How to Set Up Streaming Audio in OBS

To set up streaming audio in OBS (OBS Studio), you connect your microphone as an input, set a consistent sample rate, add a few audio filters, and balance your mic against game and music sources. Getting how to set up streaming audio in OBS right means your voice is clear, your levels are steady, and your stream doesn’t sound harsh or noisy.

Here’s a clean, reliable setup that works for most streamers.

Set your global audio settings first

Open OBS Settings and go to the Audio section. Set your sample rate (commonly 48 kHz to match most streaming and video workflows) and confirm your channels. Pick the correct device for Mic/Auxiliary Audio (your USB mic or interface) and Desktop Audio (game and system sound). If you’re unsure why sample rate matters, see sample rate and bit depth explained.

Connect and choose your microphone

A USB mic appears directly as an input; a mic on an interface shows up as that interface. To pick the right mic for a streaming setup, read condenser vs dynamic microphones — dynamics are popular for streaming because they reject keyboard clatter and room noise when you’re close to them. Set a sensible input level so your voice peaks comfortably without clipping; our gain staging guide explains how.

Add audio filters to your mic

In the OBS Audio Mixer, open the gear/filters menu on your mic source. A practical filter chain, in order, is usually:

• Noise Suppression — reduces steady background noise like fans.
• Noise Gate — mutes the mic below a threshold so it’s silent when you’re not talking.
• Compressor — evens out your volume so loud and quiet moments stay consistent.
• Gain / EQ — fine-tune level and tone to taste.

Apply these gently. Heavy processing makes streams sound pumped or robotic. The principles behind these filters are covered in our EQ and compression fundamentals.

Balance your sources and use monitoring

Open Advanced Audio Properties to set the relative volume of your mic, desktop/game audio and music so your voice always sits on top. Set audio monitoring carefully — “Monitor and Output” lets you hear a source while it also goes to the stream, but monitoring your own mic can cause echo, so most people leave the mic on “Monitor Off.” Use closed-back headphones to avoid your speakers bleeding into the mic.

Record separate audio tracks

For flexibility, set OBS to capture multiple audio tracks — for example, mic on one track and game/music on another. This lets you re-balance or remove music when you turn streams into clips or upload VODs, which connects neatly with our guide on repurposing content for social media.

Test before you go live

Run a short local recording and listen back on headphones. Check that your voice is clear and forward, the gate isn’t cutting off your words, and game audio doesn’t drown you out. A two-minute test now saves an entire stream of bad audio.

Frequently asked questions

Why is my mic quiet or distorted in OBS?

Quiet audio usually means the input gain is too low or a gate threshold is set too high; distortion means levels are clipping. Set your gain so speech peaks with headroom, and adjust the noise gate so it opens for your normal speaking voice.

What sample rate should I use in OBS?

48 kHz is a common, safe choice because it matches most video and streaming platforms. The most important thing is keeping it consistent across OBS and your audio device to avoid resampling glitches.

How do I stop echo on my OBS stream?

Echo usually comes from monitoring your own mic or from speakers feeding back into the mic. Set your mic’s audio monitoring to “Monitor Off” and use headphones instead of speakers.