I have my doubts now. What's your take, Bandrew? Should I keep going with my Samson Q2U?
Wave DX owner here.
As the Samson Q2U is generally around the same price and has additional USB functionality, probably wouldn't be worth it to upgrade to anything unless you can get a solid audio interface to plug the microphone into, or you were looking to spend more than $200 on the microphone itself. The Wave DX is just another dynamic microphone to be added to the market of choice.
Voice capture on it is decent. Getting the Wave XLR along with it will also allow you to use additional filters that can be turned on in Wave Link.
I'm going to ask you a question that you need to be honest with yourself about. Why do you want to upgrade from the Q2u? What problems are you trying to resolve? Based on my review and the other reviews of the Wave DX, does it appear that the mic resolves the issues you're having with the Q2u?
I have the smv7 and thinking on switching to the el gato dx but im undecided
I keep coming back to this video to help me decide, but I really can't.
I'm upgrading from some run of the mill headset mic - what entry level xlr would you overall recommend?
Could YOU PLEASE do an update on the SM58 🙏🙏🙏
Hey there! Great review once again, really appreciate it. I'm about to purchase my first mic up to ~150$ for purely spoken word, looking for that rather podcasty sound, or at least fuller than this. I find myself kind of overwhelmed with all these options currently out there, so I wanted to ask, which mic would you recommend within roughly that price range? Can be a bit above, hell, I suck with giving price ranges. Cheers!
look into bandrews and booth junkies review of the Samson Q9U
@@bobbob-dj4lh Thanks for the recommendation! This is actually a mic I've had my eyes on for a while, and I'm also familiar with one the reviews you've mentioned. As you can imagine its on the top end of the price I'm willing to pay - there haven't been any good deals in a while over in Europe. :)
sE V7 is a favorite dynamic mic in the under $150 range. Very clear in the top end while keeping a full low end
Also difficult to go wrong with an SM58, and it’s a sound people are very VERY familiar with
@@AdamBA380 Thanks, I'll check out the V7.
Great polar pattern and plosive rejection. Very dull in the upper highs. Not presence but 8k-ish
SAD W is the most important test! I'm thinking about moving over to XLR and audio interface.
Looking at the focusrite you used with my Shure mv7 until I decide to get a higher quality mic. Do you recommend going with that or is USB good enough for a roll talking head videos?
USB mics are really fine for most people who don't care about audio. But if you're going to want to play around with it more and change things out, the interface would be the route to go.
@@Podcastage thanks for the response. I think I'll start experimenting with that in the future. But I like the plug and play aspect of mics and the mv7 I use sounds so good without any work needed.
PLEASE DO A VIDEO ON MIDIPLUS STUDIO 2 PRO!!!!!! AND COMPARE WITH EVO 4 and MINIFUSE
ive been using it for a few weeks now. i like that it doesent make my voice sound exagerratedly bassy like my former aston element does. ive also tweaked it with the amek 9099 vst and with a desser. i sound good! i wonder if i should get the behringer instead tho
If you are happy with the sound you have dialed in, do not spend more money. Focus on making the content with the gear you have that's working.
@@Podcastage thank you bandrew for the advice you are right !! 🫡
I hate how it sounds.
Would love to see the frequency response... sounds V shaped... a little extra upper-bass, but an excessively boosted top-end. Somehow sounds compressed also, but it could just be due to the FR
Like a cheap mic trying to stand out initially, then you realize how annoying it is after just a few seconds.
So yeah, I prefer even the XM8500.
This mic is like the polar opposite of the Aston Element haha
Idk what but the Wave DX has the most pleasant sound to me. I'm prolly going to have to pull out my DT770s to compare because I was listening to it on Apple Earbuds :/
i might be going crazy but why do i prefer the sound of the XM8500? might be a problem with my counterfeit airpods but the XM8500 sounded considerably fuller to me, idk
does it distort when you scream?
Most dynamics do not distort at the mic level, they distort because your audio interface gain is set to high.If your interfaces gain is set to high, then yes you will still encounter that distorting when you clip. Here's a video I made covering how to set gain and what filters to use with OBS: ruclips.net/video/FXphHY4AqAA/видео.html
@@Podcastage tysm sir, I recently bought a condenser microphone and it sounds bad when I scream.
Now I can't wait to use this mic on my videos
As always, I would love it if you didn't announce the microphone names during the comparison. Maybe just show the name in the lower thing. I don't believe it's possible for the viewer to make a fair comparison in their minds because we're still listening with our eyes and wallets. Or at least mention the mic and price at the very end.
What sound do you prefer xm8500 vs samson q2u? Which mic best for my bassy/deep voice?
can you please review sure sm7b, herd it was good, thanks
His last SM7B review was 9 months ago: 1blmOQ0FlBQ
The only complain I have is that I ordered the Wave DX and they sent me the K70 pro. How do you even mess that up. Now I have to go out of my way to send back the keyboard so they can then maybe send me the correct order.
is there something better at same (or lower) price than the Shure MV7X?
Decent mic the sound is balanced
That Mackie tho.. damn
So your saying my Behringer XM8500 doesn't need a PodMic or Wave DX upgrade. Maybe only a Yellow windscreen cover to make it more "fun" for livestreaming. Guess I can draw a picture on the windscreen cover too.
Most audience members would not notice a difference in sound.
Yes!
Is it any good outside of streaming? Im torn between Wave 3 and Wave DX, Im gonna use mine for streaming + some other things, so I want somewhat natural sounding voice
Do YOU think it sounds good for any application outside of spoken word? I didn't really even like this for spoken word, but I understand that it's different strokes for different folks. Between this mic and the Wave 3, I would go with the Wave 3. But if I had a 3rd option which was the Wave XLR and an XLR Dynamic mic like the sE Electronics V7, Sennheiser E835, Shure SM58, Behringer XM8500, that's the route I would go.
I think this mic is for people who are invested in the Elgato eco-system.
That face when he taps on the boom arm!🤣
I find it weird that you didn't compare this mic to the logi blue Sona. Not the same price category, but going for the same audience in my opinion, marketing wise
It's not weird. I did not include that in this video to keep the video manageable in terms of viewing time. The reason I found that acceptable was because I compared this mic to the blue sona in my review of the blue sona: ruclips.net/video/M7HE2i25gA0/видео.html
@@Podcastage oh I didn't know. True it's not weird. English is not my native tongue so sometimes my vocabulary is not the best and it can come off as rude.
Sorry about that and thanks for the response
do you suggest me sm57 or sm58 for podcast and streaming?
The sm57 can sound really harsh and piercing for voice. Check the "Shure SM57 vs SM58 vs SM7b Comparison" video on this channel.
None of them you have to be very close to the mic and they dont have good higher frequenzies.
You can easily use a usb device like the samson g track pro (best sound) or a yeti x for that. I know streamers that are using that and sound good! And you wont neet an expensive audiounterface that takes away space and energy too. .
If you have one take a rode nt 1 o ra lewitt 440. These are a little bit more expensive but are probably the two best out there for still a normal price.
SM57 + either the A2WS (normal use) or A81WS (close talk) sounds better than the SM58 on all voices and even better than the SM7B on some. Whenever you see the iconic dual-mic setup on US presidents’ podiums, it’s the SM57 with one of these windscreens.
Source: been working in live and studio audio production for ~14 years and am admittedly biased toward the SM57 and against the SM58 😂
I just don’t love what the SM58 does to the upper midrange in particular compared to the SM57. My opinion is that the SM58 only wins on durability (a metal grille will hold up to stage and touring better than foam windscreens) and price (the additional windscreens for the SM57 are ~$15 [A2WS] and ~$38 [A81WS] at the moment and are necessary for any vocal applications).
@@JeremyHalterman Many say the SM58 is nasally, would you agree with that? I have a bias towards the SM58 because that is what she and I use. Admittedly, she got hers because of the custom paintjob from Colorware
@@nerdyneedsalife8315 I can understand that people might say that because of the SM58’s honky upper midrange, but I wouldn’t define it as nasality. I would say, though, that if you already have an SM58, you’d do better to look at mics that are further away from that sonic profile than the SM57. Maybe consider removing the SM58’s grille/windscreen and using a more transparent pop filter in front of it.
When I first saw an elgato dynamic mic I got really excited! But then... I realized it's just ANOTHER $100 XLR dynamic.. like we need another one of those. :| If this had been USB with the Wave Link software, I would be ALL OVER this thing. I cannot for the life of me understand why it's not like their condenser mics. That was the whole value prop: decent condenser mic with lewitt internals + incredible software mixer with plugin support. Why would they not have that on this product??? It has, imo, no real value over any other mic at this price. Elgato confuses me sometimes
Grrr, i thought i decided to buy the Elgato DX with Elgato XLR Interface, but the Shock is to much for me, when you hit the table or the arm... Which dynamic mic is your recommendation?
Try the Rode PodMic.
Should I buy the Wave DX or Fifine K688?
Which one do YOU like the sound of better?
@@Podcastage Both of them sound good maybe I need a comparison
@@Podcastage What would you say? Which one sounds for you better?
I thought it flattered your speaking voice in many of the comparisons but wow, the electric guitar sounded bad and it didn't do your singing any favors.
I think the Wave DX sounds a bit too Nasal for my taste and has uncomfortable high end...i think ill stick with my SM58
Goes against the grain of dynamics being low end heavy to sound like you are on PBR
Absolutely offers a sound different from the other dynamics.