Elgato Wave:3 MK.2 vs HyperX QuadCast 2 Comparison

Elgato Wave:3 MK.2

Inside is a 16 mm condenser capsule with an integrated JFET, recording at 24-bit / 48 kHz across 70 Hz to 20 kHz. Elgato quotes a dynamic range of 110 dB, which is generous for a desktop USB mic at this price. Voices come through bright and open, with more top-end sparkle than the Shure MV7+.

HyperX QuadCast 2

HyperX quotes 20 Hz to 20 kHz frequency response with recording at up to 24-bit / 96 kHz. The condenser capsules give a bright, detailed voice that cuts through game audio and music beds. On calls, speech sounds crisp and present, and colleagues will hear more detail than through a headset boom.

Elgato Wave:3 MK.2

The pattern is a single cardioid, so it favours the front and rejects the rear. It is still a condenser, though, and it hears keyboard and mouse noise from further away than dynamic designs do. Clipguard is the clever part. When you laugh or shout, the mic switches to a second, quieter signal path in a few milliseconds, so the peak never clips.

HyperX QuadCast 2

You can choose cardioid, omnidirectional, bidirectional or stereo patterns. Cardioid suits solo calls, bidirectional suits two people facing each other, and omni captures a room. In cardioid mode it still hears keyboard noise and room echo, as most condensers do. Placing the mic close and turning gain down reduces that, though a dynamic mic remains better for noisy spaces.

Elgato Wave:3 MK.2

On top, a capacitive sensor mutes the mic when you tap it, and a ring of LEDs turns red so you can see the state at a glance. The front dial controls gain, headphone volume or the monitor mix, and pressing it switches between the three. That dial has a learning curve, because it is easy to change the wrong setting in a hurry.

HyperX QuadCast 2

A tap-to-mute sensor on top turns the mic off with a light touch, and the status light makes mute state obvious. The multi-function knob adjusts gain, headphone volume and monitoring mix. Being able to change everything on the mic without switching windows is genuinely useful during calls. The tap sensor is silent, so muting does not create a thump that the far end hears.

Elgato Wave:3 MK.2

The Wave:3 MK.2 uses Wave Link for its companion software. Onboard DSP is listed as Wave FX processor with Clipguard. The software or onboard controls also include monitoring (3.5 mm), gain control (multifunction dial), a mix control (dial and Wave Link) and a limiter (Clipguard). Official capture is listed at 48 kHz and 24-bit.

HyperX QuadCast 2

The QuadCast 2 uses HyperX NGENUITY for its companion software. The software or onboard controls also include monitoring (3.5 mm headphone output), gain control (multi-function knob) and a mix control. Official capture is listed at 44.1 / 48 / 96 kHz and 16 / 24-bit. When I hook this up for a webinar, I check whether the processing lives on the mic or only in the app.

Elgato Wave:3 MK.2

Elgato lists the mic at about 250 g, or roughly 570 g with the stand attached. The weighted desk stand is included, along with 5/8" and 3/8" thread adapters for a boom arm. The housing mixes plastic with a metal grille. It feels less dense than the Shure, but it is light enough for slim arms such as the Wave Mic Arm LP without sagging.

HyperX QuadCast 2

The microphone weighs 335 g and ships with a desktop stand, a built-in pop filter and a detachable shock mount with spring-loaded pins. The shock mount also accepts universal mounts. The body feels solid and the shock mount absorbs desk bumps well. The stand is stable, though it puts the mic at chest height on most desks, so a boom arm brings it closer to your mouth.