Audio & Headphones · Head-to-head
RØDE PSA1+ Professional Studio Boom Arm vs Elgato Wave Mic Arm Pro
Which should you buy? Our verdict on both, pulled from our full The Best Microphone Boom Arms: 4 Compared (and One to Skip) comparison.
The PSA1+ is the arm most people should buy: its 1.2 kg ceiling comfortably clears the dynamic mics that actually sit on podcast desks, and it holds position silently for years. If your microphone and shock mount together push past about 1 kg, step up to the Elgato Wave Mic Arm Pro and its 3 kg gas spring instead.
RØDE PSA1+ Professional Studio Boom Arm
Buy itThe default answer for most desks: silent damped springs, a sane weight window, and it stays where you put it.
- RØDE rates it for microphones between roughly 94 g and 1.2 kg, which covers a Shure SM7B (852 g, per Shure) and RØDE's own PodMic (937 g) with room left over
- Internally damped parallelogram springs move silently, so repositioning mid-recording does not print a creak into the take
- Integrated cable management takes both XLR and USB cables, so nothing dangles or snags
- Owners consistently report no measurable droop after long-term use with mid-weight dynamics, which is the exact failure this category is known for
- The 1.2 kg ceiling gets tight once you add a heavy aftermarket shock mount to an already heavy broadcast mic, and running an arm at its ceiling is what wears springs out
- The clamp needs a reasonably accessible desk edge, though RØDE also includes a threaded desk mount for through-desk installs
Elgato Wave Mic Arm Pro
Buy itA gas spring rated to 3 kg, which is the only spec in this group that leaves genuine headroom for a heavy mic plus a heavy mount.
- Rated for microphones up to 3 kg (6.6 lb), well above the ceiling of the spring arms it competes with, so a broadcast dynamic plus a metal shock mount is nowhere near the limit
- The gas spring holds position by pressure rather than by coil tension, so there is no spring to slowly relax and no tension knob to keep retightening
- The desk clamp opens to 60 mm (2.4 in), and a riser is included
- Ships with 1/4 inch threading plus 3/8 inch and 5/8 inch adapters, and routes cable through built-in magnetic channels
- Gas springs need load to behave: with a very light USB mic the arm can float upward until you dial the tension down, so it is the wrong tool for a 200 g condenser
- A heavy arm at 2 kg on its own, and priced accordingly
Side by side
The 7 criteria below are the ones our full comparison judged every product on, narrowed to these two.
| RØDE PSA1+ Professional Studio Boom Arm Our pick | Elgato Wave Mic Arm Pro | |
|---|---|---|
| Our verdict | Buy | Buy |
| Best for | Podcasters and streamers running a dynamic mic in the 700 g to 1 kg range who want to buy once and stop thinking about it. | Anyone running a Shure SM7B, RE20, or similar broadcast dynamic in a metal shock mount, or planning to add a pop filter and a light on the same arm. |
| Price tier | $$$ · premium | $$$ · premium |
| Rated mic weight capacity | About 94 g to 1.2 kg (2.6 lb) | Up to 3 kg (6.6 lb) |
| Capacity left with an 852 g Shure SM7B alone | About 350 g | About 2.1 kg |
| Tension mechanism | Internally damped coil springs, no user knob | Gas spring with adjustable pressure |
| Sag over time (owner reports) | Rarely reported | Rarely reported |
| Reach and desk footprint | Long reach, slim aluminium profile | 750 mm reach, 60 mm clamp, 2 kg arm |
| Cable management | Internal channels, bring your own cable | Built-in magnetic channels, bring your own cable |
| Movement noise | Effectively silent | Effectively silent |
Which one is right for you?
Pick the RØDE PSA1+ Professional Studio Boom Arm if
podcasters and streamers running a dynamic mic in the 700 g to 1 kg range who want to buy once and stop thinking about it.
Know before buying: the 1.2 kg ceiling gets tight once you add a heavy aftermarket shock mount to an already heavy broadcast mic, and running an arm at its ceiling is what wears springs out.
Pick the Elgato Wave Mic Arm Pro if
anyone running a Shure SM7B, RE20, or similar broadcast dynamic in a metal shock mount, or planning to add a pop filter and a light on the same arm.
Know before buying: gas springs need load to behave: with a very light USB mic the arm can float upward until you dial the tension down, so it is the wrong tool for a 200 g condenser.
The bottom line
Our overall pick is the RØDE PSA1+ Professional Studio Boom Arm - The default answer for most desks: silent damped springs, a sane weight window, and it stays where you put it. Choose the Elgato Wave Mic Arm Pro instead if anyone running a Shure SM7B, RE20, or similar broadcast dynamic in a metal shock mount, or planning to add a pop filter and a light on the same arm.
Want the full picture, including the other options we compared and the popular one we'd skip? Read the complete The Best Microphone Boom Arms: 4 Compared (and One to Skip).