The Quest for Perfect Sound: My Experience with Elgato Wave Panels

Intro

Hello, dear gaming community!

As some of you already know, I moved into our freshly built house about four weeks ago. The highlight? A dedicated basement room that I have set up as my own gaming, streaming, and geeking-out sanctuary. A dream I’ve been working towards for a long time, and it has finally come true!

But, like in any new space, there are challenges. One of them: the room echo. My setup is already pretty cool – with a large desk, two computers, a laptop, four screens, and some memorabilia from my time at own3d and StreamTV. But the furnishings are still sparse, and the room echoes.

The room is taller than my last streaming room, and let’s be honest: Plants don’t survive long with me, and pictures? Well, I’m more of a tech guy. So, I need another solution to get that echo under control.

So far, I’ve been using NVIDIA Broadcast for noise and echo suppression. It works surprisingly well, but it’s just software. And me? I want a long-term, physical solution. Because the echo doesn’t just disturb the stream; it also bothers me personally. It feels like living in a cave – which fits my caveman character, but is a bit exhausting in the long run.

After some research, I decided on the Elgato Wave Panels. Yes, they are not cheap, but my previous experiences with Elgato products have been consistently positive. And before you ask: No, this is not sponsored advertising. I bought the panels myself and want to share my experiences with you.

In this post, I’ll take you on a journey – from unboxing the panels to the first sound test. No sponsored links, no sales show (maybe some affiliate links later). Just my honest opinion and experience to help you decide if the Elgato Wave Panels are the right choice for you, too.

So, stay tuned and join me in setting up my new streaming paradise!

Why Elgato Wave Panels?

After touching on a few points in the introduction, I want to delve deeper in this chapter and explain why I chose the Elgato Wave Panels.

Quality That Convinces

First and foremost, I am very satisfied with the Elgato brand. The products I have had from them so far have consistently demonstrated high quality. Yes, they are often priced slightly above average, but I am willing to invest in quality. Apart from minor software hiccups, I am thoroughly convinced by Elgato products, such as the Keylights. They are reliable, the Wi-Fi integration works smoothly, and updates are regular.

Aesthetics Meet Functionality

With the Wave Panels, what convinced me, in addition to the quality, was primarily the visual aspect. Sure, the classic pyramid mats on the wall have their charm, but the Wave Panels offer an appealing honeycomb pattern and are available in two colors. I opted for the blue ones – a bargain I couldn’t resist! When talking about the price, why not just display it?:

I bought directly from their website here in Germany. The black starter bundle was 120 EUR, which felt quite expensive. The blue starter bundle was 50 EUR!? Same quantity, just blue.
And there was an offer for the “Acoustic Solution Bundle” <- 6 blue panels and 2 black ones.

So I ended up paying 120 EUR for 14 panels. 12 blue, 2 black.

Technical Sophistication

The Wave Panels are not just pleasing to the eye; they are also technically well-thought-out. The multi-layer foam is designed to absorb various frequencies, thereby improving room acoustics. I am no acoustic expert, but my goal is clear: I want the echo in my room to disappear, and I am willing to pay a fair price for that.

Easy Installation

Another plus is the simple installation. The panels can be attached to the wall with either adhesive strips or screws. I plan to use the adhesive strips, despite my textured walls. And the best part: The panels can be easily removed and repositioned without having to repaint the wall.

Little update here already: As I was resetting two panels, I can confirm, that these TESA strips are actually re-usable, even on textured walls (just “ripped” the frame off the wall, did not pull the strips as they told me, coz I think that would destroy the strip). But I think they won’t work a third time. Still, twice is nice! And they cost around 5 EUR for 6 pieces here in Germany. I got 30pc. in my delivery, which means, 25 EUR of the 120 just for the mounting strips.

A Seamless Setup

Since I already own other Elgato products, the Wave Panels seamlessly integrate into my gaming setup. But to be honest, that would have been almost irrelevant to me. For me, the brand and quality must be right, the price must be in proportion to the expected quality, and certain other conditions—such as installation and removal, as well as variability—must be met.

Conclusion (Preview)

At the end of this post, I will compare my experiences with the Wave Panels in detail with the recorded sound values and give my final opinion on them.

So, those were the reasons why I chose the Elgato Wave Panels. They seem to offer the perfect balance between quality, functionality, and aesthetics—exactly what I need for my setup.

The Unboxing Experience

Here I am, in the middle of the unboxing process, and I must say: I am impressed. As I snap photos and shoot a little video, the quality immediately stands out – and especially the packaging design. I am a huge fan of thoughtful and stylish packaging, and this one? Absolutely top-notch.

I haven’t gotten to the panels themselves yet, but just the fact that the mounting materials are right on top – including Tesastrips and that each bag has its own label – is a plus. Everything is separately and clearly packaged, and an instruction manual is also included. The whole thing is designed to be easily removed, and the parts can be taken out individually. And the dispensing tray for small parts? Genius, nothing gets lost.

And then the size of the panels – holy moly, they are huge! I expected them to be a bit smaller than the box, but no, they actually take up the entire area. I underestimated that a bit, I admit. These panels are definitely going to make a strong statement on my wall.

The box has a few dings, but hey, what could possibly get damaged? We are talking about foam here, and the frames are well protected. Someone thought this through.

Moving on with the unboxing: For cost reasons, I ordered two 6-packs in blue and one expansion pack with two blacks. In the online pictures, the foam seemed solid, almost rubbery, especially for the black panels. In hand, however, it feels more like soft foam – a little surprise, but by no means a disappointment.

Interesting point: The blue panels have a fabric layer on top, while the black ones are made directly of foam. The blues feel almost like they have a mouse pad cover on top. I tried to detect a difference, but they seem to be equal in terms of volume and insulation. Perhaps the blacks without fabric absorb a bit wider and diffuse more – if that’s even a thing.

And then the weight: I expected them to be heavier. They are surprisingly light, which will surely make mounting them a breeze, and as I said, they are quite large.

The Installation – Easier Than You’d Think

Let’s talk about installing the Elgato Wave Panels. I’ll be honest: It’s a breeze. The frames snap together intuitively – one minute for the first frame, and with a little practice, the next ones are done in 30 seconds. Attaching them to the wall? Just as simple. Although screws are recommended for rough walls, I opted for adhesive strips – our plaster is relatively smooth.

But heads up: The installation took me over two hours. Now, with 14 modules on the wall, the room sounds different. There’s still a bit of an echo, but the difference is noticeable.

A tip: Plan your pattern in advance and check the measurements. The panels are larger than you might think. And if you’re not obsessed with straight lines – leave the level in the corner and trust your instincts. Angled arrangements can look really cool, too!

It’s late, 2:15 in the morning, so I’ll test the echo again tomorrow. Maybe I need more panels, or I might even consider dampening the ceiling a bit. We’ll see!

The Sound – Progress, but Room for Improvement

The sound in my room has definitely improved, but not so dramatically that the amount of material on the wall feels fully justified. It feels quieter, less echo, but it’s not quite there yet. I’m considering adding a small rug and perhaps hanging a picture on the wall.

The ceiling might be the main issue – it’s made of plastered concrete with steel, very hard and sound-reflecting. I might add some soundproofing material there. There are solutions for that.

A rug between the doors could also help – nothing intrusive, just something to catch dust and sound. A few pictures on the wall might also make a difference. Not into art, but hey, if it does the trick…a means to an end!

Regarding functionality, I can’t say much. I felt the blue panels didn’t work as well as the black ones, but the black ones were pricier due to stock availability… I guess… who knows.

If you want to hear the difference for yourself, check out my stream or one of my YouTube videos. I have sound comparison files, but live is, of course, more authentic. You can find the times for my stream below.

Currently, I’m still using Nvidia’s room echo reducer, although it sometimes acts up – but that’s another topic. Few days ago, I had no AI assistance active, and nobody complained about the sound, even though my PC fan was quite loud. Maybe they just left without saying anything 😀 

For the sound comparison files:

I want to be honest with you: I’ve recorded the sounds before installing the Wave Panels. Find them here:

On the next day, I wanted to record the sounds after installing only the Wave Panels, but I was a bit disappointed by the sound improvement and already planned to add some different panels to the ceiling. And guess what, they were delivered so fast, that I FORGOT to record the sounds with only the Elgato Panels! (Yep, I had one job… I honestly think I have ADHD)
So I found myself sticking the additional panels to the ceiling thinking I had already recorded the sound files, just to realize the next day that I didn’t do it!

I am feeling pretty bad about this, but I will definitely NOT rip these additional panels off the ceiling, just to record again :D, SORRY. But I have recorded a memo in German directly after installing only the Elgato Panels. It’s not the “standard text” that I planned for comparison, but you can still get a pretty authentic impression of the improvement. Get the recording here:

Well, and now I have rearranged some panels and added the ceiling panels (they are not specifically only for ceilings, it’s just that they fit my ceiling pretty good with their kind of adhesive tape). A rug/carpet is still missing, and will hopefully bring even more improvement. But here you can find the sounds with Elgato Wave Panels and with the PolySound ceiling panels. There is still echo, but you can definitely hear the improvement:

Now, that I am listening to these sounds for like an hour, I honestly think, that the Elgato Wave Panels (even without the ceiling stuff) made quite a difference! Yes, they did not remove all the echo, but boy, they removed quite some and they gave the general audio quality a remarkable improvement.

Conclusion – Quality Comes at a Price

In summary, the Elgato Wave Panels are a solid, albeit not inexpensive choice. They offer good quality, but they aren’t a magical solution. They absorb sound to a certain extent, but they aren’t a cure-all. The price is justified by the high quality, the simple one-person installation, and the ability to remove them from the wall without residue.

Visually, they are more appealing than simple foam mats, but they aren’t the ultimate design statement either. The installation was super, the packaging and instructions top-notch, and the product itself is well-thought-out and high quality – no cheap plastic.

They are large and require space, so that should be considered before purchasing. They don’t replace furniture, but they can significantly improve an average-sized computer or streaming room.

I would recommend them if you are willing to spend more money for convenience. If the budget is tight, there are other solutions, such as foam mats or upholstered furniture. And if you have an Nvidia graphics card, the room echo suppression is a good, cost-effective, coz free, alternative.

If you enjoyed this article, I would be delighted if you drop by my Discord, YouTube, or Twitch and say hello. I appreciate every follow, subscription, and like on the various channels. I might even activate the comment and registration function here soon. (still don’t like to collect your “personal data”, though)

Alternatives and Support

Maybe soon 😅
To wrap things up, I’d like to present some alternatives for those of you who are considering different options. I haven’t tested these alternatives myself, but they would have been on my shortlist. I will try to find whether they are available on Amazon US or just on the German site.

If you decide to go for the Elgato Wave Panels, I would be thrilled if you could use my Amazon affiliate link to make your purchase. This way, I earn a small commission, and you can support my channel and blog at no extra cost to you.

The same applies if you opt for a different solution. Just use one of my links, and you’ll be supporting me in the same way. Even if you just click on the link and buy something else later, that still helps.

Of course, this is all entirely voluntary. It’s a simple way to show a little support without any additional cost to you.

Thank you in advance for that! I’m eager to hear which soundproofing solution you choose. Feel free to share your decision and experiences on Discord or in the comments under the (hope to make one, based on this article, soon) YouTube video.

See you next time, and…

Don’t be fooled