Joby Wavo Pod review

When it comes to microphones for streaming or podcasting, Joby may not be as well-known as Blue Yeti, but the Joby Wavo Pod is an ideal mic for amateur streamers looking to upgrade their setup. If you’re an audiophile looking for the highest audio quality, you’re better off looking at slightly more advanced options in our streaming microphones guide, including the Elgato Wave:3.

Marketed as being a plug in and play solution to improving your audio, the Joby Wavo Pod delivers out-of-the-box simplicity at a more affordable price than many of its rivals. Costing $99.95 (£89.95) the Wavo Pod may not provide the audio quality of an XLR cable device, it also doesn’t come at a premium.

If you’re familiar with USB microphones then there are no surprises here. A robust device is paired with functionality and enough adjustability to provide clean and clear audio for your streams.

Pros

• Plug and play useability
• Cheaper than competitors
• Integrated pop filter

Cons

• The mic body feels plastic (it is)
• Lacks a little in the bass

Joby Wavo Pod Specs

These are the Joby Wavo Pod specs:

Joby Wavo Pod Features

Out-of-the-box, the Joby Wavo Pod is so simple to use. You just connect it to your computer via USB and you’re ready to go. In fact, the object that will slow you down the most is untangling the USB cable.

Joby has clearly thought about creators with this microphone as it comes with both a USB-C to USB-C cable and a USB-A to USB-C cable. Ideal, if like me, you’re prone to losing the cable that came with your device. The addition of a pop filter is also a nice little touch that your viewers will appreciate. While the two audio pickup patterns are half as many as the Blue Yeti, they both work excellently. 

If you’re using this to stream then you’ll most likely be using the cardioid setting. This picks up the sound from directly in front of the microphone, with a drop-off outside that narrow ‘cone’. The other mode is omnidirectional and this picks up audio from all directions around the Wavo Pod. This is better suited to an in-person interview or a roundtable discussion for a podcast.

To ensure that your vocals are optimized, there is a dial on the body of the microphone that controls headphone volume and audio gain. It’s a simple system that is adjustable on the fly. A long press of the dial switches between the two modes. An illuminated colored ring shows which option you’re adjusting, purple for gain and blue for headphone volume.

It is an intuitive system once you’ve had enough time to get used to the mic but I occasionally found that I was muting the microphone with a short press when trying to switch between the modes. There is a 3.5mm headphone jack on the base of the mic that you can use to monitor your audio in real time.

Joby Wavo Pod Design

The first thing you’ll notice about the Wavo Pod is the striking red pop filter that adds a splash of color to an otherwise all-black look. As a dark mode enthusiast, the body of the microphone appeals to my styling, but if vibrant colors are more your thing then you might want to look at HyperX microphones.

The plastic body should be durable, even if it falls into the functional over fashion, substance over style category. The base is sturdy and provides stability, while the twist dials to adjust the mic’s angle do as intended, even if they do feel a little cheap.

While I’m talking about adjustability, I would have liked the option to alter the height of the microphone. Lowering the gain and getting close to the mic produced the best audio quality but meant that I had to stand the microphone on a box. Joby has designed the mic for use with either their gorillapod or boom arm but I’ll come onto that in a moment.

Nothing about the design particularly stands out, everything is fit for purpose and does exactly as it’s designed to do with no fuss. That’s not to say the Joby Wavo Pod is poorly made. I have no concerns about it becoming damaged with continual use, and in fact, I’m not sure dropping the mic from a height would stop it in its tracks.

Joby Wavo Pod Performance

Joby set out to make a microphone that was simple to use and it has achieved that. From box to recording takes seconds, regardless of what platform you are using to record your audio. As long as you have a USB cable the Wavo Pod works, you could even plug it into your phone and use that as a recorder. 

If you’ve got experience with USB microphones, then the audio quality from the Wavo Pod will be as expected. It won’t provide you with professional-level audio but at this price point, there aren’t any mics that will. However, if you’re currently using your laptop or headphones to record audio, then the Wavo Pod will revolutionize your setup. I can’t recommend getting a dedicated microphone enough.

In the cardioid setting, the audio is the clearest. For streaming the vocal tones are crisp and clean with very little environmental audio picked up. Some louder background sounds like traffic are picked up but for the most part, the Wavo Pod does a great job of isolating your voice.

This carries over in omnidirectional mode, however, there is a little drop-off if you’re sitting to the left or right of the microphone. I’d suggest that the pickup pattern is more bidirectional, clearly isolating sounds from in front and behind the microphone rather than 360 degrees as Joby claims.

Joby Wavo Pod Boom Arm

As I mentioned earlier, to get the best quality audio you want the microphone to be close to your mouth, about the distance of the tip of your thumb to your little finger. To solve the issue of lacking height adjustment, Joby offers the Wavo Boom Arm.

It costs $99.95 (£86.95) and screws onto the bottom of the Wavo Pod once you remove the base. This makes positioning the microphone a lot easier and gives you the flexibility to move around as you stream. It is a nice addition to your mic, with the same black and red coloring. There’s even a cupholder and hook to hang your headphones, just another couple of details of Joby’s creator-first design philosophy.

The Wavo Boom Arm elevates your setup, both literally and figuratively, and as a streamer having the Wavo Pod attached would be the ideal way to use the microphone.

Where to buy the Joby Wavo Pod

The Joby Wavo Pod, and attachments, are available to buy directly from Joby and major retailers like Amazon and Best Buy.

Should you buy the Joby Wavo Pod?

• Yes: The Joby Wavo Pod is cheaper than its better-known rivals
• Yes: It really is as simple as plug and play
• No: The construction could be more exciting

If you’re an amateur streamer looking to make the step up to a dedicated microphone but want to spend less than $100, the Joby Wavo Pod packs all the punch of the more illustrious names in the microphone game.

Having extras included, like a pop filter, that often comes as additional extras on other mics is a lovely touch. There are deals to be had if you want to combine further Joby products, like that boom arm.

If the Joby Wavo Pod isn’t for you

Blue Yeti Nano: different design

The Blue Yeti Nano comes in at around the same price as the Wavo Pod but its omnidirectional pickup pattern is actually 360 degrees, unlike the Wavo Pod’s. The audio quality is largely the same.

Elgato Wave:3: more advanced

If you’re able to spend more then take a look at the Elgato Wave:3. It might cost $149.99 (‎£159.99) but for that, you get distortion features, the ability to crossfade your PC and mic audio and a suite of options that allow you to really control the audio of your stream. It’s an advanced option for advanced streamers or those looking to grow.