How Wave XLR Pro's Standalone Mode Works

Not every session needs a PC involved. Standalone Mode lets Wave XLR Pro run your mix, process your mic, and output audio entirely on its own.

Most audio mixers go silent the moment your computer is off or disconnected. Wave XLR Pro is different. With Standalone Mode, the mixer continues running independently — your DSP effects stay active, your routing stays intact, and your audio keeps flowing exactly as you configured it.

Sometimes you just want to jump into a game or unwind without booting up your PC. And if you're running a dual-PC setup, there are plenty of sessions where the streaming PC simply doesn't need to be on. Standalone Mode means Wave XLR Pro keeps working either way — your microphone is processed, your mix is running, and audio is flowing through your headphones without touching either machine.

Wave XLR Pro has two USB-C ports: USB Host and USB Aux.

USB Host is your primary connection to a computer. This is where Wave Link connects, where you configure your mixes, set your routing, and dial in your DSP effects.

USB Aux is designed for secondary sources like consoles, phones, or a second PC. It works as a simple plug-and-play connection with no drivers required. Crucially, USB Aux can also power the unit on its own.

When Wave XLR Pro is powered via USB Aux, it boots up in Standalone Mode. All the settings you previously configured in Wave Link load automatically from the device's onboard memory. Your microphone processes audio, your effects run, and your mix outputs as normal.

When running standalone, Wave XLR Pro retains your saved configuration from the last time it was connected to Wave Link. This includes DSP effects like compression, EQ, and Voice Tune. Your mix routing and output assignments are preserved as well.

VST plugins, which run on your computer rather than on the device itself, are not available in Standalone Mode. Those require an active connection to your host machine.

1. Connect Wave XLR Pro to your computer via USB Host
2. Open Wave Link and configure your mix, routing, and DSP effects
3. Save your settings
4. Disconnect USB Host and power the unit via USB Aux (a console, USB charger, or any compatible USB-C power source)
5. Wave XLR Pro will boot and run with your saved configuration

That's it. No additional setup required each time.

Wave Link is required to configure Wave XLR Pro's mixing engine — Wave FX Processor handles Clipguard 2.0, DSP effects, and VST inserts, and Wave Link is how you control all of it. But once everything is configured, Wave Link doesn't need to be running. The routing and processing live on the device itself, so everything carries over into Standalone Mode automatically.

One exception: VST insert won't be active in Standalone Mode. It relies on your computer to run, so without Wave Link open, VSTs drop out of the chain. Clipguard 2.0 and your DSP effects stay active.