Elgato Wave XLR MK.2 – USB Audio Interface and DSP Mixer for XLR Microphones, 80dB Gain, Onboard Effects, LED Feedback, Touch Mute, Works with Stream Deck, PC & Mac

After trying several different desktop audio setups recently, including more “creator-focused” devices, I ended up landing on the Elgato Wave XLR Mk.2 and have been much happier with it than I expected. My setup: • RØDE PodMic USB connected via XLR • macOS • Microsoft Teams calls throughout the day • desk speakers • BlackHole + virtual outputs for routing/mix management What immediately stood out to me is that the Wave XLR feels very focused. It’s clearly designed around audio first, rather than trying to also become a streaming console, macro deck, video capture device, RGB controller, etc. That simplicity ended up mattering a lot more to me in daily use than I expected. The hardware itself is excellent. The unit feels solid, the single-knob interface is intuitive, and the LED metering is one of my favorite features. Having a clear visual representation of signal level directly on the device is genuinely useful during calls and recordings without needing to constantly check software meters. The Wave Link software has also been much smoother than some competing routing software I tested. I’m using multiple virtual outputs and custom routing paths, and the mixer-style interface has been easy to understand at a glance. It strikes a good balance between flexibility and usability. Importantly, I think this device works for a much wider audience than just streamers. Yes, content creators will obviously get value from it, but I also think it’s a great fit for: • remote workers • people in meetings all day • anyone wanting better microphone quality • users trying to manage multiple audio sources cleanly • people moving from USB mics into XLR setups One small annoyance: when I disconnect my laptop, the unit doesn’t fully shut down and the LEDs remain lit. Not a huge issue, but worth mentioning. Overall, this feels less like “streaming gear” and more like a really good desktop audio appliance. For my use case, that ended up being exactly what I wanted and good value for the cost.

Camarones Fujimoto · 2026-05-06 · via amazon

As my first audio interface ever, this thing is ridiculously easy to setup and use. Very intuitive and the software is good as well. If I had to complain about one thing it would be that sometimes upon restarting my PC, the software wont automatically detect the interface and will require me unplug and replug. This only happens 50% of the time, so I'm assuming it's just an early bug that will be ironed out soon.

Ethan Slack · 2026-03-27 · via amazon

Just get the first Wave XLR for half the price, it literally has nothing new improved. The DAC/AMP is really bad aswell and actually it's worse than the original because the onboard chip overheats and sometimes it just doesn't even work then an hour later it randomly works.

Matt · 2026-03-08 · via amazon

As some background I have owned the MK 1 version for a few years. I picked it up due to the onboard processing and 0 latency monitoring. If you've used the MK 1, you kind of already know what to expect from this. The biggest changes you'll see are the 0 latency monitoring and the effects being available onboard so you don't have to download the VSTs. This is a pretty straight forward interface for XLR mics. I have it powering a SM7DB (bypassing it's preamp) and this thing drives it just fine. So even a standard SM7B would work as that's basically how I'm running it. I also use this with a pair of DT-900 Pro X and DT 770 Pro 80 Ohm headphones. No issues there either and the sound is great. Aside from how well it works and all the bonuses of this version. I do have some nitpicks with it, but they're not major as they will all likely be adjusted via software My first frustration is with the new LED levels ring. It's not static and you cannot adjust the color (except for the mute color). So as noise happens you just have a green light bouncing around. Only way around this is to turn brightness to 0 (but then you can't see when it's muted), or you can click the dial to go to the last option of monitoring mix level. That gets rid of the bouncing green light. The other big issue is that this requires you to use the new wave link software which is very buggy. I've been on the beta version which has also gone to the stable version (3.0.2). Even though this version claims to fix issues, they're still happening. Sometimes the software will totally crash and close without any indication. The only way you'll know is you won't have any sound. The new software does have some upsides though. How can now have multiple mixes instead of just the two you had in the previous version. So now you can have a personal mix, stream mix, chat mix, record mix, and others. I think you can have up to 5. Then you can create multiple channels to split things up such as system, sfx, games, voice chat, etc. This basically ends the need of Voicemeeter. At the end of the day, I do love the device. I have my frustrations with it, but I have hopes that Elgato is working on getting them fixed. I'll hang onto the MK 1 in case I ever need the backup or my wife needs to pull out an XLR mic for something. This is still a solid product and once the issues with the software are fixed, it'll easily be a 5 star to me.

JK · 2026-03-24 · via amazon

I upgraded the Stream Deck + XLR to the Stream Deck + XL with no XLR support, so I had to get this. It takes a bit to get used to, but it's nice having it separate to be able to mute and adjust gain quickly. No real issues yet.

Eric · 2026-04-25 · via amazon

Best Buy

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Newegg

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Newegg (Open Box)

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