It seems everyone has a podcast these days with an ever-increasing number of people finding ways to share and ultimately monetize their interests and talents online. Usurpingly there is an expanding array of choices when it comes to equipment for these budding creators. The new Wavo POD streamer Kit from Joby offers an attractive plug and play package for newcomers to streaming or those who finally want to be heard clearly on video calls at around £175.
The kit offers the Wavo POD mic itself and the accompanying Wavo Boom Arm. I started with just the mic, set up was a breeze with the included USB C cable and my standard headphone jack sitting side by side at the base. There was no additional software to install and within a few seconds I was busy cringing at the sound of my own voice clearly relayed back to me on Discord. The integrated pop filter did a great job at calming the more excitable syllables for a clear and even sound.
Buoyed by early success (I am not known for my tech set up skills) it was onto the arm. It attached to my desk easily with its simple clamp and felt very secure once in place. It was easy to manoeuvre into the desired position, I had no need to deploy the diminutive Allen key to adjust the tension. I did need to zap the included QR code for guidance on attaching the mic to the arm as this did involve removing it from its base and an extra little fastening which I initially overlooked in the box. Incidentally the mic will happily attach to other Joby mounts should you need something a little more portable. There were also two red trim pieces that swap out with the standard black if you want your arm to pop a little more. Though I was initially noted the cupholder with great approval sadly it did not accommodate the handle on my mug of builder’s tea.
The mic offers two polar patterns, the button on the front easily toggles between omnidirectional for picking up audio from all directions and cardiod for more direct input from 1 or 2 speakers seated together. The main control was easy to use, a quick press to mute and the LED turns red as a handy reminder. Long press and it will turn purple as you adjust the gain to get your voice crystal clear, another long press and it’s back to blue for volume control.
The quality is great for the price, and it will record up to 24-bit audio files putting it on par with the Blue Yeti Nano. The sound was clearest when using the cardiod mode but there were still some occasional louder background noises creeping in such as the neighbour’s lawnmower. The microphone is light and portable and worked just fine with my iPad’s USB C connection, making it a great choice for casting on the go. All in all, the Wavo POD streamer Kit offers a great jumping on point for anyone looking to make their online debut with a minimum of set up.
You can find the Wavo POD Streamer Kit on their website.
