There are lots of great microphones that you can rely on for streaming setup and two of them are Samson G Track Pro Vs Elgato Wave 3. These microphones not only sound great for voice but can be versatile too for instruments. If you want a convenient setup without much fuss, these microphones are very ideal for the application since they are simple to use. But, since the two are not cheap, let’s see below about which will be the better choice.
In this comparison, we are going to talk about:
- Headset Vs Standalone Microphone for Streaming
- What are Samson G Track Pro and Elgato Wave 3
- How are the Design of Samson G Track Pro and Elgato Wave 3
- How are the Specs of Samson G Track Pro and Elgato Wave 3
- How are the Sound Quality of Samson G Track Pro and Elgato Wave 3
- What else Samson G Track Pro and Elgato Wave 3 can offer
- Samson G Track Pro Vs Elgato Wave 3
Microphones for Streaming
With the increasing amount of video content, it also makes the trend of content makers even more prominent from those who just want to share their interest to actually make a living from their activity. Microphone is an integral part of both audio and video content and people even argue that you can still watch a bad quality video but not with bad audio. This is probably because there are messages on the audio which are often the core of the content itself.
Depending on the application and personal preference, the choice of microphone may vary as well because in general all microphones will be able to capture your sound but not all of them will deliver the desired sound quality. For example in game streaming applications, we can use the built in microphone from your headset or buy a dedicated microphone such as Rode NTG4+ vs NTG5. Both are suitable for the applications but they are also different.
The best thing about the headset is their convenience because both headphone and microphone are combined into one. In a gaming setup this is what we mostly use to communicate with the other players or teammates and since the microphone is usually adjustable while closer to the mouth, they will have a good directionality. In addition, not only on the microphone side but gaming headsets are usually boosted to deliver a more prominent audio quality for gaming purposes.
On the other hand, while a standalone microphone may or may not come with a built-in monitoring function, they are usually much better in terms of audio quality. They often sound clean and crisp to help deliver your voice or message properly. They are also often flat across the frequency which makes your voice more pleasant to listen to. In addition, some options will have features such as different polar patterns and built-in features to optimize the recording mode according to the application.
Both headset microphones and standalone microphones are good depending on which seems best in your application and preference. The drawback of headset microphones is they are not the best for audio quality as well as less versatile if you want to record other than voice. As for standalone microphones, they can be quite expensive and you may need to add more equipment into the setup because not all microphones will work with just USB cable. Some may need phantom power and some may need an interface to bridge the connectivity.
| Samson G Track Pro | Elgato Wave 3 | |
|---|---|---|
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| Product Dimensions | 11 x 6 x 6 inches | 1.57 x 2.6 x 6.02 inches |
| Shipping Weight | 3.72 pounds | 1.29 pounds |
| Shop now at Amazon | click here | click here |
About Samson G Track Pro and Elgato Wave 3
If you are here then we assume that you choose to have a dedicated microphone instead and this is a good solution to improve the sound quality quite noticeably. It is also the solution if your type of content is related to music because in general we need a much better microphone to record the voice and instruments. There are plenty to choose from and for starters we recommend to consider what type of connectivity that you want to use with the microphone.
For those without an interface, getting a USB microphone is probably the best choice since we don’t need to add anything in between the microphone and computer. Most audio equipment brands have USB microphones as well so we have lots to consider here. Samson and Elgato are two of them that are often the choice of many streamers who want to have a convenient setup without scarifying the sound quality. These companies carry some of the most interesting options for the simple setup.
They are the Samson G Track Pro and Elgato Wave 3 which are similar but also different. We do think these microphones will be ideal for any streamers including podcasters or anyone who are focusing the application on voice recording but, the G Track Pro is also famous for being a versatile choice which means it is great for music too. What we love the most from these microphones is their sound quality which is both rather flat but also boosted a bit.
In comparison, while the Samson G Track Pro and Elgato Wave 3 are suitable for voice overs, they are also still useful for other purposes like recording demo at home and the Samson microphone will be better if this is your goal with the microphone but, for voice only any of the two will be just good. We actually like Wave 3’s sound when it comes to speech as it is more comfortable to the ears. The difference is not prominent however so it can be subjective.
Samson G Track Pro and Elgato Wave 3 Design
Before moving further, let’s see the unit first and here both are very simple with black fashion. We actually like the fashion of streaming mic like the QuadCast but these are solid looking microphones as well. The build quality is much better on the G Track Pro however which is strange because Wave 3 is not cheap at all and currently pricier than the other. It is because the Wave 3 body is made of plastic with metal base in which Samson is full metal with pretty good weight too.
As a USB microphones, these two are offering some features on board and you can easily spot them here with the Samson few knobs, buttons, and switch located at the front of the mic while the Wave 3 also have this knob to adjust the several features. Both of them are USB based so we can just connect the cable to a computer and in addition we can plug a headphone too for monitoring purposes on both microphones.
Samson G Track Pro and Elgato Wave 3 Specs
Now let’s see what the Samson G Track Pro and Elgato Wave 3 can offer starting from the specs first to give you an idea how they will sound. From the frequency response the G Track Pro is from 50Hz to 20kHz while the Wave 3 is from 70Hz to 20kHz so they should be able to capture everything that we can hear. They are also recording at a high depth or up to 24bit and at 96kHz so at the core both are very capable.
Samson G Track Pro and Elgato Wave 3 Sound Quality
As for the sound character, we are surprised to hear that Samson G Track Pro and Elgato Wave 3 are very similar to each other and this is on the cardioid setting which is what most of us will probably end up using often. The low end is ideally cut because it may reduce the unwanted noise in the room but the highs are elevated as well so they are not completely flat. In comparison they are a tad brighter than typical flat microphones like Yeti so we may have to mind the distance too.
However, when you listen to them closely, it feels like the Wave 3 is also reducing the mid-range to be lower and less pronounced, which causes the sound to be prominent on the higher end as well so in general it is less flat compared to the G Track Pro. Personally we like any of their sounds and it is not a big deal but for those who don’t really like the high-end of their voice may want to think about how they will sound from these microphones.
Samson G Track Pro and Elgato Wave 3 Features
On the additional features part, what we love the most from Samson G Track Pro and Elgato Wave 3 are a bit different. Wave 3 comes with WaveLink software which is very easy to use and looks optimized for streamers to tweak the microphone’s sound further, to match your preference. On the G Tack Pro the feature is built in because here you can choose from three different polar patterns so besides the cardioid we can also choose to use figure 8 or omnidirectional.
This microphone can record both mono and stereo as well which is great for musical applications. Both Samson G Track Pro and Elgato Wave 3 do have the gain input knob on the unit along with the volume knob for convenience.
Samson G Track Pro vs Elgato Wave 3
These microphones are very ideal for streamers because they sound very good but they also carry different features. The recording quality is equally high and they are on the brighter part if seen from the response itself. The G Track Pro do have different polar patterns however so it can be more versatile in terms of applications while the Wave 3 has the companion software to work with. In comparison from the sound character, the Elgato feels a bit brighter than and not as flat as the G Track Pro.
Conclusion
There is no bad option here and you can shop based on which sounds better but personally we recommend the G Track Pro for its additional features, better build quality, and also versatile for both voice and instruments.