Wave Go — User Manual

Wave Go is a convertible wireless mic made up of a mic transmitter (TX), a USB-C receiver (RX), and the Smart Handle. The transmitter clips to your clothing or docks in the Smart Handle for handheld use.

Wave Go includes:

• 1x mic transmitter (TX)
• Smart Handle
• USB-C receiver (RX)
• Carrying case
• Magnetic plate
• Magnetic clip
• 2x furry windscreens
• Travel pouch
• USB-C charging cable

Add a second mic with the Wave Go TX (sold separately). It pairs with the same receiver and stores in the Smart Handle.

Wave Go works right out of the box.

1. Plug the USB-C receiver into your phone, tablet, or computer. The receiver powers on automatically.
2. Hold the transmitter button for 2 seconds to power on. The LED blinks blue while it connects, then turns solid blue when you’re ready to record.
3. Select Wave Go as the microphone in your camera, recording, or video call app.
4. Clip the transmitter to your clothing, or dock it in the Smart Handle for handheld use.

Wave Go is designed for USB-C devices like your phone or computer. Older iPhones with a Lightning port aren’t supported, and Wave Go isn’t made for direct use with professional cameras like a DSLR or mirrorless. Wave Go doesn’t record audio onboard. It sends audio straight to your phone or computer.

The same transmitter works as a clip-on mic or, docked in the Smart Handle, as a handheld mic.

The transmitter weighs 7 g (0.25 oz) and attaches magnetically with one of two included mounts:

• Magnetic clip: For shirts and collars.
• Magnetic plate: For thicker clothing like jackets. Place the plate inside your clothing and set the transmitter on the outside.

The transmitter’s magnetic design also lets it attach to metal surfaces for creative placement.

Point the microphone opening toward your mouth for the clearest sound.

The Smart Handle turns Wave Go into a handheld mic. It has its own button, LED ring, and battery. To dock the transmitter:

1. Twist and lift the Smart Handle head.
2. Insert the transmitter with the Elgato logo facing the Smart Handle button.
3. Place the head back on and twist to lock it in position.

Once docked, the transmitter’s button and LED functions move to the Smart Handle.

EQ Shift switches to the handheld profile as soon as you insert the transmitter. The profile is tuned for the Smart Handle head, so put the head back on and lock it to get the intended sound.

A mic on your chest picks up your voice differently than one near your mouth. EQ Shift applies a different EQ profile for each mode automatically, so you always get the right tone.

The two profiles:

• Clip-on: Restores clarity and presence lost at chest distance.
• Handheld: Adds warmth and body up close, for a fuller voice.

Wave Go keeps its controls simple. The transmitter, Smart Handle, and receiver each have a single button, and different presses and holds handle everything from powering on to pairing. When the transmitter is docked, the Smart Handle button takes over.

The transmitter and receiver use the same LED colors. When the transmitter is docked, its status shows on the Smart Handle LED ring.

Wave Go works right out of the box, adjusting your sound automatically. The free Wave Go app (iOS and Android) is there if you want to adjust gain and noise cancellation, check your battery, and more, but it’s completely optional.

Download the Wave Go app from the Apple App Store or Google Play Store. It requires iOS 17 or later, iPadOS 17 or newer, or Android 8.0 Oreo or newer.

The Wave Go app lets you:

• See exact battery levels for the transmitter and Smart Handle
• Turn Auto Gain on or off
• Set Manual gain
• Choose a noise cancellation level (Off, Low, Medium, or High)
• Mute or unmute
• Watch a real-time output level meter
• Check your serial number and firmware version
• Install firmware updates

Wave Go sends audio through a dedicated 2.4 GHz connection to its receiver. Bluetooth is used only to connect the Wave Go app for settings and updates, so Bluetooth must be on for the app to work.

You can control Wave Go from the app even when the receiver is plugged into another device. For example, adjust gain from your phone while the receiver is connected to your laptop.

1. Charge the transmitter and Smart Handle to at least 30%.
2. Plug the USB-C receiver into your phone or tablet, and power on the transmitter.
3. Turn on Bluetooth and open the Wave Go app.
4. When the app shows that an update is available, tap it and follow the on-screen instructions.
5. Keep the transmitter powered on, and keep it docked if you’re updating the Smart Handle, until the app confirms the update is complete.

If a firmware update is interrupted, the Smart Handle can get stuck. A stuck Smart Handle’s LED ring flashes green rapidly, it won’t turn off, and it doesn’t show up in the Wave Go app. The transmitter acts as the link between the app and the Smart Handle, so recovery only works while the transmitter is docked.

1. Charge the transmitter.
2. Dock the transmitter in the stuck Smart Handle.
3. Open the Wave Go app and check that the transmitter shows up.
4. Open the Help section.
5. Tap Recover a stuck handle and follow the on-screen instructions.

Wave Go adjusts your sound automatically. For more control, fine-tune gain and noise cancellation in the Wave Go app.

Auto Gain is on by default. It adjusts your levels continuously so you never clip when you’re loud or drop out when you’re quiet.

Auto Gain works well for most mobile recording.

Manual gain gives you six fixed gain steps in the Wave Go app. Turn off Auto Gain and the Manual gain slider appears. Your level then stays exactly where you set it for the whole recording.

Use manual gain when:

• You’re recording in a controlled space with predictable speaking levels.
• You’re capturing intentional dynamics, like music or expressive performance.
• You want to avoid any audible level changes from automatic processing.
• You’re in a noisier environment, like air conditioning, traffic, or a busy venue, where Auto Gain can make everything louder, not just your voice. Start toward the lower end of the range and adjust from there.

Noise cancellation reduces unwanted background noise in louder environments. Press the receiver button to switch it on when you need it and off again when things quiet down. The LEDs turn green while it’s on.

For more control, choose from three intensity levels in the Wave Go app.

Recommended settings:

• Off: For quiet rooms, or when you want more ambient sound to come through.
• Low: Reduces background noise while keeping the room sounding natural, and works well in everyday situations.
• Medium: Offers more reduction in louder spaces.
• High: Very effective but can make your voice sound more processed, so save it for very loud environments.

At your desk, use Voice Focus in Wave Link instead (see Wave Link). Noise cancellation doesn’t affect transmitter or Smart Handle battery life, because the processing runs on the receiver.

Two more processing steps run at all times:

• Low-cut filter: Removes low-frequency rumble from wind, handling noise, and vibrations.
• Dynamic range control: Catches sudden volume spikes and smooths them out before they clip.

Wave Go includes two furry windscreens to reduce wind noise:

• The transmitter windscreen clicks onto the top of the transmitter.
• The larger Smart Handle windscreen slips over the Smart Handle head.

Use a windscreen whenever you’re outdoors or anywhere moving air might reach the mic. For wind, the windscreens make a far bigger difference than noise cancellation, which can’t reliably remove wind noise on its own.

The transmitter and Smart Handle each have a built-in rechargeable battery.

• Transmitter: About 8 hours per charge. A 10-minute quick charge gives about 1 hour of use.
• Smart Handle: Tops up the transmitter whenever it’s docked, for up to 48 hours of total runtime.

Transmitter: The transmitter battery status shows automatically on the transmitter LED, or on the LED ring at the bottom of the Smart Handle when the transmitter is docked.

Smart Handle: The LED ring at the bottom of the Smart Handle shows its battery level when you press the Smart Handle button while Wave Go is off, or when you mute or unmute during recording.

Check exact battery levels for the transmitter and Smart Handle in the Wave Go app.

You can charge the transmitter two ways.

In the Smart Handle: Your transmitter charges automatically whenever it’s docked in the Smart Handle. The Smart Handle can fully charge the transmitter about 5 times.

In the carrying case: Place the transmitter in its slot in the carrying case, then connect the case to power with the included USB-C cable. The transmitter LED shows the charging status:

Place the Smart Handle in its slot in the carrying case, then connect the case to power with the included USB-C cable. The LED ring at the bottom of the Smart Handle shows the charging status:

The carrying case charges the transmitter and Smart Handle at the same time.

The receiver has a charge-through port, so you can connect a USB-C power source to help power your phone while recording. Connect the power source to the receiver’s charge-through port, then plug the receiver into your phone as usual.

It delivers up to 5 W, enough to charge your phone or slow battery drain, depending on how hard it’s working. On its own, the receiver draws less than 40 mA from your connected device. The receiver’s charge-through port doesn’t support Power Delivery (PD).

If your phone still loses charge, use a wireless battery pack or a USB-C splitter adapter with Power Delivery (PD) support (not included).

• The included USB-C cable is for charging only (5 V / 2 A, 10 W max).
• Charge and use Wave Go between 0° and 40°C (32° to 104°F).

Wave Go works right out of the box. You only need to pair manually when you’re adding a second transmitter, replacing a lost transmitter, or if the transmitter and receiver don’t connect on their own.

1. Place the transmitter within 12 in (30 cm) of the receiver.
2. Make sure the receiver is plugged in and the transmitter is powered off.
3. Hold the receiver button for 6 seconds until its LED blinks blue rapidly.
4. Hold the transmitter button for 6 seconds until its LED also blinks blue rapidly.
5. Pairing is complete when both LEDs change from blinking to solid blue.

Wave Go comes with one transmitter, great for solo recording. For two-person setups, add a second Wave Go TX (sold separately). It pairs with the same receiver using the steps above, so there’s nothing extra to connect.

The second transmitter stores in the Smart Handle, so both charge in the carrying case at the same time. Both appear in the Wave Go app as TX1 and TX2, and audio from both is mixed down into a single mono signal.

A slow blinking blue light means the transmitter or receiver is searching for its partner. Check that the receiver is fully inserted in your device and the transmitter is powered on and within range. If they still don’t connect, repeat the pairing steps with the transmitter within 12 in (30 cm) of the receiver.

Wave Go can also work as a desk mic on your computer. Plug the USB-C receiver into your PC or Mac, and use it for calls, podcasting, and more.

Wave Link is Elgato’s free mixing software for Windows and macOS. It lets you mix your voice, music, game audio, and system sounds, apply audio effects, and add VST and AU plugins.

To set up Wave Go in Wave Link:

1. Download Wave Link from elgato.com/downloads and install it.
2. Plug the receiver into a USB-C port on your computer, and power on your transmitter.
3. Launch Wave Link and follow the on-screen setup guide.

Wave Link software requires Windows 11 or newer, or macOS 15 or newer.

Voice Focus is an audio effect in Wave Link that uses AI audio enhancement technology from ai-coustics. It separates your voice from room echo and background noise, so you sound natural and clear indoors.

Ways to use Voice Focus with Wave Go:

• Calls and meetings: Sound clear in Zoom, Microsoft Teams, and Google Meet, even in a noisy room.
• Podcasting and recording: Get clean vocals without treating your room.
• Voice prompting AI tools: Pair Wave Go with a dictation app to speak your prompts to ChatGPT, Claude, and other AI tools. The wireless transmitter lets you talk from anywhere in the room, not just at your desk.

With the free Wave Link plugin from Elgato Marketplace, Stream Deck can adjust volumes, mute channels, and toggle effects in Wave Link.

Get the Wave Link plugin for free.

Follow these care and maintenance guidelines to keep Wave Go sounding its best and get the most out of its batteries over time.

Wave Go does not have an IP rating for dust or water resistance. Keep it away from rain, liquids, and extreme heat.

Wave Go comes with a 2-year warranty. The transmitter and Smart Handle batteries are built in, so if you run into any battery or performance issues, contact Elgato Support instead of trying to open the device.

Wave Go batteries are rated for more than 300 full charge and discharge cycles while keeping over 80% of their original capacity.

• Housing: Gently wipe with a soft cloth and a neutral detergent. Avoid harsh chemicals, organic solvents, high temperatures, and scratches from hard objects.
• Charging contacts: Insert and remove the transmitter and Smart Handle straight in and out without wobbling. Wipe the contacts regularly with an alcohol swab. If they darken, clean them gently with an eraser. Never scrape contacts with sharp tools.