Elgato unveils Wave Next, a next-gen audio ecosystem with new hardware and free software

Elgato, which is a part of the Corsair family, has just announced Wave Next, a mix of next-generation audio hardware and software built for modern creators, gamers, and professionals. It's the culmination of observing thousands of real-world setups and listening to feedback, and it's all about enhancing and streamlining workflows while also improving audio processing and how the hardware works.

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At the core of the Wave Next platform is Wave Link 3.0, a new piece of free software for everyone that delivers a powerful and intuitive audio mixing solution. No matter the audio hardware, Windows and macOS users can use Wave Link 3.0 to manage hardware and software audio inputs, routing, mixing, and monitoring with an intuitive interface. The software also supports VST plugins for per-channel effects and processing.

Naturally, when paired with Elgato hardware, you've got more functionality, including a dedicated device control panel and native Stream Deck integration with third-party effects available via the Elgato Marketplace. On the hardware side, the key technology that defines the new Wave Next ecosystem is the Wave FX Processor.

This custom chip, developed in collaboration with Lewitt Audio, is all about optimizing the signal path from the microphone to software by moving much of the critical processing directly on the hardware.

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Devices with the Wave FX Processor, like the new Wave:3 MK.2: USB Condenser Microphone, feature on-board DSP effects like an EQ and a Compressor to shape voice and audio in real-time with no latency. From there, additional effects can be applied via software, but these are then "injected directly back into the hardware signal chain" so that a full signal, including all DSP and software effects, is delivered directly from the microphone into any application.

"For years, creator audio has been shaped by tools designed for other contexts such as stage, studio, and broadcast," said Stephan Nöthen, Principal Product Architect of Elgato. "Wave FX Processor rethinks how gain is applied, how effects are processed, and how software and hardware interact. The result is studio-grade performance without studio-grade complexity."

In addition to the Wave:3 MK.2: USB Condenser Microphone, Elgato is also launching the new Wave XLR MK.2: Integrated Mic Interface, XLR Dock MK.2: For Stream Deck + for hands-on control, and the Wave XLR Pro: Integrated Audio Matrix. For a full breakdown of the gear and features, head here, or watch the presentation below.